St. John's Lutheran ChurchWarrenton, MO

Choir practice times for this week

The choir will begin practice at 6:30 on Wednesday and will also practice before the Christmas Eve service at 6:15.

Daily Email: Monday, December 21, 2015

DEVOTION: Isaiah 7:10-14 (ESV)
¹⁰Again the Lord spoke to Ahaz, ¹¹"Ask a sign of the Lord yourGod; let it be deep as Sheol or high as heaven." ¹²But Ahaz said, "I will not ask, and I will not put the Lord to the test." ¹³And he said, "Hear then, O house of David! Is it too little for you to weary men, that you weary my God also? ¹⁴Therefore the Lord himself will give you a sign. Behold, the virgin shall conceive and bear a son, and shall call his name Immanuel.^[

We usually read this passage at Christmas, but it is quite an interesting story all together. Ahaz was a wicked King who wouldn't listen to God, and because he didn't listen to God or do what he said, the kingdom grew weaker and weaker. God was trying to help them out, but they were, in essence, refusing His help. They had become too self righteous.

To show how them all, including King Ahaz himself, how self righteous and indignant they had become, God tells Ahaz to "ask for a sign". That's all he's got to do, but he won't do it. He wants to show his own self-righteousness and throw it in God's face.

That is when God, through Isaiah gives them this prophecy "Behold the virgin shall conceive and bear a son, and shall call his name Immanuel." While Ahaz would have had no clue what this prophecy was about, generations later this prophecy would come to full fruition in Jesus.

Maybe your own heart has been hard and proud lately, and you are living in your own stubborn self righteousness. REPENT! Maybe you are struggling with thinking things like "I don't need to go to church to be a good Christian", or "I don't need the church." REPENT! Maybe in your pride and arrogance you can't hear God's clear and certain call to forgive your brother and to be forgiven. REPENT!!

Don't be like Ahaz who's ears were so stopped up with self-righteousness that he couldn't hear God calling him to repentance. Open your ears and listen to what GOD ALMIGHTY is calling you to today!!

Prayer: Open our eyes, Lord, we want to see Jesus, to reach out and touch Him and say that we love Him. Open our ears, Lord, and help us to listen. Open our eyes, Lord, we want to see Immanuel, GOD WITH US! Amen.

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CALENDAR:
Mon- Irma Travelet visitation 9-11, Funeral at 11; Burial immediately after; NO CONFIRMATION CLASS
Tues- Quilters 9-2
Wed- Youth to distribute gifts at Children's Hospital 10am; Choir practice 7pm

Thurs- Christmas Eve worship 7pm
Fri- Christmas Day worship 10am
Sat- NO WORSHIP
Sun- Worship 10am
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WORSHIP WORKERS:
Acolyte- Christmas Eve- Jacob Cluver; Christmas Day- Gus Klaustermeier; Sun- Zach Hoelscher

Ushers- Christmas Eve- Don Hance, Rich Boeger, Don Tate, Doug Walters; Christmas Day- Alan Hofeldt, Tim Linke, Rich Talbert, Don Turnure; Sun- Bob and Tom Linke, Scott and Alex Heitgerd

Altar- Christmas Eve/Day set up Linda Callies; Christmas Eve/Day Clean Up Terry McKenzie; Sun- Set up, Don Hance Clean up Lynn Russell and Elanie Schauer

Elders- Christmas Eve John Hachtel; Christmas Day Rich Talbert

Greeters- Sun- Ken and Marilyn Foster

Lay readers- Sun- Allan Dreyer

Sat. Pianist- NONE

Organist- Eve- Rachel Menscher; Day- Molly Hendershot; Sun Molly

Projectionists: NONE
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YESTERDAY'S BIBLE QUIZ: Find a prophecy about Jesus in the book of Micah?

But thou, Beth-lehem Ephratah, though thou be little among the thousands of Judah, yet out of thee shall he come forth unto me that is to be ruler in Israel; whose goings forth have been from of old, from everlasting.

Micah 5:2 Good job Pat King

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TODAY'S QUIZ; Find a prophecy about Jesus in the book of Isaiah (Besides Isaiah 7:10-14)

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NEWS!!!!

IRMA TRAVELET VISITATION AND FUNERAL TODAY

Visitation- 9-11am

Funeral- 11am

Burial in Warrenton Cemetery Immediately following

(No luncheon)

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THIS WEEK'S WORSHIP SCHEDULE!!

Christmas Eve- 7pm

Christmas Day- 10am

Sunday, Dec. 27- 10 am

(Please note that there is no Saturday service and that there is only one service on Sunday with no Sunday school or adult Bible class.)

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HOPE FULL LIVING DEVOTIONS FOR SENIORS AVAILABLE TO ORDER FROM CHURCH FOR $8 FOR THE WHOLE YEAR!!

"Hope Full Living" is a daily devotional booklet just for seniors that Pastor contributes to. He usually has one or two of his own devotions in it. If we get 10 or more people to order it and each person gives $8 we can order them in bulk and have them mailed to church. Order yours today by calling the church office!

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WARREN COUNTY COMMUNITY FITNESS CENTER IS BEGINNING NEW CLASS SESSIONS on JANUARY 4!!

They also have the gym open Monday-Friday 8am-7pm and Saturday 8am-noon.

It's in the old NIKE store in the mall.

There are discounts for Senior and Kids. Stop by to sign up today!

