St. Paul's Lutheran

Loaves and Fishes
2022-05-17 11:00 - 12:00, 2022-05-10 11:00 - 12:00, 2022-05-03 11:00 - 12:00, 2022-04-26 11:00 - 12:00, 2022-04-19 11:00 - 12:00, 2022-04-12 11:00 - 12:00, 2022-04-05 11:00 - 12:00, 2022-03-29 11:00 - 12:00 (America/Vancouver) and 1 more date | St. Paul’s Lutheran Church, 394 Shepherd Avenue, Nanaimo, British Columbia, V9R 3X1, Canada
Loaves and Fishes is a Nanaimo area food bank that provides food for those in need. Food pick and registration is by appointment only. Please check the information below for additional details. Food pick up is between 11am and 12pm.

Divine Worship
2022-05-15 10:30 - 12:00
FIFTH SUNDAY OF EASTER
(15 May 2022)

Acts 11:1–18
Revelation 21:1–7
John 16:12–22 or John 13:31–35

Jesus Turns Sorrow into Joy

On earth “you will be sorrowful, but your sorrow will turn into joy” (John 16:20). Already the Spirit grants you peace and joy through the forgiveness of your sins. For by the cross of Christ, “God has granted repentance that leads to life” (Acts 11:18). His Gospel is “a message by which you will be saved, you and all your household” (Acts 11:14). He gives freely “from the spring of the water of life” (Rev. 21:6), “and death shall be no more” (Rev. 21:4). He dwells with His people, adorning His Church as a bride for her husband, “making all things new” (Rev. 21:5). Therefore, as the Son of Man is glorified by His cross, “and God is glorified in him” (John 13:31), so He is glorified in us by our “love for one another” (John 13:35), which His Spirit works in us by His grace
Worship Service at 10:30am

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Board Meeting
2022-05-12 19:00 - 21:00, 2022-04-21 19:00 - 21:00, 2022-04-14 19:00 - 21:00, 2022-03-10 19:00 - 21:00
Elected members of the board meet for the monthly board meeting.

Worship Committee
2022-05-09 12:30 - 14:00, 2022-04-11 12:30 - 14:00, 2022-03-14 12:30 - 14:00
The worship committee gathers to plan music for the worship services.

Divine Worship
2022-05-08 10:30 - 12:00
FOURTH SUNDAY OF EASTER
(8 May 2022)

Acts 20:17–35
Revelation 7:9–17
John 10:22–30

The Good Shepherd Cares for His Sheep

Jesus Christ, the Son of God, came from the Father and became flesh among us in order to rescue us, His sheep. He laid down His life for us and took it up again in order to give us eternal life. By the preaching of His Gospel, He calls His sheep to Himself and keeps them with Him forever. As they hear His voice and follow Him, “they will never perish” (John 10:28), for “no one is able to snatch them out of the Father’s hand” (John 10:29). In the same way, faithful pastors (literally, “shepherds”) “care for the church of God, which he obtained with his own blood” (Acts 20:28), “testifying both to Jews and to Greeks of repentance toward God and of faith in our Lord Jesus Christ” (Acts 20:21). Therefore, with all the company of heaven, the Good Shepherd gathers His flock in worship, as they cry: “Salvation belongs to our God who sits on the throne, and to the Lamb!” (Rev. 7:10).
Worship Service at 10:30am

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Divine Worship
2022-05-01 10:30 - 12:00
THIRD SUNDAY OF EASTER
(1 May 2022)

Acts 9:1–22
Revelation 5:(1–7) 8–14
John 21:1–14 (15–19)

The Good Shepherd Feeds His Lambs

“Worthy is the Lamb who was slain” (Rev. 5:12), who by His cross has conquered sin and death. With His blood, He has “ransomed people for God from every tribe and language and people and nation” (Rev. 5:9). This same Lord Jesus visits people of all nations and calls them to Himself by the Gospel, even as He “was revealed to the disciples after he was raised from the dead” (John 21:14). He restored Simon Peter to faith and life, and He commissioned him to feed His lambs and tend His sheep (John 21:15–17). Likewise, He revealed Himself to Saul of Tarsus and brought him to repentance, so that the persecutor of Jesus might carry and confess His name “before the Gentiles and kings and the children of Israel” (Acts 9:15)
Worship Service at 10:30am

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Divine Worship
2022-04-24 10:30 - 12:00
SECOND SUNDAY OF EASTER
(24 April 2022)

Acts 5:12–20 (21–32)
Revelation 1:4–18
John 20:19–31

That You May Believe and Have Life in His Name

On the Lord’s Day, St. John the apostle was given a revelation of the Lord Jesus Christ, the incarnate Son of God, the Alpha and Omega, the First and the Last. He is the Living One, “the firstborn of the dead” (Rev. 1:5). He died for all people, and behold, He is alive forevermore! Therefore, He has “the keys of Death and Hades” (Rev. 1:18). For His death atoned for sin and conquered death, and in His resurrection He opened the kingdom of heaven to us. The “sharp two-edged sword” of His mouth (Rev. 1:16) calls you to “believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God,” that by such faith “you may have life in his name” (John 20:31). To that end, He sends His ministers of the Word, as the Father sent Him, “to give repentance to Israel and forgiveness of sins” (Acts 5:31).
Worship Service at 10:30am

