Daily Email: Wednesday, October 18, 2017

DEVOTION: 1 Thessalonians 1 English Standard Version (ESV)

Greeting

1 Paul, Silvanus, and Timothy,

To the church of the Thessalonians in God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ:

Grace to you and peace.

The Thessalonians' Faith and Example

²We give thanks to God always for all of you, constantly mentioning you in our prayers, ³remembering before our God and Father your work of faith and labor of love and steadfastness of hope in our Lord Jesus Christ. ⁴For we know, brothers^[b] loved by God, that he has chosen you, ⁵because our gospel came to you not only in word, but also in power and in the Holy Spirit and with full conviction. You know what kind of men we proved to be among you for your sake. ⁶And you became imitators of us and of the Lord, for you received the word in much affliction, with the joy of the Holy Spirit, ⁷so that you became an example to all the believers in Macedonia and in Achaia. ⁸For not only has the word of the Lord sounded forth from you in Macedonia and Achaia, but your faith in God has gone forth everywhere, so that we need not say anything. ⁹For they themselves report concerning us the kind of reception we had among you, and how you turned to God from idols to serve the living and true God, ¹⁰and to wait for his Son from heaven, whom he raised from the dead, Jesus who delivers us from the wrath to come.

When I read these kinds of introductions to these letters, I imagine Paul sitting there writing with the people from Thessalonica on his heart and mind. He is deeply concerned for them, and he loves them very much, just like a pastor for the people under his care.

What happens is that God gives you his heart. As difficult as it is sometimes and as joyful as it is at others, God gives you his heart for his people when you become a pastor. It's kind of the same heart he gives parents for their children and vice versa. It is a deeply caring and loving heart. It is a heart that weeps when things are going wrong and leaps for joy when things are going well. We feel, in a muted and veiled way, what God feels for his people.

When a person becomes a Christian this happens as well. God gives you his heart for caring for souls. He gives you his will to share his good news. You want to tell people about him, because you love them and want them to be in heaven with you.

If you have kind of lost that heart, and everyone does from time to time, I would encourage you to get into the Scriptures a bit more, and pray to the Holy Spirit to fill your heart with his love. You'll be amazed at what he can do.

In the meantime I, like Paul, will thank my God always for you, constantly mentioning you in my prayers.

Prayers: Lord, thank you for these people you have given to me to shepherd. Help me to never take them for granted, but to keep praying for them, preaching the good news to them, and caring for their souls. Amen.

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CALENDAR:

Wed- Sewing Dresses 9:30-Noon; Ladies Aid- Noon; YOUTH NIGHT TO CELEBRATE THE REFORMATION 5-7pm; Stephen Ministry 6; Choir 7

Thurs-Newsletter deadline; Confirmation make up 5pm; Karate 6:15-7:45

Fri- Bible Study at Hendershots 7

Sat- (No men's breakfast as pastor is at LERT training; it will be next Saturday, Oct. 28 at 8am); HOLY YOGA 10-11; Worship 5pm

Sun- Worship 8:30 and 11; Sunday school 9:45

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WORSHIP WORKERS:

Acolyte- 8:30- Abby Vossen; 11- Jared Cluver

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

Altar- Set up- Dave and Linda Callies; Clean Up- Lois Boeger

Elders- Sat- Randy Fischer; Sun- 8:30- John Hachtel; 11-

Greeters- 8:30- Bob and Marianne Linke; 11- Marv and Molly Hendershot

Lay Reader- Sat- Don Nolte; 8:30- Erv Yoder, 11- Luke Rausch

Sat Pianist- Barb Dreyer

Organist- Barb Dreyer

Projectionist: Sat- Perricone; Sun, 8:30- Yoder; 11- Masters

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TODAY'S QUIZ: What Gospels have the genealogy of Jesus?

