The days, weeks and months just pass on by. As I am writing this, the church has officially been closed for 174 days, and in September, it will hit the six-month mark. To this end, the congregation has lost a large portion of its income.
My hope was that people would be moved to donate via the internet, maybe small sums once a month, but for some reason this has not happened. The churches PayPal account is a safe and easy way to donate, either through a single donation or by setting up a once a month arrangement.
If you want to be part of our mission to spread the gospel, then a small thirty-dollar donation (1€ / 1$ per day) would really help us out.
I thank you from the bottom of my heart, those who have faithfully supported our operation and functions. We have sought in every aspect to do our best. In connection with prayer moments and worship services there is a lot that you don’t see, from constant communication to counseling. The rest home residents are always on our hearts and minds, and we are trying to find new ways to bring light and joy to their everyday lives.
We also think our work at the Preschool is very relevant and important and are so thankful for the good feedback we receive every now and then from the parents. Some of the children do not hear about God’s love for them from anywhere else. Remember, that together we can make every day better.
A blessed September to you, friend.
Pastor Mia
Though the fig tree does not bud and there are no grapes on the vines, though the olive crop fails and the fields produce no food, though there are no sheep in the pen and no cattle in the stalls, yet I will rejoice in the Lord, I will be joyful in God my Savior.
(Habakuk 3:17-18)
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We warmly thank all those who have remembered and supported our congregation through their gifts. We are living through economically challenging times, and we need your prayers as well as financial support, so that our work can continue year round.
May God blesse you and your gift!
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Greetings from Finland!
In Finland, we have enjoyed a beautiful summer and even August offered sunny and pretty warm days. Gradually, sunshine and warmth are changing to a gray and rainy autumn. Normally, many of us snowbirds would start planning and preparing for a return to the Florida sun. Now, however, we are living a new normal and Florida is only in our dreams and the future is vague. Plans have to wait.
Unfortunately, the number of Covid-19 infections has started to increase in Finland also, and in August new restrictions may come. The main reason is the premature opening of borders in July as we have acquired most of the new infections through people returning from their summer holidays. Fortunately, the number of infections has not exploded as in many other countries.
In August, our congregation fell victim to a nasty incident. Burglars entered the church, but luckily, we lost only a couple of old laptops, a microphone set, and some other small things. This clearly tells what kind of time we live in.
As a congregation, we have to go on with virtual life. However, let us be grateful that we have such an opportunity to maintain spiritual connection. In September, as a new form of operation, we will start virtual Bible classes in both Finnish and English.
Blessed and safe beginning of autumn!
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There is no difference between Jew and Gentile, for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, and all are justified freely by his grace through the redemption that came by Christ Jesus. God presented Christ as a sacrifice of atonement through the shedding of his blood—to be received by faith. He did this to demonstrate his righteousness.
(Romans 3: 22-25)
Pertti Pietarinen
Council President
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1. What was the token of the covenant between Abraham and God?
Circumcision / Burnt sacrifice / Sacraments
2. When the Lord told Abraham that his wife would have a child, what was his reaction?
He laughed / He ran to his wife and told her / He cried
3. How many men came to visit Abraham in the plains of Mamre?
2 / 3 / 7
4. What did Abraham NOT invite the men to do?
Eat / Give him a blessing / Wash their feet
5. What was NOT a reason to their visit?
Sodom's sin / Abraham's inobedience / Affirmation of the birth of Abraham's son
6. What would have been needed for God to spare Sodom?
Abraham to fast for 40 days / Citizens of Sodom fast for 40 days / 10 righteous people living in Sodom
7. With what did the Lord destroy Sodom and Gomorrah?
An earthquake / Fire and brimstone / A flood
8. What was the name of Abraham's and Sara's son's stepbrother?
Ishmael / Ischael / Isaac
9. At what age did Abraham become father?
75 / 86 / 100
10. How old was Sarah when she got pregnant?
59 / 75 / 90
YOU'LL FIND THE ANSWERS AT THE BOTTOM. 😊
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The hot days of August have come to an end and now we are ready to begin the new school year. The Covid-19 situation is making this year look very different from past years. Following safety protocols means wearing masks, constant disinfecting, temperature checks and small groups.
We must still keep the number of students per day low- therefore as our 5 year olds leave us to start kindergarten, we add new students slowly.
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Hopefully, as conditions improve, we will be able to increase numbers and eventually all of the children on our waiting list will be able to attend.
