FW: The Lutheran Hour: July 6, 2014

-----Original Message-----

From: "Lutheran Hour Ministries" <lh_min@lhm.org>
Sent: July 5, 2014 9:16 PM
To: revklaus@hotmail.com
Subject: The Lutheran Hour: July 6, 2014

The Lutheran Hour with Rev.Gregory Seltz

Sermon Text for July 6, 2014

"Real Rest for the Weary" #81-44

Presented on The Lutheran Hour on July 6, 2014
By Rev. Gregory Seltz, Lutheran Hour Speaker
(Us Our Sins As We Forgive Those Who Sin Against Us?)
Copyright 2014 Lutheran Hour Ministries

Text: Matthew 11:25-30

Christ is risen, He is risen indeed, and in Him there is real rest and peace amidst the weariness of this life, Amen.

In the United States, right now, it is a celebration weekend of the national holiday of Independence Day. Not the movie, no, this is the real stuff. Now you don't have to be in the United States to realize what a blessing freedom is, do you? But this is a holiday vacation weekend for many too. So, how about you, were you able to take the day off to celebrate Independence Day? Did you enjoy the fireworks displays; did they generate personal oohs and ahhs? Grills are fired up for holiday cookouts. Friends and family gather together. Some people take advantage of the long weekend to get away, to see some sights, go camping, catch some fish, or just relax. Did you get some rest this holiday weekend? Did you unplug for a little while?

It's not easy to do, is it? Statistics show that nearly 60% of people who are on vacation continue to check their e-mails from a Smartphone or a mobile device. And what's the first thing that people do every morning? Just over one percent eat breakfast first. About a quarter of people surveyed use the restroom first. What do most people do first in the morning? More than 60% check their phone for text messages, email, Facebook updates, and more.

We are a culture that constantly seems to want to be connected, aren't we? And this constant preoccupation with digital connection to news, work, and loads of information is doing the exact opposite of its intention; it's not relieving anxiety, it is actually increasing it.

Researchers have even developed an acronym for the growing habit of checking phones multiple times each hour. They call it "FOMO," fear of missing out. The Facebook phenomenon may be fueling that fire as FOMO people have a heightened "concern that others may be having more fun and rewarding experiences than them, (living better lives, even), causing them to desire to stay continually connected with what others are doing." Sixty-two percent of people in the United States are said to suffer from this condition. One-third of the respondents in a mobility study indicated that being without their mobile device made them feel anxious.

And sadly, even though studies indicate that occasional unplugging is healthy, increases productivity, and refreshes outlooks, too many people are having a hard time just taking a break. And they're tired. Maybe you're tired today.

Author Brené Brown says that exhaustion has become a status symbol and constant productivity has become the measuring stick for our self worth. In her book, The Gifts of Imperfection, she writes, "We are a nation of exhausted and overstressed adults raising overscheduled children. We use our spare time to desperately search for joy and meaning in our lives. We think accomplishments and acquisitions will bring joy and meaning, but that pursuit could be the very thing that is keeping us so tired and afraid to slow down" (Kindle Locations 1564-1569).

What a contrast, then, to Jesus' words in Matthew, chapter eleven. He said, "Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest" (Matthew 11:28-29). I can almost hear a collective sigh of relief from listeners as I quote those refreshing words.

So, are you craving rest? Wouldn't it be great to have real peace at the center of your life, your work, your family? Such rest might slow your hectic schedule. It may cause real relief from pain or loneliness. It could empower a freedom from addiction or a truce in your relationships. It might grant something even more simple; it might be some restful sleep and finally having a sense of inner calm no matter what is going on around you.

But Jesus, in this text, brings home the ultimate point--the truth--that our weariness is a spiritual one above all else. There's something bigger going on in our lives and in our culture than simply sleep deprivation or email anxiety. We're connecting in some ways, but we're actually disconnecting in others too.

When will we learn? Material solutions to our issues, acquiring success or status or fame, will not fill a spiritual emptiness.

Neither will escape. Escape is veering into various addictions or personal compulsions; it might numb the problem for the moment, but these are temporary diversions that often create even more pain later. Why, because our anxiety and restlessness is a spiritual problem.

I recently read about several people who have been trying to escape the frantic frenzy of life. They're called "downshifters." They sold homes, quit jobs, moved to small cabins in the woods, and they started to simplify their lives. It sounds like a laudable pursuit and on the surface it could bring many benefits. But one constant refrain from these downshifters is the discovery that their new lives can be just as stressful as the old ones. Work pressures, financial questions, scheduling issues, they still plague people who try to escape.

Jesus said, listen carefully you downshifters, you major players, you movers and shakers, you weary ones in this world, "Come to Me, all who labor and are heavy laden." Real rest is a spiritual issue. The solution is to be found in god and God's work in Jesus to conquer all anxiety, stress, pain, and even death when He nailed sin and its personal by-products to the cross, rising from the grave to give you purposeful, meaningful, full life by faith. In Jesus, there is an answer to your weariness and mine.

