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Allen Pirness | The Voice of Zion May 2024 - Column -- I’ve been part of discussions regarding comments made online, and we agreed that at times the conduct of believers has brought sadness. The concern is that sometimes social media comments have been distasteful, mean-spirited and hurtful. This has been on my mind for a while, and I felt it useful for me to process this in the light of God’s Word; I also want to consider my own online presence. When I read the comments section after an online news article or social media post, I often feel that many comments were written in anger or with a selfish need to air disgust. I have wondered, if the person writing the comments had a better opportunity to gauge the negativity of their emotion, would they still hit the “post” button after typing? Maybe a good use for AI (Artificial Intelligence) would be to review comments and suggest to the author prior to posting that their comments seem hurtful and ask, “Do you really wish to post this?” I would hope that this would slow or prevent some of the incivility we see online. I can’t approach this topic from a place of superiority because I have needed to delete comments quickly after posting them or before hitting the post button. In my mind’s eye, I see a cartoon of an old man sitting in his chair muttering into an open newspaper with the caption “The way the comments section used to be.” When believers read online articles, a comment section or a social media posting and find it goes against our beliefs, it doesn’t feel appropriate nor effective to post a rebuke in reply, especially anonymously. Our response may be based on God’s Word, yet if the tone conveys “the final word” on the topic in question, it doesn’t feel good to read. Overbearing language and tone do not show the balance of grace and truth that brings out the mind of Christ. Jesus taught an important lesson on the question of moral superiority when a woman caught in adultery was brought before him by her accusers. He didn’t even look up to see who was there yet instructed that whoever is without sin could cast the first stone. This is very important for us to consider when wishing to pass our emphatic judgment on an issue. When we face questions of right and wrong in our personal life it may be appropriate to express our views on the topic, but even there our example is much more important than the expression of our view. Anonymity, when online posting, creates a disconnection to the ownership of comments. Online pseudonyms, for the purpose of posting hurtful comments, deliver a deception that says, “I really do not wish to be attached personally to this comment, but I am willing to make everyone experience my displeasure by forceful insertion of the abiding truth on this matter.” If we read a believer’s comment on social media postings or discussion forums that causes concern, it becomes our Christian duty to privately approach the individual. It does not serve anyone if we begin to use the forum as a place of online rebuke or on the other hand try to ignore it and hope that someone else will deal with it. There are also times we wonder why a believer has liked an inappropriate post or comment. It’s important, if we have concerns about another’s “likes,” to individually express our concern by asking the person about it. Just as we would appreciate the loving care from our brothers and sisters in faith, we also need to extend that care to our brothers and sisters. It’s a comfort that in times of societal change brought about by innovation and discovery, we can turn to God’s Word for timeless instruction. The Apostle Paul was a modern man in his time. His mind was opened to a lot of different experiences and ideologies while serving the believers of his time. Some of the experiences brought concern because they warred against living faith. He could see that some of the things that the believers were hanging onto from their former ways were causing them difficulty in the endeavor of faith. He encouraged them to put those matters away and not return to them. Paul encouraged the believers of different cultures and traditions to be joined together in the most important matters and to leave differences aside. When something new emerges in society, believers are no different than the rest of society. Some are early adopters of technology and others are less inclined to disrupt what they are accustomed to. Not everyone is exposed to social media or internet discussions, yet the Holy Spirit guides us all in the same peaceful discussion around it. God has seen our day since before the beginning of time. He has given in our time a relatively easy standard of living and with it much energy for discovery and leisure. He has also given us a special time of work and confessing our faith in the world. The internet has been a blessing for the benefit of humanity and for the furtherance of the living gospel. The threefold enemy has taken this powerful tool and found many ways to corrupt and destroy lives with it. May we always remember that the light of God’s kingdom always shines to the world in a modern way. As we say today, it meets people where they are. If your online presence, including your messages, likes and created content, portrays something that doesn’t show the light of God’s kingdom, may God give you the footsteps to take care of this. It’s okay to apologize for hurtful messages in the same place they were posted, after they have been deleted. In owning our wrongs, we don’t have to continue to carry them. We are encouraged to bring these matters into the light of the congregation to care for them with the gospel. This doesn’t mean that we would need to make a public spectacle of caring for them but even privately we can hear and believe from a brother or sister in faith the forgiveness that comes from the heart of the heavenly Father. We are faulty travelers at the best of times, so let’s endeavor to bring the brightness that shines from God’s kingdom, not the darkness that comes from our earthly portion.

