Daily Email: Thursday, January 26, 2017

DEVOTION:  Matthew 5:1-12English Standard Version (ESV)

The Sermon on the Mount

5 Seeing the crowds, he went up on the mountain, and when he sat down, his disciples came to him.

The Beatitudes

² And he opened his mouth and taught them, saying:

³ "Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.

⁴ "Blessed are those who mourn, for they shall be comforted.

⁵ "Blessed are the meek, for they shall inherit the earth.

⁶ "Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they shall be satisfied.

⁷ "Blessed are the merciful, for they shall receive mercy.

⁸ "Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God.

⁹ "Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called sons^[a] of God.

¹⁰ "Blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness' sake, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.

¹¹ "Blessed are you when others revile you and persecute you and utter all kinds of evil against you falsely on my account. ¹² Rejoice and be glad, for your reward is great in heaven, for so they persecuted the prophets who were before you.

 

According to what I heard on the radio, yesterday was opposite day.  As I look at the Gospel reading for today, it sounds like Jesus is celebrating opposite day as he preaches to the people. 

Mourning sure doesn't seem like a blessing.  Being persecuted for any reason is no fun and certainly can't be a blessing.  No one ever "got ahead" by being a peacemaker.  The quiet, and "meek" don't ever seem to be blessed with anything.  It's only those who speak up and push forward, isn't it?

This goes along with the Epistle lesson for yesterday.  "God chose the foolish things of the world to shame the wise….. "the weak things of the world to shame the strong"… 

To be sure, God's ways are not our ways.  What God sees as success is not always what we see as success.  Our way of success would be to have all the things that we want and be at the top.  His way would be to give as much of what we have away and be a servant.  Our way would be to never have pain and suffering.  His way would be to grow in His mercy and grace and be made strong through suffering. 

Once you have it your way and see the emptiness and the lack of satisfaction, and once you repent of that and see the peace and the fruits of the Spirit that God's way brings, you will never want to go back. 

SO I urge you today to repent of your own selfish sinful ways and turn to God, live in His ways of love, forgiveness, mercy, grace, giving and peace and BE BLESSED!

 

Prayer: Lord, thank you for showing me that your way of living by faith is the way to be blessed.  Amen.

 

 

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CALENDAR

Thurs- Board of Stewardship meeting 6pm; Lutheranism 101 6:30pm

Fri- Assemble Newsletter

Sat-  Worship 5pm
Sun- Worship 8:30 and 11; Sunday school and Adult Bible class 9:45

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WORSHIP WORKERS FOR THIS COMING WEEKEND:  
Acolyte-  8:30- Cierra Figura 11- Adddie Hoelscher

Ushers-  Alan Hofeldt, Tim Linke, Rich Talbert, Don Turnure

Altar- Set up- Marilyn Foster; Clean up- Lois Boeger

Elders-  Sat- Charlie Figura; 8:30- John Hachtel; 11- Dave Winter
 
Greeters-  8:30- John and Joanne Hachtel; 11- Marv and Molly Hendershot

Lay Readers- Sat- Sandra Perricone; 8:30- Jennifer Figura; 11- Karen Benton

Piano-  Molly Hendershot

Organist- Rachel Fisher

Projectionists: Sat- Fischer; 8:30- Schaumberg; 11- Kalene Masters
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YESTERDAY'S QUIZ:  

How was the Passover lamb supposed to be cooked?  The whole thing (including the innards) was to be roasted over a fire and all eaten in haste as they were to leave in the middle of the night.

 

Is anyone else reading besides Don Nolte?  Thanks for continuing to answer these questions Don!

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NEWS!!!! 

WORK DAY THIS SATURDAY 8am-Noon!!

Come and help change out light fixtures in the Sunday school wing and do some other projects like, clean up, fixing, and maybe even painting.  

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NEW MEMBER LUNCHEON AT NOON ON SUNDAY!!
All new members since last year's luncheon are invited!

It would be great to see as many officers and board members there as possible too!

