Dear Church Family,
Glory and celebration await the victorious runners of the race, but that glory never comes easy. It only comes through the intense agony of the pain, even suffering, as every step becomes harder and harder, every breath more strenuous. Only through that pain can the runner gain the glory that is to come, if they finish.
Throughout his life, Jesus showed glory in his miraculous power. As we see on the Mount of Transfiguration, he showed incredible glory. Yet his race wasn’t complete there. His race needed to continue – to the cross. There was no turning back after this. It had to go through the cross. There was glory ahead, but first the agony of the cross. Jesus prepared his disciples with this thought. Similarly, he wants to prepare us with this thought too so that we might make it safely to the glorious finish line of heaven.
This Sunday we jump ahead a bit in the gospel of Mark so that we can mark the occasion in Jesus’ life known as Transfiguration Sunday in the Christian church year based on our Bible lesson from Mark 9:2-13.
ICYMI – Watch my message from this past Sunday based on the hugely important little parables in Mark chapter 4.
DSYouth: Our next DSYouth session is today, Feb 9! If you’re a Middle School or High school student and you’re interested in growing as a disciple of Jesus alongside other Christians, DSYouth is for you! We study the Bible together, pray together, and talk about how we live as followers of Jesus in our world. There are usually some games and snacks each time we meet. Our motto is “Disciples of Christ, Stronger Together. Join us from 6:00-8:00pm! We’ll meet in the high school commons. Click here for the required Parent Consent and here for Student Registration. (You only need to do this once this year.) If you’re the parent of a Middle School or High School student, you are invited to join our parent group that meets during this time. We hope to see you there!
New START Classes Starting This Week! What does the Bible teach? Participate in Pastor Ben’s START Class to learn the foundational teachings of our Lutheran Christian faith. Prepares you to receive the sacrament of Holy Communion at Divine Savior Church when you’re ready. Helps you know with certainty how Jesus has changed your life! Classes will meet weekly for 7 weeks. Register by clicking here.
There are two options:
– Sunday mornings after church starting February 11 from 11:00-12:30 pm.
– Thursday evenings starting Thursday evenings February 15 from 7:00-8:30 pm.
Ash Wednesday February 14 – Ash Wednesday marks the beginning of Lent, a time when we walk with Jesus to the cross to see the extent of his love that paid for every imperfect thought, word, and action. Join us for a special Ash Wednesday bilingual worship service at 5:00 pm or 7:00 pm.
All Pro Dad – Any dads and their kids who are in Kindergarten through 6th grade can team up with other dads and kids at our school once a month for All Pro Dad! We meet before school from 7:00-8:00 AM in the high school commons for a free breakfast and a character based-curriculum that helps dads start meaningful conversations with their kids. RSVP on our chapter website for our monthly breakfast on February 15. Questions? Contact Pastor Ben: ben.kuerth@divinesaviorchurch.com
First Impression Team Opportunities – Have you noticed how God is growing our church? We have been blessed with more and more people attending worship services in person each week which has created new opportunities! Our Usher, Greeter, and Refreshment Teams are looking for more volunteers to meet the needs of our growing family in Christ. How might you be able to serve? Leaders of each team provide training as necessary. If you are willing or have questions about any of these teams, please reach out to Staff Minister Becky.
Worship and Ministry Center Grand Opening Weekend – Mark your calendars and save the dates! Our celebration with the community will be on Saturday, March 23. You will hear more about it in person on Sunday after worship. We’re excited about celebrating with one another as a family in Christ and sharing this with those in our lives so they can better know Jesus as their savior and what our church has to offer. The next day, Sunday, March 24 we will have a special opportunity to give thanks to God in worship, which is also Palm Sunday. There are opportunities for you to serve as we prepare for this weekend. Questions? Please reach out to Jorge Calil, Team Leader: 305-815-8244.
Faith5: Building strong families – Did you miss the registration to participate in this session of Faith5? We are passionate about equipping you as parents with powerful tools as you lead your family to grow closer to Jesus and to one another. If you are still interested, please click this link and we will be in touch with you with the next opportunity. Click here to see what other parents have to say about the Faith5 experience.
DSC on YouTube: Watch past messages and worship services on-demand on our church YouTube channel.
Our Giving to the Lord:
Current Weekly Average: $10,876 / wk
Amount Needed for FY 2023-2024: $12,622 / wk
Click here to give an offering. You can make a one-time special gift or set up recurring gifts as well. Please note also that the opportunity to pledge and give toward “$2,025 for 3 Years” is for offerings over and above regular, recurring giving.
Sunday Playlist – Graves Into Gardens | What a Friend We Have in Jesus CWH #721 | Saved My Soul
Daily Devotions – Stay connected to God’s Word with the WELS daily devotions. Subscribe and have a devotion sent directly to your email each day. Grace Moments are daily devotions provide by Time of Grace. Download their app for easy access to all their gospel content.
Download Our Church App – Use it to worship online, watch archived messages, and register for events and classes that are coming up. Our app is the communication hub for everything DSC! Search “Divine Savior Church” in your app store. Select “Doral” as your campus.
Daily Bible Reading – Would you read THE BIBLE in a year, with me? Click here to join our daily reading plan using the YouVersion Bible app. Jump in wherever we are and get a daily dose of God’s Word.
Upcoming special days:
- Sunday Feb 11 or Thursday Feb 15 Start class begins
- Wednesday February 14 Ash Wednesday bilingual worship
- Thursday Feb 15 All Pro Dad
- Sunday Feb 25 Congregational Update
- Saturday March 23 Grand Opening Celebration
- Sunday March 24 Palm Sunday and Special Grand Opening Worship
Changing Lives with Jesus,
Pastor Ben
