Daily Email: Wednesday, February 15, 2017

Matthew 5:38-48  English Standard Version (ESV)

Retaliation

³⁸ "You have heard that it was said, 'An eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth.' ³⁹ But I say to you, Do not resist the one who is evil. But if anyone slaps you on the right cheek, turn to him the other also. ⁴⁰ And if anyone would sue you and take your tunic,^[a] let him have your cloak as well. ⁴¹ And if anyone forces you to go one mile, go with him two miles. ⁴² Give to the one who begs from you, and do not refuse the one who would borrow from you.

Love Your Enemies

⁴³ "You have heard that it was said, 'You shall love your neighbor and hate your enemy.' ⁴⁴ But I say to you, Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, ⁴⁵ so that you may be sons of your Father who is in heaven. For he makes his sun rise on the evil and on the good, and sends rain on the just and on the unjust. ⁴⁶ For if you love those who love you, what reward do you have? Do not even the tax collectors do the same? ⁴⁷ And if you greet only your brothers,^[b] what more are you doing than others? Do not even the Gentiles do the same? ⁴⁸ You therefore must be perfect, as your heavenly Father is perfect.

 

Love your enemies and pray for them?  Turn the other cheek?  Give him your cloak as well?  Go the extra mile?  Give, give, give. 

Doesn't it sound like Jesus is asking us to get walked on, stepped on, used, and abused?  It does to me.  But here's the deal, everything we do in faith is to point to the way that the Lord Jesus loves us and gave himself up for us. 

We are the person who was an enemy of God and Jesus made us His children.  Every time we sin against someone else, whether it be in retaliation or even unknown to us, we sin against Almighty God.  We are the beggar.  We are the one who "forces" God to go with us. We are the ones who slap Jesus in the face. 

So the next time you think it's ok to retaliate, remember that it should then be ok for the Lord God to retaliate against you and give you what you deserve.  Instead of that, why don't you just live by this rule…. "Do unto others as you would have them do unto you."  Then remember what Christ has done for you!  He's done it all!

Prayer: Lord, when I think of my enemies, help me to remember that I was once your enemy, but you gave me yourself and made me your child.  Amen.

 

 

 

____________________________________________________________________________________

CALENDAR

Thurs- Newsletter deadline; Lutheranism 101 6:30pm

Fri- Bible Study at Hendershots 7

Sat-  Men's breakfast 8am; Worship 5pm
Sun- Worship 8:30 and 11; Sunday school 9:45; Voters meeting 9:45

__________________________________________________________________________________________
WORSHIP WORKERS FOR THIS COMING WEEKEND:  
Acolyte-  8:30- Gus Klaustermeier 11- Lydia Miller

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

Altar- Set up- Lucille Luebke; Clean up- Sandy Robine

Elders-  Sat- Roy Bohning; 8:30- Al Benton; 11- Steve Robine
 
Greeters-  8:30- Jim and Vickie McRae; 11- Marv and Molly Hendershot

Lay Readers- Sat- Roy Bohning; 8:30- Erv Yoder??? (Erv is out of town.  Anyone want to take this for him?); 11- Steve Robine

Piano-  Molly Hendershot

Organist- Barb Dreyer

Projectionists: Sat- Kathy Fischer; 8:30- Schaumberg; 11-   Lydia Miller
________________________________________________________________

YESTERDAY'S QUIZ:

What was the penalty for the ten spies and the whole company of Israel because they didn't listen to Caleb and Joshua about going in to conquer the promised land?

 

All those listed on the census 21 years old and older who grumbled against the Lord would die in the wilderness and not see the promised land except Joshua and Caleb.

 

________________________________________________________________________

TODAY'S QUIZ: Where was Beth Peor, and what is there today?

____________________________________________________________________

NEWS!!!! 

MEN'S BREAKFAST THIS SATURDAY AT 8AM!!

All men of every age are invited!

Menu: French toast bake, eggs, bacon, sausage

 

As baseball season is about to start, we are going to get into a short series called "Homerun King". 

 

Bring your friends, neighbors, brothers, and sons.  Let me know if you are coming so I make enough food!