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NEWS:

WORSHIP FROM THIS PAST SUNDAY!! (VIDEO) ENJOY AND SHARE!

https://youtu.be/C79F3EhYdy4

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YOUTH NIGHT (THINK MINI VBS) THIS WEDNESDAY!!!

Pizza Supper 5-5:30

Program Opening 5:30-5:45

Rotation between crafts, games, snack, and lesson 5:45- 6:45

Closing 6:45-7

Come and join us for some fun and bring some friends kids!!

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SPECIAL KIDS AND YOUTH REFORMATION SUNDAY SCHOOL AND WEDNESDAY NIGHTS COMING UP!

Starting Sunday, October 15 and ending on Sunday October 29 during Sunday school hour beginning at 9:45 and Wednesdays at 5pm, our Sunday school and youth will be doing a special Reformation VBS style Sunday school and Wednesday night youth night for all kids ages 3-18!!! On Sundays we will have special crafts and games along with the lesson. On Wednesday nights we will start with pizza at 5 and then have our program! Tell your kids, grandkids, neighbor's kids, and everyone else you know about it!!

Sunday school schedule for October 15 and 22

Opening- 9:45

Games crafts, snack, lesson rotation 9:55-10:55

Wednesday Schedule for October 18 and 25-

Pizza Supper- 5pm

Opening Worship- 5:30

Games, crafts, snack, and lesson rotation 5:45-7:00

Sunday school schedule for October 29

Opening- 9

Games crafts, snack, lesson rotation 9:10-9:55

WE NEED VOLUNTEERS FOR THIS!! Please call church to volunteer!!!

Kitchen helpers –2 or 3—

Rotation Guides (people to bring groups from one station to another)- 3 or 4—

Other- (all around help)—2-3

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500^th ANNIVERSARY REFORMATION BLOW OUT CELEBRATION COMING UP SUNDAY, OCTOBER 29!!!

Sunday school- 9am

Worship- 10am

Potluck Picnic with Fried Chicken- 11:30 (Please bring a side dish, salad, or dessert to share!)

Pitch the Keys Singing- Noon

Bounce House, Live Polka Music , Games, Fellowship, Fun--- Noon- 3pm

PLEASE! PLEASE! PLEASE! INVITE YOUR FAMILY AND FRIENDS!! We want this to be a community event to show everyone that Lutherans are great people who have the truth of the Gospel and the peace of knowing we are saved by grace through faith on account of Christ!!!

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LADIES AID VENDOR FAIR AND BAKE SALE COMING UP SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 4

If you would like to be a vendor or know someone who would, the cost is $20 per spot. They also need baked goods. Call 456-2888 to reserve your spot or to let them know you'll donate some baked goods.

Invite your friends and family and come on down to enjoy it!

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SUNDAY SCHOOL MEMORY VERSE IS: "Indeed, I count everything as loss because of the surpassing worth of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord." Philippians 2:8

Whoever comes to Sunday school and tells me this verse will get a prize!

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NEW OUTREACH BOOKLET DISPLAY AT CHURCH

Our board of outreach and evangelism purchased a set of outreach booklets on all different topics of interest. They are for you to use for yourself, but also to take to friends, family, coworkers, and neighbors who may be dealing with the things covered in these booklets or may just have questions regarding to the faith. Please check it out and as it says, PLEASE TAKE ONE!

DO YOU HAVE A THRIVENT FINANCIAL ACCOUNT OR POLICY?

You may be eligible to receive money for Little Lambs or Good Shepherd!! Go to www.thrivent.com/choicedollars to check it out!

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OPERATION BACKPACK DONATIONS FOR THE MONTH OF OCTOBER IS CANNED VEGETABLES. PLEASE BRING YOUR DONATIONS TO CHURCH AND PUT THEM IN THE TUB MARKED "BACKPACK BLESSINGS"!

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PRAYERS:

For AMBER VOSSEN as she recovers from knee replacement surgery.

For DAVID GRAYSON as he has decided to go on hospice care because of cancer.

