|
Pastor's Weekly Email |
|
February 18, 2009 |
|
|
|
Dear Members and
Friends of Mount Hermon, |
|
|
|
Celebrate Christ
Together! |
|
|
Through… Faithful
Living and Response Network of Gifts
“BE WHO YOU ARE IN FRESH WAYS” |
|
|
When asked about the
core values of their congregations, several
leaders had these responses…
“We concentrate on the fundamentals… pastoral
care, preaching with substance and content,
meaningful worship, content-oriented education,
evangelism, and social ministry outreach.
“Our first order of business was to be a
community of prayer…
“Basic biblical hospitality characterizes our
congregation…”
(From Pursuing Excellence in Ministry, page 12)
These are all statements from very successful
Lutheran churches around the country. They have
large gatherings on Sunday morning and vibrant
programs during the week. But if you notice, the
statements they made about their core values can
be articulated very simply. While these
congregations are
very strong and have a diversity of gifts, they
all chose to focus on a few areas of their
greatest strengths.
As Mount Hermon approaches one hundred years of
ministry, we have a good handle on our strengths
and growing edges. It is always helpful to name
those areas of strength and weakness and grow
from that. It’s good to talk and dream, but it’s
quite another thing to do, try, thrive at times,
fail some of the time, pick up and try again.
But that is our calling.
Our identity, tradition, and history ground us,
but our calling propels us. Even as the
market continues to fall, opportunities abound.
Some of the most successful and fruitful
projects in the history of Mount Hermon are
those where people just “answer the call” – many
of these outside of a church structure or
spending plan.
“Celebrate Christ Together” is a new way to word
what has been going on for a long time. Our
focus remains on the Lord Jesus who is the focus
of our worship, our calling, and work together.
It is by his grace, forgiveness, and strength
that we can dare to dream, build, and grow to
his glory. |
|
February |
22 |
8:15am |
|
Contemporary Service |
|
|
|
9:15am |
|
Sunday School |
|
|
|
10:30am |
|
Traditional Service |
|
|
24 |
6:30pm |
|
Shrove Tuesday Pancake Supper |
|
|
25 |
8:30am |
|
Ash Wednesday Holy Communion |
|
|
|
6:30pm |
|
Ash Wednesday Holy Communion |
|
|
28 |
7:30am |
|
LCY Pancake Fundraiser at Applebee’s
(Breakfast with Luther) |
|
|
|
The Rev. W. Eric
Friedrichs, Pastor
Mount Hermon Lutheran Church
West Columbia, South Carolina
803.794.6430 Office
803.791.8552 FAX
eric@mthlc.org
mthlc.org |
|
|
|