The Voice of Zion May 2024 - Home & Family Article -- Peer pressure isn’t only relevant to teenagers—it’s a force that shapes the choices and actions of people of all ages, from all walks of life. Though the term “peer pressure” can sound ominous, it actually serves first and foremost as a safeguard. Pressure—or influence—from those around us offers a valuable way to learn about our environment. In this feature, believers from Wyoming delve into the ways peer influence affects us, whether we’re navigating the challenges of adolescence or grappling with the complexities of adulthood. Writers explore how peer pressure shapes our decisions, values, and relationships, and discuss strategies for staying true to ourselves in moments when we may wish to resist conforming. They Remained Strong under Pressure Lori Johnson Chapter three in the Book of Daniel tells the story of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego. The story speaks of how King Nebuchadnezzar assembled a large golden idol. He then called together all the rulers of his provinces. He commanded that at the sound of music playing, everyone must fall down and worship his idol. Anyone who did not bow down and worship the king’s idol would be thrown into a fiery furnace. Three believing men, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego were among the people who were commanded to worship this false idol. The men knew that they could not worship a false idol and remain believing. The Bible doesn’t directly speak directly of anyone pressuring the men to join others in worshipping the idol, but there was likely peer pressure from their friends and colleagues to do as the king commanded. Perhaps some pressured with coercive comments like, “How dare you disobey the king!” Perhaps others pressured more fearfully, “Surely you will die if you do not bow down as the king has commanded!” But the three believing men were able to have a positive influence on each other: they were able to encourage each other to trust in God and remain believing. When the music played, the believing men did not bow down to the king’s idol. As a result, they were brought before the king, and the king commanded that they be thrown into the fiery furnace. The furnace was heated to such a high temperature that the soldiers who threw Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego into the furnace perished from the heat. To the great astonishment of the king, the fire did not kill the believing men. When the king looked into the furnace, he saw not three men, but four; the fourth one was in the form of the Son of God. The actions of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego caused the king to change his command: “Blessed be the God of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abegnego, who hath sent his angel, and delivered his servants that trusted in him, and have changed the king’s word, and yielded their bodies, that they might not serve nor worship any god, except their own God” (Daniel 3:28). Even as Jesus walked among Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego in the fiery furnace, He walks among His flock today. We feel His presence through the Holy Spirit, and trust that He will help us to create positive peer pressure—the influence of the Holy Spirit—among all of us in His congregation. Care of the Congregation Influences Us Laona Koivukangas and Susan Edwards Listen, loved one, God is calling unto life and righteousness. He invites you to His kingdom to eternal blessedness. – SHZ 141:1 This song verse touches the hearts of believers in Gillette, Wyoming. We are a very small, quiet flock traveling together toward heaven. A spiritual storm passed through our congregation, and we’ve experienced firsthand that in order to hear God and remain close to Him, we must be still. He didn’t forget us, but rather He kept our small flock of believers firmly in His care. God’s kingdom is our place of respite in this world, and negative peer pressure has no place here. When we succumb to negative influence, we are appeasing humans and this can lead away from God. In Galatians 1, verse 10 we read, “For do I now persuade men, or God? or do I seek to please men? for if I yet pleased men, I should not be the servant of Christ.” As believers, we wish to remain as close to Christ as possible. We strive daily to live our lives as children of God, keeping a clean conscience. In doing so, we are a light unto each other and the world. The importance of believing escorts in God’s kingdom is felt so strongly here. We notice the love and bond we have every time we gather. We instinctively look out for one another and freely visit about faith matters. We can uplift one another, support each other in daily life, and forgive each other’s sins while traveling together as one. As children of God, there is peace in our hearts. Appropriate Influence Helps Shield Our Faith Erica Plough We have the unique perspective of living in a very small congregation. Being that we’re small and everyone knows everyone else very well, there is no option to “stay in the background” here. Each person has their duties for services and feels obligated to let the rest know if they won’t be at church on a given day so others know not to wait on them! That’s the form of “peer pressure” we really have here--to show up. When we have visitors, we are all pushed out of our comfort zones to welcome them and chat; we can’t wait and hope for someone more outgoing to do it. This results in a rewarding experience, even though most of us here tend to think of ourselves as naturally shy and reserved. Likewise, when given the opportunity to visit larger congregations, we are happy to be welcomed with enthusiasm! It’s heartwarming to hear the greetings of “God’s Peace,” sing familiar hymns with a larger group, and hear the same comforting message of the gospel we hear at home via the Internet. The adults in our congregation all originally came from larger congregations, but our children have mostly grown up here and they don’t have experience being in large churches except on occasional trips. They are excited to go visiting but have expressed being overwhelmed by the size of the crowds of kids! It is so meaningful to them when visiting a larger congregation to be welcomed and included by even a few others. As peer pressure and fitting in is felt most intensely in kids and teens, they feel both the sting of being a stranger, and of being fearful of reaching out when they are on their home turf more strongly than their parents. But our kids also have found the joy of expanding their friend groups when visiting with others. It’s a joy to be driving home from a visit and hearing our kids tell us, “I made a friend.” Likewise, it’s hard when they tell us they didn’t feel included. If we feel any drawbacks about living here, it’s that our haps age kids are lacking in believing company. We pray that God has a plan even for this current situation. Children, especially teenagers, naturally begin gravitating away from the influence of home and parents toward their peers as they seek acceptance and look for their own place in this world. A parent’s job is to help the young ones navigate situations where they might run into pressure from unbelieving—or even believing—peers to partake in activities that wound the conscience. We can create a safe, open environment at home where children can freely share their experiences and concerns. We can preach the gospel when anger and frustration result from difficult encounters with peers. We are reminded often that a believer is “in the world, but not of the world.” We should instruct as such and