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 THIRD SUNDAY IN LENT

March 15, 2020

 

O God, whose glory it is always to have mercy, be gracious to all who have gone astray from Your ways and bring them again with penitent hearts and steadfast faith to embrace and hold fast the unchangeable truth of Your Word; through Jesus Christ, Your Son, our Lord, who lives and reigns with You and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever. Amen.

 

THIS WEEK AT ST. JOHN’S Today, March 15    8:00  a.m.      Sunday School/Adult Class      9:00  a.m.      Divine Service (Lent 3) (C)                               Tuesday, March 17    9:00 a.m.       Morning Lenten Prayer  Wednesday, March 18    6:00 p.m.       Lenten Service    6:30 p.m.       Religion School Sunday, March 22    8:00 a.m.        Sunday School/Adult Class    9:00 a.m.        Divine Service (Lent 4)  (C)    10:00 a.m.      Choir Practice

THIS WEEK IN THE CHURCH YEAR      March 17     Commemoration of Patrick, Missionary to         Ireland     March 19     Feast of St. Joseph, Guardian of Jesus

 

ST. JOHN’S NEWS

 

Organist Today:    Marcia Hanna                Ushers for March:    Clark Christensen,  Roger Evans

                                                                                        & Jerry Koestler

Acolytes:                 None Assigned               Elder for March:           Jeff Schutjer

Greeters:                Jerry & Betty Koestler    Greeters Next Week:   Lavonne Boderius & 

                                                                                                                 Beverly Skadburg

 

Special Thanks to Rev. Mark Lund of Trinity for leading our service this morning. 

 

Adult Bible Study - Our Sunday Morning Bible study is spending several weeks exploring the concept of evangelism in the Bible, as well as discussing practical strategies for sharing the Gospel in our own context.  We’ll be using a book titled: Be at Leisure: A Lutheran Approach to Outreach by Pastor Andrew Richard of St. Silas Lutheran Church in North Liberty, IA.

 

Lenten Services will be held Wednesdays March 18, 25, April 1, 2020 at 6:00 p.m. 

 

Tuesday Morning Lenten Prayer -  In addition to our Wednesday evening Lenten services, you will also have the opportunity to pray and hear Scripture on several Tuesday mornings at 9:00 during Lent.  This will be a spoken Matins service and will be a time for you to bring prayer requests for us to pray together.  Check the schedule in your box for the dates of these services.

 

Lenten Resources Available - On the back table are several resources to help you grow in your Christian faith this Lenten season.  Feel free to take and share as many as you’d like.

 

Lent Midweek Offering - Any undesignated offerings given during our Lenten midweek services will go toward Lutherans in Africa and their most recent building project.  There is a letter on the back table that describes their current construction needs. 

 

Holy Week Choir - We are assembling a choir to sing on Holy Thursday, Good Friday, and Easter Sunday. We will practice after church on March 22 and April 5 and before service on Holy Thursday.  The choir music is in the black folders on the back table if you’d like to look at it at home before the practices. 

 

Weekly Divine Service - Beginning this Lent we will begin offering the Lord’s Supper every Sunday at St. John’s.  If you are interested in continuing to explore the blessings of weekly Communion you can attend our Lenten midweek services where we will be meditating on the good of Jesus’ body and blood for our lives.  You can also read this month’s Parish Messenger in your box or pick up documents from last year’s study on the blessings of weekly Communion at the side table in back of church.  As always, if you are not yet comfortable receiving the Lord’s Supper every Sunday, know that you are free in Christ to remain in the pew during distribution.  Feel free to talk to Pastor Cowell if you’d like any more resources on this topic or have any questions regarding this practice.

 

Easter Lilies - If you would like to purchase an Easter Lily for the church to use on Easter Sunday, there is a sign-up sheet on the table at the back of the church. You may take your lily home after Easter services if you choose to. Please, pay Cheryl Batt $16 per lily by Sunday, April 5th.

 

The Giving Pew - This is a reminder that the season of Lent would be a great time to take a quilt or stuffed bear from the TLC Quilter’s giving pew by the east doors at St. John’s and deliver them to a friend in need of comfort or support. 

