Pr. Stirdivant has accepted the call!

Rev. Mark Stirdivant and his wife, Krika, will officially join us Sunday, April 2nd.

Installation Vespers 3:00 pm, Sunday, April 2, 2017, at Good Shepherd, Yucaipa.

Pr. Stirdivant was born and raised in Hemet, CA.  He has been Associate Pastor at Holy Cross Lutheran in Kansas City, MO since 2002.

They will bring with them a mascot, a Boston Terrier named Poppy.

Be there April 2nd and welcome the Stirdivant’s! Buffet after the Installation Vespers Service.

Mark and Krika Stirdivant

Pr. Stirdivant, singing

Her name is Poppy.

From Pr. Hendry’s sermon:

Our reading is I Corinthians 3:10-23
There is one foundation,
Jesus Christ.
What shall we build on it?
The ‘wisdom’ of the day
does not impress God,
so we must set aside
what is called ‘wisdom’,
and take up the wisdom of God.
The world, not understanding,
calls God’s wisdom ‘foolishness’.
God’s wisdom is absolute
and unchanging Truth.
We shall never be ashamed
for holding to it.

White Agate

From Pr. Hendry’s sermon:

Our reading is Deuteronomy 30:15-30
I have set before you today
life and death,
blessing and curse.
Choose life, that
you and your offspring
may live.
We know that this is eternal life.
We should looking forward
to Jesus’ promised return.
With Jesus, we have the only
life there is to live.

Butterfly on Lavender

From Pr. Hendry’s sermon:

Our reading is Matthew 5:13-20
Epiphany is the season
of witnessing the Good News
of Salvation to an unbelieving world.
We are
the Salt of the earth,
the Light of the world.
The Law shows us how
to be salt and light.
We also see
we cannot justify ourselves
by keeping the Law.
The Messiah fulfilled the Law,
and won us our salvation.

Pale Bands in Agate

From Pr. Hendry’s sermon:

Our reading is I Corinthians 1:18-31
God saves us –
Fools, Weak, Low, Despised.
The wisdom and strength of God
(preaching of the cross)
are thought to be foolish and weak,
but
His ‘weakness’ is stronger than
the strengths of the day
and
His ‘foolishness’ is wiser than
the sophistication of the day.
And so, we are made
wiser and stronger,
because
we have been given eternal life.

Agate with colors of Ivory and Chalcedony

From Pr. Hendry’s sermon:

Our reading is Isaiah 9:1-4 (6-7)
A pastor is called to preach
the pure Word,
what God has given us
in 66 books.
We read: The people who walked
in darkness Have seen a great light;
as when Gideon led his army
with trumpets and torches. (Judges ch. 7)
Of the Increase of His
government and peace
There will be no end.

Yellow Epiphyllum

From Pr. Hendry’s sermon:

Our reading is John 1:29-42
Behold the Lamb of God,
who takes away
the sins of the world!
This is the Son of God.
We have found the Messiah.
Think back to the lamb
sacrificed for Passover,
then look forward to the Lamb
sacrificed on Calvary.
And so, we, the lost lambs, were found.
And the pastors are instructed
to feed and tend the sheep.

Mammillaria Cactus with pink flowers

From Pr. Holm’s sermon:

Our reading is Matthew 2:1-12
Through the cross
we see Jesus Christ
as King and Shepherd
better
than the wise men and shepherds saw.
He came for each of us,
wise men and fools,
unclean, and sinners, and saints.
Arise, shine, for your light has come,
and the glory of the LORD
has risen upon you.

Fluorite

From Pr. Hendry’s sermon:

Our readings are Luke 2:21 and Eph. 3:23-29
Jesus shed His first blood
at His circumcision.
His active ministry began
at His Baptism.
It was fitting,
to fulfill all righteousness.
We are buried with Him
in baptism, and raised with Him.
We have His righteousness, that is,
we can ‘put on Christ’
as a garment that is given us.

Swallow and Young

From Pr. Hendry’s sermon:

Our reading is from John 1:1-14
Today, we read that
the Creator of all
dwelt among us,
as in pitching a tent.
He became the Light to us
who walked in great darkness.
This is THE Christmas present!
Merry Christmas!

White Epiphyllum