model healthy interactions with those who are not in faith. This includes being kind and respectful while also openly and honestly sharing how we believe when we find ourselves in situations where our faith could be impacted. The Bible instructs us to seek fellowship and unity with others who share our faith, rather than engaging in relationships that could lead us away from our faith or compromise our morals (2 Cor. 6:14). Youth can experience difficulties and pressure from believing friends and acquaintances as well. We don’t all have the same interests and hobbies, and the natural tendency of people to form likeminded or family-centric groups can mean some feel excluded at times. As parents, we can encourage our children to actively reach out to others and include them in our activities, and to remember that our primary goal need to be to support and encourage brothers and sisters in faith. When keeping faith and a good conscience are our priority, we will find ways to have good fellowship with believing peers. In our home here in Gillette, we have been blessed with a nice community. Large families and traditional values are accepted and even the norm here. When sharing our beliefs with neighbors and teachers, we have found that time and again we are met with acceptance and positive feedback. So often we feel slow and hesitant to confess our faith for fear of judgment, misunderstanding and possible ridicule, but we should be free to openly share with those around us. Jesus said, “Whosoever therefore shall confess me before men, him will I confess also before my Father which is in heaven” (Matt. 10:32). Positive Peer Pressure Keeps Me Social Aaron Johnson I’m not aware of negative peer pressure in my life. I get invited out by unbelieving coworkers, but it’s easy to decline respectfully, with no offense taken. I travel often and notice other congregations have more haps. Bigger congregations give the opportunity to have more friends, but it may also be harder to get to know people. There is unspoken peer pressure to fit the vibe within different groups. Positive peer pressure helps keep me social. I enjoy being in a small congregation because it allows me to know everyone around me. It’s comforting to know I’m always free to stop in and visit everybody. Discussion Questions Some pressure to conform is useful; it helps our society function in a cooperative way. Give examples of this. There are several examples in the Old Testament where believers confessed their faith and were shielded from harming their conscience. Share your experiences of this. How does peer pressure impact decision-making? Everyone is impacted by peer pressure; what pressure might parents of today’s teenagers feel? How can parents help children navigate peer pressure from believing friends and from those who are not believing? What are effective ways to resist negative peer pressure? We lead by example. What example would we like to show others? What would we like our behavior and attitudes to communicate to others around us? How can we best help and influence each other in God’s kingdom?

Arvin Pirness | The Voice of Zion May 2024 - News & Notes Article -- Mother’s Day is May 12. Motherhood is a heavenly calling. When reflecting on her mother and her role as a mother, Verna Jacobson wrote in the May 2006 Voice of Zion “Our role as a mother is to instruct, create a loving atmosphere at home, teach morals, manners, and respect for each other, and above all to teach the importance of the forgiveness of sins. Forgiveness is the manna of Heaven that feeds our souls.” This reflection remains ever new and sound. The notice and agenda for the 2024 LLC Annual Meeting, to be held in Kelso, Washington, has been sent to all LLC member congregations. Included in the packet is the 2025 LLC Operating Plan titled, “My help cometh from the Lord.” The Operating Plan is presented in video form like last year and as an electronic PDF file. We encourage congregations to schedule an event to discuss the agenda and the 2025 Operating plan. This will help prepare your delegates to serve your congregation and the Zion in North America at the annual meeting. May God bless the preparations for this meeting. Update on LLC Activities Camps The 2024 Camp Season has begun with Ministers Camp at Stony Lake. Camp work weeks will be held at Hasscib Lake and Kamp Kipa in May. Please consider volunteering your time and effort by contacting local camp board members for details. Each Camp Board has taken a more focused role in managing their respective camp centers, in alignment with strategic plans established by the LLC Board and subcommittees. May 15 is the deadline to register for Peace Gardens. This long-standing event was canceled last year due to not meeting a minimum registration. This year we are facing a similar situation. This event has been a great blessing for many years for the participants. Please encourage your friends and acquaintances to register by May 15. Education “Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost: Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and lo, I am with you alway, even unto the end of the world” (Matt. 28:19,20). The LLC Education Committee has chosen this portion of Scripture as the foundation for its planning and guidance in this all-important work. Mission Department The annual Ministers Camp was held on April 5–7. Approximately 100 ministers gathered at Stony Lake Camp, including brothers from Sweden and Finland who had traveled for the biennial joint meetings of the SFC, SRK and LLC. We experienced love, unity and joy amongst participants during presentations, discussions and smaller visits. We are arranging a webinar for the Area Mission Committees as they begin their planning and event scheduling for 2025 service and events. The believers in Ecuador are anticipating the group trip at the end of May through the first week of June. The group will accompany ministers Keith Moll and Adrian Pirness on a mission trip. Communications Minnesota youth spent a Friday evening in April and an early-May Saturday evening at Elk River, Minn., church singing songs together. These joyous evenings of song were recorded, and these recordings will be made into an album to be released at a later date. LLC Communications department hosted an online Content Creators Workshop. This online-only event included workshop sessions for writers, artists and those involved in services broadcast content creation. One highlight of the workshop was a guest lecture by Harri Vähäjylkkä of SRK, who spoke on the topic of believer fiction. Another highlight was discussion among both writers and artists around a plan to create illustrated children’s books of Bible stories. At this time of year, we are finalizing our content for the Summer Services online broadcast. Many, many hours of work have gone into creating, producing and editing the programs. We are thankful to the dozens of believers from across the continent who have contributed to this work in greater and smaller ways. The Päivämies, SRK’s weekly newspaper, is interested in finding correspondents. Any North American believer who would be interested in contributing writings and photographs to Päivämies is welcome to contact us. There are no particular language requirements; the staff there will translate any writings into Finnish. They are interested in writings on the joys, everyday lives and even sorrows that North American believers encounter in their life and faith on this continent. There’s still time to apply for opisto scholarships for the 2025–2026 opisto year! The deadline is May 15. Find the application on the LLC website.

