St. John's Lutheran ChurchWarrenton, MO

St. John's Group Email Thursday, Dec 15, 2011

DEVOTION: ... The blood of Jesus His Son cleanses us from all sin. If we say we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us. If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. 1 John 1:7b-9

A good conscience, a healthy conscience is a wonderful thing.

The truth of that sentence was recently shown when an elderly man stopped by a Sears store in downtown Seattle. Asking to see the manager, the older gent presented the shopkeeper with an envelope. Inside was a note and a $100 bill.

The note explained that the man had stolen $20 to $30 from a cash register a number of decades ago. According to the manager, Gary Lorentson, the man's conscience has been bothering him for the last 60 years.

Yes, a healthy conscience is a good thing.

And, in case you're wondering, my experience has taught me there are two kinds of unhealthy consciences.

The first sick conscience is one that fails to accuse an individual of guilt. That kind of malady is most often found in unbelievers and occurs when an individual has ignored that internal voice so long and so often it can no longer can be heard.

But there is another malady of the conscience that is confined to Christians. This kind of illness continues to accuse and nag even though a particular sin has been recognized, confessed and absolved. This hyperactive conscience is being used to convince a person he is guilty, even when the blood of Jesus Christ has washed him and made him clean.

Not surprisingly the same cure -- the cross of Christ -- is effective for both maladies.

Standing before the cross, the silent conscience must once again be awakened to proclaim that God's Son is suffering and dying for the sin of humankind, of which his owner is a part. Standing before the cross, the overactive conscience must acknowledge Jesus has done all that is necessary for every sin, that is every sin to be washed away.

To save us from our sin: that is why Jesus was born, and it is why this month we celebrate the great, saving grace of God.

THE PRAYER: Dear Lord, may those who feel they have no sin be awakened to the violations they have committed -- that endanger their souls. Similarly, may those who have seen the crucified and risen Savior rejoice in the forgiveness He has won. This I pray in my Savior's Name. Amen.

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TODAY'S QUIZ: Who was Tychicus?

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CATECHISM:

6th commandment: You shall not commit adultery

Question: What does God require in the Sixth Commandment?

Answer:

a. God requires us to avoid all temptations to sexual sin.

b. God requires us to be clean in what we think and say.

c. God requires us to use our sexuality in ways pleasing to Him.

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CHURCH CALENDAR

Thurs- nothing scheduled

Fri- nothng scheduled

Sat- 9:30-11 Children's program practice; worship 5pm

Sun- Bible study 8; worship 9; Sunday school and Bible study 10:15

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NEWS:

WORKERS NEEDED IN JOPLIN

Immanuel Lutheran Church in in Joplin is taking workers to help with construction.

YOU CAN GO ON YOUR OWN IF YOU WANT or, I'd love to take a group for a couple days in January and/or February to work on some houses.

Trent Davis, Immanuel's director of disaster response sent the following:

"The Lord has blessed us with the ability to get five decent sized projects under roof before the weather has gotten too ugly here, however we have only a few teams committed from Dec-Feb. We need additional teams.

All help will be greatly appreciated. Types of skills we are looking for include: electricians, plumbers, HVAC, drywall, painters and interior trim.
Not everyone on a team needs to be skilled but we need enough skilled folks to give direction to the willing. Thanks and Blessings!"

Contact information for Trent is:
Director of Disaster Response Trent Davis
Immanuel Lutheran Church – LCMS; 2616 Connecticut Ave; Joplin, MO 64804;
417.624.0333 | fax: 417.624.2774;

If anyone wants to go with me for a few days let me know asap and I will set it up. I'm pretty sure that all we'd really have to pay for is food.
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YOUTH GROUP STEAK DINNER AND AUCTION

***SAVE THE DATE*** The date of the Youth Group Steak Dinner and Auction has been set for Saturday, February 11, 2012. Doors will open at 6:00 p.m. and dinner will be served at 6:30 p.m. Please join us for a night of fun and fundraising. We will be having the old favorites: silent auction and 50/50 drawing as well as the new favorites: live auction, dessert dash, wine raffle, and the WILD HEARTS JACKPOT DRAWING where there is a chance to win $500.00.

Tickets for the WILD HEARTS $500 DRAWING are on sale now. Please ask a youth group member to get yours. The tickets are 1 for $10 but for an additional $10 you can get 10 more tickets and have 11 chances at winning!

The youth will begin selling dinner/auction tickets at the beginning of January in the narthex after services. Tickets are $15 per person. Bid only tickets are $5.00. You may also contact Marilyn to reserve tickets.