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OPERATION BACKPACK FOR DECEMBER IS CANNED SOUP AND RAMEN NOODLES!!!

Please help feed the less fortunate kids in Warrenton and Warren County, all of whom get two meals at school during the school week, but go hungry on weekends.

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OFFERING ENVELOPES ARE ON THE TABLE IN THE NARTHEX!!!

If you are a confirmed member of St. John's you have offering envelopes! Take them home! Put money in them! And Bring them back as your offering to the Lord!

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UNMARKED BLUE ENVELOPE CONTRIBUTIONS ARE GOING TO THE BUILDING EXPANSION PROGRAM
If you'd like it to go to the DCE fund you need to mark it for that! Please make sure you mark the ENVELOPE clearly for the DCE PROGRAM!
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DO YOU HAVE A KROGER CARD? ENROLL IT IN THE COMMUNITY REWARDS PROGRAM!!!
Register it online www.krogercommunityrewards.com and have it swiped each time you shop to earn money for Little Lambs.
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GENERAL PRAYERS:

For the family and friends of IRMA TRAVELET, as her visitation and funeral is today.

For DENISE SCHLESSELMANN as she is in need of more funding to continue her mission work in the Czech Republic.

For MARIANNE LINKE, who has been moved to Warrenton Manor and is receiving treatment and antibiotics for a very stubborn infection.

For CAL TAMELER as he deals with the reality that he has lost sight in his right eye.

For the PANHORSTS as they have sold their house in Innsbrook and have moved to Chesterfield, and as soon as Don is done with chemotherapy treatments will be moving down to Florida permanently, that God would bless them in their new endeavors.

For DONNNA LINDSEY'S DAD, as he has been moved to Lincoln County Nursing and rehab to recover from kidney troubles.

Fwd: The Lutheran Hour: December 20, 2015 "The Gift in the Manger"

Sent via the Samsung GALAXY S®4 Active™, an AT&T 4G LTE smartphone

-------- Original message --------
From: Lutheran Hour Ministries <lh_min@lhm.org>
Date: 12/19/2015 9:16 PM (GMT-06:00)
To: Jeremy Klaustermeier <revklaus@hotmail.com>
Subject: The Lutheran Hour: December 20, 2015 "The Gift in the Manger"

Sermon Text for December 20, 2015

"The Gift in the Manger" #83-16

Presented on The Lutheran Hour on December 20, 2015
By Rev. Gregory Seltz, Lutheran Hour Speaker
(What Does the Incarnation of Jesus Mean?)
Copyright 2015 Lutheran Hour Ministries

Text: Luke 2:8-12

There were shepherds living out in the fields keeping watch over their flocks at night and an angel of the Lord appeared to them and the glory of the Lord shone around them and they were terrified. But the angel of the Lord said to them, "Do not be afraid. I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all people for today in the City of David a Savior has been born to you. He is Christ the Lord. This will be a sign to you. You will find a Baby wrapped in swaddling clothes and lying in a manger. There were shepherds living out in the fields keeping watch over their flocks at night and an angel of the Lord appeared to them and the glory of the Lord shone around them and they were terrified. But the angel of the Lord said to them, "Do not be afraid. I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all people for today in the City of David a Savior has been born to you. He is Christ the Lord. This will be a sign to you. You will find a Baby wrapped in swaddling clothes and lying in a manger (Luke 2:8-12).

Grace and mercy and Christmas peace be to all of you in Jesus' Name. Amen.

If you are going to have a big family celebration at Christmastime, it would be good for you to be there, wouldn't it? Right? If you're going to plan a trip that is the trip of a lifetime, if you go to the Holy Land to see these things, it would be good if you made it onto the plane and were on the ship, right?

It wouldn't be a family celebration if the family didn't come. It wouldn't be the trip of a lifetime if you weren't here presently seeing these things for yourself. Well, today we learn an even more incredible thing. We learn from the shepherds a lesson even more important than our being at the most precious family celebrations this time of year. We learn of the fact that there is a real presence of God in our lives. In fact, Christmas is the knowledge of the fact that God really came, that God is really here, that God is the One that makes our celebrations what they are.

That's what Christmas is all about. Without Him, without His real presence, there is no good will. There is no peace. There is no forgiveness. There is no salvation. But with Him all of it is here for all people as a gift.

The shepherds teach us that there is a Baby that each one of us must receive anew each Christmas. This story is absurd without the fact of the Baby who is Christ the Lord.
Their message is romantic drivel without the Baby lying in swaddling clothes and Jesus, Baby Jesus, is not only the Reason for the season, He is the season and that's what we celebrate today So, you are privileged today as you listen. Your privilege is to come to worship the King of Kings, to come to the manger, and see that all this is here for yourself. Have you been to the manger lately? Well, come today and see and believe.

And there were shepherds living out in the fields keeping watch over their flocks at night. An angel of the Lord appeared to them and the glory of the Lord shone around them and they were terrified. Terrified.

The angel comes. Jesus comes. And that's good news. Now amazingly He comes to shepherds. Now, think about it. We've heard some of this. In the ancient world the shepherd was about the dirtiest person you could be, right? He was ceremonially unclean. There wasn't enough soap, even if you got that good soap from the Dead Sea. There wasn't enough soap to really clean these guys; and metaphorically we see what the Bible is talking about here. They were not only unclean but in many ways they represent all of us. We're not only unclean on the outside, but we're also unclean on the inside.

