DEVOTION:
For I am the least of the apostles, unworthy to be called an apostle, because I persecuted the church of God. But by the grace of God I am what I am, and His grace toward me was not in vain. 1 Corinthians 15:9-10
Mitterfirmiansreut.
Odds are pretty good that very few Daily Devotion readers have ever heard of that little Bavarian town in the mountains near the German-Czech border. There are even better odds that most of us can't say that hamlet's name without a bit of practice.
No matter, Mitterfirmiansreut is still going to be a tourist attraction from now until the beginning of spring.
Why?
I'm glad you asked. It's because in honor of the past, the people of Mitterfirmiansreut have built a church composed of snow and ice. The 65-foot-long building worships 200 and is composed of slabs of ice and 49,000 cubic feet of the white stuff.
So, what happened in the past which caused the folks of that Bavarian mountain village to build a snow church? Back in 1911 the Christians of Mitterfirmiansreut had grown tired of walking hours to a neighboring community for worship. To show their enthusiasm for a local facility, they erected the community's first snow church.
And being a practical lot, they used the most common materials to do the job. It's a trick they must have learned from the Lord.
It's true, you know. The Lord doesn't always use the most brilliant, the most beautiful or the brightest among us to accomplish His purposes.
Read through Scripture and you will see Him call an exiled murderer to lead His people out of slavery. He will select a forgettable Bethlehem shepherd boy to be king over His people, and a despised tax-collector to record the story of the Redeemer's life.
This is why, if I were you, I wouldn't be too surprised if the Lord taps you on the shoulder and says, "I'd like you to do this for me" or "I'd like you to work on that so my Son's Name might be better known." No, I wouldn't be surprised, and I wouldn't be too eager to tell the Lord there are many others better qualified to do the job.
There may be others, but it's you He has selected.
That's a fact St. Paul understood. That's why he wrote the words of today's text that tell us God's grace has made us what we are, and it's by His power His work is done.
THE PRAYER: Dear Lord, You have given each of us a job to do. Rather than refusing Your work and declaring our inadequacies, help us do all we can to proclaim the crucified and risen Christ to a lost world. Empowered by Your grace, may we share the salvation which comes through faith in Jesus. In His Name. Amen.
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YESTERDAY'S QUIZ: Who was Rebekah? Isaac's wife and Jacob's mother. (Dianne regains her championship status)
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Mitterfirmiansreut.
Odds are pretty good that very few Daily Devotion readers have ever heard of that little Bavarian town in the mountains near the German-Czech border. There are even better odds that most of us can't say that hamlet's name without a bit of practice.
No matter, Mitterfirmiansreut is still going to be a tourist attraction from now until the beginning of spring.
Why?
I'm glad you asked. It's because in honor of the past, the people of Mitterfirmiansreut have built a church composed of snow and ice. The 65-foot-long building worships 200 and is composed of slabs of ice and 49,000 cubic feet of the white stuff.
So, what happened in the past which caused the folks of that Bavarian mountain village to build a snow church? Back in 1911 the Christians of Mitterfirmiansreut had grown tired of walking hours to a neighboring community for worship. To show their enthusiasm for a local facility, they erected the community's first snow church.
And being a practical lot, they used the most common materials to do the job. It's a trick they must have learned from the Lord.
It's true, you know. The Lord doesn't always use the most brilliant, the most beautiful or the brightest among us to accomplish His purposes.
Read through Scripture and you will see Him call an exiled murderer to lead His people out of slavery. He will select a forgettable Bethlehem shepherd boy to be king over His people, and a despised tax-collector to record the story of the Redeemer's life.
This is why, if I were you, I wouldn't be too surprised if the Lord taps you on the shoulder and says, "I'd like you to do this for me" or "I'd like you to work on that so my Son's Name might be better known." No, I wouldn't be surprised, and I wouldn't be too eager to tell the Lord there are many others better qualified to do the job.
There may be others, but it's you He has selected.
That's a fact St. Paul understood. That's why he wrote the words of today's text that tell us God's grace has made us what we are, and it's by His power His work is done.
THE PRAYER: Dear Lord, You have given each of us a job to do. Rather than refusing Your work and declaring our inadequacies, help us do all we can to proclaim the crucified and risen Christ to a lost world. Empowered by Your grace, may we share the salvation which comes through faith in Jesus. In His Name. Amen.
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YESTERDAY'S QUIZ: Who was Rebekah? Isaac's wife and Jacob's mother. (Dianne regains her championship status)
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TODAY'S QUIZ: To where/who did Jacob flee after he tricked Esau into giving him the birthright?
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CATECHISM:
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CATECHISM:
8th commandment: You shall not covet your neighbor's house.
Question: What is coveting?
Answer:
Coveting is having a sinful desire for anyone or anything that belongs to our neighbor.