In order to guarantee that you get to sit with a special group of family or friends, you may want to consider purchasing a table of 8 for $120.

BUY A POINSETTIA FOR THE ALTAR FOR CHRISTMAS IN MEMORY OF OR IN HONOR OF SOMEONE!!

Please sign the sheet in the narthex by Wednesday, Deember 14. They are $12.50 each.

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A MOMENT OF GRACE FLORIST IS DONATING 10% oF EACH ST. JOHN'S MEMBER'S SALE BACK TO THE CHURCH

Each time you purchase flowers and other gifts from A MOMENT OF GRACE and tell them you are a member at St. John's, the church receives a tithe from them. A Moment of Grace is located at 511 N Hwy 47 and the phone number is 456-9334.

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SUNDAY SCHOOL PROGRAM PRACTICE AGAIN THIS COMING SATURDAY 9:30-11am!!

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PRAYERS: (If I have missed anyone please let me know.)

For DAVE KOHRS who will be having surgery next Tuesday to remove a tumor from his abdomen.

For KEN SUTOR, Lisa Rausch's dad, who is was brought home and is on hospice care, but is in good spirits.

For EMMA, seven year old granddaughter of Terry and Lynn Russell, and great granddaughter of Elaine Schauer who is recovering from surgery.

For BONNIE FRENZIA who is doing much better at home.

For RICH (son of Burket Fickle - she works for Dr. Brady DDS here in Warrenton). He has been, and is, very sick and keeps running high fevers and they don't seem to find out what is causing his illness.

For KEN WAGNER who is home and is doing well, although he still has a LONG way to go.

For JANICE MCKENZIE who will has a huge ulcer and is getting treatment for it.

For ED KOHRS who is at Delmar Gardens in Chesterfield

For Robyn McNew's cousin MARY KUTRIP who is dealing with terminal cancer and has quit doing treatments for it.

For JONAS BORCHERT, grandson of Don Nolte, who continues to be up and down because of chemotherapy treatments.

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St. John's Group Email Wednesday, Dec 14, 2011

DEVOTION:Rules to Live By (from Lutheran Church Charities)

Therefore do not be foolish, but understand what the Lord's will is. Ephesians 5:17

Here are three rules to live by each day:

1) Be grateful! Happiness is not about getting what you want, it is about enjoying what you have! So keep your perspective and be grateful every day. Rudyard Kipling said, 'Do not pay too much attention to fame, power or money. Some day you will meet a person who cares for none of these, then you will know how poor you are.'

2) Do not compare! When you see your neighbors buying new furnishings for their home, taking expensive vacations and driving new vehicles, does something stir inside you to do the same? Because someone appears to be in similar circumstances to you, does not mean anything. Your neighbors might earn twice as much. Or they may be in debt up to their eyeballs; or be three-quarters of the way to bankruptcy or divorce court. Do not make assumptions and do not try to be like someone else

3) Give! Bruce Larsen says, 'Money is another pair of hands to heal, feed and bless the desperate families of the earth. In other words, money is my other self.' But that is true only if you are willing to part with it! Money's like manure: if you let it pile up it stinks, if you spread it around it helps things grow! Jesus said, '...Unto whomsoever much is given, of whom shall much be required...' (Luke 12:48). Money gives you options the less fortunate can only pray for. On the other hand, how you use your money will be one of the biggest issues you will face on Judgment Day. Think about it!

Prayer
Heavenly Father, help me to be satisfied with what you have provided and use it in serving you by serving others in their need. In Jesus' Name, Amen

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YESTERDAY'S QUIZ: Who was Felix? (I thought the wikipedia version was the most thorough, especially the second paragraph.

Felix was the younger brother of the Greek freedman Marcus Antonius Pallas. Pallas served as a secretary of the treasury during the reign of the Emperor Claudius. Felix was a Greek freedman either of Claudius, according to which theory Josephus (Antiq. xx. 7) calls him Claudius Felix, or for Claudius's mother Antonia Minor, a daughter of Triumvir Mark Antony to Octavia Minor and niece of Emperor Augustus. According to Tacitus, Pallas and Felix descended from the Greek Kings of Arcadia.
Felix's cruelty and licentiousness, coupled with his accessibility to bribes (see Book of Acts 24:26), led to a great increase of crime in Judaea. The period of his rule was marked by internal feuds and disturbances, which he put down with severity.