I think it's why Jesus introduced His call to come to Him for rest with these words. He said, "I thank you, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, that you have hidden these things from the wise and understanding and revealed them to little children" (Matthew 11:25). Jesus is saying, we may be smart, we may be technologically advanced. We may be scientific experts in many areas. But finding true rest still eludes us. It's hidden from our wisdom and understanding. Real rest isn't something you figure out or discover. It is revealed to you. It is a gift. It is a gift from a gracious God who cares about you deeply and draws you close to Him so the emptiness in your soul can be filled.

"Come to me," Jesus said. "I will give you rest." So, what does that mean? How does that work?
First, as I've said, it means that Jesus has everything you need. He said, "All things have been handed over to me by my Father, and no one knows the Son except the Father, and no one knows the Father except the Son and anyone to whom the Son chooses to reveal him" (Matthew 11:27-28).

Jesus is the Savior of the world. All things were created through Him. The Bible says that in Him all things hold together (Colossians 1:17). Jesus is the ultimate resource. You don't have to do multiple Internet searches and find the best deal when dealing with Him. You don't have to cobble together answers from the religious teachers of the world. You don't have to try to wrack your brains trying to figure out how you can get some rest. Jesus has everything you and I need. He said, "Peace I leave with you; my peace I give to you. Not as the world gives do I give to you. Let not your hearts be troubled, neither let them be afraid" (John 14:27). Jesus has everything you need.

Secondly, Jesus invites you to come to Him. This invitation is not for someone who deserves it more than you do. It's not for someone who hasn't fouled up like you and I have. It's not for a person who is younger, older, has a better job, or isn't troubled so much. Jesus' invitation is for you, right now as you are. The Bible says that "God so loved the world that He gave His one and only Son." That includes you. God loves you. He cares about you. He sent His Son to save you. He came to forgive your sins, help you with your problems, hear your prayers, and grant you His peace! If you're tired and you're carrying a heavy burden today, Jesus says to you, "Come to me."

Thirdly, as you celebrate the fact that Jesus draws you to Himself today, He invites you to take His yoke. Now, what does that mean? Listen to verses 29 and 30: "Take my yoke upon you," Jesus says, "and learn from me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. My yoke is easy, and my burden is light" (Matthew 11:29-30).

So, picture this; a yoke is a wooden crosspiece fastened to an animal's neck in order to pull a plow or a cart. It's heavy, it's confining. In addition to picturing a farm animal's burden, the listeners of that time recalled the tiring laws of religious teachers of the day. At that time, people were told that they were under the "yoke of the commandments" and the "yoke of their personal earthly conduct." There were all kinds of yokes that put people under the pressure of performance and measuring up to earthly demands--not all that different than from today.

Jesus broke that burden when He said, "Take my yoke upon you...my yoke is easy, my burden is light." More than that, Jesus was nailed to the ultimate wooden crosspiece--the ultimate yoke--when He suffered on a cross. He took the fatigue-inducing pressure of sin and death upon Himself, He nailed it to the cross and He conquered its power once and for all. He took all that is in this world to keep you disconnected from God. He took it upon Himself and He wiped it out! And His resurrection from the dead means that, in faith, you can throw off the heavy burden of trying to handle the wearying worries of life and death yourself, and now you can live in the lightness and joy of His grace. In Him is life! He gives that which restores and replenishes you. This is the spiritual secret of real rest. Jesus gives you what you really need. He gives you rest for your soul.

I'm going to say it straight to you today. This rest is better than your best vacation, eternally better than a mere break from your smartphone, infinitely more meaningful and lasting than a temporary escape, able to bring relief in the middle of the rat race of our lives, Jesus gives you rest for your soul.

So, instead of wearing the yoke of weariness, the Bible says that in your baptism you have "put on Christ" (Galatians 3:27). Instead of being saddled with the yoke of regrets, you're wearing something very different by the grace of God. Isaiah 61:10 says this, "I will greatly rejoice in the LORD; my soul shall exult in my God, for he has clothed me with the garments of salvation; he has covered me with the robe of righteousness." When Jesus lives in you through God's living Word, when Jesus lives in you through the gift of His Supper, the yoke of anxiety is removed and you are clothed with spiritual armor (Ephesians 6).

That is real rest. That's rest for your soul. You have access to God in prayer now. You receive doses of perspective-adjusting peace and soul-replenishing grace when you stop to read or hear God's Word. The storms of life may be raging around you. Your schedule may be non-stop, but the risen Savior Jesus, the faithful Shepherd who, as Psalm 23 says, leads you beside still waters and restores your soul, He still walks with you now.

Jesus provides a spiritual answer to a spiritual problem. He gives you and me what we really need: rest for our souls with His grace, His forgiveness, His Presence, His encouragement, and His promise of eternal life. And here's even more good news; this eternal gift can help you begin to change your life right now.

