Pastor John M. Taggatz, Jenna Otten, Secretary
November, 2012
Lela Rehmer, Custodian Kevin Kahle, Groundskeeper
Church
Web Site: www.stjohnbaldwin.ctsmemberconnect.net
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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.
Church Information—
Pastor’s E-mail: jtaggatz@yahoo.com
Pastor Taggatz on
Twitter: @jtaggatz
Pastor Taggatz’s
Blog: www.thewordendures.blogspot.com
“The Story of Joseph”
The story of Joseph and his
coat of many colors is familiar to nearly everyone, even those who may not know
its source is the Bible. (Joseph’s story
can be found in Genesis chapters, 37, 39-50). We know about Jacob, Joseph’s
father, and the jealous brothers who sold him into slavery. We’ve read about the reunion between Joseph
and his brothers when they traveled to Egypt to buy grain during the
famine. This is where our focus is
now. How is it there was grain in Egypt
when the entire surrounding area was suffering from famine?
As with everything, all the
events were orchestrated by God. As
Joseph told his once scheming, later repentant, brothers, “As for you, you meant evil against me, but God meant it for good, to
bring it about that many people should be kept alive…” (Genesis 50:20). All along God had been preparing Joseph. We read that when Joseph first arrived in
Egypt, “The Lord was with Joseph, and he
became a successful man… [and was] put in charge of all that [his master] had” (Genesis
39:2-4). Joseph, a slave, became the manager
of the household of his master, Potiphar!
God was with him. Through the hard times, in the pit where his
brothers dropped him and in prison where Potiphar’s scorned wife’s false
accusations landed him and the cupbearer’s forgetfulness left him, God was
shaping him and preparing him.
So too, through your hard
times God is shaping you. When you
suffer defeat, you learn humility. When
you are forced to wait, you learn patience.
As you are faithful in small things, you are rewarded with ever
increasing responsibility. Joseph, a slave, rose in prominence until he was
almost as powerful as Pharaoh himself. Power can corrupt us as human beings. We must remember to whom we are
accountable. When Potiphar’s wife
tempted Joseph, he said, “How then can I
do this great wickedness and sin against God?” (Genesis 30:9) You, as a follower of our Lord and Savior
Jesus Christ, will encounter temptation also.
You must keep your servant’s heart, adopt an attitude of humility, put
others’ needs before your own, and treat others with kindness and
patience.
This is possible only through
the grace of God. “He Who calls you is faithful; He will surely do it” (1
Thessalonians 5:24). Go in grace and
serve the Lord!
Please pray with me: Dear Lord, I want my life to go on one path,
and that’s “up”! I know, though, that
without times of trouble I would forget to depend on You and thank You for all
You do for me, and I would grow proud and arrogant. Give me grace to trust in You at all
times. In Jesus’ name I pray. Amen.
See You in Church!
<+><
Pastor Taggatz
LUTHERAN
WITNESS SIGNUP
IMPORTANT
UPDATE…
It’s that time of the year
again that our congregation is asked by our Southern IL District Office to send
in the number of people who would like to subscribe to the Lutheran Witness
Magazine, our LC-MS church body’s flagship news source. If
you would like to continue to receive a copy of the Lutheran Witness as it’s
paid for by our congregation please call the church office at: 785-2344 or sign your name in the back of the
church to continue to receive the subscription for next year in 2013. If we don’t hear from you by: November 1 you
will NOT be able to get a
subscription paid for by our church, but will have to contact Concordia
Publishing House to continue to get your subscription. There is an envelope in your church offering
box that you received at the beginning of the year for the Lutheran Witness if
you would like to make a donation toward your subscription to offset the cost
that the church pays for these magazines for members of our congregation. Thank you for your response in this
matter.
SPECIAL FAMILY NIGHT Nov.
30th @ 6pm! The next special
family night at our church will be on Friday Nov. 30th from 6-8:30pm. These family nights will be informal with
opportunities for the children to play and for families to fellowship with one
another while doing a variety of activities and having a few treats as well. There will also be a special devotion from
God’s Word for everyone. Come join us
for a fun and exciting time!!!