_______________________________________________________________________________________

 

HERE ARE THE SERMONS FROM THIS PAST SUNDAY AND FROM SUNDAY, FEB. 5.  PLESE SHARE WITH THOSE WHO WEREN'T THERE SO THEY CAN HEAR THE LAW and the GOSPEL!!

 

https://youtu.be/3pv_YTA7KIs

 

https://youtu.be/r4EXUCFcoxM

 

____________________________________________________________________________

WE STILL NEED TO GET BACK A FEW OF THOSE BABY BOTTLES! 

Please bring them back asap so we can get the money in and so I can get the bottles back to their rightful owners. 

____________________________________________________________________

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.

_________________________________________________________________________

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!!

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.

__________________________________________________________________________________

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.

_________________________________________________________________________________________

YOUR KROGER CARD CAN EARN MONEY FOR LITTLE LAMBS

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

__________________________________________________________________________________________GENERAL PRAYER

 

For the FAMILY AND FRIENDS OF DIANNE OLEGSON (formerly Lehman), a former member of St. John's, who passed away suddenly at the age of 42 this past Tuesday.

 

For ROSE DEPEW, mother of Randy Sweet, who had a severe seizure three weeks ago.  She has been diagnosed To0dd's Paralysis, a temporary paralysis that mimics a stroke.  She is now able to walk, eat, and speak.  She is going back to Oak Pointe on Saturday.

 

For PETE FRENZIA who is recovering from back surgery at a nursing home in Columbia.

 

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

 

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

 

For BARB PERRICONE who is 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.

 

 

Daily Email: Wednesday, February 15, 2017

DEVOTION: 1 Corinthians 3:10-23  English Standard Version (ESV)

¹⁰ According to the grace of God given to me, like a skilled^[a] master builder I laid a foundation, and someone else is building upon it. Let each one take care how he builds upon it. ¹¹ For no one can lay a foundation other than that which is laid, which is Jesus Christ. ¹² Now if anyone builds on the foundation with gold, silver, precious stones, wood, hay, straw— ¹³ each one's work will become manifest, for the Day will disclose it, because it will be revealed by fire, and the fire will test what sort of work each one has done. ¹⁴ If the work that anyone has built on the foundation survives, he will receive a reward. ¹⁵ If anyone's work is burned up, he will suffer loss, though he himself will be saved, but only as through fire.

¹⁶ Do you not know that you^[b] are God's temple and that God's Spirit dwells in you? ¹⁷ If anyone destroys God's temple, God will destroy him. For God's temple is holy, and you are that temple.

¹⁸ Let no one deceive himself. If anyone among you thinks that he is wise in this age, let him become a fool that he may become wise.¹⁹ For the wisdom of this world is folly with God. For it is written, "He catches the wise in their craftiness," ²⁰ and again, "The Lord knows the thoughts of the wise, that they are futile." ²¹ So let no one boast in men. For all things are yours, ²² whether Paul or Apollos or Cephas or the world or life or death or the present or the future—all are yours,²³ and you are Christ's, and Christ is God's.

 

While it is true that we, as the church, need to remain relevant, and take on today's issues with love, peace, and forgiveness, we also need to be sure to remain true to the foundation of our faith, which is Jesus Christ.  We can't be something we're not. 

 

We can't both support the world and all the world's ideas and thoughts, and still remain true to God's Word.  Or as Paul puts it here, "¹⁸ Let no one deceive himself. If anyone among you thinks that he is wise in this age, let him become a fool that he may become wise."  Our allegiances cannot be divided no matter how uncomfortable it might make us.

Let me put it this way, as I live longer in this world, the more I feel as though I am being separated from the world and am becoming a stranger to it. This is because the things that Scripture says are sinful, the world has now, in many and various ways, said are right, good, and should be celebrated. 

Our reason, our foundation of faith must remain centered in Christ and His Word.  We need to know what the Lord God calls sin in His Word and stick to it.  We cannot change or shape God's Word into saying what we want it to say.  If God, in His Word, calls homosexuality sin, we must agree with His Word.  If God says that living together and having sex before marriage is sin, we must agree with God's Word.  If God says that I have sinned against Him in my thoughts, words, and actions; I must agree with God.  Otherwise, when the day of the Lord comes and the fire destroys everything that is sin and sinful, we will be in danger of being annihilated. 

