Pastor John M. Taggatz, Carol Wentz, Secretary
November, 2011 Lela Rehmer, Custodian Kevin Kahle, Groundskeeper
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Serving on the Altar Guild
for November are: Geri Stahre & Carol Wentz
Ushers for the Month of November are:
Larry Erdmann, Kevin Luthy, Cory Rehmer, Terry Rehmer, Brian
Schoenbeck, Bruce Schoenbeck, Wes Stellhorn & Dennis Wegener
CALL THE CHURCH OFFICE…
(618) 785-2344
(or)
(618) 785-2602
-When a member of your family is
admitted to the hospital, so a visit can be made by Pastor Taggatz.
- When your group plans to hold a meeting, so it can be cleared
and placed on the church calendar.
-When your home or business phone number or address is changed, so
church records can be corrected.
- When you are planning to move either out of town or locally.
- When you know you are pregnant
so that we will be able to assist you in any way we can with prayers,
encouragement and support.
- When a new baby arrives in your
family or in the family of another church member.
- When you are planning a wedding or baptism.
Bids for Lawn Mowing and Custodian need to be given to
a Trustee by 15 November.
“Now Thank We All Our God”
Martin
Rinkart was a Lutheran pastor and composer who left us a beautiful testament of
Christian faith and thanksgiving. During
this month of November, in which we give thanks for all the blessings that God
has given to us, it would be good for us to remember the hymn, “Now Thank We All Our God,” that he composed
and the story behind it.
Martin Rinkart was one of those clergymen to whom
Germany had so much reason to be grateful. The son of a poor coppersmith, he
was educated at the University of Leipzig. At the age of thirty-one Martin was offered the place
of Archdeacon at his native town of Eilenburg in Germany during the horrors of the Thirty Years War of
1618-1648. Eilenburg became an overcrowded refuge for the surrounding area. The
town suffered from epidemic and famine. During those years Martin stood by his congregation, and
helped them under every kind of distress. Of course he had to endure the
quartering of soldiers in his house, frequent plundering of his little stock of
grain, and household goods. But these were small things.
The plague of 1637 visited Eilenburg with extraordinary severity. The town was overcrowded with fugitives from
the country districts where the Swedes had been spreading devastation, and in
this one year 8,000 persons died in it. The whole of the town council except
three persons, a terrible number of school children, and the clergymen of the
neighboring parish, were all carried off.
Rinkart had to do the work of three men, and did it courageously at the
beds of the sick and dying. He buried more than 4,000 persons, but through all
his labors he himself remained perfectly well. The pestilence was followed by a
famine so extreme that thirty or forty persons might be seen fighting in the
streets for a dead cat or crow. Rinkart, with the mayor and one other citizen,
did what could be done to organize assistance, and gave away everything but the
barest rations for his own family, so that his door was surrounded by a crowd
of poor starving wretches, who found it their only refuge.
After all this suffering came the Swedes once more, and imposed upon the unhappy town a tribute of 30,000 dollars. Rinkart ventured to the camp to entreat the general for mercy, and when it was refused, turned to the citizens who followed him, saying, "Come, my children, we can find no hearing, no mercy with men, let us take refuge with God." He fell on his knees, and prayed with such touching earnestness that the Swedish general relented, and lowered his demand at last to 2,000 florins. So great were Rinkart's own losses and charities that he had the utmost difficulty in finding bread and clothes for his children, and was forced to mortgage his future income for several years.
Yet how little his spirit was broken by all these calamities is shown by his best known hymn, “Now Thank We All our God,” and others that he wrote, some indeed speaking of his country's sorrows, but all breathing the same spirit of unbounded trust and readiness to give thanks to God our Heavenly Father for all that He continues to do for us physically and spiritually. He composed this simple but noble expression of trust and praise, when the hope of a general peace was dawning on the country. It’s amazing that in a world dominated by death, Rinkart wrote this timeless prayer of thanksgiving for his children to offer to the Lord. But he did so knowing and trusting in our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ who has conquered sin, death, and devil for us by His own death on the cross and His glorious resurrection from the grave:
After all this suffering came the Swedes once more, and imposed upon the unhappy town a tribute of 30,000 dollars. Rinkart ventured to the camp to entreat the general for mercy, and when it was refused, turned to the citizens who followed him, saying, "Come, my children, we can find no hearing, no mercy with men, let us take refuge with God." He fell on his knees, and prayed with such touching earnestness that the Swedish general relented, and lowered his demand at last to 2,000 florins. So great were Rinkart's own losses and charities that he had the utmost difficulty in finding bread and clothes for his children, and was forced to mortgage his future income for several years.