But you know what the Bible says? The Bible has a word even for those who are that dirty. You ready? Here it is. "But when the kindness and the love of God our Savior appeared, He saved us not because of the righteous things we had done but because of His mercy." He saved us through the washing of regeneration and the renewal of the Holy Spirit. You see God is no respecter of persons. He can wash anyone.

Christ came. And that's good news. But they were afraid. Why were they so terrified? Why were they so terrified? Well, the shepherds, they knew who they were. They knew they were sinful people even among their peers. And the reality kind of hit them; they knew their unworthiness to receive this incredible thing. In fact, if you ever have that experience of something that powerful like the angels, that beautiful like the angels, what really is going to happen? You're going to sense your own unworthiness. Your own ugliness, if you will.
But the great good news of the Bible is that not only does sin bring judgment, not only is sin really the breaking away from God, but God still comes for sinners with His beauty, with His grace, with His love, with His joy.

Deep down, many of us, if we're honest today, if you're listening in, we have the same fear of the Lord. We have the same fear of His awesome presence and beauty. But if you're a shepherd listening in, God doesn't come to judge you eternally. He comes to save you even from yourself.

Godly fear does not incapacitate us. Godly fear finally causes us not to rely on ourselves alone but to rely on Jesus Christ as our Lord and Savior in all things. You might say it this way. The fear of God caused them to listen that day. It didn't incapacitate them; it turned them to listen to His message. God's invitation, then, overcame their fear.

The angel said this, "Fear not, for behold I bring you good news for to you is born a Savior. He is Christ the Lord." So the angel invites them. He says "Journey to the manger and see what I'm talking about." And so what did they do? They ran to the manger. See, believers run. They receive the message and then they literally run to the message, and they run to that manger to see that good news that is there for them.

There is something more important this Christmas season than running to the store, than running to the party, than running even to the family celebration. The most important thing you can do this Christmas is what? Run to the manger and see the Gift that keeps on giving.

So the shepherds, they said to one another, "Let's go to Bethlehem and see this thing that has happened which the Lord has told us about. Let's go. Let's see. Let's believe."

Now that's the other point for you today. That's the point for all of us today, my friends. The good news that I'm talking about is not just for the shepherds back in the day. This good news is for us and for our salvation. That's the whole point of Christmas; that God comes, that God's part of life to bring His life to people like you and me.

I like to say it this way; God's in the giving business and we're in the receiving business. Would you agree with me on that? That's really the message of the Bible. God's in the giving business, we're in the receiving business. God's in the giving business. He gives gifts to sinful people who have a real need. He gives gifts to sinners who don't deserve the gift but can have it in full measure. That's what the Bible is all about.

In fact, if you start at the very beginning, God gave Adam and Eve in the middle of their disobedience and sin, He gave them a promise; a promise that would literally hold them and hold the generations who followed in their footsteps.

God, then, began to fulfill that promise and He literally gave that promise a name. There was a baby born named Isaac to Abraham and Sarah, why? So that that promise would be rooted in history. And then God gave the Scriptures to continue to prophesy about this Messiah who would come to save His people.

And in our reading today, God gave the shepherds a pronouncement from the angels that Jesus was born. God gave the Wise Men a star to direct them to this Jesus who was the King of Kings. And God gave the world through Mary the One Who was the Wonderful One, the Counselor, the Prince of Peace, the Mighty God, our Savior and Redeemer, Jesus Christ. God's in the giving business and we are in the receiving business by grace through faith.

So God's in the giving business through a manger to a cross for a resurrection life for all of us to receive and believe. So God came to shepherds and these shepherds received it, they believed it, and then they told everybody about it. This is not just good news for the night; this is good news for eternal life. And that's what we get to receive and share today.

That's some gift receiving, gift giving that I think will make every Christmas celebration full of joy, right? That's a gift that makes life worth living. How do I know that? Well the Bible tells me so and so does Charlie Brown. Let me say that again; the Bible tells me so and so does Charlie Brown.

You know about the Charlie Brown Christmas special, right? Do you know how that all came to be? The Charlie Brown Christmas special, which is a cultural phenomenon in America, it was back in the 1960s, a phenomenon named Peanuts was born. The guy's name was Charles Schultz and he began to write these story lines of simple characters, modest story lines, and it became a perfect placebo, they said, for millions looking for a dose of innocence in the craziness of the '60s.

None of this was lost on Madison Avenue and they thought let's try to market this thing. Let's see if we can get something out of this. So they approached Charles Schultz, the creator of the comic strip, and they said, "Hey, we've got this idea. We'd like to do an animated Christmas special with your Peanuts characters. Would you do it?" What did Schultz say? "Absolutely!"

So here it comes. He starts to get to work on the opening screenplay and here's some of the things that he said. The opening scene has Charlie Brown on his tiptoes peeking into his snow-covered mailbox hoping to find a Christmas card but to no avail. Feeling dejected, he stops by where? Not church, but Lucy's psychiatric booth to mourn the commercialism of Christmas. And Lucy agrees with him.

Here's what she said. "Christmas is nothing but a lot of stupid toys, Charlie Brown. What we need is real estate." Do you remember that? CBS loved it. "Oh, this is great stuff." So, it keeps going on. The next scene Charlie Brown becomes further disillusioned as Snoopy is decorating his doghouse with strings of lights and gaudy decorations in hopes of winning the contest of the neighborhood. "Good grief," says Charlie Brown. CBS says, "That's great!" And they ate it up.

