Daily Devotions from Lutheran Hour MinistriesBy Pastor Ken Klaus, Speaker Emeritus of The Lutheran HourUse these devotions in your newsletter and bulletin! Used by permission; all rights reserved by the Int'l LLL (LHM). 
"Room for One More" June 8, 2015
(Jesus said) "A king... sent other servants, saying, 'Tell those who are invited, "See, I have prepared my dinner, my oxen and my fat calves have been slaughtered, and everything is ready. Come to the wedding feast." But they paid no attention and went off ... Then he said to his servants, 'The wedding feast is ready, but those invited were not worthy. Go therefore to the main roads and invite to the wedding feast as many as you find.' And those servants went out into the roads and gathered all whom they found, both bad and good. So the wedding hall was filled with guests." Matthew 22:4b-5a, 8-10Can you tell me what can eat 50 pounds of ham or ten turkeys?
Although you may have come up with a right answer, it probably isn't the answer I'm looking for in this devotion. The answer I want to hear is "a Zanger family get-together."
You probably don't know the Zangers, so allow me to make an introduction. We begin with Quincy, Illinois, residents Leo and Ruth, who have been married for 59 years. Leo and Ruth are in love and that love has produced 12 children.
Those children also have taken seriously the Lord's command to be "fruitful and multiply," (see Genesis 1:28), which is just a fancy way of saying Ruth and Leo have 53 grandchildren, 45 great-grandchildren and one great-great-grandchild. Now if you are doing the math, this means the Zangers now have 99 grand, great-grand, and great-great-grandchildren. Actually, the recent birth of Jaxton Leo Zanger, makes it an even 100.
Speaking about the 100, Leo says, "We just love them all."
And the Zangers do have opportunities to love them all. The Zangers have five "mandatory" holidays: Thanksgiving, Christmas, Easter, Mother's Day, and Father's Day. Having so many people in a private residence is a violation of fire codes, so the group usually rents a church hall for their celebrations: galas where they consume the aforementioned mass quantities of ham and turkey.
Now that's all interesting stuff, but the thing which most intrigued me was Ruth's statement: "There's always room for one more."
Can you imagine ... 100-plus people coming together ... and hoping to get a few more!
It almost sounds like the king in the Savior's parable; indeed, it almost sounds like our Lord. Loving us all, the Lord wants everyone to come to His banquet table. So the world might be saved is why He sent His Son into the world. So the world might be saved is why Jesus fulfilled the Law, kept the Commandments, resisted Satan's temptations, and gave His life on the cross. His third-day resurrection from the dead says the work of getting the banquet ready is done.
The celebration is prepared, and it's time for the guests to show up.
So that might happen, the Lord sends out His servants: that's you, me, your church, your Synod, LWML, and Lutheran Hour Ministries. God is our King who loves us and He has told us, "Make sure the invitation to faith and heaven is heard by everyone."
It's a job we're glad to do. After all, at God's table there's always room for one more.
THE PRAYER: Dear Lord, Jesus has done the work, and You have prepared places in heaven for the sinners of this world, who are called to forgiveness and faith. May we do all we can to make sure the message is heard by all those around us. In Jesus' Name I ask it. Amen.
____________________________________________________________________________________________________
YESTERDAY'S QUIZ: How many times ddid Elijah stretch himself out on the son of the widow of Zarephath and call out to the Lord to revive him? 3 times___________________________________________________________________________________________________CALENDAR:Mon- Family night! 6=7pmTues- Quilting 9-2; NO Bible study; Nursery organizational meeting 6:30; Trustees 7Wed- Praise band 5:30 Sat- Worship 5
Sun- Worship 8:30 and 11; Sunday school 9:45
_______________________________________________________________________________________________________
WORSHIP WORKERS:
Acolyte- 8:30- Zack Hoelscher; 11- Hannah Johnson
Ushers- Don Hance, Rich Boeger, Don Tate, Doug Walters
Altar- Set up- Cheri' Hofeldt; Clean Up- Don and Ann Panhorst
Communion Assistants- Sat- Jim Rahn; 8:30- John Hachtel; 11- Dave Winter Greeters- 8:30- John and Jo Fahrni; 11- Mike and Naomi Johnson
Lay readers- Sat- Jim Rahn 8:30- Jo Fahrni 11- Christy Winn
Pianist- Molly Hendershot; Tim Sherman 8:30
Projectionists: No projection this weekend_________________________________________________________________________________________________________
NEWS: NURSERY ORGANIZATIONAL MEETING TUESDAY AT 6:30PM!! We could use a few more people, (moms, dads, youth) who are interested in helping take care of kids during worship services. Please come to the meeting!Agenda:1. Introduction2. Put together list of Rules3. Put together Schedule4. Fill out background check forms5. Closing prayer_______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________A NEW DIRECTORY IS BEING PUT TOGETHER. IF YOUR PHONE NUMBER OR ADDRESS HAS CHANGED SINCE THE LAST DIRECTORY PLEASE WRITE IT DOWN ON THE ATTENDANCE SHEETS BY JUNE 21!!
