Dear Siblings in Christ,

For where your heart is, there your treasure will be also. Last Sunday, Rev. Kautz invited us to turn this passage around and place the emphasis on leading with our hearts. When we allow our hearts to guide us, we will not regret the decision to be generous with our time, talents, or resources.

As we return our Estimate of Giving cards for 2025 this Sunday, I want to bring you back to the story of the widow's mites. This woman gave seemingly all she had, and we don't know why. We can presume it is her heart that led her to this generosity. Perhaps her gift helped feed the poor, care for other widows or orphaned children, or even keep the oil lamps lit in the temple so worship could occur.

Why does your heart call out for you to give to Lutheran Church of the Foothills? Is it the monthly meal to Primavera Men's Shelter--a partnership that goes back more than twenty years? Is it the annual service at Poz Cafe, another decades-long partnership with TIHAN? Perhaps you are moved in worship by the beautiful music, the choir or the bells, the liturgy, or the preaching. Did you walk through the doors one Sunday and receive a welcome so warm, so inclusive, you just couldn't stay away? Do you watch a small but close-knit number of children learn and play in worship and appreciate how they feel accepted for who they are in our community?

Hopefully, there are many reasons your heart calls you to support the ministry of Lutheran Church of the Foothills. We cannot do this without the contributions of our whole community. From the change in the Hunger Jar, the dollars in the plate for Community Service, to the checks, to online giving--every gift, no matter the size, shows the heart of this congregation. Your hearts are blessing us with the treasures entrusted to us by God. Thank you for your continued trust and generosity. Together we are called to share the radical love of Christ in lives of service. Together, your generosity continues to make that happen every year!

~ Faithfully yours, 

Pastor Naomi

Called and empowered to proclaim the radical love of Christ through lives of service.

What does “lives of service” mean ?

In the Christian context, being a servant is a way of life that models the example of Jesus, who lived to serve others, embodying humility, compassion, and selflessness. Christian service is a way of aligning one’s life with the heart of Jesus' message, which emphasizes love, sacrifice, and a commitment to justice. (See the description of agape love from last week.)

Jesus commands us to “love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your strength, and with all your mind; and your neighbor as yourself." (Luke 10:27, also known as the Great Commandment) A good example of loving God and neighbor comes from Matthew 25:34-40, where Jesus commends those who feed the hungry, give drink to the thirsty, welcome the stranger, take care of the sick, and visit the prisoner, saying, “Just as you did it to one of the least of these, you did it to me.” By leading lives of service, we reflect Christ’s radical love in tangible ways through acts of kindness, advocacy, and support for the marginalized.

In essence, Christian servanthood is a calling to participate actively in God's love for the world, proclaiming that love not just through words but through lives of faithful, humble, and transformative service. We act out our lives of service when we serve in the congregation and outside the congregation in the community and world. We act out this service as individuals and together as a community of faith.

~ Stewart McDonald and the Intentional Visioning Team

Read & Yak Book Group: Join the Discussion

Read & Yak will meet on Saturday, November 23, from 10:00a to 11:30a, in the Activities Room, simultaneously in person and on Zoom. The author of On Repentance and Repair: Making Amends in an Unapologetic World, Danya Ruttenberg, is a highly sought after speaker and lecturer who was named by Newsweek and The Daily Beast as one of ten "rabbis to watch," and one of the top 50 most influential women rabbis. Click here to join the Read & Yak Zoom meeting. Meeting ID: 822 7558 0676 Passcode: 844657

The group will be taking a break during the month of December, and will start up again in January with a new list of books for 2025. If you are interested in joining or have ideas for books to read and discuss, contact Holly Hope at hollyhopeaz@gmail.com.

Thanksgiving Day Service & Dinner

A Thanksgiving potluck dinner will be held in the Activities Room from 1:00p to 4:00p on November 28 followed by an informal service of thanksgiving for all of the blessings we have received from our Creator. All are welcome, including winter visitors or anyone who finds themselves celebrating Thanksgiving away from family and friends. Even if you are unable to attend, if you would like to help with food, decorations, or coordination of the informal service, there is a sign-up sheet on the round table in the Narthex or contact Ellie Mae Nelson at elliemae.or@gmail.com or call 520-540-6747.

Thursday Journey

This discussion group meets on Thursdays, 10:00a to 11:30a in the Activities Room. We are currently discussing Amy Jill Levine's book, Sermon on the Mount: A Beginner's Guide to the Kingdom of Heaven. Books are available for pickup at the church, and you can also find the book on Kindle or Audible. We will not meet on Thanksgiving Day, and you are welcome to join us each Thursday when we resume meeting on December 5.

Growing in Faith Together: Help Build Community

Join us in the Activities Room each Sunday from 9:00a to 9:45a and Grow In Faith Together (G.I.F.T.). Multiple generations gather together to read, reflect on, and discuss Scripture. In addition, there are hands-on activities, questions posed, connections made, challenges completed, and laughter! Interact with different ages and build community within the church. For more information, contact Pastor Naomi.