As the story progressed, Lucy sent Charlie to pick out a Christmas tree. You remember this, right? It's for the neighborhood pageant and the instructions are to find a big, shiny, aluminum tree, maybe painted pink. But Charlie couldn't do it. Instead he brought back a real, albeit small, pathetic, lifeless tree and the kids hated it. What did they say? "You blockhead, Charlie Brown." "That's really good," said CBS.

They were loving every minute of it. And then finally Charlie said this, "What is Christmas about anyway?" And now you remember, right? Who steps up to the mic? Linus. He steps up to the mic and this is exactly what he says, "And there were in the same country shepherds abiding in the field keeping watch over their flock by night. And lo, the angel of the Lord came upon them and the glory of the Lord shone around them and they were sore afraid. And the angel said unto them, 'Fear not. Behold I bring you good tidings of great joy which shall be to all people. For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Savior which is Christ the Lord. And this shall be a sign unto you. Ye shall find the Babe wrapped in swaddling clothes, lying in a manger.' And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly hosts praising God and saying, 'Glory to God in the highest and on earth peace among those with whom He is pleased.'"

"Hold everything!" said CBS. "Hold everything. You cannot recite Bible verses on national television, and especially the King James Version. You'll alienate our viewers," they said. "You'll chase away our advertisers."

"The tree can stay," they said, "but the Bible has to go." Schultz stood firm. He said, "If I can't tell the Christmas story, then you can't have the Peanuts cast. If the Bible reading goes, so do they."

Well, CBS looked at the fast-approaching deadline and they gulped, "Okay, it stays but we're going to pay a terrible, terrible, terrible price." And sure enough, on the night of the Charlie Brown Christmas Special, the CBS switchboard was flooded with calls from all around the country and everyone asked the same question, "When can we have more Charlie Brown Christmas specials?" And, of course, what did the CBS execs say? "You'll have them real soon."

What a phenomena. It won an Emmy. It won a Peabody. That night a TV tradition was born. 50% of America tuned in to watch a Charlie Brown Christmas. TV Guide said this. They claim that Linus' reading of the Bible was one of the top 35 moments in television history. And Charlie Brown Christmas became the longest-running Christmas special on CBS.

This story needs to be told. It came to shepherds and they couldn't stop telling it and we can't stop telling it either. If Charlie Brown can't stop telling it and Linus can't stop telling it, and there are people who still need to hear it. Also you and me, anyone listening today, the promise is given, but it's given for you. It's given for me.

Have you been to the manger lately? It can change your life. In faith you can come to the manger. In faith you can lead a joyful life that only Jesus Christ can give. With faith in Him you can go back to your houses. You can go back to your families. Back to your friends. Your Savior has come and it makes all the difference in your life and it makes all the difference in the celebrations that you have now and forever.

As I was closing with this, it just came to my mind again that this story is a story unlike any other in the world. I know there are other religions. I know there are other philosophies, but they're nothing like this.

If you're listening today and you've never heard this message, hang in there with us. Come back every Sunday because I'm going to tell you the implications of this message for you. There is no other story like this. Think about it. When three kings come to a little Boy, He must be the King of Kings. When a message like this comes to shepherds who then run to a stable claiming a message from angels, running through streets praising God, they're either nuts unless there's the Lord of the Lords in that manger.

And when Herod, you know the story, when Herod slaughtered the infants because he heard there was a new King in town, well, he's nuts anyway. But the threat was real because Jesus is the King of Kings and the Lord of Lords.

Come to His manger this Christmas. Receive the life and salvation that only He can give. Open that gift today because it will bless you forever. Why, He promises that to all who believe. In Jesus' Name. Amen.

LUTHERAN HOUR MAILBOX (Questions & Answers) for December 20, 2015

Topic: What Does the Incarnation of Jesus Mean?

ANNOUNCER: The incarnation of Jesus. What does that mean? Pastor Gregory Seltz responds to questions. I'm Mark Eischer. Well, that's something we hear about a lot during the Christmas season. What does the incarnation of Jesus mean?

SELTZ: Incarnation is a powerful reality taught in Scripture. So, let me ask you, Mark, how would you describe it?

ANNOUNCER: Well, it's based on the Latin. It means to become flesh. I think I've heard you describe it as the 'enfleshment' of Jesus, His becoming human.

SELTZ: Well done. That's exactly right. Jesus, truly God, the second person of the Holy Trinity, becoming a human being.

ANNOUNCER: All right. So that's what the word incarnation literally means. But, what is its significance?

SELTZ: And, that's where we find the power of the term. The significance of the incarnation is huge. It can be summed up by John 3:16, that beautiful and concise summary of the Gospel: "For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life"(John 3:16 ESV). God loved us so much, He sent Jesus to become human in order to save us.

ANNOUNCER: How did His becoming human save us?

SELTZ: The answer to that question unfolds the Gospel message. The Apostle Paul tells us in Philippians, chapter two: "Christ Jesus, who, though he was in the form of God, did not count equality with God something to be grasped ... He emptied himself, taking the form of a servant, being born in the likeness of men. And being found in human form, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to death, even death on a cross" (Philippians 2:5-9 ESV). Paul goes deeper with that significance of Jesus' humanity in 2 Corinthians 5. He says, "God made him who had no sin to be sin for us, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God" (2 Corinthians 5:21 NIV).

