Announcements
St. John’s Lutheran Church
109 Maple St. Burt, Iowa|Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod
Pastor: Rev. Thomas Cowell Secretary: Rosann Shipler
Pastor’s Cell: 319-464-5548 Church Office: 515-924-3344 stjohnsburt.org
Pastor’s Email: pastor@stjohnsburt.org Church Email: churchoffice@stjohnsburt.org
THE FIRST SUNDAY IN ADVENT
December 1, 2019
Stir up Your power, O Lord, and come, that by Your protection we may be rescued from the threatening perils of our sins and saved by Your mighty deliverance; for You live and reign with the Father and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever. Amen.
THIS WEEK AT ST. JOHN’S Today, December 1 8:00 a.m. Bible Study/Sunday School 9:00 a.m. Divine Service (Advent 1) (C) 10:00 a.m. Children’s Program Practice Monday, December 2 7 & 9:30 a.m. Women’s Bible Study at Trinity Wednesday, December 4 6:00 p.m. Advent Midweek Service 6:30 p.m. Religion School Sunday, December 8 8:00 a.m. Bible Study/Sunday School 9:00 a.m. Divine Service (Advent 2) (C) 10:00 a.m. Voter’s Meeting Children’s Program Practice LWML Christmas Coffee | THIS WEEK IN THE CHURCH YEAR Wednesday, December 4 Commemoration of John of Damascus, Theologian and Hymnwriter Friday, December 6 Commemoration of Nicholas of Myra, Pastor December 7 Commemoration of Ambrose of Milan, Pastor and Hymnwriter |
ST. JOHN’S NEWS
Organist Today: Marcia Hanna Ushers for December: Tony Hatten & Joe Heyes
Acolytes Today: Breckin Borchardt Elder for December: Boyd Shipler
Greeters Today: Boyd & Rosann Shipler Greeters Next Week: Doris Blocker & Mary Steven
Adult Bible Study - Our Sunday morning adult Bible study class is discussing the benefits of meditating on the six chief parts of the Catechism through Scripture and prayer. We’ll be using the book The Lord Will Answer: A Daily Prayer Catechism. A copy of the book will be provided for everyone to use.
The Giving Pew - The TLC Quilters have set up the "giving pew" at St. John's! The pew near the east doors will be stocked with a quilt and other items made by the quilters, for the purpose of our members taking them in a time of need or delivering them to someone they know who is in need of warmth, comfort, support, or love. There is no need to tell anyone who the quilt is going to, the quilters are just happy to know someone is getting the care they need. A favorite practice of the quilters is when a quilt is finished to pray that whoever ends up with their quilt would know the love of God in Christ Jesus who motivates their many works of mercy.
Poinsettias – If you would like to purchase a poinsettia for the church to use during Advent and Christmas services, there is a sign-up sheet on the table in the back of the church. Make sure you specify which of the 3 color choices you want and please pay Cheryl Batt by Sunday, December 8th. You may take your poinsettia home after Christmas Day.
LWML Christmas Coffee will be held on Sunday, December 8th following the Voter’s Meeting in the church basement. LWML members, please bring 2 dozen cookies for the coffee and also for the Christmas Giving Plates to the shut-ins.
Advent Services are Wednesday evenings at 6:00 p.m. on December 4,11,18, 2019. Religion School will follow at 6:30 p.m.
St. John’s Flocknote - As a new Church Year begins now would be a good time to review your St. John’s text message and email options! See the Flocknote information sheet on the back table for the types of communication you can receive through text or email. You can sign up or change your options yourself from the instructions provided, or if you fill out the sheet and leave it at the church office we are happy to sign you up or make changes for you.
- Also note that there is a new Flocknote option this year called “St. John’s Volunteers.
Sign up for this option if you would like to receive messages from St. John’s about
volunteer opportunities within our congregation, partnership, or community.
Christmas Eve Children’s Service Practice will immediately follow the church service on the Sundays of December 1, 8, 15, and 22. The program is Christmas Eve at 4:30 p.m.
