Pastor John M. Taggatz, Jenna Otten, Secretary
January, 2013 Lela
Rehmer, Custodian Kevin Kahle,
Groundskeeper
Church
Web Site: www.stjohnbaldwin.ctsmemberconnect.net
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Serving on the Altar Guild
for January are: Linda Schoenbeck & Renee
Luthy
Ushers for the Month of January are:
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.
“Those Whom God Chooses”
The Gospel of Matthew records the
visit of the Magi to the Christ Child: “Now after Jesus was born in Bethlehem in
Judea in the days of Herod the king behold, wise men from the east came to
Jerusalem, saying, ‘Where is He Who has
been born king of the Jews? For we saw
His star when it rose and have come to worship Him.’ And going into the house, they saw the Child
with Mary His mother, and they fell down and worshiped Him. Then, opening their treasure, they offered
Him gifts, gold and frankincense and myrrh” (Matthew 2:1-2, 11).
Who were these wise men? Research indicates that they were probably
Gentiles from present-day Jordan. It is
unlikely the Jews would have gone to Herod to ask about a king who could
possibly challenge his rule. It is very
interesting to note that Gentiles were
those who brought gifts to the king of the Jews! At that time, there was widespread contempt,
even hatred, for Gentiles. Yet, these
visitors were those whom God chose to present gifts to His Son.
Even though as Christians we are
to love everyone, we must admit that we don’t.
We may even hate some, especially those we see as enemies of our
faith. When the Christian faith in
general, and we, in particular, are misunderstood, ridiculed, and even persecuted,
it is natural according to our own sinful nature to respond with anger and
hatred.
What we must keep in mind is that
all of us are created in the image of God and that Christ died for all. “For
the love of Christ controls us, because we have concluded this: that One has died for all, therefore all have
died” (2 Corinthians 5:14). God does
the choosing; in fact, He has chosen all of us.
“The Lord is… patient toward you,
not wishing that any should perish, but that all should reach repentance” (2
Peter 3:9). Like Christ, let us eagerly
seek out the lost and welcome them to the family of believers. Like the Wise Men, let us bring our gifts
before our Lord in humble, joyful gratitude for Who He is and what He has done
and continues to do for us, in us, and through us.
See You in Church,
<+><
Pastor Taggatz
Installation of
2013 Church Officers will be held during the worship service Sunday January
6th.
Reminder, the Season of Lent Coming Up:
Ash Wednesday, the beginning of the Church’s penitential season of
Lent, begins on Wednesday Feb. 13th.
We will be having a service that evening at 7pm with Holy Communion. Following Wednesday Feb. 13th we
will be having our Lenten Midweek services on Wednesday evenings from Feb. 20th
through March 20th at 7pm. Be
sure to look at your bulletin for further details at the beginning of January.
“Who
Would Have Thought?”
In an election year like the one
just past, it’s hard for a politician seeking an office to keep a secret. His opponents
may often go back into his past to find some family indiscretion that can be
built into an argument that that candidate is unfit for office. Sometimes those “facts” bring about the
downfall of that person’s candidacy, and his career in politics is ended. His desire to be a leader in government is squashed. A leader must have an impeccable pedigree,
right?
Well, let’s think about Jesus’
ancestry. Maybe you’ve been in a Bible
study that focused on a hero of faith – one like Abraham or his son Isaac or
his grandson Jacob. Maybe it’s been
David, that “Man after God’s own heart” (1Samuel
13:14). You’ve been reading along in
your Bible and find out that there are some gaps in their armor. Did it disappoint you to find out that
Abraham lied because he was scared and that his son followed in his footsteps
committing the same sin because of the same lack of faith? And Jacob!
All that cheating and deceit that displayed a similar lack of trust that
God had their lives under His control!
And David! He was an adulterer
and a murderer! How could God call him a
“Man after His own heart”?
Wow! We think. These guys were terrible! We might even say they’re worse than we
are. Who would have thought that God
would choose these imperfect men and women to be Jesus’ ancestors? But, you see, it’s not about us; it’s about
Jesus. He is the One Who is
perfect. He is the One Who is fit to
rule over us. He has called all of us,
sinful though we are, to be His servants.
After all, isn’t that what Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, David, and all the
other heroes of faith were? God’s
servants?
We won’t find a perfect political
candidate. We won’t find a perfect
Anybody. What we will find is a
faithful, perfect Savior Who lived the perfect life in our place, Who calls us
to serve Him in many different venues, Who forgives our sins and restores us to
service.
