Thurs. Mar. 6 , 2014

DEVOTION: "Where you go I will go, and where you stay I will stay.  Your people will be my people and your God, my God..."  The Story p.122 
One of the highlights of my year every year is our youth mission/servant trip!  We go to a place that is far enough away from home that the kids get to experience being away from home and all of its distractions and focus on the task at hand whether it be teaching little kids in a VBS as we have done previously, cleaning up after hurricanes or tornadoes, and the many other things we have done. 
 
Part of the experience is the actual trip.  It is the getting away from it all to experience new things and new people, and being away from the normal distractions of every day life.  On July 6-11 we will be heading up to Lutheran Island Camp in Henning, MN to work with the camp in construction, in witnessing and ministering to the community and some will get to work in the care of horses at their Equestrian camp. 
 
Yet, you don't have to take a "trip" to "Go and make disciples of all nations".  Your mission "trip" your "servant event" begins once you step out your door and go to work or school.  Your mission "trip" begins once you turn on your computer, tablet, or phone.  It begins the moment you come into contact with anyone at all.
 
People are hurting wherever you go.  People need the love of Christ wherever you are!  By virtue of your baptism into Christ and the fact that you are a new creation YOU ARE A MISSIONARY!
 
Ruth was committed to her mother in law wherever she went but most importantly are her words "Your God will be my God."  It didn't matter where Ruth lived, whether it was in Moab or Bethlehem.  Wherever she lived the one true God was her God! 
 
Realize today that wherever you go, THERE IS GOD!  Live as a missionary before Him.
 
Prayer:  Lord God, wherever you go I will go and where you stay I will stay.  Create in me a clean heart, O God, and renew a right spirit within me so that I may be your missionary.  Amen.
 
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WEDNESDAY'S QUIZ: What is a kinsman (guardian) redeemer?  The closest living relative to the husband of a widow.  That relative was responsible for taking care of the widow and her property.  Boaz was the closest living relative to Naomi (a cousin to Ruth's husband.) 

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THURSDAY'S QUIZ:  What was the name of the other daughter in law of Naomi?

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CALENDAR:

Thurs- Alzheimer's Support Group 1pm
Sat- Bible class 4pm; worship 5pm; Set clocks ahead 1 hr for daylight savings time
Sun- worship 8:30 and 11; Sunday school and Adult Bible Class (The Story Chapter 9); Elder's meeting noon; Widow's Group at Whispering Pines noon; H.S. Bible Study 5pm at China House Buffet
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WORSHIP WORKERS FOR THIS COMING WEEKEND
Acolytes- 8:30- George Pezold; 11- Jacob Nagel
Altar guild- Set up- Terry McKenzie; Clean up- Joanne Hachtel
Greeters- 8:30- Tim and Kathleen Sherman; 11- Steve and Sandy Robine
Communion Assistants- Sat- Randy Sweet; 8:30- Don Turnure; 11- Steve Robine
Lay Readers- Sat- Randy Sweet; 8:30- Lois Boeger;  11am- Jacob Nagel
Sat. Pianist- Barb Dreyer
8:30 Ushers- Alan Hofeldt, Tim Linke, Rich Talbert, Don Turnure

Projectors- Sat- Perricones; Sun- McKenzie, 11- Sam Johnson
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NEWS:

ASH WEDNESDAY WAS GREAT LAST NIGHT!!

It was great to see church packed tonight! 144 souls heard God's Word, received Christ's body and blood, praised the Lord, and enjoyed a great night of fellowship! A great way to kick off this Lenten season! I love my church!

 

A special thank you to the Shermans, McDowells, Jaegers, and Pezolds for providing a wonderful meal for all those people!

