Sunday, April 17, 2016

West Tokyo Union Church Weekly - Sunday, April 17, 2016 worship

Pastor:  Rev. Teresa Thompson Sherrill     wtucrev@gmail.com

11:00 AM Worship Service – Pastor Teresa will bring the sermon People Turning the World Upside Down from Acts 17. Communion will be served. Kazuko Sacon will lead us on the organ. Ruth Ingulsrud will being us the children`s message. Please enjoy Fujiko Nielson`s Easter Season art installation. Our delightful robust fellowship time will be after the service. Steering Committee meeting follows our fellowship time in the Upper Room.

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encouragement of the presence of God for us today in our families and vocations –

I arise today

Through a mighty strength, the invocation of the Trinity,

Through belief in the Threeness,

Through confession of the Oneness of the Creator of creation.

I arise today, through

The strength of heaven,

The light of the sun,

The radiance of the moon,

The splendor of fire,

The speed of lightning,

The swiftness of wind,

The depth of the sea,

The stability of the earth,

The firmness of rock.

Christ with me,

Christ before me,

Christ behind me,

Christ in me,

Christ beneath me,

Christ above me,

Christ on my right,

Christ on my left,

Christ when I lie down,

Christ when I sit down,

Christ when I arise,

Christ in the heart of every man who thinks of me,

Christ in the mouth of everyone who speaks of me,

Christ in every eye that sees me,

Christ in every ear that hears me.

I arise today

Through a mighty strength, the invocation of the Trinity,

Through belief in the Threeness,

Through confession of the Oneness of the Creator of creation.

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Upcoming Preaching Ministry and Community Events

April 17 – Pastor Teresa preaching, Communion will be served. Steering Committee meeting follows our fellowship time.

April 24 – Multigenerational and Adult Sunday Schools, Hiro Morikawa preaching, Organ: Kazuko Sacon.

May 1 – Rev. Christian Zebley preaching, Communion will be served. Organ: Kazuko Sacon.

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Looking for mentors for our wonderful confirmands

This church year Aidan, Anna Z, Emma, Kai, Karen, Ken, Matai, Sophia and Tristan have been meeting monthly to prepare for confirmation on Pentecost, May 15th. They will be preparing their “creed” to read during the service. WTUC matches up a mentor with a confirmand to continue their journey of spiritual formation and growth. If you would like to be one of these grand kids mentors, please let Pastor Teresa know. Thank you for your prayerful consideration.

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Little Kidz: Please go with Oliver  to learn about the Prodigal Son.

ES/MS Youth: Sun. April 24th  5:30-7pm. @ ASIJ for Pool fun, Devotion activity and Pizza!

Confirmation Class: Working on their “creeds” that they will share at Pentecost.

HS Youth: Still gathering usable cloth to continue with quilting projects.

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MULTIGENERATIONAL SUNDAY SCHOOL!! ADULT SUNDAY SCHOOL!! 

We have Multigenerational Sunday School from 9:30AM in the cafeteria the second and fourth Sundays of the month. Who is welcome? All ages. We  will be creating, discussing, playing games, acting out bible stories and more. At the same time, the Sacks host the Adult Sunday School, also at 9:30AM in their living room. The method used is the, “Swedish Bible study method,” interacting with the texts for the service through our own life experiences. Their home is right across the Lutheran Campus from our sanctuary. Best coffee in town = ) Come and enjoy! (At times Adult Sunday School is held in the Upper Room, hosted by Dr. Toshi Sasao, on the 2nd floor above the Sanctuary.) All are welcome. Need more information, contact wtucrev@gmail.com any time = ) Next Sunday Schools – April 24th, May 8th and 22nd! All friends invited!

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WTUC  Announcements:  *Questions or concerns?  Feel free to email wtucrev@gmail.com anytime *Please enjoy and refer our website https://wtuc.net/ and FB page (West Tokyo Union Church) to others. Please make any suggestions for additions to the Pastor Teresa and/or Steering Committee. If you’d like to be added to the WTUC church email list, are interested in baptism or membership, please contact Pastor Teresa *If interested in joining the WTUC Prayer Chain, let Pastor Teresa or Prayer Chain Coordinator, Kayo Ozawa, know of your interest. Please submit prayers to wtucrev@gmail.com or Kayo. *Sign up for snacks for fellowship time with Ann or Jill. We appreciate your contributions to our community life!

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Text for the sermon – Acts 17:1-9 (NRSV)

The Uproar in Thessalonica

17 After Paul and Silas had passed through Amphipolis and Apollonia, they came to Thessalonica, where there was a synagogue of the Jews. 2 And Paul went in, as was his custom, and on three sabbath days argued with them from the scriptures, 3 explaining and proving that it was necessary for the Messiah to suffer and to rise from the dead, and saying, “This is the Messiah, Jesus whom I am proclaiming to you.” 4 Some of them were persuaded and joined Paul and Silas, as did a great many of the devout Greeks and not a few of the leading women. 5 But the Jews became jealous, and with the help of some ruffians in the marketplaces they formed a mob and set the city in an uproar. While they were searching for Paul and Silas to bring them out to the assembly, they attacked Jason’s house. 6 When they could not find them, they dragged Jason and some believers before the city authorities, shouting, “These people who have been turning the world upside down have come here also, 7 and Jason has entertained them as guests. They are all acting contrary to the decrees of the emperor, saying that there is another king named Jesus.” 8 The people and the city officials were disturbed when they heard this, 9 and after they had taken bail from Jason and the others, they let them go.