Yet how little his spirit was broken by all these calamities is shown by his best known hymn, “Now Thank We All our God,” and others that he wrote, some indeed speaking of his country's sorrows, but all breathing the same spirit of unbounded trust and readiness to give thanks to God our Heavenly Father for all that He continues to do for us physically and spiritually. He composed this simple but noble expression of trust and praise, when the hope of a general peace was dawning on the country. It’s amazing that in a world dominated by death, Rinkart wrote this timeless prayer of thanksgiving for his children to offer to the Lord. But he did so knowing and trusting in our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ who has conquered sin, death, and devil for us by His own death on the cross and His glorious resurrection from the grave:
Now thank we all our God
With hearts and hands and voices;
Who wondrous things hath done,
Who wondrous things hath done,
In whom this world rejoices.
Who, from our mother’s arms, Hath led us on our way,
With countless gifts of love, And still is ours today.
Who, from our mother’s arms, Hath led us on our way,
With countless gifts of love, And still is ours today.
Happy Thanksgiving, one and
all!
See You in Church!
<+><
Pastor Taggatz
Gratitude
for His Presence
How many stars are there in the
sky? Who can count them? Yet God created and knows each of them. How many different kinds of animals in the
forests and deserts and oceans? We have
not come to the end of discovering them all, but God has created each one in
its unique way. Nor has God been less
meticulous with us, for, even though all humans have the same body structure, a
face with nose, eyes, and mouth, and all our various parts, yet each of us is
uniquely different from another. Not
only has God created each of us, He knows us intimately and cares about every
facet of our lives and activities.
David, the psalmist, wrote about this characteristic of God in Psalm
139: “O Lord, You have searched me and
You know me. You know when I sit and
when I rise; You perceive my thoughts from afar. You discern my going out and my lying down;
You are familiar with all my ways” (Psalm 139:1-3).
Here is really something to be
thankful for! The Creator of the
universe cares so much about you that He searches your heart and mind in order
that He might know you! We talk about
our need and desire to know God; have you ever thanked Him that He wants to
know you?
Are you thankful that you can
never get away from God? That He knows
when you sit, when you stand, when you go somewhere, and even when you lie down
to go to sleep at night? We can never
get away from God. Should we ascend to
the clouds or descend to the depths of the ocean, we would not go there alone
(Psalm 139:8). God loves us so much that
His presence is with us wherever we are.
Like the three-year old who
stamps her little foot in defiance when her parents make her go to bed when she
needs rest and like the rebellious teen who believes his parents are out to
control him, we do not always recognize that all God gives us and does for us
and, yes, even demands of us, is for our good because He loves us. Sometimes we, too, stamp our feet and shout
at God in defiance, while we should be thanking Him for His presence, for His
constant care, for His love that will not let go of us. Tenderly He forgives our waywardness,
restoring us again to His presence, giving us ever more cause for gratitude.
Why Join a Bible Study?
A big part of church life should
be the offering of Bible studies. What
is your experience and history of attending Bible study? You may fall somewhere in the range from
eagerly attending to no interest.
For many, the biggest impediment
to attending a Bible study is time. We
are so busy with work and activities that we are not willing to make Bible
study a priority. However, Jesus tells
us, “Man shall not live by bread alone,
but by every word that comes from the mouth of God” (Matthew 4:4). Our Savior would remind us that just as we
need physical nourishment, so do we need spiritual nourishment from His Word. How easy it is to enjoy all of God’s gifts
while failing to thank Him for them and neglecting to carve out some time to
spend with Him.
What a mistake we make in doing
so! God gives us His Word and Sacraments
for the forgiveness of sin and the nurturing of our faith. Do we want to deprive ourselves of daily and
weekly Bible study and worship? By
spending time in personal Bible reading and in group Bible studies, our
relationship with Jesus deepens, and we are armed to handle the challenges we
face.
The writer of Hebrews tells us, “The Word
of God is living and active, sharper than any two-edged sword...” (Hebrews
4:12). God’s Word cuts through any
spiritual barrier that stands between us and Him. God’s Word gives life. Jesus declares, “Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every Word that comes from
the mouth of God” (Luke 4:4).
