Daily Email: Thursday, May 5, 2016

DEVOTION:  Acts 1:6-15English Standard Version (ESV)
 
"The Ascension"
⁶ So when they had come together, they asked him, "Lord, will you at this time restore the kingdom to Israel?" ⁷ He said to them, "It is not for you to know times or seasons that the Father has fixed by his own authority. ⁸ But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you, and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth." ⁹ And when he had said these things, as they were looking on, he was lifted up, and a cloud took him out of their sight. ¹⁰ And while they were gazing into heaven as he went, behold, two men stood by them in white robes, ¹¹ and said, "Men of Galilee, why do you stand looking into heaven? This Jesus, who was taken up from you into heaven, will come in the same way as you saw him go into heaven."
 
Notice that Jesus says, "You WILL be my witnesses."  He doesn't say, "You CAN be my witnesses"  or You SHOULD be my witnesses."  It says ""WILL".  If you are a Christian, and you profess with your mouth Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you will be saved, and by your salvation you will be His witness to the end of the earth. 
 
By your living in faith you will witness to the world about Jesus.  By your continual love, your forgiveness, your peace, you WILL be His witnesses to the end of the earth.  It isn't a choice.  The Holy Spirit will make you His witnesses. 
 
Are you being a witness?  Are you showing Christ?  If not, it's time to repent!  It's time to ask for forgiveness from the Lord, and from the those against whom you have sinned.
 
When you repent of your lack of witness, even your repentance will be a witness.  When you ask for forgiveness, even your confession of sin is an act of witness.  When someone sins against you and you forgive them openly and completely, there is no greater witness to the love and forgiveness of Christ!  When you care for your children and bring them up in the nurture and love of the Lord and make sure they know as much as they can about Jesus, you are His witnesses!  When you love your spouse with the love of Christ and give forgiveness and love like you should, you are a witness to Christ.  When you go to church and show people you are proud of your church, you are a witness to Christ.  When you are an honest and hard worker or boss, and love your coworkers and employees, and show them who Christ is by your actions, you are a witness for Christ.  I could go on and on.  You get the point. 
 
You don't have to be a professional church worker to be a witness for Christ.  In fact, the best witnesses for Christ aren't church workers at all.  I love my pastor, but he was a very busy man being the sole pastor of a congregation of 1,800 members for most of his life.  So he didn't have a lot of one on one time with members unless you needed counseling or wedding, funeral, confirmation services done.  The biggest Christian influences on my life were my parents and my teachers.  I thank the Lord every day for them! 
 
Who are you to someone else?  Whatever you are, may the Lord make you a witness to them in word, deed, and life! 
 
Prayer: Lord, make me a witness to someone today.  Amen.
 
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CALENDAR:
Thurs-  Alzheimers Support group 1pm; Lutheranism 101 7pm
Fri- Set up for Vendor fair, bake sale, and flea market. 
Sat-  Bake Sale, Vendor Fair, Flea Market 7am-1pm;  Worship 5pm
Sun- MOTHER'S DAY;  worship 8:30; Bible Study 9:45; Worship 11
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WORSHIP WORKERS:  
Acolyte- 8:30- George Pezold    11- Dawn Sherman

Ushers- Marv Hendershot, Don Luebke, Dave Callies, Don Nolte

Altar-  Set up- Linda Callies; Clean Up- Wanda Turnure

Elders-  Sat- Jason Cluver;  8:30- Roy Bohning;  11- Steve Robine
 
Greeters-  8:30- Erv Yoder;  11- Joan Sexton

Lay Readers- Sat- Sandra Perricone  8:30- Christy Winn; 11- Dawn Sherman

Organist- Rachel Fisher 
 
Piano- Barb Dreyer

Projectionists:  Sat- Perricone; 8:30- John Pezold   11- Jacob Cluver
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TODAY'S QUIZ:   What is Psalm 12 about?

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NEWS!!!! 

 

There will be a sale under the pavilion if you would like to donate items. The youth will be raising money for their National Youth Gathering trip under the pavilion and at the concession stand.

 

St. John's Lutheran Church, 950 S Hwy 47 in Warrenton. Please call the church office for more info. 636-456-2888.

 

THE QUILTERS WILL ALSO BE RAFFLING OFF THE QUILT THAT IS HANGING DOWNSTAIRS!!   

 

LADIES AID AND PALS MEMBERS PLEASE MAKE BAKED GOOD FOR THE BAKE SALE ON MAY 7!!

Please remember that we have a bake sale table at the vendor fair and flea market on May 7.  Please bring them the day before or the morning of the bake sale.   We need LOTS of baked goods to sell!!  Thanks in advance for participating!!!

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NATIONAL DAY OF PRAYER BREAKFAST AND SERVICE WAS WONDERFUL THIS MORNING!

Thanks to Sandy and Steve Robine for decorating and setting up the overflow, to Erv Yoder for helping me cook and get stuff upstairs, to Barb Dreyer for her lovely piano playing, and to the many who helped clean up afterward! 