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NEXT WEDNESDAY'S MENU AND WORSHIP TEXT:

Chili and all the fixin's, hotdogs, and dessert

 

Come and hear David's Psalm 32:1-7  "Blessed is the one whose transgression is FORGIVEN!"
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CHILDREN'S EDUCATION INITIATIVE

The Children’s Education Initiative is seeking to place an amendment on the November ballot that would allow people to receive a Missouri state tax credit for donations made to nonprofit corporations that provide funds to improve programs in public school districts, provide scholarships for students to attend parochial K-12 schools, or support special education services for children.

Our first task is to gain sufficient signatures to place the amendment on the ballot for voters to decide.  More information and particulars about the amendment are available at www.ceimissouri.org or www.mo.lcms.org.   This is a great way to provide tax credits to individuals and companies while enhancing the K-12 education of children in Missouri.  Our Lutheran schools would use the foundation monies to provide financial assistance to families, thereby making our Lutheran schools accessible for more children.

     More information will be shared on March 9th.  If you are a registered voter, please stop by the table in the Welcome Center in the following weeks to sign the petition.  You are not voting for the amendment but simply placing it on the ballot so that you and other voters can decide in November.   

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LITTLE LAMBS ENROLLMENT IS OPEN FOR ST. JOHN'S MEMBERS AND FAMILIES!!!
There is a $30 nonrefundable registration fee.  Students must be 3 or 4 years old by Aug 1.  Enrollment for the community will begin April 1.  For more info call Lisa Rausch or Karin Klaustermeier.
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PASTOR NEEDS SPONSORS FOR HIS BIKE ACROSS KANSAS!!
I will be biking across part of Kansas, about 250 miles in all, on June 7-9 to raise money for Leadachild.org.  Lead a Child is a LCMS recognized service organization that provides funding for kids to attend schools, many of them Christian schools, in third world countries.  It has provided A LOT for ministries and missions to help kids who would otherwise have NO EDUCATION in places like Guatemala, Kenya, Uganda, Mexico, and many other places.  Please consider supporting me so that we can continue to support children throughout the world!  As of January 1, I am also on the board of directors for this organization.
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THIS WEEK:  THE STORY: CHAPTER 9  "The Faith of a Foreign Woman"
Come to Bible Study on Saturday night at 4pm or Sunday morning at 9:45 to get all your questions answered and to learn more about Ruth and why she is so important to us today.

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HELP FOR PARENTS TO GUIDE THEIR CHILDREN THROUGH THE STORY
A big part of The Story experience is that the whole family grows together in it as each person in the family reads it, you will all literally be on the same page.  yet, it may be hard to get discussion going or to help you get started together.   Are you looking for a way to connect with your kids as they and you read The Story together?  There's help!
 
If you click the link below you will find parent pages for all age groups that you can use to connect with your kids at least once a week.  Whenever your "together" time is, make it productive.  It is a .pdf file of parent pages that goes from lesson one all the way through 31.  Check it out and tell me what you think.  I think they are excellent!! 
https://assets1.mytrainsite.com/501196/the_story_parentpages_weeks1_31.pdf?r=1438

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PRAYER REQUESTS:  (If you have a prayer request please reply to this email or call me at 636-359-1061)

FOR NANCY SPINIOLAS who fell and tore a muscle in her arm and had to get 21 stiches in it.

 

FOR ERNA VAN HORN who was put on hospice care yesterday due to inoperable and untreatable cancer.

FOR WENDELL AND MARY ANN ROEHRS who have decided to move down to the Lake of the Ozarks after losing their home to a fire.
 
THOSE WITH CANCER, the many among our family and friends who are struggling with cancer.

PRAYER OF THANKSGIVING FOR A NEW BABY GIRL TO MARK AND JAYME VESSEL, an "almost" member of St. John's.

COUGAR CLIFFORD, 15 year old who had an accident playing in the snow on Jan 7 and broke his neck.  He has undergone extensive surgery and is recovering but is still unable to move his legs.  
 
JONAS BORCHERT, grandson of Don Nolte, as he continues to deal with cancer in his lungs.
 
DONNA HEITGERD recovering at Scott and Lani Heitgerd's from a broken hip.