Daily Email: Monday, February 8, 2016

DEVOTION:  Psalm 91:1-13 English Standard Version (ESV)

91 He who dwells in the shelter of the Most High
    will abide in the shadow of the Almighty.
² I will say to the Lord, "My refuge and my fortress,
    my God, in whom I trust."

³ For he will deliver you from the snare of the fowler
    and from the deadly pestilence.
⁴ He will cover you with his pinions,
    and under his wings you will find refuge;
    his faithfulness is a shield and buckler.
⁵ You will not fear the terror of the night,
    nor the arrow that flies by day,
⁶ nor the pestilence that stalks in darkness,
    nor the destruction that wastes at noonday.

⁷ A thousand may fall at your side,
    ten thousand at your right hand,
    but it will not come near you.
⁸ You will only look with your eyes
    and see the recompense of the wicked.

⁹ Because you have made the Lord your dwelling place—
    the Most High, who is my refuge —
¹⁰ no evil shall be allowed to befall you,
    no plague come near your tent.

¹¹ For he will command his angels concerning you
    to guard you in all your ways.
¹² On their hands they will bear you up,
    lest you strike your foot against a stone.
¹³ You will tread on the lion and the adder;
    the young lion and the serpent you will trample underfoot.

 
Wait a minute, I get hurt all the time.  I stub my toe.  I make stupid mistakes.  There are people who are against me.  What is David talking about? 
 
It has been said that the armed forces want to get men between the ages of 18 and 25 to join, because the   thing in their brain that causes a man to fear and to count the costs of what he is about to do is not fully developed, so he is much more likely to go into battle full throttle than to be afraid of what he is about to face. 
 
If we were to observe infant and toddlers for just a few hours, we would realize that most of them have no fear of danger.  The only fear they have is of their mommy or daddy leaving them, because they know that their parents keep them safe.  You should watch the first couple days of preschool to see what I mean. 
 
As Christians we should be the same way when it comes to both our physical life and our spiritual life.  There is going to be danger all around us.  We may even stumble and fall into that danger from time to time.  We will have pain and sorrow befall us.  It's just a part of being human.  At the same time, as fast as that pain comes is as fast as it will go on the day you enter eternal life.  You may continue to mourn the loss of a loved one the rest of your earthly life, but that mourning will come to an end.  You may suffer a physical malady that will never leave you as long as you are alive on this earth.  When the day of the Lord comes, His angels will pluck you out of this earth and you will be completely restored. 
 
You are guarded by angels from Satan too.  Satan cannot harm you!  We pray it in Luther's Morning prayer when we say, "Let your holy angels be with me that the wicked foe may have no power over me.  When the Lord allows things to come upon you, as he did with Job, it is only to make you stronger and to prove the devil wrong.  In the end, the Lord will save you from all pain, sorrow, and death. 
 
Prayer: Lord, thank you for protecting me from evil and for guarding me so that I will not stumble or fall but will live with you in perfect peace and security forever.  Amen.

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CALENDAR:

Mon- confirmation 5-6:15; NO FAMILY NIGHT TILL AFTER EASTER

Tues- Quilters 9-2; "Christianity the First Three Centuries" 11:30-12:15; Trustees Meeting 7pm

Wed- Supper 5:30; Ash Wednesday worship 6:30; Choir practice 7:30

Thurs- Board of O and E meeting 5pm????

Fri- Set up for Steak Dinner and Auction

Sat-  worship 5pm; STEAK DINNER AND AUCTION DOORS OPEN AT 5PM; SUPPER STARTS AT 6PM
Sun- Worship 8:30 and 11; Sunday school 9:45; Elder's meeting noon; Youth Bible Study at 5pm
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WORSHIP WORKERS:  
Acolyte-  Wed- Gus Klaustermeier 8:30- Kalene Masters; 11- Lydia Miller

Ushers-  Wed- Alan Hofeldt, Tim Linke, Rich Talbert, Don Turnure; Sun- Scott and Alex Heitgerd, Bob and Tom Linke