Have you Changed your Phone Number or Address?-With
the popularity of cell phones, we are finding an increasing number of people
are dropping their local lines and switching to using only their cell phones.
If your phone number has changed, or you have a new address, please be sure to
let the church/school office know so we can change our records. Thank you.
Pastor’s Visits--Pastor makes visits to homebound
and nursing home members on a regular basis. If you or someone you know would
like to be added to his visitation list, let him know. Any member who would
like to talk with him at the Church is welcome to call the office (785-2344)
for an appointment.
The Pastor’s Study--The Pastor's Study is a symbol of the calling of the
Christian minister to be the shepherd of a flock of God. Here, sermons are
prepared to feed the congregation on God's Holy Word. Here the work of the
church is planned so that the congregation may grow in Grace and bear fruit in
Service, Fellowship, Teaching, and Witnessing. Here you will always find a
friend and counselor in time of need. He will not be surprised at your sins,
nor will he judge you on them, but he will always invite you to share with him
the wisdom and love of God, the knowledge of forgiveness of sins, and the
saving Grace of God in Jesus Christ, our Lord.
“Showing our Gratitude
Because God is a loving and
giving God, He never stops giving to us.
God gives us His love, goodness, and mercy daily. He has given us victory over sin and death
through His Son. Christ has given us the
blessings of forgiveness, justification, a new life, and an eternal hope. Because of His bountiful blessings, we should
be compelled to show our gratitude. Do
we? Could we, at times, be taking all
that we receive for granted?
If Christ were to come into our
homes in physical form, certainly we would express our thanks in tangible
ways. We would make Him comfortable, run
errands for Him, offer our best food, and give Him our time and attention. However, we don’t have that opportunity, so
we show our gratitude in different ways.
One way that we express our
gratitude is to give thanks throughout the day in our prayers and
thoughts. When we see life and its
blessings as gifts, we are prepared to offer our thanks. Our thanksgiving is expressed when we use the
faith God has given us to live in obedience to His Word. God hears and sees our gratitude through the
lives we live. When we generously share
our time and money with others in Christian love, we show our thanksgiving for
our gifts. Our giving reflects Christ’s
love in us. We extend our thanks to our
heavenly Father when we give Him praise and glory in weekly worship and
privately throughout each day.
As stewards, we find that our
gratitude to God opens our hearts to receive more of God’s love which enables
us to be more faithful with our time, talents, and treasures. In response to God’s love and grace, we give
ourselves and our resources. When we
acknowledge God as the creator and owner of all, we will serve the Lord
faithfully out of gratitude for all His gifts to us. Our gratefulness to God will enable us to
give thanks even during bad times because God promises to comfort and sustain
us in all things.
I wish you all a blessed
Thanksgiving as we during this special time express our gratitude for Who God
is and what He does for us.
Advent
Midweek Series Coming to St. John—“The Saints of Advent”
1. St.
Andrew, Apostle (John 1:35–42)
2. St.
Nicholas (Galatians 2:20)
3. St. Lucia
(Revelation 7:14–17)
4. St. Thomas, Apostle (John 11:1–16; 14:1–7)
On Wednesday nights @ 7pm during the months of November
& December we will once again be having our Advent Midweek services. We will be following the Order of Vespers
from TLH and the services will be on: Nov. 28th, Dec. This year we will be looking at the “The Saints of Advent.” The messages
will be as follows:
1. Wed. Nov. 28th @ 7pm— “St. Andrew, Apostle” (John 1:35–42) He Must Increase, but I Must Decrease. Your
old Adam decreases, but your new man in Christ increases in Baptism. You
decrease and Christ increases as you bring people to the living Word. Christ decreased to death on the cross that
you might increase with his forgiveness. Let us decrease, even to death, and
Christ increase, by our witness to him, that he may grant us to increase to the
place he has prepared for us.
2.
Wed.
Dec. 5th @ 7pm— “St.
Nicholas”
(Galatians 2:20) The real St. Nicholas gave to the needy and defended the
faith. The love of Christ was working through
St. Nicholas in his life of giving. The same love of Christ that was at work in St. Nicholas is at work also in you and in
your gifting.
Jesus, Love in the Flesh for You, Is the Ultimate Gift St. Nicholas Sought to Give.