Jeff and Lindsey Kumpula  |  The Shepherd’s Voice April/May 2024 - Home and Family Article – “Jesus taught them, saying, blessed are the poor in spirit: for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.” This passage is the opening of Jesus’ Sermon on the Mount. In this special sermon He teaches His disciples many things about God’s kingdom of heaven. What does it mean to be poor in spirit? Martin Luther tells us that within the flock of believers, there are no learned, no rich, and no mighty ones in spirit. Such people cannot accept the gospel. Jesus speaks later in this sermon that we cannot serve two masters: for either we will hate the one and love the other; or else we will be devoted to one, and despise the other (Matt. 6:24). God’s children are poor servants who wish to serve and hear the gospel. Poor in spirit describes how weak and faulty we are. We often come up short when we endeavor to please God and must continually turn to the gospel message. We can trust in this message. We desire to be at the gatherings of the believers, where we can hear that our sins are forgiven. Jesus knows His people and reminds us that the kingdom of heaven is a good place. Here we can lay aside all our sins, doubts and fears and travel freely in God’s grace. When we humble ourselves and accept God’s will, we can be encouraged that God will keep us in His care and that a heavenly treasure awaits us. Things to visit about: What does it mean to be poor in spirit? Who is rich in spirit? Why do believers want to serve each other? What are some ways that you can serve other believers?

Arvin Pirness | The Voice of Zion April 2024 - News & Notes Article -- The LLC Annual Meeting notice, agenda, and delegate packet will be sent to congregations in mid-April. In addition, the 2024 Draft Operating Plan will be sent for review. The Plan’s theme, “My help cometh from the Lord” (Psa. 121:2), reminds that God is all-knowing and a gracious God. Meanwhile, around us we see signs of nature awakening from winter sleep. In this season of rebirth, may we find comfort in knowing that our help comes from the Creator of all things. Let us trust in God’s constant presence and love, assured that He guides us through every season of life. Update on LLC Activities Administration The Northwest and Southwest Area Mission Boards met in late February. Phil Jurmu attended the Southwest Area meeting and Arvin Pirness attended the Northwest Area meeting. The meetings were filled with discussion, including on current issues. The meetings were well attended and several participated online. From the Northwest area, Marv Wittenberg will be nominated to serve another 3-year term on the LLC Board, and Nate Maki of Alaska and Steve Laiho of Williston, N.D., will be nominated to fill open positions. Joint meetings between the LLC, SRK and SFC take place at the LLC office April 3–10. These meetings are held every other year, with hosting turns rotating among the three organizations. Six brothers from Finland and three from Sweden will join the LLC to discuss areas of mutual work. We have received positive and constructive feedback on the LLC update being presented in LLC congregations in 2024. This update is requested by LLC congregations and is scheduled every three years. Mission Department The annual ministers camp is held at Stony Lake Camp April 5–7. One brother from Sweden and six from Finland will attend the camp because of the joint LLC-SRK-SFC meetings ongoing at the same time. Adrian Pirness and Juha Airas traveled to Malawi February 29–March 7. Services were held in ten locations. This is the second mission trip to Malawi. We pray that God continues to open hearts to believe in this country where we have begun arranging trips. An LLC Home and Family Workshop was held at the Monticello Church on February 24. There were about 30 participants at the church and 20 online participants. The workshops are arranged to support congregation Home and Family contacts and committees. Communication Department At LLC Winter Services, we released two new music albums, Walk with Me, Lord, which features men’s unison singing, and Conduce Él Mis Pasos, an album of unison singing in Spanish. You can purchase these albums on the LLC website or at your church bookstore. They are also available on Hearken, our digital publications app. It’s time to apply for opisto scholarships for the 2025–2026 opisto year! You can find the application on our website. LLC recently announced a fiction writing contest. This is open to writers of all ages. We hope to receive manuscripts of novels aimed at teenagers and young adults. We further hope that the manuscripts submitted to the writing contest depict the lives of believing characters and are supportive of faith. The contest is open through the end of November. For more information, see the notice on our website. LLC Staff Changes March 6 was Adeline Moll’s last day of work at the LLC office. Adeline served as Mission Department assistant since the beginning of 2021. Adeline says working at the LLC has given her numerous opportunities and experiences. “I’ve had the opportunity to get to know many people whom I might not have known so well otherwise—office coworkers, SRK and SFC colleagues, believers in Ecuador, and volunteers involved in summer and winter services, camps, and foreign mission trips. I’m leaving this job thankful for the blessings of these past three years,” Adeline says. A major portion of Adeline’s work was providing support for foreign mission trips: scheduling, travel documents and communication. Her technological expertise helped LLC improve operational components, such as an online scheduling tool and an information web page for foreign mission speakers. Arvin Pirness, LLC’s Executive Director shares, “We at the office wish Adeline God’s richest blessings as she leaves her position. We are confident her future employer will experience in her a dedicated and resourceful worker like we have here at LLC.” Maria Fredrickson’s position has changed from part-time to full-time. Along with her receptionist duties, Maria will provide administrative support for the Mission area of work. Meanwhile, LLC administration will evaluate current and future needs in the work as they consider how and when to fill the vacated position.