So we call sin what it is, and we call grace what it is.  Sin is rebellion against God's will.  Grace is what God gives us freely because of His Son Jesus Christ to all who believe. 

 

Let us pray: Lord, you have made known to me what is real and true.  Help me to live by it, and not to get caught up in the world's wrong ideas.  Amen.

 

 

____________________________________________________________________________________

CALENDAR

Wed- Ladies Aid noon; Choir 7

Thurs- Newsletter deadline; Lutheranism 101 6:30pm

Fri- Bible Study at Hendershots 7

Sat-  Men's breakfast 8am; Worship 5pm
Sun- Worship 8:30 and 11; Sunday school 9:45; Voters meeting 9:45

__________________________________________________________________________________________
WORSHIP WORKERS FOR THIS COMING WEEKEND:  
Acolyte-  8:30- Gus Klaustermeier 11- Lydia Miller

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

Altar- Set up- Lucille Luebke; Clean up- Sandy Robine

Elders-  Sat- Roy Bohning; 8:30- Al Benton; 11- Steve Robine
 
Greeters-  8:30- Jim and Vickie McRae; 11- Marv and Molly Hendershot

Lay Readers- Sat- Roy Bohning; 8:30- Erv Yoder??? (Erv is out of town.  Anyone want to take this for him?); 11- Steve Robine

Piano-  Molly Hendershot

Organist- Barb Dreyer

Projectionists: Sat- Kathy Fischer; 8:30- Schaumberg; 11-   Lydia Miller
________________________________________________________________

YESTERDAY'S QUIZ:

Who were the Amalekites and what were the Israelites supposed to do to them?

 

The Amalekites were a nomadic tribe of the Sinai wilderness.  They lived in the south.  They were descendants of Esau.  Smitten by Gideon, Saul and David.  The Israelites were to destroy them because they had stood in the way during their quest for the promised land.

_______________________________________________________________________

TODAY'S QUIZ: What was the penalty for the ten spies and the whole company of Israel because they didn't listen to Caleb and Joshua about going in to conquer the promised land?

________________________________________________________________________

NEWS!!!! 

HERE ARE THE SERMONS FROM THIS PAST SUNDAY AND FROM SUNDAY, FEB. 5.  PLESE SHARE WITH THOSE WHO WEREN'T THERE SO THEY CAN HEAR THE LAW and the GOSPEL!!

 

https://youtu.be/3pv_YTA7KIs

 

https://youtu.be/r4EXUCFcoxM

 

____________________________________________________________________________

 

WE STILL NEED TO GET BACK A FEW OF THOSE BABY BOTTLES! 

Please bring them back asap so we can get the money in and so I can get the bottles back to their rightful owners. 

____________________________________________________________________

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.

_________________________________________________________________________

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!!

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.

__________________________________________________________________________________

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.

_________________________________________________________________________________________

YOUR KROGER CARD CAN EARN MONEY FOR LITTLE LAMBS

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

__________________________________________________________________________________________GENERAL PRAYER

 

For ROSE DEPEW, mother of Randy Sweet, who has been moved to the DePaul Rehab facility and is improving. She began to speak a few intelligible words yesterday  . 

 

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

 

For BARB PERRICONE who is 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.

 

Daily Email: Tuesday, February 14, 2017

DEVOTION: 

Leviticus 19:1-2 New International Version (NIV) 19 The Lord said to Moses, 2 "Speak to the entire assembly of Israel and say to them: 'Be holy because I, the Lord your God, am holy.

