Daily Email: Wednesday, March 30, 2016

DEVOTION:  Revelation 1:4-18  English Standard Version (ESV)
 
"Greeting to the Seven Churches"
⁴ John to the seven churches that are in Asia:
Grace to you and peace from him who is and who was and who is to come, and from the seven spirits who are before his throne, ⁵ and from Jesus Christ the faithful witness, the firstborn of the dead, and the ruler of kings on earth.
To him who loves us and has freed us from our sins by his blood ⁶ and made us a kingdom, priests to his God and Father, to him be glory and dominion forever and ever. Amen. ⁷ Behold, he is coming with the clouds, and every eye will see him, even those who pierced him, and all tribes of the earth will wail^[a] on account of him. Even so. Amen.
⁸ "I am the Alpha and the Omega," says the Lord God, "who is and who was and who is to come, the Almighty."
 
"Vision of the Son of Man"
⁹ I, John, your brother and partner in the tribulation and the kingdom and the patient endurance that are in Jesus, was on the island called Patmos on account of the word of God and the testimony of Jesus. ¹⁰ I was in the Spirit on the Lord's day, and I heard behind me a loud voice like a trumpet ¹¹ saying, "Write what you see in a book and send it to the seven churches, to Ephesus and to Smyrna and to Pergamum and to Thyatira and to Sardis and to Philadelphia and to Laodicea."
¹² Then I turned to see the voice that was speaking to me, and on turning I saw seven golden lampstands, ¹³ and in the midst of the lampstands one like a son of man, clothed with a long robe and with a golden sash around his chest. ¹⁴ The hairs of his head were white, like white wool, like snow. His eyes were like a flame of fire, ¹⁵ his feet were like burnished bronze, refined in a furnace, and his voice was like the roar of many waters. ¹⁶ In his right hand he held seven stars, from his mouth came a sharp two-edged sword, and his face was like the sun shining in full strength.
¹⁷ When I saw him, I fell at his feet as though dead. But he laid his right hand on me, saying, "Fear not, I am the first and the last, ¹⁸ and the living one. I died, and behold I am alive forevermore, and I have the keys of Death and Hades. 
 
One theme is repeated over and over again in this passage.  It is the fact that Jesus is eternal.  Three times he is called eternal.  He is the "one who is and who was and who is to come."  He is called "the Alpha and Omega".  He is called "the one is and who was and who is to come." 
 
But there are also some other things said.  Any time you see the number seven, it is referring to the completeness or totality of something.  So there are seven churches, referring to the total number of Christians throughout the earth, there are seven golden lampstands, referring to the "light of the world", Jesus himself.  There are seven stars referring to the totality of universes. 
 
John is making sure that we understand that God is completely eternal, all powerful, and that he rules over all the heavens and the earth.  When he has this vision he is overwhelmed by the awesome power and authority of Jesus. 
 
Remember that he knew Jesus as a friend, and a confidant, and as a travel companion.  He was able to see Him for just a second on the Mount of Transfiguration, and then he fainted.  Now he was seeing him in all His fullness. 
 
The same will be true for us.  Right now we see Jesus in a veiled way.  We experience Him in bread and wine, water and Word.  We don't behold his glory fully.  There will come a time when we will see Him face to face.  We will see the one who was, and is, and is to come!  We will see the eternal Lord, because HE IS RISEN! 
 
Prayer: Help us to be patient and have peace as we await Your glory.  Help us to remember and believe in Your promises with a sure and certain faith.  Amen.
 

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CALENDAR:
Wed- Choir practice 7pm
Fri- Jr. Hi Youth Leave at 3:30pm for Camp Windermere
Sat-  Worship 5pm
Sun- Sunrise Worship 6:30am; Breakfast 7:30; Egg Hunt 9; Worship 10; Jr Hi youth return 2pm
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WORSHIP WORKERS:  
Acolyte- 8:30- Jacob Cluver    11- Cara Klaustermeier

Ushers- Charlie Figura, Jason Figura, Erv Yoder  (We need one more usher for this group!!  Any volunteers?)

Altar-  Set up- Don Hance

Elders-  Sat-- Randy Sweet;  8:30- Jason Cluver;  11- Charlie Figura
 
Greeters-  6:30- Rich and Peggy Talbert;  10- Marv and Molly Hendershot

Lay Readers- 6:30- Tim Linke; 10- Jim Rahn

Organist 8:30 and 11--  Rachel Fisher
 
Sat Piano- Barb Dreyer

Projectionists:  NO PROJECTOR THIS WEEK
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TODAY'S  BIBLE QUIZ:   What were the names of the members of Saul's family  (three sons, one wife, and two daughters)?
 

