All are Welcome to join in our worship service on Sundays at 9:30am.

I will sing of your love and justice; to you, Lord, I will sing praise. Psalm 101: 1

As Martin Luther said: “Beautiful music is the art of the prophets that can calm the agitations of the soul; it is one of the most magnificent and delightful presents God has given us.”

Wow, it is great to be starting my third month here at Faith Lutheran Church. And I am mindful that we are still in a time of transition together. As I said last month, I am still getting to know everyone, but am also getting to know everything about the congregation. So I thank you again for your continued help in all of this aquianting work. One thing in particular that came to mind as I was thinking about what to write for the Forecaster this month was about music. 

For many of us, music is an incredibly crucial part in worship which allows for different expressions of and connections with our faith. And with many other sections of the congregations, music is another piece that we have been transitioning here at Faith. I think that this transition started before I was called to Faith with the introduction of the TVs and the ELW (Evangelical Lutheran Worship or Cranberry Book) into the worship space. It is great that these changes have happened because I think both can be great tools to enhance worship. The ELW in particular, being the hymnal which most of the ELCA uses now, is a great way to connect us to our larger church. That said, I also thing that we at Faith are still getting used to the Cranberry Book and the new hymns we find in our pews especially since most of us have had the Green Book/ LBW with us for so long. 

So in the next couple of months, I encourage you to think about music in worship. Listen to the words of the hymns and anthems to hear the theology and messages in them. Pick up that cranberry book and look for some familiar hymns (some carried over and are shared with the Green Book) and perhaps some that you don’t know and would like to. Or even look at the different worship structures and elements found in the beginning of the ELW. There are also some of the communal ways to explore worship music here at Faith. You could be thinking about joining the choir and talk to our Choir Director Jimmie Dykes (you have some time to think about it since the choir is on summer break). You could attend a meeting of the Hymn Planners where members of the congregation and I plan out the hymns for the upcoming month or season of the church calendar. The next meeting for the Hymn Planners will be on July 29th at 10am at Thordis and David Moe’s House. Or you could find other ways or groups to talk about how music has impacted worship for you and your faith. Also, look for more programming about music and the ELW upcoming this month, details coming soon. 

Finally, some of you may know that Martin Luther was a very opinionated man and liked to call it as he saw it. This aspect of him continued into his regard for music. So, whereas his opening quote is elegant and soothing, I leave you with one of his more blunt and hopefully humorous thoughts on music. 

“A person who does not regard music as a marvelous creation of God, must be a clodhopper indeed and does not deserve to be called a human being; he should be permitted to hear nothing but the braying of donkeys and the grunting of hogs.” 

-Martin Luther

Grace and Peace,

Pastor John Barton 

We gather for worship each Sunday morning at 9:30 am for a traditional service of worship, that includes a Liturgy of Praise, Hymns, Choir and the sharing of the Sacrament of Holy Communion.   From September to May we have Sunday School available for all children ages 3-11.  (5th Grade)

Following worship, we gather for a time of Fellowship, coffee and light breakfast foods.  

 Come and join in the Fellowship!

As always, please invite your neighbors, family members, and friends to join us. All are welcome!

Upcoming Events for July:

July 19th : Storm Stadium Game

July 27th: Un-Birthday Party