After Paul the Apostle was arrested in Jerusalem and rescued from a plot against his life, the local Roman chiliarch Claudius Lysias transferred him to Caesarea, where he stood trial before Felix. On at least one further occasion Felix and his wife Drusilla heard Paul discourse, and later on frequently sent for Paul and talked with him (Acts 24:24-26). When Felix was succeeded as procurator, having already detained Paul for two years, he left him imprisoned as a favor to the Jews (Acts 24:27).
On returning to Rome, Felix was accused of using a dispute between the Jews and Syrians of Caesarea as a pretext to slay and plunder the inhabitants, but through the intercession of his brother, the freedman Pallas, who had great influence with the Emperor Nero, he escaped unpunished. Porcius Festus succeeded him as procurator of Judea.

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CATECHISM:

6th commandment: You shall not commit adultery

Question: What does God forbid in the Sixth Commandment?

Answer:

a. God forbids divorce except for marital unfaithfulness (adultery or desertion).

b. God forbids sexual intercourse between unmarried persons.

c. God forbids sexual sins such as rape, homosexual activity, incest, sexual child abuse, obscenity, and the use of pornographic materials.

d. God forbids sexually impure thoughts and desires.

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CHURCH CALENDAR

Wed- Ladies Aid Luncheon noon; Supper 5:30; Bells 6; worship 7; choir 7:30

Thurs- nothing scheduled

Fri- nothng scheduled

Sat- 9:30-11 Children's program practice; worship 5pm

Sun- Bible study 8; worship 9; Sunday school and Bible study 10:15

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NEWS:

TONIGHT, WEDNESDAY, DEC 14 is our last Midweek Advent dinner and worship.

If your elder is Tim Linke, Rich Talbert, or Steve Robine you are responsible for bringing a side dish, and a salad or dessert for our first dinner. Your elder will be calling you in the days ahead.

We will be having a special interview with JACOB as part of our worship at 7pm!

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WORKERS NEEDED IN JOPLIN

YOUTH GROUP STEAK DINNER AND AUCTION

In order to guarantee that you get to sit with a special group of family or friends, you may want to consider purchasing a table of 8 for $120._______________________________________________

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GIVING TREE GIFTS ARE DUE BACK !!!

They will be distributed this week so please get them in pronto!

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BUY A POINSETTIA FOR THE ALTAR FOR CHRISTMAS IN MEMORY OF OR IN HONOR OF SOMEONE!!

Please sign the sheet in the narthex by Wednesday, Deember 14. They are $12.50 each.

____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

A MOMENT OF GRACE FLORIST IS DONATING 10% oF EACH ST. JOHN'S MEMBER'S SALE BACK TO THE CHURCH

_____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

SUNDAY SCHOOL PROGRAM PRACTICE AGAIN THIS COMING SATURDAY 9:30-11am!!

_____________________________________________________________________________________________________

PRAYERS: (If I have missed anyone please let me know.)

For KEN SUTOR, Lisa Rausch's dad, who is was brought home and is on hospice care, but is in good spirits.

For EMMA, seven year old granddaughter of Terry and Lynn Russell, and great granddaughter of Elaine Schauer who is having surgery TODAY, Wednesday.

For BONNIE FRENZIA who is doing much better at home.

For KEN WAGNER who is home and is doing well, although he still has a LONG way to go.

For JANICE MCKENZIE who will has a huge ulcer and is getting treatment for it.

For ED KOHRS who is at Delmar Gardens in Chesterfield

For Robyn McNew's cousin MARY KUTRIP who is dealing with terminal cancer and has quit doing treatments for it.

For JONAS BORCHERT, grandson of Don Nolte, who continues to be up and down because of chemotherapy treatments.

--
You

St. John's Group Email Update on Emma

My granddaughter Emma will be having surgery tomorrow at Children's hospital. She saw the surgeon today and he is almost 99% sure she has a hernia and nothing else!!

HALEJUJAH!!! GOD IS SO GOOD TO US!!!

So many people have been praying for her I can hardly believe the wonderfulness of them all. They have my families and my gratitude forevermore!

I will keep you updated with her results tomorrow evening. She's going to be recovering at my mom's house (her Grammie the Grape) so her world will be perfect!

Thank you thank you thank you all so very much!

Lynn Russell

Lindenwood University Email Disclaimer: http://www.lindenwood.edu/emailPolicy.htm

St. John's Group Email a message from Kia Philips

Below is a message from Kia for anyone who is able to help. Please reply directly to her:

I am still looking for Christmas gifts for 4 kids. We were able to purchase gifts for the other 8. I have a 6 year old girl who would like anything, I have a 10 year old boy who would like a nerf gun that is approximately $33 dollars at Walmart. If you can help, please let me know immediately. Thanks. Every kid deserves something for Christmas. Let's make this happen.

