2/24/09

Dear St. John Members and Friends,

In our 2 year Bible reading the readings for the last 2 days have come from Jeremiah 41-45.  These chapters tell of amazing defiance by God’s people against the Lord and against His direction.  In the ruins of Jerusalem, destroyed by the king of Babylon because of the sin of God’s people, the people ask Jeremiah, “Pray that the Lord your God will tell us where we should go and what we should do.”  (Jeremiah 42:3) When God finally answers the people 10 days later and tells them good news that they should stay in the land and God will bless them, their answer is one of total rejection of God.  “We will not listen to the message you have spoken to us in the name of the Lord.” (Jeremiah 44:16)

 Imagine, the people of Jerusalem ask for God’s direction and then when He gives that direction they say, “No!” The people of Israel did not want to follow the Lord, even though they asked for that direction.  They thought they were wiser than God.  They willfully followed their own desires and ideas, and in the end their lives were worse for it.  Thankfully, from the ashes God worked repentance, a turning to Him, and a new beginning in Him.

 That is a long introduction to lead to our own need for repentance.  The problem is I can often see willful sin in others.  But I do not like to admit such sin in myself.  Yet we all need to admit our sin and turn to God and follow His loving guidance.  We need repentance for our sin, and even more we need the forgiveness and salvation God has worked in Jesus.  2 Corinthians 7: 10 tells us the good news about repentance.  “Godly sorrow brings repentance that leads to salvation and leaves no regret,  

 Tomorrow is Ash Wednesday, the beginning of Lent.  At St. John we have a meal at 5:30 p.m., and worship at 6:30 p.m. Christians have used this season of Lent before Easter to remember the suffering of Jesus for our sin.  We may not like to admit our sin, so Christians have also used this season of Lent as a time of intentional repentance, turning from our sin to God.  Ash Wednesday has been a time to begin this outward repentance and turning toward the Lord.

 Is there a place in your life where you are saying “No” to God?  Is there a place in your life that needs help?

 I encourage to you worship tomorrow, on Ash Wednesday.  Be honest with yourself.  Turn to the Lord in confession and repentance for your sin, and let the Lord use your repentance to bring forgiveness, let him use your repentance to bring a new start and salvation through His love for you in Jesus. 

A child of God thankful for God’s mercy and forgiveness,

Pastor Jonathan

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ABOUT ‘THOUGHTS FROM THE PASTOR’ -   I am sending these e-mail messages, hopefully weekly, to all St. John members and friends whose e-mails I have.  (I am always adding new names of friends and members – in case you are just receiving this e-mail for the first time.)  However, if you don’t want to receive this e-mail, please let me know, and I’ll gladly leave your name off my list for this message. . . Or, if you know someone who would like to receive one of these e-mails, please send me their e-mail address.

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 LENT 2009 –Wednesday, February 25 is Ash Wednesday beginning the Lenten Season for 2009! 

            Each Wednesday night in Lent we will have a worship service at 6:30 p.m. to remember the suffering and death of Jesus to save us.  This year our Lenten worship will gather around the theme, “Modern Day Sins.” 

            Ash Wednesday         Independence, pride             

Lent 2                         Relative truth                        

            Lent 3                         Gossip and Lying                              

            Lent 4                         Entertainment and the Pursuit of Pleasure

            Lent 5                         Substance abuse

Lent 6                         Lust and sexual temptation

            Please note, worship begins at 6:30 p.m., not 7:00 p.m. each Wednesday night, following our Lenten Meal. 

 LENTEN FELLOWSHIP MEALS - Each Wednesday at 5:30 p.m. a meal is served before worship.  Members of St. John are asked to volunteer to serve these meals to make it easier to attend Wednesday night worship.  This also gives a wonderful opportunity to spend time with God’s people, and to meet new members.  There is no cost.  This is not a pot luck meal, so you don’t need to bring anything.  Plan on attending! 

            People have already signed up for the first five meals!  At this time we only need a group of families to sign up to serve the last meal on April 1!

 SUNDAYS IN LENT - The Gospel lessons assigned for the Lenten season this year focus on Jesus’ call to continue as His child through the suffering in this world.  So, in worship during March this year we will focus on this call of Jesus to endure suffering with his help, ending with Friendship Sunday on March 29.  Our worship will follow these themes.

 March 1           Persevering in Repentance and Faith through Suffering

March 8           Accepting the Reality of Sin and Suffering in this World

March 15         Suffering through Sin in God’s Church

March 22         Believing in God, even when suffering comes from our own sin.

March 29         Serving by Sharing Jesus, the friend who suffers and dies for me.others

 I pray that these worship services help you in your trials, so that God may work good for you and through you through life’s suffering.

 NEW BIBLES FOR WORSHIP – We will be buying new Bibles for our sanctuary in the coming months. 

            Our current Bibles are over 15 years old, and the majority show their wear.  The council approved the purchase of new Bibles.  The Large Print NIV Bible we currently have, which we will be purchasing again, cost $8.72 a piece, or $139.52 a case.  Our hope is to buy about 150 new Bibles for the sanctuary, and use many of the sanctuary Bible in Bible Classes.

 NEEDED – TV’S, COMPUTERS.  Recently all our TV’s and DVD players were being used by Sunday School classes, and one or two more were needed.  Also, we have two older computers being used at St. John that could use replacing.

            If you are getting a new (flat screen?) TV or computer, and have a used one in good condition, please think about donating a TV or computer to St. John for church use.

 CONFIRMATION RETREAT – A total of 20 youth and 10 adults participated in the Confirmation Retreat last weekend at Victory Bible Camp.  Thanks to those who helped in the camp.  It was a time of growth and Christian fellowship.

 Pastor Rockey continues teaching a Bible Class entitled, “An Overview of Biblical Teaching” on Sunday mornings at 9:45 a.m. (Sunday School Hour).  If you have been attending St. John and wish to join our congregation, attending this class is one way to do so.  Even if you have been a Lutheran before, attending this class can be a good refresher!  The class is meeting in the Fellowship Hall outside the kitchen.  (Make-up classes will be held, so there is still plenty of time to begin attending.)

 P.P.S.  If you want to receive prayer requests from our prayer chain by e-mail, you can e-mail Jacki Rose at Jacki Rose at jackirose@gci.net.

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DID YOU KNOW THAT MUCH INFORMATION ABOUT ST. JOHN is available on our church website?  The link is:  http://www.st-john-lutheran.org