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 SECOND SUNDAY IN LENT

Sunday, February 28, 2021

 

O God, You see that of ourselves we have no strength. By Your mighty power defend us from all adversities that may happen to the body and from all evil thoughts that may assault and hurt the soul; 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, February 28, 2021     8:00 a.m. Sunday School/Adult Class     9:00 a.m.    Divine Service - (Lent 2)      Tuesday, March 2, 2021   10:00 a.m.   Morning Prayer   Wednesday, March 3, 2021     6:00 p.m.   Lenten Service                              6:30 p.m.   Christian Catechesis

Sunday, March 7, 2021        8:00 a.m.     Sunday School/Adult Class          9:00 a.m.     Divine Service - (Lent 3)     THIS WEEK IN THE CHURCH YEAR      None for this week

 

ST. JOHN’S NEWS

 

Organist Today:        Marcia Hanna ~ Elder for February: Jerry Koestler

 

Tuesday Prayer Services - This week there will be Tuesday morning prayer at 10:00 a.m. 

 

Lenten Services will be held this week Wednesday, March 3 at 6:00 p.m.

 

Lent Schedule Available - Feel free to pick up a worship schedule for the Lenten season on the back table.  Also feel free to deliver one to a friend! 

 

Stained Glass Window Project - Information on our new stained glass window project at St. John’s is on the back table. We are still in need of $1700.00 of donations. You can view an enlarged image of the windows on the ramp bulletin board or on the door going to the balcony. 

 

Pastoral Care On Demand - Pastor Cowell would love to serve you Communion at church or at home, pray, read Scripture, offer Christian counsel, and/or just visit any time that works for you!  Call or text him any time at 319-464-5548. 

 

Midweek Service Offering - The Wednesday Catechesis class is learning about charity again this Lent.  Here are the charities they have chosen for St. John’s to support through our Wednesday midweek Lent offerings:

 

Moving Veterans Forward; Lakota Ambulance; Kossuth County Cancer Support Foundation; St. Jude’s Children’s Hospital; Winding Roads Foster Care Transitional Home; Lutherans in Africa; St. Paul’s Music Conservatory, Council Bluffs; Siouxland Hispanic Ministry 

 

Look for more information on these charities from the children next week.

 

Midweek Lent Booklets - If you plan to watch our midweek Lent services from home, feel free to take a stained glass window booklet home with you. They are located by the mailboxes. 

 

Easter Baked Goods Needed - If you would like to donate a pan of bars/cookies for the St. John’s Easter egg hunt Holy Saturday, or a pan of rolls/muffins/coffee cake, etc. for Easter breakfast, please sign the sign-up sheet on the back table. Thanks! 

 

2020 Thrivent Choice Dollars must be directed by March 31. Consider joining others who have directed their Choice Dollars towards St. John’s ministry.

 

St. John’s Ladies Aid Dissolved - As of January 27, 2021 the St. John’s Ladies Aid has made the decision to dissolve. The Ladies Aid received their LWML charter on May 12, 1947, but the St. John’s Ladies Aid has been in existence since October 13, 1921. We thank God for blessing our Ladies Aid for the past 100 years, and we look forward to exploring new opportunities to serve the Lord with gladness in the future. 

 

Shopping through Amazon Smile - Sign up at Amazon Smile to have 0.5% of your eligible purchases donated to St. John’s! Click this link to sign up: smile.amazon.com/ch/42-0950037, click on the Amazon Smile button on the stjohnsburt.org homepage, or pick up an instructions packet on the back table to get signed up. 

 

St. John’s Live-streamed Service - The easiest way to access our service livestreams and recordings is to click on the links posted on the homepage of stjohnsburt.org. 

 

TLC Quilts Available - Don’t forget that quilts made by the Trinity Lutheran Church Quilters are always available on the “giving pew” by the east door!

 

SYNOD, DISTRICT & PARTNERSHIP NEWS

 

Ask the Pastors is Back! - The partnership pastors are resuming our Ask the Pastors livestream every Wednesday from 10:00-10:30 a.m. on the Trinity, Algona YouTube or Facebook page.  If you have any questions of any topic you would like the pastors to discuss feel free to speak to any of the three pastors or send an email to: askthepastors@trinityalgona.org. 