September is a time to make new friends, learn school rules, explore and play. Our main theme for this month is “Dinosaurs”. We will learn about many different types of dinosaurs- both carnivores and herbivores. The children will play with dinosaurs, paint dinosaurs, roar and stomp like dinosaurs and go on fossil hunts!
An on-going theme in September and October is “Colors and Shapes”. We learn about mixing primary colors to make secondary colors, study the basic shapes and we’ll paint, cut, glue, sculpt and incorporate colors and shapes into all of our projects.
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September also means the beginning of the fall season.
We look forward to raking “fall leaves” in the yard, and having some fun with apples (especially tasting some apple treats!).
The school will be closed on September 7th for Labor Day.
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God Bless and Stay Safe,
Pirjo Komonen Campitelli
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Pastor Mia and Michael send their warmest thanks for the harvest produce from Thomas's garden and the beautiful basket made by Asher's mom.
We so enjoy sharing the good news of Jesus's love, along with the other teachers, with your children!
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PASTOR JUKKA JOENSUU'S SUMMER GREETINGS |
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A warm greeting to all friends in Florida at St. Andrew’s church. We have quite often, with good feeling, thought of the three winters which we were able to spend with you. I was especially delighted at how many of you participated in the worship services. Thank you!
A Different Month of June
We well know how different this year has been all around the world. In our case, we had to give up that which had been previously planned. First, a vacation trip with the family was cancelled, after which it was our intention to spend the whole summer in Finland after midsummer, but the airlines were not flying. In the Fall, we had planned a North American Finnish Choir concert tour to Lapland. The concert venues had been chosen, as well as hotel and bus reservations made. There was over 40 people ready to travel. The whole tour was cancelled. The virus had won. Perhaps next year – or not.
Also, I was leading a worship service at a Finnish church in Seattle once a month, until the border between USA and Canada was closed to essential travel only, at which point my preaching in Seattle ended.
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What Then?
When plans get mixed up, then we must think of something else. For us this meant cleaning. There are many boxes and things in our home which have not been touched for over twenty years. In other words, it was time to examine these things. We tried to recycle everything that we could. We had two large recycling carts, which the city picks up every other week.
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In these bins we put hundreds of pounds of paper, old sermons, magazines, brochures, books – who knows what else. How is it possible that I have collected so much stuff? And there is plenty left. I have not been able to part with everything, but a lot has gone away. Anneli has nicely placed old photos into binders, plus we have seen our grandchild on a weekly basis – although we have had to avoid hugging because of the virus. The summer went something like that – although not as we had planned it. Below you see the picture of me with the grandchildren picking blueberries at a farm. |
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In May, I began making YouTube videos under the title: “Preacher From The Thickets Out West” I did eight of these programs. The intention is to continue these in the Fall, God willing.
Staying Grateful
In the midst of all this we have been fortunate to stay healthy. For this we are thankful. Age does indeed surprise you. Am I really as old as I am (72)? I would not, however, like to be young anymore, as young people have their own problems, but a good age – whatever age that may be. Just as long as I can feel well in all ways and be in a good mood – be it whatever age!
I have read quite a bit. From this one book I have found a request, which I have included along with my evening prayers. To this day I use a prayer that I learned as a child: ‘ Levolle lasken Luojani… To which are then attached the prayer requests for others, and also a part from this book:
May I be safe and protected from harm. May I be happy and have a peaceful and joyful heart. May I be healthy and have a body that supports me with energy. May I live with the ease that comes from well-being. (Sharon Salzberg, 1995)
With Loving Thoughts,
Jukka & Anneli
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Sometimes our birhtday lists are not up to date. If you notice someone's name missing, please notify us. THANK YOU! |
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IN AUGUST we celebrated some milestone birthdays!
Our active congregation member Matti Mecklin reached the age of 80 in Kannelmäki, Helsinki. The party was kept inside the family circle due to the epidemic situation. We very much miss Matti and Sirkka here in Florida.
The Pastor got quite a surprise when she asked about Matti’s health and what he’s been up to. Below are a few lines from our 80-year-old:
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Much of the days’ time during the Corona epidemic has been spent waiting in idle. I decided to stimulate myself by enrolling in Diving School at “Aallon Padi Open Water Course. The last dive in the pool was on Saturday.
Next in line is four dives in open water. Those I have decided to take care of in the warm waters of Florida on my next trip. This unfortunately will probably not happen until next year. After that I'll have my diving certification in my pocket and underwater exploration can begin! I was told I was the oldest student in the diving courses’ history.
Matti
HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO OUR SUPER MATTI!