9 When you reap the harvest of your land, do not reap to the very edges of your field or gather the gleanings of your harvest. 10 Do not go over your vineyard a second time or pick up the grapes that have fallen. Leave them for the poor and the foreigner. I am the Lord your God. 11 "'Do not steal. "'Do not lie. "'Do not deceive one another. 12 "'Do not swear falsely by my name and so profane the name of your God. I am the Lord. 13 "'Do not defraud or rob your neighbor. "'Do not hold back the wages of a hired worker overnight. 14 "'Do not curse the deaf or put a stumbling block in front of the blind, but fear your God. I am the Lord. 15 "'Do not pervert justice; do not show partiality to the poor or favoritism to the great, but judge your neighbor fairly. 16 "'Do not go about spreading slander among your people. "'Do not do anything that endangers your neighbor's life. I am the Lord. 17 "'Do not hate a fellow Israelite in your heart. Rebuke your neighbor frankly so you will not share in their guilt. 18 "'Do not seek revenge or bear a grudge against anyone among your people, but love your neighbor as yourself. I am the Lord.   Wow, at first glance these look like the ten commandments, but as you look closer these are different.  They are sort of like the commandments, but not the same.  Actually, If you were to look at the explanations to the commandments as they are found in the Small Catechism, you would see a lot of what is spoken by God to Moses here. The commandments aren't as easy as don't talk back to mom and dad, or don't stab anyone, they are essentially what the Lord Himself says in verse 2.  "Be holy (perfect) as I, the Lord your God, am holy (perfect)."   That's it.  In a nutshell God requires perfection and you aren't.  You're doomed.  There's no coming back from it. There's no restart button.  There's no, I messed up this time so I better get it right tomorrow.  And the other truth is that when we put these commandments on others by judging them without first judging ourselves, we are doing a great disservice to them, causing them to be in despair, instead of giving them the joy, peace, and rest of the Gospel that God truly wants them to have.  This is why He sent Jesus!  So I urge you to stop trying to prove yourself to God.  Stop living in fear of His judgment, and start living in the restfulness of His grace.  Then, and only then, when you are living out of love and peace instead of fear and loathing, will you truly be able to do the things that God asks of you in the verses above, and you will do them for the right reasons.  Let us pray: Lord, help me to live out your commands in the love, mercy, and grace that you intended for me, so that others may know that same mercy and grace.  Amen.

 

 

____________________________________________________________________________________

CALENDAR

Tues- Board of Outreach meeting 8am; Quilting 9-2; Trustees meeting 7pm

Wed- Ladies Aid noon; Choir 7

Thurs- Newsletter deadline; Lutheranism 101 6:30pm

Fri- Bible Study at Hendershots 7

Sat-  Men's breakfast 8am; Worship 5pm
Sun- Worship 8:30 and 11; Sunday school 9:45; Voters meeting 9:45

__________________________________________________________________________________________
WORSHIP WORKERS FOR THIS COMING WEEKEND:  
Acolyte-  8:30- Gus Klaustermeier 11- Lydia Miller

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

Altar- Set up- Lucille Luebke; Clean up- Sandy Robine

Elders-  Sat- Roy Bohning; 8:30- Al Benton; 11- Steve Robine
 
Greeters-  8:30- Jim and Vickie McRae; 11- Marv and Molly Hendershot

Lay Readers- Sat- Roy Bohning; 8:30- Erv Yoder??? (Erv is out of town.  Anyone want to take this for him?); 11- Steve Robine

Piano-  Molly Hendershot

Organist- Barb Dreyer

Projectionists: Sat- Kathy Fischer; 8:30- Schaumberg; 11-   Lydia Miller
________________________________________________________________

YESTERDAY'S QUIZ: Who was Korah?

Korah was a descendant of Esau and led a rebellion against Moses.

 

(From now on, you can assume that the answer is from Don Nolte unless I tell you otherwise.  THANKS DON!)

 

______________________________________________________________________

TODAY'S QUIZ:  Who were the Amalekites and what were the Israelites supposed to do to them?

_______________________________________________________________________

NEWS!!!! 

WE STILL NEED TO GET BACK A FEW OF THOSE BABY BOTTLES! 

Please bring them back asap so we can get the money in and so I can get the bottles back to their rightful owners. 

____________________________________________________________________

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.

_________________________________________________________________________

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!!

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.

__________________________________________________________________________________

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.

_________________________________________________________________________________________

YOUR KROGER CARD CAN EARN MONEY FOR LITTLE LAMBS

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

__________________________________________________________________________________________GENERAL PRAYER

For the FAMILY AND FRIENDS OF PASTOR MICHAEL PIPER, (pastor at St. Paul's, New Melle) as they mourn his loss.

 

For ROSE DEPEW, mother of Randy Sweet, who has been moved to the DePaul Rehab facility and is improving. She began to speak a few intelligible words yesterday  . 

 

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

 

For BARB PERRICONE who is 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.