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CHURCH CALENDAR
Thurs- nothing Fri- Bible study at Hendershot's 7pm
Sat- worship 5pm
Sun- Bible Study 8; worship 9; Bible Study and Sunday school 10:15
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NEWS:
NEWS:
BOARD MEMBERS AND OFFICERS WERE INSTALLED THIS PAST SUNDAY HERE IS A LIST OF WHO THEY ARE!
President: Allan Dreyer
Vice President: Dennis Perrey
Secertary: Amanda Nordwald
Treasurer: Hank Schmidt
Financial Secretary: Lucille Luebke
Elders: Tim Linke, Rich Talbert, Dave Tinnin, Dave Winter, Don Turnure, Steve Robine, Steve McDowell, John Hachtel, Jim Rahn
Trustees: Ken Foster, Dave Callies, Billy Woolf, Teresa Scott, Lori Feldkamp, Cal Tameler, John Farris, Gary Hoelscher, Jason Figura
Board of Education: Joanna Hoelscher, Christine Winn, Karin Klaustermeier
Board of Outreach and Evangelism: Sandy Robine, Molly Hendershot, One spot vacant
Board of Stewardship: Alan Hofeldt, Peggy Talbert, Lil Winter
Please pray for these people throughout the year as they carry out the leadership roles of the church and as they work to bring more to Christ!
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PROJECTOR SCHEDULE
KEEP ON FILLING UP THE LIST!! I APPRECIATE IT IMMENSELY!!
Jan 14-
> 15- Denise Schlesselmann
>
> Jan 21- Perricone
> 22- Mckenzie
>
> Jan 28-
> 29- 9am- Schaumberg 11am-
>
>
> Feb 4- Mckenzie
> 5- 9am- 11am-
>
>
> Feb 11- Perricone
> 12- 9am- Schaumberg 11am- Heitgerd
>
>
> Feb 18-
> 19- 9am- Denise Schleselmann 11am-
>
>
> Feb 22- (Ash Wednesday) Mckenzie
>
>
> Feb 25- Perricone
> 26- 9am- Mckenzie 11am- Heitgerd
>
>
> Wed, Feb 28- Mckenzie
>
>
>
> Mar 3- Mckenzie
> 4- 9am- 11am-
>
>
> Wed, Mar 7- Denise Schlesselmann
>
>
> Mar 10- Perricone
> 11- 9am- Schaumberg 11am- Heitgerd
>
>
> Wed, Mar 14- Mckenzie
>
>
>
> Mar 17- Perricone
> 18- 9am- Denise Schlesslemann 11am-
>
>
> Wed, Mar 21-
>
>
> Mar 24- Mckenzie
> 25- 9am- 11am-
>
>
> Wed, Mar 28- Denise Schlesselmann
>
>
>
> Mar 31-
> Apr 1- (Palm Sunday) 9am- 11am-
>
>
> Apr 5- (Maundy Thursday) Mckenzie
>
>
> Apr 6- (Good Friday) Mckenzie
>
> Apr 8- (Easter Sunday)
> 6:30am- Schaumberg 10am- Mckenzie
> 15- Denise Schlesselmann
>
> Jan 21- Perricone
> 22- Mckenzie
>
> Jan 28-
> 29- 9am- Schaumberg 11am-
>
>
> Feb 4- Mckenzie
> 5- 9am- 11am-
>
>
> Feb 11- Perricone
> 12- 9am- Schaumberg 11am- Heitgerd
>
>
> Feb 18-
> 19- 9am- Denise Schleselmann 11am-
>
>
> Feb 22- (Ash Wednesday) Mckenzie
>
>
> Feb 25- Perricone
> 26- 9am- Mckenzie 11am- Heitgerd
>
>
> Wed, Feb 28- Mckenzie
>
>
>
> Mar 3- Mckenzie
> 4- 9am- 11am-
>
>
> Wed, Mar 7- Denise Schlesselmann
>
>
> Mar 10- Perricone
> 11- 9am- Schaumberg 11am- Heitgerd
>
>
> Wed, Mar 14- Mckenzie
>
>
>
> Mar 17- Perricone
> 18- 9am- Denise Schlesslemann 11am-
>
>
> Wed, Mar 21-
>
>
> Mar 24- Mckenzie
> 25- 9am- 11am-
>
>
> Wed, Mar 28- Denise Schlesselmann
>
>
>
> Mar 31-
> Apr 1- (Palm Sunday) 9am- 11am-
>
>
> Apr 5- (Maundy Thursday) Mckenzie
>
>
> Apr 6- (Good Friday) Mckenzie
>
> Apr 8- (Easter Sunday)
> 6:30am- Schaumberg 10am- Mckenzie
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TRIVIA NIGHT COMING UP SATURDAY NIGHT, JANUARY 21, RIGHT AFTER CHURCH!!!!
