3/17/09

Dear St. John Members and Friends,

St. John held a real “Family Lenten Event” this past Sunday, March 15, the first “Shane Woods Memorial Ice Fishing Outing.” You may ask, “Pastor, how is an ice-fishing outing a Lenten Event?”

Shane grew up as part of the St. John congregation, attending Sunday School and Confirmation and Youth activities. As Shane grew he went from being a shy young man who knew and leaned on the Lord to a bold a young man who was not only sure of his Lord, but openly shared his love and faith in His Lord Jesus. Shane also openly shared his love for his family, for Alaska, and for his country. One of the last things Shane did in Alaska in the winter of 2006 right before he went to Iraq was to help our men’s group, our Promise Keepers, take the children of the church ice-fishing on Finger Lake. I still remember Shane kneeling down on the ice to help the children hold their poles and hook the fish.
Shane left for Iraq and never made it home, because he gave his life for the country and the people he loved. Through this sacrifice Shane believed he was making our country safer.

So, this last Sunday, we held an event which not only remembered the faith and love of this young man, but honored his sacrifice. Knowing Shane I personally believe he would not have wanted a lot of personal attention. But, we hope that helping children learn to love the outdoors in Alaska, and helping children learn about sacrifice in a community of faith, was just the way to honor Shane and his sacrifice.
(If you want to see pictures of this event, click the link below.)

http://picasaweb.google.com/jonrock53/ShaneWoodsMemorialIceFishingOuting
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But, why was this a good “LENTEN Family Event?” Listen to the words of God in Romans 5:6-8. “6 You see, at just the right time, when we were still powerless, Christ died for the ungodly. 7 Very rarely will anyone die for a righteous man, though for a good man someone might possibly dare to die. 8 But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.”

We remember Shane in love as a “good man” who gave the ultimate sacrifice for his country and those he loved. God reminds us in Romans that, not just a man, but the Son of God Himself willingly gave His life for us. Christ did not just die for those who lived righteous and God-fearing lives, but, While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.” You and I have eternal life, and live in the love of God in this life, because of Jesus’ sacrifice.

So, an ice-fishing outing that remembers the sacrifice of a man who is part of the St. John family and which points us to the greater sacrifice of our Lord Jesus Christ, may just be a real “Family Lenten Event.” I pray that you are blessed as the sacrifice of Shane points us to the greater sacrifice of our Lord Jesus Christ.

A child of God indebted to those who have sacrificed for me,

Pastor Jonathan

P.S. Promise Keepers meet on Tuesday nights at 7:30 p.m. in the pastor’s office. You’re invited!

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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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FRIENDSHIP SUNDAY will be held at St. John next Sunday, March 29. St.
John members are asked to bring friends to either worship service on that day. Visitors will hear about Jesus who is our friend who suffered and died for us, and for His call to us to share His love with others.

Each Sunday in March before March 29 members will be helped to consider whom they might invite to worship, and helped to pray about God working in the invitation and the worship.

The Evangelism Board will provide snacks after each worship service on that Sunday.

A GATHERING OF OUR CHRISTIAN FAMILY – Wayne Woods’ Elders group will meet at the Rockey’s home after worship on March 29. Letters will go out and phone calls will be made when the date is determined. Hopefully these gatherings will help us get to know each other as God’s people, and help us to be united in doing the Lord’s work.

Please check the bulletin board in the back of the church to see who your elder is. Also, if you can’t find your name let us know.
Sometimes mistakes are made when changing the lists each year. Watch for more information.

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 of our Bibles 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 Bibles in Bible Classes.

A sign up sheet will be placed on the table in the narthex where you can sign up to donate Bibles. You may place your offerings for this project in the offering plate with “Bibles” written in the memo.

LENT 2009 – Each Wednesday night in Lent we hold 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!

THANKS TO THOSE people who have already signed up. We could use 1 or 2 more families to help with the last meal on April 1.

THE SUNDAY 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.

Our prayer is that these worship services help us in our trials, so that God may work good for us and through us through life’s suffering.

PRAYER CHAIN 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 <mailto: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
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