Scriptures for
January 18, 2026
Behold the Lamb who takes away the Sin of the World
• Isaiah 49: 1-7
• Psalm 40: 1-11
• 1 Corinthians 1: 1-9
• John 1: 29-42
I believe the Epiphany Season can help us welcome the best of 2026 as we follow the
star that God has shone forth in our lives. The Magi followed the star. John the Baptist
followed the leading of God. Now John points to two of his disciples and says: “Look,
here is the Lamb of God!”
They decide to follow the Lamb. When Jesus turns around and sees them, he asks:
What are you looking for? (John 1:38)
Their response is: Where are you staying? Sounds like they want Jesus to invite them
to his place. Jesus invites them to not to just come along but Come and See.
After spending the afternoon with Jesus, Andrew does see something marvelous in
Jesus and goes to fine his brother Simon, saying: “We have found the Messiah”
On January 25 we will meet for our semi-annual meeting, right after the Sunday
service. As I was writing my annual report, I was filled with appreciation for the many
acts of kindness done by our members over the past year. You came to Jesus and saw
what you could do to follow him. More specific thank yous are in my report. We will email it to you later in the week and will be available in printed form on Sunday. Your
annual giving statements.
It took Andrew just one afternoon to know that he had found something special in Jesus. He encourages his brother Simon to “Come and See”. Simon saw and for years
they and the other ten would follow Jesus, slowly coming to see the true Lamb of God. They, like most Jewish people of the day, had hoped the Messiah who would not just
take away the “Sin of the World” but take out the sinners of the world. There was a special hope that the Romans would be ousted. They had their foot on the throat of the
Jewish people, much like the Russians have their foot on parts of Ukraine. The goal of the Roman Empire was to conquer, intimidate, and subjugate. By the time Matthew
wrote his gospel, they had wiped out the city of Jerusalem.
It has been years since I played video games. When my children were little, I played Sega games with them like Sonic the Hedgehog and Pac-Man. There was even a Barney
the purple dinosaur video game. I do not play video games anymore. I am not enticed by the advertisements for extreme games, which encourage the gamer to shoot at anything that comes through
the door.
Sadly, in real life people seem willing to take out “sinners” who come through the door. Last summer a gunman nicked the ear of then candidate Donald Trump. In
Minneapolis, a mother of three was shot by an ICE officer. In LA last weekend, a man drove a U-Haul truck into a crowd protesting the current regime in Iran. Happily, no one
was killed. Back in December however, 15 people were killed in Australia as a father and son shot into a crowd celebrating Hanukkah on Bondi Beach. In a twist, Mr. El Ahmed
who tackled one of the gunmen and was hospitalized was a Muslim from Syria.
Why did Jesus come as a Lamb who takes away the “sin of the world” and not as a muscular Messiah who would take out the sinners? Andrew and Peter came to see that
Jesus is not trying to create a Kingdom of control on earth. He is here to encourage people to freely align themselves with the Kingdom of God, which Jesus proclaimed had
“come near.”
In September, Charlie Kirk was shot and killed while speaking at Utah Valley University. As his wife kissed her husband goodbye, she saw on his face a “Mona Lisa
like half smile.” In an amazing act of Christian compassion, at his funeral, she forgave the shooter. She surely was channeling the Kingdom of God in that moment.
She said she learned early in her life from her mother about the spreading the Love of Jesus and sharing one’s blessings with others. Raised a catholic, her mother would
take her to soup kitchens to help. She entered beauty pageants so she could “touch more people, further her charitable causes.”
Right now, not many young “bros” seem interested following a Lamb of God. They would prefer the muscular Messiah. But Andrew and Peter as they followed Jesus and
saw the healings, the feeding of the masses, the Good News transforming lives. They were not averse to looking at their own lives and as Alcoholics Anonymous suggests
taking a: “fearless moral inventory”. They walked with a Lamb who would take away their sins. Following him through death, resurrection into the coming of the Spirit they
became in the words of Isaiah: “A Light to the nations.”
PRAYER Thank you Lord for the example of Andrew and Simeon Peter, thank you for the example of the faithful of Faith, may we continue to place our hope in the Lamb
of God who takes away our sins and encourages us bring the Kingdom near.
Grace and Peace, Pastor John Bunge
Semi-Annual Meeting January 25 after services – Reports on 2025 will be emailed and printed off.
Pantry – It has been cold for us in recent weeks. If you have any extra sweaters, coats or sweatpants they are appreciated. Note the date of the next pantry is January 24. If you know of someone with needs between now and then give Carol Jensen a call. We are glad to help but do need to track who we are helping with the pantry.
