Fwd: The Voice of Missouri E-Newsletter

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PUBLISHED BY THE MISSOURI DISTRICT OF THE LUTHERAN CHURCH—MISSOURI SYNOD February 3, 2017

River Roads Lutheran School Launches Fundraising Campaign

River Roads Lutheran School, a K-8 school on St. Louis' north side, is in the midst of a fundraising campaign to raise $175,000 so that the school ministry may continue. Opened in 1869, River Roads Lutheran School has proudly served the Baden community of St. Louis for the past 147 years. During that time the faculty and staff have continually been committed to "Sharing the Caring Christ" as they educate students and help them to grow academically, spiritually, physically, and emotionally so that they may be good Christian leaders. River Roads Lutheran School is a unique educational ministry centered in an economically changing urban area. While once a thriving school with a strong student population, River Roads, like many tuition-based urban schools, is no longer able to provide for sustainability by relying on a majority of its revenue coming from student tuition. While the need for a Lutheran faith-based school option for families in north St. Louis and north St. Louis County remains clear, sustainable funding is not. Read more . . .

St. Louis Area Schools Celebrate National Lutheran Schools Week

(Above Photo): As part of our National Lutheran Schools Week celebration, students at St. John's Lutheran School (Arnold) collected diapers to support the local Hand 'n Hand Pregnancy Center. In the 5-day period, the children and families donated 10,007 diapers to help moms and babies. The First Grade class (photo) won the class competition of collecting the highest average number of diapers per student (101). Church members, too, are collecting diapers to add to the school collection.

Thousands of Lutheran school students in the St. Louis Metro Area celebrated National Lutheran Schools Week (Jan. 22-29, 2017) with special events, field trips, dress-up days and service projects that reflected the theme of this year's week: Upon this Rock, based on Isaiah 26:4 (ESV): "Trust in the Lord forever, for the Lord God is an everlasting rock." Read more . . .

Healthy Servants & Peaceful Ministries

There is a wonderful hymn, "Christ Be My Leader" LW 861. The opening verse says, "Christ be my leader by night as by day; Safe through the darkness, for He is the way. Gladly I follow, my future His care, Darkness is daylight when Jesus is there." Christ Jesus is the head of the church and we follow His leadership, but He also calls His people to be leaders in ministry in times of darkness and light. All too often we find that we experience challenges and conflicts as we go about our ministry and wonder how best to deal with those. It can be helpful to identify what some of those challenges might be. Read more . . .

St. Louis premiere — One night only!

Celebrate the 500th anniversary of the Reformation by attending this once in a lifetime event!

Come to the St. Louis premiere of the new movie, "Martin Luther: The Idea that Changed the World," at 7 p.m. Monday, Feb. 13, at the Wehrenberg Des Peres 14 Cine, 12701 Manchester Rd., Des Peres, Mo.

Tickets must be purchased in advance. To purchase tickets, visit tickets.NewLutherMovie.com.

CLICK HERE for more information.

Announcements/Other News

"Go and Be Reconciled: What Does This Mean?"
A one-day seminar of reconciliation
When: Saturday, February 11, 2017
8:00 a.m. – 4:30 p.m.
Where: Trinity Lutheran Church
2201 Rollins Road
Columbia, MO 65203

Online registration is available until February 3rd.
Registration fee: $20 per person, lunch included

CLICK HERE for more information and to register.

Peer Ministry Training (PMT)
Looking for a great youth ministry leadership opportunity?

Peer Ministry Training (PMT) is an opportunity to come together with high school youth and youth counselors who want to learn additional/intentional skills in counseling/discipleship to serve in their youth ministry, in their congregation, their school, their community and their family.

The Missouri District Family Life and Youth Board invite you and/or your youth to Peer Ministry Training February 17-19, at the Sojourn Retreat Center in Dittmer, Missouri.

More details on PMT can be found on the Missouri District web site by clicking here.
Your cost for the entire weekend is only $80 per person which includes staff, materials, housing and meals. Space is limited and fills up fast - early registration is encouraged.

Click Here to Register for this Event
The deadline to register online and send payment to the District Office is Monday, February 6, 2017.

