10/2/2008
Dear Members and Friends of St. John,
Confirmation Classes started yesterday, October 1. This year I am asking my 8th grade Confirmation Class to grow in living their faith by keeping a Bible Reading Log and a Prayer Journal. I am asking my class to read one chapter of the Gospel of John each week. And each week I am asking my class to pray about at least one area of concern, or thanks, or need. I am asking them to work on this at home, to jot down notes about their reading and prayers, and I am asking them to report in class about the lessons learned, and God’s response to their prayers.
In other words, I’m not just trying to teach knowledge about God, but to I am trying to teach living in God’s love in our daily lives.
So, . . . How are YOU doing in your daily walk? In December and January I asked the congregation to join me in reading through the Bible in two years using the Today’s Light Bible. We are currently reading through Nehemiah. I personally find I need to begin my day with God’s Word and with prayer, because when I don’t start with the Lord I try to live life on my own. When I live on my own I always manage to goof it up! When I lean on the Lord, even life’s trials can be blessings.
As pastor I urge you as a child of God, please continue to daily turn to the Lord, to His love, His forgiveness, His guidance. Be in the Word. Go to God in prayer. Join your fellow Christians for the joy and fellowship of worship. God is faithful, and He is with us! (Jesus is Immanuel – “God with Us.”) We need to remember God’s presence and live in His presence and love!
Another child of God needing His help, DAILY!
Pastor Jonathan
P.S. I am also attaching today’s e-mail from Dale Meyer at the end of today’s “Thoughts.” His words on tonight’s debate are worth hearing.
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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Yesterday’s Devotion in our Today’s Light Bible reading said the following,
“More often than you might think, God uses us as part of His answer to our own prayers. . . Nehemiah prayed for the settlers in Judah and soon the Lord sent him to help them. The disciples prayed for workers in Christ’s harvest fields (Matthew 9;37-38), and Jesus sent them to minister in His name (Matthew 10). If you’re wondering what your Lord might want you to do today, examine the direction your prayers have taken in recent weeks. Ask for your Savior’s direction. And get ready for an adventure! ( p. 675)
TWO AREAS WHERE OUR PRAYERS OFFER OPPORTUNITIES ARE LISTED BELOW.
Opportunity 1 . . .
We have been praying as a congregation for Joel Stefanski. Joel is not a member of St. John, but his brother in law and sister in law, Gary and Dawn Brettrager are. Joel has worshipped at St. John, helped St. John members, and even played on our congregational basketball team years ago.
Many of you know that Joel fell and shattered his pelvis on August 2 volunteering at the State Fair. He is now in rehabilitation in Anchorage at St. Elias Hospital.
A benefit for Joel will be held at Raven Hall on Saturday night. Fellowship time starts at 5:30 p.m., a meal starts at 6:30 p.m., and a benefit auction starts at 7:30 p.m. Tickets are $20.00 and available at the Palmer UPS store, at Diversified Tire, at Academy Charter School, and at Greatland Welding.
This is one way to act on our prayers.
Opportunity 2 . . .
WE HAVE PRAYED FOR GOD’S BLESSINGS ON OUR CONGREGATION, and are working on our worship.
THIS SUNDAY, October 5 A MEAL AND AUCTION OF SERVICES will take place after late worship.
This will be a meal of German food, brats, kraut, cabbage, and brownies, served during this time of Oktoberfest. The purpose of the auction is to continue RAISING FUNDS FOR THE AUDIO-VISUAL PROJECTION FOR OUR CHURCH. The goals is to raise $20,000.00. We have over $10,000 already raised.
One of the ideas of the board is an auction of services. Among those items already offered for donation are:
Ø Computer Tech and Support Work 4 - ½ hour sessions.
Ø Financial Education – check book balancing, loan education, credit building, etc. 4 – ½ hour sessions.
Ø Massage therapy, 2 – 1 hour sessions.
Ø Baby Sitting, 3 – 2 ½ hour sessions.
Ø Athletic Training, 1 – 2 hour session.
Ø Garden and Landscape Advice
Ø An Ice – Fishing Trip
You may also make donations to this system if you wish. Please place your gift in the offering plate or bring it to the office. Please designate the purpose of your gift in the memo of your check. A number of people have already made such donations.