Can your routine really change? Will you unplug more; will you plan for times of rest and stillness, and, perhaps, dial down on everything you're involved in? You might need to; but remember, this isn't about you making rest happen in your life, you setting boundaries, making changes because that can only get you so far. If you need the rest that comes with trusting in Jesus, that happens as we receive what He offers, as we revel in His rest, refreshed to live in His Name now and forever.

Remember, there is a deeper spiritual issue involved here. Brené Brown quotes Lynne Twist's book, The Soul of Money to summarize this spiritual issue. Twist says:
"For me, and for many of us, our first waking thought of the day is 'I didn't get enough sleep.' The next one is 'I don't have enough time.' Whether true or not, that thought of not enough occurs to us automatically before we even think to question it or examine it. We spend most of the hours and the days of our lives hearing, explaining, complaining, or worrying about what we don't have enough of ... We don't have enough exercise. We don't have enough work. We don't have enough profits. We don't have enough power. We don't have enough wilderness. We don't have enough weekends.

"Of course, we don't have enough money- ever. We're not thin enough, we're not smart enough, we're not pretty enough, or fit enough, or educated, or successful enough, or rich enough- ever. Before we even sit up in bed, before our feet touch the floor, we're already inadequate, already behind, already losing, already lacking something. And by the time we go to bed at night, our minds race with a litany of what we didn't get or didn't get done, that very day. We go to sleep burdened by those thoughts and wake up to the reverie of lack ... What begins as a simple expression of the hurried life, or even the challenged life, grows into the great justification for an unfulfilled life. "

Wow, that's the domino effect of weariness, isn't it? That's the spiritual issue that surfaces in our hurried lives. But God gives the answer to you and to me today. By grace, in Jesus Christ, you're not a slave to scarcity. You're not a prisoner to pressure. Jesus Christ has everything you need. He invites you to come to Him. And He gives you His yoke of grace so that you can have real rest for your weariness--rest for your soul.

A good illustration on this in your life is that pause button on the TV clicker. This may be one of the best modern technological innovations today. If you're watching a DVD at home and you want to take a break, you can pick up the remote control and press the pause button. If you're streaming a TV show on your tablet, you can touch the screen, press pause, and go get a snack. If you're watching a big game on cable TV--an exciting sporting event--and you don't want to miss the action when you have to answer the phone, you can simply press pause and pick up with the action after you hang up the phone. Don't you just love the pause button?

Jesus died and rose again to give you the gift of a pause button in your life. In fact, the word for "rest" in Matthew chapter eleven, "anapausis," is where we get our English word "pause"! Jesus gives you the gift of a pause button! In fact, in the words of one of our most ardent listeners, Emil, (I hope you're listening today!) he would often say, "Pastor, some things in life, they are the "pause that refreshes." And that's what Jesus alone can give, that's what He offers you and me today; the real pause that refreshes!

Is the busyness of life, then, crashing in on you? Pray to the One who makes the "pause in Him that refreshes" happen to all who believe. Do you feel that you're at the end of your rope today, too tired to keep moving forward in your life? Open the Bible, read the living Word of God, receive His life-giving words that refresh your soul. Do you feel alone and ready to throw in the towel? Realize that we at Lutheran Hour are here with you, God's people in the church are there for you, together let's worship with other believers; restore your soul with the pause that refreshes in Jesus!

Tired today? Over programmed? Running ragged? Jesus says, "Enough! Enough!" Here's cool, living water for your parched hearts and lives. Here's the living bread that satisfies your bodies and souls. Here's a relationship with God on His gracious terms in Jesus Christ alone that really refreshes. In Him is all you need. No matter what is happening in your life right now, He has real rest for the weary, a pause that refreshes; rest, right now, for you, in Him by faith!

Amen.

LUTHERAN HOUR MAILBOX (Questions & Answers) for July 6, 2014
Topic: Us Our Sins As We Forgive Those Who Sin Against Us?

ANNOUNCER: Now, Pastor Gregory Seltz responds to questions from listeners. I'm Mark Eischer. This refers back to your recent series of messages on The Lord's Prayer. Our listener says he always gets hung up on that part of the prayer that goes, "forgive us our sins AS we forgive those who sin against us." What's Jesus saying here? It kind of goes against the idea of God's forgiveness being unconditional. It makes it sound like there's something we first must do before God would forgive us.

SELTZ: Mark, we did talk about this in the sermon on the Lord's Prayer back in November-December of 2013; so if any of our listeners want to hear those sermons on the Lord's Prayer, just go back to the webpage lutheranhour.org and check the archives.

ANNOUNCER: You're also in the process of producing a book based on that series?

SELTZ: Yes I am; and that should be out sometime in the fall. That would make a wonderful gift for someone who doesn't know Jesus but they say that they pray. Okay, but back to our question then; I think the listener is worried that Jesus is making our forgiveness from Him conditional on our perfect application of forgiveness to others.