3. Wed. Dec. 12th @ 7pm— “St. Lucia” (Revelation 7:14–17) St. Lucia died a martyr’s death for
faith in Christ. St. Lucia reminds us of
Christ, the bread of life, the lamb of sacrifice, the light of the world. St. Lucia, with all the saints, bears witness to Christ,
takes up her cross, and follows him. As
Was St. Lucia, You Are Upheld by the One Who Was Martyred for You.
4. Wed. Dec. 19th @ 7pm— “St.
Thomas, Apostle (John 11:1–16; 14:1–7) What if Jesus had a twin? Thomas
the twin speaks twin statements of doubt and faith. The name twin
is a fitting description of all who would be disciples of Jesus. To Be a Christian Is to Be Christ’s Twin. We
are reborn as Christ’s twin in Baptism. We
are marked as Christ’s twin in death and life.
Please Note: Due to the Advent Midweek Series Confirmation
& Pre-confirmation will be meeting at different times on Wednesdays. Pre-Confirmation will be meeting at 4:30pm
and Confirmation will be meeting at 5:30 pm…
LIVE 24 HOUR LUTHERAN BIBLE STUDY…You
can listen to teachings on topics like: Original Sin, Justification, Good
Works, Baptism, The Lord’s Supper, The Return of Christ and more. Issues, Etc.
is a radio talk show hosted by LCMS Pastor Todd Wilken and produced by Lutheran
Public Radio. You can listen live beginning at 3 p.m. Central on Friday,
November 2 on KFUO 850 AM in St. Louis, or on-demand at www.issuesetc.org.
We remember in our prayers—[If you would like to add to our prayer list please call
the church.]
“Pray for each
other so that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous man is powerful and
effective.” (James 5:16)
In your prayers this month,
pray for the Church; For our nation as
we prepare for another Presidential election; For those who serve in the armed
forces; For the families of our church;
For our Southern IL District Prison Ministry; For all who travel; For seasonable weather for our farmers as
they harvest their crops; For missionaries who bring God’s Word to the nations,
Rev. Tim & Lisa Beckendorf of Lutheran Bible Translators to Botwsana,
Africa & Nicole Dekker who is a missionary to South Africa. For those who are ill, awaiting, or recovering from
surgery: We pray especially for Carol
Jean Orella, Sally Fadler, Mickey Umbdenstock, Karen Willis, Linda Nagel,
Elizabeth Montroy, Lee Hogandobler, Evan Saldana, & Margaret Dixon, the
grandmother of Nicki Buch, all who are battling serious illnesses. We pray for Hayden Smith, a friend of Christa
Poynor, who is currently battling cancer.
For Greg Laufer, Elvera & Russell Mahan, Susan Reinhardt, and Krista
Hammel, that they would be healed in the midst of their illness. For all of
those who are unemployed or underemployed, that they would be able to find
suitable work to support themselves and their families. For those who are
in nursing homes or homebound.
We mourn with the families of Jeff McKenzie, a relative of the Spier
family, Augusta Ohm, the sister of Emilee, Frieda, Mathilda, Louis Sommer &
Ella Falkenheim, Elvera Mahan, & Allen Schleifer, the nephew of Leo
Schleifer, who were called home to heavenly rest recently. 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.”
PRAISE GOD THAT MORE NAMES HAVE BEEN
WRITTEN IN GOD’S BOOK OF LIFE!!! Congratulations
to Nathan Austin Woods & Justin Christian Tyler Poynor, the children of
Christa & Sylvester Poynor, who were recently baptized in our church. Thanks be to God that these children have been
baptized into God’s family through water and the Holy Word of God!!! Praise
God from Whom all blessings flow!!!
BIBLE STUDIES—
Sunday
Mornings (8:45 a.m.) “Martin Luther’s
Catechisms”
Wednesday Mornings (10 a.m.) “The Intersection of Church & State”
“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!
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. Also, please let us know if your family
member is no longer serving in our US Military so that we can keep our records
up to date.
