A Mighty Fortress

Dear Saints Of Andrew:

We welcome new readers to A-Mail. We send these electronic epistles out a couple of times a week. If you ever want off the list, please let us know.
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Our newest members:

Kim and Michaela C. and their son Parker
Kim and Michaela are both employed by Starlight Medical
Michaela also works at Helzberg Diamonds

Jeff and Ginny H., and daughters Melissa and daughter Suzi.
Jeff is a Family Doctor with Alegent
Ginny is a self-employed artist – paints pets!!
Melissa is a grad. student at the New School in New York City.
Suzi has returned to college at Southern Illinois University at Edwardsville.
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Baptized Sunday were:
KAITLYN PAIGE W., daughter of Justin & Cary W.
MARIA KAY and OLIVIA MARIE M., daughters of Steve & Kelli M.
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I just finished the sports category for TRIVIA NIGHT. Trivia Night sign Ups look to be very strong. Trivia Night is scheduled for Friday evening, Sept. 8, 7:00. We’re asking $5 at the door. Child care will, of course, be provided. If you want to attend, please sign up this Sunday at the Hospitality Desk in the Rotunda, or via return e-mail.
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PIZZA WITH THE PASTORS
September 10, 5:00-6:30
Designed for persons interested in moving toward membership at St. Andrew’s. It’s helpful to know how many to plan for. Please sign up this Sunday at the Hospitality Desk in the Rotunda or respond via return e-mail.
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My daughter, Mary, and her husband, Remi Teissier du Cros, were with us over the weekend. The newlyweds live in Bordeaux, France. This was Remi’s first visit to the American heartland. I was very interested in Mary’s reaction to the service. She said she particularly appreciated singing “A Mighty Fortress Is Our God.” A decade ago, worship theory was urging a steady diet of “contemporary” music. More recently, a new wave of young Christian leaders, most notably Dan Kimball, has been counseling congregations to look for a “blend” of contemporary and traditional, noting that young people in Mary and Remi’s age group are likely to be attracted to historic forms of Christian worship. A decade ago, says Kimball, people were drawn to the message of “God loves you.” Now, the issue is taken one step beyond, “Yes, God loves me--but what does that mean?” This suits me just fine, as I have long been a proponent of “blended” worship. I love the new generation of praise songs, I also find great meaning in the timeless hymns and liturgies of the historic church. I don’t see it as “either/or,” I see it as “both/and.” And at St. Andrew’s, thanks to the arranging gifts of Leon Adams, we have the added option of updating older material, as was the case a couple of weeks ago with “Stand By Me.”
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SUPERMAN, THE SERMON can be found on the St. Andrew’s web site: www.standrewsomaha.net Go to the home page. You’ll see a list of links on your left. Click on Sermons.
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CRAIG B. writes: ATTENTION RUNNERS & WALKERS! We are still looking for runners and walkers for the upcoming Omaha Corporate Cup on September, 17th. If you would like to register and be a part of this wonderful event, here is the link to go to : http://www.mrsnv.com/evt/e01/reg/preform.jsp;jessionid=f030b2e3cad8224b504f?id=1092 The cost is $25 per person. We will be meeting up at the church at 6:45am that morning and all riding down there together. If you have any questions about this event, please do not hesitate to contact me THANKS!
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PASTOR CHARLOTTE asks: Prayers for Bertha F., in rehab, with a broken foot, due to a fall. Prayers of joy for Mark and Brooke T., in the recent birth of a son, Owen Michael. Prayers for Adam Blaylock, serving in Iraq (Carrie T.’s son). Prayers for Jr. L., hospitalized for over a month with a massive brain tumor (LeAnn C.’s brother). Continued prayers for Isaac, who has had rehab and will need more, home for now (Bill P.s’ nephew).
Prayers for Charlotte M., recently diagnosed with lung cancer, preparing for surgery on September 6th (Sandra R.’s step-mother). Prayers for Pam F., recently diagnosed with cancer (Lisa C.’s mother). Prayers for Dorothy W., who is actively dying (Robert H.’s aunt). Prayers for Don K., preparing for surgery on September 6th (friend of Pastor Charlotte).
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Mark 7:1-8, 14-15, 21-23
Now when the Pharisees and some of the scribes who had come from Jerusalem gathered around him, they noticed that some of his disciples were eating with defiled hands, that is, without washing them. (For the Pharisees, and all the Jews, do not eat unless they thoroughly wash their hands, thus observing the tradition of the elders; and they do not eat anything from the market unless they wash it; and there are also many other traditions that they observe, the washing of cups, pots, and bronze kettles.) So the Pharisees and the scribes asked him, "Why do your disciples not live according to the tradition of the elders, but eat with defiled hands?" He said to them, "Isaiah prophesied rightly about you hypocrites, as it is written, 'This people honors me with their lips, but their hearts are far from me; in vain do they worship me, teaching human precepts as doctrines.' You abandon the commandment of God and hold to human tradition."

Then he called the crowd again and said to them, "Listen to me, all of you, and understand: there is nothing outside a person that by going in can defile, but the things that come out are what defile."

For it is from within, from the human heart, that evil intentions come: fornication, theft, murder, adultery, avarice, wickedness, deceit, licentiousness, envy, slander, pride, folly. All these evil things come from within, and they defile a person."
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BRD