Altar- Wed Set up and Clean up is Terry McKenzie; Sun Set up- Cheri' Hofeldt; Clean up- Joanne Hachtel

Elders-  Wed- ????? Sat- Randy Fischer; 8:30- Dave Winter; 11- Jim Rahn

Greeters- 8:30- Dave and Hope Tinnin; 11- Marv and Molly Hendershot

Lay readers- Sat- ??????; 8:30-  Dawn Sherman; 11 -  Jim Rahn

Sat. Pianist- Barb Dreyer

Organist-  Rachel Fisher

Projectionists:  Sat- ?????  8:30-  Schaumberg; 11- Gus Klaustermeier
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YESTERDAY'S  BIBLE QUIZ:   What rite made the priest a priest?  (Hint: It's the same thing that makes a pastor a pastor.)

 

All I was looking for was a one word answer..... ORDINATION (It is the same thing that makes a pastor "legal" in our church today.)

 

There were a couple good answers that were much more thorough and will help you better understand the rite of ordination!

 

DON NOLTE- A priest had to be of the tribe of Levi.  Aaron and his son's were the first priests of the children of Israel.  They were brought to the entrance to the tent of meetings and washed with water.  Then they put the robe of the ephod on Aaron and the ephod, and the breastplate, and gird him with skillfully woven band of the ephod.  They put a turban on his head and put the holy crown on the turban and took the anointing oil and poured it on his head to anoint him.  Then his sons had coats put on them and Aaron and his sons were gird with sashes and caps were bound on the sons.  I think this is similar to your ordination if my memory serves me well

 

PAT KING:

I actually knew the answer to this question – without "googling," thank you very much! – but thought I'd give the rest of your readers a chance to answer. After all, nobody likes a "know-it-all."

But since they're too lazy – yes, I'm looking at all of you – here's your answer.

 

First off, priests of the Old Testament had to be male Levites. (God's rule.) (Num. 8:5-26; 1 Chron. 23:28-32). Plus, perhaps as a way of symbolically declaring the perfection and holiness of God, only perfectly healthy Levites, in the prime of their life, could be in active ministry.  (Num. 8:24-25). He could have been disqualified from being a minister for a variety of reasons. Some of these reasons were: having a physical disability or deformity; being temporarily "unclean" (this could be due to several circumstances); being outside the ages of 25 to 50 (the prescribed age range of Levites in regular service); or showing symptoms of certain diseases (which also made the person "unclean"). These symptoms were usually skin rashes or bodily discharges.

But the biggest requirement was, that to be a priest, he also had to be have been a direct descendent of Aaron. (Num. 16:40).

 

So, those are some _not all – of the basic requirements to enter the priesthood. But to actually become a priest, one must be ordained. (See, I knew it!)

Here's how one dude describes it:

 

"The ordination of the priest was based on God's choice of Aaron and his sons "that he may minister unto me in the priest's office" (Exodus 28:1 ). The ordination itself was a seven-day act of consecration accompanied by washing, donning vestments, anointing, sacrificing, and eating (Leviticus 8:1 ). The basic Hebrew term for "ordination" literally means to "fill the hands" and may refer to filling the priest's hands with the offerings (Leviticus 8:27 ). The ordination of the Levites also was based on God's choice of them "to do the service of the tabernacle of the congregation" (Numbers 8:15 ). The ordination involved cleansing, presentation before the Lord, laying on of hands by the whole congregation, offering the Levites as a wave offering, and sacrifices."

 

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TODAY'S QUIZ: Who was Hobab?

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NEWS!!!! 

ASH WEDNESDAY IS JUST TWO DAYS AWAY!!!!

Supper- 5:30 (Fried Chicken, cheesy church potatoes, rolls, green beans, a variety of desserts)

Worship- 6:30 (Imposition of ashes and The Lord's Supper, Messages during Lent will be on the story of Job.)

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STEAK DINNER AND AUCTION COMING UP SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 13!!!

Get your tickets for the dinner!  $25 each

Raffle tickets are also available to win a $500 prizes. 

