Lutheran Fellowship Gatherings - October 2026

 

Click on the weekly links below  to access the weekly resources

October week 1:  Matthew 21:33–46 Proper 22 

October week 2:  Matthew 22:1–14  Proper 23

October week 3:  Matthew 22:15–22 Proper 24

October week 4:  John 8:31-36  Reformation Sunday

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The Lutheran Fellowship Gathering weekly resource is for small groups or small worshipping communities to help them connect with God and each other focussing on the Gospel reading of the Revised Common Lectionary  

I have made this resource available is to support people who wish to gather around God’s Word, focus on Jesus and to grow as part of God’s church.  

You may want to use it to help you start a small group in your church community, or to gather people in a community where a Lutheran church currently is not present.  

This resource is offered free of charge to non-commercial situations, on the understanding that you will not charge for copies or its use.   

This resource has been developed by Pastor Richard Schwedes, richardschwedes@gmail.com 

If you have feedback, suggestions or improvements feel free to email me

Book: The Teaming church - Ministry in the age of collaboration

A committee is not the same thing as a team.

To become a great team, a group must have a goal that is deeply challenging, a leader who is creatively empowering, and a willingness to work within a collaborative community that honors the Bible.

The Bible is full of examples of great things accomplished through teaming leaders. Scripture also provides a compelling model from which church communities and teams can learn to live and serve in light of the "Divine Team" - the Trinity. Author Robert C. Crosby provides several innovative ways in which biblical teams reflect the workings and nature of the Trinity and thus the image of God.

Revealing what he calls "The Four C's of Great Teams" - The Character, The Carrot, The Coach, and The Context - Crosby shows how successful teams reach their goals more effectively. Conversely, he also addresses the "Four Fatal Teaming Errors" and how to avoid unnecessary, time-consuming missteps.

This book provides biblical motivations, vivid examples, and practical approaches for creating a teaming culture in any faith community. Crosby, a leader who has built teams as a senior pastor, youth leader, and university administrator, is now training and mentoring a new generation of pastors and leaders. 

Christmas Plays: No Stable too Small

No Stable Too Small: Fifteen Christmas Plays for Churches of All Sizes

Lois Anne DeLong (Author), Barbara Anne Antonucci (Author)

Here's a collection of humorous, down-to-earth plays that bring a fresh perspective to the Christmas story through such creative devices as imagining the thoughts and feelings of fringe characters (like an innkeeper or a servant to one of the magi) or by updating the story with contemporary settings and characters. 

No Stable Too Small offers a variety of practical material for any situation, ranging from shorter plays with small casts and lines that can be easily mastered by younger children to more elaborate pieces with sophisticated themes for older children and adults. And they're ideal for use with today's young people -- the dialogue reflects the way they really talk, yet never detracts from the biblical message. These flexible scenes offer a mix of speaking parts for all age groups, from preschool through adult, and are especially valuable for small congregations that lack the resources to mount large-scale productions. 

No sets are required, and only simple costumes and minimal props are needed. The plays can be performed by smaller churches with as few as 8-10 cast members, or parts can be easily divided to accommodate groups as large as 25-30. And with a running time of approximately 20-25 minutes each, it's easy to fit them within a Christmas Eve or Advent Sunday worship service. 

Some of the charming presentations include: 

• Love Finds a Way
• It Wasn't the Hilton, You Know
• Christmas Eve at Angel School
• Because God Said So, That's Why
• No Small Parts
• Unto Us a Child Is Born"... Next on Omar 
• Miracles? No Problem! ...and eight more! 

Lois Anne DeLong is currently a freelance writer and editor in Bay Shore, New York. She previously served 25 years in public relations, publishing, and marketing for the American Institute of Chemical Engineers. A graduate of New York University, DeLong is an active member of Brentwood Presbyterian Church in Brentwood, New York. Barbara Anne Antonucci was born and raised in Brentwood, New York, and is a lifelong member of Brentwood Presbyterian Church. A graduate of St. Joseph's College, Antonucci now resides in Monroe, North Carolina.