ANNOUNCER: So we see that Jesus humbled Himself by becoming a human being--but even more than that--He also willingly became sin itself for us.

SELTZ: Yes, Jesus became human like us, but He lived a perfect life. And incredibly, upon Him was placed all of our sin and imperfection, our faults and failures. Jesus was punished by God the Father in our place for our sin to save us from the consequences of our guilt, our disobedience, and our brokenness. He was that Sacrifice that saved us when He died on the cross.

ANNOUNCER: The writer of the book of Hebrews summed that up, that sacrifice, when he wrote: "For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but one who in every respect has been tempted as we are, yet without sin" (Hebrews 4:15-16 ESV). Hebrews 10 goes on to say that Jesus was the perfect sacrifice. It says "We have been made holy through the sacrifice of the body of Jesus Christ once for all" (Hebrews 10:10 NIV).

SELTZ: That's a great verse. Those are great verses. They tell the significance of the incarnation of Jesus. It says, "We have been made holy through the sacrifice of the body of Jesus once for all." You see, Jesus became our Substitute. Where we failed, He succeeded. He became like us, but instead of sinning, He lived a perfect life in our place.

ANNOUNCER: And, amazingly as the sinless Son of God, all of our sin was still placed upon Him and He took the punishment for it.

SELTZ: Even more amazingly, Mark, He rose from the dead and His sacrifice was confirmed as acceptable before God the Father. Now God looks at each one of us, through faith in Jesus Christ, and He sees us perfect because all our sins have been paid for in Him.

ANNOUNCER: I guess you're really saying the incarnation of Jesus changes everything.

SELTZ: Without it, we would still be lost eternally. Only God Himself could save us. Only Jesus in the flesh, God in the flesh, could do that.

ANNOUNCER: Here we think of St. Paul's words in 1 Corinthians, chapter 15: "For as by a man came death, by a man has come also the resurrection of the dead. For as in Adam all die, so also in Christ shall all be made alive" (1 Corinthians 15:21-23 ESV).

SELTZ: That's why Jesus is sometimes called the "Second Adam." He fixed, repaired, restored what the first Adam broke and so that incarnation shows us the remarkable love of God. If you are listening today, God Himself is inviting you to put your trust in Him, inviting you personally to have faith in the Savior who did pay for your sins, who rose from the dead. One day we will even see Him face to face. We will see the wounds that earned our grace. We will receive His physical embrace. But in the meantime, He is with us always even to the end of the age.

ANNOUNCER: And that's the comfort, isn't it? That He is with us always, even to the end of the age.

SELTZ: Exactly.

ANNOUNCER: Thank you, Pastor Seltz. This has been a presentation of Lutheran Hour Ministries.

Action in Ministry for December 20, 2015
Guest: Yvette Seltz

ANNOUNCER: You're listening to The Lutheran Hour and this is Action in Ministry. We're here back in the studio now with Pastor Gregory Seltz. I'm thinking about your travels to Israel and what it must have been like for you to preach today's sermon in the places where it all happened.

SELTZ: Yeah, seeing where Jesus walked, Mark, and taught, and spent time among His disciples; it impacts how I see the Scriptures and I know it did for all the people there. And then, of course, the account of how Christ came to earth as a Baby, wow! To see it.

ANNOUNCER: Well, as we look ahead to celebrating Christmas, let's take a glimpse at your life beyond the broadcast studio...

SELTZ: Okay.

ANNOUNCER: Would you please introduce for us today's special guest?

SELTZ: Well, I'd love to. Being a pastor, to do it well, it's always great to have a wonderful helpmate and I have one; my wife Yvette. And Yvette, we've been married, what, thirty years now.

Y. SELTZ: Thirty years.

SELTZ: She's my biggest fan. More importantly than that, she's also very wise counsel in my life and a great sounding board, and even much more, Mark.

ANNOUNCER: And Yvette, you also have a Master's Degree in Industrial Organizational Psychology. You're a PhD candidate in clinical psychology which enables you to be a real blessing to others as well. So, thank you for joining us today.

Y. SELTZ: Well, thank you, Mark, for having me here and also for saying that I'm a special guest because I really think I am. (laughter)

SELTZ: Yes you are, dear.

Y. SELTZ: Thank you. Thank you.

ANNOUNCER: We're talking about Christmas today. Maybe you could share with us some of your favorite Christmas traditions?

SELTZ: Very early on into our ministry, you have Christmas Eve and the specialness that goes on there. Yvette would say, "Let's have our own after it's all said and done." And so she'd tell me to take Devin home and we'd have a quiet time at the house. But here's what she did that made even that more special. She'd run to Bennigan's and get us a little food, but then what she would do before she came home was she would veer off and she would take some gifts to these folks who were working at the Village Inn. But what she did is she focused on them even that night. That night we needed together. And then she'd bring all that joy back to us and then we'd listen in our quiet time to Oh, Come, Oh, Come, Emmanuel by Mannheim Steamroller. And think about the fact that Christ was willing to do all this for us. And all I can tell you is that extra special thing of adding a little gift here and there for those who matter made such a difference into how I actually enjoyed Christmas.