We remember in our prayers—[If
you would like to add to our prayer list please call Pastor Taggatz at:
618-785-2344.] “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 for this month,
pray for the Church; For missionaries who bring God’s Word to the nations, Rev.
Tim & Lisa Beckendorf of Lutheran Bible Translators to Botwsana, Africa
& Nicole Decker, who is a missionary to South Africa. For those who are
ill, awaiting, or recovering from surgery: We pray especially for: Sally
Fadler, Karen Willis, Linda Nagel, Lee Hogandobler, Evan Saldana, &
Margaret Dixon, the grandmother of Nicki Buch, Tessa Deffenbaugh, the infant
daughter to the friends of Danny & Tammy Moll, & Gene Loucks, a brother
in law to the Spier family, all who are battling serious illnesses. We pray for Hayden Smith, a friend of Christa
Poynor, who is currently battling cancer. For Greg Laufer, Krista Hammel, Daryl
Junge, Joyce Schmoll, & Jennifer Sievers, the daughter of Geri Stolte, that
they would be healed in the midst of their illness. For Gerald Koester, as he continues to heal
and regain strength after surgery he had last month. 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.
PRAISE GOD THAT
ANOTHER NAME HAS BEEN WRITTEN IN GOD’S BOOK OF LIFE!!! Congratulations
to Ryker Michelle Sturma, the daughter of Aislyn Grau & Drew Sturma, who
was baptized in our Saturday evening worship service on Dec. 1st. Thanks be to God that Ryker has been baptized
into God’s family through water and the Holy Word of God!!! Praise
God from Whom all blessings flow!!!
BIBLE
STUDIES AT ST. JOHN—
Sunday Mornings
(8:45 a.m.) “Martin Luther’s Catechisms”
Location: In the
Church Sanctuary
Wednesday
Mornings (10 a.m.) “The Intersection of Church & State” (Please Note: that due to the season of Advent there won’t be Wednesday morning
Bible Studies during the month of December, we will be continuing our Wednesday
morning Bible Studies at the beginning of January on the 9th).
Location: In the St. John School
LYF UPDATE—
-The LYF will be taking down the Christmas decorations on
Sunday Jan. 6th
-On Feb. 10th, the LYF will be putting on their
Chicken & Dumpling Dinner…
If you have any
questions about LYF email our Youth Director 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.
618-853-7300 www.coslhs.org
Early Registration:
It is not too early to start making plans for next school year. The early
registration deadline for the 2013-2014 is February 1, 2013. The registration
fee is $150 for those who register before the deadline. Please contact the
school office for more information.
Touchstone
Energy Classroom Empowerment Grant Awarded: COS has been awarded a $500 Classroom Empowerment Grant sponsored
by Egyptian Electric. The grant is designed to improve the learning environment
and to increase educational resources for schools. Only six grants were offered
to both private and public schools in the area, and COS has been one of the six selected. We are very thankful to Egyptian Electric for
awarding us this grant.
Coming Events:
Jan. 25 COS Trivia
Night at COS gym
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 350 W. South 1st
Red Bud, IL 62278
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Regular Council
Meeting --Dec. 11th, 2012
ANNUAL MEETING MINUTES
ST. JOHN LUTHERAN CHURCH
NOVEMBER 25, 2012 @ 7PM
31 MEMBERS PRESENT
The meeting was called to order
by President Gene Luthy.
Opening devotions were given by
Pastor Taggatz.
Minutes from 2011 Annual Meeting:
Were read and approved.
Financial Secretary’s Report: N/A
Treasurer’s report: Total receipts as of October 2012,
$12,946.60. Ending balance as of October 2012, $12,602.13. Motion was made and
second to approve. Motion carried. The 2013 budget was presented by Dennis
Wegener. Motion was made by Tony Junge
to accept the 2013 proposed budget and was seconded by Gerald Poenitski. Motion carried.
Spiritual Ministries/Elder: N/A
Church Properties: School roof has been replaced, Utility power
pole is up, Sump Pump installed, Termite Protection in all three buildings has
been completed, and Fire Extinguishers are up to date.
Social Ministries: N/A
COSLHS: 16 students are
currently attending with the potential of 20 students for next year.
Fall Fund Raiser was held at the
Shooting Complex in Sparta.
Scholar Bowl was held last spring
and will be held again next spring.
Motion was and second to remain
in the Association with the high school. Motion carried.