ANNOUNCER: If that is the case, we are doomed from the start.

SELTZ: Exactly, as sinful people, we're never going to get this thing totally right. So, if God's love and forgiveness is conditioned on our love first, we're trapped in our sins!

ANNOUNCER: But I'm reminded of certain Bible verses that might help to clarify this; for example, 1 John 4, "we love because He first loved us."

SELTZ: Jesus Himself says in John 15, "You did not choose me, I chose you." Or Ephesians 2 says that we are "saved by grace through faith in Jesus Christ." These passages emphasize again and again, we're saved by grace alone! So our listener is right; if forgiveness is conditional in that sense, that's not what Jesus is saying.

ANNOUNCER: Now, if forgiveness is not conditional, how would you better define it?

SELTZ: I would say it has a compelling aspect to it, rather than a conditional one.

ANNOUNCER: Could you explain?

SELTZ: I'd love to. Jesus teaches us to pray, "Father, forgive us our sins as we forgive those who sin against us" not as, "Father, okay, we'll forgive so that you forgive us." No, it is rather, in this forgiveness God has earned and made available to us as a gift; put that forgiveness to work in your relationships in His Name. So, forgiveness, while unconditional, is compelling, meaning, a person can't receive this gift without wanting to share it with others.

ANNOUNCER: It's a gift God intends to live in us and then through us to others.

SELTZ: Right, it's a life given so life can be lived. It's forgiveness given so that it can live in you to others. If you refuse to put it to work at all, then it dies in you. But, I don't really know of too many people who know and believe how graciously God has forgiven and loved them, who would then maliciously refuse to share it with others.

ANNOUNCER: Because, then, it would seem they don't really appreciate what Jesus did for them.

SELTZ: Right, "Forgive as I have forgiven you." We could ask it another way, "How can you receive it, if you absolutely won't share it with others the same?" I'm reminded that Jesus explains this even more clearly in Matthew 18, showing how forgiveness received from Him is to live out to others through their lives.

ANNOUNCER: In that same passage, it seems the apostle Peter was unclear about this when he asked, "Lord, how many times shall I forgive someone? As many as seven times?" And he thought that he was being generous.

SELTZ: And Jesus points out the limitlessness of God's forgiveness to him so that he can be empowered to share that forgiveness to others. So, people need to know that this forgiveness thing; that's what the Church of Jesus Christ is all about; it's not only repentance and forgiveness between us as sinful human beings; it's repentance and forgiveness between sinful people and a holy God alive in our lives!

ANNOUNCER: As you said in one of your sermons, forgiveness is the gift that keeps on giving.

SELTZ: It sure does. It's God's eternal gift of life and salvation earned and delivered through Jesus' cross, His resurrection, but available to us through His Word and His sacraments, especially through His body the church.

ANNOUNCER: That's important, serious stuff.

SELTZ: I would say it's the most important thing in life because repentance and forgiveness from God lived out to others graciously; it's the key to life now and forever.

ANNOUNCER: And God wants a life for us that receives His forgiveness graciously and joyfully by faith.

SELTZ: And compelled by love to share it with others because you want them to have this great gift, too.

ANNOUNCER: Thank you, Pastor Seltz. And we thank our listener for that question. We hope you'll join us again next time. This has been a presentation of Lutheran Hour Ministries.

Music Selections for this program:

"A Mighty Fortress" arranged by Chris Bergmann. Used by permission.

"Jesus, Refuge of the Weary" arr. William Heyne. From Jesus Christ-the Light of the World by the Concordia Seminary Chorus (© 1995 Concordia Seminary Chorus)

"Jesus Has Come and Brings Pleasure Eternal" From The Concordia Organist (© 2009 Concordia Publishing House)

"Lord, Keep Us Steadfast in Your Word" From The Concordia Organist (© 2009 Concordia Publishing House)

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Fwd: Why go to church?

I've seen this tons of times, but it is still a good reminder of why we worship EVERY SUNDAY!

-------- Original message --------

From: dianne hance

Date:07/04/2014 10:09 AM (GMT-06:00)

To: jeremy klaustermeier ,molly_hendershot@yahoo.com

Subject: FW: Why go to church?

WHY GO TO CHURCH

If you're spiritually alive, you're going to love this!

If you're spiritually dead, you won't want to read it.

If you're spiritually curious, there is still hope!

Why Go To Church?

A Church goer wrote a letter to the editor of a newspaper and complained that it made no sense to go to church every Sunday. "I've gone for 30 years now," he wrote, "and in that time I have heard something like 3,000 sermons. But for the life of me, I can't remember a single one of them. So, I think I'm wasting my time and the pastors are wasting theirs by giving sermons at all."