Are you or a family
member…coping with grief and loss… stressed out by financial issues… dealing
with family or marital problems? Lutheran
Child and Family Services of Illinois’ professional licensed counselors can
help. They provide individual, couple, marital and family counseling to help
address these types of situations. Insurance is accepted. Call: 800-363-LCFS (5237) to
schedule a FREE confidential initial consultation. LUTHERAN CHILD & FAMILY
SERVICES IN SPARTA HAS MOVED With the closing of the Nice Twice Thrift Shop, Lutheran Child and
Family Services moved its office to 1107 N. Market in Sparta.
CHRIST OUR SAVIOR LUTHERAN HS
810 Soldiers Way, Evansville, IL 62242
Phone
618-853-7300 Fax 618-853-7361
www.coslhs.org admin@coslhs.org
John Christman, Principal
Congratulations, Elizabeth Koester, on being selected for the District Six Honors Choir for IMEA!
Congratulations, Lady Soldiers, on growing as a team and completing the volleyball season. Thank you, Sarah Koester, for serving as the volleyball coach.
Fall Open House and
Social: This year’s fall open
house and social will be held on November 4 starting at 2 pm. Reserve the date
to attend this fun event with your family to visit our campus, chat with
faculty and then gather for food and fellowship around a bonfire. Please invite
families to join you and learn more about the COS difference.
Zuehla
Rowold Laverna Luthy
Red Bud Nursing
Home Three Springs N. Home
350 W. South 1st 161 Three Springs
Rd. Red Bud , IL 62278 Chester , IL 62233
Opal &
Leland Luthy
Red Bud Nursing
Home
350 W. South 1st
Red
Bud, IL 62278
Dorothy
Junge Russell
Mahan
Baldwin,
IL 62217 New Athens, IL
62264
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Vision: Making Known the Love of
Christ
Mission: St. John Lutheran Church is
dedicated to the proclamation of the Gospel of Jesus Christ within its church
and into the community
Regular Council
Meeting --Oct. 9th, 2012
Present: Pastor Taggatz,
Gerald Poeniski, Marla Huebner, Susan Piel, Dennis Wegener, Tony Junge, Linda
Schoenbeck, and Fleta Junge.
The meeting was called to order by Vice-President Gerald Poeniski.
Opening devotions were given by Pastor Taggatz.
Minutes from the previous meeting: Were read and approved.
Financial Secretary’s Report:
Total receipts for Sep 2012, $15,108.29.
Treasurer’s report:
Ending balance for the general fund for Sep 2012, $7,915.57. Motion was
made and second to approve. Motion carried.
Spiritual Ministries/Elder: Request for membership transfer for
Paul Greatting from St. Peter Lutheran, Evansville to St. John Lutheran,
Baldwin. Motion was made and second to
accept transfer. Motion carried.
- Release from membership for David, Angie, Kendra &
Lacy Crain, Lindy Grohman(Bunte), Alex Bunte, Lauren Bunte, Angel Ellner, Chris
Moll, Ronald Sommer and Dave Stahre was requested. Motion was made and second
to approve release on each individual. Motion carried
Church Properties: An
individual has been located in the review of church Insurance policies.
Social Ministries: Church member, Christa Poyner, has requested
monetary help from our church. Motion was made to give a $100.00 payment to the
electric company; only if a bill is presented to the council then payment will
be made to their account if needed. Motion second. Motion carried.
COSLHS:
Christian Education:
Evangelism:
Sunday School:
Stewardship: Did not receive
Food Grant money from Thrivent.
Lutheran Youth Fellowship:
LYF thanks all who supported their Chicken & Dumpling Dinner.
- LYF will be going to Gilbert Kahle for a
picnic/bonfire/fishing on October 20th.
- LYF chili Dinner will be on November 4th.
- LYF will be decorating the church for Christmas on
November 25th.
- LYF will be making t-shirts for the 2013 LCMS National LYF
Gathering.