For GEORGE HOELSCHER as he recovers from chemo treatments and awaits an important doctor's visit next Thursday.

For the MANY IN CALIFORNIA dealing with wildfires.

For IVY TINNIN, who has been diagnosed with epilepsy and will have to take a semester off of school because of it.

For THOSE IN LOUISIANA AND MISSISSIPPI who are dealing with hurricane Nate.

For the HUNDREDS IN LAS VEGAS who are dealing with the tragic shooting.

For BUCK HAMPTON dealing with cancer and chemo treatments.

For the INFANT GRANDSON OF DANE AND JODI BALDWIN who was born twelve weeks premature. Right now he is getting some help with breathing, but all vitals and everything are good. He was born at 2 and a half pounds.

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PRAYERS FOR OUR MILITARY PERSONNEL:

For SAM HARGROVE deployed in Kuwait and DAN DREYER deployed to Kandahar, Afghanistan, that the Lord would keep them safe from harm during their service and bring them home safely.

For DAVID TATE stationed in Japan, COLTON FIGURA stationed in California, and ALEX WALTERS, stationed in Tennessee. That God would bless their service to our country and keep them safe as they all await possible deployment.

For CALEB FIGURA AND VINCE MASTERS who are both serving our country in the National Guard and take time out of their lives, jobs, and families to go on duty several times a year.

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Prayer request

Please pray for Mark Russell, son of Terry and Lynn Russell and grandson of Elaine Schauer, who has had several infections in his jaw and an abscess in his mouth and is having surgery to remove all four wisdom teeth tomorrow.

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Daily Email: Tuesday, October 17, 2017

DEVOTION: Isaiah 45:1-7 English Standard Version (ESV)

Cyrus, God's Instrument

  45 Thus   says the Lord to his   anointed, to Cyrus,
      whose right hand I have grasped,
  to subdue nations before him
      and to loose the belts of kings,
  to open doors before him
      that gates may not be closed:
  2 "I will go before you
      and level the exalted places,[a]
  I will break in pieces the doors of bronze
      and cut through the bars of iron,
  3 I will give you the treasures   of darkness
      and the hoards in secret places,
  that you may know that it is I, the Lord,
      the God of Israel, who call you by your   name.
  4 For the sake of my servant Jacob,
      and Israel my chosen,
  I call you by your name,
      I name you, though you do not know me.
  5 I am the Lord,   and there is no other,
      besides me there is no God;
      I equip you, though you do not know me,
  6 that people may know, from the   rising of the sun
      and from the west, that there is none besides   me;
      I am the Lord,   and there is no other.
  7 I form light and create darkness;
      I make well-being and create calamity;
      I am the Lord,   who does all these things.
   
  Did you know that God can use unbelievers, evil people, and even Satan himself to fulfill his purpose?  That's what he did with Cyrus.  Cyrus was king of Persia and   wasn't a good man, yet God made him favorable to the Jews which made them able to go back to the promised land from which they were exiled 70 years earlier.   
       God can use all manner of evil things that happen to you to bring about his will and his good.  He can use the sudden death of a loved one to make you look forward   to the resurrection and rely on him more.  He can use an injury or illness to humble you and make you realize how much he is in control and you are not.  He can use a major catastrophe like a hurricane or a fire to help to understand that your worth and your   life is not made up in the abundance of your things but in the abundance of God's mercy and grace.   
       We certainly don't pray or wish for these things to happen.  God doesn't want them to happen to us.  He hates Satan and all of his demons.  He will send them   to hell forever on that last day.  Until then, he will use even the most unfortunate circumstances to bring his good and grace to bear on the lives of his people.   
       Rejoice in the Lord always!  I will say it again, Rejoice!  Let your gentleness be evident to all the Lord is near and he has saved you!  Rejoice even when even   befalls you so that God may raise you up!  
   
  Prayer: Lord, thank you for using even the worst of my troubles bring about a stronger faith in me and to show me your mercy and grace.  Amen.  