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Divine Worship
2022-04-17 10:30 - 12:00
EASTER DAY
(17 April 2022)

Isaiah 65:17–25
1 Corinthians 15:19–26
Luke 24:1–12

Christ’s Resurrection Is the Firstfruits of the New Creation

The Lord has promised to “create new heavens and a new earth” (Is. 65:17), in which His people shall abide in peace and joy. That new creation has begun in the bodily resurrection of Christ Jesus. All the baptized belong to that new creation. Reborn of water and the Holy Spirit, they are “the offspring of the blessed of the LORD” (Is. 65:23). The Lord rejoices and is glad in them; He hears and answers their prayers. For “if in Christ we have hope in this life only, we are of all people most to be pitied” (1 Cor. 15:19). But Christ Jesus has been raised, “the firstfruits of those who have fallen asleep” (1 Cor. 15:20). We may be “perplexed about this” (Luke 24:4), perhaps even frightened and brought to our knees, because it seems like an “idle tale” (Luke 24:11). But faith clings to the Word of Christ and finds His resurrected body — not in the tomb, but in His Holy Supper.
Worship Service at 10:30am

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Coffee Service: Potluck lunch after Worship

Divine Worship
2022-04-10 10:30 - 12:00
PALM SUNDAY / SUNDAY OF THE PASSION
(10 April 2022)

John 12:12–19 (Palm Sunday Procession)
Deuteronomy 32:36–39
Philippians 2:5–11
Luke 22:1–23:56 or Luke 23:1–56 or John 12:20–43

The Cross and Passion of Our Lord Are the Hour of His Glory

The King of Israel comes into His royal glory by the path of humble obedience “to the point of death, even death on a cross” (Phil. 2:8). He “goes as it has been determined” (Luke 22:22), according to the Scriptures, willingly submitting to His Father’s plan for the salvation of sinners. “Therefore God has highly exalted him and bestowed on him the name that is above every name” (Phil. 2:9). His suffering and death open the way of repentance for the forgiveness of sins because He goes to the cross bearing the sins of the world. In His resurrection, God the Father vindicates His people and has compassion on His servants (Deut. 32:36). He kills to make alive; He wounds in order to heal. In remembrance of Him, we praise God, confessing “that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father” (Phil. 2:11)
Worship Service at 10:30am

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Divine Worship
2022-04-03 10:30 - 12:00
FIFTH SUNDAY IN LENT
(3 April 2022)

Isaiah 43:16–21
Philippians 3:(4b–7) 8–14
Luke 20:9–20

God’s Beloved Son Has Redeemed Us

Our life and works apart from Christ, no matter how they may glitter to the eyes of the world, are ultimately rubbish and have no righteousness. Rather, in the scandalous cross of Jesus, we find our righteousness alone “through faith in Christ” (Phil. 3:9). By such faith, we “know him and the power of his resurrection” (Phil. 3:10). For the same God who brought Israel out of Egypt has done a “new thing” for us in Christ Jesus (Is. 43:19). He has sent His beloved Son into His vineyard to be killed by sinful men and to become “the stone that the builders rejected.” Yet, the One rejected by men “has become the cornerstone” of His Church (Luke 20:17). Through the waters of Holy Baptism, He provides us daily refreshment in our earthly pilgrimage, “a way in the wilderness and rivers in the desert” (Is. 43:19)
Worship Service at 10:30am

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Coffee Service: No coffee Service

Divine Worship
2022-03-27 10:30 - 12:00
Worship Service at 10:30am

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Bible Study
2022-03-23 19:00 - 20:00
A new Bible Study begins starting on Sunday, Feb 6th. WE will begin a dicussion on Martin Luther’s “A Simple Way to Pray”. an his Large Catechism teaching on the Lord’s Prayer before we move into a study of the prayer book of the Bible, the Psalms.

The Bible Study will be held in three separate sessions. If you are interested in joining, please contact Pastor Fraser for additional details. Studies are occurring as follows:

Sundays at 9am at the church – beginning Feb 6

Mondays at 10am at the church – beginning Feb 14

Wednesdays at 7pm on Zoom – beginning Feb 16

Divine Worship
2022-03-20 10:30 - 12:00
Worship Service at 10:30am
THIRD SUNDAY IN LENT
(20 March 2022)

Ezekiel 33:7–20
1 Corinthians 10:1–13
Luke 13:1–9

Jesus Calls You to Repentance

“Unless you repent, you will all likewise perish” (Luke 13:3, 5). By this warning, the Lord would turn us away from wickedness and bring us to life in Himself. For He is patient with us, that we would not be cut down in our sin but live and bear fruit in Him. As He lives, the Lord has “no pleasure in the death of the wicked, but that the wicked turn from his way and live” (Ezek. 33:11). So the Scriptures have been “written down for our instruction, on whom the end of the ages has come” (1 Cor. 10:11), that we should not desire evil but trust in Christ. He alone is faithful, the Rock who feeds us with His “spiritual food” and pours out His “spiritual drink” (1 Cor. 10:3–4).