Y. SELTZ: I think I'm particularly vulnerable. I'm aware of a lot of people that are by themselves during this time of year. I think police officers and health care workers; so just going and saying, "I see you and I thank you for everything you've done." It just fills you up because they're not expecting it.

SELTZ: They're not expecting it. They actually bring more joy to us in how they receive it, but it's part of our tradition.

ANNOUNCER: Now, Pastor Seltz, given your busy schedule during the year, how do you intentionally slow things down in order to focus on Christ and the real meaning of Christmas? Yvette, I'm sure you play a big role in that.

Y. SELTZ: I do. I play a tremendous role. (laughter)

SELTZ: Well, tell the young man about that, Dear.

Y. SELTZ: Because he's constantly on the go and it's hard to pull him away from his work, but we have to make the most of the small moments we get; during family meals, evening prayers by the fire, playing music in the home, and just really refocusing on the things that are important in our family.

SELTZ: One of the things that she does that I try to do for myself too but she does it with me; and that is she'll send me a text of the Bible verse for the day that keeps me focused no matter what's going on. It gives me something else to think through.

Y. SELTZ: It's usually pretty relevant too.

SELTZ: Isn't that amazing. But the things she was just talking about; structuring time so that you're focusing on your family, those you love, as well as those you serve so that you don't get out of balance.

ANNOUNCER: And in that way you maintain that connection between the two of you but also it's that connection that you have with Christ and His mission which is the reason you're out there being busy anyway.

Y. SELTZ: Absolutely.

SELTZ: Right.
ANNOUNCER: Now, beyond the time crunch, Christmas is also a time where many people could be struggling with the loss of a loved one, a broken relationship, maybe a failed expectation; with your background in psychology, what would you say to those folks who are experiencing that kind of a Christmas?

Y. SELTZ: The holidays do bring up a lot of emotions; melancholy, my grandmother would cry every Christmas.

ANNOUNCER: Why did she cry?

SELTZ: That's what I'm saying. She wasn't crying because of melancholy. She wasn't crying because of all the things we cry about. She was crying because Jesus had to die on the cross for her. And she thought of that on Christmas Day.

Y. SELTZ: Every Christmas.

SELTZ: So it used to overwhelm her and I said that's what made her so special. Even there she was showing us; focus on Christ and then focus on another person because of Christ.

Y. SELTZ: You know I think it's really an important time to sit and try to think about not to push those feelings away but to realize that they're there and to face them head-on.

ANNOUNCER: Well, this is our Action in Ministry segment for today; to bless, to empower...

SELTZ: And to strengthen your life in Christ for others.

ANNOUNCER: And thank you, Pastor Seltz and Yvette, for being with us today giving us a glimpse of a Seltz family Christmas and we wish you and your family, including your daughter, Devin, a very blessed Christmas.

Y. SELTZ: Thank you and Merry Christmas to everybody.

SELTZ: And I just want to extend a blessed Christmas from Yvette and from me to all of you who make Lutheran Hour possible. God be with you and your families today and always.

Music Selections for this program:

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

"O Come, O Come, Emmanuel" From The Concordia Organist (© 2009 Concordia Publishing House)

"Come, Your Hearts and Voices Raising" From The Concordia Organist (© 2009 Concordia Publishing House)

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Vessell family in need of someone to watch daughter in afternoon

New members Mark and Jayme Vessell are in need of someone to watch their little girl some afternoons between the time Jayme has to go to work and Mark gets home from work.

Earliest to start would be 2:30pm, and latest to stay would be 5:30pm according to Jayme.

Call Jayme at 314-8358110 with any help you can provide.

Dishes in kitchen: Are they yours?

There are way too many dishes, bowls, platters, and pans left over from our Advent dinners and many other things over the past few months. Please stop by church sometime, or go downstairs after worship, to pick yours up and take it home!!

They're taking up most of the free counter space.

THANK YOU!!!!
Pastor

Daily Email: Thursday, December 17, 2015

DEVOTION: Luke 1:39-56

³⁹In those days Mary arose and went with haste into the hill country, to a town in Judah, ⁴⁰and she entered the house of Zechariah and greeted Elizabeth. ⁴¹And when Elizabeth heard the greeting of Mary, the baby leaped in her womb. And Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit, ⁴²and she exclaimed with a loud cry, "Blessed are you among women, and blessed is the fruit of your womb! ⁴³And why is this granted to me that the mother of my Lord should come to me? ⁴⁴For behold, when the sound of your greeting came to my ears, the baby in my womb leaped for joy. ⁴⁵And blessed is she who believed that there would be^[a] a fulfillment of what was spoken to her from the Lord."

Mary's Song of Praise: The Magnificat

⁴⁶And Mary said,

"My soul magnifies the Lord,
⁴⁷    and my spirit rejoices in God my Savior,
⁴⁸for he has looked on the humble estate of his servant.
    For behold, from now on all generations will call me blessed;
⁴⁹for he who is mighty has done great things for me,
    and holy is his name.
⁵⁰And his mercy is for those who fear him
    from generation to generation.
⁵¹He has shown strength with his arm;
    he has scattered the proud in the thoughts of their hearts;
⁵²he has brought down the mighty from their thrones
    and exalted those of humble estate;
⁵³he has filled the hungry with good things,
    and the rich he has sent away empty.
⁵⁴He has helped his servant Israel,
    in remembrance of his mercy,
⁵⁵as he spoke to our fathers,
    to Abraham and to his offspring forever."