Call Kelsey at 573-803-7826 for either of these or to donate items to the auction or to just give a cash donation.

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LENT DINNERS START AT 5:30 THIS WEDNESDAY!!

Over the last many, many years your Jr. and Sr. high youth and their parents (mostly their parents) have been serving dinner on Wednesday nights during Lent.  While this is a good way for the youth and their parents to serve and give back to the congregation, it is also supposed to be a way for them to raise money for their service projects and trips. 
 
Unfortunately over the past several years, they have barely broken even on these dinners.  The parents usually donate the desserts and even much of the other food out of their own pockets.  Without that the youth would probably lose money. 
 
It is especially important that they make money this year, as they will need all they can get to make their goal for the National Youth Gathering in new Orleans.
 
I want to encourage you all to attend these dinners, and, while there is no set price per person for these dinners, a generous free will offering is strongly encouraged!! 
 
Below is the Menu for each week:
 
Feb. 10-- Ash Wednesday
Fried chicken
potatoes
fruit
rolls
assorted desserts
 
Feb 17-
Chili
baked potato bar
hotdogs
desserts
 
Feb 24-
Turkey
Stuffing
green beans
apple sauce
desserts
 
March 2-
taco bar w/all the fixings
desserts
 
March 9-
pasta
salad
rolls
desserts
 
March 16-
Fried Chicken
potatoes
corn
rolls
desserts
 
 
As always, thank you for your continued support of the future of Christianity!!!

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SPRINGTIME IN BRANSON

Sign the sheet in the narthex if you are interested in a two day trip to Branson on April 16 and 17.  Since many have signed up the cost has been decreased to $242  per person.  The itinerary for Saturday upon arrival in Branson is to head to the College of the Ozarks (a.k.a. Hard Work U) for a tour led by a college student.  . From there we will go to do a self guided tour of the Keeter Museum.  Saturday evening we will go to the Sight and Sound Theater for "Moses".  This is the first year for "Moses" in Branson.  Watch the February newsletter for more details.  There will be a surprise for Sunday.  We are running out of time, so please, if you know your friends want to go, sign up quickly as deposits need to be made and tickets purchased.  Remember, the more people we get to go the cheaper it is for all.

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2016 ALTAR FLOWER CHART IS STILL PRETTY EMPTY!!

It is hanging on the bulletin board in the narthex.  Sign up if you wish to place flowers on the altar!  If it is for a special occasion (in memory of loved one, birthday, anniversary, etc.) please indicate that as well.  Cost is $25 payable to St. John's. 

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 DO YOU KNOW OF ANYONE WHO WOULD BENEFIT FROM RECEIVING THIS DAILY EMAIL?

If you know of someone who isn't currently receiving my daily emails but would like to, please reply to this email with their email address and I will add them to the list.  THANK YOU!

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OPERATION BACKPACK FOR FEBRUARY IS CANNED VEGETABLES!!  ANY SIZE CANS ARE APPRECIATED!

You can also do individual size cups.

 

(Remember this is for the poor and needy children of our community and county that often receive two breakfast and lunch at school, and have very little or no food at home.)

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GENERAL PRAYERS:

For BETTY SCHIRR as she awaits heart surgery sometime this week.  (She can't have surgery until she gets rid of her bronchitis)

 

For DON BRAZEE who is dealing with severe weakness and painful swelling in his joints off which the cause has yet to be identified.

 

For RUTH WALTERS as she recovers from knee replacement surgery. 

 

For PASTOR MCCRACKEN, from Trinity in Troy, who is on a two month leave to heal from cancer treatments.

 

For PASTOR PIPER, from St. Paul, New Melle, as he recovers from a heart attack he had while running a 5K in Florida.

 

For THOSE DEALING WITH FLOODING PROBLEMS in the days and weeks ahead, that the Lord would provide for their needs, and use us, if need be, to help. 

 

For DENISE SCHLESSELMANN as she is in need of more funding to continue her mission work in the Czech Republic.