DEVOTION: "How will this be,: Mary answered. "Since I am a virgin." The angel answered, "The Holy Spirit will come on you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you. So the holy one to be born will be called the Son of God." I am the Lord's servant," Mary answered. "May your word to me be fulfilled." Then the angel left her. The Story, p.310
For hundreds of years people have been trying to understand this Virgin birth, and in order to understand they have instead ruined its meaning by trying to explain it away, or by using their own human reason to say something other than what the Word of God plainly says.
Truth is, it doesn't make sense to our common brains. Virgins can't have children. It is not scientifically or biologically possible. So people have said things like, "The word virgin doesn't really mean 'virgin' in the sense that we know it today. It should mean 'young woman'." Or they will try to explain it in some other logical and scientific way so that it make sense to their finite human brains.
The real truth is that God is the creator and master of science. He created the biology we have. He knows exactly how everything works, because He started it all. So, since He is the master of it, He can also go above and beyond the rules of science when He wants to, and that is exactly what He did when He did what is commonly known as the Immaculate Conception. He literally came into and overshadowed Mary. He put baby Jesus into Mary's womb by supernatural means. She was a virgin. She didn't not have intercourse with anyone till after Jesus was born. Both the word virgin and the context of the passage and others like it show this very clearly.
Why did God do it this way? Well, in order for the Son of God to be sinless He couldn't be the product of two human parents. If He was, he would have inherited the sin of Adam and Eve (original sin). Yet, because he was conceived of the Holy Spirit He was sinless from the beginning. We were sinful from birth, sinful from the time our mother conceived us, because of the sin we inherit, just like any other hereditary illness. Because of genetics, some are born with a propensity for heart disease, some for diabetes, others with other cancer genes. All of us are born with sin. We can't escape it. All of us that is, except for Jesus.
Jesus had no sin, but He became sin for us, so that we might become His righteousness. He left perfection at the right hand of God, came down and was born perfectly, lived a perfect life, and died a perfect death so that He could take on our sin upon Himself.
That all began at the Immaculate Conception. Even that was part of God's plan from the beginning! All for you!
Prayer: Lord God, Your thoughts are not our thoughts, neither are Your ways our ways! Thank you for that, because if they were, we'd be really messed up. Amen.
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YESTERDAY'S QUIZ: In what year (approximately) was Jesus born? ( A bit harder question for today.) It is estimated (no one is sure) that Jesus was born approximately between 6 and 3B.C. It used to be thought that our calendar (the Roman calendar) was started with the year of Jesus' birth, but further investigation and evidence suggests that Jesus was born earlier than that. _______________________________________________________________________________________________TODAY'S QUIZ: (A bit harder question again today.) Why was Joseph's plan to divorce Mary quietly actually an honorable thing and one that would be somewhat good for Mary?__________________________________________________________________________________________________CALENDAR:Fri- Assemble newsletter 9am
Sat- Bible Study 4pm; worship 5; Adult Dinner at Donatelli's Bistro in Wenztville, Cocktails at 6; Dinner at 6:30
Sun- worship 8:30; Sunday school 9:45; worship 11
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WORSHIP WORKERS FOR THIS WEEK
Acolytes- 8:30- Oliver Landwehr 11- Sam Johnson
Altar guild- Set up- Don and Dianne Hance; Clean Up-- Lynn Russell and Elaine Schauer
Greeters- 8:30- Paul and Cindy Klover ; 11- Mike and Naomi Johnson
Communion Assistants- Sat- Jim Rahn; 8:30- Rich Talbert; 11- Jim Rahn
Lay Readers- Sat- Jim Rahn; 8:30- ????; 11am- Jim Rahn
8:30 Ushers- Alan Hofeldt, Tim Linke, Rich Talbert, Don Turnure
Projectors- Sat- Pam Bueltmann, 8:30- Don and Ann Panhorst, 11- Kailyn Blechle
Sat pianist- Kathy Barrow
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NEWS: 5-12 GRADE SUNDAY SCHOOL THIS SUNDAY!!!!!!Kelsey will be celebrating Christmas in June with the all of the older kids! ALL 10-18 year olds should make every effort to attend and get to know Kelsey and get back into The Story if you've been neglecting it lately!!___________________________________________________________________________________________MEETING FOR THOSE GOING ON THE MINNESOTA MISSION TRIP ON MONDAY, JUNE 30 AT 6PM!!!If you are going or are a parent of a kid who is going you are EXPECTED to be there!_____________________________________________________________________________________
THERE IS STILL ROOM IN THE JULY 7-11 LITTLE LAMBS SUMMER CAMPS FOR 3-6 Year olds!!! The theme for that camp is COOL SCIENCE!! They will be doing some cool science experiments and learning all about the science of God's creation!!
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FRIENDSHIP TREKI!! VBS IS COMING UP JULY 14-18!! "Kid Friendly" Supper at 5:30; VBS 6-8pm
The theme is friendship and the Bible stories will revolve around different "friend" relationships throughout Scripture!!
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RIVER CITY RASCALS BASEBALL GAME, SUNDAY, JULY 13 at 5:05 pm!!!
Box seats are $9 per person!! Get your tickets from John Hachtel today! Don't delay!
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6TH ANNUAL ST. JOHN'S GOLF OUTING IS SET FOR SATURDAY, AUGUST 16 at Country Lakes Golf Course
Flyers with all the information necessary are on the counter in the narthex.
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THE STORY: CHAPTER 22 "The Birth of a King" IS THIS WEEK!!!
COME CELEBRATE CHRISTMAS WITH US THIS WEEK!!!
PLEASE KEEP UP WITH YOUR READINGS AND COME TO BIBLE STUDY!! I know it is difficult, but make time! It is very important!
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DONUT LIST NEEDS FILLING (pun intended)!!!
If you are willing to sign up for a Sunday let me know by replying to this email and I will add you!! Thanks
Please consider bringing donuts, muffins, or another kind of treat for our fellowship time. Here are the dates:
July 6- Cal and Betty Tameler
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Wonderful blaze orange t-shirts are for sale for $10 a piece to help support our board of outreach and evangelism's efforts and to raise money to provide for those in need. Pick up your size today and put your $10 in the box provided!!! They are located in the narthex (entry way) of church upstairs.
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TWO GROUP TRAVEL EVENTS COMING UP THIS YEAR!!
October 4--A DAY IN ST. LOUIS-- We will tour places that are hidden gems in St. Louis
December 6-- CATHOLIC RECTORY IN HERMANN AND POSSIBLY A CHRISTMAS SHOW IN OSAGE BEACH
Let Marilyn know if you are interested in either of these trip so she can make definite plans.
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PRAYER REQUESTS: (If you have a prayer request please reply to this email or call me at 636-359-1061)
For PAT PUCKETT who is having shoulder replacement surgery today.
For WENDELL ROEHRS as he recovers from surgery to remove a benign tumor from his brain stem. He is doing well, but is a bit confused and will slowly regain all of his cognitive ability.
For LINDA KETTERER as she is recovering from thyroid surgery to remove her thyroid. There was a very small amount cancer for which she will have to do a one time radiation treatment in pill form.
For LIBBY PAILER, who is recovering from a broken pelvis at The Cedars in Chesterfield.
For ED KOHRS, as he is recovering from blood clots in his legs and lungs and as he mourns the loss of his wife as well.
For DENISE SCHLESSELMANN, as she left yesterday for her summer mission trip to the Silesian province of the Czech Republic. Pray that all things work out well and it turns into a full time mission.
For KELSEY OVERBECK, as she has begun her work at St. John's that the Lord would make a big impact through her .