Robby and Maddy Riutta | The Voice of Zion April 2024 - Home & Family Article -- Robby and Maddy Riutta discuss how they view serving in God’s kingdom. Maddy: In my mind, serving in God’s kingdom can either be an opportunity or an obligation, depending on your mindset. It definitely is more positive and perhaps even exciting to perceive tasks presented to us as opportunities instead of obligations even if the opportunity is simply to learn that you aren’t suited for the task. Regardless of your perspective prior to serving, a common sentiment I’ve heard and felt is that blessings, often surprising, come with serving. One surprise is that having a listening ear and forgiving heart can be the simplest form of service. Robby: For me, serving provides fellowship with other believers and a feeling of belonging to God’s kingdom. Tasks like serving in the kitchen are often full of conversation with other believers, and I always leave feeling uplifted and happy. With our busy lives, it can be hard to make time for visiting with other believers, and being called to serve can be a great way to spend time with others who we otherwise wouldn’t have visited with. Individual tasks such as announcements, organizing events, etc. are also important for my faith life. It helps me to keep connected with God’s kingdom and provides a feeling of belonging with the other believers and the congregation. Even when being called to serve has felt like a burden initially, I’ve always felt like I finished with a joyful heart and felt uplifted in faith. Maddy: I think there are blessings in serving in even the most basic ways such as kitchen and janitorial duties. Although these tasks can be mundane, they often provide opportunities for friendship with other believers, which is one of the greatest gifts. It’s also rewarding to be a part of an effort larger than yourself, with the common goal of hearing God’s Word. Maybe one of the best ways to encourage others to be involved is just by showing up. I always feel inspired to help out when I see other believers serving willingly despite their busy lives. It’s easy to feel like you aren’t well suited for a task but hey, if they can do it, maybe I can too. Living further from a large congregation has magnified the importance of serving in God’s kingdom. We now recognize all of the effort required to organize services, especially in a congregation that doesn’t have a church building. We can reflect on the vast magnitude of service done by believers, in ways we may not have noticed before. Some of these tasks include ensuring a good sound system, choosing service songs, paying church bills and handling important documents. We miss the camaraderie and fellowship of serving on committees with friends and realize what a blessing it is to serve. The Importance of Serving God’s Kingdom Joe Anderson There are many ways to serve in God’s kingdom, from janitorial and grounds care to meal and coffee preparation, to Sunday school and Bible class teaching, to organist and song leading, to technical audio broadcast support. It might not seem like it to you but your “know how” and skill can be used in God’s kingdom. Consider that even just one congregation service could be heard around the world, perhaps even by an individual in a part of the world where people may fear discovery of their Christian beliefs. The work needed to get that service audio broadcast online is done by individuals serving God’s kingdom. All service work is important work, and we as individuals cannot fully understand this importance. It seems every time I have been asked to serve in God’s kingdom, I felt the gifts God has given me have been mistakenly evaluated. But really, it is more likely the person asking understood and trusted that God provides the needed talents. It is not of ourselves that we do the work. Serving God’s kingdom is not a one-way street, as the giving is only a small portion of service. I have heard committee members say, “I feel like I contribute so little, but the blessings I get back are many times greater. I feel I have been served.” This received service often causes the servant to feel personally blessed and fortunate to be involved in the work, even in what may seem like unimportant tasks. The person serving can feel included in the activities and congregation – it is important that members feel it is their congregation. They can get to know others and others get to know them, especially if they are “the door keeper.” While serving one often hears others share experiences, trials and blessings they have received, which helps one reflect on blessings received. Talents and blessings God has given are shared with others for the benefit of all. It seems that God blesses us with a talent or skill that appears small to us. But when we look at others’ skills that we ourselves don’t have, the skill appears great. It may be a blessing that God has caused us to look at our gifts as being less so that we can share them. If we felt our gifts were extremely valuable, maybe we would want to hoard the gifts. Instead, those who come to serve do so with their lowly talent and God grants the increase as He sees best. Serve with what you have, no matter how insignificant you feel it is, and you will experience the blessings of serving in God’s kingdom. Saved to Serve Paul Honkala Who hath saved us, and called us with an holy calling, not according to our works, but according to his own purpose and grace, which was given us in Christ Jesus before the world began (2 Tim. 1:9). When one owns living faith, a gift from God, one feels the need to serve all people. The Holy Spirit opens this matter