Is Worship a Priority?
Pastor Leland Lantz
Shout for joy to the LORD, all the earth. Worship
the LORD with gladness; come before Him with
joyful songs. Know that the LORD is God. It is He
who made us, and we are His; we are His people,
the sheep of His pasture. Enter His gates with
thanksgiving and His courts with praise; give
thanks to Him and praise His name. For the LORD
is good and His love endures forever; His faithfulness
continues through all generations. Psalms
100:1-5
Worship is personally a high priority for me and
it is one of our major goals for this year of 2009.
Psalm 100 is a beautiful and brief Psalm reminding
us that God is our Creator and that we
were created to worship our Lord. So many
people live as though they are the creator and
center of their world. So often, I hear that
busyness and other activities take the place of
regular worship. God alone is worthy of being
worshiped. This psalm tells us to remember
God’s goodness and dependability, and then to
worship Him with thanksgiving and praise!
Do you willingly and joyfully come into God’s
presence, or are you just going through the
motions, reluctantly going to church? We may be
reaping the results of generations of people who
dropped their kids off for Sunday School and then
picked them up afterwards and only worshipped
on Christmas and Easter. I know there are multitudes
of reasons and excuses why people don’t
worship every week.
I want everyone to know that when you aren’t in
worship, you are missed. I encourage you to worship
every Sunday and to attend mid-week Bible
Study and Faith Formation small groups either at
church or in homes.
If you are in the habit of only worshipping on
Easter and Christmas, then I urge you to try coming
at least once a month. If you are coming once
a month, then try twice a month. Let’s make it
the goal of our church to be in worship as often as
possible for the purpose of praising God, confessing
our sin, hearing God’s Word, and for the encouragement
of growing in our faith together.
How could you prepare yourself to praise and
thank God the next time you come to worship?
Hoping to see you in worship!
Lutheran Church of the Cross & Preschool
(949) 837-4673, fax 829-0215, 24231 El Toro Road,
Laguna Woods, California 92637
Aliso Viejo Church of the Cross & Christian School
(949) 389-0300, 1 Orion, Aliso Viejo, California 92656
Worship Times
Saturday, 5 p.m. at Laguna Woods only
Sunday, 8 a.m. Communion at Laguna Woods only
Sunday, 9 a.m. Worship at Laguna Woods and Aliso Viejo
Sunday, 9:15 a.m. All-Age Sunday School at Laguna Woods (Sunday School is at both campuses)
Sunday, 10:15 a.m. JH thru Adult Sunday School at Aliso Viejo, while kids play outside
Sunday, 10:30 a.m. Worship at Laguna Woods only
Child Care and Sunday School is provided for infants and toddlers during all services.
Wed night midweek program
5:30-6:30 dinner
6:30 evening ministries
Children’s Ministries Family Game Night
Mark your calendars for Friday, March 13th
from 6-9pm @ AV and make plans to join us
for the first Children’s Ministries Family
Game Night. Cost for this event is $20 per
family for pizza and snacks. Bring your family’s
favorite game and come prepared to
play the evening away. Please RSVP for this
event by filling out Family Game Night flyer
and returning it to Kim Butz. If you have any
questions, please contact Kim Butz at kim@lcotc.org
or 949-837-4673.
Crocodile Dock
Crocodile Dock is buzzing with fun for
kids and adults, and this summer everyone
will be on the lookout for God in
everyday life (God Sightings) to see how
He is active in our lives and His fingerprints
are everywhere. This exciting adventure
of exploring the Bayou to discover
God’s presence, power, love, life
and care begins Monday, July 13th – Friday,
July 17th from 9:00am-12:00pm for
children entering Kindergarten thru 5th
grade at the AV campus. The fun begins
for Pre School children Monday, July 27th
– Friday, July 31st from 9:00am-12:00pm at
the LW campus. Cost will be $30 per child
with a max of $85 per family if children are
attending the same week. Mark your calendars
and plan to get swamped with fun
at Crocodile Dock! Registration forms are
NOW available from the church office. If
you have questions or would like to be a
part of this year’s VBS Bayou crew, please
contact Kim Butz at kim@lcotc.org or 949-
837-4673.