Christian Education: N/A
Evangelism: N/A
Sunday School: N/A
Stewardship: N/A
Lutheran Youth Fellowship: Fleta Junge reported on the following
activities that the youth did in 2012. In December 2011 they handed out candy
to children at the Christmas Eve Program. January 2012 they took the Christmas
decorations down, March they helped with the annual church Chicken Dinner and
went to play Laser Tag. In April they
held the Easter Breakfast and Easter Egg Hunt and did a lock-in, in May they
handed out flowers for Mother’s Day, in July they helped with Vacation Bible
School, in August they had a fund raiser at the Shooting Complex with the Farm
Bureau, in September they held a Chicken & Dumpling Dinner, in October they
had a picnic/fishing event at Gilbert Kahle residence, in November they held
their annual Chili Dinner and in November decorated the church for Christmas.
Fleta also expressed gratitude
for all who supported the youth and the families who helped with the fund
raisers
Pastor’s Report: Pastor Taggatz presented a list of his
Pastoral activities, his duties and events that he participated in from
December 2011 to the present. Pastor discussed his strengths, weakness and
goals regarding his ministry.
Nomination committee presented
the slate of candidates for 2013. They are as follows: Vice President – Gerald
Poenitske, Elder – Richard Buch, Trustees – Stan Gegel (2nd term)
Gary Huebner and David Piel (1st term), Treasurer – Dennis Wegener,
Financial Secretary – Debbie Hammel and Evangelism none. The floor was opened
for nominations. No nominations were given. Motion was made and second to
accept the slate of candidates. Motion carried.
Voting was held.
Results of the election:
Vice President Gerald
Poenitske (2nd term)
Elder Richard Buch (1st
term)
Trustees Stan
Gegel (2nd term) and David Piel (1st term)
Treasurer Dennis Wegener (1st term)
Financial Secretary Debbie Hammel (1st term)
Old Business: Question was raised in regards to the
replacement of the Plexiglas on the front church windows. It was noted that
there was money left over from the school roof replacement that could be used
to pay for the Plexiglas repairs. Approximate cost was quoted at $1,200.00.
President Luthy will contact the company (Church Art Glass Company) about the
replacements.
A question was also raised in regards to
status of the committee that was formed in the 2012 to address the lack of
church attendance. No further information was noted.
Lawn Mowing and Janitorial Bids
were presented.
2
Lawn Care Bids were received.
Double K -
$60.00 per
mowing at the church/school (same as 2011 & 2012) $175.00 per mowing at the
cemetery (same as 2011 & 2012)
Drew’s
Landscaping -
$50.00
per mowing at the church/school
$100.00
per mowing at the cemetery
Motion was made and second to
continue to use Double K for lawn mowing. Motion carried.
1
Janitorial Bid was received
Lela Rehmer-
$4,500.00 (same as 2011)
Motion was made and second to
accept Lela Rehmer’s bid. Motion carried.
Pastor’s salary was discussed.
District/Synod recommends a 1% increase. After a brief discussion, motion was
made and second to increase Pastor Taggatz salary by 1%. Motion carried.
It was also noted in the budget
that Health care has increased by 9.9% for himself, and dependents, but Pastor
Taggatz does reimburse the congregation his dependent coverage.
Secretary Salary was discussed
and suggested to give Jenna Otten a 3% increase. Motion was made to approve the
3% increase. Motion was second. Motion carried.
New Business: Christmas Eve program scheduling was
discussed. Debbie Hammel thanked the parents for letting the students
participate in the Christmas program and presented the possibility of changing
the program day to the Sunday before Christmas in order to accommodate other
obligations which conflict on Christmas Eve. Individuals expressed their
feelings that family obligations could and may interfere with the quantity of
students being able to participate in the church program. Another individual
reflected on their past experiences of family and the Christmas Eve program and
how their families made it work. Another comment was made that the Sunday
School program is a “family obligation” and that the program should remain on
Christmas Eve. Darla Porter thanked the Sunday School teachers for all their
hard work. After further discussion, a motion was made to change the day of the
program to the Sunday before Christmas.
President Gene Luthy then made a
decision to conduct a secret vote to get an accurate feeling from congregation
members on the situation without making anyone feel uneasy.
17 voted “no” to changing of the
day of the Sunday School Program (to remain on Christmas Eve)
10 voted “yes” to changing the
day of the Sunday School Program to the Sunday before Christmas.