____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
SEVENTH ANNUAL GOLF OUTING WILL BE HELD ON SATURDAY, AUGUST 8 AT COUNTRY LAKES!!!
Flyers are available on the counter in the narthex.
________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
TEACHER AID POSITION AVAILABLE AT TRINITY LUTHERAN SCHOOL IN ORCHARD FARM FOR THE 2015-2016 SCHOOL YEAR. Help with K-2 classroomMonitor lunch and recessServe as P.E. Coordinator twice a week for all grades. 9am-3pm daily30 hours weekly Submit resumes to eloeffler@trinityorchardfarm.org_______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ LITTLE LAMBS STILL HAS A FEW SPACES LEFT IN THE FOUR YEAR OLD CLASS!! If you know of someone that wants to enroll their 4 year old, tell them to register NOW so they will not be disappointed.
___________________________________________________________________________________________________
PASTOR IS STILL IN NEED OF MORE SPONSORS FOR HIS BIKE-A-THON ACROSS MISSOUR!!
Thank you to all who have donated so far!! I'm pretty close to $1,000!!!!
My goal is to raise $1,500 for Lead a Child! One of, if not the, best mission organization within the Synod. We provide funds for kids in Third World countries to go to Christian schools.
Go to www.leadachild.org and click on the "donate" button. Or you can give me a check and I will send it to them.
______________________________________________________________________________________________
NEXT PLANNING MEETING SCHEDULED FOR SUNDAY, JUNE 28 at NOON! IT WILL BE A POTLUCK LUNCH!!! EVERYONE IS INVITED!
WE WILL ANSWER TWO QUESTONS AT THIS MEETING:
1. What do we do well?
2. What do we need to improve our ministry?
The answers to these two questions will help us to focus our efforts and put together a master plan so that we can focus on building to fit our ministry needs and goals.
WE NEED INPUT FROM EVERYONE!! THIS IS YOUR TIME! BRING YOUR ANSWERS (along with a dish to share)!
__________________________________________________________________________________________________
TRAVEL FELLOWSHIP GROUP'S NEXT ADVENTURE IS TO ROCHEPORT AND ARROW ROCK, MO.
They will have dinner and the J. Huston Tavern in Arrow Rock and then enjoy a live play "Driving Miss Daisy" at the Lyceum Theater. Cost will be determined by number of people going, but should run between $60 and $70 per person. SIGN UP SOON! A $25 deposit is due by this Sunday!! Please give your deposit to Marilyn or put it in her mailbox or on her desk. Don't put it in the offering plate.
_________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
CALLING ALL BAKERS!!!
If you have never been involved in one of our church activities (and even if you have), here is a new challenge for you!! There will be a cake/dessert booth at the carnival on September 12! The carnival will be open from 11am until dusk! Donations of baked good and workers to man the booth will be needed!! Desserts needing refrigeration cannot be accepted. Work shifts will be for two hours beginning at 10am and will go till closing time. To eliminate many, many phone calls, a sign up sheet has been placed on the narthex where you can volunteer!!
____________________________________________________________________________________________________________ DO YOU HAVE A KROGER CARD? ENROLL IT IN THE COMMUNITY REWARDS PROGRAM!!! Register online and have it swiped each time you shop. ________________________________________________________________________________________________ SAVE THE DATE!!!! OUR FIRST ANNUAL FALL CARNIVAL WILL BE HELD SEPTEMBER 12, 2015!!! We are looking for ideas for carnival games and also donations of carnival game prizes for the vent. Please donate prizes into the cardboard box in the narthex. Also, if any one has an idea for a carnival game, or a game itself they would like to donate please contact Joanna Hoelscher at 636-485-0635 or Karla Christophene at 314-397-1375. _________________________________________________________________________________________________________ PRAYER REQUESTS: For CORA CLUVER'S DAD, who was in a bad motorcycle accident on Saturday and is now paralyzed from the neck down.
For BONNIE FRENZIA, who is undergoing radiation treatments at Barnes Hospital in St. Louis.
For those recovering at home after illnesse and asurgery
CAL TAMELER
CARA KLAUSTERMEIER
LIL WINTER
MOLLY HENDERSHOT
For DAVE AND CAROL KOHRS, who are now BOTH on hospice care.
For OUR DCE INTERN, KELSEY OVERBECK, that the Lord's will is done concerning her call to a church to be a full time DCE.
For WILMA WEIGLE as she is having a lot of difficulty with congestion and possible pneumonia. .
For DENISE SCHLESSELMANN as she continues to work hard to bring the people of the Czech Republic to Christ. .