Pastor’s Report:
PASTORAL ACTS FROM
SEPT. 12TH-OCT 8TH, 2012—
-Regular Saturday &
Sunday worship responsibilities
-6
Bible Study class sessions (Sunday mornings &
Wed. mornings)
-1
Prospective member visit
-15
Homebound visits
-1
Hospital Visit
-Attended
the SID Pastor’s Conference at Pere Marquette
Lodge in Grafton, IL on Oct. 1-2 on “Youth
Ministry in the Church” w/ Dr. John Oberdeck
of Concordia University Wisconsin. (I was voted as Vice
Chairman of the Pastor’s Conference Committee)
-6
Spiritual Care Meetings
-Attended
and took part in the worship service of
the SID LWML Convention @ Metro East Lutheran
High School Sept. 28th-29th (my wife Roxanne went as a Young Women’s Representative for the Ladies Aid
of our Church, and I was on the
ballot for Pastoral Counselor for
the SID LWML)
-1
Circuit Forum on Sept. 30th at St. John Red Bud
-1 Funeral
for Elvera Mahan on Thur. Sept. 27th
-R.
County Nursing Home Chapel, Sept. 26th
-Red
Bud Nursing Home Chapel, Sept. 30th
-2
COSLHS Meetings—Sept. 13th and Oct. 2nd
-1
COSLHS Chapel, Oct. 9th
-1
Trinity Lutheran Chapel, Oct. 3rd
-1
Family Night @ St. John Baldwin on Fri. Sept.
21st (we had 6 adults and 5 kids in attendance)…
- Christa Poyner plans on having her son, Nathan baptized
later this month.
- Transfer of Paul Greatting from St. Peter Lutheran,
Evansville.
- Flower Committee Chairman, Lela Rehmer is stepping down
from this position. A new chairman will be need as of January 1, 2013.
- The next DOXOLGY session will be November 16th
– 18th. Harry Wetzel has
volunteered to go with Pastor Taggatz in November. Housing & food is taken
care of for this lay leader. If any additional lay leaders who might go to this
training, the cost would be $250.00 per person. Harry Wetzel has volunteered to
go with Pastor Taggatz.
- Guest Preacher on Sunday, November 18th will be
Pastor Mark Willig while Pastor will be attending the Doxology Training event
in Donaldson, IN that weekend. There
will be no Saturday night church service on Saturday, November 17th.
- Special Family Night will be on the fourth Friday of the
month October 26st from 6:00 to 8:30 pm.
- Giving through Thrivent Choice Program for October 2012
has amounted to $30.00. Total amount our church has received from this program
since January is $2,671.00.
- Sunday School Children will begin to practice for the
Christmas program and they will be singing at our Reformation Service on
Sunday, October 28th.
- Randolph County Thrivent Chapter will host a Board member
election and Rib-eye Dinner at St. John Veteran Memorial hall, 1324 High
Street, Chester, IL
- Annual Meeting will be Sunday, November 25th.
- Election for Pastoral Delegate/Alternate Delegate &
Lay Delegate/Alternate to go the 2013 LC-MS National Convention in St. Louis,
MO in July 2013 to represent our Circuit:
Pastoral Delegate--Rev Ralph Laufer, Alternate--Rev Steven
MacDougall
Lay Delegate—Loren Harms (St. John-Red Bud) Alternate Lay
Delegate—Larry Erdmann (St. John-Baldwin)
Old Business: Susan Piel
is checking into the banners that were purchased in the past by members and the
cost of purchasing new banners
New Business:
- October 14th, there will be a Spaghetti Dinner
to help raise money for tuition for students.
Currently there are five students at St. John Lutheran at Red Bud and
four students at Trinity Lutheran at Prairie.
Adjournment: Motion was
made and second to adjourn. Motion carried.
The meeting was closed prayer and with the Lord’s Prayer.
Vice-President, Gerald Poeniski
Secretary, Marla Huebner
We Believe,
Teach and Confess.