We will never regret making God
our first priority. The blessings He
offers us in His presence during prayer time and study of His Word are lasting,
unlike the temporal perks we get through our careers or leisure
activities. Nothing compares with
spending time in God’s Word alone and together with fellow brothers and sisters
in Christ.
God invites us to read and study
His Word. God doesn’t require us to
understand everything, nor does He promise that the Scriptures will solve all
our problems. God invites us into a
relationship through the words of the Bible with His Son, Jesus, Whom we call
the Living Word.
In addition to growing in our
relationship with our Savior, Bible studies give us the opportunity to have
fellowship with our brothers and sisters in Christ. A bonding often takes place as people share
their faith, joys, and challenges.
I hope and pray that these few
thoughts will provide a little encouragement for you to find a Bible study to
attend and to make regular attendance a priority in your life. You won’t be sorry! If I can be of any help in finding a study or
answer any questions, don’t hesitate to call Pastor Taggatz at the church
office 618-785-2344. Pastor is always
willing to find other times during the week or on the weekend for us to study
God’s Word!
We remember in our prayers— We pray for Lori Adair, Jason Mines,
Bonnie Highberger, Lee Hogandobler, and Dennis Bunte, all who are battling
serious illnesses. We praise the Lord
that Pat Hartmann’s Great Nephew, Evan Saldona, who has been fighting a serious
illness, is doing better. We pray for
Linda, the sister of Rhonda Niewoglowski, as she goes through some health
problems, and for Rhonda’s brother, Randy, as he recovers from recent surgery
that he had. We pray for Pastor
Taggatz’s brother Eric, who is currently undergoing treatment for his illness,
and for Greg Laufer, who is currently hospitalized in critical condition.
We mourn with the family of John Christman, the principal of Christ Our
Savior Lutheran High School, whose father, Tom, was called home to heavenly
rest and for the Adair Family, as they mourn over the death of Lori’s brother,
David Little, and with Pastor Taggatz’s family, as they mourn over the death of
his Great Aunt, Edna Anderson. May God give to their families the
remembrance and hope of the promise of our Lord Jesus Christ who says in John
11:25-26, “I am the resurrection and the
life. Whoever believes in me, though he
die, yet shall he live, and everyone who lives and believes in me shall never
die.”
An Item to Consider for St. John Annual Meeting—There are various
items that we will need to consider before our annual meeting near the end of
November. Right now our church is in debt around $-3,882.00. We thank those members who have given
generously of their time, talents, and treasures to serve the Lord and His
Church! Unfortunately, we are still
facing a shortfall in our congregation’s general fund. Due to the aging of the infrastructure of our
buildings we have had to make updates over the last few years. Currently we need to replace the furnace in
the gymnasium and also the school roof.
We have gratefully received funds from both the Rathmacher estate and
Ronald Sommer that we need to help pay a
portion of the amount it would cost us to replace the school roof. However, even with those funds we will still
fall short of the money we need for the school roof and the church gymnasium’s
furnace. Because of this at our annual
meeting we will be discussing a few pressing items regarding our church’s
financial situation.
- Recently
at our last few meetings it has been brought up that we are going to be paying
about $18,000 this academic year of 2011-2012 out of our church’s budget for
the children of our congregation that go to our local Lutheran elementary
schools. The Board of Elders and Pastor
Taggatz have a suggestion that we will bring before our annual meeting:
-That
we ask the families to give a portion of the tuition for each child that goes
to our local Lutheran schools (ex. St.
John pays 90% and the family pays 10%, or St. John pays 75% and the family pays
25% etc…)
-That
for those families who may find it difficult to pay their amount come before
the elders and Pastor Taggatz and present their case, (i.e. salary per year, financial commitments etc)… and
that the elders and Pastor bring before the council our suggestions regarding
those families who would like more financial assistance, and the council make
the final decision).
Lutheran Witness
Subscriptions through St. John Baldwin—There is a signup sheet for the
Lutheran Witness for all those who would like to continue to get it through our
congregation and that those who don’t respond in the newsletter and bulletin
etc., would have to pay for it themselves.
The deadline for letting us
know if you want to continue to get the Lutheran Witness through our church is
Sun. Nov. 6th.
BIBLE STUDY—
Sunday
Mornings (8:45 a.m.) “Bearing Fruit for Jesus: His Grace
& Power at Work Within
You”
Jesus told His disciples, “I am the Vine, you are the branches…” (John 15:5).