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Matti was not the only one celebrating round numbers in August. Our Council President Pertti Pietarinen turned 70 for which we send our warmest belated birthday wishes to him as well!
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We are slowly moving towards the months when the church is normally getting ready for a busy winter season, but that feeling has not quite set in yet. There is a serene quietness at our church, which is normal during the summer, but not for such a long period as we have just been through.
This doesn’t seem like much to be thankful for, but it is a blessing to know that even without the congregations’ physical presence, they are out there somewhere watching, and supporting the work that we do.
During this quiet time there have been many changes in the format of our services and quite simply all of our evangelism activities, but at the same time many things remain the same. While the church building is empty, the power of music and the more powerful presence of God remains. The comforting songs and scripture readings also remain the same. One thing that will never change is that everything is done for the glory of our God.
Having the privilege of doing these services for the congregation and spreading God’s word is something our worship and music team is glad to do. It has brought us all closer to God and to each other.
Using music as a tool to get closer to God is a wonderful way in which we can worship anywhere we are, together or apart. I am humbled to know that people find comfort in the music, and word that we are called to spread. Your continued support is very important to us here at church and we are here to serve the congregation and our Lord Jesus Christ.
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I will sing to the Lord as long as I live; I will sing praise to my God while I have being.(Ps. 104:33)
Be blessed and thankful!
Michael
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English language, live mid-day prayer moments are available for viewing on our Fb-page, which you can access through our website(There is a link on the bottom of our newsletter to our website). Move to the bottom portion of our webpage and you will see a picture of our fb-page. Click on our church name, this brings you to the site. If you receive a message to sign up for Fb, just click cancel.
Let's be together through prayer!
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Many Words, Big Heart, Jesus Our Redeemer
I want to greet everyone and share a little about myself for those who may not know me. If you ever wondered: “who is that loud girl who is always talking so much?” or “who does she think she is?” I want to assure you that I’m just another fragile person who has been redeemed by the Grace of our Our Lord Jesus Christ! I have a big heart but along with that comes being too sensitive at times. It is a struggle I battle with but I thank God for encouraging sisters and brothers like yourselves who always cheer me up and help me keep moving forward. All the glory for this of course goes to Lord Jesus, My Savior, who picks me up and wipes my tears away if I let something stressful in this earthly life get to me. We can all be thankful for what Christ has done for us and hang on to His promises. “From the fullness of His GRACE we have all received one blessing after another.” John 1:16
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Some of you know I came to this country with my family when I was in middle school. Some of you might even have seen our “Manner Family” sing at Finnish venues. We always sang about the work that Jesus did on the cross for our sins and about the love of God. To this day, I know more Christian songs (and most of those in Finnish) than any other type of music. It was the foundation of these songs that carried me out of personal darkness during the years of the Great Recession and the effects it had on my family.
One faithful friend stayed by my side during those difficult times and she is our own Hanna Kiuru! She invited me to join the Agape Choir at this church. Healing for the wounds of my soul came as I sang with Agape and later the Chapel Choir and my journey toward wholeness began. You, my fellow sisters and brothers from the English speaking congregation have meant more to me than you can ever know. By accepting me as I am and trusting God to do the work of growth in me through His Holy Spirit, I have been lifted out of darkness into light.
It certainly doesn’t mean “I have arrived”. On the contrary, I am striving to work out my Salvation as my husband, Brian, talked about during the Saturday, August 22nd devotional. Yes, we are saved by grace but we shouldn’t allow bitterness from past hurts or distractions of the cares of the world to take our focus from our faith in Jesus Christ, the solid rock of our life.
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Therefore, “Fight the good fight of the faith. Take hold of eternal life to which you were called when you made your good confession in the presence of many witnesses… to keep this command without spot or blame until the appearing of our Lord Jesus Christ, which God will bring about in his own time - God, the blessed and only Ruler, the King of kings and Lord of lords…”
Suvi-Katriina
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FROM THE PEN OF PIRJO-LEENA KOSKINEN |
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A wonderful beginning of fall to everyone!
Although summer is almost over, we do not notice here in the tropics. This summer has been different; quieter than previous quiet summers. My own summer plans turned out to be just plans. Our kids trip here as well as my own trip to Finland did not happen. This year, many winter residents left Florida early, and there are very few who have returned, as September arrives. Schools will open if the infection situation allows it, some have already opened their doors.
