St.
tohn/St. Paul Lutheran Church
January, February, March
2074
Messenger
ReY, Rlchard R. Gordon, Pastot Ann Streha.sky, Office Secretary
FROM THE PASTOR
Dear Friends
in Christ,
Happy New Year and
a bl essed Epi phany
!
i kel y get the mean-ing of "Happy New year, " but do we understand the "blessed Epiphany?" Epiphany is a date and season of the Church
ln/e
1
that commemorates the visit of the Magi to the Christ child in Bethlehem. "After Jesus was born in Bethlehem in Judea, during the time of King Herod, Magi from the east came to Jerusalem and asked, "Where is the one born king of the Jews? lnte saw his star in the east and have come to worship him." (Matthew 2= t-2) The early Christian Church gave little attention to the birth of Christ. The resurrection was celebrated every Sunday and the annual event of Easter was of central r'mportance. By the end of the 2nd century the Eastern Church Year
(Today's Eastern Orthodox Church) kept the Ep-iphany (f rom the Creek word mean-ing "manifestation"). The date of Epiphany was set as January 6. Our Eastern Orthodox brothers and sisters celebrate the birth of Christ on this date yet today. The Eastern Church associated the day with the bapt-ism and incar-
nation of Christ.
earliest mention of December ZS as Christmas occurs in a calendar of 336 AD. There is little evidence of a general observance of
The
Mission Statement St. John/St. PauI Lutheran Church is a community of Chi.istians bound together in joy and thanksgiving by God's saving grace in Jesus Christ. Our mission is to grow in faith, love, and obedience to God as we are empowered through the Wor.d and Sacraments by the Holy Spir.it. To carry out
o
this mission, we:
Nurture one another in
the
Faith,
.
Evangebze all people,
.
Worship God, ancl
.
Serve those in need.
Inside this issue:
Pastor Report
t-2
News to the Pews
3-5
G.P.S.
5
Lent
6
Stewardship Form
7
Birthdays
8
Anniversaries
8
Calendars
9-10
Schedules
tL