DEVOTION: Mark 11:1-10English Standard Version (ESV)
The Triumphal Entry
11 Now when they drew near to Jerusalem, to Bethphage and Bethany, at the Mount of Olives, Jesus[a] sent two of his disciples 2 and said to them, "Go into the village in front of you, and immediately as you enter it you will find a colt tied, on which no one has ever sat. Untie it and bring it. 3 If anyone says to you, 'Why are you doing this?' say, 'The Lord has need of it and will send it back here immediately.'"4 And they went away and found a colt tied at a door outside in the street, and they untied it. 5 And some of those standing there said to them, "What are you doing, untying the colt?" 6 And they told them what Jesus had said, and they let them go. 7 And they brought the colt to Jesus and threw their cloaks on it, and he sat on it. 8 And many spread their cloaks on the road, and others spread leafy branches that they had cut from the fields. 9 And those who went before and those who followed were shouting, "Hosanna! Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord! 10 Blessed is the coming kingdom of our father David! Hosanna in the highest!"
I know what you're thinking. "Isn't this the Palm Sunday gospel reading? Why is it here at the beginning of Advent?" The answer is simple. Palm Sunday marks the entering of Jesus into Jerusalem on holy week to destroy sin and death forever on the cross, and we are marking the entrance of Jesus into our hearts and lives to turn us and transform us into his people and to destroy the sin in our own lives and keep us from eternal death.
The people in Jerusalem that Sunday were excited, because Jesus was coming and they were expecting him to do great things in their city. He had raised Lazarus from the dead, healed the blind and lame, and fed 5,000 men plus women and children with five loaves and two fish. What was he going to do in this holiest of cities?
Although they didn't recognize it right away, he did far more than heal a few people, raise one person from the dead, and feed them fish and bread. He destroyed death, and the power of the devil and hell forever! He finished his perfect course of life here on earth, the life that we couldn't live, and then he took our death upon himself, suffered hell, and rose again from that death so that we wouldn't die! He swallowed up death forever!
Rejoice in Christ today! Sing hosanna to His name! Make known among the nations what he has done! See! Your king comes to you, righteous and having salvation, riding on a donkey's colt, riding to his death, riding to his victory! Hosanna! Alleluia!
Prayer: Lord, thank you for riding into Jerusalem that day! Thank you for knowing us as we truly are, sinners deserving hell, and dying for us anyway. Thank you for loving us! Thank you for adventing to earth to save us! Amen.
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CALENDAR:
Thurs- Confirmation make up 6; Karate 6:15
Sat- Highway clean up 10:30am; Worship- 5pm
Sun- Worship 8:30 and 11; Adult Bible class and Sunday school 9:45; Decorating church for Christmas noon
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WORSHIP WORKERS:
Acolyte- 8:30- Jared Cluver; 11- Cameron Faerber
Ushers- Rich Boeger, Don Hance, Don Tate, Doug Walters
Altar- Set up- Ruth Walters; Clean Up- Sandy Robine
Elder- Sat- Roy Bohning; 8:30- Jason Cluver; 11- Al Benton
Greeters- 8:30- Rich and Peggy Talbert; 11- ???
Lay Reader- Sat- Sandra Perricone; 8:30- Jennifer Figura; 11- Loren Howard
Pianist Sat- Barb Dreyer; Sun 11- Molly Hendershot
Organist- Barb Dreyer
Projectionist- Sat- Toni Mauch; 8:30- Erv Yoder; 11- Savannah Masters
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YESTERDAY'S QUIZ: Who was Silas? Eminent member of the early Christian church. Residing at Jerusalem as teacher, but accompanied Paul on his tours and was his fellow prisoner at Philippi. Said to be bishop of Corinth. Acts 15,17,and 18. 2 Cor. 1 1 Thess. 1. Thanks Don!
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TODAY'S QUIZ: Who was Apollos?
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NEWS:
CHRISTMAS DECORATING AFTER CHURCH ON SUNDAY!!! Be there at noon to help! I will get pizza for everyone who shows up!
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SCRIP ORDERS ARE DUE NEXT MONDAY, DECEMBER 4!
Get all those Christmas gift cards bought and help out your church at the same time!! Get order forms on the counter in the narthex, or from the church office!
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SUNDAY SCHOOL CHRISTMAS PROGRAM SPECIAL PRACTICES ON THE FOLLOWING DATES:
Friday, Dec. 8 5:30-8pm
Sat, Dec. 16, 9-Noon
All parents and kids should plan on being there for these practices! VERY IMPORTANT STUFF!