GROWTH OPPORTUNITIES FOR ADULTS
PROMISE KEEPERS Men’s Bible Study and Support Group meets on Tuesday nights, at 7:30 p.m., beginning next Tuesday, October 7. This men’s study takes time for sharing, studying God’s Word, and prayer. The intent of this group is to support men is living their Christian faith in their families, their church, and in the community!
LIFELIGHT BIBLE CLASSES started on Wednesday, October 1, at noon. This 1 hour Bible class will study Joshua this year. Bring leftovers to share lunch! Much discussion will be held based on God’s Word!!! All are welcome.
FAMILY BIBLE STUDY is meeting on the 1st and 3rd Fridays of each month at 7:00 p.m. The class meets in the cry room of the church (or sometimes in the Portable Classroom.) Ask Marilee Nufer or Karl Kopperud about this study! Their first meeting this year was on September 18. The next class will be held THIS FRIDAY, October 3.
QUILTING FOR LUTHERAN WORLD RELIEF has begun again on Wednesday mornings at 9:30 a.m. Ladies quilt from 9:30 to 11:30 a.m. and the quilts are donated to Lutheran World Relief (the largest social services agency in the world) to help people in time of disaster. All are welcome.
ADULT SUNDAY SCHOOL CLASSES this year will start in the following areas:
“KOINONIA” (The word means “Fellowship” in the original Greek version of the New Testament.) meets the 4th Friday of each month at 6:00 p.m. for a pot luck meal and fellowship. This group has been for those 50 and older in recent years. See Pastor Allen or Arlene Fox for more information on scheduled Koinonia meetings.
MORE ST. JOHN NEWS AND SERVICE OPPORTUNITIES
LWML Health Kits – Lenita Deda and Linda Harm are heading up an effort by our LWML (Lutheran Women’s Missionary League) to collect health kits for distribution with the quilts. These will be collected by LWML Sunday, October 12th and sent to Lutheran World Relief (LWR - the largest social service agency in the world!). The ladies are looking for the following items:
Call Linda at 746-5933 or Lenita at 745-3413 for more information. (Please, LWR is requesting NO toothpaste.)
TRIPS TO GERMANY AND THE HOLY LAND - After Kathy and Jamie and I traveled to the Holy Land last November, we discussed traveling there again in 2009. We even met with about 15 people who want to travel with us to the Holy Land in the Fall of 2009, and 15 who wanted to travel to Germany and Luther Land.
Costs will be about $3500.00 a person for each trip. If you are interested in joining us, please respond to this e-mail and let us know. We will be meeting after worship in October to continue to work on plans for these trips.
LWML SUNDAY is Sunday, October 13. In our worship we will remember and celebrate God’s work through the faithful and Generous work of the Lutheran Women’s Missionary League.
FOR THOSE OF YOU WHO WANT TO KEEP UP TO DATE ON KRISTIN KOPPERUD’S patient and faithful wait on a heart transplant, you can click the following link and find out how she is doing.
http://www.caringbridge.org/visit/specialhumanbeing
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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 We hope to have recordings of worship and sermons on our web page soon!
THE MEYER MINUTE, October 2, 2008.
Tonight’s vice-presidential debate will take place just a few blocks north of Concordia’s campus but, as they say, “you can’t get there from here.” Streets, sidewalks, and much of the Washington University campus are closed off.
Jesus could be one mean debater. At the age of 12 Jesus showed that He could hold his own with the theologians (Luke 2:46). Years later He began His public ministry by debating the devil, a debate He won with a commanding knowledge of the Bible (Luke 4:1-13). From that time on, Jesus was often in verbal battle. When He asked His opponents if it’s easier to forgive sins or heal a paralytic, He did both and left His enemies flustered (Mark 2:1-11). Jesus was so good in debating Sabbath laws that his opponents resorted to plotting His death (Mark 3:6). In debate Jesus showed that “you can’t get there from here.” If you keep yourself in a place of debating how Jesus, how God does things, you’ll never get close to the divine goodness.
Jesus’ sincere followers received different treatment. He didn’t debate them; He patiently taught. To them He said, “Learn from Me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls” (Matthew 11:29).
Can you get to Jesus from where you are?
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Copyright © Dale A Meyer 2008