Holiday Worship Services

 

Wanted: A Few Good Musicians

Mountain View has a strong tradition of music to enhance worship and a commitment to see it continue.  Unfortunately, several music leaders are no longer available to serve.  Here are some of the pluses of the music program as it operated in recent years:

• varied worship styles including traditional, blended, country gospel and polka with worship services reflecting these styles
• worship schedules including Saturday evening, Sunday morning and seasonal Wednesday services
• choral groups - formal choir, men's choir, praise team
• excellent audio visual support including live streaming capabilities
• modern electronic organ
• handbells and hand chimes

Some of these pluses are in need of leadership.  All are open to more participants.  If you are a regular member, consider joining a group.  If you are a seasonal member, your participation is welcome even though you may be here for only part of the year.  Talk to one of the pastors and indicate your interest.  He will put you in touch with the group.  

A quote from Martin Luther:

"I, Doctor Martin Luther, wish all lovers of the unshackled art of music grace and peace from God the Father and from our Lord Jesus Christ! I truly desire that all Christians would love and regard as worthy the lovely gift of music, which is a precious, worthy, and costly treasure given to mankind by God."

Youth Sunday School Restart

 

YOUTH SUNDAY SCHOOL

Youth Sunday School Returns  Sunday November 15th  We have some exciting news to share for our Youth, our Families, and for everyone here at Mountain View Lutheran Church. After weeks of discussing and planning, we are ready to re-launch our Sunday School this fall and are excited to announce that we feel led by the spirit of God to try new things in order to reach our kids where they are. To that end, we are going to now be offering more appropriate age-based programs for our Elementary kids as well as for our Jr. and Sr. High Youth.

FOR OUR  ELEMENTARY KIDS We are excited to announce our new elementary curriculum from Group Publishing, "Simply Loved." If you have ever been part of our VBS programs here at Mountain View, Simply Loved has a very similar feel. Kids will engage in songs of praise to Jesus, they will learn the bible story each week, and then they will work on different crafts and projects that drive home the point of the lesson. With this approach, we hope to engage all different styles of learners.

JR and SR HIGH YOUTH We are also so excited to tell you that we are starting a Sunday school class aimed specifically at our Jr. and Sr. high youth who have already finished confirmation. Working with some amazing volunteers and our Pastors, they are going to dive into "Life's Big Questions, God's Big Answers." Youth will even have opportunity to submit questions that they have about their faith and how it intersects life in the world around us. Our volunteers, parents, and our pastors will then have opportunity to teach them faithful responses to their tough questions.  We ask for prayers as we are boldly trying this new and exciting thing.

KEEPING EVERYONE SAFE We are committed to doing our best to keeping everyone safe, even amidst the pandemic. all kids, youth, and volunteers will be required to wear masks in Sunday School, socially distance, and any craft supplies will be separated out per person. We are also asking parents, kids and youth alike to keep us informed about any COVID outbreaks in their schools, so that we can postpone Sunday School if needed and keep one another safe. All surfaces and areas will be properly disinfected each week after Sunday School classes.   VOLUNTEERS We need your help. We already have some committed volunteers who are excited and anxiously awaiting the launch of Sunday School, but we still need more volunteers of making our dream of age appropriate Sunday School classes a reality. If you have any desire to work with or assist with our Elementary Sunday School or with our Jr. and Sr. High group, please reach out to Pastor Tim at PastorTim@Mountainviewlutheran.org

News from our Scholarship Student

 Bozarth October 2020 Newsletter

8 Founders Way Unit B cell: 478-919-7300 catcherjb8@yahoo.com

St. Louis, MO 63105

The Fall Semester is under way! I have entered my second year at Concordia Seminary St. Louis, also known as my “pre-vicarage year.” Second year studies expand on the instruction from first year and also prepare us for our third year, our vicarage year. The curriculum dives into the theological caverns but never loses sight of the surface – where theology is applied. A thorough understanding of theology is nothing without proper application. For instance, Jesus is the Son of God who takes away the sins of the world, this is theology. This message becomes Gospel when your sins are taken away through faith in Jesus who is the Son of God. You see, the Seminary grounds us in theology so that we may be faithful stewards of the Gospel in practice.

We are not alone in our studies. Many, including you, support myself and my family through your words, prayers, and treasures. God has placed each one of you to tend to our needs as we explore those theological caverns.

Our little explorers, Avin (6, 10/16/2013) and Adalyn (4, 2/29/2016) continue their education at St. Paul des Peres. Avin is a tall boy in first grade with a compassionate heart. He is always creating through an energetic imagination. Adalyn is a clever girl in a petite package who loves learning in her pre-kindergarten class. She’ll soon usurp her daddy in wisdom and rhetoric (and she knows it).

