Daily Email: Thursday, June 16, 2016

 
DEVOTION:  Luke 8:26-39      English Standard Version (ESV)
 
"Jesus Heals a Man with Demons"
²⁶ Then they sailed to the country of the Gerasenes,^[a] which is opposite Galilee. ²⁷ When Jesus^[b] had stepped out on land, there met him a man from the city who had demons. For a long time he had worn no clothes, and he had not lived in a house but among the tombs. ²⁸ When he saw Jesus, he cried out and fell down before him and said with a loud voice, "What have you to do with me, Jesus, Son of the Most High God? I beg you, do not torment me." ²⁹ For he had commanded the unclean spirit to come out of the man. (For many a time it had seized him. He was kept under guard and bound with chains and shackles, but he would break the bonds and be driven by the demon into the desert.) ³⁰ Jesus then asked him, "What is your name?" And he said, "Legion," for many demons had entered him. ³¹ And they begged him not to command them to depart into the abyss. ³² Now a large herd of pigs was feeding there on the hillside, and they begged him to let them enter these. So he gave them permission. ³³ Then the demons came out of the man and entered the pigs, and the herd rushed down the steep bank into the lake and drowned.
³⁴ When the herdsmen saw what had happened, they fled and told it in the city and in the country. ³⁵ Then people went out to see what had happened, and they came to Jesus and found the man from whom the demons had gone, sitting at the feet of Jesus, clothed and in his right mind, and they were afraid. ³⁶ And those who had seen it told them how the demon-possessed^[c] man had been healed. ³⁷ Then all the people of the surrounding country of the Gerasenes asked him to depart from them, for they were seized with great fear. So he got into the boat and returned. ³⁸ The man from whom the demons had gone begged that he might be with him, but Jesus sent him away, saying, ³⁹ "Return to your home, and declare how much God has done for you." And he went away, proclaiming throughout the whole city how much Jesus had done for him.
 
There are a lot of people in this world who deny that there are such things as demons in the world.  There are also a lot of people who think that we, as mere human beings, can overcome evil all by ourselves in this world.  Everyone seems to be looking for answers as to how to "deal" with terrorists, tragedies, and crazy lunatics such as the guy who killed the 49 people in Orlando. 
 
Unless you don't believe the Scriptures, the account from the Gospel reading for this weekend shows us that there is indeed a very large presence of demons in our fallen, sinful world.  And there is only one who can overcome and make the demons flee, in this account into a herd of pigs, away from us.  This one person is, of course, God made flesh, JESUS!! 
 
The one and ONLY way to "deal" with sin, death, the devil (and his demons), and hell is to give it all to Jesus!  He already dealt with it all by allowing Himself to be nailed on a cross to rid the world of all of its power.  He has commanded the sin and death to come out of you just like He commanded the demons to come out of the man from the Gerasenes. 
 
If you want to "deal" with evil in your own life, there's only one choice.  Give it to Jesus.  He will give you the tools, His Word, His sacraments, His forgiveness to deal with it all, both the sin around you and your own sin.   Trust in Jesus, live your life in Him, and have real peace!
 
Prayer: Lord, help me to "deal" with the sin, death, the devil and hell that is all around me by constantly turning to you.  Amen.  
 

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CALENDAR
Thurs- L 101 @ 7

Fri- NO Bible study at Hendershots
Sat-  Men's breakfast 8am; Worship 5pm; 18-35 year old BBQ 6pm
Sun- worship 8:30; Sunday school 9:45; Worship 11; Father's Day
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WORSHIP WORKERS:  
Acolyte- 8:30- Lydia Miller   11- George Pezold

Ushers- Allan Dreyer, Lew Feldkamp, Kent Jacobsmeyer, Paul Klover

Altar-  Set up- Cheri' Hofeldt; Clean Up- Pam Linke

Elders-  Sat- Randy Fischer;  8:30- Jason Cluver;  11- Charlie Figura
 
Greeters-  8:30- Paul and Cindy Klover;  11- Doug and Ruth Walters

Lay Readers- Sat- Sandra Perricone  8:30- Allan Dreyer; 11- Kailyn Blechle

Organist- Rachel Fisher
 
Piano- Barb Dreyer

Projectionists:  Sat- ?????  (I need someone as Pam has requested to be taken off the scchedule) 8:30- Dawn Sherman 11- Masters
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YESTERDAY'S QUIZ: What happened to a dead man who was thrown into Elisha's tomb?

