Bible Study

Isaiah 43:1-7

¹But now thus says the Lord,

    he who created you, O Jacob,

    he who formed you, O Israel:

Do not fear, for I have redeemed you;

    I have called you by name; you are mine.

² When you pass through the waters, I will be with you,

    and through the rivers, they shall not overwhelm you;

when you walk through fire you shall not be burned,

    and the flame shall not consume you.

³ For I am the Lord your God,

    the Holy One of Israel, your Savior.

I give Egypt as your ransom,

    Cush and Seba in exchange for you.

⁴ Because you are precious in my sight

    and honored and I love you,

I give people in return for you,

    nations in exchange for your life.

⁵ Do not fear, for I am with you;

    I will bring your offspring from the east,

    and from the west I will gather you;

⁶ I will say to the north, “Give them up,”

    and to the south, “Do not withhold;

bring my sons from far away

    and my daughters from the end of the earth—

⁷ everyone who is called by my name,

    whom I created for my glory,

    whom I formed and made.”

Questions

+What are the things you are feeling overwhelmed by this season? 

+This text offers comfort & hope to God's people thousands of years ago. Do these words bring you comfort and hope, too? If not, what do you need to hear from God?

Luke 3:15-17, 21-22

¹⁵ As the people were filled with expectation and all were questioning in their hearts concerning John, whether he might be the Messiah, ¹⁶ John answered all of them by saying, “I baptize you with water, but one who is more powerful than I is coming; I am not worthy to untie the strap of his sandals. He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire. ¹⁷ His winnowing fork is in his hand to clear his threshing floor and to gather the wheat into his granary, but the chaff he will burn with unquenchable fire.”

²¹ Now when all the people were baptized and when Jesus also had been baptized and was praying, the heaven was opened, ²² and the Holy Spirit descended upon him in bodily form like a dove. And a voice came from heaven, “You are my Son, the Beloved; with you I am well pleased.”

Questions

+Does your baptism inform who you are? How so?

+ How does the Holy Spirit present itself in your life? 

Blessings,

Pastor Ann

email or call me 763-447-7664

There is an important update from Luther Heights in their section.

This past Sunday's service: YouTube

Annual Reports will be EMAILED out soon! Please keep an eye out for it in the next week or two. If you need a printed report please contact Theresa who will print one for you. Otherwise, the 27+ page report will NOT be printed in it's entirety for the annual meeting on the 26th. You should be able to access it on your devices during the meeting.

For those who we were unable to hand deliver, we mailed out your stewardship letter. Pledge cards are included and we need them back by January 12. Thanks for your diligence in this!

The Discretionary Fund at New Day Lutheran Church plays a vital role in providing essential support to individuals and families facing financial hardships in our community. This fund is dedicated to assisting those in need with critical expenses such as rent, utilities, and transportation costs, ensuring that they have the resources necessary to maintain their stability and well-being. By contributing to this fund, you are directly impacting the lives of our community members, fostering a sense of security and support during their challenging times. Your generosity allows us to extend our outreach efforts, reinforcing our commitment to love and inclusivity for all. You can give via a check sent to

New Day Lutheran Church

2184 Channing Way #474 Idaho Falls, ID 83404

or online.

Put discretionary fund in the memo or note.

Thank you to those who have signed up! You made this easy!

There are several important days in January, including: 

• New Years Day 
• Martin Luther King, Jr. Day (Jan. 20)
• National Trivia Day 
• Religious Freedom Day (Jan.16)
• World Braille Day
• International Holocaust Remembrance Day (Jan. 27)
• Financial Wellness Month
• National Tea Month
• National Mentoring Month
• National Stalking Awareness Month
• National Blood Donor Month
• National Braille Literacy Month
• National Hobby Month
• National Poverty in America Awareness Month

Monthly on the 1st Sunday we collect a noisy offering. This change is used for activities for the kids.

Monthly on the 2nd Saturday join us as we serve at the Idaho Falls Soup Kitchen. Contact Guy Backstrom for questions you might have.

The 2nd Sunday of the month. It's a short 30 minute service in Rexburg at the Templeview Transitional Care Center. Carpool at 2pm from church, service is at 3pm

Hello Everyone, I wanted to ask you for prayers for our fearless FISH leader. Bev Kemp fell the day after Christmas and broke her femur. She had surgery that night to put in a screw and hold it together. She is currently staying at Promontory Point for rehab. No release date known yet. Thank you for your prayers. 

- Jill Landon

OUR VISION: Passion for God, Compassion for All means we strive to be a loving, Christian community who are excited and passionate about sharing the love and grace of Jesus Christ with everyone. Regardless of age, race, gender, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, religious background or health, you are welcome here!