⁵⁶And Mary remained with her about three months and returned to her home.

(Spoiler alert: This is a bit of the sermon for this weekend.)

Why do you magnify something? You magnify it to make it bigger so you can see it better, don't you? Why then does Mary say, "My soul now magnifies the Lord"?

Mary, never wanted the spotlight. She never wanted people to praise her or to put her up on a pedestal. She was simply a woman whose soul magnified the Lord. She became less so Christ could become more. Here in this passage she is both overwhelmed with joy and maybe even a little bit of fear. She was going to give birth to God's Son. Can you imagine the thoughts and wonder that would be going through her head? That's why it says several times, "Mary kept all of these things and pondered them in her heart". She didn't go around boasting about it. She didn't really even let anyone know anything about it.

What about you? Does your soul magnify the Lord, or are you more prone to try to magnify yourself? When I think of this I think of certain politicians who, because of the nature of running for office, have to magnify themselves. Nothing could be more of a put off for me. I wish Ben Carson would and could be our president, but he is too quiet and hasn't magnified himself enough.

Our souls should magnify the Lord, not ourselves. When people see our hear us, they should hear or see Jesus. The biggest compliment I get is when little kids call me Jesus, because that means the He is what they hear and see from me.

Plan on magnifying Jesus today! In your dealings with people, share Jesus. Give a simple "Peace be with you" or "Jesus loves you" or even just "A blessed Christmas" to everyone you meet.

Prayer: Lord, make my soul magnify you today and every day. Amen.

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CALENDAR:

Thurs- GARMS FAMILY CONCERT 6pm!!

Fri- Bible Study at Hendershot's 7pm
Sat- Men's Breakfast 8am; Sunday school Christmas program practice 9-11; Worship 5
Sun- Worship 8:30; Sunday school 9:45; Sunday School Christmas Program 11am
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WORSHIP WORKERS:
Acolyte- 8:30- Sarah Cluver ; 11- Alaina Heitgerd
Ushers- Sun- Figura Family
Altar- Set Up- Cheri' Hofeldt; Clean up- Pam Linke

Elders- Sat- Randy Fischer; 8:30- Steve McDowell; 11- Charlie Figura
Greeters- 8:30- Lew and Dianne Feldkamp; 11- Marv and Molly Hendershot
Lay readers- Sat- Marcia Sevier 8:30- Sandra Perricone 11- Steve Robine
Sat. Pianist- Kathy Barrow
Organist- Rachel Fisher
Projectionists: Sat. Perricone 8:30- ???? , 11- ????
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YESTERDAY'S BIBLE QUIZ: Find a prophecy about Jesus in the book of Micah?

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NEWS!!!!

THE GARMS FAMILY SINGERS WILL BE HERE FOR A CHRISTMAS CONCERT TOMORROW (THURSDAY) AT 6PM!!

They are a wonderfully talented family who use their God-given abilities to honor him and bring entertainment to churches all around the USA. Please mark your calendars and make every effort to be there. You won't be disappointed.

Check them out here:

http://thegarmsfamily.com/

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IRMA TRAVELET VISITATION AND FUNERAL MONDAY, DECEMBER 21 At CHURCH

Visitation- 9-11am

Funeral- 11am

Burial in Warrenton Cemetery Immediately following

(No luncheon)

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HOPE FULL LIVING DEVOTIONS FOR SENIORS AVAILABLE TO ORDER FROM CHURCH FOR $8 FOR THE WHOLE YEAR!!

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WARREN COUNTY COMMUNITY FITNESS CENTER IS BEGINNING NEW CLASS SESSIONS on JANUARY 4!!

They also have the gym open Monday-Friday 8am-7pm and Saturday 8am-noon.

It's in the old NIKE store in the mall.

There are discounts for Senior and Kids. Stop by to sign up today!

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MEN'S BREAKFAST IS THIS SATURDAY AT 8AM!
Biscuits and gravy, scrambled eggs, sausage and some sort of Christmas treat.

Please RSVP today!!

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OPERATION BACKPACK FOR DECEMBER IS CANNED SOUP AND RAMEN NOODLES!!!

Please help feed the less fortunate kids in Warrenton and Warren County, all of whom get two meals at school during the school week, but go hungry on weekends.

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OFFERING ENVELOPES ARE ON THE TABLE IN THE NARTHEX!!!

If you are a confirmed member of St. John's you have offering envelopes! Take them home! Put money in them! And Bring them back as your offering to the Lord!

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GENERAL PRAYERS:

For the family and friends of IRMA TRAVELET, as she passed from death to eternal life yesterday afternoon.

For DAVE CALLIES as he recovers from losing a finger and injuries to others.

For CAL TAMELER as he is dealing with many complications and struggles with his eye.

For DAVE WINTER as he awaits an important test to identify troubling results from a prostate exam.

For DON PANHORST who is recovering from his third round of chemo.

For DONNNA LINDSEY'S DAD, as he has been moved to Lincoln County Nursing and Rehab to recover from kidney troubles.

For KARIN KLAUSTERMEIER as she recovers from her hysterectomy.

For MARIANNE LINKE, who has been moved to Warrenton Manor and is receiving treatment and antibiotics for a very stubborn infection.

For DENISE SCHLESSELMANN as she is in the Czech Republic to continue her mission work.