 

SYNOD, DISTRICT, & PARTNERSHIP NEWS

 

The TLC Quilters will again have a silent auction during Lent to benefit Camp Okoboji.  The quilts will be displayed in the office lobby at Trinity.  You may stop by to view and bid on them anytime during the day.

 

Thrivent Choice Dollars for 2019 will be expiring on March 31! If you are a Thrivent member, you may be eligible to direct Thrivent Choice Dollars to St. John’s. Go to www.thrivent.com/thriventchoice or call 800-847-4836 before March 31 and say “Thrivent Choice.”  Reminder: $250 Community Impact Gift Cards are also available (2 per member per year). 

 

 COMMUNITY NEWS

 

Churches of Burt Volunteer Facebook Group - The Churches of Burt organization has created a Facebook group with the purpose of connecting people who need help with people who are willing to help.  It is our hope that this group will facilitate Christian mercy in our community.  You can search “Churches of Burt Volunteers/Help Wanted” to join the group.  Or, if you would like to offer a volunteer service or are in need of help but don’t have a Facebook account, contact Pastor Cowell and he will post your request for you. 

 

French Toast Breakfast will be held on Saturday, March 28 at 8:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. at the Burt Community Center. Bake Sale by the Burt Pool fundraising committee.

 

East Fork Walleye Fish Fry on Saturday, March 28 at the Burt Complex.  Serving begins at 5:00 p.m.

 

Celebration of Hope Concert - The Burt Presbyterian Church invites you to “A Worshipful Celebration of Hope” concert on Sunday, March 22 at 6:30 p.m. Great concert for the whole family featuring Christian recording artist Mark Smeby.   (Poster along ramp bulletin board)

 

Morningside Choir will be performing at the First Lutheran Church in Algona on Wednesday, March 25, 2020.  No charge for admission but a Free Will offering will be accepted.

 

 

LECTIONARY SUMMARY (Third Sunday in Lent)

 

Exodus 17:1–7; Romans 5:1–8; John 4:5–26 

 

We Worship the Father of Our Lord Jesus Christ in the Spirit and Truth of His Gospel

Though the Lord had brought them out of Egypt, “all the congregation of the people of Israel” grumbled against Him, because “there was no water for the people to drink” (Ex. 17:1). Despite their quarreling, the Lord graciously provided for them. He did not strike the people for their sins, but by the hand of Moses He struck the Rock instead and brought forth water for the people. In the same way living water flows from the pierced side of Christ “about the sixth hour” (John 4:6, 19:14), when He is lifted up on the Cross for the sins of the world. He is “the gift of God” (John 4:10), the Well from which the Holy Spirit is poured out and becomes in His people “a spring of water welling up to eternal life” (John 4:14). By this grace in which we stand, being at peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, we “worship the Father in spirit and truth” (John 4:23). “We rejoice in hope of the glory of God,” because “God’s love has been poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit who has been given to us” (Rom. 5:2, 5).

 

FROM THE BOOK OF CONCORD

 

Apology of the Augsburg Confession, Article XII(V): Repentance, paragraphs 35-38

As the second part of repentance we add faith in Christ. The Gospel, in which the forgiveness of sins is freely promised concerning Christ, should be presented to consciences in terror. They should believe that, for Christ's sake, their sins are freely forgiven. This faith cheers, and enlivens the contrite, according to Romans 5:1, "Since we have been justified by faith, we have peace with God." This faith obtains the forgiveness of sins. It justifies before God, "since we have been justified by faith." This faith shows the distinction between the contrition of Judas and Peter. The contrition of Judas [Matthew 27:3-5] is useless because faith is not added. Faith grasps the forgiveness of sins, given as a gift for Christ's sake. So the contrition of Peter [Matthew 26:75] helps because faith, which takes hold of the forgiveness of sins granted for Christ's sake, is added to it. Love is not present before reconciliation has been made through faith. For without Christ, the Law is not performed, according to Romans 5:2, "Through [Christ] we have also obtained access [to God]." This faith grows gradually and throughout the entire life, struggles with sin, in order to overcome sin and death. Love follows faith. Childlike fear is defined as anxiety that has been connected with faith, that is, where faith comforts the anxious heart. Without faith to sustain the anxious heart it is slavish fear.