Jesus, the Vine, will never cease giving guidance, nourishment, and
grace to His people, the branches. Our
responsibility is to abide in the Lord and let Him abide in us. When we stay connected to the Vine, we will
bear much fruit. God calls, enables, and
equips us to be fruitful. Only as Christ
lives in us are we empowered to bear fruit.
If we depend on ourselves, we will be fruitless. In this Bible Study you will be guided in the
truths of God’s Word and by His Holy Spirit so that His wisdom and
understanding may rest on you as you study His Word in order to know Him better
and serve Him more faithfully.
LYF UPDATE—
Other LYF activities the chili dinner to raise funds for our National
Convention at San Antonio, TX in 2013 on Sunday Nov. 6th. Other fundraisers will include selling Rada
Knives and Tupperware.
There will be a
short LYF parent’s meeting after church on Sun. Oct. 30th to
discuss what will be needed for the Chili dinner that will be on Sunday Nov. 6th
for a fundraiser for LYF. All LYF members who want to take
part in the youth events that we offer here at St. John Baldwin are asked to
participate. November 13th – we will work on Christmas Tree
Decorations after church.
On Sun. Nov. 27th
the LYF will be putting the Christmas Decorations up after church.
The LYF’s help is needed at the Christmas
Eve program here at St. John 7pm on Dec. 24th,
please be there 15 -20 minutes early to meet with Fleta)—we ask that you hand out the bags of candy to the younger
kids after the Christmas pageant. You may
even get some candy too!!! J
If you have any
questions email me (pastor): jtaggatz@yahoo.com or Fleta Junge: tfjunge@htc.net /call
282-4642 or 618-444-2764.
Remember: Every 3rd Sunday of the
month we are praying for people who are in the military. If you have a relative or friend who is an
armed serviceman and woman in our Nation’s military please let the Church know
so that we may be able to pray for them on the third Sunday of the month.
CHRIST OUR SAVIOR LUTHERAN HS
Phone 618-853-7300 Fax 618-853-7361
www.coslhs.org; E-mail:
admin@coslhs.org
Mr. John Christman, Principal
Veterans: On
Nov. 11 we will be celebrating Veterans Day with veterans of the area. If you know of a veteran that did not receive
an invitation from us, please invite them and give us the names and
addresses. It is hard to keep up with
the changes to this list. We appreciate
your help.
Monsanto Grant for Christ Our Savior: If
you are a farmer who works or manages at least 250 acres you can nominate Christ Our Savior for a $2500 grant to
be awarded by Monsanto. You do not have
to use their products, only be a farmer in Randolph County. The more nominations we receive the better
chance we have to receive the grant.
They are granting one organization per county. It is a one page form you can send by mail or
fill out online.
Visit www.monsanto.com/americasfarmers/Pages/grow-communities.aspx to
get the form, or contact Christ Our
Savior and we can complete the form for you with your permission. Deadline
for nominations is Nov. 30.
The
school is still in search of:
• A Paper shredder
• A Telephone (replacement)
•
A basketball coach for the 2011-2012 season
Coming Events:
November 6 Wild Auction, Hecker
November 13 Deterding Auction, Red Bud
Christ
Our Savior Visit Opportunities
The best way to experience
the benefits of a Christian high school
the benefits of a Christian high school
Open Houses
Sunday, November 6 2:00-4:00 p.m.
Sunday, February
26 2:00-4:00 p.m.
Soldiers in Action
(Shadow Day)
·
Learn how your son or daughter can grow in
faith, learn for excellence, lead with integrity, and be equipped for a life in
His service as a student at Christ Our
Savior.
·
Students will be paired with a COS student with similar interests
·
Discover the difference at Christ Our Savior and meet the principal, teachers, and students
·
Soldiers
in Action is open to anyone, but specifically meant for 8th
grade students wanting to learn more about Christ
Our Savior.
·
Call and schedule your Shadow Day today!
(853-7300)
Zuehla
Rowold Laverna Luthy
Red Bud Nursing
Home Three Springs N. Home
350 W. South 1st 161 Three Springs
Rd. Bud , IL
62278 Chester , IL 62233
Opal Luthy Patty
Theobald
Red Bud Nursing
Home 402 W.
2nd St.
