From The Pastor… ow green is your grass? We’ve heard recently about some here in the Bay area who seem to not have known there was a drought going on. These scofflaws have let the water run, some to the tune of 6 to 12 thousand gallons A DAY! While the rest of us have watched as our lawns have turned brown and our trees have dried up. I heard that the low-income housing across the street from the church has put shower limiters in all their units that cuts the water off after 5 minutes and has slowed the kitchen sink to a dribble. The church lawns and landscaping may never recover… There are plenty of ways we are reminded that something is not thriving in our physical world. It may be our lawns, our homes, our bodies, our government, our economy. But an area that is often overlooked is our spiritual lives. I am reminded of the story of the pastor who went to visit one of his members who hadn’t been in church for a long time. Before the warm fireplace, they had a congenial conversation for a while, but eventually talk quieted down as there seemed like nothing left to say. In that quiet moment the pastor reached out and grabbed the fire-tongs, probed into the fireplace where he found a large red-hot coal, and pulled it out to lay it on the hearth. The quiet stillness was maintained as both the pastor and the congregant watched the ember slowly cool, flicker, and with a final puff of smoke, extinguish. The host looked up at the pastor, acknowledged the parable and remarked that he would be coming back to church. Hebrews 10:25 says this – “Do not neglect to meet together as is the habit of some.” Actually the idea appears also in Hebrews 3:13. In both cases, the purpose of “meeting together” is encouragement. Going back to chapter 10 for a moment, the verse just before the earlier one quoted says, “…let us consider how we may spur one another on to love and good deeds.” I have heard it said that one doesn’t need to come to worship in order to be a Christian, and “I can worship in the forest, on the golf course, at the beach, (fill in the blank) just as well. While that may be true (and I have my doubts that folks who say such things are actually worshiping God in those efforts), the missing element is “meeting together,” primarily for the purpose of encouraging and spurring one another on. Actually, the Greek word there for “spurring on” is the old English “goad.” For a city kid like me that wouldn’t mean a whole lot. But I’ve seen westerns at the movies and on TV, and I know what it means to spur a horse on to run faster. It means digging those sharp spurs into the flanks of your horse, a positively horrifying idea if you ask me (I’m sure PETA is not entirely in favor!). And perhaps, in our church culture, goading has been deemed impolite, an invasion of privacy, a “sticking-your- nose-in-where-it-doesn’t-belong.” As we have talked about the church as a permission giving place, where the spiritual gifts of all the saints, as a priesthood of all believers, are encouraged, perhaps there’s another kind of “permission giving” we should embrace. Could the church be a safe enough place, where we are truly in this together and want the very best for each other in such a way that we might give someone we respect and trust the right, the permission to apply the goad to us, to encourage, and grow, and help us in “Living the story of the Bible to become like Jesus?” We celebrate, at the end of October, the beginning of the Lutheran Reformation in Germany, remembering how Martin Luther was attempting to goad the Roman church to reconsider where it was going with the Gospel of Jesus. How about you? Is the ember on fire in the company of your brothers and sisters in faith? Or is your faith in danger of flickering out in the near future? Power to you! Pastor Pat H November 2015 Caring, Growing, Serving 1
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From The Pastor… ow green is your grass? We’ve heard recently about some here in the Bay area who seem to not have
known there was a drought going on. These scofflaws have let the water run, some to the tune of 6 to 12
thousand gallons A DAY! While the rest of us have watched as our lawns have turned brown and our trees
have dried up. I heard that the low-income housing across the street from the church has put shower limiters in all
their units that cuts the water off after 5 minutes and has slowed the kitchen sink to a dribble. The church lawns
and landscaping may never recover…
There are plenty of ways we are reminded that something is not thriving in our physical world. It may be our
lawns, our homes, our bodies, our government, our economy. But an area that is often overlooked is our spiritual
lives.
I am reminded of the story of the pastor who went to visit one of his members who hadn’t been in church for a long
time. Before the warm fireplace, they had a congenial conversation for a while, but eventually talk quieted down as
there seemed like nothing left to say. In that quiet moment the pastor reached out and grabbed the fire-tongs,
probed into the fireplace where he found a large red-hot coal, and pulled it out to lay it on the hearth. The quiet
stillness was maintained as both the pastor and the congregant watched the ember slowly cool, flicker, and with a
final puff of smoke, extinguish. The host looked up at the pastor, acknowledged the parable and remarked that he
would be coming back to church.
Hebrews 10:25 says this – “Do not neglect to meet together as is the habit of some.” Actually the idea appears also
in Hebrews 3:13. In both cases, the purpose of “meeting together” is encouragement. Going back to chapter 10 for
a moment, the verse just before the earlier one quoted says, “…let us consider how we may spur one another on to
love and good deeds.”
I have heard it said that one doesn’t need to come to worship in order to be a Christian, and “I can worship in the
forest, on the golf course, at the beach, (fill in the blank) just as well. While that may be true (and I have my doubts
that folks who say such things are actually worshiping God in those efforts), the missing element is “meeting
together,” primarily for the purpose of encouraging and spurring one another on.
Actually, the Greek word there for “spurring on” is the old English “goad.” For a city kid like me that wouldn’t
mean a whole lot. But I’ve seen westerns at the movies and on TV, and I know what it means to spur a horse on to
run faster. It means digging those sharp spurs into the flanks of your horse, a positively horrifying idea if you ask
me (I’m sure PETA is not entirely in favor!).
And perhaps, in our church culture, goading has been deemed impolite, an invasion of privacy, a “sticking-your-
nose-in-where-it-doesn’t-belong.”
