Daily Email: Thursday, February 2, 2017

Matthew 5:13-20 English Standard Version (ESV)

Salt and Light

¹³ "You are the salt of the earth, but if salt has lost its taste, how shall its saltiness be restored? It is no longer good for anything except to be thrown out and trampled under people's feet.

¹⁴ "You are the light of the world. A city set on a hill cannot be hidden.¹⁵ Nor do people light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on a stand, and it gives light to all in the house. ¹⁶ In the same way, let your light shine before others, so that^[a] they may see your good works and give glory to your Father who is in heaven.

Christ Came to Fulfill the Law

¹⁷ "Do not think that I have come to abolish the Law or the Prophets; I have not come to abolish them but to fulfill them. ¹⁸ For truly, I say to you, until heaven and earth pass away, not an iota, not a dot, will pass from the Law until all is accomplished. ¹⁹ Therefore whoever relaxes one of the least of these commandments and teaches others to do the same will be called least in the kingdom of heaven, but whoever does them and teaches them will be called great in the kingdom of heaven. ²⁰ For I tell you, unless your righteousness exceeds that of the scribes and Pharisees, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven.

 

Are you effected by the world, or is the world effected by you?  It's a simple question, but one that means a whole lot today.  I know that for all of us, it is a bit of both, but how much of each is it?

I know a lot of people who are extremely effected by everything that goes on in the world.  They are often overly dramatic and full of life, but also are tossed to and fro by every wind of change that comes along.  I love these kinds of people, but sometimes they get on my nerves, especially when they get to complaining. 

All of us can be that way.  We can get to a point in our lives that we are only effected by the world and have no effect on it ourselves.  Actually, it's not even us who effects the world, it's the Holy Spirit who works through us, but when we get into one of those moods where "everybody hates me, nobody likes me, I should go eat worms" kind of moods, we are losing are saltiness and keeping our light hid under a bushel.  We are muting the work of the Holy Spirit in our lives. 

Now, I'm not saying that we have to walk around all happy and cheerful all the time.  Those people drive me nuts too.  What I am saying is that we have a most wonderful and beautiful gift in the fact that the Holy Spirit lives in us.  Because He lives in us, we have the fruits of the Spirit, namely love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self control. 

Don't mute the Holy Spirit.  Don't let the devil get you down by pointing to everything that is sinful in this world.  Instead be the salt of the earth and add the flavor of the Holy Spirit to it!  Be the light of the world and bring light into the darkness of many live by living in those fruits of the Spirit. 

Let us pray: Lord, make me the salt of the earth and the light of the world by Your Holy Spirit, that I may have more of an effect on the world than the world has on me.  Amen.

 

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CALENDAR

Thurs- Alzheimers Caregiver support group 1pm; Lutheranism 101 6:30pm

Sat-  Worship 5pm
Sun- Worship 8:30 and 11; Sunday school and Adult Bible class 9:45; Shop with Scrip Orders Due

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WORSHIP WORKERS FOR THIS COMING WEEKEND:  
Acolyte-  8:30- Loren Howard 11- Gus Klaustermeier

Ushers-  Scott Heitgerd, Jim Huster, Bob Linke, Tom Linke

Altar- Set up- Jodi Baldwin; Clean up- Pam Linke

Elders-  Sat- Dave Winter; 8:30- Roy Bohning; 11- Randy Sweet
 
Greeters-  8:30- John and Anna Hoenig; 11- Al and Karen Benton

Lay Readers- Sat- Marcia Sevier; 8:30- Roy Bohning; 11- Randy Sweet

Piano-  Barb Dreyer

Organist- Rachel Fisher

Projectionists: Sat- Mauch; 8:30- McKenzie; 11- Klaustermeier
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YESTERDAY'S QUIZ:  

In Exodus 36 what good "problem" did the Israelites have?  They had more offerings and money than they had room for, so Moses had to tell them to stop giving.  Thanks Don!

 

(I can only imagine how many people we could help if this were the case at St. John's.  It is a good lesson on giving freely by the power of the Holy Spirit and not letting your finances mute your joy!)

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TODAY'S QUIZ: What was the breastpiece of the High Priest for?

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NEWS!!!! 