Oh! Oh! Oh! I know this one too! Okay... deep breath. Are you ready? The dead dude turned into worm meal. No lie!

But if you want to know what the Bible say, and I'm guessing you do, since this is a Bible quiz, he sprang back to life and jumped to his feet.  (2 Kings 13:21)

And who could blame him. Tossed into a grave with a half-rotted corpse – 'cause burial techniques weren't the best back then, unless you were an Egyptian pharaoh – I'd take off running too.

And that's the scoop.

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TODAY'S QUIZ:  How many Jeroboams were there in the Bible?

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NEWS!!!! 

UPDATE ON 1,000 MILES OF BIKING FOR LEADACHILD!!

I'm at my halfway point for the Summer.  I am officially at 510 miles.  Only  490 to go!  Please visit www.leadachild.org to see why I'm riding and to donate to the cause!

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STEPHEN MINISTRY NEEDS MORE STEPHEN MINISTERS!!

Stephen ministry is a one on one caring ministry in which a person goes through 50 hours off training to be a better listener and care giver.  Even if you don't become an active Stephen Minister, this training is beneficial just for your daily life! 

 

Please consider going through the training!  It is very beneficial. 

 

And please consider becoming a Stephen Minister.  It has been a huge help and benefit to our congregation for the last 13 years, and I would love to see it grow! 

 

Call me at 636-359-1061 to let me know you're interested.  Or go to www.stephenministry.org to learn more about it.

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SERMON FROM SUNDAY:  Watch, listen, share!  The Gospel needs to get out there! 
 
 https://youtu.be/5GdFb96nHi8

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VBS, "CHRISTMAS IN JULY", will be held Monday, July 25-Thursday, July 28!!!  WE NEED VOLUNTEERS!!!

We need adults or at least high school kids to lead groups of kids from activity to activity.  Depending on the numbers, you would be in charge of anywhere between 5 and 15 kids.  You should plan on being there from 5-8 every evening.

 

We also need kitchen workers to make, serve, and clean up meals.  You should plan on being there from 4:30-6:30 every evening.

 

Please volunteer!  We need you!

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SCRIP PROGRAM CONTINUES!!
Here's how it works:

1. Pick up an order form from the counter in the narthex or from Marilyn in the office.

2. Mark how many cards you would like to order from each retailer you use, and fill in the totals.  (If you need help, stop by the office or talk to Marilyn or ask me after worship.)

3. Attach a check to your order form made out to St.John's.

4. Marilyn will place the order on a certain date each month.

5. Pick up your cards from your church mailbox.

6. Use your cards just like money at the various stores.

 

Please use this program!  It is an easy way for you to help YOUR church raise money for its ministries!

 

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OPERATION BACKPACK FOR JUNE IS CANNED VEGETABLES!!!

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 PRAYER 

For MOLLY HENDERSHOT, who is recovering from a  broken shoulder at home.

 

For MARIANNE LINKE who is back home but is still extremely weak.

 

For PAT JAEGER, who is recovering from knee replacement surgery at Delmar Gardens.

 

For LIL WINTER who is recovering from a fall at Delmar Gardens in Ofallon.

 

For BARB PERRICONE who is back home and continue to recover from pneumonia.

 

For BRIAN TAMPOW, a friend of Steve and Toni Mauch, who has an inoperable tumor near his carotid artery and will need to go through extensive chemo and radiation treatment.

 

For CHERYL, a cousin of Tony and Sandra Perricone, who is going through breast cancer treatment right now. 

  

 For DENISE SCHLESSELMANN as she finishes up her current mission work in the Czech Republic and makes her decisions for her future.