Trivia Night! Sign up your team of 8 for the New Year's Trivia Night to be held January 21 immediately following the Saturday night service. $40 per team; bring drinks and snacks for your team. 50-50 raffle; proceeds to go to the Building Fund; winners will receive their entry fee back. For more information, call Lois Boeger at 456-8621. Sign up sheet is on the counter in the narthex.
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New worship service starting on Sunday, January 29 at 11am.
BELOW AREE SOME QUESTIONS THAT HAVE COME UP AND THE ANSWERS TO THOSE QUESTIONS:
1. Will we need to change the usher schedule? Not at this time. For now we are going to treat it as we would a Saturday service as far as that is concerned. If it takes off and we find that ushers are necessary for this service we will change it later in the year.
2. Will this change the other services in any way? NO. Nothing about our other services will change. The 11am service is just an additional option for those who want it.
3. What kind of music will there be? It will be a variety of songs, (children's songs, contemporary songs, familiar songs), but the music will be different than our traditional services
2. Will this change the other services in any way? NO. Nothing about our other services will change. The 11am service is just an additional option for those who want it.
3. What kind of music will there be? It will be a variety of songs, (children's songs, contemporary songs, familiar songs), but the music will be different than our traditional services
What we ask of you from now until January 29 is that you support this endeavor, that you invite people who would, for whatever reason, like to attend this type of worship, and that you pray for this endeavor and for our church in general that it owuld be blessed beyond measure in 2012.
If you have any skills or talents that you feel would benefit this service please contact me at 359-1061.
Then on January 29, COME to the service and participate.
The vision is that this will be a great blessing to our church and that it will fit the needs of young families, kids, teenagers, and the young at heart so that we can bring more people into the body of Christ this year than ever before.
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PASTOR NOW HAS TEXTING ON HIS PHONE
If you have any skills or talents that you feel would benefit this service please contact me at 359-1061.
Then on January 29, COME to the service and participate.
The vision is that this will be a great blessing to our church and that it will fit the needs of young families, kids, teenagers, and the young at heart so that we can bring more people into the body of Christ this year than ever before.
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PASTOR NOW HAS TEXTING ON HIS PHONE
I know it is about five years too late, but I have finally joined the 21st century's most used form of communication. If texting is the best way to communicate with you, I urge you to give me your cell phone number so I can communicate better with you in 2012. I am even thinking of sending out a "Bible Verse Text of the Day" to all who would want it.
I especially want to urge our young people to send me their cell numbers so I can better communicate with them.
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YOUTH GROUP STEAK DINNER AND AUCTION
***SAVE THE DATE*** The date of the Youth Group Steak Dinner and Auction has been set for Saturday, February 11, 2012. Doors will open at 6:00 p.m. and dinner will be served at 6:30 p.m. Please join us for a night of fun and fundraising. We will be having the old favorites: silent auction and 50/50 drawing as well as the new favorites: live auction, dessert dash, wine raffle, and the WILD HEARTS JACKPOT DRAWING where there is a chance to win $500.00.
Tickets for the WILD HEARTS $500 DRAWING are on sale now. Please ask a youth group member to get yours. The tickets are 1 for $10 but for an additional $10 you can get 10 more tickets and have 11 chances at winning!
The youth will begin selling dinner/auction tickets at the beginning of January in the narthex after services. Tickets are $15 per person. Bid only tickets are $5.00. You may also contact Marilyn to reserve tickets.
In order to guarantee that you get to sit with a special group of family or friends, you may want to consider purchasing a table of 8 for $120.
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A MOMENT OF GRACE FLORIST IS DONATING 10% oF EACH ST. JOHN'S MEMBER'S SALE BACK TO THE CHURCH
Each time you purchase flowers and other gifts from A MOMENT OF GRACE and tell them you are a member at St. John's, the church receives a tithe from them. A Moment of Grace is located at 511 N Hwy 47 and the phone number is 456-9334.
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PRAYERS: (If I have missed anyone please let me know.)
For the FAMILY OF DOT DAEHNKE, as she passed away this past Thursday. Memorial service is still pending.
For ANNA HOELSCHER who is recovering at Jonesburg Nursing Home after falling and breaking her hip.
For MRS SISSON (1st grade teacher at Daniel Boone) AND HER NEW BABY, CHLOE, as they both grow stronger with each passing day. Baby Chloe has about 2 mor emonths in the hospital.
For KEN SUTOR, Lisa Rausch's dad, who is was brought home and is on hospice care, but is in good spirits.
For KEN WAGNER who is home and is doing well, although he still has a LONG way to go.
For JONAS BORCHERT, grandson of Don Nolte, who continues to be up and down because of chemotherapy treatments.
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