 

Midweek Lenten Services at Trinity - Trinity, Algona is offering a Wednesday Lenten service at 11:00 a.m. This is a great option for any who prefer not to drive in the dark or are otherwise busy Wednesday evenings.  No registration is required for this service, and you can plan to wear a mask throughout the service. 

 

Trinity, Algona Schedule - Trinity, Algona continues to stream their worship services and other videos online. You can access these resources at trinityalgona.org/corona or the Trinity YouTube and Facebook pages either live or any time after as a recording.

 

Building Healthy Families - Did You Know: There are on average 100,000 hairs on a human head. How many on yours? Don’t know? God does! “Indeed, the very hairs on your head are all numbered. Don’t be afraid; you are worth more than sparrows.” Luke 12:7 Don’t ever be afraid that your concerns and worries are too big or too small for Him. Lutheran Family Service - www.LutheranFamilyService.org

 

LECTIONARY SUMMARY (Lent 2)

Old Testament: Genesis 17:1-16

God makes a covenant with Abraham that he will be the father of many nations. 

 

Epistle: Romans 5:1-11

We rejoice in our sufferings, knowing that suffering produces endurance, character, and hope.  Also, God shows his love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.

 

Gospel: Mark 8:27-38

Peter confesses Jesus to be the Christ, and Jesus charges His disciples to take up their cross and follow Him. 

 

FROM THE CHURCH FATHERS

 

“Messiah in the Hebrew language means Christ in Greek; in Latin it is interpreted as ‘the Anointed One.’ Hence chrisma in Greek means ‘anointing’ in Latin. The Lord is named Christ, that is, the Anointed One, because, as Peter says, ‘God has anointed him with the Holy Spirit and with power.’ Hence the psalmist also speaks in his praise, ‘God, your God, has anointed you with the oil of gladness above your companions.’ He calls us his companions since we have also been fully anointed with visible chrism for the reception of the grace of the Holy Spirit in baptism, and we are called Christians from Christ’s name.” - Bede, Homilies on the Gospels 1.16, quoted from ACCS: Mark, 110.

 

LESSONS ON THE LITURGY 

INRI

Often times the letters INRI are hung above Christ on crucifixes and artwork.  These four letters are an abbreviation of the title in Latin that Pontius Pilate had posted on Jesus’ cross as he was crucified: Iesus Nazarenus Rex Iudaeorum.  In English that’s: Jesus of Nazareth, King of the Jews.  This title, of which the Jews protested, is a title in which we rejoice.  Jesus is not only king of the Jews, but the king of all creation who reigns forgiveness and peace from the throne of the cross and the kingdom of his resurrection.

 

FROM THE BOOK OF CONCORD

The Epitome of the Formula of Concord, Article V: The Law and the Gospel, para. 7-10

The Law and the Gospel are contrasted with each other. The Gospel is nothing other than a preaching of consolation and a joyful message that does not rebuke or terrify. The Gospel comforts consciences against the terrors of the Law, points only to Christ's merit, and raises them up again by the lovely preaching of God's grace and favor.

     Concerning the revelation of sin, all people as long as they hear the bare preaching of the Law, and nothing about Christ they do not learn from the Law to see their sins correctly. They either become bold hypocrites like the Pharisees [Matthew 23], or they despair like Judas [Matthew 27:3-5]. God's wrath is revealed from heaven against all sinners [Romans 1:18], so that they see how great it is. In this way they are directed back to the Law.

     The preaching of the suffering and death of Christ, the Son of God, is a serious and terrifying declaration of God's wrath. People understand what great things God requires of us in His Law, none of which we can keep. Therefore, they know we are to seek all our righteousness in Christ. 

     Christ's suffering and death proclaims God's wrath and terrifies a person, it is not the Gospel. Christ's proper office is to preach grace, console, and give life, which is properly the preaching of the Gospel.