The Sunday School Christmas Eve
Program will remain on Christmas Eve for 2012.
President Luthy thanked the
attending members for the support and apologized for any hard feelings that may
have cause and suggested the congregation to move on.
Pastor Taggatz housing allowance
for tax purposes only to be $10,000.00. Motion was made and second to leave the
allowance at $10,000.00. Motion carried.
It was noted that the
Thanksgiving offering was designated to ½ going Operation Blessing-Sparta and ½
to the Baldwin Food Pantry.
Mrs. Taggatz spoke about the
Sunday School issue and commented on the good work being done by the teachers
and how the enrollment is up and apologized for the results of the Christmas
Eve program decision and hoped that everyone can continue to work together for
the good of the church.
Adjournment: Motion was made and second to adjourn. Motion
carried.
The meeting was closed with a
short devotion and prayer and with the Lord’s Prayer.
President, Gene Luthy
Secretary, Marla Huebner
We Believe,
Teach and Confess.
Formula of
Concord: Epitome
Article 5—The Law & the Gospel
Introductory Note: How one
defines Law and Gospel is key to keeping both teachings properly distinguished.
This article provides a careful definition of these two terms, both in a narrow
sense and in a wide sense. Strictly speaking, the Gospel is entirely and only
about the good news of our salvation in Christ: what He has done for us through
His life, death, and resurrection. When Law and Gospel are properly
distinguished, it is the narrow definition of each that is being discussed. A
person who claims, therefore, that the Gospel is about what we are to do, confuses
both Law and Gospel. (See also SA III II and IV; FC SD V.)
The Chief Question in This
Controversy
1 Is the preaching of the Holy Gospel properly not
just a preaching of grace (which announces the forgiveness of sins) but also a
preaching of repentance and reproof (rebuking unbelief, which some people say
is not rebuked in the Law but only through the Gospel)?
Affirmative Statements
The Pure Doctrine of God’s Word
2 1. We
believe, teach, and confess that the distinction between the Law and the Gospel
is to be kept in the Church with great diligence as a particularly brilliant
light. By this distinction, according to the admonition of St. Paul, God’s Word
is rightly divided [2 Timothy 2:15].
3 2. We
believe, teach, and confess that the Law is properly a divine doctrine [Romans
7:12]. It teaches what is right and pleasing to God, and it rebukes everything
that is sin and contrary to God’s will.
4 3. For
this reason, then, everything that rebukes sin is, and belongs to, the
preaching of the Law.
5 4. But
the Gospel is properly the kind of teaching that shows what a person who has
not kept the Law (and therefore is condemned by it) is to believe. It teaches
that Christ has paid for and made satisfaction for all sins [Romans 5:9].
Christ has gained and acquired for an individual—without any of his own
merit—forgiveness of sins, righteousness that avails before God, and eternal
life [Romans 5:10].
6 5. The
term Gospel is not used in one and
the same sense in the Holy Scriptures. That’s why this disagreement originally
arose. Therefore, we believe, teach, and confess that if the term Gospel is understood to mean Christ’s
entire teaching that He proposed in His ministry, as His apostles did also
(this is how it is used in Mark 1:15; Acts 20:21), then it is correctly said
and written that the Gospel is a preaching of repentance and of the forgiveness
of sins.
7 6. The Law
and the Gospel are also contrasted with each other. Likewise also, Moses
himself as a teacher of the Law and Christ as a preacher of the Gospel are
contrasted with each other [John 1:17]. In these cases we believe, teach, and
confess that the Gospel is not a preaching of repentance or rebuke. But it is
properly nothing other than a preaching of consolation and a joyful message
that does not rebuke or terrify. The Gospel comforts consciences against the
terrors of the Law, points only to Christ’s merit, and raises them up again by
the lovely preaching of God’s grace and favor, gained through Christ’s merit.
8 7.
Concerning the revelation of sin, Moses’ veil hangs [2 Corinthians 3:12–16]
before the eyes of all people as long as they hear the bare preaching of the
Law, and nothing about Christ. Therefore, they do not learn from the Law to see
their sins correctly. They either become bold hypocrites ‹who swell with the
opinion of their own righteousness› like the Pharisees [Matthew 23], or they
despair like Judas [Matthew 27:3–5]. Therefore, Christ takes the Law into His
hands and explains it spiritually (Matthew 5:21–48; Romans 7:14). In this way
God’s wrath is revealed from heaven against all sinners [Romans 1:18], so that
they see how great it is. In this way they are directed back to the Law, and
then they first learn from it to know their sins correctly knowledge that Moses
never could have forced out of them.