No Stable too small is available from Amazon

Book: Beginners Gospel Story Bible

The Beginner's Gospel Story Bible is a gospel-centered, Bible storybook for toddlers and preschoolers with fifty-two Bible stories retold in a simple and compelling way.

Author Jared Kennedy traces through the stories of the Old and New Testament how God keeps his promises in surprising ways better than anyone could have ever thought or imagined! Each story highlights for young children God's story of redemption through Jesus Christ and the unexpected ways that God's grace and mercy are revealed throughout the Bible. Children will hear the good news of God's love for them clearly expressed in ways that will speak to their young hearts. Each story ends with a question that Christian parents and caregivers can use to further reinforce the story. 

Brightly colored illustrations highlight each story and add fun teaching elements of
counting, opposites, patterns, and object recognition to keep even the youngest child's attention on these important Christian teachings about God's love.

Available from Amazon

Article: How to Share the Good News of Jesus

How to Share Your Faith

from Christ the King Lutheran Church LCMC - West Hoover

A definition of faith-sharing success is NOT leading someone to Jesus Christ.   Instead, it is sharing Christ, inviting to faith in Christ, and living out your Christian life whether people accept Christ or not.

What is the central message of the gospel?

The message we as Christians proclaim is “Christ has Risen!”

In Christ's resurrection, he defeated humanity’s greatest enemy - Death itself.

Death is coming for us all. We exist in a state of Sin and Death.

The GOSPEL is: Christ defeated our Death and made us alive in Him!

Through Jesus’ Death on the cross he takes our sin - our sin was crucified with Christ. Through his resurrection, he defeats Death - he takes victory over Death. At Jesus’ resurrection Death itself was defeated and the devil’s grip on this world was broken.

Why is the news good?

Jesus defeated sin, death, and the devil for YOU.

The 4 P’s Method

• Pray - for divine appointments - send people and show me who I should share the gospel with
• Post - make a note - create a follow-up method
• Pray - again for the names you post. Pray for softened hearts and opportunity to share the Good News
• Plant - the seed when God opens the door. Become spiritually alert.

Two questions that show Christ’s love…

• Can I pray with you? (right now? this shows immediate love for them…)
• How’s your soul? (when people have things going on in their life - remind them of their salvation and offer encouragement)

Questions to initiate the conversation (***Listen, do not argue: love is listening***)

• Do you have any kind of spiritual belief?
• What is your understanding of Jesus Christ?
• Do you think there’s heaven or hell?

Verses you can use to share your faith 

(Ask what each verse means to the other person. The person teaches themselves.)

Why do I need salvation?

• Romans 3:23 - For all have sinned and fallen short of the glory of God.
• Romans 6:23 - For the wages of sin is Death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.

How did God meet my need - Why is the news good?

• John 3:16-17 - For God so loved the world that he gave his only-begotten Son that whosoever should believe in Him should not perish but have eternal life; for God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world through him might be saved.

How do I receive salvation?

• John 3:3 - Jesus answered him (Nicodemus), “Truly , truly, I say to you, unless one is born again he cannot see the kingdom of God.”
• Acts 2:38 - Repent and be baptized, every one of you, in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins. And you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. (Born of our mothers in sin and death, born again through the Spirit)
• Romans 10:9-11 - If you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. For with the heart one believes and is justified, and with the mouth one confesses and is saved. For the Scripture says, “Everyone who believes in Him will not be put to shame.”

Story / Narrative Evangelism: >>> Share parables

eg.  The Prodigal Son (Luke 15) - I like this one if they have walked away from the Church

• “Where are you in the story?”
• “Are you still partying; are you at rock bottom with the pigs; are you ready to come back to your Father?”

What’s next?

• Jesus Prayer - “Lord Jesus Christ, Son of God, have mercy on me, a sinner.”
• You’re not finished! Hand them off to your church leadership for catechism and Baptism (if they haven’t already been baptized)
• A word on Baptism - it’s that marked moment in time where I can always remember and know that God saved me. God did not save me because I was very sincere when I prayed the Jesus prayer (for our sincerity can wax or wane). Rather, it was God’s grace that saved me.