350 W. South 1st Apt. F.
Red Bud, IL 62278 Sparta, IL 62286
Dorothy Junge Mr. & Mrs. Russell Mahan
Baldwin, IL 62217 New Athens, IL 62264
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Present: Gerald Poenitske, Toni Rehmer, Susan Piel,
Connie Buch, Fleta Junge, Linda Schoenbeck, Tony Junge, Mark Schoenbeck, Brian
Schoenbeck , Darla Porter and Pastor Taggatz
Opening Devotions
were led by Pastor Taggatz
Minutes of the
last meeting were read and approved
Treasurer’s Report:
Ending balance of the General Fund September, 2011(-$3,899.56).
Spiritual Ministries:
Tony Junge submitted a request from Pastor and Roxanne to attend a Marriage
Encounter on 11 November through 13 November. There will be no expense for
Pastor being gone that weekend, since Lutheran Marriage Encounter will pay for
a guest preacher on that Sunday. Pastor feels attending the conference will not
only strengthen his marriage but also strengthen his ability in marriage
counseling. The request was granted.
Discussion was held regarding Parochial
school tuition. The congregation will pay approximately $18,000.00 this school
year. Further discussion will be held at the annual meeting.
Pastor would like to enroll in a
Doxology Program to develop his ministry skills and his spiritual care for the
congregation and himself. Elders and leaders of the church would also have an
opportunity to attend select sessions. The dates of the program are 15-18
January, 2012 and 3-5 August, 2012. Guest preachers would be needed for these
Sundays. The cost of the program is $3,400.00 which includes all instructional
materials, lodging and food. Each participating congregation receives a
$2,000.00 grant bringing the total to $1,400.00. Pastor is willing to pay half
of the cost. The topic will be discussed with the congregation at the annual
meeting. Pastor Leistico has attended
this program and Pastor’s brother-in-law, Rev. Matthew Wurm, is involved in it
this year. It also allows members of the
church leadership to participate as well.
The church currently pays for all
members to receive the Lutheran Witness. A suggestion was made that
congregational members who want to continue to receive the magazine sign the
sheet on the table at church those who do not sign up will no longer receive it
through the church. This topic will also be discussed at the annual meeting.
Church Properties:
Brian Schoenbeck was very grateful
for all the help received at the Work Day. Many projects were accomplished.
Brian would also like to thank the Ladies Aid for the delicious lunch they
provided. Thank you!
Bids were received for the school roof. Affording Roofing
& Exteriors from Trenton - $24,874.16, Belleville Union Roofing Companies –
Jim Taylor-$28,000.00, and Wrights – Sparta - $31,500.00.
Electrical work is needed at the church and school resulting
in additional expense. The power service into the church and school is worn and
is in need of replacement. Trustees recommend we table replacing the school
roof so the electric repairs can be done. The electric work takes priority
since the current situation is a fire hazard. The trustees recommend patching
the roof and tarring around the pipes and chimneys as a temporary fix.
A new furnace is needed in the school.
Stewardship:
Thank you to those members who turned in their commitment forms
LYF: October 15 –
Picnic at the Kahles. November 6th – Chili Dinner.
Desserts are needed. November 13th
– Work on Christmas Tree Decorations and November
27th – Decorate the church for Christmas.
Pastor’s Report:
Devotion— Philippians 4:4-13
Pastoral Acts from Sept. 14th ‘11 through Oct. 11th,
2011—
-Regular
Saturday & Sunday worship responsibilities & catechetical youth
instruction
- 4
Bible Study class sessions (Sunday mornings)
-1
Evangelism workshop @ St. John Baldwin on
Sat. Sept. 24th
-1
COSLHS Meeting—Sept. 15th
-1
Counseling session
-R.
County Care Center Chapel—Sept. 28th
-Chapel
@ Trinity School—Sept. 28th
-Chapel
@ COSLHS—Sept. 27th
-Chapel
@ St. John Red Bud School—Sept. 21st
-Preached
and led worship @ St. John Sparta on Sat.
Oct. 8th
- 12 Homebound/ Member
visits
-Pastor’s
SID Conference @ Rend Lake, Oct. 3- 4
-Circuit
Forum at Holy Cross Renault, Oct. 9th
Dual Circuit Reformation Service Sunday Oct
30th, 3pm @ Holy Cross Renault.
Rev. Scott Kinaman of Concordia Publishing House will be the special
guest speaker…
Pastor Taggatz and Marvin Liefer, our church’s lay
delegate attended the Circuit Forum on 9 October. They will be attending our
District Convention in February, 2012. Gerald Poenitske, is our alternate lay
delegate. Rev. Mark Nebel was voted our next circuit counselor. The forum also submitted overtures to the
District Convention to be held in February.