OUR MISSION: Love Christ and others by accepting and welcoming all in worship, fellowship, Bible study, and community outreach while celebrating our gifts and talents. Jesus said, “I give you a new commandment, that you love one another. Just as I have loved you, you also should love one another…” John 13:34.

For us it’s simple – Jesus loved all people and so we want to love all people.

WELCOME, INCLUSION, CELEBRATION, AND ADVOCACY STATEMENT FOR NEW DAY LUTHERAN CHURCH (ELCA)

Because we are loved by God, New Day Lutheran Church is a Reconciling in Christ (RIC) congregation that welcomes all people. We invite you to join us in our commitment to support and advocate for:

People of every color, culture, and ethnic background

People of every gender identity and sexual orientation

People of all mental and physical abilities

People who are single, widowed, divorced, separated, partnered, blessed or married

People of all ages, political persuasions, levels of education

People of every economic circumstance or social status

People of any religious affiliation or none

People of all family configurations

People who speak languages other than English

People who have felt excluded or marginalized

We commit ourselves to embracing the work of anti-racism, social and economic justice, and environmental care.

We encourage all people to participate in the sacraments and all aspects of the life of our church

Twice a month the Northwest Intermountain Synod sends out a newsletter. If you would prefer to receive the newsletter directly you can sign up HERE.

Click the links below to see their newsletters as webpages.

January 6

December 16

December 2

We are a congregational owner of Luther Heights Bible Camp - so it is important we are invested in the things they are up to! If you need more info on them, call 208-886-7657 or email them at info@lutherheights.org To subscribe to receive their newsletter directly go HERE

Hello Luther Heights friends, donors, families & all,

As we begin the new year of 2025, the Luther Heights Board of Directors wanted to share an important update with you.

After nearly seven years of faithful and devoted service to Luther Heights, Kelly Preboski is taking on a new opportunity and has resigned as Executive Director for Luther Heights. It is with a combination of gratitude for Kelly and sadness for us that we share this news, as she has been an incredible leader for our organization.

We want to express our thanks to Kelly for years of unwavering service, dedication and passion. Kelly has lifted our organization into new heights, quite literally, bringing so many gifts to bear - her ability to intentionally connect with others, inspire & mentor youth, identify new partnerships, and welcome all to camp. With Kelly’s leadership, Luther Heights has achieved significant milestones including creating a new brand logo & mission statement, lifting a Leader in Training (LIT) program, rebounding camp from COVID, launching a major capital campaign, and more. Kelly has exemplified grace, faith and professionalism, and we have been blessed to have experienced her visionary leadership. 

Beloved Luther Heights community, THANK YOU. Thank you for welcoming my family and me to this beautiful community and an amazing place in the Sawtooth Mountains. Please know you have forever impacted our lives and for that we are grateful. Remember to seek a community of people who lift you up, enjoy all of creation and continue the walk of faith one step at a time. Enjoy the gift of today. - Kelly Preboski

Kelly has been working closely with us to ensure a smooth transition on Luther Heights activities. Our Board of Directors, committee leads and staff members are well positioned and committed to leading Luther Heights Bible Camp forward. Our capital campaign is well underway and continues - we are thankful for our generous donors and congregations who have engaged with us already and we look forward to connecting with more people in 2025.

To learn more about our Luther Heights plans forward, please join our annual meeting on February 27th at 7 pm MT (virtually, via Zoom) at which time we’ll share more about our leadership plans ahead. We will be sharing more information about the annual meeting on our social media and e-news.

If you have any questions about this announcement or our capital campaign, please don’t hesitate to contact me. For all other questions regarding camp please contact program@lutherheights.org or info@lutherheights.org.

With change comes new opportunities to explore and discover; we are excited about the journey and will embrace God’s will forward.

Many blessings, 

Mona Teffeteller

Luther Heights Bible Camp, Board Chair

monateff@gmail.com

208-861-9175

GIVE NOW

Dear New Day Lutheran Church,

In this time of uncertainty for many LGBTQIA+ Americans, ReconcilingWorks Board of Directors has approved the creation of a mutual aid fund.

Applicants have an opportunity to receive up to $500. Read about eligibility and how to apply on our Mutual Aid page.

May this season of uncertainty be a time for us all to stand up for all our beloved LGBTQIA+ siblings and recommit to the work of justice. If you would like to financially support the mutual aid funds, you can do so HERE.

Much joy 

Aubrey Thonvold

• You can use the button below to give online!
• You can also mail a check made out to New Day Lutheran to:

New Day Lutheran Church

2184 Channing Way #474

Idaho Falls, ID 83404