Registration suggestion: A team of two or three youth and an adult leader is ideal. Individuals who come alone may find themselves missing the support needed to grow together and support one another at home.
Peer Ministry Training is an outstanding experience with great training/leadership teams and great youth and counselors coming together to learn, grow and serve. Please share this opportunity with everyone in your youth ministry.

We hope to see you there!

Leaders & Ledgers Workshop

Saturday, March 18, 2017
10:00 a.m. – 3:00 p.m. at Alive in Christ Lutheran Church in Columbia, MO

Everyone and anyone who is involved in church administration. All Treasurers, Business Managers, Church Administrators, lay leaders and Pastors who serve in those capacities – this is for you!
Join us at Alive in Christ in Columbia for this workshop that will give you the opportunity to acquire detailed information on a variety of topics related to your stewardship of financial gifts and properties.

CLICK HERE FOR ADDITIONAL INFORMATION AND TO REGISTER!

Registration fee is $10 per person.

Missouri District Spring Jr. High Retreat

The Missouri District Jr. High Retreat is returning this spring around the theme, "Rescued". Our focus this year is on baptism and the blessings we receive from this awesome gift of God.

Our presenter & worship leader is Rev. Joel Beyer, the pastor at Community Lutheran Church near San Diego, CA. And……The Relentless Project is returning to provide our music! CLICK HERE for more information and to register.

Missouri District Mission Summit – Save the Date – June 3, 2017
The Missouri District will be hosting a Mission Summit next year at Concordia Seminary in partnership with LCMS Office of National Mission, Concordia Seminary, Lutheran Hour Ministries, Lutheran Church Extension Fund and Send Me St. Louis. The summit will feature Lutheran Hour Speaker, Rev. Greg Seltz presenting the keynote address. There will also be practical sessions and inspirational presentations to equip congregational leaders for reaching out to their community. Mark your calendars and plan to be there!

Assistant to the President for Mission Advancement Job Opening

The Missouri District has begun a search process for an Assistant to the President for Mission Advancement.
This staff person will work with donors to raise support for Missouri District mission initiatives.
The person should be a member of a Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod congregation.

Experience in development work is preferable, but not required.

There will be regular travel within the state of Missouri to meet with donors and congregational leaders.
This position is accountable to the President of the Missouri District.

Those who are interested should contact Michelle Christ ( michelle.christ@mo.lcms.org) to request a copy of the position description or to submit a resume and three references by February 15, 2017.

Missouri District Lutheran Youth Fellowship Nominations Forms Are Now Available

The Missouri District Lutheran Youth Fellowship (LYF) Team gives high school youth, who are members of LCMS churches in our District, the opportunity to grow in their service to the church and in their leadership in youth ministry. Each year, we bring four new young people on board as our seniors leave us to step into the future God has planned for them. These four new young people must currently be in their freshman year of high school. You are invited to nominate a young person from your congregation to serve in this important capacity.

CLICK HERE for more information and to download the application.

Missouri District Mission Grants

The Missouri District would like to announce the opening of the application period for Missouri District Mission Grants.

Mission grants are designed for new mission start-ups, not for maintenance of sustaining ministries. In a few unique situations, funds may be available for some additional years. Mission grant funds are designated to support new mission plants within the boundaries of the Missouri District.

CLICK HERE for additional information and to application.

Reformation Celebration Congregation Kit Now Available

The Synod has prepared a kit to assist congregations in planning and publicizing events throughout 2017. The congregation resource kit for the Reformation celebration contains downloadable materials to promote your congregation's observation of the 500th anniversary of the Reformation. The kit includes bulletin announcements, bulletin blurbs, social media memes, posters, a newspaper article, an op-ed article, a church newsletter article, and a banner template. Many of these resources can be customized to include your congregation's name and contact information. What is your congregation doing to celebrate? CLICK HERE to download the kit.

District and Church Events
( Peer Ministry Training, 2017 Spring Early Childhood Conference, Missouri District Spring Jr. High Retreat, Go and Be Reconciled: What Does This Mean?)
Installations and Ordinations
Personnel Changes and Calling Congregations
LCMS Missouri District News
Obituaries

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660 Mason Ridge Center Drive #100, St. Louis, MO, 63141

Daily Email: Thursday, February 2, 2017

Matthew 5:13-20 English Standard Version (ESV)

Salt and Light

¹³"You are the salt of the earth, but if salt has lost its taste, how shall its saltiness be restored? It is no longer good for anything except to be thrown out and trampled under people's feet.