Nevertheless, we have not had to be alone: The daily Facebook broadcasts have opened new windows to those outside my own circle. Sunday services can be seen at their normal times, and the weekday word and prayer moments, which average about 15 minutes, have been refreshing. Different performers and speakers have brought personal experiences and ways of feeling close to these brief moments. All of these can be viewed at any time if you cannot see them live. Nothing beats the feeling when you start to see familiar names on the new weekly program. It is comforting to know that we are here together. Thank you to all the presenters who have participated in these moments from both near and far!
Fortunately, through e-messaging, it has been possible to stay in touch with those who have been in quarantine, ill, or convalescent. Through the use of Messenger it is possible to connect personally, or in a group text atmosphere. This prayer request service works and there are many of us in this group from whom you can request prayer or just send messages. Being alone can be a burden and also scary for those who are severely ill.
The residents of the rest home have also had to experience the restrictions of this pandemic. As much as we miss them, safety is priority. If we are patient, then the day will come when we will meet at church and the rest home face to face. ‘ We will never lose hope’ as the song says. Below is a picture of our grandchildren paddling away in the beautiful Finland summer. Hopefully we get to spend time with them next summer!
Good health and our heavenly Father’s blessing to everyone!
Pirjo-Leena Koskinen
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After a long wait, we were finally able to go to the Rest Home and hold two "patio services". Even though we started already at 8:30 on Friday morning, by the time we had finished both services, our shirts were soaked with sweat. We were also responsible for sound system and music equipment set-up, as well as moving these things from one location to another. But, even if there had been alot more work involved, it would not have bothered us at all. It was such a tremondous joy to see our loved residents there and talk to them about Jesus. |
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The air conditioning in the church and fellowship hall is not working, once again, and at this point, not sure when it will be fixed. We are very thankful to Rest Home director Dan Benson for giving us permission to use Annamaja for our Sunday services. The Finnish service went well but we had some technical issues at our English service, that were no fault of the space. We hope that at a later date, we can start having combined services for the nursing and rest home residents there. |
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Great scenery again from the both sides of the Atlantic Ocean.
Photos by Erkki Kylmälä, Irma Waarna and Pastor Mia.
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1. God made circumcision the sign of covenant with him. God commanded every male child from one generation to the next be circumcised at 8 days old. This was also done to Jesus. (Gen. 17:11)
2. Abraham fell face down and laughed, because he thought that he and his wife were too old to have children. (Gen, 17:17)
3. Abraham encountered three men by the sacred oak trees of Mamre. It the Jewish tradition these three men are thought of as angels, the Christian tradition like to speak of the Trinity, but text suggests also that one of three was God and two other angels, who later visited Lot in Sodom. (Gen. 18:1-2, 22)
4. Abraham did not offer blessing to the men. He asked if he could bring them some water to wash their feet, while they cooled off in the shade of the tree. He also asked his servant to bake some bread from the finest flour and prepare a meal from a tender calf. He himself served the three thorughout the meal. (Gen. 18:4-8)
5. The men had not come to rebuke Abraham. One of the men told Abraham he would return after one year, at which time Abraham and Sara would have a baby boy. After eating, the men got up and head to Sodom, as the Lord had heard of the great sin of Sodom. (Gen. 18:16-21)
6. For the Lord to have spared Sodom from destruction, there would have needed to be 10 righteous people in the town of Sodom. This was the result of Abraham's great negotiation skills that you can read more in 18:21-33.
7. God destroyed Sodom and Gomorrah and the whole valley by letting fire and brimstone fall on them. Only Lot and his two daughters survived the destruction. Lot's wife was turned into a pillar of salt while fleeing the destruction, despite the warnings she had been given not to look back. (Gen. 19:23-26)
8.- 10. Abraham and Sara's son, Isaac's half brother name was Ishmael (Abraham's and Sara's servant's Hagar's son).
Abraham became a father at the age of 86. Isaac was born fourteen years later, Abraham being 100 years and Sara being 90 when she became pregnant with Isaac. (Gen. 16:1-2,11; 17:16-17)
YOUR RESULTS
0-2 correct= Hmm, time for Sunday school... and maybe Bible study
3-5 correct= You get your first angel sticker
6-8 correct= Nice job! Reading the Bible is fun!
9-10 correct= You can wash the Pastor's car. 🤩
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Our friends send their greetings!
Thank you all who have taken time to send us a greeting! If you are not among these, please send a picture for our October issue.
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Have A Blessed September! |
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St. Andrew's Lutheran Church | (561) 582-0554 | 928 South E Street, Lake Worth, FL 33460 | www.standrewsfl.com |
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