 

KEEP PRAYING ALL DAY LONG EVERYONE!!!

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OUR NEXT GUN GLUB MEETING WILL BE TUESDAY, MAY 17 at 7pm!!.  IT WILL BE A "GET ACQUAINTED WITH ALL SORTS AND TYPES OF GUNS" EVENING. 

Paul Brockfeld and Jason Cluver will bring a wide variety of guns (shotguns, rifles, and handguns) for us to look at and learn how to operate.  We will all get to handle the guns.  No shooting. 

 

This will be a great opportunity check out all sorts of guns so you can be more confident and sure of your ability and knowledge, and even learn which one would best fit you!

 

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 PASTOR KLAUSTERMEIER IS BIKING 1,000 MILES THIS SUMMER FOR LEADACHILD!!!

We have been blessed beyond measure in the United States haven't we?  I want you to join me in making a global difference by releasing children from poverty through Christian education.

 

Instead of taking a week off and joining my fellow Lead a Child bikers who are riding the Fault Line across four states this year,  I have decided to go solo and bike 1,000 miles locally and while on vacation by August 1 to raise funds for LeadaChild. Would you sponsor me so that I can raise funds to support this most worthy organization?  In my opinion, there is no more worthy organization to support than LeadaChild!

 

LeadaChild  provides educational assistance to over 26,000 children and shares the love of Jesus Christ with the students and their families! LeadaChild supports the poorest of the poor children through Christian education in the following countries:

Guatemala                    Chad                       Honduras               Palestine               Haiti             Uganda

Gambia                          Ivory Coast            El Salvador            Nigeria                   Panama       Nicaragua

Burma                            Ghana                     Chile                       Venezuela             Bolivia         Mexico

Liberia                            Uruguay                Sri Lanka                India                       Guinea        Sierra Leone   

Bangladesh                   Cambodia              South Africa         Togo                       Thailand

 These students need your help to find a way out of poverty through Christian education and learn of the hope of Christ our Savior.

 

Please fill out your information below and send it with your check or donate online through the LeadaChild website: http://www.leadachild.org/bike

 

Every dollar makes a difference. Please give generously.  Please remember all of the riders in your prayers!  Thank you much for your support!

 

Biking For Kids Together,

Pastor Jeremy Klaustermeier

 

LeadaChild  is a 501 C-3 non-profit organization and is a Recognized Service Organization of the Lutheran Church Missouri Synod.

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HELP LITTLE LAMBS GET SOME NEW PLAYGROUND EQUIPMENT!!!

Order some Avon "Skin So Soft"  from Little Lambs to help them raise money for new playground equipment!  Call Karin at 314-691-7283 to place your order!

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OPERATION BACKPACK FOR MAY IS CANNED FRUIT!!!

Remember this is for the poor and needy children of our community and county that often receive two breakfast and lunch at school, and have very little or no food at home.

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GENERAL PRAYER

For CHERYL, a cousin of Tony and Sandra Perricone, who is going through breast cancer treatment right now. 

 

For WILMA JUNKER, a former member of St. John's, who had hip surgery and now has pneumonia. 

 

For BETH a daughter of a friend of the Fosters, who was in a very severe bicycle accident  and has broken ribs, and punctured lung and a broken shoulder.

 

For DON BRAZEE who is at home and receiving in home care  (They are calling it hospice care although he is in relatively good health, and is not in imminent danger of dying any time soon.  They just have no cure for the problems he is having.)

 

For CAROL BRAZEE who is struggling with severe bronchitis and is seeing a pulmonologist today.

 

For DENISE SCHLESSELMANN as she is in need of more funding to continue her mission work in the Czech Republic.

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National DAY of Prayer letter from Mrs. Shirley Dobson

For those who couldn't make it to our prayer breakfast and worship this morning, it was a wonderful morning!  It's not over yet!  It's a National DAY of Prayer. 
 
Pray all day!  Know that the Lord is with you wherever you go and talk to Him as you walk, work, talk, play, eat, and rest!!!
 
 
Below is a special letter from Shirley Dobson, the director of the NDP.  Read it!  It's good!

