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7/20/09

Dear St. John Members and Friends,

It is Monday night and the church is full of children.  Vacation Bible School is being held and many of our St. John member children, many of the children in the community, many children who are friends of members are attending, learning, singing, and growing in knowledge and faith in Jesus as the Lord God who loves them and saves them.

I am not sure there is much that is more important for the church than helping children know about Jesus.  Listen to some of these verses.

4 Therefore, whoever humbles himself like this child is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven. 5 "And whoever welcomes a little child like this in my name welcomes me. 6 But if anyone causes one of these little ones who believe in me to sin, it would be better for him to have a large millstone hung around his neck and to be drowned in the depths of the sea.  (Matthew 18:4-6)

In a society that did look down on children Jesus made a special effort to show God’s special love for children.  He also gives directions to parents, therefore. 

• Train a child in the way he should go, and when he is old he will not turn from it. (Proverbs 22:6) 
• Fathers, do not exasperate your children; instead, bring them up in the training and instruction of the Lord.  (Ephesians 6:4)

Please keep our VBS in your prayers.  God has worked mightily in the hearts of these children in past years, and I am convinced He is doing so this year.  Please also pray for (and say thanks to) all those who are organizing and leading the VBS.  They are giving of their time and effort in a very special effort.

I don’t believe there is anything more important than helping our children learn and believe in Jesus as their Savior.

Thankful to be a child of God,
Pastor Jonathan

P.S.  Some Pictures from our VBS will be posted on the following link.  http://picasaweb.google.com/jonrock53/2009VacationBibleSchoolStJohn?feat=directlink

P.P.S.  My family and I leave in the next few days (Tim and I leave on Monday) to go to the wedding of one of my children, our son, Andy.  We rejoice in the upcoming marriage and also ask that you keep Andrew and Justine in your prayers for their marriage, their love and faith in Jesus for their family.

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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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BECAUSE I WILL BE IN MINNESOTA FOR MY SON’S WEDDING, I do not plan to send these “Thoughts from the Pastor” in the next 2 weeks.

WORSHIP THIS SUMMER has been based around the theme, “God’s help for the journey of life.”  Listed below are the sermons I have preached so far, and those I have planned for the rest of the summer.
Series                           God’s Help for the Journey of Life

June 14           Pentecost 2                 God help when we’re discouraged.

June 21           Pentecost 3                 God’s help when we’re afraid

July 5              Pentecost 5                 God’s help when we’re weak.

July 12            Pentecost 6                 God’s help when we are sinful
Mark 6:14-29              (King Herod corrupts his authority and beheads John the Baptist.)

July 19            Pentecost 7                 God’s help when we are stressed and worn out
Mark 6:30-44              (Jesus feeds the multitude with a few pieces of bread and a couple
of fish.)

July 26            Pentecost 8                 God’s help when we get ourselves in trouble
Mark 6:45-56              (Jesus walks on water and Peter follows, and needs help.)

August 9         Pentecost 10               God’s help when we feel empty
1 Kings 19:1-8             (Elijah's flight sustained by food supplied by an angel.)
John 6:35-51                (The living Bread from heaven.)

August 16       Pentecost 11               God’s help to live wisely in a foolish world
Psalm 34:12-22
Proverbs 9:1-10           (Invitation to eat of wisdom and not folly)
Ephesians 5:6-21          (Walking as children of light)
John 6:51-69                (Words perceived by faith alone.)

August 23       Pentecost 12               God’s help to do His will
Mark 7:1-13                (Worship in purity of heart.)