New Business:
All congregational members are strongly urged to attend
the Annual Congregation Meeting on 27 November, 2011. The agenda will include
but is not limited to discussion of changes in Parochial School Tuition, the
Lutheran Witness, the church finances and Pastor’s attendance to the Doxology
Program.
A “thank you” to Brian Schoenbeck for his respectful and
professional representation of the church during the recalculation of the
property insurance.
A lengthy discussion was held regarding the dire
situation of our church finances.
President Rehmer has appointed the Budget and Nomination
Committees.
A motion was made to adjourn.
The meeting was closed with the Lord’s Prayer.
Vice Pres. Gerald Poenitske
Sec. Darla Porter
The Randolph County
Il Chapter of Thrivent will host a Thrivent Steak Dinner and Social Event
for members and their families 13 November starting at 2:00 p.m. with cards and
games. Supper will be served at 5:00 p.m. at the school. RSVP Julie Kahle at
618-785-2720 or Karla Mueth at 618-282-2466 by 7 November.
We Believe,
Teach and Confess.
Martin Luther’s Small
& Large Catechism
“What Does Such Baptizing With Water Signify?”
Introductory Note: Baptism is not our work, but God’s work. It is a priceless treasure God
gives and faith receives or grasps. God’s Word of Gospel-promise makes Baptism
what it is. Baptism gives us great comfort and strength when our sins accuse
us, when we realize how we stand guilty before God. Then, says Luther, the
Christian is to say, “But I am baptized!” Luther comments about infant Baptism
since, in his time as today, some Christians deny infants this precious
Sacrament. Luther’s defense of infant Baptism is interesting. He says simply
that if God did nothing through Baptism, how do baptized children believe in
Him? For Luther, the fact that the gift of the Holy Spirit is given even to
very small children is proof enough that God works in and through Baptism.
Luther also explains how Baptism encompasses what was known as “penance.” So
for Luther, Confession and Absolution are subsumed under Baptism and the
proclamation of the Gospel. True repentance is daily returning to Baptism.
Baptism is our daily garment, by which we suppress the old Adam and grow up in
the new Adam, being clothed with the righteousness of Christ. (See AC IX; SA
III V.)
We are sunk under the water, which passes over us, and afterward are
drawn out again. These two parts, (a) to be sunk under the water and (b) drawn
out again, signify Baptism’s power and work. It is nothing other than putting
to death the old Adam and affecting the new man’s resurrection after that
[Romans 6:4–6]. Both of these things must take place in us all our lives. So a
truly Christian life is nothing other than a daily Baptism, once begun and ever
to be continued. For this must be done without ceasing, that we always keep
purging away whatever belongs to the old Adam. Then what belongs to the new man
may come forth. 66 But what is the old man? It is what is
born in human beings from Adam: anger, hate, envy, unchastity, stinginess,
laziness, arrogance—yes, unbelief. The old man is infected with all vices and
has by nature nothing good in him [Romans 7:18]. 67 Now, when
we have come into Christ’s kingdom [John 3:5], these things must daily
decrease. The longer we live the more we become gentle, patient, meek, and ever
turn away from unbelief, greed, hatred, envy, and arrogance. (Large Catechism
IV, 65-67)
33Faith alone
makes the person worthy to receive profitably the saving, divine water. Since
these blessings are presented here and promised through the words in and with
the water, they cannot be received in any other way than by believing them with
the heart [Romans 10:9]. 34 Without faith it profits nothing,
even though Baptism is in itself a divine overwhelming treasure. Therefore,
this single phrase, “Whoever believes,” does so much. (Large Catechism IV,
33-34)
37 So you see
plainly that there is no work done here by us, but a treasure, which God gives
us and faith grasps [Ephesians 2:8–9]. It is like the benefit of the Lord Jesus
Christ upon the cross, which is not a work, but a treasure included in the
Word. It is offered to us and received by faith. (Large Catechism IV, 37)
44 We must
think this way about Baptism and make it profitable for ourselves. So when our
sins and conscience oppress us, we strengthen ourselves and take comfort and
say, “Nevertheless, I am baptized. And if I am baptized, it is promised to me
that I shall be saved and have eternal life, both in soul and body.” (Large Catechism IV, 44)
Concordia : The Lutheran
Confessions. 2005 (Edited by Paul Timothy McCain) (426-427 & 429). St.