FILL UP THOSE BABY BOTTLES AND BRING THEM BACK THIS WEEKEND!!

You have one week left to get them full of checks, cash, and spare change!  Return them to church February 4 or 5!

 

If you weren't in church this weekend and would like a baby bottle, come by and pick one up this week, or pick one up this weekend when you come to worship!

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LUTHERANISM 101 IS EVERY THURSDAY AT 6:30pm!!!

It's painless and it's a good time of fellowship!

 

If I can get just five people to show up, I will bring dessert!  (That would be two more than we had last week.)

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STEPHEN MINISTRY IS LOOKING FOR SOME NEW STEPHEN LEADERS

If you love caring for others and consider yourself a leader, this is the perfect way for you to serve the Lord and your church family!

 

The Stephen Leader training is April 23-29 at the Renaissance Hotel by the airport this year and the cost of the training is covered by the church.  If you choose to stay at the hotel you will have to pay for that yourself.  It's only a 35 minute commute to the training from Warrenton.

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TRAVELING FELLOWSHIP GROUP IS GOING TO FULTON ON SATURDAY, APRIL 8!

The group will be boarding a charter bus at 7:45am that day, first heading to the Auto World Museum, secondly to The Copper Mine Restaurant for lunch, and finally to the Churchill Museum before heading home.  They will arrive home around 5:30 that evening.  The cost will be around $65 including lunch, but the more people that go, the cheaper it will be. 

YOUTH STEAK DINNER AND AUCTION WILL BE MARCH 25!

OUR YOUTH STEAK DINNER AND AUCTION HAS BEEN MOVED BACK A MONTH AND IS TENTATIVELY SCHEDULED FOR SATURDAY, MARCH 25!  Also, THANK YOU LETTERS to those church members who donated last year are in your church mailboxes!!

OFFERING ENVELOPES ARE IN YOUR CHURCH MAILBOXES IF YOU HAVEN'T PICKED THEM UP YET!!

Maybe you didn't know that you had them, but if you are a confirmed member of St. John's you have your own church mailbox and your own offering envelopes!  Check your mailbox today!!

BLUE ENVELOPES IN YOUR OFFERING ENVELOPE BOXES ARE FOR THE BUILDING FUND!!!

Please note that your blue envelopes are for our BUILDING FUND.  Please use them appropriately!  Let's get this building built!!

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OPERATION BACKPACK ITEMS COLLECTED FOR THE MONTH OF FEBRUARY ARE CANNED FRUIT AND VEGETABLES!

Any size can, and any kind of fruit or vegetable is appreciated.    Place them in the receptacle marked "Backpack Blessings" in the narthex.

 

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AGAPE DONATIONS ALWAYS ACCEPTED!!

Any nonperishable food items, diapers, toiletries, etc.!!

 

Perishable food items can be taken directly to Agape at 713 Powell St. in Warrenton.  Call 456-4645 to find out when they're open or for more info.

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YOUR KROGER CARD CAN EARN MONEY FOR LITTLE LAMBS

Go to www.kroger.com/communityawards and register your card today!!

__________________________________________________________________________________________GENERAL PRAYER

For PASTOR MICHAEL PIPER, (pastor at St. Paul's, New Melle) who is doing very poorly and is in ICU at DePaul again.

 

For the SPOEDE FAMILY as they mourn the death of Mike's mom Marjorie, and lay her body to rest today.

 

For ROSE DEPEW, mother of Randy Sweet, who is still undergoing tests to identify what caused her seizures.  It may not even be a stroke.

 

For CAROL BRAZEE AND FAMILY as they mourn the death of her sister.

 

For PETE FRENZIA who is recovering from back surgery at University Hospital in Columbia. .

 

For CAROL BRAZEE who is recovering from a lung infection at home

 

For MARIANNE LINKE, who is dealing with severe back pain and issues with her medication.  She is at Warrenton Manor.

 

For Mim Dunn's nephew DAVID HAHN who is dealing with severe throat cancer.

 

For BARB PERRICONE who is back home on hospice care.

 

For LOIS BOEGER'S MOM, EVELYN TOEDEBUSCH,  who has been on hospice care for the last few months and slows down a little more every day, but is doing well.