We have three St. John's members who are graduating from high school this week!
Thank the Lord for:
Kailyn Blechle
Sam Johnson
Austin Heitgerd
Please say a prayer of thanksgiving for them, and pray for their futures that they would give God honor and glory in all they say and do.
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Please pray for LIBBY PAILER as she was hospitalized last week with heart troubles.
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7 Now when the king lived in his house and the Lord had given him rest from all his surrounding enemies, 2 the king said to Nathan the prophet, "See now, I dwell in a house of cedar, but the ark of God dwells in a tent." 3 And Nathan said to the king, "Go, do all that is in your heart, for the Lord is with you."
4 But that same night the word of the Lord came to Nathan, 5 "Go and tell my servant David, 'Thus says the Lord: Would you build me a house to dwell in? 6 I have not lived in a house since the day I brought up the people of Israel from Egypt to this day, but I have been moving about in a tent for my dwelling. 7 In all places where I have moved with all the people of Israel, did I speak a word with any of the judges[a] of Israel, whom I commanded to shepherd my people Israel, saying, "Why have you not built me a house of cedar?"' 8 Now, therefore, thus you shall say to my servant David, 'Thus says the Lord of hosts, I took you from the pasture, from following the sheep, that you should be prince[b] over my people Israel. 9 And I have been with you wherever you went and have cut off all your enemies from before you. And I will make for you a great name, like the name of the great ones of the earth. 10 And I will appoint a place for my people Israel and will plant them, so that they may dwell in their own place and be disturbed no more. And violent men shall afflict them no more, as formerly, 11 from the time that I appointed judges over my people Israel. And I will give you rest from all your enemies. Moreover, the Lord declares to you that the Lord will make you a house.
16 And your house and your kingdom shall be made sure forever before me.[a] Your throne shall be established forever.'"
Sometimes we have in mid to do great things for God. We'll grow a church. We'll build a new addition. We'll go and be missionaries. I'll do this for the Lord. I'll do that for the Lord. Why is this wrong thinking? It seems legitimate. It seems to go with what God would want us to do. So why does King David seem to get scolded by God when he decides to build a house for the Lord? Easy… because it was his idea and not God's.
God never commanded David, or anyone else for that matter, to build him a house. He was just fine moving around in a tent. In fact, he preferred it. When a house of God is built, it has to be built by God and according to God's command. If it is just someone's idea, it may look successful on the outside, but God will not approve. It has to be for God's purposes and according to God's standard.
The same is true for anything we set our minds to do. If you read through almost every part of the Old Testament you will see that when people moved without the authority or direction of God, they always failed. IF they set out on a journey, they would get lost. If they went into battle they would be defeated badly. Even when Moses struck the rock instead of speaking it, it did not go well with him. He wasn't allowed to enter the Promised Land.
Any work, any life, any position, anything you do will not be satisfying or successful in God's eyes if he is not in it. It may look successful to humans, but it will always make a person feel empty and unsatisfied. A person who sets his mind on making as much money as he can will never have enough. A person who makes it to the top without God's approval will find only emptiness there. A person who only goes into relationships for selfish reason will never find fulfillment or true love in those relationships. I could go on and on.
It is best, as children of God, to simply say what James says, "If it is God's will we will do this or that and go here or there." "If it is God's will." Those are the best words we can say as we begin each and every day. May whatever you do, whether in word or deed, be God's will today.
Prayer: Lord God, make me surrender to you and do your will today. Amen.
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CALENDAR:
Mon- Little Lambs Christmas party 10; Confirmation canceled
Tues- Quilting 9-2; Little Lambs Christmas party 10
Wed- Supper 5:30; Sunday school Christmas program 6:30; Choir 7:15
Thurs- Karate Christmas party
Sat- No worship
Sun- Christmas Eve morning worship 10am; Candlelight worship 7pm
Mon- Christmas Day worship 10am
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WORSHIP WORKERS:
Acolyte- Wed- Luke Rausch;
Christmas Eve morning 10am- Gus Klaustermeier
7pm- Nick Schulze
Christmas Day 10- Abby Vossen
Ushers- Wed- Brent Davis, Gary Hoelscher, Ben Holescher
Sun 10am- Dave Callies, Marv Hendershot, Kevin Luebke, Don Nolte
Sun 7pm- Jason Figura, Brett Nordwald, Erv Yoder
Mon 10am- Rich Boeger, Don Hancce, Don Tate, Doug Walters
Altar-
Wed candles- Don Hance;
Sun 10am- Set up Lucille Luebke;
Mon- Clean up Sandy Robine
Elder-
Sun 10am- Jason Cluver;
7pm- Al Benton
Mon 10am- Don Turnure
NO Greeters this weekend
No Lay Readers this weekend
Organist Wed and Sun- Pat Golden; Mon- Molly Hendershot
Projectionist- Sun 10- McKenzie; 7pm ????
Sun, December 31 (New Years Eve Morning)
Acolyte- Jared Cluver
Organist- Barb Dreyer
Ushers- Alan Hofeldt, Tim Linke, Rich Talbert, Don Turnure
Altar Set up- Terry McKenzie
Altar Clean Up- John and Anna Hoenig
Communion Assistant- Rich Talbert
Greeters- Doug and Ruth Walters
Projectionist- McKenzie
Lay Reader- Yoder
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YESTERDAY'S QUIZ: When did Paul write the letter to the Colossians? While he was in prison in Rome, about 60A.D. (Thanks Don!)
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TODAY'S QUIZ: Who was Titus and where did he live?
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NEWS:
OUR NEXT ADVENT DINNER IS WEDNESDAY AT 5:30! EVERYONE IS INVITED!!! INVITE YOUR FRIENDS AND NEIGHBORS!!
All in elder groups 7 and 8 are responsible for bringing either a side dish, salad or dessert! Fried chicken will be the main course!
At 6:30 we will have our Sunday school Christmas program! There'll be lots of good hymns to sing!
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THERE WILL BE TWO CHRISTMAS EVE WORSHIP SERVICES THIS YEAR AT 10am and 7pm, AND ONE CHRISTMAS DAY SERVICE AT 10am!
The two Christmas Eve services will be slightly different from each other, so if you'd like to attend them both, you're more than welcome to do so. You can never get enough Jesus at Christmas.
I'm looking forward to seeing all of you!
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NEW YEARS CELEBRATION ON NEW YEAR'S EVE MORNING!!
We will have one service on New Year's Eve with a potluck afterward! Our main dish will be sloppy joes and we'll have chips there as well. Please bring a side dish or dessert to share! Bring all your leftover cookies!! There will be a sign up sheet to let us know you're coming on the counter in the narthex, but even if you don't rsvp, please come!! We'll have plenty of food!
We're going to plan our personal "goals" for 2018!!
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THERE WILL BE NO SUNDAY SCHOOL OR ADULT BIBLE CLASS ON EITHER CHRISTMAS EVE MORNING OR NEW YEAR'S EVE MORNING!!
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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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SUNDAY SCHOOL MEMORY VERSE IS: "Rejoice always! Pray without ceasing! Give thanks in all circumstances! 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18
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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 PAUL TOEDEBUSCH who fell on Friday and sprained his ankle and broke a bone in his leg.
For LEO BADER as he will be having hip replacement surgery this week.
For PEGGY TALBERT who is recovering from knee replacement surgery at home.
For TONI MAUCH who is recovering from hip replacement surgery at home
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 JENNIFER RAHN, who is recovering from heart valve replacement surgery and is dealing with rheumatoid arthritis problems.
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.