Girl age 6

Boy age 10

Girl age 4

Boy age 12

Niakia S. Phillips, LVER

Department of Economic Development

Division of Workforce Development

Warrenton Missouri Career Center

111 Steinhagen Road

Warrenton, Missouri 63383

(636) 456-9467 or toll free (800) 264-5872

Fax: (636) 456-2329

niakia.phillips@ded.mo.gov

Challenges are what make life interesting; overcoming them is what makes life meaningful. - Joshua J. Marine

You gotta do what you have to do in order to do what you want to do!

Aveteran, whether they be active duty, retired, national guard, or reserve, is someone who at one point in their life wrote a blank check payable to the United States of America for an amount up to, and including, their life" ( author Unknown)

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St. John's Group Email Monday, Dec 12, 2011

DEVOTION: (Jesus said) "But before all this they will lay their hands on you and persecute you, delivering you up to the synagogues and prisons, and you will be brought before kings and governors for My Name's sake. This will be your opportunity to bear witness. Settle it therefore in your minds not to meditate beforehand how to answer, for I will give you a mouth and wisdom, which none of your adversaries will be able to withstand or contradict." Luke 21:12-15

"He's making a list, checking it twice, going to find out who's ..."

Did you fill it in correctly? Of course, you did. You know the end of the lyric reads, "going to find out who's naughty or nice."

Of course, most people think the "he" in that song is Santa. Not anymore. Santa has been moved to the side, and the people making the good-bad decision are the atheists. It's true. This Christmas season, in select communities, billboards are going up which read "Bias Against Atheists is Naughty, Not Nice."

Excuse me? Did I miss something here?

Let's see, how many Christians have taken atheists to court this year because they didn't display a cross or because they didn't say a prayer or because they didn't put up a crèche set or because they didn't say "Merry Christmas"? Do you want me to go on? I can. The courts are filled with atheists, who are trying to rewrite our nation, our history, our traditions ... who are trying to eliminate all public worship of the Savior.

I don't think we're the biased ones here.

And if Christians fight back, if they take a stand, well, the word is out: we're being naughty, not nice.

I guess we shouldn't be surprised.

Jesus said it would happen. He said naughty folks would lay their hands on us, that they would deliver us to the people in authority.

He also said those were the moments we should bear witness. Even more, He told us He would be with us, giving us that which needed to be said -- giving us a witness that wouldn't be liked, but which would be incontrovertible.

For example, one such word of witness you could give might be this: The Lord Jesus grant you a blessed Christmas.

Then leave it up to the listener to decide whether the sentence is naughty or nice.

THE PRAYER: Dear Lord, shortly after You were born, King Herod said You were naughty, not nice. He tried to have You murdered. This Christmas there are those who think the same way and they would have You banished. In such a world may we proudly proclaim the grace of God who was born in Bethlehem to die, so we might live. This I ask in Your Name. Amen.

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YESTERDAY'S QUIZ: According to Romans 10:17, how does faith come? Faith comes from hearing the message and the message is heard through the Word of Christ.

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TODAY'S QUIZ: Who was Felix?

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CATECHISM:

6th commandment: You shall not commit adultery

Question: How do we lead a sexually pure and decent life?

Answer: We lead a sexually pure and decent life when we

a. consider sexuality to be a good gift of God;

b. honor marriage as God's institution, the lifelong union of one man and one woman;

c. reserve sexual intercourse for the marriage partner alone;

d. control sexual urges in a God pleasing way.

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CHURCH CALENDAR

Mon- Whispering Pines worship 10am; Confirmation test and part 5-6:15

Tues- Quilters 9-2; Bible study 11:30-12:15; Little Lambs Christmas Program 7pm

Wed- Ladies Aid Luncheon noon; Supper 5:30; Bells 6; worship 7; choir 7:30

Thurs- nothing scheduled

Fri- nothng scheduled

Sat- 9:30-11 Children's program practice; worship 5pm

Sun- Bible study 8; worship 9; Sunday school and Bible study 10:15

________________________________________________________________________________________________
NEWS:

WORKERS NEEDED IN JOPLIN

YOUTH GROUP STEAK DINNER AND AUCTION

In order to guarantee that you get to sit with a special group of family or friends, you may want to consider purchasing a table of 8 for $120._______________________________________________

THIS WEDNESDAY, DEC 14 is our last Midweek Advent dinner and worship.

If your elder is Tim Linke, Rich Talbert, or Steve Robine you are responsible for bringing a side dish, and a salad or dessert for our first dinner. Your elder will be calling you in the days ahead.

We will be having a special interview with JACOB as part of our worship at 7pm!