This started a real controversy in the "Letters to the Editor" column, much to the delight of the editor. It went on for weeks until someone wrote this clincher:

"I've been married for 30 years now. In that time my wife has cooked some 32,000 meals.   But, for the life of me, I cannot recall the entire menu for a single one of those meals. But I do know this. They all nourished me and gave me the strength I needed to do my work. If my wife had not given me these meals, I would be physically dead today. Likewise, if I had not gone to church for nourishment, I would be spiritually dead today!" When you are DOWN to nothing..... God is UP to something! Faith sees the invisible, believes the incredible and receives the impossible! Thank God for our physical AND our spiritual nourishment!

All right, now that you're done reading, send it on!

I think everyone should read this!

"When Satan is knocking at your door, simply say, "Jesus, could you get that for me?"

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Thursday, July 3, 2014

Just so everyone knows, this will probably be the last Daily Email till Monday, July 14 as next week I will be at Lutheran Island Camp in Henning, MN with the jr/sr high youth and Kelsey. Have a wonderful Independence Day as you celebrate all the freedoms you have in this nation, but especially the freedom you have from sin because of Jesus!

Daily Devotions from Lutheran Hour Ministries
By Pastor Ken Klaus, Speaker Emeritus of The Lutheran Hour

Use these devotions in your newsletter and bulletin! Used by permission; all rights reserved by the Int'l LLL (LHM).

"An Act of Valor"
July 3, 2014
(Jesus said) "... I lay down My life that I may take it up again. No one takes it from Me, but I lay it down of My own accord. I have authority to lay it down, and I have authority to take it up again. ...." John 10:17b-18a
Pastor's Note: On the Fourth of July we would normally share a devotion that deals with God and country. Since our Friday Daily Devotions are written by volunteers from our international ministry offices, we have shared that patriotic devotion today. Pastor Klaus

William "Kyle" Carpenter was a dead man.

It's true. Carpenter was declared "dead" by the officials at an Afghan field hospital and at Walter Reed Army Medical Center. Although he was revived by the medical teams, he should have breathed his last because of the wounds he sustained on November 21, 2010.

It was on that day that Carpenter and another Marine were stationed on the roof of a building during a firefight with the Taliban in Afghanistan's Helmand Province. Manning his machine gun, Carpenter saw an enemy hand grenade land near their position.

Rather than running away from the grenade, Carpenter ran toward it and used his body to shield his comrade. The blast collapsed one of his lungs, destroyed his jaw, cost him an eye, and shattered his body in a horrible manner. His injuries kept him in the hospital for almost two-and-a-half years.

Still, it should be noted this once-dead man is now leading a most exceptional life.

Carpenter says, "The enemy killed me. I came back, ran a marathon, completed a mud run, and jumped from a plane."

He didn't mention the fact he has also thrown out the opening pitch at a Padres baseball game, and he has also stopped by the White House where the president has bestowed on him the Medal of Honor, the highest military award America can bestow.

Reading Carpenter's story, I was reminded of our Savior who sacrificed Himself so that those who believe on Him would be forgiven and saved. Rather than running from death and saving Himself, Jesus dedicated Himself to the cause of offering His life so we might live.

Now, because of the risen Redeemer's gracious and selfless sacrifice, believers are freed from sin's condemnation and are given new lives -- lives that are filled with blessing and hope. Looking past His resurrection, Jesus shared the purpose of His work when He said in John 10:10b, "I came that they may have life and have it abundantly."

And if you're wondering how we who have been given an abundant life ought to respond to this great blessing of salvation, I would reply that our thanks will not come in the form of a most honored medal. No, our response ought to be shown when we join our voices with the multitudes in heaven who say, "Worthy is the Lamb who was slain, to receive power and wealth and wisdom and might and honor and glory and blessing!" (See Revelation 5:12.)

THE PRAYER: Dear Lord Jesus, there are times when humans will be willing to lay down their lives for a comrade or friend. Your sacrifice is especially gracious because You died and rose for sinners whose actions had made them enemies of heaven. Now may we offer up thanks for the gracious life of salvation You have won. In Your Name. Amen.

All too often the job of reaching others is left to others. That can be unfortunate. After all, there are times when YOU may be the best person to reach someone who is lost or wandering. If you have always wanted to know how to do such a sharing of the Savior, you may want to attend Lutheran Hour Ministries' SENT Outreach Conference which is July 24-27 in Detroit. For more information, visit www.lhm.org/conference.

In Christ I remain His servant and yours,

Pastor Ken Klaus
Speaker Emeritus of The Lutheran Hour^®
Lutheran Hour Ministries

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YESTERDAY'S QUIZ: Who was John the Baptist? He was Jesus' cousin and also the one who made straight the way for the Lord. He prophesied and proclaimed that Jesus was the Messiah and baptized Him to begin His ministry.
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TODAY'S QUIZ: What disciple was Simon Peter's brother?