As we have talked about the church as a permission giving place, where the spiritual gifts of all the saints, as a
priesthood of all believers, are encouraged, perhaps there’s another kind of “permission giving” we should
embrace. Could the church be a safe enough place, where we are truly in this together and want the very best for
each other in such a way that we might give someone we respect and trust the right, the permission to apply the
goad to us, to encourage, and grow, and help us in “Living the story of the Bible to become like Jesus?”
We celebrate, at the end of October, the beginning of the Lutheran Reformation in Germany, remembering how
Martin Luther was attempting to goad the Roman church to reconsider where it was going with the Gospel of
Jesus. How about you? Is the ember on fire in the company of your brothers and sisters in faith? Or is your faith in
danger of flickering out in the near future?
Power to you! Pastor Pat
H
November 2015
Caring, Growing, Serving
C
1
Health Sunday is
November 1st!
As usual, screening for
blood pressure is offered
in Luther Hall after the
service. Remember, if
you don’t know you have
a problem, you can’t help
yourself! Many
problems, if caught
early, can be treated
much more easily than if
they progress to a more
dangerous level.
Psalm 94:11 “The Lord knows the thoughts of man; he knows that they are futile.”
I can imagine that people
experiencing the early
stages of Alzheimer’s when
they are still aware of some
thoughts must think it is
futile.
The following is from the
website:
If you notice any of the 10
Warning Signs of
Alzheimer's in yourself or
someone you know, don't
ignore them. Schedule an
appointment with your
doctor.
Memory loss that affects daily life
Challenges in planning
or solving problems Difficulty completing
familiar tasks at home, at work, or at leisure.
Confusion with time or
place Trouble understanding
visual images and spatial relationships
New problems with
words in speaking or writing
Misplacing things and losing ability to retrace steps
Decreased or poor judgement
Withdrawal from work or social activities
Changes in mood and
personality
With early detection, you can: Get the maximum benefit from available
treatments – You can explore treatments that
may provide some relief of symptoms and help you maintain a level of
independence longer. You may also increase your
chances of participating in clinical drug trials that help advance research.
Have more time to plan for the future – A
diagnosis of Alzheimer's allows you to take part in decisions about
care, transportation, living options, financial and legal
matters. You can also participate in building the right care team and social
support network. Learn more about planning
ahead. Help for you and your loved ones – Care and
support services are available, making it easier
for you and your family to live the best life possible with Alzheimer’s or
dementia.
The month of Nov. has these designated topics:
*Alzheimer's Disease Awareness Month
(National) *Bladder Health Month *COPD Awareness Month
*Hospice / Palliative Care Month (National) *Jingle Bell Run / Walk for
Arthritis (through December)
*Lung Cancer Awareness Month *Pancreatic Cancer
Awareness Month (National)
*Prematurity Awareness Month *Sexual Health Month
(National)
HEALTH MINISTRY CORNER by Donna Zimmerman, RN, Parish Nurse
2
Hey Youth!! “Where do we go from here?” Come and let your voice be heard and share in the
discussion!
November 1st
11:00 am – Post High/College/Career 1:00 pm – Middle School/High School & parents meet at
Joann Bakken’s home. (See Joann or Pastor Pat for address & directions).
Advent new
group studies;
The Lord’s Pantry is in need of the following items for the upcoming Thanksgiving giveaway. If you can help out by donating any of the following, it would be greatly appreciated. Please touch base with Mary on the larger items. Turkey (whole or half breast) Whole Chicken Stuffing Mix Gravy Mashed Potatoes Cranberry Sauce Green Beans Cream Corn Cream of Mushroom Soup Yams Graham Crackers Pudding Mixes Jell-O Mixes Frozen Pies Canned Pumpkin Marshmallows
Dates for giveaway November 17, 19 and 20th, 2015
LORD’S PANTRY NEWS
3
New Advent study for small groups will begin the week of Nov. 29.
Now is a great time to join an existing group or begin a new
group.
We’ll resume the “Believe” study after Christmas.
Talk to Joann Bakken for more information.
Join a Small Group – or create a new one! Sunday Mornings at the Sunday School Hour – In the Sanctuary
Monday Afternoons at 2:00 pm – In Luther Hall Wednesday Evening 7:00 pm – In Luther Hall
(Shared supper starts at 6:30) Thursday Afternoons at 4:00 pm – At Joann’s Home
This Newsletter was delivered to the San Jose Post Office on or before 10/30/2015.
NOVEMBER 2015
GLORIA DEI LUTHERAN CHURCH
121 SOUTH WHITE ROAD
SAN JOSE CA 95127-2993
ADDRESS SERVICE REQUESTED
TIME SENSITIVE INFORMATION~FOR IMMEDIATE DELIVERY
CHURCH STAFF IMPORTANT PHONE #’S
Pastor: J. Patrick Fitzgerald PASTOR’S HOME PHONE: 408-899-4343 Music Director: David Bakken MUSIC DIRECTOR: 408-858-9610 Office Staff: Jean Rinerson OFFICE: 408-729-7563 FAX LINE: 408-729-7578 Parish Nurse: Donna Zimmerman PARISH NURSE OFFICE: 408-729-7563 X120 Sunday School Director: Wendy Kromrey SUNDAY SCHOOL DIRECTOR: Youth Director: Open YOUTH DIRECTOR: 408-729-7563
In cases of emergency, please call Pastor Pat at 408-899-4343
ELC Preschool Director: Rose Marie Duffy PRESCHOOL: 408-272-0321/[email protected] http://www.gloriadeipreschool.com/
Lord’s Pantry Director: Mary DeHart-Madson LORD’S PANTRY PHONE: 258-7563/[email protected]
DEADLINES FOR PUBLICATION
Sunday Bulletin: Each TUESDAY by Noon! MONTHLY NEWSLETTER: Due in the church office no later than the 20