DEVOTION: Isaiah 65:17-25
17 "For behold, I create new heavens
and a new earth,
and the former things shall not be remembered
or come into mind.
18 But be glad and rejoice forever
in that which I create;
for behold, I create Jerusalem to be a joy,
and her people to be a gladness.
19 I will rejoice in Jerusalem
and be glad in my people;
no more shall be heard in it the sound of weeping
and the cry of distress.
20 No more shall there be in it
an infant who lives but a few days,
or an old man who does not fill out his days,
for the young man shall die a hundred years old,
and the sinner a hundred years old shall be accursed.
21 They shall build houses and inhabit them;
they shall plant vineyards and eat their fruit.
22 They shall not build and another inhabit;
they shall not plant and another eat;
for like the days of a tree shall the days of my people be,
and my chosen shall long enjoy the work of their hands.
23 They shall not labor in vain
or bear children for calamity,
for they shall be the offspring of the blessed of the Lord,
and their descendants with them.
24 Before they call I will answer;
while they are yet speaking I will hear.
25 The wolf and the lamb shall graze together;
the lion shall eat straw like the ox,
and dust shall be the serpent's food.
They shall not hurt or destroy
in all my holy mountain,"
says the Lord.
There's A LOT of people out there going through A LOT of junk today. You may be reading this and have just said "Amen" to what you just read.
I don't need to go through the litany of problems out there, you know them all too well. I want to talk for a moment about the future. Your future is bright! Your future is fantastic! Just look what Isaiah says about it in the reading above. That is YOUR future if you just believe in Jesus your Savior!
There are so many difficult things we go through that we just can't wait for the end. Sometimes a whole life is like that. Yet, we don't have to wait for it. We don't simply have to endure it. We can flourish! We can persevere. How? By trusting the Lord and his promises and living in them.
I want to encourage you with Christ words today. Repent, for the Kingdom of heaven is near! Enjoy your day in Jesus!
Let us pray: Lord, help us to live in your Gospel rest today so that we may enjoy it and share that joy with others. Amen.
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LAST TIME'S QUIZ:
Where is Zion? (and no I'm not talking about Zion Lutheran church in Harvester)
The word Zion was first found in 2 Samuel 5:7. It referred to a specific mountain near Jerusalem. It is a Jebusite fortress
of the same name (Zion) and was captured by David and renamed the City of David.
Zion refers to the land of Israel and its capital Jerusalem
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TODAY'S QUIZ: Who was Sennacherib?_________________________________________________________________________________________CALENDAR:Tues- Quilting 9-2; Bible Study 11:30-12:15; Council meeting 7pmSat- Worship 5
Sun- Worship 8:30 and 11; Sunday school 9:45
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WORSHIP WORKERS:
Acolyte- 8:30- Dawn Sherman; 11- Kailyn Blechle
Ushers- Marv Hendershot, Don Luebke, Dave Callies, Don Nolte
Altar- Set up- Marilyn Foster and Sue Ruhl; Clean Up- Don and Ann Panhorst
Communion Assistants- Sat- John Hachtel; 8:30- Rich Talbert; 11- Jim Rahn Greeters- 8:30- Don Nolte; 11- Dan and Lisa Rausch
Lay readers- Sat- John Hachtel 8:30- Allan Dreyer 11- Jim Rahn
Sat. Pianist- Molly Hendershot
Sun Pianist- none
Projectionists: Sat- ?????; Sun- 8:30- Schaumberg; 11-??????_________________________________________________________________________________________________________
NEWS:IT'S ORGANIST MELISSA PETERSEN'S LAST SUNDAY THIS SUNDAYPlease feel free to bring cards, letters, and gifts of thanks for her faithful service to us over the last three years.
She is moving to Fort Dodge, Iowa to resume her full time teaching career.
Rachel Fischer will begin as our new organist on August 9.
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THANK YOU AND SUPPORT LUNCHEON FOR DENISE SCHLESSELMANN SUNDAY, AUGUST 2 AT NOON!!
Everyone is invited, but we'd like you to either sign up on the sheet in the narthex by this coming Sunday or call the church office to let us know you are coming so we have a good idea of who will be there.
Denise will be sharing what she has experienced in her ministry over the last year and what she will be doing in the year to come.
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SEVENTH ANNUAL GOLF OUTING WILL BE HELD ON SATURDAY, AUGUST 8 AT COUNTRY LAKES!!! SIGN UP TODAY!!
Cost is $50 per person
Format is a 2 TWO person scramble this year.
Registration at 7am
Shotgun start at 8am
Lunch and prizes at 1pm
Holes can be sponsored for $50 each.
All proceeds go to benefit our wonderful Little Lambs preschool.
Flyers are available on the counter in the narthex for those wishing to participate.
Call Alan Hofeldt at 456-3070 or the church office at 456-2888 to sign up you and
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RED CROSS BLOOD DRIVE HERE AT CHURCH ON TUESDAY, JULY 28!!
Volunteers are needed before the drive to make calls and set up appointments and the day of the drive to help out. DONORS are also needed of course! If you can help in any way call 456-2888 to let Marilyn know.
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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 event. 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 DICK PETERSON, as he and Nancy travel to South Dakota to see their son in law get ordained.
For MARIANNE LINKE as she continues to recover slowly from weakness. shortness of breath, and severe arthritis troubles.
For DENISE SCHLESSELMANN as she is in the USA for a short furlough and as she travels to gain more support for her mission work.
For CORA CLUVER'S DAD, who is recovering from a severe motorcycle accident that paralyzed him from the neck down.
For DAVE AND CAROL KOHRS, who are 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 continues to deal with the after effects of a severe stroke almost two years ago.