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CALENDAR:
Thurs- Alzheimer's support group 1pm
Fri- Independence Day (office closed)
Sat- No men's breakfast; Bible Study 4; Worship 5
Sun- worship 8:30; Sunday school 9:45; worship 11; Youth leave at Noon for MN
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WORSHIP WORKERS FOR THIS WEEK
Acolytes- 8:30- Bella Linstruth 11- Cara Klaustermeier
Altar guild- Set up- Marilyn Foster and Sue Ruhl; Clean Up-- Don and Ann Panhorst
Greeters- 8:30- Terry and Lynn Russell ; 11- Charlie and Lynn Figura
Communion Assistants- Sat- Randy Sweet; 8:30- Rich Boeger; 11- Charlie Figura
Lay Readers- Sat- Kathy Fischer; 8:30- Lois Boeger; 11am- ????
8:30 Ushers- Scott Heitgerd, Tom Linke, Alex Heitgerd, Bob Linke
Projectors- Sat- Tony and Sandra Perricone 8:30- Julie Schaumbberg; 11-????? (Still need people to run projector at our 11am services)
Sat pianist- Barb Dreyer
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NEWS:

OUR SATURDAY AND EARLY SERVICE PROJECTOR SPOTS ARE FILLED!!
THANKS TO JULIE SCHAUMBERG, TERRY MCKENZIE, DON AND ANN PANHORST, SANDRA AND TONY PERRICONE, AND PAM BUELTMANN!

We are still in need of projectors for our 11am service especially this Sunday! Please volunteer!
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5-12 GRADE SUNDAY SCHOOL WAS GREAT YESTERDAY MORNING! PLEASE MAKE SURE YOU KEEP COMING EVERY SUNDAY!!
Kelsey is a great teacher and she has a lot of info in her brain and heart that she wants to get out to you!!

This week is chapter 23 "Jesus' Ministry Begins".
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HELPERS NEEDED FOR VBS COMING UP JULY 14-18!!!
Calling all BIG KIDS (6th-12 graders) AND/OR ADULTS,
We need you to help us out with VBS! You will be responsible for getting groups of kids from place to place and making sure they are participating in activities and staying out of trouble!! Please call Kelsey at church to volunteer 456-2888!!!
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THERE IS STILL ROOM IN THE JULY 7-11 LITTLE LAMBS SUMMER CAMP FOR 3-6 Year olds!!!
The theme for that camp is COOL SCIENCE!! They will be doing some cool science experiments and learning all about the science of God's creation!!
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FRIENDSHIP TREKI!! VBS IS COMING UP JULY 14-18!! "Kid Friendly" Supper at 5:30; VBS 6-8pm

The theme is friendship and the Bible stories will revolve around different "friend" relationships throughout Scripture!!

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6TH ANNUAL ST. JOHN'S GOLF OUTING IS SET FOR SATURDAY, AUGUST 16 at Country Lakes Golf Course

Flyers with all the information necessary are on the counter in the narthex.

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THE STORY: CHAPTER 23 "Jesus' Ministry Begins" IS THIS WEEK!!!

Learn all about the beginning of Jesus' ministry, including His introduction from His cousin John the Baptist!!!

PLEASE KEEP UP WITH YOUR READINGS AND COME TO BIBLE STUDY!! I know it is difficult, but make time! It is very important!

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DONUT LIST NEEDS FILLING (pun intended)!!!

If you are willing to sign up for a Sunday let me know by replying to this email and I will add you!! Thanks

Please consider bringing donuts, muffins, or another kind of treat for our fellowship time. Here are the dates:

June 29- Jim Rahn

July 6- Cal and Betty Tameler

July 13- Rich and Lois Boeger

July 20- John and Joanne Hachtel

July 27- Don and Ann Panhorst

Aug 3-

Aug 10-

Aug 17-

Aug 24-

Aug 31-

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T-SHIRTS FOR SALE!!!

Wonderful blaze orange t-shirts are for sale for $10 a piece to help support our board of outreach and evangelism's efforts and to raise money to provide for those in need. Pick up your size today and put your $10 in the box provided!!! They are located in the narthex (entry way) of church upstairs.

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TWO GROUP TRAVEL EVENTS COMING UP THIS YEAR!!
October 4--A DAY IN ST. LOUIS-- We will tour places that are hidden gems in St. Louis

December 6-- CATHOLIC RECTORY IN HERMANN AND POSSIBLY A CHRISTMAS SHOW IN OSAGE BEACH

Let Marilyn know if you are interested in either of these trip so she can make definite plans.

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PRAYER REQUESTS: (If you have a prayer request please reply to this email or call me at 636-359-1061)

For PAT PUCKETT recovering from shoulder replacement at home and doing very well!

For the FAMILY AND FRIENDS OF LORENA CROUCH, Allan Dreyer's aunt, whose memorial service is today.

For THOSE WHO CONITNUE TO DEAL WITH FLOODING UP NORTH, especially farmers who have lost A LOT of their crops.

For ED KOHRS, as he is recovering from blood clots in his legs and lungs and as he mourns the loss of his wife as well.

