West Tokyo Union Church Weekly -Â Sunday, May 29, 2016 worship
Pastor: Rev. Teresa Thompson Sherrill   wtucrev@gmail.com
9:30 AM – Blessed to be a Blessing series STARTS! ADULT SUNDAY SCHOOL (in the Sack`s living room) – facilitated by Karen, Carol and Jim. No materials needed, join when you can throughout the study, and this book study will continue in the autumn. (5/29, 6/5 and 6/19)
11:00 AM – Rev. Dr. Jim Sack will bring the Message “Come, But Please Don’t Come†from Luke 7 and Galations 1. Kazuko Sacon will lead us in worship on the organ. Our delightful robust Fellowship Time will be after the service. Following the Fellowship time will be a Steering Committee meeting in the Upper Room.
***
powerful words for encouragement this week
O Spirit, help us so to serve you, that all the world might hear and rejoice in the greatness of your name:
Lord of hosts, God of gods, Ruler of glory, Judge of earth, Lover of justice, Avenger of wrong;
Upholder of life, Lifter of heads, Parent to the orphan, Protector of the weak; Maker, Savior, Redeemer, Deliverer, Helper, Shepherd, Keeper, Midwife, sheltering Wings, forgiving God!
O Spirit, help us so to serve you, that all the world might hear and rejoice in the greatness of your love:
The love that opens, stretches forth, anoints, lifts up, rescues, saves;
The love that leads, abides, receives our spirits, helps, holds our times;
The love that holds the cup of agony—a strong love, exalted, high, but forgotten! O Spirit, help us so to serve you, that all the world might hear and rejoice in the greatness of your love:
The love that creates the heavens and earth and all who — dwell therein, that performs great signs and wonders;
The love that rules, that triumphs, that scatters the wicked and makes them still;
The love that brings slaves out of bondage, that gathers the lambs and all who are scattered, the love that is bared before all the nations!
***
about the preacher – Jim and Carol Sack have been long term missionaries in Japan with the Evangelical Lutheran Church in Japan since 1982. Jim teaches clinical psychology classes in the undergraduate and graduate school as well as pastoral counseling classes in the seminary. Carol is director of “Lyra Precaria,” a ministry that provides harp music and voice at the bedside of the dying.Â
***
Mark`s Natsumikan Marmalade – Thank you for purchasing Mark Hisamatsu`s 20 jars of delicious homemade marmalade! 10,500 yen was raised for WTUC`s long term budget.
***
a new study opportunity is coming …
BLESSED TO BE A BLESSING ~ How to Have an Intentional Healing Ministry in Your ChurchÂ
By James K. Wagner
9:30-10:30am, non-Multi-Generational Sunday mornings – upcoming dates – (5/29, 6/5 and 6/19) @ Sack house. This Sunday School will continue on in the fall.
We will start a study about the Sacramental Model of Healing Ministry, using this book by Methodist pastor James Wagner. Dr. Wagner helps us to see healing prayers as a natural outcome of the church, inspired by the compassion of our Lord who wills goodness to each person in both general and specific ways. Any genuine ministry is concerned with encouraging and helping others, not on building up oneself or one’s group. It is centered in the Word of God.Â
Let us explore together such questions as: “What is the sacramental healing ministry of the Church?†“What about when healing doesn’t seem to happen?†“What is the significance of forgiveness?†and many other questions.Â
We will continue this study over a few months, reading the text out loud together and discussing as we go along. Feel free to join whether or not you have had any prior connections with the healing ministry.Â
***
Upcoming Preaching Ministry and Community Events
May 29th – Blessed to be a Blessing Adult Sunday School, Rev. Dr. Jim Sack preaching, Organ: Kazuko Sacon, Steering Committee meeting following the Fellowship Time.
June 5th – Blessed to be a Blessing Adult Sunday School, Carol Sack preaching, Communion will be served, Graduate Sunday, Youth and friends will lead the worship. A sweet will be prepared by the Hoskins’ family to celebrate Sammie`s graduation!!!
June 12th – Multigenerational and Adult Sunday Schools, Pastor Teresa preaching, Organ: Kazuko Sacon. Fellowship time.
June 19th – Blessed to be a Blessing Adult Sunday School, Pastor Teresa preaching, Communion will be served, Organ: Kazuko Sacon. Fellowship time.
June 26th – Multigenerational and Adult Sunday Schools, Last Sunday worship of the 2015-16 church year. Pastor Teresa preaching, Organ: Kazuko Sacon. Fellowship time. Worship at WTUC will start up again on September 4th, 2016.
***
Little Kidz: Please go with Sara and have fun learning about the Sower and the Seed.
ES/MS/HS Youth: Next Youth and friends worship on June 5th – looking for folks to lend their gifts to the service.
***
MULTIGENERATIONAL SUNDAY SCHOOL!! ADULT SUNDAY SCHOOL!!Â
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 facilitated by Pastor Teresa. 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 = ) BLESSED TO BE A BLESSING Adult Sunday School also at the Sack`s May 29th, June 5th and June 19th. All friends invited!
***
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!
***
Texts for the sermon from Luke 7:1-10 (NRSV)
Jesus Heals a Centurion’s Servant
7 After Jesus had finished all his sayings in the hearing of the people, he entered Capernaum. 2 A centurion there had a slave whom he valued highly, and who was ill and close to death. 3 When he heard about Jesus, he sent some Jewish elders to him, asking him to come and heal his slave. 4 When they came to Jesus, they appealed to him earnestly, saying, “He is worthy of having you do this for him, 5 for he loves our people, and it is he who built our synagogue for us.†6 And Jesus went with them, but when he was not far from the house, the centurion sent friends to say to him, “Lord, do not trouble yourself, for I am not worthy to have you come under my roof; 7 therefore I did not presume to come to you. But only speak the word, and let my servant be healed. 8 For I also am a man set under authority, with soldiers under me; and I say to one, ‘Go,’ and he goes, and to another, ‘Come,’ and he comes, and to my slave, ‘Do this,’ and the slave does it.†9 When Jesus heard this he was amazed at him, and turning to the crowd that followed him, he said, “I tell you, not even in Israel have I found such faith.†10 When those who had been sent returned to the house, they found the slave in good health.
Galatians 1:1-5 (NRSV)
Salutation
1 Paul an apostle—sent neither by human commission nor from human authorities, but through Jesus Christ and God the Father, who raised him from the dead— 2 and all the members of God’s family who are with me,
To the churches of Galatia:
3 Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ, 4 who gave himself for our sins to set us free from the present evil age, according to the will of our God and Father, 5 to whom be the glory forever and ever. Amen.