Heather has adapted to the shifting schedules and is a valued asset at St. Paul des Peres Lutheran Church as their Worship Secretary. She does all this while managing the household logistics and child transportation while I’m off “spelunking.” She is vital to this expedition.

Thank you again, for your support!

The Bozarth Family – James, Heather, Avin, Adalyn

Set Free

If the Son sets you free you are free indeed. What do you need to be set free from? Fear, Worry, Anger, Addiction, Greed, Pride, Loneliness, Sin? All of these can bind us in the lies of Satan. We cannot escape from this unless we are delivered from these chains through the precious blood of Jesus which cleanses us from all unrighteousness. He alone is our peace. He alone is victor over death and the grave. We are now more than conquerors through him who loves us.

As the body of Christ we are united together with each other under the headship of Jesus. We are to pray for each other and to work together in love and unity. The devil wants to divide us and bring in hatred and bitterness into our hearts. Right now as we are separated from each other may God's forgiving love hold us together. May we seek peace and unity rather than fear and separation. We are set free to serve God with a willing heart soul and mind. Now may the peace of God which surpasses all human understanding guard you hearts and minds through faith in Christ Jesus our Lord and Savior. Amen!


Psalm 129:4   But the LORD is righteous; he has cut me free from the cords of the wicked.

Pastor Mark Friedrich

Holy Communion for Such a Time as This

In this time of a National Emergency due to a very contagious virus, churches have been forced to think of alternatives to corporate worship.  Thanks to the wonders of technology unheard of during the last pandemic in 1917, worship services have been streamed via the Internet to home computers and other devices.  Bible classes have continued and some offer interactive dialogue among the participants.

But what about the Sacraments of Holy Baptism and Holy Communion?  Many look forward to celebrating the Lord's Supper at the same time they celebrate Jesus' victory over sin, death and Satan. How can that happen while also practicing "social distancing"?

Leaders at Mountain View Lutheran Church came up with a plan for "drive through Communion."  Elders and pastors set up two stations and recruited others to handle traffic and provide musical background.  As worshipers drove up to one of the tents, a pastor provided a brief message, a blessing over the elements and directions for partaking.  The wine and bread were packaged in a sealed individual container.  The presentation was consummated with a prayer and participants were on their way home where they also view and participate in an Easter worship service prerecorded to the church website (www.mountainviewlutheran.org) or on the church Facebook page.

All are hopeful that this temporary approach to worship will soon be over but in the meantime MVLC members and friends continue to be in touch with God's Word.

How Are We Responding to Coronavirus Threat

The pastors of Mountain View Lutheran Church have posted the following statement:

After much prayer and discussion, Pastor Mark Friedrich and Pastor Tim Anderson have decided that for the sake of our congregation, and the sake of Pastoral Care, we are going to commit to the following actions in response to the Coronavirus pandemic.

   

1.     We will refrain from hugs and handshakes for the time being. Human contact is an important part of our life together, as we believe it reflects the love of Christ. Yet in this time and for now, an elbow or fist bump will need to suffice. And this always remains true: If you’re sick, stay home. 

2.     We will have careful procedures in place for our celebration of the Lord’s Supper. Pastors, communion preparers and communion distributors will wash their hands just prior to preparing or serving communion. We will continue to provide both the individual and common cups and encourage you to commune in the way you are most comfortable.  We will do what we can to provide a healthy and safe communing experience. 

3.     We will continue to offer our time, talents and treasures to the Lord. We will however be changing how we take the offering during our worship services for the time being. Instead of passing the offering plates, members will be encouraged to drop their offering and attendance cards with ushers during communion at the front of the church. This again will limit skin to skin contact. 

4.     We will maintain an exceptionally clean building. We have professional cleaning services for our church buildings and will keep our buildings as clean as we can.  

5.     We will continue to go to people in need. Your pastors and elders will continue to visit the sick and homebound. Christ went toward lepers and the sick, not away from them. However, we will also take all necessary precautions to do so in a safe way even as we refuse to abandon our neighbors in need. 

6.     We will pray AND sanitize. It is not either/or. It’s both/and. We do not practice a careless piety that says “pray,” but then acts recklessly. At the same time, we do not overestimate our precautionary health measures. Calamity is beyond our ability to control. The chaos of epidemic drives us to prayer and obedient trust. 

7.     We will not fear.  There’s a time for concern, but we refuse fear. The stock market may crash, but we remain generous. Sickness may spread, but we remain faithful. Our trust in God is not dependent on circumstances. We don’t claim faith only in times of blessing. God gets glory in all circumstances.  

8.     We covet your prayers. Continue to pray for us as a church during this time and for all our brothers and sisters in the faith. We will continue to serve you and need all of your support to do so. 

As more information comes out, we will update you. 

Pastor Mark Friedrich

Pastor Tim Anderson