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
THIRD SUNDAY OF EASTER
APRIL 26, 2020
O God, through the humiliation of Your Son You raised up the fallen world. Grant to Your faithful people, rescued from the peril of everlasting death, perpetual gladness and eternal joys; through Jesus Christ, our Lord, who lives and reigns with You and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever. Amen.
ST. JOHN’S NEWS
Expect new updates next week – As of the writing of these announcements the statewide emergency proclamation is set to expire April 30. However, it is likely this will change in the next few days. Expect to receive communication from St. John’s some time next week as to what our updated plans for returning to church will look like.
Pastoral care available - Pastor Cowell continues to be available for pastoral care. He is happy to hear your confession and absolve your sins or to give you Holy Communion at church or at home at any time. Please contact him to schedule a time to do so. If you are not comfortable visiting or being visited, he is happy to talk with you on the phone. His cell phone is 319-464-5548. If you have any bodily need in these next few weeks (like needing someone to pick you up groceries or medication, etc.) he is happy to help or to find you help.
Resources for your faith at home - St. John’s is offering a variety of resources to feed your faith during our time away. Here is a list of some of them:
- There is a table in the back of church full of devotions, prayer services, Bible studies, and Lutheran magazines. Feel free to stop in at church any time and grab some.
- Click the microphone on the homepage of stjohnsburt.org to listen to services and sermons. A service folder and announcement document will be available here as well for you to follow along.
- Click on the Youtube icon on the homepage of stjohnsburt.org to see live-streamed and recorded video services from Trinity, Algona, as well as daily video devotions from the partnership pastors.
- St. John’s also recently started a YouTube channel. Currently there is a series of kids videos on various topics of the faith (which are good for adults to watch as well!). Search “St. John’s Burt” at youtube.com to find the channel.
- Follow @stjohnsburt on Facebook to receive daily online resources spanning many areas of your Christian faith.
Offerings and alms during our time away – St. John’s has a long history of generosity in terms of financially supporting our own ministry as well as that of the Church across the world. This generosity has continued in our present situation. Thank you to everyone who has been mailing in your offerings to our Lord during our time away! With the uncertain economic future of many of our members, now is the time to consider St. John’s your special mission project. If it is within your financial means, consider giving above your regular tithe to the work of the ministry at St. John’s until life begins to return to normal.
- The best way to give your offering is to mail it to St. John’s. Or, you can arrange to have it dropped off at St. John’s.
- If you or your family has encountered any financial hardship during this time, don’t hesitate to contact Pastor Cowell to see if our congregation can help in any way.
Stay connected during our time away - During our time away please be sure that the church has your current phone, cell phone, and email. Also be sure that your Flocknote communication preferences are up to date. You can call Pastor Cowell at 319-464-5548 if you need help with this. Flocknote will be our means of communicating the most important details about our schedule in the weeks to come.
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
Trinity, Algona Schedule - All congregational activities at Trinity, Algona have been suspended until further notice. You can receive updates and resources from Trinity at: trinityalgona.org/corona.
Call Day Services - The COVID-19 pandemic has deeply affected the church and those in it. For many, life has come to a screeching halt. But perhaps now more than ever the need for well-formed, educated and loving pastors and deaconesses continues in the Lutheran Church-Missouri Synod.
- Concordia Seminary, St. Louis will have a joint vicarage assignment and pastoral/ deaconess placement service on Tuesday, April 28 at 7 p.m. You can view the live-stream at: csl.educ/academic/call-day-services
- Concordia Theological Seminary, Fort Wayne will have a joint vicarage assignment and pastoral/deaconess placement service on Wednesday, April 29 at 7 p.m. You can view the live-stream at: callday.ctsfw.edu
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.
LECTIONARY SUMMARY (Third Sunday of Easter)
First Reading: Acts 2:14a, 36–41
Peter preaches to the crowd at Pentecost. After the crowd hears and believes the gospel of Jesus’ death and resurrection for them Peter tells them: “Repent and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins.”
Epistle: 1 Peter 1:17–25
St. Peter reminds us both that we have been ransomed from sin and death by the precious blood of Christ, and that above all else “the Word of the Lord endures forever.”
Gospel: Luke 24:13–35
Jesus interprets to the two disciples on the road to Emmaus in all the Scriptures the things concerning Himself, and then makes Himself known in the breaking of the bread. In this way Jesus models for us our Divine Service of Word and Sacrament.
LCMS MEMORY VERSE CHALLENGE
“For I am not ashamed of the gospel, for it is the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes, to the Jew first and also to the Greek.” - Romans 1:16
LESSONS ON THE LITURGY
What is the Bible?
The Bible gathers together the writings of God’s chosen prophets and apostles over a period of more than a thousand years. Through the Holy Spirit, God Himself gave these writers the thoughts and words they recorded (verbal inspiration), such that the Bible is God’s Word. For this reason, the Scriptures are both infallible (incapable of error) and inerrant (containing no mistakes). Holy Scripture is therefore entirely reliable and gives us everything we need to know and believe for Christian faith and life. See Hebrews 1:1-2; Ephesians 2:19-20; 2 Timothy 3:16-17; 2 Peter 1:21. - An Explanation of the Small Catechism (2017), p. 46-47
FROM THE BOOK OF CONCORD
Formula of Concord, Solid Declaration, Article VIII: The Person of Christ, paragraphs 51, 53
The Holy Scriptures forcefully testify: The human nature has been personally united with the divine nature in Christ. [...] It has them not only in this world, but also in that which is to come. So we conclude about the work of Christ's office: the human nature in Christ is equally used. It has its power and efficacy. This is true not only from, and according to, its natural attributes, but chiefly from, and according to, the majesty and power that it has received through the personal union, glorification, and exaltation. […] What His received human nature is capable of beyond the natural properties, without becoming annihilated, no one can know better than the Lord Christ Himself. He has revealed this in His Word, as much as is needful for us to know. We must simply believe everything for which we have clear, certain testimonies in the Scriptures in this matter. We should in no way argue against it, as though the human nature in Christ could not be capable of the same.
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