Daily Email: Monday, December 11, 2015

DEVOTION:  Psalm 80:1-7 (ESV)

80 Give ear, O Shepherd of Israel,
    you who lead Joseph like a flock.
You who are enthroned upon the cherubim, shine forth.
    Before Ephraim and Benjamin and Manasseh,
stir up your might
    and come to save us!

Restore us, O God;
    let your face shine, that we may be saved!

O Lord God of hosts,
    how long will you be angry with your people's prayers?
You have fed them with the bread of tears
    and given them tears to drink in full measure.
You make us an object of contention for our neighbors,
    and our enemies laugh among themselves.

Restore us, O God of hosts;
    let your face shine, that we may be saved! 

 

As Karin has been home lately she's been watching a lot of HGTV.  On that channel there are several shows like "Flip or Flop" and "Fixer Upper"  and other home renovation shows that take old houses and make them new.  They take the old junk out and replace it with all new or at least "repurposed" stuff.  They RESTORE what was useless and many times unlivable and turn it into something beautiful. 

 

That's the same thing King David is calling on God to do for us today.  He is calling on God to RESTORE us and make us new, to take away all the old sinful stuff in our lives and create a new heart and a right spirit within us.  He asks God to let his face shine upon us that we may be saved. 

 

How does this restoration happen?  Well, first there is the demolition.  When we confess our sins to God and turn from them to Him, it is as if he takes a sledge hammer to our sin and pulverizes it.  He totally annihilates all that nasty, old, shameful sin in us and clears it out leaving it in the dumpster of hell. 

 

Next he takes his own love, his mercy, and his grace and begins to repair the holes in the wall and all the stains and blemishes that sin has left behind.  He white washes the walls and primes them with his forgiveness. 

 

Thirdly, in the place of all that old cabinetry and furniture, he places new fixtures of joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, and self control.  He takes what was a heart of stone and replaces it with a pure heart that is full of him. 

 

Lastly, he dwells in that heart with His power and might so that he can keep it clean and pure.  He keeps it clean as His own Word goes into the hears and straight to the heart, and as His own body and blood go into the mouth for the forgiveness of sins.  And as he dwells in it there is peace in his newly renovated house and it is a peace that passes all understanding but never goes away.

 

How wonderful is that?  Who knew that when we surrender our dirty, cold, and useless heart to God he is able to do such wonderfully miraculous things? 

 

Remember this all during this Advent and Christmas Season.  If you heart, your soul, needs some major renovations get them done today at no cost to you.  The price has already been paid by Christ on the cross!  The whole bill is paid in full!  Alleluia!  Praise the Lord! 

 

Prayer:  Thank you for restoring us, O Lord, and for creating a new and right spirit within me.  Amen.

 

 

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CALENDAR:

Mon- Confirmation 5-6:15; High School youth and parents meeting 6:15-6:45

Tues- No quilting or Bible study till after Christmas

Wed- Supper 5:30; Worship 6:30; Choir 7:15

Thurs- GARMS FAMILY CONCERT 6pm!!

Fri- Bible Study at Hendershot's 7pm
Sat- Men's Breakfast 8am; Sunday school Christmas program practice 9-11; Worship 5
Sun- Worship 8:30; Sunday school 9:45; Sunday School Christmas Program 11am

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WORSHIP WORKERS:  
Acolyte- Wed- Jack Bunge; 8:30- Sarah Cluver  ; 11- Alaina Heitgerd

Ushers- Wed- Marv Hendershot, Don Luebke, Donn Nolte, Dave Callies  Sun- Figura Family

Altar- Set Up- Cheri' Hofeldt; Clean up- Pam Linke

Elders- Sat- Randy Fischer; 8:30- Steve McDowell; 11- Charlie Figura
Greeters- 8:30- Lew and Dianne Feldkamp; 11- Marv and Molly Hendershot

Lay readers- Sat- Marcia Sevier 8:30- Sandra Perricone 11-  Steve Robine

Sat. Pianist- Kathy Barrow

Organist-  Rachel Fisher

Projectionists: Sat. Perricone  8:30- ???? , 11- ????

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YESTERDAY'S  BIBLE QUIZ:    Which Gospel (Matthew, Mark, Luke or John) was most probably the first to be written?

