Don Wharton Retirement Tour

A familiar name that many of you have heard of before, Don Wharton, is retiring from his traveling music ministry.  I heard him about 30 years ago when I was a high school student.  He is a wonderful man, with lots of talent, and a great speaker, musician, and Christian.  If you have the chance, go out to see him. 

 

There are two local concerts scheduled

Immanuel Lutheran Church, Washington-  Friday, March 3 at 7pm

 

Peace Lutheran Church, O'Fallon- Sunday March 5 at 10:15 (During worship)

 

Go to www.donwharton.com to learn more. 

 

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Daily Email: Wednesday, February 1, 2017

DEVOTION:  1 Corinthians 2 (ESV)

"Proclaiming Christ Crucified"

2 And I, when I came to you, brothers,^[a] did not come proclaiming to you the testimony^[b] of God with lofty speech or wisdom. ² For I decided to know nothing among you except Jesus Christ and him crucified. ³ And I was with you in weakness and in fear and much trembling, ⁴ and my speech and my message were not in plausible words of wisdom, but in demonstration of the Spirit and of power, ⁵ so that your faith might not rest in the wisdom of men^[c] but in the power of God.

"Wisdom from the Spirit"

⁶ Yet among the mature we do impart wisdom, although it is not a wisdom of this age or of the rulers of this age, who are doomed to pass away. ⁷ But we impart a secret and hidden wisdom of God, which God decreed before the ages for our glory. ⁸ None of the rulers of this age understood this, for if they had, they would not have crucified the Lord of glory. ⁹ But, as it is written,

"What no eye has seen, nor ear heard,
    nor the heart of man imagined,
what God has prepared for those who love him"—

¹⁰ these things God has revealed to us through the Spirit. For the Spirit searches everything, even the depths of God. ¹¹ For who knows a person's thoughts except the spirit of that person, which is in him? So also no one comprehends the thoughts of God except the Spirit of God.¹² Now we have received not the spirit of the world, but the Spirit who is from God, that we might understand the things freely given us by God. ¹³ And we impart this in words not taught by human wisdom but taught by the Spirit, interpreting spiritual truths to those who are spiritual.^[d]

¹⁴ The natural person does not accept the things of the Spirit of God, for they are folly to him, and he is not able to understand them because they are spiritually discerned. ¹⁵ The spiritual person judges all things, but is himself to be judged by no one. ¹⁶ "For who has understood the mind of the Lord so as to instruct him?" But we have the mind of Christ.

 

 

I'm always wary and a bit put off by people who are too full of themselves.  I don't like arrogant people.  And I especially don't like it when, for whatever reason, it looks like I am putting forth an arrogant vibe of myself.  I've been accused of that once or twice in my life, and I cringe when I hear it. 

 

Arrogance and pridefulness puts people off and makes it harder for people to truly hear the Gospel.  That's why Paul says that he "decided to know nothing among you except Jesus Christ and Him crucified."  He could've spouted off everything he knew, which was A LOT,  but he wanted them to hear, feel, experience, and know the full weight and measure of the power of he Holy Spirit and the true grace of God without getting in the way of it. 

 

We need to have the same attitude as Paul.  We need to proclaim the grace and peace of God and then get out of the way.  The worst thing we can do is impede the progress of the Gospel with our own attitudes and actions.  Share the good news, live the good news, and let God handle the rest! 

 

After all, I have never changed one heart or mind toward Christ.  It is the Holy Spirit who does that.  He calls, gathers, enlightens, and sanctifies all Christians everywhere for all time.  Love, forgive, and get out of the way!

 

Let us pray: Lord, help me to proclaim your Son's death and resurrection, to love people as you love them, and then to get out of your way.  Amen.

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CALENDAR

Wed- Choir 7pm

Thurs- Alzheimers Caregiver support group 1pm; Lutheranism 101 6:30pm

Sat-  Worship 5pm
Sun- Worship 8:30 and 11; Sunday school and Adult Bible class 9:45; Shop with Scrip Orders Due

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WORSHIP WORKERS FOR THIS COMING WEEKEND:  
Acolyte-  8:30- Loren Howard 11- Gus Klaustermeier

Ushers-  Scott Heitgerd, Jim Huster, Bob Linke, Tom Linke

Altar- Set up- Jodi Baldwin; Clean up- Pam Linke

Elders-  Sat- Dave Winter; 8:30- Roy Bohning; 11- Randy Sweet
 
Greeters-  8:30- John and Anna Hoenig; 11- Al and Karen Benton

Lay Readers- Sat- Marcia Sevier; 8:30- Roy Bohning; 11- Randy Sweet

Piano-  Barb Dreyer

Organist- Rachel Fisher

Projectionists: Sat- Mauch; 8:30- McKenzie; 11- Klaustermeier
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YESTERDAY'S QUIZ:  

How did Moses react when he saw that the people had made a golden calf and what did he do with the golden calf statue?

 

Moses' anger grew hot, and he threw the tablets (the ten commandments) out of his hands and broke them at the foot of the mountain.  He took the calf they had made and burned it with fire and ground it to powder and scattered it on the water and made the people of Israel drink it.

Thanks Don!

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TODAY'S QUIZ: 

In Exodus 36 what good "problem" did the Israelites have?

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NEWS!!!! 

FILL UP THOSE BABY BOTTLES AND BRING THEM BACK THIS WEEKEND!!

You have one week left 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 IS 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 FEBRUARY 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 the SPOEDE FAMILY as they mourn the death of Mike's mom Marjorie

 

For ROSE DEPEW, mother of Randy Sweet, who had a massive stroke last night. She has woken up, but is still dealing with a lot of effects of the stroke.  

 

For CAROL BRAZEE AND FAMILY as they mourn the death of her sister.

 

For PETE FRENZIA who is recovering from back surgery at University Hospital in Columbia. .

 

For CAROL BRAZEE who is recovering from a lung infection at home

 

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 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, EVELYN TOEDEBUSCH,  who has been on hospice care for the last few months and slows down a little more every day, but is doing well.