¹⁴"You are the light of the world. A city set on a hill cannot be hidden.¹⁵Nor do people light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on a stand, and it gives light to all in the house. ¹⁶In the same way, let your light shine before others, so that^[a] they may see your good works and give glory to your Father who is in heaven.

Christ Came to Fulfill the Law

¹⁷"Do not think that I have come to abolish the Law or the Prophets; I have not come to abolish them but to fulfill them. ¹⁸For truly, I say to you, until heaven and earth pass away, not an iota, not a dot, will pass from the Law until all is accomplished. ¹⁹Therefore whoever relaxes one of the least of these commandments and teaches others to do the same will be called least in the kingdom of heaven, but whoever does them and teaches them will be called great in the kingdom of heaven. ²⁰For I tell you, unless your righteousness exceeds that of the scribes and Pharisees, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven.

Are you effected by the world, or is the world effected by you? It's a simple question, but one that means a whole lot today. I know that for all of us, it is a bit of both, but how much of each is it?

I know a lot of people who are extremely effected by everything that goes on in the world. They are often overly dramatic and full of life, but also are tossed to and fro by every wind of change that comes along. I love these kinds of people, but sometimes they get on my nerves, especially when they get to complaining.

All of us can be that way. We can get to a point in our lives that we are only effected by the world and have no effect on it ourselves. Actually, it's not even us who effects the world, it's the Holy Spirit who works through us, but when we get into one of those moods where "everybody hates me, nobody likes me, I should go eat worms" kind of moods, we are losing are saltiness and keeping our light hid under a bushel. We are muting the work of the Holy Spirit in our lives.

Now, I'm not saying that we have to walk around all happy and cheerful all the time. Those people drive me nuts too. What I am saying is that we have a most wonderful and beautiful gift in the fact that the Holy Spirit lives in us. Because He lives in us, we have the fruits of the Spirit, namely love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self control.

Don't mute the Holy Spirit. Don't let the devil get you down by pointing to everything that is sinful in this world. Instead be the salt of the earth and add the flavor of the Holy Spirit to it! Be the light of the world and bring light into the darkness of many live by living in those fruits of the Spirit.

Let us pray: Lord, make me the salt of the earth and the light of the world by Your Holy Spirit, that I may have more of an effect on the world than the world has on me. Amen.

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CALENDAR

Thurs- Alzheimers Caregiver support group 1pm; Lutheranism 101 6:30pm

Sat- Worship 5pm
Sun- Worship 8:30 and 11; Sunday school and Adult Bible class 9:45; Shop with Scrip Orders Due

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WORSHIP WORKERS FOR THIS COMING WEEKEND:
Acolyte- 8:30- Loren Howard 11- Gus Klaustermeier

Ushers- Scott Heitgerd, Jim Huster, Bob Linke, Tom Linke

Altar- Set up- Jodi Baldwin; Clean up- Pam Linke

Elders- Sat- Dave Winter; 8:30- Roy Bohning; 11- Randy Sweet

Greeters- 8:30- John and Anna Hoenig; 11- Al and Karen Benton

Lay Readers- Sat- Marcia Sevier; 8:30- Roy Bohning; 11- Randy Sweet

Piano- Barb Dreyer

Organist- Rachel Fisher

Projectionists: Sat- Mauch; 8:30- McKenzie; 11- Klaustermeier
________________________________________________________________

YESTERDAY'S QUIZ:

In Exodus 36 what good "problem" did the Israelites have? They had more offerings and money than they had room for, so Moses had to tell them to stop giving. Thanks Don!

(I can only imagine how many people we could help if this were the case at St. John's. It is a good lesson on giving freely by the power of the Holy Spirit and not letting your finances mute your joy!)

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TODAY'S QUIZ: What was the breastpiece of the High Priest for?

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NEWS!!!!

FILL UP THOSE BABY BOTTLES AND BRING THEM BACK THIS WEEKEND!!

You have one week left to get them full of checks, cash, and spare change! Return them to church February 4 or 5!