For DENISE SCHLESSELMANN, as she is well into her summer mission trip to the Silesian province of the Czech Republic.

For KELSEY OVERBECK, as she has begun her work at St. John's that the Lord would make a big impact through her .

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Last Sunday's Message

Enjoy it and share it with a friend, especially anyone struggling with their faith or someone who is "unchurched"

http://youtu.be/Z9iqhyHIq6A

computer and other technology stuff available at church

We are getting rid of the old computer and accessories in Kelsey's office. It is all outdated and obsolete. Along with it there is a printer that needs a new power cord, old speakers, mouse, and other cords and cables. If you want any of it come up and get it. It is all in the trustees closet. After a couple of weeks it will all be brought to recycling.

There is also a nice flat screen monitor that we aren't using. It is older and doesn't have any ports, but may still be useful for someone.

A donation to church or to the youth is not necessary but would be greatly appreciated for these items.

AFTERNOON DEVOTION: From the five14 Team -- June 30, 2014

An excellent devotion about sharing the Gospel and our timing versus God's timing:

Lutheran Hour Ministries

Delayed Timing

TEXT: Matthew 27:54 - When the centurion and those with him who were guarding Jesus saw the earthquake and all that had happened, they were terrified, and exclaimed, "Surely He was the Son of God!"

It is interesting the soldiers at the cross of Jesus didn't believe He was the Son of God, until after He was dead. During His life He healed the sick, calmed storms, fed thousands of hungry people, and brought dead people back to life. All these miracles weren't enough for this group of soldiers to believe in Him. It wasn't until they saw the events after His death that they recognized Him for who He is.

Sometimes the impact of our Christian witness may have a similar timing. People may reject the message we are sharing time and time again. We may be mocked for our Christian lifestyle and dismissed as unintelligent for our faith. When we don't see the results of our witness our work may seem useless and ineffective. All that rejection can leave us feeling frustrated and ready to give up.

When you feel like your efforts to share the love of Christ are useless, remember the soldiers at the cross. The timing seemed to be delayed; the disciples may never have even known that those at the foot of the cross finally believed, but that doesn't matter. All that matters is that the soldiers eventually did believe. God doesn't promise that we will see the impact of our witness; He just calls us to be faithful and give it. All the work for our salvation was done by Jesus. His death on the cross made it possible for us to be forgiven, washed clean from our sins, and perfect in the eyes of God. That kind of message is worth sharing!

You may never know how your Christian life makes a difference in the faith development of those you are witnessing to. It may not be until years later that they come to faith in Christ. What a fantastic surprise it would be for you to see them in heaven!

THE PRAYER: Dear Lord, even the perfect witness of Your Son was rejected by many of those around Him until after His death. Please help us not be discouraged in our Christian witness, even if we don't see results. Thank You for Your love and forgiveness in Christ, and enable us to share that message over and over again! In Jesus Name. Amen.

Written by Jessica Bordeleau

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Monday, June 30, 2014

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Video shot by Meteorologist Tony Laubach Part of a severe weather and tornado outbreak. INCREDIBLE VIDEO OF TWO significant tornadoes at once crossing US-275 east of Norfolk near the town of Pilger,…

00:01:45

Added on 6/16/14

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Lutheran Hour Ministries

Daily Devotions from Lutheran Hour Ministries
By Pastor Ken Klaus, Speaker Emeritus of The Lutheran Hour

Use these devotions in your newsletter and bulletin! Used by permission; all rights reserved by the Int'l LLL (LHM).

"Losing Heart"
June 30, 2014
So we do not lose heart. Though our outer self is wasting away, our inner self is being renewed day by day. For this light momentary affliction is preparing for us an eternal weight of glory beyond all comparison, as we look not to the things that are seen but to the things that are unseen. For the things that are seen are transient, but the things that are unseen are eternal. 2 Corinthians 4:16-18
This winter and spring my travels have taken me to many different congregations. While those churches differ in size and location, they have all shared one thing in common: an altar prayer for suitable and seasonable weather. As of this writing, there are droughts and fires in many places and ongoing flooding in others. It was my intention to write a Daily Devotion on the weather, but Mick Onnen, the previous president of Lutheran Hour Ministries, beat me to the punch. In this devotion, used with his permission and with minimal changes, he shares a most personal story. Pastor Klaus

"I do."

With those words, Nila and I exchanged wedding vows 37 years ago, last week, in a small church in Pilger, Nebraska.

Two weeks ago, we received word that that little church, many homes, and the entire business center of Pilger were destroyed by an unusual and powerful twin tornado. For those who wish, they may see the storm-chaser video at the following location: www.youtube.com/watch?v=V9d7DDQawVE.

Fortunately, those of Nila's family who still live a few miles outside of town are safe, and damage to their property was generally slight. That is not the situation for many. These last days we have been remembering the church where many family baptisms, weddings and burials took place. We are thinking of the mourning families and the community, which adopted as its slogan, "A town too tough to die!"

