Thought of the Month
The Secret Ingredient--Love
“For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only son that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have everlasting life.” John 3:16
No matter where we are, no matter who we’re with, or what we’re doing, His love will always be there for us. His love is our bridge to eternal life.
The reason I like this Bible verse at Christmas is because it is a bridge of love to the many memories it brings back. One of those memories was receiving this line to memorize one year at our Sunday School Christmas program. After the program, my next memory was dinner at my maternal grandma’s house, only a few blocks from church. Christmas dinner was fried chicken, mashed potatoes, vegetables, and homemade noodle soup. You know the kind of noodle soup where the noodles were laid on a clean sheet on grandma’s bed. And, of course, that secret ingredient Ray Romano’s mother would add to her cooking – Love.
My grandma was love personified. She was a sweet, short lady who came to America from Germany. There were days I’d stay at her house and go shopping with her at the corner grocery store. She would ask me to get things like milk and bread and I’d bring them to her. The interesting thing about these shopping trips was that my grandma did not speak English and I did not speak German (her native language). Whenever I told my friends about these shopping trips, they’d ask me how I knew what she was saying. I simply told them that we spoke the same language of love. Love is the bridge.
Now, during this Advent and Christmas season, is our time to share our love with others. God shared his love with us by sending his son, Jesus, to be born in Bethlehem. Jesus’ life and death built a bridge over the gap of our sin and God’s love. For us to cross that bridge, we need to put our faith in Jesus believing he will carry us over. Why not make this the Christmas when you receive the best gift ever – the free-gift of grace, by trusting that bridge today? Love is the bridge that connects us all and it is the bridge to eternal life.
Merry Christmas everyone!
Sunday School - St. Jacobi Sunday School is looking for students! We would like our members to ask around to their neighbors and friends if they know of any school age children that would like to learn about Jesus, and invite the children/parents/grandparents to visit our church. If you have any ideas or suggestions, please let Julie know.
Hat and Mitten Tree – It’s that time again! The hat and mitten tree is in the sanctuary waiting for your handmade or store bought creations.
Gingerbread House - This year our Christmas Giving Program will be with the Gingerbread House. We will be tag teaming with Surge this year. St. Jacobi will be working towards 7-8 tags which could consist of 1-2 families. Due to time constraints with obtaining the tags, Kathy will need to do the purchasing and can give an update once this is complete. We are now looking for donations towards the purchases. On Saturday, December 10th @ 10:30 a.m. at church we will be wrapping the gifts and then going over to Surge to drive up with them to the Gingerbread House @ 2:00 p.m. to drop them off.
Operation Christmas Child - A look into the life of a young girl who was touched by receiving one of the Operation Christmas Child shoe boxes. She received a shoebox gift while she was living in foster care in Latvia and now packs shoeboxes with her new family.
https://video.samaritanspurse.org/elizabeths-story-from-rejection-to-redemption/
Breakfast with Santa and Cookie Sale - Calling all Bakers and Workers Our 26th Annual Breakfast with Santa and Cookie Sale is coming up on Saturday, December 17. Watch for further information and the schedule for that weekend.
The Duttons - If you are interested in joining a group from Our Savior Church to see The Duttons at the Schauer Center, please talk to Paul. The event is at 3 pm on April 29. The Duttons are a performing family of three generations of amazing talent. They have been recording, performing and touring together for over 30 years. Along with classical, they play pop, country, bluegrass and gospel.
Prayer Requests
We pray for all our members, friends and family having health issues.
We pray for peace in the world.
We pray for the people of Ukraine.
We pray for all of our members and families that have lost a loved one.
We pray that we may love as Jesus taught us all the year through.
If you have someone to add to the prayer requests, contact Jerry Eisner, (jerome7549@att.net) or 414-534-1750.