to a believing heart. When sins are forgiven, one knows the love of the heavenly Father and realizes all things come from God. This understanding produces a serving mind towards humankind. In serving one another, the server gets as much joy as the one who’s being served. The believing heart prays for the mind of Christ towards all people; in that way we desire to serve. This love of neighbor is a fruit of faith, the faith that hears the gospel and believes one’s own sins forgiven in Jesus’ name and blood. How Can We Encourage Children to Serve? Noella Herrala Adults can encourage: Speak positively about serving Try to be an example and joyfully serve Get children involved when they are young Work together with your children Try to align skills, interests and gifts with the tasks to be done Reward or acknowledge them when they help and do a good job Speak about the blessings of serving God’s kingdom and your neighbor Points to visit about with your children: As you serve, you will learn about faith and other temporal things Sometimes, serving is an opportunity to travel When you serve others, they will serve you As you serve, you may get to know friends better and meet new ones Those you work with may become close escorts on the journey Encouraging Youth to Serve Bill and Chris Josephson Let no man despise thy youth; but be thou an example of the believers, in word, in conversation, in charity, in spirit, in faith, in purity (1 Tim. 4:11–14). In our time our youth have so many opportunities to volunteer, such as singing in youth choirs, helping with fundraisings, working at camps or working with family cleaning crews. The joy of working with other youth and God’s children strengthens faith as we journey together to reach our heavenly home. Jesus, I receive from You days of honest labors, that my gifts might all be used serving all my neighbors. Bless my work, and bless my rest; bless my times of study. Give me peace, contentedness in each task and duty. SHZ 471:4 H & F Questions for Discussion: Of all who have lived, who was the greatest servant and taught service through instruction and modeling? Serving is how we live our lives of faith. Discuss and list the many ways a believer can serve God and neighbor. How does the smallest child - a baby - serve God’s kingdom? How might a person with disabilities or someone who lives in a remote area away from a congregation serve others? Look up the word serve in a dictionary. One meaning is “to be of use.” What is the best use for a person who has had their sins forgiven? Why do we serve with happiness?

Marv Wittenberg | The Voice of Zion April 2024 - Mission Work Field Notes Article -- Have you ever wondered what the mission work of our Laestadian Lutheran Church (LLC) is about and who performs this work? On our church website, you can see the mission of our church is as follows: To preach the gospel of repentance and remission of sins to the people of our communities, our nations, and throughout the world so that they might become partakers with us of the grace that God offers sin-fallen man in His Son Jesus Christ. To nurture and strengthen the faith of the believing and root our children in Christian faith in God’s kingdom. To awaken and inspire Christian values and ethics, soberness of mind, love of homeland, and responsible citizenship among the people of our nations. This mission touches both the unbelieving world and the children of God’s kingdom. It is the work of the heavenly Father which He performs through each member in His kingdom here on earth through the power of the Holy Spirit. The instruction from His dear Son our Lord Jesus Christ is found in the Gospel of Matthew and is known as the mission command: “Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost. Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and lo, I am with you always, even unto the end of the world. Amen” (Matt. 28: 19,20). The command which Jesus gave while with His disciples is still with His own today. The work of God’s kingdom in North American Zion goes forth to nations throughout the world and within our home countries of the United States and Canada. As part of our LLC central organization, members of the mission work department, mission committee and staff work to support our church mission by organizing mission trips to other countries and providing services over the internet. Ministers are sent to many countries and serve also with online services to preach God’s Word. In addition to the services shared online, approximately 30 mission trips are arranged to countries in Africa and Ecuador each year. Nearly 60 speakers are asked to serve in this way with ministers from African countries, Canada, Finland, Sweden, and the United States traveling on these trips to serve God’s children in their home countries and share the message of the gospel. As service requests continue to come from new countries, God has guided and directed His living Word to reach those places according to His will and at His appointed time. This gospel work is mutually supported by our sister organizations of the SFC in Sweden, the SRK in Finland, and God’s children throughout the world, a cooperative network beyond human comprehension. The mission work in North America also includes coordinating LLC Summer and Winter Service programs including planned congregation discussions, recorded services, online services, and evening devotions. These all help to nurture and strengthen the faith of the believers in North America and share the message of God’s kingdom to all who may hear. Through His children, God calls to the unbelieving world according to His will: “So shall my word be that goeth forth out of my mouth: it shall not return unto me void, but it shall accomplish that which I please, and it shall prosper in the thing whereto I sent it” (Isa. 55:11). God’s children give thanks to the heavenly Father for opportunities to gather at services in the hearing of His Holy Word, to be uplifted