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 FOURTH SUNDAY OF EASTER

April 25, 2021

Almighty God, merciful Father, since You have wakened from death the Shepherd of Your sheep, grant us Your Holy Spirit that when we hear the voice of our Shepherd we may know Him who calls us each by name and follow where He leads; through the same 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, April 25, 2021   8:00 a.m.     Sunday School/Adult Class    9:00 a.m.     Divine Service     Tuesday, April 27, 2021 10:00 a.m.     Morning Prayer    6:00 p.m.     Evening Prayer    Wednesday, April 28, 2021    6:00 p.m.    Christian Catechesis

Sunday, May 2, 2021       8:00 a.m.     Sunday School/Adult Class        9:00 a.m.     Divine Service     THIS WEEK IN THE CHURCH YEAR   April 25, 2021     Feast of St. Mark, Evangelist      May 1, 2021     Feast of St. Philip and St. James, Apostles

 

ST. JOHN’S NEWS

 

Organist Today:  Marcia Hanna

Elder for April:   Boyd Shipler

 

Parish Messenger Articles for the May/June edition are due to Linda Kerkove today.

 

Skills and Interests Form - Each member (and non-member spouse) has received a Skills and Interests form in your church box.  As we slowly begin to get into the full swing of mission, mercy, and social activities at St. John’s in a more “normal” way, we would like to know what skills you have for serving your church and what interests you might have in growing in faith and fellowship with your fellow members.  This will help us better connect each of our members with opportunities to serve and grow in the best way for you and your life situation.   

 

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. 

 

Stained Glass Window Project - We’ve met our financial goal for our new windows and are on track to possibly have them installed soon! There’s more information on the windows on the back table. Thanks for your generous contributions to this project.  

 

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. 

Cards can be sent to Mark and Hope Lund on the birth of their twins, Henry and Dorothy to 605 N Church St., Algona, Iowa 50511

 

SYNOD, DISTRICT & PARTNERSHIP NEWS

 

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.

 

Partnership Highway Clean-up - St. John’s and Trinity will be cleaning our partnership Adopt-a-Highway ditch on Saturday, May 15th, at 10:00 a.m.  If you are interested in volunteering at this event, please sign the sheet on the back table and we will get you more information. 

Camp News:

·         Quilt Auction at Camp Okoboji has been set for Saturday, June 19. The project and description sheet must be in by May 21.  If you would like to donate a quilt for the auction you may pick up an information sheet in the church office.

·         Volunteer Weekend is a great time to enjoy Camp Okoboji and share your time and talents. Come and help prepare Camp Okoboji for the upcoming summer season the weekend of April 30-May 2. Room and board will be provided for volunteers.  Our first omelet brunch of 2021 will be Sunday morning, May 2.  For more information, please call the office  at 712-337-3325.

 

Seminary Call Day - We will be praying for the vicars and pastoral candidates from our seminaries as they are placed and called this month.  Call day at Concordia Theological Seminary, Fort Wayne is April 27th at 7:00 p.m. Call day at Concordia Seminary, St. Louis is April 28th at 7:00 p.m.  You can find more information about vicarage placements and pastoral calls at ctsfw.edu and csl.edu.

 

Did You Know? The truth hurts, or so they say, but lies hurt so much worse. Whether you are a teenager relating to your parent or a husband or wife relating to your spouse, pledge to always be truthful, even (and maybe most especially) when it would be easier not to. Don’t try to cover things up. It will later cause the relationship to suffer from a lack of trust. “We trap ourselves by telling lies, but we stay out of trouble by living right.” (Proverbs 12:13). Lutheran Family Service - www.LutheranFamilyService.org

COMMUNITY NEWS

City of Burt Clean-up Day - Burt’s free trash pick-up day is scheduled for Saturday, May 1st from 8:00-11:30 a.m.  This year the city is requesting residents to drop their items at the Community Center rather than placing them on the curb.  The city has asked the Churches of Burt volunteer group to help deliver items to the Community Center for residents who are not physically able to deliver themselves.  Volunteers will meet at the Community Center at 8:00 (or whenever you can), receive addresses for a pick-up, and drop off the items back at the Community Center.  Please sign the sheet in the back of church if you are able to help with this project so we can give the city an idea of how many volunteers we have lined up. 

 

LECTIONARY SUMMARY (Easter 4)

Old Testament: Acts 4:1-12

The disciples are arrested by the leaders of the temple and Peter boldly confesses the resurrection of Jesus on their behalf. 

 

Epistle: 1 John 3:16-24

This is God’s commandment, that we believe in the name of his Son Jesus Christ and love one another, just as he has commanded us.

 

Gospel: John 10:11-18

Jesus says: “I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep.”

 

 

FROM THE CHURCH FATHERS

“Speaking through Ezekiel to the Jewish Elders, [Jesus] gives them a salutary example of tru care. ‘I will bind up the injured and will heal the sick; I will bring back the strays and pasture them on my holy mountain.’ These are the promises of the Good Shepherd.  Pasture us children like sheep, O Lord.  Fill us with your own food, the food of righteousness.  As our instructor, feed us on your holy mountain, the church above the clouds that touches the heavens.” - Clement of Alexandria, Christ the Educator, 1.9, qtd. in ACCS: John 1-10, p. 349

 

 

LESSONS ON THE LITURGY 

The “I AM” Statements of Jesus

There are seven revelations of the identity of Jesus in the Gospel of John known as the “I AM” statements.  These statements reveal Jesus to be the One who told Moses from the burning bush: “Say this to the people of Israel: ‘I am has sent me to you.’ (Ex. 3:14)” The seven I AM statements include: “I am the bread of life (Jn. 6:35, 48, 51)”; “I am the light of the world (Jn. 8:12; 9:5)”; “I am the door of the sheep (Jn. 10:7, 9)”; “I am the good shepherd (Jn. 10:11, 14)”; “I am the resurrection and the life (Jn. 11:25)”; “I am the way, the truth, and the life   (Jn. 14:6)”; and “I am the true vine (Jn. 15:1)”. 

 

FROM THE BOOK OF CONCORD

The Smalcald Articles, Preface, paragraphs 3, 10-11

The Roman court is terribly afraid of a free Christian council. They are ashamed to be exposed to the light. The Roman court has dashed the hope, even of those who are on their side, that they will ever permit a free council-much less hold one themselves. Many on the pope's side are greatly offended and rightly troubled at this negligence. They would rather see all Christendom perish and all souls damned than allow either himself or his followers to be reformed even a little or to have their tyranny be limited.  I would like to see a truly Christian council, so that many people and issues might be helped. Not that we need help. Our churches are now, through God's grace, enlightened and equipped with the pure Word and right use of the Sacraments, with knowledge of the various callings and right works. So, on our part, we ask for no council. On such points, we have nothing better to hope or expect from a council. But we see throughout the bishops' jurisdictions so many parishes vacant and desolate that it breaks our heart. Still, neither the bishops nor the Church officials care how the poor people live or die. Christ has died for them, and yet they are not allowed to hear Him speak as the true Shepherd with His sheep [Jn. 10:11-18]. This makes me shudder and fear that someday He might send a council of angels upon Germany who will destroy us like Sodom and Gomorrah for wickedly mocking Him.