If you weren't in church this weekend and would like a baby bottle, come by and pick one up this week, or pick one up this weekend when you come to worship!

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LUTHERANISM 101 IS EVERY THURSDAY AT 6:30pm!!!

It's painless and it's a good time of fellowship!

If I can get just five people to show up, I will bring dessert! (That would be two more than we had last week.)

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STEPHEN MINISTRY IS LOOKING FOR SOME NEW STEPHEN LEADERS

If you love caring for others and consider yourself a leader, this is the perfect way for you to serve the Lord and your church family!

The Stephen Leader training is April 23-29 at the Renaissance Hotel by the airport this year and the cost of the training is covered by the church. If you choose to stay at the hotel you will have to pay for that yourself. It's only a 35 minute commute to the training from Warrenton.

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TRAVELING FELLOWSHIP GROUP IS GOING TO FULTON ON SATURDAY, APRIL 8!

The group will be boarding a charter bus at 7:45am that day, first heading to the Auto World Museum, secondly to The Copper Mine Restaurant for lunch, and finally to the Churchill Museum before heading home. They will arrive home around 5:30 that evening. The cost will be around $65 including lunch, but the more people that go, the cheaper it will be.

YOUTH STEAK DINNER AND AUCTION WILL BE MARCH 25!

OUR YOUTH STEAK DINNER AND AUCTION HAS BEEN MOVED BACK A MONTH AND IS TENTATIVELY SCHEDULED FOR SATURDAY, MARCH 25! Also, THANK YOU LETTERS to those church members who donated last year are in your church mailboxes!!

OFFERING ENVELOPES ARE IN YOUR CHURCH MAILBOXES IF YOU HAVEN'T PICKED THEM UP YET!!

Maybe you didn't know that you had them, but if you are a confirmed member of St. John's you have your own church mailbox and your own offering envelopes! Check your mailbox today!!

BLUE ENVELOPES IN YOUR OFFERING ENVELOPE BOXES ARE FOR THE BUILDING FUND!!!

Please note that your blue envelopes are for our BUILDING FUND. Please use them appropriately! Let's get this building built!!

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OPERATION BACKPACK ITEMS COLLECTED FOR THE MONTH OF FEBRUARY ARE CANNED FRUIT AND VEGETABLES!

Any size can, and any kind of fruit or vegetable is appreciated. Place them in the receptacle marked "Backpack Blessings" in the narthex.

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AGAPE DONATIONS ALWAYS ACCEPTED!!

Any nonperishable food items, diapers, toiletries, etc.!!

Perishable food items can be taken directly to Agape at 713 Powell St. in Warrenton. Call 456-4645 to find out when they're open or for more info.

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YOUR KROGER CARD CAN EARN MONEY FOR LITTLE LAMBS

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

__________________________________________________________________________________________GENERAL PRAYER

For PASTOR MICHAEL PIPER, (pastor at St. Paul's, New Melle) who is doing very poorly and is in ICU at DePaul again.

For the SPOEDE FAMILY as they mourn the death of Mike's mom Marjorie, and lay her body to rest today.

For ROSE DEPEW, mother of Randy Sweet, who is still undergoing tests to identify what caused her seizures. It may not even be a stroke.

For CAROL BRAZEE AND FAMILY as they mourn the death of her sister.

For PETE FRENZIA who is recovering from back surgery at University Hospital in Columbia. .

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

For MARIANNE LINKE, who is dealing with severe back pain and issues with her medication. She is at Warrenton Manor.

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

For BARB PERRICONE who is back home on hospice care.

For LOIS BOEGER'S MOM, EVELYN TOEDEBUSCH, who has been on hospice care for the last few months and slows down a little more every day, but is doing well.

Don Wharton Retirement Tour

A familiar name that many of you have heard of before, Don Wharton, is retiring from his traveling music ministry. I heard him about 30 years ago when I was a high school student. He is a wonderful man, with lots of talent, and a great speaker, musician, and Christian. If you have the chance, go out to see him.

There are two local concerts scheduled

Immanuel Lutheran Church, Washington- Friday, March 3 at 7pm

Peace Lutheran Church, O'Fallon- Sunday March 5 at 10:15 (During worship)

Go to www.donwharton.com to learn more.

