[Bslc-dist] Pastorgr@m

[Mark Bertermann]

Greetings in the name of our ADVENT KING!

This is the Second Sunday in Advent coming up.  Please spend some time with
these precious texts:
*	Isaiah 11.1-10
*	Romans 15.4-13
*	Matthew 3.1-12 (=sermon text)

Have you ever taken a close look at the gorgeous white ornaments on our
sanctuary Christmas trees?  They’re called chrismons and utilize a host of
church symbols linked to the birth, life, death, and ministry of our Lord.

Sunday is also the last day to sign up for the Annual Women’s Christmas
Candlelight Dinner and Ornament Exchange, which is Monday at 6:30 pm.

I understand there are only a few Project Angel Tree gifts still available,
so you’d better be quick with that this Sunday, if you still want one.  They
were snapped up quickly again this year!

Gail Erskine is asking for help in the kitchen on Sunday the 12th at 11 am.
She needs help serving sandwiches to 125 people.  Please call her
(503.656.0052) or email her ( gerskine at comcast.net
<mailto:gerskine at comcast.net> ) if you can lend a hand.

As I work toward my upcoming transition, I’m looking for some people who
would like to be involved in the important ministry of visitation of
“shut-ins” and those of our church family not able to get around much.  If
you’d like to know more about this, please reply and I’ll be happy to talk
to you about this rewarding way of serving others.

I like the following words of Martin Luther as he speaks as if he were John
the Baptist in a sermon from 1540, based on Matt. 3.1:

“I am the voice calling, I am the angel which is sent before the Lord to
announce to you that you are to prepare and to make straight the way for
Him, the Lord, who is following close after me.  Lay, then, aside all that
may hinder His way.  Put away the gross and open sins, but above all the
sins of the spirit which have the appearance of holiness but which most
impede His coming to you.  Receive Him with rejoicing, obey Him and believe
in Him, and come to be baptized.  If you do this, you will be blessed by
God, will receive the forgiveness of your sins, and will truly become His
people, saved and holy.  But if you will not let yourselves be taught,
intending rather to abide by your old nature, all hope will be gone, and
your doom will be upon you before you expect it.”

Rejoicing in Christ,
Pastor Mark
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