A Special Announcement from Mrs. Shirley Dobson Jeremy -- Americans have championed religious freedom since our earliest days. Many who first sought our shores were fleeing tyranny in search of a land where they could attain liberty and exercise their faith without constraint. As our forefathers labored to lay the groundwork for our republic, they asked God to illuminate their understanding and boldly spoke of His guidance and care. Through the years, personal and corporate prayer has been a source of courage and endurance in affliction, direction and wisdom in uncertainty, and hope and confidence in adversity. In times of prosperity, prayer has conveyed our humble gratitude for our good fortune. That commitment to faith and prayer has been instrumental in bringing us to this point in history and must not be forgotten. If we are to retain our strength of character, maintain the trust we have been given to uphold, and advance the tenets of our republic, it is necessary to preserve this vital aspect of American life. Sixty-five years ago, Congress established an annual "National Day of Prayer," recognizing our heritage of prayer and honoring the religious freedom that is treasured by our citizens. On May 5, 1988, Public Law 100-307 set aside the first Thursday of each May for this yearly observance. Three years later, the late Vonette Bright and the National Prayer Committee asked me to serve as the Chairman of the National Day of Prayer Task Force, to ensure this call to solemn assembly would be observed for generations to come. It was an assignment from God. In September of 1991, I started the new position. I was to call the nation to prayer with only $6,000 in the bank and the help of one volunteer. I sought the Lord and was reminded that little is much if God is in it…and He was! This year marks my 25th year as the Chairman of the National Day of Prayer and as I look back over the years, it is amazing to see how the Lord has blessed and grown this ministry to our nation. We now have eight incredible National Area Leaders who lead tens of thousands of volunteers. We have had as many has 43,000 prayer gatherings on the First Thursday of May with millions united in repentance before God. The National Observance is now broadcast into 90 countries around the world and lives are being changed and hearts transformed by this growing movement of prayer. We must not forget America's heritage. This nation was birthed in prayer and founded on the God of the Bible…on His Biblical principles and His moral values. Unfortunately, many have turned their backs on the Creator and we are reaping the consequences. Other nations have also defied Jehovah at their peril. The Scriptures tell of one such wicked city called Nineveh where the people turned away from God and were steeped in all kinds of idolatry and immorality. God said evil had become so prevalent in the land that He determined to destroy it. He told the Prophet Jonah to go to Nineveh and warn the people and their king that destruction would fall on their city. As we all know, they repented, cried out for mercy and forgiveness and God spared them. This is why the National Day of Prayer exists, and why I have led it for 25 years. I have longed to see America turn back to its spiritual roots. II Chronicles 7:14 tells us that "If my people, who are called by My name, will humble themselves and pray and seek My face and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, and I will forgive their sins and will heal their land." I believe in the power of prayer and I believe that God still hears the cries of His people. We desperately need His healing touch as our nation is drifting away from His righteousness and biblical teachings. Now is the time for us to be united in repentance before the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, just as Nineveh did, and I believe the time has come for me to pass the baton to a leader who shares this vision with me. We need someone who will bring us before the throne of the King of kings in humility and take up the mantle in such a critical hour, so that generations to come will praise and honor the Lord. It is time to cry out to Him in desperation and we need a passionate chairman who will champion this cause without wavering. I have been in prayer for many months, seeking whom God would anoint for that responsibility. He has answered…and called Mrs. Anne Graham Lotz to be the next Chairman of the National Day of Prayer Task Force, and she has graciously accepted. Let me share with you just a little about this incredible woman of faith. Anne Graham Lotz is called "the best preacher in the family" by her father, Billy Graham. In fact, the New York Times named Anne as one of the five most influential evangelists of her generation. She is a prayer warrior, a powerful speaker, a best-selling author of many much loved books, and the founder and president of her own organization, AnGeL Ministries. Her newest release is called, The Daniel Prayer. I can't wait to read it. Anne and her late husband, Dr. Danny Lotz, have three grown children and three grandchildren. I know that God has called the right person for such a time as this and in my new position as Chairman Emeritus, she will have my full support. I will also continue to champion the cause of prayer…America's Greatest Hope. Join with me in congratulating Mrs. Anne Graham Lotz! As a friend of this ministry, please know that we need your commitment and support more than ever. In the midst of change, it is tempting to pull back with a "wait and see" perspective. However, now is the time to move forward courageously with firm resolve. Will you help us continue this Legacy of Prayer in our nation? I am asking you to come alongside us as a ministry partner. Your contributions will enable us to continue to call our nation to intercession for generations to come. Thank you for standing with us. In closing, I want to thank those of you who have stood with me over these many years – beginning with my beloved husband, Jim – my gifted vice chairman, John Bornschein – my loyal Task Force – the dedicated National Area Leaders and tireless State and Regional Coordinators – the supportive National Prayer Committee and board of directors – my great friends on the Colorado Council for the National Day of Prayer – our faithful volunteers and supporters, and the many Congressmen who have sponsored the Capitol Hill Prayer Service. They have been an incredibly effective team. It has been my privilege and honor to serve you and the body of Christ for these 25 years. May God bless you and may God bless America (Psalms 33:12)! Sincerely, Mrs. James C. Dobson (Shirley) Chairman Emeritus National Day of Prayer Task Force P.S. Look for more details on this transition in forthcoming emails and letters from our offices. It is our desire to keep you informed throughout this process. http://www.nationaldayofprayer.org/ -=-=- National Day of Prayer Task Force · PO Box 64225, Colorado Springs, CO 80962, United States This email was sent to revklaus@hotmail.com. To stop receiving emails, click here. -=-=- Created with NationBuilder, software for leaders.