Adopted Family - St. John’s has applied for the Adopt a Family program again this year. We received 3 families that are in need of help. Information on each family and their needs are on the back table for you to take with you as you shop. There are 3 boxes in the church library for you to bring your items. Be sure to state which family, which child and what the item is in each package. Cash donation or gift cards are accepted. Monetary donations and gift cards can be left with Rosann in the church office or given to Doris Blocker or Debra Steven. The deadline on bringing all items is December 8th at noon.
SYNOD, DISTRICT, & PARTNERSHIP NEWS
Trinity Live Nativity - Trinity Algona’s Live Nativity will be part of the Live Greeting Card Windows again on Monday December 2 from 6:30-8pm. They will be on South Dodge Street with the Trinity float, and will be serving cookies and hot chocolate!
Building Healthy Families: What traditions does your family keep which make Christmas all about Christ? For practical ideas to help you put the emphasis back on the presence of our Savior rather than the presents, check out the blog post, “Meaningful Christmas” on the LFS website. Lutheran Family Service is Iowa’s only Recognized Service Organization (RSO) by the Lutheran Church Missouri Synod (LCMS) for Pregnancy Support, Adoption Services, Family Wellness, Mental Health & Marriage Counseling. Find help at LutheranFamilyService.org
COMMUNITY NEWS
Lions Club Santa Day is December 7, 2019 from 1-3:00 p.m. at the Burt Activity Complex. Come and enjoy pictures with Santa, a cake walk with proceeds to the swimming pool, coloring for the children, fire truck rides, drawing for prizes and cookies and coffee/hot chocolate. Come spend the afternoon!!
Hospice of the Heartland – You are invited to attend The Hospice of the Heartland’s 2019 Lights of Life Program that will be held on Sunday, December 8 at 2 p.m. at the Kossuth Regional Health Center. A gift of $10 will light a bulb in memory/honor of your loved one. Please call us at 515-295-4430.
LECTIONARY SUMMARY (Advent 1)
Isaiah 2:1–5; Romans 13:8–14; Matthew 21:1–11 or Matthew 24:36–44
The Lord Comes in Meekness and Humility to Save Us Now
The Lord Jesus enters Jerusalem “humble, and mounted on a donkey,” riding on “a beast of burden” (Matt. 21:5), as He Himself bears the sins of the world in His body. Now He comes by the Ministry of the Gospel to save us from sin, death, the devil, and hell. Therefore, we sing, “Blessed is He who comes in the name of the Lord!” (Matt. 21:9). For we are called “to the mountain of the Lord, to the house of the God of Jacob,” His holy Church, “that He may teach us His ways and that we may walk in His paths” (Is. 2:3). By His Word, we “walk in the light of the Lord” (Is. 2:5). That is to live in love, which “does no wrong to a neighbor” (Rom. 13:10). We “cast off the works of darkness and put on the armor of light,” for “salvation is nearer to us now than when we first believed” (Rom. 13:11, 12). Hence, the entire Christian life is a time to wake and watch, “for you do not know on what day your Lord is coming” (Matt. 24:42).
FROM THE BOOK OF CONCORD
Formula of Concord, Solid Declaration: Article IV, Good Works, paragraphs 7-9
It is God's will that believers should walk in good works. Truly good works are not those that everyone does from a good intention, or are done according to human traditions, but those that God Himself has commanded in His Word. Also, truly good works are done not by our own natural powers, but in this way: when a person is reconciled with God and renewed by the Holy Spirit. Paul says, a person is "created in Christ Jesus for good works."
The good works of believers are pleasing and acceptable to God (although in this flesh they are impure and incomplete). They are acceptable for the sake of the Lord Christ, through faith, because the person is acceptable to God. There are works that apply to maintaining of external discipline and required of the unbelieving and unconverted. These works are commendable before the world and rewarded by God in this world with temporal blessings. Nevertheless, they are regarded by God as impure because of the corrupt nature and because the person is not reconciled with God. "A healthy tree cannot bear bad fruit, nor can a diseased tree bear good fruit." It is also written, "for whatever does not proceed from faith is sin" (Romans 14:23). A person must be accepted by God, for the sake of Christ, if that person's works are to please Him. This is why St. Paul calls them true fruit of the Spirit.
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