9
According to this, the preaching of the suffering and death of Christ, the Son
of God, is a serious and terrifying proclamation and declaration of God’s
wrath. By such preaching people are first led into the Law correctly—after
Moses’ veil has been removed from them. Then they understand correctly for the
first time what great things God requires of us in His Law, none of which we
can keep. Therefore, they know we are to seek all our righteousness in Christ.
10 8. Yet
as long as all this (namely, Christ’s suffering and death) proclaims God’s
wrath and terrifies a person, it is still not properly the preaching of the
Gospel. It remains the preaching of Moses and the Law, and it is, therefore, an
alien work of Christ. Passing through this teaching, Christ arrives at His
proper office, that is, to preach grace, console, and give life, which is
properly the preaching of the Gospel.
Negative Statements
Contrary Doctrine That Is Rejected
11 We
reject and regard as incorrect and harmful the teaching that the Gospel,
strictly speaking, is a preaching of repentance or rebuke and not just a
preaching of grace. For by this misuse the Gospel is converted into a teaching
of the Law. Christ’s merit and Holy Scripture are hidden, Christians are robbed
of true consolation, and the door is opened again to ‹the errors and
superstitions of› the papacy.
Concordia : The Lutheran
Confessions. 2005 (Edited by Paul Timothy McCain) (484–485). 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.
Giving through THRIVENT
CHOICE to St. John for Nov. –Dec. ‘12— I am pleased to announce that
our giving through the Thrivent Choice program for November has amounted to: $69.00… -Total
amount our church has received from the Thrivent Choice program since Jan.
2012: $3,630.00.
***Special notice regarding the Thrivent
Choice Program:
You might
have already received notice of a change in the Thrivent Choice program by
mail, but just in case you haven’t there is some important information for you
to know about. This year of 2012 all
Thrivent members wishing to continue their automatic withdrawal to the charity
of their choice will have to let Thrivent know either by mail or phone. It only needs to be done once for this
year. To continue to direct your
Choice Dollars to the charity of your choice call: 800-THRIVENT
(800-847-4836) and state "Thrivent Choice."
SPECIAL FAMILY NIGHT
Jan. 25th @ 6pm! The
next special family night at our church will be on Friday Jan. 25th
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!!!
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.
The 2013 Offering
Envelopes may be picked up at the school building.
Talk Radio for
the Christmas Season
December
24-January 3
"Handel's
Messiah" on the Incarnation
Dr. Joseph Herl,
Concordia University Nebraska
The Christmas
Hymn "All My Heart Again Rejoices"
Dr. Arthur Just,
Concordia Theological Seminary-Ft. Wayne, IN
The Birth of
Jesus in the Old Testament
Dr. Ken Schurb,
Zion Lutheran-Moberly, MO
The Birth of
Jesus According to Matthew's Gospel
Dr. Jeff Gibbs,
Concordia Seminary-St. Louis, MO
The Christmas
Hymn "What Child is This"
Pr. Will Weedon,
Director of Worship for the LC-MS
The First
Christmas
Dr. Paul Maier,
Western Michigan University
Listen at www.issuesetc.org
Christmas music returns Christmas Eve
at
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.
Special Request on the Use of
Beverages & Candy in Church-We are asking that members please do not bring
adult beverages into the church sanctuary, this includes:
coffee,
tea, soda, etc. (The use of communion wine is GOOD, since it's the very blood
of our Lord for the forgiveness of our sins J). Sippy cups for children are
ok, as long as there is a lid on them.
Also, please do not bring sticky candy into church; the use of goldfish,
Cheerios, & graham crackers is ok.
Thanks for your compliance in this matter. This will help keep our church sanctuary looking
clean for years to come.
Lutheran
Hour Ministry Broadcasts—To
listen to broadcasts of the Lutheran Hour Radio Program tune in to: 850 AM KFUO
St. Louis, MO on Sundays at 12:30pm and 5pm.
Can’t tune into your radio at this time? You can also listen to podcasts
of the Lutheran Hour through your computer or Mp3 player. Go to this website to find out more: http://www.lhm.org/podcasts/default.asp
Podcasting is a
new and easy way to listen to your favorite Lutheran Hour Ministries programs
and resources when you want. Podcasts are audio files you can download
automatically, free of charge, to your computer, then transfer to your portable
MP3 player.
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