Redeemer Lutheran Church
News and Announcements are published on Friday each week.
The Second Sunday after Pentecost
Readings: Isaiah 65:1-9, Galatians 3:23-4:7, Luke 8:26-39
Hymns: 825, 594, 528, 744, 844
Calendar
Witness
Jesus commanded, "Go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit." This summer, you can be a part an amazing ministry that does just that, sharing the message of Christ's love to 1,600 Hong Kong children during Vacation Bible School on Zoom. You'll be equipped with everything you need to lead fun discussions, experiments, crafts and, most of all, your passion for Jesus! You'll login on Zoom at 7:25 (Central Standard Time) each evening, Sunday through Thursday, during the week or weeks you choose to serve.
The summer session online Hong Kong VBS will run for two weeks, Aug 14-Aug 18 and Aug 21-Aug 25. When you volunteer, while the sign up may appear that it's for one day, you are actually volunteering for that entire week, from Sunday to Thursday. We will begin each night at 8:25 p.m. (Eastern Standard Time) and be finished with VBS and our group debrief by 10:30 (EST). All materials will be sent to you prior to the beginning of your first volunteer session. Training sessions will be offered at 8:30 p.m. (EST) on Thursday, Aug. 4 and Sunday, Aug. 7. The content for those sessions will be identical. Many details about what to expect during a night of volunteering are included in the description of the volunteer role on the sign up page, which can be found here: https://signup.com/go/KZWnoPx. Contact Brenda Anderson for more information.
Mercy
Maine Stimulus Payments - For Maine residents who don't have a filing requirement, the only way to receive the upcoming $850 stimulus check from the state is to file a Maine tax return. AARP Foundation Tax-Aide offers free walk-in service to have a 2021 Maine Income Tax Return prepared to qualify for the Maine Stimulus Payment of $850. The sites, dates, and times are listed below. Masks will be required of both preparers and taxpayers
Gorham: St Ann's Church - 7 Thursdays from May19th through June 30th from 9am to 1pm.
South Portland: American Legion - 6 Mondays from May 16th through June 27th (except Memorial Day, May 30th) from 1pm to 5pm.
Westbrook: Westbrook Community Center - 4 Saturdays from June 4th through June 25th from 8am to 12pm.
Portland: Portland Public Library 3 Saturdays - May 14th, May 21st, and May 28th from 10am to 2 pm.
Gorham Food Pantry Update - Our friend Heather Whitaker, at present is feeding at least 110 families in Gorham. Much of the food is coming from the Gorham food Pantry and they are soliciting direct cash donations. If anyone would like to support them you can make a donation at their website www.gorhamfiveforfood.org.
Friendship House is a bible-based organization that works with men who have emotional or physical disabilities. Their winter wish list includes hand soaps, bath tissue paper towels and laundry detergent If one cannot deliver items to them one can cut them a check. Friendship House is located at 390 Lincoln St South Portland 04106
Preble Street Resource Center is a mercy organization serving the needs of the homeless and underprivileged in the Portland area. Donations may be made by check to Preble St Resource Center and mailed to 38 Preble Street Portland, Maine 04101.
For those interested in supporting the new immigrants to our community the Greater Portland Immigrant Welcome Center offers English Language Programs, and loans and mentoring to immigrant owed businesses among other activities. For further information contact www.welcomeimmigrant.org
If you need anything (rides, supplies, medicine pickups) or any assistance please feel free to contact Sandy or Tom DiPasqua at 207-883-2730 or tjdipasqua@aol.com.
Life Together
Newsletter Deadline – If you wish to contribute to the July church newsletter, please email your submission to the church office by June 27.
The Spring 2022 NED News is available at this LINK.
The June issue of the LWML-NED monthly newsletter, Pass It On is available at this LINK.
Witness and Outreach Sentence: Luke 8:26-39: When Jesus freed a demon-possessed man, that man in response wanted to follow Jesus to the ends of the earth. Instead, Jesus says to him: “Return home and tell how much God has done for you.” Telling others about how much God has done for us is our most effective witness. May we gladly share this great news about how much God has done for us!