Louis, MO: Concordia Publishing House..
The deadline for getting articles and reports
in to be included in the Newsletter is the 18th
of every month.
Do You Have a Question? There
are tracts in the narthex that may be able to help… Take a moment as you come into church to
check out the Lutheran Hour Ministries tract rack. These pamphlets are free for you to take
home. You may see one that would be
interesting, maybe not for yourself, but for a friend or relative who is experiencing
or questioning a particular topic.
If you as an individual or your
organization would like to help someone less fortunate this Christmas, please
consider joining Lutheran Child and Family Services as we strive to make the
season a joyous one for the people we serve. We will provide names, ages, sizes
and special interests/needs of client. Please call Wanda Rollins, Janet Keiser
or Precious Fowler at 618-234-8904.
Concordia Publishing Houses 2011
Warehouse Sale
will be held 5 November from 8-12 noon. Huge savings of up to 75%. CPH is located south of I-44 at 3558 S.
Jefferson Ave. Free parking available on
Miami Street, east of Jefferson.
To Our Altar Guild Members:
Following is a
list of items that need to be brought to your attention and I felt this was the
easiest way.
1. The doors to the cabinet holding
the altar cloths is to be left ajar in order to let air into the cabinet to
help prevent mildew
2. The old communion cloths that are not being used have been put
in a space saver bag to keep them safe
3. I was able to get
communion cups and wafers at a great discount in St. Louis because of this I
have put four boxes of wafers into a plastic container. Please save the
other box so we can fill it after it is emptied. If you need to refill
the box, please be sure to seal the container again.
4. There are five boxes of communion cups in the cabinet. Hopefully
these will be better than the ones we are currently using, if not, please let
me know
5. After one of our members had a bad fall carrying a candelabra,
several of us have been filling the candles in Pastor’s office. We take the board pastor uses for the video
system and place it on the seat of one of the chairs, then put the candelabra
on it. Also as you all know, the
container we have used in the past to fill the candles has become a problem,
thanks to Marla, we found that the little white bottle works well filling the
candles. It’s a lot easier to handle than the big bottle.
6. If anyone knows of someone who would be willing to assist
with the Altar Guild, please let me know, if we have one more person, everyone
would only have to work two months out of the year.
I can’t thank
all of you enough for your willingness to serve your church, many people have
no idea what it takes to prepare the church for services. I would also
like to thank Beverly Schoenbeck for her many years of service to the altar
guild. If you have any questions or problems, please call me or Linda
Schoenbeck.
Yours in Christ,
Susan Piel
Relocation of Lutheran Braille Workers Center
#165 from Immanuel, West Point to St. John Lutheran in Chester.
St. John Lutheran in Chester has
just taken on an exciting new mission opportunity. We are in the process of relocating the
Lutheran Braille Workers Center # 165 from Immanuel West Point to St.
John. The center will be housed in the
brick building on Route 3 North (Lehmen Dr.) directly across from the entrance
to Pechacek-McClure Funeral Home.
Although the building is being
provided rent free by one of our members, we will still be responsible for the
supplies from Yucaipa, CA, the utility expenses up to an average of $75 per
month, and a slight increase in our congregational insurance to cover the
Braille contents. The US Postal Service
supplies free shipment of the finished books to countries across the world.
We are asking that members of your
congregation who already support or would like to begin supporting the Lutheran
Braille Workers direct their donations to our church office payable to:
St. John Lutheran Church
302 W. Holmes
Chester, IL 62233
And noted for “Lutheran Braille Workers” on the memo
line to help support our project.
The new location should be
operational by mid to late October. Paul
and Mary Stallman will be serving as the center’s coordinators and will be
happy to answer any questions you might have 618-774-2936. We hope that any of you who have been working
at the center at West Point will continue to help at its new location, Please
contact us to schedule a time for your group to work. We also welcome any new groups who would like
to help in this mission outreach opportunity or any group that would like to
visit and observe the process of making Braille materials.
Don’t forget on Nov. 5th
Set your clocks back one
hour so you won’t be too early for
church on Sunday morning.
REMINDER – The Thanksgiving Day Service with Holy Communion
will be held at 9:00 a.m.
The Sunday
School Children will be practicing for their Christmas Eve Pageant starting at 8:30am on Sunday mornings in
November, except for the weekend of Thanksgiving. During December, the children will be
practicing at 8:30am in the Church.
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ADDRESS SERVICE REQUESTED
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