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Pastor Phil Alexander,
706 Rindge Rd., Fitchburg, MA 01420
978-514-3231
[email protected]
Messiah Lutheran Learning Center
780 Rindge Rd., Fitchburg, MA 01420
978-345-5954 [email protected]
Messiah’s February 2015 Newsletter
From Pastor Phil
Dear Ones,
“Martha was distracted with serving.”
Luke 10:40
The strange thing is Martha was distracted by her wonderful, loving, faithful desire to serve the
Lord whom she loved. Isn’t that what were called to do: “Serve The Lord”? The Lord said in Deuteronomy 10:12: 12 “What does the LORD your God ask of you but to fear the LORD your God, to
walk in all his ways, to love him, to serve the LORD your God with all your heart and with all your
soul…” Reread it and pay attention: 1.) “Fear the Lord” which is the beginning of wisdom. 2.)
“Walk in his ways” – Don’t lead but follow him. 3.) Love him. In a distant 4th place, “serve the
LORD your God with all your heart and with all your soul.” AS A MATTER OF FACT, Jesus said:
“The Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for
many.” Mark 10:45
Martha threw herself so completely into preparing for Him she forgot all about Him. The problem is “Distraction.” Her attitude had gone from “I am here to serve” to “I AM HERE to serve.”
Same words bur wrong emphasis; same service but wrong focus; same need but very different
outcome. The Lord asks us to imitate Him without “being” Him. He established, before creation,
good works for us to do which honor Him and bring Glory to Our Heavenly Father. He says “Bear
fruit” but you can’t do it without remaining in Him, therefore remain faithfully in Him.
As the church begins the work of discovering the Pastor God has already chosen for you, I pray
that you follow Him alone; it isn’t your doing but The Spirits. Prayer will be the constant, most
critical and pivotal point in Her life and the lives of each member. Don’t serve to be distracted
from Him and don’t distract from Him by taking on work better left to the Lord alone. Serve Him
by acknowledging that He must serve you first at the cross and in the Word and Sacraments.
Love being with Him as much as He loves being with you.
Messiah Lutheran Church,
750 Rindge Rd., Fitchburg, MA 0420
978-343-7397
[email protected]
Love you all, Pastor Phil
Special Congregational Meeting on Sunday February 8 at 10:30.
Agenda:
1. Call to Order
3. Vote on option for calling of new pastor
2. Prayer
4. Other
5. Adjourn
The Congregation Self Study should be completed and return to Tony Gasbarro (or placed into
his mailbox #21) as soon as possible. Rudy, Winslow & Nancy, Eila or Barbara are available to
help our Finnish membership with translation & help with completing the questionnaire.
One per household and extra copies are available in the narthex.
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MESSIAH’S FEBRUARY 2015NEWSLETTER
Finnish Devotion
VARJELE SYDÄMESI
Lue: 1Joh. 3:1-12
"Anna sydämesi poikani minulle, ja olkoot minun tieni sinun silmissäsi mieluisat." Sananl. 23:26
Kun Jumala ottaa miehen mitat, ei hän katso kokooon eikä vartaloon, vaan sydämeen. Sydänmeen katsoen hän valitsi
Iisain pojista Daavidin kansansa kuninkaaksi. Herra sanoo: "Yli kaiken varottavan, varjele sydämesi sillä sieltä elämä
lähtee." (Sananl. 4: 23)
Epäuskoisen ihmisen sydämestä lähtevät pahat himot ja ajatukset, joista syntyy pahoja sanoja ja tekoja, kuten valheita
ja kiroilua, varkauksia ja murhia, kaikkinaista jumalatonta menoa. Mutta kun Jumalan lapsen sydän on uskossa
puhdistettu pahasta omastatunnosta Kristuksen sovintoverellä, niin Pyhä Henki sytyttää sydämeen puhtaat ajatukset,
halut ja mieliteot. Ne ilmenevät sanoina ja tekoina, jotka ovat Jumalalle otolliset.
Joka hallitsee sydämen, se hallitsee ihmisen kaikkineen. Sen tähden Herra pyytää: "Poikani, tyttäreni, anna minulle
sydämesi"! Kun kuulemme hänen ääntään evankeliumin sanassa, ja sen vaikutuksesta avaamme hänelle sydämemme,
hän itse tulee sydämemme asukkaaksi. Hän puhdistaa sen kuolleista teoista palvelemaan elävää Jumalaa. Kun Jeesus
uskon kautta asuu sydämessä, meistä tulee Jumalan ihmisiä, jotka ovat valmiit kaikkiin hyviin tekoihin.
Sen tähden sanotaan: "Katsokaa, veljet, ettei vain kenelläkään teistä ole paha, epäuskoinen sydän, niin että hän luopuu
elävästä Jumalasta." Vaikka synti asuu lihassamme, ja me asumme maailmassa jota synti hallitsee, me emme
kuitenkaan suostu syntiin, vaan taistelemme sitä vastaan. Ja vaikka synti tarttuu ja tekee hitaaksi, me rienämme
puhdistuslähteelle ja saamme anteeksiantamuksessa uuden voiman. Näin sydän varjeltuu jakamattomana Jeesukselle.