Stewardship Note: Luke 8:37 – “Then all the people of the surrounding country of the Gerasenes asked him to depart from them, for they were seized with great fear. So he got into the boat and returned.” The Gerasenes are upset with Jesus because His ministry led to the loss of their pig herd – their wealth. They want Jesus to go away before He does any more damage to their bottom line. Their priorities are clear. What about our priorities? Is the work and ministry of Jesus worthy of our support and the sacrifice of some of our wealth?
Life Thought for June 19: The unique dignity of fatherhood includes protecting others as God does (Psalm 3:3)—even defending them from themselves. Practices like abortion and measures like assisted suicide situate our people among the tombs (Isaiah 65:4). Let us not abandon them to demonic deceptions about “bodily autonomy” but instead with courage and compassion proclaim how much God has done for us (Luke 8:39), creating and redeeming and calling every member of our race precious.
Christ-Centered, Cross-Focused… Issues, Etc. is a radio-talk show and podcast produced by Lutheran Public Radio in Collinsville, IL and hosted by LCMS Pastor Todd Wilken. This week's subjects include: The Movie “Jurassic World: Dominion;” The Sanctus; The Hero’s Journey & Jesus; Black Liberation Through the Marketplace; The Return of Christ and more. You can listen on-demand at issuesetc.org, the LPR mobile app and your favorite podcast provider.
All announcements and prayer requests received in the church office by noon on Thursday will appear in print that week in Friday’s email. If there is an announcement that you would like Pastor to make following Sunday’s FB live stream, please email him that information.
Looking Forward to the Third Sunday after Pentecost
Readings: 1 Kings 19:9b-21, Galatians 5:1, 13-25, Luke 9:51-62
Hymns: 819, 688, 685, 712, 918
The Third Sunday after Pentecost
Readings: 1 Kings 19:9b-21, Galatians 5:1, 13-25, Luke 9:51-62
Hymns: 819, 688, 685, 712, 918
Calendar
Witness
Jesus commanded, "Go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit." This summer, you can be a part an amazing ministry that does just that, sharing the message of Christ's love to 1,600 Hong Kong children during Vacation Bible School on Zoom. You'll be equipped with everything you need to lead fun discussions, experiments, crafts and, most of all, your passion for Jesus! You'll login on Zoom at 7:25 (Central Standard Time) each evening, Sunday through Thursday, during the week or weeks you choose to serve.
The summer session online Hong Kong VBS will run for two weeks, Aug 14-Aug 18 and Aug 21-Aug 25. When you volunteer, while the sign up may appear that it's for one day, you are actually volunteering for that entire week, from Sunday to Thursday. We will begin each night at 8:25 p.m. (Eastern Standard Time) and be finished with VBS and our group debrief by 10:30 (EST). All materials will be sent to you prior to the beginning of your first volunteer session. Training sessions will be offered at 8:30 p.m. (EST) on Thursday, Aug. 4 and Sunday, Aug. 7. The content for those sessions will be identical. Many details about what to expect during a night of volunteering are included in the description of the volunteer role on the sign up page, which can be found here: https://signup.com/go/KZWnoPx. Contact Brenda Anderson for more information.
Mercy
Maine Stimulus Payments - For Maine residents who don't have a filing requirement, the only way to receive the upcoming $850 stimulus check from the state is to file a Maine tax return. AARP Foundation Tax-Aide offers free walk-in service to have a 2021 Maine Income Tax Return prepared to qualify for the Maine Stimulus Payment of $850. The sites, dates, and times are listed below. Masks will be required of both preparers and taxpayers
Gorham: St Ann's Church - 7 Thursdays from May19th through June 30th from 9am to 1pm.
South Portland: American Legion - 6 Mondays from May 16th through June 27th (except Memorial Day, May 30th) from 1pm to 5pm.
Westbrook: Westbrook Community Center - 4 Saturdays from June 4th through June 25th from 8am to 12pm.