in faith and have fellowship with one another. “So then faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God” (Rom. 8:17). Mission work performed by LLC is part of the mission work done by God’s mutual congregation on earth; each member serves in this work. God’s children endeavor to live as they believe, not of their own power or strength but through the power of the Holy Spirit. God’s Word says that fruits of living faith are seen by those outside of God’s kingdom: “Ye are the light of the world. A city that is set on a hill cannot be hid… Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in Heaven” (Matt. 5:14, 16). It is our prayer as believers that among the people of our nations, there could be Christian values and ethics, soberness of mind, love of homeland, responsible citizenship, and a holy fear of God. “Blessed is the nation whose God is the Lord; and the people whom he hath chosen for his own inheritance” (Psa. 33:12).

Mike Kuopus | The Voice of Zion April 2024 - The Sabbath Word 2 Article -- The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want. He maketh me to lie down in green pastures: he leadeth me beside the still waters. He restoreth my soul: he leadeth me in the paths of righteousness for his name’s sake. Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil: for thou art with me; thy rod and thy staff they comfort me. Thou preparest a table before me in the presence of mine enemies: thou anointest my head with oil; my cup runneth over. Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life: and I will dwell in the house of the Lord for ever. – Psalm 23 This psalm is a very familiar writing, a poetic and beautiful psalm. It is believed that David wrote it later in life. He faced many situations and struggles. Here we see he found security in trusting in the Good Shepherd. We, as children of God today, also trust in the same Shepherd. Lord Jesus is our security, comfort and guidance in our life today. We can trust He will be with us until the end of our time. The Lord is my shepherd Most of us have seen a picture of a shepherd watching over a flock of sheep. The shepherd takes responsibility for the flock, bringing them to food and water and protecting them from predators. Jesus referred to His followers as sheep. We need a shepherd, a spiritual shepherd. We are prone to stray into temptations outside of God’s kingdom. The enemy tries to whisper that there are greener pastures in the world. If we stray too far, we can be devoured by the enemy. We must be watchful of the many enemies in our life in faith. The world is sinful and attractive. Let us take comfort in the kingdom of God! Let us trust in the same Good Shepherd in which David placed his trust. Jeremiah wrote of shepherds that God would set over His own that will feed and shield them. “Neither shall they be lacking, saith the Lord” (Jer. 23:4). I shall not want In our temporal journey, we have needs and wants. What does it mean when David writes, “I shall not want?” David puts full trust in the care of the Shepherd, and we can also place our wants and needs there. He carries us through difficult times and feeds us temporarily and spiritually. We remain in His care, and we lack nothing. He maketh me to lie down in green pastures: He leadeth me beside the still waters A green pasture is one that provides healthy nutrition for a flock that grazes. In David’s place of dwelling, pastures were often dry and brown. The shepherd would lead the sheep from one green place to another. Our shepherd, the Lord Jesus, also leads His own to green pastures. There we can receive His abundant mercy and care. We become full of these gifts and lie down each night to rest in His care, protected from the dangers of the world. He restoreth my Soul: he leadeth me in the paths of righteousness for his names sake We are sinful people and need spiritual care in addition to the temporal things we need for daily life. We find ourselves in need of comfort and forgiveness, we fall and we doubt. Through the gospel message, Jesus cares for us, comforts us and uplifts us so we can remain on the narrow path of righteousness that one day leads to heaven. Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil: for thou art with me; thy rod and thy staff they comfort me Sheep are naturally wary of shaded areas because predators may lie there. The shepherd, however, guides them along and keeps them safe. In the world through which we travel, Satan lies awaiting the weak one. But we can be comforted that our Shepherd has a rod and a staff to guide us on our journey. He leads us through whatever lies ahead. Thou preparest a table before me in the presence of mine enemies: thou anointest my head with oil; my cup runneth over. Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life: and I will dwell in the house of the Lord for ever The final verses of the psalm speak of the happiness of David’s heart, the hope that a believer owns. Shepherds in the field often carried a flask of salve, or oil, to use when sheep became injured. The oil David mentioned is the oil of the Holy Spirit. It offers protection from the enemy, and it cares and heals when we are wounded by sin. When we are thus cleansed and comforted, our cup runs over with much joy! Hasn’t it been so for you too, dear brother and sister? When we are weighed down by life’s struggles and doubts, is it not a joy when we can turn to another believer and hear the precious message that our sins and doubts can be washed away in the name and blood of Jesus? We wish to dwell in this joy and comfort in God’s house forever. One day we, as David has, will leave this life of sorrow and sin and go to rest there in the bosom of Abraham. There we will await the coming of the Good Shepherd, who will gather His sheep and carry them home. When we see Him coming, we will turn our gaze upward and say, “Come, Lord Jesus! We await Thy coming!” Then He will carry us to eternal rest in the glory of heaven.