Näin toteutuu, "että jos sydämemme syyttää meitä, niin Jumala on suurempi kuin meidän sydämemme ja tietää
kaikki."
Oi Herra, Henkes valo suo
ja sydän puhtahaksi luo
Mua totuudessas vahvista
armollas kruunaa, kaunista.
Amen
The new alter flower chart for 2015 is in the Narthex.
Please sign up if you would like to purchase flowers during the year or provide
flowers from your own garden to share in honor of or in memory of someone.
Purchased flowers are $24.00 for two arrangements. Checks should be made out
to DeBonis & Davin Florist, Inc. and given to Linda Sallila or placed in church mailbox #72.
If you have questions, please contact me at (978) 342-4943 or:
email: [email protected].
Thank you, Linda Sallila
MESSIAH’S FEBRUARY 2015NEWSLETTER
Sunday School—Craft Day February 8th
Join us for
Bible Craft Day!!!
February 8th ~ 9:30 am
LWML / Guild News & Men’s Bible Study
The LWML/Guild & Men’s Bible Study will meet on Saturday, February 7 at 9 am.
The LWML/Guild will be collecting the following gently used shoes for Africa:
Athletics (running, basketball, cleats)
Men’s (dress & casual)
Women’s (flats, sandals, low heels—no fashion boots)
Kid’s Shoes (casual, dress, athletic, cleats)
Sports & Athletic Sandals
Containers will be placed in the narthex and fellowship hall. Thank you for your participation.
PLEASE UPDATES YOUR CHURCH DIRECTORY
(some are new & some are old changes)
Victor & Sandra Cormier – Sandra’s cell phone: 978-790-6795 (no landline)
Eila Eagle – cell phone: 978-413-0710
Jean Raoul & Simone Frederique – 1091 Water Street, Fitchburg 01420
Tony & Michelle Gasbarro—Tony’s cell 774-345-0100 ~ Michelle’s cell 978-514-2556 ~ no landline
Judy Honkala – email address: [email protected]
John & Connie Lahti – 10 Davis Road, Ashby 01431 – phone 978-386-0163
Matthew & Abby Sallila – 202 Main Street, New Ipswich, NH 03071
Pirkko Salonen – 119 Franklin Road, Fitchburg 01420 – cell phone: 978-400-5842 (no landline)
Sauli & Jaana Savukoski—508-631-4554
*Please let me know if you need your information updated or corrected.
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MESSIAH’S FEBRUARY 2015NEWSLETTER
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Sunday Servant Schedule (volunteers always needed & appreciated)
Note: If you cannot serve when scheduled; please arrangements to switch with someone else.
Feb. 1
Feb. 8
Feb. 15
Feb. 22
Mar. 1
Acolyte
Ryan Frederique
Jacob Gasbarro
Adam Ross
Collin Burns
Danny Desmarais
Communion Asst.
Jerry Nagle
Everett Gasbarro John Phillips
Jerry Nagle
Everett Gasbarro
Ushers
Rich & Bret P.
Rich & Jim E.
Rich & Brian C.
Rich & Christian
Brian H.
Communion
Cleanup
Kris S.
Eila
Raija
Sue H.
Rauha
Counters
Jim Farnsworth
Lois Moyo
Dave Haschig
Ruth LeBlanc
Todd Peltonen
Sean Burns
Rich Crawford
Jim Farnsworth
George Whitcraft Lois Moyo
Coffee Fellowship
February
Circle
Volunteers
Volunteers
February
Birthday Folks
March
Circle
Sunday School:
Everett
Bob
Craft Day
Kristine
Barbara
Maiju
Susan
Melanie
Jerry
Altar Guild: Raija Olkkola & Helli Riutankoski (backup Rauha Torni)
February Circle: Leaders: Wendy Hietala & Paula Lauricella
Members: Melanie Desmarais & Helmi Linnus
February Birthdays:
1 Rick Mohnk
5 Helena Talviharju
12 Mark Schneider, Jr.
17 Tammy Haschig
18 Win Paajanen
23 Daniel Desmarais
25 Minna Talviharju
28 Nancy Paajanen
29 Hannu Sallila
Ash Wednesday, February 18th ~ 7pm ~ Imposition of Ashes.
Ashes are the reminder of our great sin which marks each one of us. Come! Repent! Know
that the Lord is God and through the perfect life and death of Jesus Christ and by the Waters
of Baptism we have been marked with the cross, as sign of one redeemed by Christ the Crucified.
Lenten mid-week service 7pm February 25, March 4, March 11, March 18, March 25
Soup suppers will be from 6-6:50 pm & we would like to provide 3 soups each week. One
signup sheet will be in the narthex for your convenience.
STOP HUNGER NOW FOOD PACKAGING EVENT
Saturday, February 7 Stop Hunger Now (SHN) Meal Packaging Event at Nashoba Regional High School (NRHS), 12
Green Road, Bolton, MA, Worcester, 01740.
The event will package 10,000 plus meals and is part of a Rotary effort to help end world hunger by working with the
SHN organization.
Please arrive at 9:30 AM for registration and the event should be finished by 12 noon.
Please register on line at http://events.stophungernow.org/RotaryNashoba or let Michelle Gasbarro know you
want to attend the event and she will register you. Michelle's email [email protected] or call at 978-5142556.