While the folks at Pilger have been bruised by an especially tragic demonstration of bad weather, they are not alone. Many others, in many different communities, are also carrying crosses brought on by unanticipated, unprecedented and unwanted climactic conditions.

We are praying for all of these folks as they find themselves forced to make decisions as to what they will do next.

It is particularly at such moments that Scripture provides direction. In 2 Corinthians 4, the Lord inspired Paul to write these words of encouragement: "Therefore, we do not lose heart. Though outwardly we are wasting away, yet inwardly we are being renewed day by day. For our light and momentary troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory that far outweighs them all. So we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen. For what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal."

Despite the trouble and pain this world dishes out, fixing our eyes on temporal things only leads to disappointment. That is why, as Christians, we have been given something more secure on to which we can hold. We are blessed to have the nail-pierced hands of the crucified and risen Savior, who has given His very life to assure that our eternal home is secure and unmovable.

Of course, we also know that Jesus' assistance is not just for the time of death. When He was with us, the Savior said, "I have told you these things, so that in Me you may have peace In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world" (John 16:33).

Relying upon the Redeemer, may those who find themselves enduring difficult times -- and difficult weather -- find the Holy Spirit will give them the ability to overcome.

THE PRAYER: Dear Lord, today we come and speak to You for all those who are suffering because of adverse weather conditions. We pray You will modify that which is wrong and bring about something good. Let hearts be turned to You for help and hope. This we pray in the Name of our Savior, Jesus. Amen.

All too often the job of reaching others is left to others. That can be unfortunate. After all, there are times when YOU may be the best person to reach someone who is lost or wandering. If you have always wanted to know how to do such a sharing of the Savior, you may want to attend Lutheran Hour Ministries' SENT Outreach Conference which is July 24-27 in Detroit. For more information, visit www.lhm.org/conference.
Pastor Klaus In Christ I remain His servant and yours,

Pastor Ken Klaus
Speaker Emeritus of The Lutheran Hour^®
Lutheran Hour Ministries

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YESTERDAY'S QUIZ: What was Mary's cousin's name? (The lady she would go and visit to tell her about being pregnant with Jesus.)
Elizabeth

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TODAY'S QUIZ: Who was John the Baptist?
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CALENDAR:
Mon- MN trip meeting 6pm
Tues- Quilters 9-2; Bible Study 11:30-12:15
Wed- Jonesburg Nursing Home Worship 10:30am
Thurs- Alzheimer's support group 1pm
Fri- Independence Day (office closed)
Sat- No men's breakfast; Bible Study 4; Worship 5
Sun- worship 8:30; Sunday school 9:45; worship 11; Youth leave at Noon for MN
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WORSHIP WORKERS FOR THIS WEEK
Acolytes- 8:30- Bella Linstruth 11- Cara Klaustermeier
Altar guild- Set up- Marilyn Foster and Sue Ruhl; Clean Up-- Don and Ann Panhorst
Greeters- 8:30- Terry and Lynn Russell ; 11- Charlie and Lynn Figura
Communion Assistants- Sat- Randy Sweet; 8:30- Rich Boeger; 11- Charlie Figura
Lay Readers- Sat- Kathy Fischer; 8:30- Lois Boeger; 11am- ????
8:30 Ushers- Scott Heitgerd, Tom Linke, Alex Heitgerd, Bob Linke
Projectors- No projectors scheduled--- I will take any volunteers
Sat pianist- Barb Dreyer
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NEWS:

MEETING FOR THOSE GOING ON THE MINNESOTA MISSION TRIP TONIGHT, JUNE 30 AT 6PM!!!
If you are going or are a parent of a kid who is going you are EXPECTED to be there!

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5-12 GRADE SUNDAY SCHOOL WAS GREAT YESTERDAY MORNING! PLEASE MAKE SURE YOU KEEP COMING EVERY SUNDAY!!
Kelsey is a great teacher and she has a lot of info in her brain and heart that she wants to get out to you!!

This week is chapter 23 "Jesus' Ministry Begins".
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HELPERS NEEDED FOR VBS COMING UP JULY 14-18!!!
Calling all BIG KIDS (6th-12 graders) AND/OR ADULTS,
We need you to help us out with VBS! You will be responsible for getting groups of kids from place to place and making sure they are participating in activities and staying out of trouble!! Please call Kelsey at church to volunteer 456-2888!!!
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THERE IS STILL ROOM IN THE JULY 7-11 LITTLE LAMBS SUMMER CAMP FOR 3-6 Year olds!!!
The theme for that camp is COOL SCIENCE!! They will be doing some cool science experiments and learning all about the science of God's creation!!
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FRIENDSHIP TREKI!! VBS IS COMING UP JULY 14-18!! "Kid Friendly" Supper at 5:30; VBS 6-8pm