For WILMA WEIGLE as she continues to deal with the after effects of a severe stroke almost two years ago.

A prayer request from Ron Williams

Could you please pray for my family? My sister in law has been battling cancer for some time now and about 5 weeks ago was told she had 2 to 6 weeks. Today they got the test results back and the cancer has spread every where . It seems the doctors were right . She is a Mother of 4 with 4 step children and a grandmother of 8. She is only 50 yrs. Old . Its been very hard on my Brother and the kids. It appears her suffering will soon be over . I pray that the family could find some comfort in our Lords words and each other. Thanks

Visitation and Funeral Arrangements for Irma Travelet

Irma Travelet

Monday, Dec. 21 at St. John's Lutheran Church

Visitation- 9-11am

Funeral- 11am

Burial- Immediately following at Warrenton cemetery

(No luncheon)

Martin Funeral Home is taking care of arrangements

Daily Email: Wednesday, December 16, 2015

DEVOTION: Hebrews 10:5-10 (ESV)

⁵Consequently, when Christ came into the world, he said,

"Sacrifices and offerings you have not desired,
    but a body have you prepared for me;
⁶in burnt offerings and sin offerings
    you have taken no pleasure.
⁷Then I said, 'Behold, I have come to do your will, O God,
    as it is written of me in the scroll of the book.'"

⁸When he said above, "You have neither desired nor taken pleasure in sacrifices and offerings and burnt offerings and sin offerings" (these are offered according to the law), ⁹then he added, "Behold, I have come to do your will." He does away with the first in order to establish the second. ¹⁰And by that will we have been sanctified through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ once for all.

In the Old Testament sacrifices and burnt offerings were given to pay for sin. Different ones were prescribed for different sins, sometimes a bull, sometimes a ram, other times a grain offering. God had intended these offerings and sacrifices more as a way to show the people how costly it was when you sinned. It was a way to, in essence, show them that there was no way they could pay for their sins themselves.

What ended up happening is that the people misunderstood that. They thought they were truly making satisfaction for all of their wrongdoing. They thought that these sacrifices fulfilled their "obligation" to the Lord, when all along there was no obligation.

What God wanted was their hearts. he wanted them to do His will, not under obligation, but out of love and honor for the Lord.

That's where Jesus comes in. Not only did he make total satisfaction for all sins for all time, but he did God's will completely out of love and honor for the Father and for His children, for us. Jesus became prophet, priest, and king for us. He has fulfilled the obligation of blood for sin, a perfect will toward God, and the love that we are unable to give.

Since the Holy Spirit lives in us and regenerates us, we are able to live holy lives now, not under obligation, but out of love and honor for Christ. We can worship with true hearts. We can do good works which God prepared in advance for us to do. We can pray! We can work! We can be at peace with God and one another. All this we can do because off what Christ has done for us!!

Prayer: Lord, thank you for sending your Son to be prophet, priest, and King for us. Christ, thank you for fulfilling God's will for us! Holy Spirit, thank you for regeneration us and for keeping us int he faith until the Day of Jesus. Amen.

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CALENDAR:

Wed- Supper 5:30; Worship 6:30; Choir 7:15

Thurs- GARMS FAMILY CONCERT 6pm!!

Fri- Bible Study at Hendershot's 7pm
Sat- Men's Breakfast 8am; Sunday school Christmas program practice 9-11; Worship 5
Sun- Worship 8:30; Sunday school 9:45; Sunday School Christmas Program 11am
_______________________________________________________________________________________________________
WORSHIP WORKERS:
Acolyte- Wed- Jack Bunge; 8:30- Sarah Cluver ; 11- Alaina Heitgerd
Ushers- Wed- Marv Hendershot, Don Luebke, Donn Nolte, Dave Callies Sun- Figura Family
Altar- Set Up- Cheri' Hofeldt; Clean up- Pam Linke

Portals of Prayer devotion for Monday related to your quiz question about the first use of the term "Immanuel" in the Bible.

I don't know if it was the "first" time the term is used, but the P.o.P. devotion mentioned Isaiah 7:14 using the term Immanuel (by itself), then Matthew 1:23 quotes the prophet's use of Immanuel with the added "God with us" in parentheses.

Way to go Alan Hofeldt!!!

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TODAY'S BIBLE QUIZ: Find a prophecy about Jesus in the book of Micah?

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NEWS!!!!

THE GARMS FAMILY SINGERS WILL BE HERE FOR A CHRISTMAS CONCERT TOMORROW (THURSDAY) AT 6PM!!

Check them out here:

http://thegarmsfamily.com/

_________________________________________________________________________________________

Those RESPONSIBLE FOR BRINGING FOOD WEDNESDAY NIGHT ARE AS FOLLOWS:

Barrow

Beasley

Boeger Rich

Boeger Carol

Bueltmann

Bunge

Christophene

Coleman Ruth

Donsky

Fischer Randy Jr.

Foster

Frye

Hachtel

Herzog

Hoelscher Maryanne

Hoenig

Howard John, Shawna

Linke Bob

Linke Tim

Marschel

Marshall

McRoy

Neeley

Nitzschke Jane

Owenby

Perrey

Pucket Mike

Rahn

Ruhl

Russell

Schlenther

Sexton

Smith Mabel

Smith Mike and Peggy

Stockmann

VanHorn Ralph

Vessell

Woolf

Yoder