Pastor Bunge will be in the office Mondays and Tuesdays.
Thanks to Pastor Tim Drom for presiding at worship on December 28.
QUILTING – 36 quilts were made in 2025. 16 were boxed for Lutheran World Relief, which distributes them around the world. 10 were given to our San Bernardino
Wellness Center. 10 await final distribution.
MOVING FORWARD WITH YOUR SUPPORT
Those who have noticed our sign out front and the lighting of it have said how wonderful it is. We are adding a bit more solar lighting to it. The sound for the streaming is much improved and does include Closed Captioning.
Thanks to Lou and Kyle and Tim for doing so much around the church, especially in the kitchen area.
Thanks to Connie for doing the touch-up painting in our updated kitchen.
• Pat Motschall’s surgery to replace her aortic and mitral valves went well. She is back in church now!
PLEASE PRAY FOR
• Jeanne Koening had good news and bad news. She finally has some answers for the cyst in her brain. Rather than just draining fluid, they will be doing surgery to
remove it. The surgery was scheduled for December 30th at USC Arcadia Hospital. She was admitted prior to that.
• Bonnie Strack is seeking relief for back pain. She also appreciates prayers for her son Brendan Simms, who has suffered years from a series of strokes.
• Michael Shea has continuing health issues and would also appreciate prayers for his and Ann’s son, Andrew.
• Eloise still has some double vision. She had a check up on February 6. Parkinson’s is acting up.
• Bob Jensen also developed a kidney stone and infection and a cyst was found in his kidney.
• Bonnie Hallberg is still awaiting shoulder surgery. The blood clot discovered in her leg has not dissolved. She sees a doctor next Monday. The shoulder is painful, but not overwhelming and the clot must be taken care of first.
• Nelson Hall continues to have health concerns including his heart function and breathing but he and Karen were able to move to their new home.
• Lauren Shaffer’s surgery for a stent on her right leg did not go well. The vein completely closed, the leg is so swollen it is hard to move. She will see the doctor January 16 regarding how best to proceed, more surgery is needed.
• Kim Guevara appreciates your prayers for granddaughter, Kayla, who is now living with her father, their son, Kyle.
• Judy Martin likes her new home at Golden Oaks and is receiving Hospice care.
• Jennifer Maldonado has finished her radiation treatments. More chemo may be ahead for her, and she now plans on being back in the Preschool in April.
• Continued prayers for Jacque Kottmeier who, due to her eyesight, is no longer able to drive. Nice to have her neighbor Ellen Risso back with us in worship.
Thanks to all who continue to give shoes for Soles 4 Souls. The box was full and so was taken for its good use. The box is still in the Narthex for continued donations. Thanks to David Strack for
coordinating. Thanks to Holly from Family Assistance Center in Yucaipa for making donations as well.
FELLOWSHIP/OUTREACH
PRAYER CARDS – With the help of the Quilting Group, the next project is to make and provide prayer quilts with crosses on the inside. Thanks to Barbara for the idea, and Emily for willingness from the Quilting group and Dana for knowledge of prayers already printed.
P
RAYER/FRIENDSHIP ROCKS –
Karen, Connie B., Sharon C., and Carol Hamre have painted prayer/friendship rocks for you to keep, give to someone, surprise someone, or put in your garden, etc. Rocks are available in the Narthex and in Chapel and Fireside Room for the AA, NA, Al-anon, pantry etc. groups that meet weekly.
WATERCOLOR PAINTING CLASS by our OWN MASTER WATERCOLORIST, HOLLY
– We will be taking a break over the holidays, resuming to make cards for Valentines. (No class fee, materials provided if you do not have own. For taking the class, we ask you to please donate to the Camp fund for youth.)
SUNDAY MORNING FELLOWSHIP HOUR
11 Thank you to Kim for Turkey & Ham Sliders and Bundt cakes. Thanks also to Jerry Mills for his famous potato salad!
18 Thanks to Karen for providing meatballs, cake and chip & dip; Connie to provide a salad.
25 Annual Meeting; Donuts in Narthex
Some of you have asked us to publish a list of donations that are needed for the
Fellowship Hour on Sundays. Here is a start. Thank you.
Coffee (this is for the pantry as well as they provide coffee on Pantry Saturdays)
Coffee creamers (not coffee mate, please)
Juice; any flavor
Iced Tea (sugar free)
If you have a special dish you’d like to prepare, please let us know.
(We are not confined to crockpots now!) Any monetary donations can be given through the offering, marked Fellowship
Bingo Items – we had a special Outreach “Bingoing for others” and are mostly wiped out of prizes.
