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 FIFTH SUNDAY OF EASTER
May 15, 2022
O God, You make the minds of Your faithful to be of one will. Grant that we may love what You have commanded and desire what You promise, that among the many changes of this world our hearts may be fixed where true joys are found; 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, May 15, 2022 8:30 am Adult Class 9:30 am Divine Service Tuesday, May 17, 2022 10:00am Morning Prayer Sunday, May 22, 2022 9:30am Divine Service | THIS WEEK IN THE CHURCH YEAR May 21, 2022 Commemoration of Constantine, Emperor, and Helena, his mother |
ST. JOHN’S NEWS
Organist Today: Marcia Hanna
Elder: Tony Hatten
Greeter Today: Cheryl Batt
Graduate Reception - The congregation is invited to join us for a reception for the high school graduates following the service today hosted by their parents! Prayers to them as they begin a new chapter in their lives!
Partnership Pastor Nominations - Information about submitting a nomination for our Partnership senior and associate pastors is available in the back of church through May 22nd. Please return your completed form into the church office.
Thrivent Project - St. John’s and the Burt Presbyterian Church are hosting a giving project for the Kossuth County Food Pantry in connection with Thrivent. A monetary and food collection will be held on Sunday May 15. An offering plate and box for food items will be set up in the back. All checks should be made out to the Kossuth Food Pantry. For more information contact Deb Steven or Mary Schmidt.
Parish Messenger for the May/June edition is on the table in the back of the church. Please, pick one up!
Lily - Anyone who wants to have an Easter lily to plant outside, please talk to Vickie Madsen.
A Volunteer is Needed to take over replenishing and purchasing cards for the card rack in the back of the church. If you are interested, contact the church office. We want to thank Mary Schmidt for her many years of purchasing and displaying the cards for all to use.
St. John’s Family Fishing Day - Mark your calendars for St. John’s Family Fishing Day Sunday, June 5th from 3:00-6:00 p.m. at Smith Lake. We’ll meet at the southwest shelter house and enjoy fishing, fun, Scripture, and supper. This event is for all ages and we encourage you to bring along friends as well!
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.
SYNOD, DISTRICT & PARTNERSHIP NEWS
Trinity Bible Study - Join Pastor Cowell Wednesdays at 9:30 a.m. for Bible study at Trinity’s Life Center conference room. We are studying biblical interpretation.
Summer Prayer and Scripture Series - An Evening Prayer Service will take place at 6 pm in Trinity’s Life Center on Tuesdays, June 7 & 21; July 5 & 19; & August 9. This will be a spoken service and include reflections from 1 John followed by refreshments & social time. See the handout (yellow) on the back table about this special opportunity to gather for prayer and Scripture in the summer months.
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!
Camp News:
· Summer Staff Needed! We are still recruiting Summer Staff at Camp Okoboji. If you know a High School Senior or College student who is looking for summer employment, we are looking for Summer Staff at Camp. You may call Camp for more information - 712-337-3325.
· Camp Okoboji Travel Camp - Creation Museum & Ark Encounter, Sept 5-9. Cost: $559 per person, double occupancy. Visit grouptrips.com/campokoboji for more information or contact Izaak at 507-766-0072 or izaak.campokoboji@gmail.com
· May 29 - Summer Sunday Morning worship services begin.
Prayers are needed for Pastor Andrew Johnson whose cancer has relapsed and will be receiving chemo treatments at Mayo. He will be undergoing a tandem autologous stem cell transplant requiring him to be in Rochester for 10 weeks.
Building Healthy Families - Pssttt… have you ever noticed that it is hard to ignore the whispered conversations of others nearby? Parents, take advantage of this reality by talking about the important things you want your kids to know…and do it just barely within their hearing distance. When they overhear you sharing words of love for your spouse, the more secure they will feel in your family. The more positive comments they overhear you making about their teacher, the more cooperative they will be with her at school. The more they hear you talking about how much you appreciate your pastor, the more they will respect him. Lutheran Family Service - www.LutheranFamilyService.org.
COMMUNITY NEWS
Memorial Day Services will be held at 10 a.m. May 30th at the Burt Activity Complex by the Burt VFW, followed by a retreat to the Burt Township Cemetery. Lunch will be served afterwards.
LECTIONARY SUMMARY (Easter 5)
Old Testament: Acts 11:1-18
Peter is instructed in a vision to eat with Gentiles and proclaim to them the saving message of Jesus.
Epistle: Revelation 21:1-7
John sees a new heaven and a new earth.
Gospel: John 16:13-22
Jesus tells His disciples: “A little while, and you will see me no longer; and again a little while, and you will see me.”
FROM THE CHURCH FATHERS
“At that time Peter saw a vision in which a heavenly voice answered him, ‘What God has cleansed, you must not call common.’ For the God who had distinguished through the law the pure food form the impure, that same God had cleansed the nations through the blood of his Son, and that is the Godwhom Cornellius worshiped.” - Irenaeus, Catena on the Acts of the Apostles 10.15, qtd. in ACCS: Acts, p. 128.
LESSONS ON THE LITURGY
The Distinction of Meats
The Church of the New Testament is no longer bound to the ceremonial laws of the Old Testament. Article XXVI of the Augsburg Confession says this concerning the distinction of foods and other such human ceremonies that were required and commanded by the papacy:
Our churches have taught that we cannot merit grace or be justified by observing human traditions.
We must not think that such observances are necessary acts of worship. Here we add testimonies of
Scripture [Mt. 15:3, 9, 11; Ro. 14:17; Col. 2:16, 20-21; Acts 15:10-11; 1 Tm. 4:1-3]. [...] We do not
condemn fasting in itself, but the traditions that require certain days and certain meats, with peril of
conscience, as though such works were a necessary service. Nevertheless, we keep many traditions
that are leading to good order in the Church, such as the order of Scripture lessons in the Mass and
the chief holy days. At the same time, we warn people that such observances do not justify us before
God, and that it is not sinful if we omit such things, without causing offense.
FROM THE BOOK OF CONCORD
Power and Primacy of the Pope: The Power and Jurisdiction of Bishops, para. 67-70
Wherever the Church is, there is the authority to administer the Gospel. Therefore, it is necessary for the Church to retain the authority to call, elect, and ordain ministers. This authority is a gift that in reality is given to the Church. No human power can take this gift away from the Church. As Paul testifies to the Ephesians, when "He ascended … He gave gifts to men" (Ephesians 4:8). He lists among the gifts specifically belonging to the Church "pastors and teachers", and adds that they are given for the ministry, "for building up the body of Christ". So wherever there is a True Church, the right to elect and ordain ministers necessarily exists. The statements of Christ testify that the Keys have been given to the Church, and not merely to certain persons, "Where two or three are gathered in My name …"
Finally, Peter's statement also confirms this, "You are … a royal priesthood". These words apply to the True Church, which certainly has the right to elect and ordain ministers, since it alone has the priesthood.
A common custom of the Church testifies to this. The people elected pastors and bishops. Then came a bishop, either of that church or a neighboring one, who confirmed the one elected by the laying on of hands. Ordination was nothing else than such a ratification.
St. John’s Lutheran Church – Burt, IA.
Phone: 515-924-3344
Email: churchoffice@stjohnsburt.org
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