Author Archives: Lynn Golen

Adult Forum is off to a great start.  It begins at 9:00 am each Sunday and is taught by either Pastor Gammon or Christian Scheiner.  In the next several weeks, we will be studying the Gospels and how they impact our faith for witness and actions.  Looking forward to seeing you!

Here it is October already!  Whether we like it or not, Fall is upon us.  Kids have returned to school, the temperatures are cooling, and it won’t be long and the furnace will be running at home.  Nature will begin to go into its dormant cycle, and we will witness the colorful display of change around us.  While I prefer summer, I cannot deny the beauty of Fall.  I also cannot deny the dread of winter, which of course will follow Fall.

There is so much to celebrate in every season.  God has blessed us with ample opportunities to see beauty throughout His creation.  We can find it in nature.  We can find it in people.  We can find it in church, and, of course, we can find it in the grace of salvation.  There are times when beauty can be more difficult to find, or it is less obvious, and we need to search for it.  (This can especially be true when it comes to finding beauty in people!)  We just must look harder.  We are all part of God’s creation, and therefore we all have an inherit beauty and value.  I know that some circumstances might make this more difficult.  There are those who are influenced by evil, and it is hard to see beauty in them at all.  But Jesus will.

If we want to be Christlike, we must too.  As difficult as it might be, we must really try.  Jesus found beauty and value in all of God’s creation, even to the cross.  He was put to death by those seeking to do evil, yet He forgave them and asked His father to do the same.  Why? Jesus recognized that because His killers were part of God’s creation, part of God’s plan, there must be some beauty and value in them.  Afterall, Jesus wasn’t put to death to accommodate the hatred of those persecuting Him.  No, He was put to death because He was the only sacrifice that could be given to atone for the sins of mankind.  It was His divine blood that washed away the sins of all who would seek redemption in His holy name.  It was His agony and death that made restitution for us and brought beauty and value back to us.

There is beauty in everyone.  Hopefully it will be seen and not covered or marred by evil.  Hopefully, as followers of Jesus, we will see the Son shine through the darkness that might sometimes hide the beauty in others.  And if we can’t, let’s lend them some of ours!

I pray that all of you beautiful people find happiness and good health.  And I  thank you for allowing me to bask in your beauty for the past year!  God bless each and every one of you!
Pastor Gerry

Change of Sunday Schedule Beginning on October 5…Adult Forum will begin at 9:00 am on Sundays, Worship Service will begin at 10:00 am, and Choir Practice will begin at 11:00 am.

Senior Valley Choir Concert…The Senior Valley Choir, sponsored by Scope, will present a concert at Living Lord Lutheran Church on Friday, October 17, at 6:00 pm.  The Senior Valley Choir consists of about 30 senior citizens who love to sing.  The church will collect non-perishable food items needed by the Howland Schools’ Paw Pantry.  Come join us and help support our students at Howland Schools.  We look forward to seeing you!

Church Information…Please remember that you can obtain church information from the monthly Lamplighter Newsletter, the Constant Contact emails you receive, on the church website (www.lllc.org), on Facebook (https://www.facebook.com/Living-Lord-Lutheran-Church-493806727349110/), and postings on the church bulletin board.  Church Council Meeting minutes are posted on the bulletin board and sent out via Constant Contact.  We would like to see a better “open rate” when we send information to you via Constant Contact so that we know you are being informed of the activities that are occurring at the church.  If you have any other suggestions on how best to reach out to our parishioners, please see a Council member.

With fall and winter just around the corner, thanks go to members of Living Lord for your generous donations of food items for the Howland Schools’ Paw Pantry during August, September, and October.  You are most generous!  God bless and thank you!  The Senior Valley Choir is coming to Living Lord on Friday, October 17, at 6:00 pm to entertain the crowd.  We will also be collecting non-perishable food items at this event also for the Howland Schools’ Paw Pantry.  Many thanks.  Come and join us in our celebration and entertainment!  For the months of January and February, we will go back to donations of personal care items.  A list of suggested needed items will be posted on the bulletin board in the narthex.  Again, many thanks for your generosity.  It is greatly appreciated!  God bless!

