Thursday, September 17, 2020

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 SIXTEENTH SUNDAY AFTER PENTECOST

September 20, 2020

 

Lord God, heavenly Father, since we cannot stand before You relying on anything we have done, help us trust in Your abiding grace and live according to 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, September 20, 2020

  8:00 a.m.    Sunday School/Adult Class

  9:00 a.m.    Divine Service (Pentecost 16) (C) 

  6:00 p.m.    Christian Catechesis

Sunday, September 27, 2020

   8:00 a.m.    Sunday School/Adult Class

   9:00 a.m.    Divine Service (Pentecost 17) (C) 

    6:00 p.m.    Christian Catechesis

  THIS WEEK IN THE CHURCH YEAR

   September 21

    Feast of St. Matthew, Apostle and Evangelist 

 

  September 22

    Commemoration of Jonah



 

ST. JOHN’S NEWS

 

Organist Today:  Marcia Hanna 

Elder for September: Tony Hatten

 

October-December Portal of Prayers are now available in the basket along the east wall.  Be sure to pick one up.

 

Altar Flowers - We are always looking for people to donate flowers or pay for flowers on the altar during the year.  If you would be willing to take a Sunday for a special occasion or just to help out, please contact Cheryl Batt.  She would be willing to order them for you and pick them up.

 

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.  

 

New Booklets in Back of Church - St. John’s has recently purchased several new booklets from the A Simple Explanation series.  These small booklets condense major topics of the faith to a few easy-to-understand sections.  The booklets are great for your own knowledge and can also serve as a conversation starter with your friends and family.  Here are the titles available in the back of church that you are free to take and keep: A Simple Explanation of . . . Christianity; Lutheranism; Heaven and Hell; The Church Service; The Church Year; Holy Communion; and Fellowship in the Lord’s Supper.

 

TLC Quilts Available - The TLC Quilters quilts are back on the “giving pew”!  Feel free to deliver a quilt to a friend in need any time you like.  This is a great way to show that you, the Church, and God care for those who receive the quilt.  Great people to give a quilt to include those: suffering major health problems, grieving the loss of a loved one, going through difficult financial times, newly living alone or in a care center, or celebrating a major milestone in life.  The recipients don’t have to be members of our or any church and we don’t need to know who receives them.  Don’t be shy about delivering them because the quilters make literally hundreds of quilts per year for this good purpose!

 

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. 


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. 

 

Midweek Christian Instruction for All Ages -  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. 

 

SYNOD, DISTRICT, & PARTNERSHIP NEWS

 

Trinity, Algona Schedule - Here is the weekly line-up of online resources from Trinity, Algona, which you can access at trinityalgona.org/corona or the Trinity YouTube and Facebook pages:

 

   Sunday - Worship Livestream at 8:00 a.m., Bible Study at 9:15 a.m.

   Monday - Evening Prayer at 8:00 p.m.

   Wednesday - “Ask the Pastors” at 10:00 a.m.

   Thursday - Morning Prayer at 9:00 a.m.

   Every Weekday - Psalm Devotion (not live)

 

You can also access all of the live content as a recording any time in the future. 

   

Did You Know? Every marriage - even the strongest – will experience seasons of discord. It’s normal to not be happy and to not feel “in love” all the time. Certainly, work to fix your marriage when it is breaking, but it’s even better to prioritize your marriage relationship and work on it every day to assure that it stays strong and healthy. LFS counselors who share your faith and values are here to help with both. Lutheran Family Service - www.LutheranFamilyService.org

 

LECTIONARY SUMMARY (Proper 20)

Old Testament:  Isaiah 55:6-9 

We should seek the Lord, for His ways are higher than our ways.

 

Epistle:  Philippians 1:12-14, 19-30

St. Paul speaks of how his imprisonment has been a blessing to his faith.

 

Gospel:  Matthew 20:1-16

Jesus tells a parable about a master who pays workers hired in the first hour the same wage as those hired in the eleventh hour as a way of explaining God’s grace and unearned generosity. 

 

LCMS MEMORY VERSE CHALLENGE

For I delivered to you as of first importance what I also received; that Christ died for our sins in accordance with the Scriptures, that he was buried, that he was raised on the third day in accordance with the Scriptures.  -1 Corinthians 15:3–4

 

LESSONS ON THE LITURGY 

Grace

The Sunday School definition of grace is undeserved love.  This is a good definition, but the biblical word for grace has several other dimensions to it as well.  The Greek word grace (charis) in the Bible can be used to denote things like a free gift, something that brings joy, generosity of a person, thankfulness, or a well-pleasing work.  Anytime the word grace is used in the Bible it is a reference to God’s grace: God’s undeserved love, free gift, joy, generosity, thanks-causing, good work given to us.  The next time you think about or talk about God’s grace, consider the fullness of what the gift of God’s grace means for us!    

 

FROM THE BOOK OF CONCORD

Formula of Concord, Solid Declaration, Article IV: Good Works, paragraphs 37-40

Regarding the idea that good works are harmful to salvation, we explain ourselves clearly as follows: If anyone wants to drag good works into the article of justification, rest his righteousness or trust for salvation on them, and merit God's grace and be saved by them, St. Paul himself answers, not us. He says and repeats it three times (Philippians 3:7-8)-such a person's works are not only useless and a hindrance, but are also harmful. This is not the fault of the good works themselves, but of the false confidence placed in the works, contrary to God's clear Word.

However, it by no means follows that we are to say simply and flatly: "Good works are harmful to believers' salvation." In believers good works are signs of salvation when they are done from true causes and for true ends. That is, in the sense in which God requires them of the regenerate (Philippians 1:20). It is God's will and command that believers should do good works. The Holy Spirit works this in believers, and He promises a glorious reward for good works in this life and the life to come.

This idea is rejected in our churches. It is false and offensive. Discipline and decency might be impaired by it, and a barbarous, loose, secure, Epicurean life be introduced and strengthened. Christians should be admonished and urged to do good works most diligently.