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Divine Worship
2022-03-13 10:30 - 12:00
Worship Service at 10:30am
SECOND SUNDAY IN LENT
(13 March 2022)

Jeremiah 26:8–15
Philippians 3:17–4:1
Luke 13:31–35

Jesus Rescues Us from Death and Brings Us into Heaven

The prophet Jeremiah faithfully preached “all that the LORD had commanded him to speak to all the people” (Jer. 26:8). He called the people to repentance, lest the Lord’s judgment come upon them. The violence that Jeremiah suffered for this preaching foreshadowed the cross and Passion of Christ Jesus, who suffered the judgment of God for the redemption of all people. For Jesus “comes in the name of the Lord” (Luke 13:35) in order to lay down His life for the sins of the world. Earthly Jerusalem was blind to His gracious visitation, and it put Him to death like the prophets before Him. Yet, His sacrifice upon the cross became the cornerstone of the new Jerusalem, His Church. He visits us today in mercy with His preaching of forgiveness, to gather us to Himself within that holy city, “as a hen gathers her brood under her wings” (Luke 13:34), for “our citizenship is in heaven” (Phil. 3:20).

Reader:
Ushers: Dave and Gerda
Coffee Service: Joanne

Divine Worship
2022-03-06 10:30 - 12:00
Worship Service at 10:30am
FIRST SUNDAY IN LENT
(6 March 2022)

Deuteronomy 26:1–11
Romans 10:8b–13
Luke 4:1–13

Jesus Christ Is Our Champion Against the Devil

Jesus Christ, our champion against the devil, endures and overcomes “every temptation” (Luke 4:13) on our behalf. He worships the Lord, His God, and serves Him only by trusting the Word of His Father: “You are my beloved Son; with you I am well pleased” (Luke 3:22). Jesus’ victory is now ours through His gracious Word, which is not far away but near us — in our mouth and in our heart, in the proclamation of repentance and faith. For “with the heart one believes and is justified, and with the mouth one confesses and is saved” (Rom. 10:10). Our confession of Christ includes the prayer of faith, which is not disappointed, “for ‘everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved’” (Rom. 10:13). The Lord is not oblivious to “our affliction, our toil, and our oppression” (Deut. 26:7), but has mercy upon us. He has brought us out of bondage through the “signs and wonders” of Holy Baptism, “with a mighty hand and an outstretched arm” (Deut. 26:8), and now He leads us by His Spirit even in the wilderness.

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Divine Worship
2022-02-27 10:30 - 12:00
Worship Service at 10:30am
THE TRANSFIGURATION OF OUR LORD
(27 February 2022)

Deuteronomy 34:1–12
Hebrews 3:1–6
Luke 9:28–36

The Glory of God Is Manifested in the Body of Christ

“Moses was faithful in all God’s house as a servant,” but Christ Jesus “has been counted worthy of more glory than Moses” (Heb. 3:3, 5). A beloved and well-pleasing Son, faithful even to the point of death, Jesus’ own body was raised up on the third day as the house of God, and He has brought us into that house through the waters of Holy Baptism (Heb. 3:6). Thus, it was not Moses, the lawgiver, but his successor, Joshua (the Hebrew name for Jesus), who led the people into the Promised Land (Deut. 34:1–4, 9). Now, on the Mount of Transfiguration, the New Testament Joshua appears in the glory that He is about to manifest by His “departure” (exodus) in Jerusalem (Luke 9:31). Having entered the waters of the Jordan in His Baptism, He passed through those waters and entered into glory by His cross and Passion. What He thereby accomplished in His own flesh and blood, crucified and risen, He reveals and gives to His Body, the Church, by the means of His Word. Therefore, the Father declares from heaven, “Listen to him!” (Luke 9:35).

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Divine Worship
2022-02-20 10:30 - 12:00
Worship Service at 10:30am
SEVENTH SUNDAY AFTER THE EPIPHANY
(20 February 2022)

Genesis 45:3–15
1 Corinthians 15:21–26, 30–42
Luke 6:27–38

As the Son of God Is Merciful and Forgives Your Sins, You Also Be Merciful and Forgive

Your inheritance as a child of Adam is sin and death, but in Christ you are made alive through His resurrection from the dead (1 Cor. 15:21–22). As you have died with Him in Holy Baptism, so are you raised with Him to newness of life. Therefore, “do not go on sinning” (1 Cor. 15:34). Instead of serving your desires and harming your neighbors, live as “sons of the Most High,” and “be merciful, even as your Father is merciful” (Luke 6:35–36). Deal with others as you would have others deal with you (Luke 6:31, 37–38). As Christ loved you when you were at enmity with Him, as He blessed and prayed for those who abused Him, and as He did good to those who hated Him and hurt Him, so also “love your enemies, do good” (Luke 6:27–29, 35). For God sent His Son to bear the cross and suffer death, not to condemn the guilty, but “to preserve life.” So does He provide a place for you within His Church, where He is near and deals kindly with “you and your children and your children’s children” (Gen. 45:5–10).

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