THE PROGRAM WILL BE ON WEDNESDAY, DEC. 20 at 6:30 during our regular midweek Advent service!!
If you would like your children to be in the program, they need to be at Sunday school!
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SIGN UP SHEET TO BUY A POINSETTIA FOR CHRISTMAS EVE AND DAY IS ON THE COUNTER IN THE NARTHEX! COST IS $13.50
It is a wonderful way to honor the memory of someone or just someone you love!
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LITTLE LAMBS IS SELLING CANDY BARS AND COULD USE YOUR HELP!
If you'd like to help sell a box or two of candy bars as a fundraiser for Little Lambs preschool. Let Terry or one of the preschool ladies know. They'll hook you up right quick!
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OUR FIRST ADVENT DINNER WILL BE ON WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 6 AT 5:30!
All in elder groups 1-3 are responsible for bringing either a side dish or salad and a dessert! Fried chicken will be the main course for all three meals! Worship will begin at 6:30! We'll hear different voices proclaim the coming of Jesus! Zechariah (The Benedictus), Gabriel (the announcement to Mary), and Mary (the Magnificat) will proclaim the birth long foretold!
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LADIES AID CHRISTMAS PARTY WILL BE AT DENNY'S ON WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 6 AT NOON!
Please sign up on the sign up sheet on the counter in the narthex or call Terry to rsvp!
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VOTER'S MEETING RESULTS FROM LAST SUNDAY
- The voters nominated President Lee Hagan for district president and VP Ron Rall for another term.
- The voters voted to keep the same mission project, Rev.. Micah and Dorothy Glenn in North County, for 2018.
- Larry Schulze, Jim McRae, and Teresa Brockfeld all volunteered to be on the board of trustees! Thank you to these three volunteers!
- We are still in need of two board members for the board of education, and four members for the board of elders.
- The voters approved the budget for 2018. Thanks to Alan Hofeldt for putting it together.
- Since we continuously have trouble filling our boards and committees and since things could be done a whole lot better and more efficiently with a different structure, the voters approved the appointing of a task force to study changes to our governance structure so that we can tap into all the unused potential, so that people who want to do good in the congregation don't have to commit to boards and committees for 9 years, and so that the work of the church can be disbursed among those who actually want to do it! PRAISE THE LORD!!
- The voters approved changing the overflow accordion door to a permanent wall with doors and windows in it to convert the overflow to a cry room.
- The voter's also approved a budget of $450,000 for our building project so that we can move forward with hiring an architect.
As you can see, a lot is getting done in and around St. John's. It may be slow going at times, but God is definitely moving! I'm excited to see what God has in store for 2018!! It's gonna be a great year watching A LOT of people come to Christ and become members of St. John's! If you'd like to volunteer for our task force to look into structure changes, please reply to this email. Please look for lots of wonderful stuff to be happening in the near future, and PRAY, PRAY, PRAY for St. John's that we can grow in making disciples in, out and together!!
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SUNDAY SCHOOL MEMORY VERSE IS: "When the Son of Man comes in his glory, and all the angels with him, then he will sit on his glorious throne."
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DO YOU HAVE A THRIVENT FINANCIAL ACCOUNT OR POLICY?
You may be eligible to receive money for Little Lambs or Good Shepherd!! Go to www.thrivent.com/choicedollars to check it out!
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OPERATION BACKPACK DONATIONS FOR THE MONTH OF NOVEMBER IS INDIVIDUALLY WRAPPED SNACKS AND PACKETS OF OATMEAL.
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PRAYERS:
For our CHURCH, as we begin to make some big changes to both our governance structure and our building, and as we move forward to make disciples of all nations.
For JIM HUSTER, who is hospitalized with internal bleeding in his leg.
For JENNIFER RAHN, who is recovering from heart valve replacement surgery at home.
For LINDA CALLIES, who is recovering from infection at home.
For GEORGE HOELSCHER, BUCK HAMPTON, DENISE HOOKER (betty Tameler's daughter) as they continue to deal with cancer.
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PRAYERS FOR OUR MILITARY PERSONNEL:
For COLTON FIGURA deployed to Turkey, SAM HARGROVE deployed in Kuwait and DAN DREYER deployed to Kandahar, Afghanistan, that the Lord would keep them safe from harm during their service and bring them home safely.
For DAVID TATE stationed in Japan, and ALEX WALTERS, stationed in Tennessee. That God would bless their service to our country and keep them safe as they all await possible deployment.
For CALEB FIGURA AND VINCE MASTERS who are both serving our country in the National Guard and take time out of their lives, jobs, and families to go on duty several times a year.