This year is flying by!  I cannot believe we have to start thinking of the holidays already.  I certainly will welcome the cooler days, but not the falling leaves.  October Fellowship will be on Sunday, October 19, following our worship service.  I am still working on the details.  Mark your calendars.  More to come.  I just have to take a minute to say “Thank you” to my bakers and helpers.  I could not do this without them and they are always ready when I call on them.  I am blessed to have such a wonderful group of friends!

Monthly Women’s Breakfast…Please join us at our monthly breakfast at Vasilio’s in Cortland on the second Thursday of every month (Oct. 9) at 10:00 am.  All are welcome!

Senior Valley Choir Concert…On Friday, October 17, at 6:00 pm the Senior Valley Choir will be offering another concert at Living Lord.  At that time, the Outreach Committee, in conjunction with the Evangelism/Membership Committee, will offer a food drive for the Howland Schools’ Paw Pantry.  A list of requested items is posted on the bulletin board and includes boxes of noodles/spaghetti, spaghetti sauce, macaroni and cheese, Ramen noodles, canned items of soups, Spaghettios, and cream soups, peanut butter, jelly, cereal, breakfast bars, granola bars, and any individually wrapped snacks or cookies.  Thank you in advance and may God bless!

Thanksgiving Food Baskets…It will soon be time for our Thanksgiving Food Baskets.  If interested in reserving a food basket, please contact Pam Boothe.  The donation list of needed items will be posted in mid-October.  The last day for donations will be on Sunday, November 16.  Food basket pick-up will be on Sunday, November 23.  Thank you for your past generosity.  Your assistance is appreciated by many, always!

Adult Forum will begin on Sunday, October 5, at 9:00 am led by Pastor Gerry Gammon.  Please come join us!

As September arrives, let us be mindful of how blessed we have been as a Church.  Together we have celebrated the grace of our Lord in many ways–of course, our Sunday services, our Fellowship gatherings, and let’s not forget our Party on the Patio!  We have truly been blessed to gather as a family of faith, and to share in Christian love with one another.

We have shared in happy times, and we have mourned together.  But through it all, we did it as a family.  It is my prayer that the coming months will bring us more opportunities to come together and build upon the foundation that has been laid within the past year.  Unfortunately, we are getting to the point where we have less people either capable or willing to do many of our activities.  I assure you, though, that I will step in where I can.  We have been so blessed to have our brothers and sisters who have brought us this far, and I will do all in my power to not let their efforts be diminished.

I also invite our friends who attend our church to join our family in a more committed relationship with us. Please consider full membership of Living Lord Lutheran Church.  We love having you attend with us, but we would really love to call you our own!

I ask all to pray for the youth in our area.  It is the time of year that they will soon be returning to the classrooms.  Let us pray that God watch over them and protect them from harm and the many influences that exist that might dissuade them from embracing our faith.

As always, it is truly my privilege and honor to serve as your servant leader, and I thank God Almighty for letting me include each of you in my family.  I wish you all the best in September and all the days that follow.

Pastor Gerry

Special Congregation Meeting…Mark your calendars and plan to attend the Special Congregation Meeting on Sunday, September 14, at 10:30 am.  We will be voting on revising language in several of our founding documents and on Pastor Gammon’s continuing employment.  We hope to see everyone in attendance.

Church Information…Please remember that you can obtain church information from the monthly Lamplighter Newsletter, the Constant Contact emails you receive, on the church website (www.lllc.org), on Facebook (https://www.facebook.com/Living-Lord-Lutheran-Church-493806727349110/), and postings on the church bulletin board.  Church Council Meeting minutes are posted on the bulletin board and sent out via Constant Contact.  We would like to see a better “open rate” when we send information to you via Constant Contact so that we know you are being informed of the activities that are occurring at the church.  If you have any other suggestions on how best to reach out to our parishioners, please see a Council member.

For the months of September and October, we will be collecting food items for the Howland Schools’ Paw Pantry.  The list of most requested items is posted on the narthex bulletin board.  They include:  boxes of noodles/spaghetti, jars of spaghetti sauce, mac-n-cheese, Ramen Noodles, canned items (soups, cream soups, Spaghettios), peanut butter, jelly, cereal, breakfast bars, granola bars, any individually wrapped snacks or cookies.  Thank you for your past generosity!  It is greatly appreciated!  Keep up the good work!  God bless!