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FILL UP THOSE BABY BOTTLES!!

You have two weeks to get them full of checks, cash, and spare change!  Return them to church February 4 or 5!

 

If you weren't in church this weekend and would like a baby bottle, come by and pick one up this week, or pick one up this weekend when you come to worship!

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LUTHERANISM 101 CONTINUES EVERY THURSDAY AT 6:30pm!!!

It's painless and it's a good time of fellowship!

 

If I can get just five people to show up, I will bring dessert!  (That would be two more than we had last week.)

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STEPHEN MINISTRY IS LOOKING FOR SOME NEW STEPHEN LEADERS

If you love caring for others and consider yourself a leader, this is the perfect way for you to serve the Lord and your church family!

 

The Stephen Leader training is April 23-29 at the Renaissance Hotel by the airport this year and the cost of the training is covered by the church.  If you choose to stay at the hotel you will have to pay for that yourself.  It's only a 35 minute commute to the training from Warrenton.

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TRAVELING FELLOWSHIP GROUP IS GOING TO FULTON ON SATURDAY, APRIL 8!

The group will be boarding a charter bus at 7:45am that day, first heading to the Auto World Museum, secondly to The Copper Mine Restaurant for lunch, and finally to the Churchill Museum before heading home.  They will arrive home around 5:30 that evening.  The cost will be around $65 including lunch, but the more people that go, the cheaper it will be. 

YOUTH STEAK DINNER AND AUCTION WILL BE MARCH 25!

OUR YOUTH STEAK DINNER AND AUCTION HAS BEEN MOVED BACK A MONTH AND IS TENTATIVELY SCHEDULED FOR SATURDAY, MARCH 25!  Also, THANK YOU LETTERS to those church members who donated last year are in your church mailboxes!!

OFFERING ENVELOPES ARE IN YOUR CHURCH MAILBOXES IF YOU HAVEN'T PICKED THEM UP YET!!

Maybe you didn't know that you had them, but if you are a confirmed member of St. John's you have your own church mailbox and your own offering envelopes!  Check your mailbox today!!

BLUE ENVELOPES IN YOUR OFFERING ENVELOPE BOXES ARE FOR THE BUILDING FUND!!!

Please note that your blue envelopes are for our BUILDING FUND.  Please use them appropriately!  Let's get this building built!!

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OPERATION BACKPACK ITEMS COLLECTED FOR THE MONTH OF JANUARY ARE CANNED FRUIT AND VEGETABLES!

Any size can, and any kind of fruit or vegetable is appreciated.    Place them in the receptacle marked "Backpack Blessings" in the narthex.

 

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AGAPE DONATIONS ALWAYS ACCEPTED!!

Any nonperishable food items, diapers, toiletries, etc.!!

 

Perishable food items can be taken directly to Agape at 713 Powell St. in Warrenton.  Call 456-4645 to find out when they're open or for more info.

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YOUR KROGER CARD CAN EARN MONEY FOR LITTLE LAMBS

Go to www.kroger.com/communityawards and register your card today!!

__________________________________________________________________________________________GENERAL PRAYER

For CAROL BRAZEE who is dealing with yet another infection in her lungs and is hospitalized at Mercy Hospital in Creve Couer.

 

For MARIANNE LINKE, who is dealing with severe back pain and issues with her medication.  She is at Warrenton Manor.

 

For PASTOR MICHAEL PIPER, (pastor at St. Paul's, New Melle) who is recovering from a severe stroke.

 

For Mim Dunn's nephew DAVID HAHN who is dealing with severe throat cancer.

 

For JOYCE PIETZSCHKE as she recovers from a broken hip at Grandview Healthcare Center in Washington.

 

For DON NOLTE as he recovers from rotator cuff surgery to his shoulder.

 

For MIKE PUCKETT who is at home with his mom and recovering well from lung surgery.

 

For BARB PERRICONE who is back home on hospice care.

 

For LOIS BOEGER'S MOM, who has been on hospice care for the last few months and slows down a little more every day, but is doing well.