Formula of
Concord: Epitome
Article 3-- THE RIGHTEOUSNESS OF FAITH BEFORE GOD
Introductory
Note: This article repeats the very heart of the Gospel. We are justified by
God’s grace alone, through faith alone, which receives the righteousness of
Christ. This article addresses precisely how this happens. The entire Christ,
God and man, is our righteousness. Our righteousness before God consists in
forgiveness in Christ, without our works, and God’s application of Christ’s
righteousness to us. Faith is the means, or instrument, by which we receive
Christ’s righteousness, not the cause of our righteousness in Christ. The Holy
Spirit, working through the means of grace, bestows the gift of faith. We are
saved by God’s grace in Christ through faith alone, but that does not mean that
faith is ever alone. Good works are the fruit of justifying faith. Those who
willfully, knowingly, and continually choose to commit sins show they no longer
possess saving faith. For such people the Law must drive them to despair over
their dire circumstances and the sure prospect of hell, and the Gospel must
cleanse, pardon, and renew them through faith in Christ. King David’s
repentance of adultery and murder, and the prophet Nathan’s comforting
absolution, is used to illustrate this truth. (See also AC IV; Ap IV; SA II I;
SA III XIII; FC SD III.)
AC-Augsburg Confession; SA-Smalcald Articles; FC
Ep-Formula of Concord, Epitome; SD-Formula of Concord, Solid
Declaration
STATUS OF THE CONTROVERSY
THE CHIEF QUESTION IN THIS CONTROVERSY
1 It is unanimously confessed in our churches, in accordance with God’s
Word and the meaning of the Augsburg Confession, that we poor sinners are
justified before God and saved alone through faith in Christ. Christ alone is
our Righteousness, who is true God and man, because in Him the divine and human
natures are personally united with each other (Jeremiah 23:6; 1 Corinthians
1:30; 2 Corinthians 5:21). The question has arisen: “According to which nature
is Christ our Righteousness?” From this, two opposing errors have arisen in
some churches.
2 One side has held that Christ, according to His divinity alone, is our
Righteousness, if He dwells in us through faith. Contrasted with this divinity,
dwelling in us through faith, the sins of all people must be regarded as a drop
of water compared to a great ocean. Others, on the contrary, have held that
Christ is our Righteousness before God according to His human nature alone.
AFFIRMATIVE STATEMENTS
The Pure Teaching of the Christian Churches
against Both Errors Just Mentioned
3 1. Against both the errors just mentioned, we unanimously believe,
teach, and confess that Christ is our Righteousness [1 Corinthians 1:30]
neither according to His divine nature alone nor according to His human nature
alone. But it is the entire Christ who is our Righteousness according to both
natures. In His obedience alone, which as God and man He offered to the Father
even to His death [Philippians 2:8], He merited for us the forgiveness of sins
and eternal life. For it is written, “For as by the one man’s disobedience the
many were made sinners, so by the one man’s obedience the many will be made
righteous” (Romans 5:19).
4 2. We believe, teach, and confess what our righteousness before God is
this: God forgives our sins out of pure grace, without any work, merit, or
worthiness of ours preceding, present, or following. He presents and credits to
us the righteousness of Christ’s obedience [Romans 5:17–19]. Because of this
righteousness, we are received into grace by God and regarded as righteous.
5 3. We believe, teach, and confess that faith alone is the means and
instrument through which we lay hold of Christ. So in Christ we lay hold of
that righteousness that benefits us before God [Romans 1:17], for whose sake
this faith is credited to us for righteousness (Romans 4:5).
6 4. We believe, teach, and confess that this faith is not a bare
knowledge of Christ’s history, but it is God’s gift [Ephesians 2:8]. By this
gift we come to the right knowledge of Christ as our Redeemer in the Word of
the Gospel. And we trust in Him that for the sake of His obedience alone we
have—by grace—the forgiveness of sins and are regarded as holy and righteous
before God the Father and are eternally saved.
7 5. We believe, teach, and confess that according to the usage of Holy
Scripture the word justify means, in this article, “to absolve, that is,
to declare free from sins.” Proverbs 17:15 says, “He who justifies the wicked
and he who condemns the righteous are both alike an abomination to the Lord.” Also Romans 8:33 says, “Who shall
bring any charge against God’s elect? It is God who justifies.”
8 At times the words regeneration and renewal of life (regeneratio and vivificatio) are used in place of justify, as in
the Apology. This is done with the same meaning. But, in other places, the
renewal of a person is understood by these terms and is distinguished from
justification through faith.
9 6. We believe, teach, and confess that many weaknesses and defects
cling to the true believers and truly regenerate, even up to the day they are
buried [1 John 1:8]. Still, they must not on that account doubt either their
righteousness, which has been credited to them through faith, or the salvation
of their souls. They must regard it as certain that for Christ’s sake,
according to the promise and ‹immovable› Word of the Holy Gospel, they have a
gracious God.
