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 EPIPHANY OF OUR LORD
January 2, 2022
O God, by the leading of a star You made known Your only-begotten Son to the Gentiles. Lead us, who know You by faith, to enjoy in heaven the fullness of Your divine presence; 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, January 2, 2022 9:30 a.m. Divine Service Tuesday, January 4, 2022 10:00 a.m. Morning Prayer Wednesday, January 5, 2022 6:00 p.m. Christian Catechesis 7:00 p.m. Elder’s Meeting | Sunday, January 9, 2022 8:15/8:30 a.m. Adult/Sunday School 9:30 a.m. Divine Service (Installation Officers) 10:30 a.m. Council Meeting THIS WEEK IN THE CHURCH YEAR January 2, 2022 Commemoration of J. K. Wilhelm Loehe, Pastor |
ST. JOHN’S NEWS
Organist Today: Kitty Bierstedt
Elder: Tony Hatten
Asst. Usher: John Schutter
Greeters: Al and Peggy Schadendorf
Sunday Bible Study - Join us Sunday mornings at 8:15 a.m. in the church basement for adult Bible Study. Next week we’ll be beginning a new series on Christian ethics.
Tuesday Morning Prayer - There will be Tuesday morning prayer on January 4, 2022 at 10:00 a.m.
First Quarter Council Meeting will be held on January 9, 2022 following the service. The Voter’s Meeting will be January 16, 2022 following the service.
(Note - Installation of Officers will be held on Sunday, January 9)
Flower Position Open - If you have an interest in helping order and care for the altar flowers, Christmas poinsettias, palm branches, and Easter lilies, please speak with Janice Reimers who can give you a more detailed description of the job. We would love to have a volunteer for this position as soon as possible!
Information for the Annual Report
· If you are responsible for a year end report for the Annual Report, now is the time to start working on those articles. You may email them to churchoffice@stjohnsburt.org or return them to the church office. Our deadline for those articles is January 16th.
· Addresses - Any change of address that you or your children have, we will need those updates to put in the year end report. You may email those at churchoffice@stjohnsburt.org or bring them to the office.
Lutheran Witness Renewal - The yearly subscription to the Lutheran Witness will come due on March 1, 2022. To be able to continue to receive without interruption your copy, you may pay in the church office during the next several weeks. The cost this year is $22.70. If you do not receive the Witness and would like to or wish to cancel you may also do that in the office.
Flocknote Prayer Chain Coordinator Wanted - Want to help send out prayer requests to our congregation on Flocknote? Talk to Pastor Cowell; it’s a lot easier than you might think!
Greeter and Usher Sign-up - A new Usher list and Greeter list is now available on the back table for the 2022 year. Feel free to fill in one or more spots! At the beginning of the new year we will be contacting people to fill the empty spots.
Vacancy Updates - There is a handout on the back table sharing some updates about our Partnership vacancy.
Pastoral Care On Demand - Need prayer, Scripture, Communion, Absolution, or a listening ear? Feel free to call or text Pastor Cowell anytime for a visit at 319-464-5548.
Portals of Prayer Devotionals for January-March are now in the basket in the back along the east wall.
Wednesday Catechesis will resume class on Wednesday, January 5, 2022 at 6:00 p.m.
Thank You to all who so generously gave to our Adopt-a-Family. The presents and gift cards were delivered on Wednesday of last week. We appreciate all for being so giving to those who are in need. Special thanks to Deb, Mary and Doris!
A New Birthday Card sign-up sheet is now available on the back table. If you would be willing to take a month or two to fill out birthday cards, please sign up. Any questions contact office.
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.
SYNOD, DISTRICT & PARTNERSHIP NEWS
TLC Quilts Available - Don’t forget about the TLC Quilter’s “giving pew” by the east doors of St. John’s. Feel free to take and give away as many quilts and bears as you’d like!
Building Healthy Families - Our culture encourages us to see the world and our relationships through a lens of individualism, in which we make decisions based on the question: “How will this effect ME?” How would our world be different if we returned to a faith, family, and community-centered lens, in which decisions are instead based on this question: “How will my actions effect my children, my spouse, my parents, my congregational family, my community?” Give it a try this week! Lutheran Family Service - www.LutheranFamilyService.org.
LECTIONARY SUMMARY (Epiphany of Our Lord)
Old Testament: Isaiah 60:1-6
The Lord promises a Light will come to Israel, and nations shall come to their Light bringing gold, frankincense, and the praises of the Lord.
Epistle: Ephesians 3:1-12
The Gentiles are fellow heirs with the Jews, members of the same body and partakers of the promise in Christ Jesus through the gospel.
Gospel: Matthew 2:1-12
The magi visit the child Jesus and offer Him gifts of gold, frankincense, and myrrh.
FROM THE CHURCH FATHERS
“The Magi brought myrrh and gold, while in Him was hidden a treasure of riches. The myrrh and spices which He had prepared and created, did the Magi bring Him of His own.” - Ephraim the Syrian, Hymns of the Nativity, Hymn 3. Accessed from newadvent.org/fathers/3703.htm
LESSONS ON THE LITURGY
The Lighting of the Candles
A tradition has developed in the Church that the candles closest to the altar are lit first and extinguished last. It is as if the light originates from the altar and spreads out into the world. This symbolizes what happens during the Divine Liturgy: Jesus Christ the light of the world enlightens us with forgiveness, life, and salvation at the Sacrament of the Altar, and then sends us out to reflect His light on the world.
FROM THE BOOK OF CONCORD
Solid Declaration of the Formula of Concord, Article V: The Law and the Gospel, para. 23-24
From the beginning of the world these two proclamations have always been taught alongside each other in God's Church, with a proper distinction. The descendants of the patriarchs called to mind constantly how in the beginning a person had been created righteous and holy by God. They know Adam transgressed God's command, became a sinner, and corrupted and cast himself with all his descendants into death and eternal condemnation. They encouraged and comforted themselves by the preaching about the woman's seed, who would bruise the Serpent's head (Genesis 3:15); Abraham's seed, in whom "all the nations of the earth [will] be blessed" (Genesis 22:18); David's Son, who should be "a light for the nations" (Isaiah 49:6), and who "was wounded for our transgressions; He was crushed for our iniquities… and with His stripes we are healed" (Isaiah 53:5).
These two doctrines should be taught in God's Church to the end of the world. They must be taught with the proper distinction: (a) through the Law the hearts of impenitent people may be terrified, and (b) be brought to a knowledge of their sins and to repentance. This must not be done in a way that they despair in this process. "The law was our guardian until Christ came, in order that we might be justified by faith" (Gal. 3:24). The Law leads us to Christ, who "is the end of the law" (Rom. 10:4).