 

I'll leave this up since no one answered yet. 

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NEWS!!!! 
THE GARMS FAMILY SINGERS WILL BE HERE FOR A CHRISTMAS CONCERT ON THURSDAY AT 6PM!!
They are a wonderfully talented family who use their God-given abilities to honor him and bring entertainment to churches all around the USA.  Please mark your calendars and make every effort to be there.  You won't be disappointed.
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Those RESPONSIBLE FOR BRINGING FOOD WEDNESDAY NIGHT ARE AS FOLLOWS:
Barrow
Beasley
Boeger Rich
Boeger Carol
Bueltmann
Bunge
Christophene
Coleman Ruth
Donsky
Fischer Randy Jr.
Foster
Frye
Hachtel
Herzog
Hoelscher Maryanne
Hoenig
Howard John, Shawna
Linke Bob
Linke Tim
Marschel
Marshall
McRoy
Neeley
Nitzschke Jane
Owenby
Perrey
Pucket Mike
Rahn
Ruhl
Russell
Schlenther
Sexton
Smith Mabel
Smith Mike and Peggy
Stockmann
VanHorn Ralph
Vessell
Woolf
Yoder
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HOPE FULL LIVING DEVOTIONS FOR SENIORS AVAILABLE TO ORDER FROM CHURCH FOR $8 FOR THE WHOLE YEAR!!
"Hope Full Living" is a daily devotional booklet just for seniors that Pastor contributes to.  He usually has one or two of his own devotions in it.  If we get 10 or more people to order it and each person gives $8 we can order them in bulk and have them mailed to church.  Order yours today by calling the church office!
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WARREN COUNTY COMMUNITY FITNESS CENTER IS BEGINNING NEW CLASS SESSIONS on JANUARY 4!!
They also have the gym open Monday-Friday 8am-7pm and Saturday 8am-noon.
 
It's in the old NIKE store in the mall. 
 
There are discounts for Senior and Kids.  Stop by to sign up today!
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MEN'S BREAKFAST IS THIS SATURDAY AT 8AM!
Biscuits and gravy, scrambled eggs, sausage and some sort of Christmas treat. 
 
Please RSVP today!!
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OPERATION BACKPACK FOR DECEMBER IS CANNED SOUP AND RAMEN NOODLES!!! 
Please help feed the less fortunate kids in Warrenton and Warren County, all of whom get two meals at school during the school week, but go hungry on weekends. 
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OFFERING ENVELOPES ARE ON THE TABLE IN THE NARTHEX!!!
If you are a confirmed member of St. John's you have offering envelopes!  Take them home!  Put money in them!  And Bring them back as your offering to the Lord!
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UNMARKED BLUE ENVELOPE CONTRIBUTIONS ARE GOING TO THE BUILDING EXPANSION PROGRAM
If you'd like it to go to the DCE fund you need to mark it for that!  Please make sure you mark the ENVELOPE clearly for the DCE PROGRAM!

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DO YOU HAVE A KROGER CARD?  ENROLL IT IN THE COMMUNITY REWARDS PROGRAM!!!
Register it online www.krogercommunityrewards.com and have it swiped each time you shop to earn money for Little Lambs. 
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GENERAL PRAYERS:
For IRMA TRAVELET, as she is having some complications and is losing her will to live.
 
For DAVE CALLIES as he recovers from losing a finger and injuries to others.
 
For CAL TAMELER as he is dealing with many complications and struggles with his eye.
 
For DAVE WINTER as he awaits an important test to identify troubling results from a prostate exam.
 
For DON PANHORST who is recovering from his third round of chemo. 
 
For DONNNA LINDSEY'S DAD, as he has been moved to Lincoln County Nursing and Rehab to recover from kidney troubles.
 
For KARIN KLAUSTERMEIER as she recovers from her hysterectomy.   
 
For MARIANNE LINKE, who has been moved to Warrenton Manor and is receiving treatment and antibiotics for a very stubborn infection.
 
For DENISE SCHLESSELMANN as she is in the Czech Republic to continue her mission work.
 
 
For WILMA WEIGLE as she continues to deal with the after effects of a severe stroke almost two years ago.  



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