10 7. We believe, teach, and confess that it is necessary to teach with
special diligence the particulae exclusivae for the preservation of the pure doctrine
about the righteousness of faith before God. We mean the exclusive particles,
that is, the following words of the holy apostle Paul, by which Christ’s merit
is entirely separated from our works and the honor is given to Christ alone.
For the holy apostle Paul writes, “Of grace,” “without merit,” “without Law,”
“without works,” of works.” All these words together mean that we are justified
and saved through faith alone in Christ [Ephesians 2:8; Romans 1:17; 3:24;
4:3–25; Galatians 3:11; Hebrews 11].
11 8. We believe, teach, and confess that the contrition that comes before
justification, and the good works that follow it, do not belong to the article
of justification before God. Yet one is not to imagine a kind of faith that can
exist and abide with, and alongside of, a wicked intention to sin and to act
against the conscience. But after man has been justified through faith, then a
true living faith works by love (Galatians 5:6). Good works always follow
justifying faith and are surely found with it—if it is true and living faith
[James 2:26]. Faith is never alone, but always has love and hope with it [1
Corinthians 13:13].
Concordia : The
Lutheran Confessions. 2005 (Edited by Paul Timothy McCain) (479-480). 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.
Church Office Hours have changed to Monday and Tuesday from 10am -1pm
starting in May. Please get the announcements no later than 10am on
Tuesday. If you can’t get them in by that time, they will still be
announced, but will not be in the bulletin.
Thank You!
LYF UPDATE—
-On
Sunday Nov. 4th will be the LYF Chili Dinner to raise funds for the 2013 LC-MS National Youth Gathering in San Antonio, TX
-On
Sunday Nov. 25th the LYF will be decorating
the church for Christmas after worship that morning.
REMINDER – The Thanksgiving Day Service with Holy Communion
will be held at 9:00 a.m on Thursday Nov. 22nd .
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.
Don’t forget on Sunday Nov. 4th, set your clocks back one hour so you won’t be too early for church on
Sunday morning.
Concordia Publishing
House is having a Warehouse Sale Saturday, Nov. 3rd from 8 a.m.-12 p.m. You
could save up to 75% outside in the tent and then save 20%* inside the
Concordia Christian Books and Gifts Store. (*Exceptions apply. Bookstore opens
8 a.m. to 2 p.m.). It’s located at 3558 S. Jefferson Avenue, St. Louis, Mo
63118.
As of January 2013,
we will be needing a flower Committee Chairman. This consists of putting
flowers on the altar every 2nd & 5th Sunday, picking
up, arranging, displaying, and watering the Christmas Poinsettias, and Easter
Lilies. For more information please contact the church office.
Thank You, Thank
You, Thank You!!! We would like to thank everyone who donated items, attended
and supported our Spaghetti Dinner. We made $1,835.25 & are waiting
on Thrivent matching funds. Without your support this wouldn’t have been
a success! Thank you: Lutheran Parochial School Parents.
Peace of Mind Seminar Teaches the Value of Preparation--Losing
a loved one is a difficult experience for anyone to go through, but the weight
of the loss can be lightened knowing we provided them with their final wishes
exactly as desired. We invite you to a
special presentation during which we will discuss the importance and value of
recording and arranging your final wishes so your loved ones can feel confident
and at peace that your were given what you wanted. This Peace of Mind Seminar will be sponsored
and hosted by Christ Our Savior Lutheran Church, 612 North
State Street, Freeburg, Illinois, on Sunday, November 4th beginning
at 1:30 p.m. We will
outline the steps in the planning process and answer questions you may have.
This presentation is brought to you by George Renner &
Sons Funeral Home. Light refreshments will be
served. There is no cost. Please
call the Church Office at 539-5664 with any questions or for additional
information. We hope to see you there!
The St. John
Annual Meeting will be on Sunday Nov. 25th @ 7pm in the Church.
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Baldwin, IL 62217-0162
ADDRESS SERVICE REQUESTED
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