The Voice of Zion April 2024 - Editorial -- At times it seems that our society is becoming more polarized. Articles discuss how this issue affects nations here and abroad, and these discussions are supported by polls. Elected officials berate one another, view the other party as an enemy force and even ridicule those in their own party who cross the aisle to create some bipartisan legislation or speak kindly of another. Like our fellow citizens, we are each impacted by this environment. Political division may cause people to forget the biblical teaching to remain meek in spirit. Because of this division, some believers wish to avoid mentioning any topic deemed “political.” The question then becomes what is political and what is not. When factions – even among believers – become polarized, it seems that more and more topics are viewed as political. The political viewpoint overshadows deeper discussion. As a result, those complex issues are ultimately reduced to simplified slogans or buzzwords. One faction can feel threatened by the other’s speech. Silence follows, but silence does not resolve the breach. Instead, the gulf between people can grow to the point that it can no longer be bridged. They find nothing in common to converse about. Each of us has sometime judged people based on appearance or other perceptions, such as age, size or clothing. Believers may begin to see each other also through the lens of politics rather than as dear brothers and sisters in faith. Even discussions of faith may become fewer and difficult. If this happens, believers no longer put the best construction on what others say. And if continued, even the congregation may become a body divided into political camps. The Bible is clear about remaining likeminded and esteeming others (Phil. 2:2–4, et al.). The greatest commandment is to love God, and to love thy neighbor as thyself (Matt. 22:37–40). If believers begin to view each other through the lens of ideological stances rather than through the eyes of faith, the beauty of God’s kingdom can be lost. Love, the marker of God’s kingdom is diminished. The enemy has divided the believers and has been able to break the bond of love between them. Polarization aids the enemy, and the greatest harm the adversary can cause is to obscure the vision of shared faith and its goal, which can result in the loss of personal faith. In essence, we can view this polarization as a lack of communication. Silence makes us feel like we are no longer one group, one nation. It’s hard to align shared values without any discussion. When we don’t listen to others, we can only assume what they think and feel. These phenomena can affect God’s congregation, leading to distrust and weakening of bonds, which can severely wound the body of Christ. God’s Word teaches that spiritual unity is a gift of the Holy Spirit. We can pray for humility and grace so that the one-mindedness of the congregation would be preserved. A spirit of meekness is one that desires to listen, one that will tolerate and forbear another’s viewpoint. Meekness allows other people to state their thinking and explain how they came to a conclusion. Sometimes, in meekness, the believer finds it difficult to understand another’s viewpoint, but they ask questions and seek first to understand then to be understood. In meekness also people approach situations in which topics with a political aspect need to be discussed in God’s kingdom. This is the humility in which the believer prays for the leaders of their country and prays for continued governance and policy that supports preaching and hearing of God’s Word. Our mutual goal of everlasting life is much greater than any earthly issues over which we may be divided. No temporal matters are worth more than the crown of life. In heaven, there is only accord. There, in unison, we will join voices in eternal praise.

Rod Nikula  | The Shepherd’s Voice February/March 2024 - Home and Family Article – God wants us to make it to heaven. He gives gifts of faith, hope and love to help us on our journey. Believing family and friends help us keep faith, hope, and love in our life every day. Faith is our connection to God. Faith is what we believe. We believe in God, Jesus, and the Holy Spirit. God loved us first and chose us to be His children. God gives us love for everyone. He doesn’t love sin, but He loves the sinner. Unforgiven sin can break the connection to God, and faith can be lost. When faith is lost, the living hope of heaven is also lost. One who loses faith no longer has the correct love for God or other people. Everyone needs forgiveness to keep faith, hope, and love in their life. Forgiveness of sins in Jesus’ name and blood “is the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes” (Rom. 1:16, ESV). Salvation means making it to heaven. Believers desire to preach forgiveness to everyone. “So now faith, hope, and love abide, these three; but the greatest of these is love” (1 Cor. 13:13, ESV). When a believer dies, they go to heaven. Faith and hope are no longer needed. Love remains! Things to visit about: What do believers hope for? How can we keep the love between us and other believers? What might break that love? Why do you think the Bible tells us that of faith, hope and love, love is the greatest?