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 THIRTEENTH SUNDAY AFTER PENTECOST
August 30, 2020
Almighty God, Your Son willingly endured the agony and shame of the cross for our redemption. Grant us courage to take up our cross daily and follow Him wherever He leads; through the same Jesus Christ, 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, August 30, 2020 9:00 a.m. Divine Service (Pentecost 13) (C) 10:00 a.m. Education Parents Meeting Sunday, September 6, 2020 9:00 a.m. Divine Service (Pentecost 14) (C) | THIS WEEK IN THE CHURCH YEAR September 1 Commemoration of Joshua September 2 Commemoration of Hannah September 3 Commemoration of Gregory the Great, Pastor September 4 Commemoration of Moses September 5 Commemoration of Zechariah and Elizabeth |
ST. JOHN’S NEWS
Organist Today: Marcia Hanna
Elder for August: Boyd Shipler
St. John’s Parent-Teacher Meeting - All parents, students, and teachers will have a meeting in the sanctuary after church on Sunday, August 30th to discuss the upcoming year of Christian education at St. John’s. If you can’t attend this meeting, please let Pastor know and he can schedule an individual meeting at a time that works for you.
Holy Communion available - If you are not comfortable coming to the Sunday service but would still like to receive Holy Communion, you are welcome to participate in a Divine Service in the sanctuary at St. John’s during the week by appointment. Bread and wine will be laid out before your arrival and Pastor can maintain plenty of distance during the service. If you are not able to come to the sanctuary, we can arrange a safe way for you to receive the Lord’s Supper at home. Feel free to call Pastor Cowell on his cell phone at 319-464-5548 to set up a time to meet.
St. John’s Live-streamed Service - St. John’s is now live-streaming our Sunday Divine Service on our YouTube channel: “St. John’s Burt.” These services will be archived for you to view on YouTube later as well.
Sunday School and Adult Bible Study Returns! - Sunday school and adult Bible study will resume Sunday, September 13th at 8:00 a.m. All are welcome to join our Sunday school students in the church basement at 8:00 as we bless each classroom for another year of Christian instruction.
Adult Bible Study on the Book of Matthew - Beginning September 13th the adult Bible study will begin a verse-by-verse study of the Gospel of Matthew. During the study we will be utilizing a journal version of the Book of Matthew to help us note key details and moments in the text along the way. Each attendee will receive a book on the first Sunday they join the study. Tables are spread out in the basement as a social distancing measure and you are welcome to wear a mask if you choose to do so.
Midweek Christian Instruction for All Ages - The education committee has decided to postpone VBS until next year. There is still, however, an opportunity for church members of all ages to enjoy each other’s company outside of Sunday morning! This year we are encouraging parents and other adults to sit in with the kids during their Wednesday evening instruction. The main purpose of this is to encourage our children with our good example and to share our wisdom and experience with them as fellow Christians. Therefore, this is your open invitation to join us on Wednesday evenings in the church basement for any one, several, or all lessons! A class schedule along with an explanation of all of the changes to our midweek program will be published in the September Parish Messenger so that you can take note of any lessons you would be especially interested in attending.
New Weekly Announcements Email - St. John’s has started emailing our weekly announcements through Flocknote. If you would like to receive these weekly announcements in a computer or smartphone-friendly format, contact the church office and we can add you to the list. You can also contact the church office to update any of your Flocknote preferences.
Thank You!
“The Earth is the Lord’s and everything in it.” Psalm 24:1. Thank you so much for returning blessings you have received to the Lord for His work at Camp Okoboji. I pray we are always faithful to serve Him and to do His work. May He bless our efforts that they may bear fruits according to His will! Blessings to You! Trusting in Jesus our Savior, Kirk Warnke, Director of Camp Okoboji ($800 was given to Camp Okoboji from St. John’s)
SYNOD, DISTRICT, & PARTNERSHIP NEWS
Trinity, Algona Schedule - As Trinity, Algona opens their worship in their church building note that they will continue their livestreamed service and other online resources in the coming months. You can find all these resources from Trinity at: trinityalgona.org/corona.
Camp Okoboji has cancelled summer programs, but is still renting out the Family Ministry Cabins. See campokoboji.org for more information.
Building Healthy Families: Every one of us – young/old, male/female, retired/working, student/teacher – has had plenty of change to deal with recently. Not one of us is immune to the cumulative impact of it all. A wise person once said, “The best way to endure change is by pondering His permanence.” Looking to Him instead of others for perspective makes a difference. May the changes you have had to face over the past months, the ones you are facing today, and those you will undoubtedly face in the days ahead be tempered with this certain, unchanging truth: Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today and forever. Lutheran Family Service - www.LutheranFamilyService.org
LECTIONARY SUMMARY (Proper 17)
Old Testament: Jeremiah 15:15-21
Jeremiah prays for vengeance and restoration, and the Lord answers.
Epistle: Romans 12:9-21
St. Paul gives instructions on how to live a virtuous life in Christ.
Gospel: Matthew 16:21-28
Jesus foretells His death and resurrection. Peter rebukes Jesus for suggesting He would be killed. Jesus in turn rebukes Peter and urges His disciples to take up their cross and follow Him.
LCMS MEMORY VERSE CHALLENGE
Peace I leave with you; my peace I give to you. Not as the world gives do I give to you. Let not your hearts be troubled, neither let them be afraid. -John 14:27
LESSONS ON THE LITURGY
Christian Virtue
The Epistles of Holy Scripture are full of advice and encouragement toward loving our neighbor by living a virtuous life. The Catechism of the Catholic Church succinctly defines virtue as “a habitual and firm disposition to do the good.” The Church often divides the concept of virtue into seven categories with these or similar titles: chastity, temperance, charity, diligence, patience, kindness, and humility. In addition to being a good way to love your neighbor, practicing these seven virtues also guards against temptation from the so-called seven deadly sins of: lust, gluttony, greed, sloth, wrath, envy, and pride.
FROM THE BOOK OF CONCORD
Formula of Concord, Solid Declaration, Article VI: Third Use of God’s Law, paragraphs 18-20
Believers are not completely renewed in this world. The old Adam clings to them right up to the grave. Therefore, the struggle between the spirit and the flesh remains in them. They delight in God's Law according to the inner man [Romans 7:22], but the law in their members struggles against the law in their mind. Therefore, they are never without the Law. Nevertheless, they are not under [Romans 6:14], but in the Law. They live and walk in the Law of the Lord, and yet do nothing in the Law because of force.
As far as the old Adam is concerned, which still clings to them, he must be driven not only by the Law, but also by punishments. Nevertheless, he does everything against his will and under coercion, no less than the godless are driven and held in obedience by the Law's threats (1 Corinthians 9:27; Romans 7:18-19).
This doctrine of the Law is needed by believers in order that they may not make up a holiness and devotion of their own. Using God's Spirit as an excuse, they must not set up a self-chosen worship, without God's Word and command. For it is written:
"You shall not do according to […] whatever is right in [your] own eyes," but "be careful to obey all these words that I command you," "you shall not add to it or take from it." (Deuteronomy 12:8,28,32)