Sent from Mail for Windows 10

Daily Email: Wednesday, February 1, 2017

DEVOTION: 1 Corinthians 2 (ESV)

"Proclaiming Christ Crucified"

2 And I, when I came to you, brothers,^[a] did not come proclaiming to you the testimony^[b] of God with lofty speech or wisdom. ²For I decided to know nothing among you except Jesus Christ and him crucified. ³And I was with you in weakness and in fear and much trembling, ⁴and my speech and my message were not in plausible words of wisdom, but in demonstration of the Spirit and of power, ⁵so that your faith might not rest in the wisdom of men^[c] but in the power of God.

"Wisdom from the Spirit"

⁶Yet among the mature we do impart wisdom, although it is not a wisdom of this age or of the rulers of this age, who are doomed to pass away. ⁷But we impart a secret and hidden wisdom of God, which God decreed before the ages for our glory. ⁸None of the rulers of this age understood this, for if they had, they would not have crucified the Lord of glory. ⁹But, as it is written,

"What no eye has seen, nor ear heard,
nor the heart of man imagined,
what God has prepared for those who love him"—

¹⁰these things God has revealed to us through the Spirit. For the Spirit searches everything, even the depths of God. ¹¹For who knows a person's thoughts except the spirit of that person, which is in him? So also no one comprehends the thoughts of God except the Spirit of God.¹²Now we have received not the spirit of the world, but the Spirit who is from God, that we might understand the things freely given us by God. ¹³And we impart this in words not taught by human wisdom but taught by the Spirit, interpreting spiritual truths to those who are spiritual.^[d]

¹⁴The natural person does not accept the things of the Spirit of God, for they are folly to him, and he is not able to understand them because they are spiritually discerned. ¹⁵The spiritual person judges all things, but is himself to be judged by no one. ¹⁶"For who has understood the mind of the Lord so as to instruct him?" But we have the mind of Christ.

I'm always wary and a bit put off by people who are too full of themselves. I don't like arrogant people. And I especially don't like it when, for whatever reason, it looks like I am putting forth an arrogant vibe of myself. I've been accused of that once or twice in my life, and I cringe when I hear it.

Arrogance and pridefulness puts people off and makes it harder for people to truly hear the Gospel. That's why Paul says that he "decided to know nothing among you except Jesus Christ and Him crucified." He could've spouted off everything he knew, which was A LOT, but he wanted them to hear, feel, experience, and know the full weight and measure of the power of he Holy Spirit and the true grace of God without getting in the way of it.

We need to have the same attitude as Paul. We need to proclaim the grace and peace of God and then get out of the way. The worst thing we can do is impede the progress of the Gospel with our own attitudes and actions. Share the good news, live the good news, and let God handle the rest!

After all, I have never changed one heart or mind toward Christ. It is the Holy Spirit who does that. He calls, gathers, enlightens, and sanctifies all Christians everywhere for all time. Love, forgive, and get out of the way!

Let us pray: Lord, help me to proclaim your Son's death and resurrection, to love people as you love them, and then to get out of your way. Amen.

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CALENDAR

Wed- Choir 7pm

Thurs- Alzheimers Caregiver support group 1pm; Lutheranism 101 6:30pm

Sat- Worship 5pm
Sun- Worship 8:30 and 11; Sunday school and Adult Bible class 9:45; Shop with Scrip Orders Due

__________________________________________________________________________________________
WORSHIP WORKERS FOR THIS COMING WEEKEND:
Acolyte- 8:30- Loren Howard 11- Gus Klaustermeier

Organist- Rachel Fisher

Projectionists: Sat- Mauch; 8:30- McKenzie; 11- Klaustermeier
________________________________________________________________

YESTERDAY'S QUIZ:

How did Moses react when he saw that the people had made a golden calf and what did he do with the golden calf statue?

Moses' anger grew hot, and he threw the tablets (the ten commandments) out of his hands and broke them at the foot of the mountain. He took the calf they had made and burned it with fire and ground it to powder and scattered it on the water and made the people of Israel drink it.

Thanks Don!

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TODAY'S QUIZ:

In Exodus 36 what good "problem" did the Israelites have?