Portland: Portland Public Library 3 Saturdays - May 14th, May 21st, and May 28th from 10am to 2 pm.
Gorham Food Pantry Update - Our friend Heather Whitaker, at present is feeding at least 110 families in Gorham. Much of the food is coming from the Gorham food Pantry and they are soliciting direct cash donations. If anyone would like to support them you can make a donation at their website www.gorhamfiveforfood.org.
Friendship House is a bible-based organization that works with men who have emotional or physical disabilities. Their winter wish list includes hand soaps, bath tissue paper towels and laundry detergent If one cannot deliver items to them one can cut them a check. Friendship House is located at 390 Lincoln St South Portland 04106
Preble Street Resource Center is a mercy organization serving the needs of the homeless and underprivileged in the Portland area. Donations may be made by check to Preble St Resource Center and mailed to 38 Preble Street Portland, Maine 04101.
For those interested in supporting the new immigrants to our community the Greater Portland Immigrant Welcome Center offers English Language Programs, and loans and mentoring to immigrant owed businesses among other activities. For further information contact www.welcomeimmigrant.org
If you need anything (rides, supplies, medicine pickups) or any assistance please feel free to contact Sandy or Tom DiPasqua at 207-883-2730 or tjdipasqua@aol.com.
Life Together
Newsletter Deadline – If you wish to contribute to the July church newsletter, please email your submission to the church office by June 27.
The Spring 2022 NED News is available at this LINK.
The June issue of the LWML-NED monthly newsletter, Pass It On is available at this LINK.
Parenting Help – Are you looking for a little assistance or affirmation to your parenting skills? Perhaps this FREE video series is for you. Dr. Randy Schroeder (one of Pastor’s seminary professors) has partnered with Focus on the Family to produce six videos of 4-7 minutes each, titled Effective Habits to Embrace in Parenting.
Call for Nominations for the 68th Regular Convention of The Lutheran Church – Missouri Synod. Follow the link to learn what positions are available and how to nominate members of the church to these positions.
Witness and Outreach Sentence: Luke 9:51-62: The disciples wanted to call down fire from heaven to destroy those who did not welcome Jesus. Jesus rebuked them because He has such great love for all people, even those who reject Him. Because of God’s undeserved love, we have been saved from our sinful condition; as a result, we can be like one beggar telling another beggar where to find food.
Stewardship Note: 1 Kings 19:18 – “Yet I will leave seven thousand in Israel, all the knees that have not bowed to Baal, and every mouth that has not kissed him.” Elijah was so sure that he was right, that he was the only one left who had not gone after Baal. But he was too pessimistic; his faith in God was off-center. We can’t go by our own wisdom. We must trust the Lord and what He has revealed to us in His Word. Think about how this applies to our support of God’s work in the Church with our offering. Look in the Table of Duties in Luther’s Small Catechism to see what the Bible has to say about our giving.
Life Thought for June 26: “For freedom Christ has set us free” (Galatians 5:1), and this means freedom from death. We need not submit ourselves, our neighbors, or our culture again to it by permitting abortion or promoting physician-assisted suicide. Rather we who taste the fruit of the Spirit may perceive God’s power and receive His love even in those unborn babies or hospital patients who appear to have only a whisper of life (1 Kings 19).
Listen to What You Want, When You Want… Issues, Etc. is a radio-talk show and podcast produced by Lutheran Public Radio in Collinsville, IL and hosted by LCMS Pastor Todd Wilken. This week's topics include: The Qur’an, A Biography of Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas, Apostolic Succession, The Lord’s Prayer in the Divine Service and more. You can listen at your convenience at issuesetc.org, the LPR mobile app and your favorite podcast provider.
All announcements and prayer requests received in the church office by noon on Thursday will appear in print that week in Friday’s email. If there is an announcement that you would like Pastor to make following Sunday’s FB live stream, please email him that information.
Looking Forward to the Fourth Sunday after Pentecost
Readings: Isaiah 66:10-14, Galatians 6:1-10, 14-18, Luke 10:1-20