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NEWS!!!! 

OUR NEXT GUN CLUB ORGANIZATIONAL MEETING WILL BE ON TUESDAY, APRIL 5 at 7PM!!

We will be finalizing our calendar of events and getting things together to start. 

 

We are going to start with a basic hunter's safety course. 

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LUTHERANISM 101 IS GOING TO START THURSDAY, APRIL 7 AT 7PM!!

If you:

1. Only have a limited knowledge of the history of Lutheranism and what Lutherans actually teach on things.

2. Learned all that stuff back in seventh or eighth grade and weren't paying attention

3. Want to learn how to share your faith with others.

4. Just like being around other Christians and growing in your faith.

 

Then this is the study for you!  Come and join us!  We'll have snacks!

 

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You deserve a kid free night out! Friday, April 15th from 5pm - 10pm. Miss Kelsey and Mrs. K along with some great babysitters from our youth will be hosting our 2nd Parents' Night Out. This is a fundraiser for our church youth group. $20 for the first child $10 for the 2nd and $5 for each additional kid. Little Lambs and church kids get first dibs

 

 

 

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INSIDE SPACES ARE SOLD OUT!!

 

 
 
Join us as a vendor inside, have a tag sale on the parking lot, or craft items for sale. Outside spaces are available for $10 for a double parking spot.

 

There will be a sale under the pavilion if you would like to donate items. The youth will be raising money for their National Youth Gathering trip under the pavilion and at the concession stand.

 

St. John's Lutheran Church, 950 S Hwy 47 in Warrenton. Please call the church office for more info. 636-456-2888.

Vendor spots are being held for: Tupperware, Origami Owl, Pampered Chef, Scentsy, 18" doll clothes by PJ'S Patterns, Perfectly Posh, Paparazzi, Damsel in Distress, It Works Global, Mary Kay, Norwex, Tastefully Simple, Pink Zebra, Lilla Rose, Usborne Books & More, Cindy Rust handmade Jewelry, Avon, Park Lane, scroll saw art, Young Living Essential oils, Amy Flores Handmade Jewelry and custom / personalized key chains. More to come...

 

 

THE QUILTERS WILL ALSO BE RAFFLING OFF THE QUILT THAT IS HANGING DOWNSTAIRS!! 

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LITTLE LAMBS PRESCHOOL IS CURRENTLY ACCEPTING APPLICATIONS FOR THE 2016-2017 SCHOOL YEAR FOR CURRENT STUDENTS AND ST. JOHN'S MEMBERS!!!  OPEN REGISTRATION FOR EVERYONE STARTS APRIL 1.

Registration forms are available from Little Lambs or the church office.  All registration forms must accompany the $45 nonrefundable registration fee.  Children should be 3 or 4 by August 1.  For more info talk to Lisa Rausch or Karin Klaustermeier.

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SATURDAY PIANIST NEEDED

We could use another pianist on Saturday night since Tim and Kathleen Sherman have moved to Wentzville and transferred their membership there.  Please let me know if you or someone you know is available one Saturday a month.  You get paid.

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PLEASE SUPPORT LITERACY IN WARREN COUNTY!!

Warren County Literacy Inc. (of which I am a member and on the board along with Allan Dreyer)  is going to be giving away 70 bookcases stocked with books in April to children who are in the head Start Program in Warren County.  This is the fifth year for this wonderful event.  What we need is people to sponsor a bookcase for $50.  If you are able and willing, please reply to this email or call/text at 636-359-1961.  Make checks payable to Warren County Literacy Inc.   The ceremony at which the kids get their bookcases is on Sunday, April 10 at 2pm at Wright City Middle School.

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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 APRIL IS CANNED SOUP AND RAMEN NOODLES

 

(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 MARV AND MOLLY HENDERSHOT'S  NEPHEW DAVID who had a stroke. 

 

For PAT MANESS who is back in the hospital with her bad leg.  

 

For the STEVENS FAMILY as their baby boy was born yesterday evening.

 

For MELISSA BADER as she recovers from back surgery at Mercy Rehab in Creve Couer.

 

For SHARON GARRETT as she is at home and recovering from two broken ankles.

 

For DON BRAZEE as he has been moved to Breeze Park in Weldon Spring for rehab and to receive his cancer treatment.

 

For MARIAH, a granddaughter of Pat Jaeger's best friend, her leukemia is in remission and she is moving on tot he next course of treatment.

 

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