West Tokyo Union Church Weekly - Sunday, May 15, 2016 worship

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

11:00 AM – PENTECOST Worship Service – Pastor Teresa will bring the homily “Hearing the Wind” from Acts 2. Our Confirmands (Aidan, Anna, Emma, Kai, Karen, Ken, Sophia and Tristan) will read their creeds. The Confirmation class will sing Books of the Bible. Singing Communion will be served with Gene Witt as our cantor. Kazuko Sacon will lead us on the organ. Cathy Berghahn will be our liturgist and Mark Hisamatsu will bring our children`s message. Our delightful robust fellowship time of red, orange and blue foods* (symbolizing Pentecost) will be after the service. Pick up a jar of Mark`s Natsumikan Marmalade for 500 yen too, all proceeds go towards WTUC`s budget = ) EVERYONE PLEASE BRING A RED, ORANGE OR BLUE YUMMY TO SHARE DURING FELLOWSHIP TIME.

***

Spirit… spirit… spirit… spirit…

The crunch of word the splash of light the run of water

Spirit… spirit… spirit… spirit…

The breaking of word the flow of light the rush of water

Spirit… spirit… spirit… spirit…

Come Spirit

scoundrel of grace invade and infect us with goosebumps and justice

Come Spirit

spark in the chaos and unstop our ears to the song in creation

Come Spirit

rascal of heaven bring us to the edge of all things created

Come Spirit of grace

Come Spirit of life

Come Spirit of creation

Come now… now… now… now

~ written by Roddy Hamilton, http://www.nkchurch.org.uk/index.php/mucky-paws

***

Sunday, May 15th is Pentecost and Confirmation Sunday! Our confirmation class has been studying the foundations of our faith throughout the year, and will share with us their “creed” during this worship. We will have a time of blessing for them, and then we will all take communion together. A robust fellowship time celebrating Pentecost and our confirmands will follow the worship – *EVERYONE, as able, please bring red, orange, yellow finger foods to symbolize fire or blue finger foods, to symbolize the Spirit – invite your friends!

Our confirmand class will be singing the Books of the Bible song, and then the congregation will be invited to JOIN IN – feel free to click and practice so that you can sing along – https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ENT6HD58yA4

Next Friday the 20th, Amy Harbaugh will be hosting a GAME NIGHT at ASIJ for the ES and MS students. Please meet at the ASIJ gate at 6pm. Game night will last till 8pm. Pizza will be served = )

Then on Sunday, May 22nd will be our annual Graduate Sunday (congratulations Sammie!) and Christian Education Appreciation Sunday. Youth and Friends will be leading the worship this Sunday – see Julie or Allie to lend your talents to the worship music. Ruth Ingulsrud is writing a special puppet play, and Allie is preparing a sermon. Another chance to encourage the Youth of WTUC and invite your friends!

***

Mark`s Natsumikan Marmalade – Mark Hisamatsu made 20 jars of his delicious homemade marmalade for our congregation. He is donating the proceeds towards WTUC`s long term budget. Suggested donation – 500 yen per jar. Enjoy = )

***

a new study opportunity is coming …

BLESSED TO BE A BLESSING ~ How to Have an Intentional Healing Ministry in Your Church 

By James K. Wagner

9:30-10:30, 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. 

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. 

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. 

***

Upcoming Preaching Ministry and Community Events

May 15th – Confirmation Celebration and Pentecost Worship with Pastor Teresa giving a homily, Confirmands will read their “creeds” and sing Books of the Bible, Singing Communion, Organ: Kazuko Sacon, Pentecost Fellowship Time of red, orange and blue treats.

May 20th – 6-8pm Friday night – Game night for ES and MS students – meet at the parking of ASIJ at 6pm. Pizza will be served = )

May 22th – Multigenerational and Adult Sunday Schools, Allie Rogers preaching, Puppet Show by Ruth and friends, Youth and friends will lead worship, Congregational meeting after the worship.

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, Youth and friends will lead the worship.

June 12th – Multigenerational and Adult Sunday Schools, Pastor Teresa preaching, Organ: Kazuko Sacon.

June 19th – Blessed to be a Blessing Adult Sunday School, Pastor Teresa preaching, Communion will be served, Organ: Kazuko Sacon.

June 26th – Multigenerational and Adult Sunday Schools, Last Sunday worship of the 2015-16 church year. Pastor Teresa preaching, Organ: Kazuko Sacon. Worship at WTUC will start up again on September 4th, 2016.

***

Little Kidz: Please stay in worship and enjoy the Confirmands creeds and Pentecost worship.

ES/MS: May 20th – 6-8pm Friday night – GAME NIGHT – meet at the parking of ASIJ at 6pm. Pizza will be served = )

HS Youth: Still working on quilting projects. Next Youth & friends worship on May 22nd and June 5th – looking for folks to lend their gifts to the service. Please grab a snack and meet after the worship on the 15th to practice the puppet show. Please come at 9am (puppeteers) and 9:30 on the 22nd for a final practice. Bring your scripts please to practices.

***

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  – May 8th and 22nd! June 12 and 26th – 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!

***

Text for the sermon from Acts 2

1When the day of Pentecost had come, they were all together in one place. 2And suddenly from heaven there came a sound like the rush of a violent wind, and it filled the entire house where they were sitting. 3Divided tongues, as of fire, appeared among them, and a tongue rested on each of them. 4All of them were filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other languages, as the Spirit gave them ability.

…22“You that are Israelites, listen to what I have to say: Jesus of Nazareth, a man attested to you by God with deeds of power, wonders, and signs that God did through him among you, as you yourselves know— 23this man, handed over to you according to the definite plan and foreknowledge of God, you crucified and killed by the hands of those outside the law. 24But God raised him up, having freed him from death, because it was impossible for him to be held in its power.

…37Now when they heard this, they were cut to the heart and said to Peter and to the other apostles, “Brothers, what should we do?” 38Peter said to them, “Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ so that your sins may be forgiven; and you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.

…41So those who welcomed his message were baptized, and that day about three thousand persons were added. 42They devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching and fellowship, to the breaking of bread and the prayers. 43Awe came upon everyone, because many wonders and signs were being done by the apostles. 44All who believed were together and had all things in common; 45they would sell their possessions and goods and distribute the proceeds to all, as any had need. 46Day by day, as they spent much time together in the temple, they broke bread at home and ate their food with glad and generous hearts, 47praising God and having the goodwill of all the people. And day by day the Lord added to their number those who were being saved.