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 NINTH SUNDAY AFTER PENTECOST
August 7, 2022
Almighty and merciful God, it is by Your grace that we live as Your people who offer acceptable service. Grant that we may walk by faith, and not by sight, in the way that leads to eternal life; 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, August 7, 2022 9:30 am Divine Service Monday, August 8, 2022 6:00 pm Board of Education Tuesday, August 9, 2022 10:00 am Morning Prayer 6:00 pm Evening Prayer - Trinity | Wednesday, August 10, 2022 6:00 pm Potluck and Game Night at Burt Sunday, August 14, 2022 9:30 am Divine Service THIS WEEK IN THE CHURCH YEAR August 10, 2022 Commemoration of Laurence, Deacon and Martyr |
ST. JOHN’S NEWS
Organist Today: Marcia Hanna
Elder: Boyd Shipler
Greeters Today: Hannah, Penny & Amelia Cowell
Greeters Next Week: Boyd & Rosann Shipler
Pastoral Call Update - On July 17th our Partnership joint voters meeting voted to call Pastor Cowell as our Partnership senior pastor, which he has accepted. His installation date into this new position is set for August 28th at 9:30 a.m. at St. John’s. You can pick up a copy of Pastor Cowell’s letter of acceptance on the back table.
Partnership Associate Pastor Nominations - Green nomination forms are available on the back table to nominate a pastor to be considered for the Partnership associate pastor position. All nominations must be signed. The deadline for submitted nominations is Sunday, August 7th. Please turn completed nominations into the church office.
St. John’s Potluck & Game Night - Our third summer outreach event will be a potluck and game night at St. John’s Wednesday, August 10 beginning at 6:00 p.m. with the meal. If you’re able, please bring a side dish or dessert to share. Pork burgers will be provided for the main dish.
Rally Sunday will be August 28 at 11:00 am at Smith Lake with worship beginning at 11:30 and a picnic and games at noon! We’ll also present 3rd grade Bibles and Catechisms and bless our kids’ school backpacks.
* Sunday School begins Sept 11; Midweek begins Sept 7.
Thank You - Dear Friends of St. John’s, Thank you for the gift of sermons from C.F.W Walter. It is with great joy that I look forward to serving the Branson community that I have been called to. May our Lord Jesus bless the ministry work you are doing in your community.
- Pastor Joey Bluege, Faith Lutheran Church, Branson, Mo
Parish Messenger for the September/October edition is due August 28 to Linda Kerkove.
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.
A Sunday School teacher is needed beginning this fall for the 3-5th grade class. If you are interested in serving on a regular or occasional basis, please talk with Karla Schutter.
SYNOD, DISTRICT & PARTNERSHIP NEWS
Trinity Bible Study - You are invited to Bible study every Wednesday morning at 9:30 a.m. in the Life Center conference room.
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!
TLC Quilters need flat sheets. Thanks sew much for helping us help others in need!
Summer Prayer and Scripture Series - Our final Evening Prayer Service will take place at 6 pm in Trinity’s Life Center on Tuesday, August 9. See the handout (yellow) on the back table about this special opportunity to gather for prayer and Scripture in the summer months.
Young Adult Bible Study - You are invited to attend a young adult (post-high school) Bible study opportunity hosted in our circuit. The Bible study is every 2nd and 4th Sunday at 6:30 p.m. in the old parsonage next to Zion Lutheran Church in LuVerne. Contact Pastor Steve Struecker at 515-320-2014 with questions.
Building Healthy Families: James 1:27 says, “Religion that God our Father accepts as pure and faultless is this: to look after orphans and widows in their distress and to keep oneself from being polluted by the world.” How can you show love to those in your community? Consider playing cards with elders at your local care center or bringing a meal to the single mom who lives across the street. Look around to see who has a need and do something to help. May God bless your “religion” this week! Lutheran Family Service - www.LutheranFamilyService.org.
LECTIONARY SUMMARY (Proper 14)
Old Testament: Genesis 15:1-6
God promises Abram’s descendents will number more than the stars in the heavens.
Epistle: Hebrews 11:1-6
Faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen.
Gospel: Luke 12:22-34
Jesus tells His disciples not to be anxious about their lives, what they will eat, or their bodies, what they will put on.
FROM THE CHURCH FATHERS
“Give away these earthly things, and win that which is in heaven. Give that which you must leave, even against your will, that you may not lose things later. Lend your wealth to God, that you may be really rich. [...] Worldly wealth has many foes. There are numerous thieves, and this world of ours is full of oppressors. Some plunder by secret means, while others use violence and tear it away even from those who resist. But no one can do damage to the wealth that is laid up above in heaven. God is its keeper, and he does not sleep.” - Cyril of Alexandria, Commentary on Luke, Homily 91, qtd. in ACCS: Luke, 211.
LESSONS ON THE LITURGY
Bowing to the Altar
The entire church building is a holy place because it has been set apart from other buildings as the place where Jesus comes to us with his Word and Body and Blood. The altar is especially holy because that is the place where the Body and Blood of Jesus sits. Bowing (or genuflecting in some traditions) toward the altar during Communion, as well as any other time we approach it, is a way to show reverence to the place that God regularly hallows with his bodily presence.
FROM THE BOOK OF CONCORD
Apology of the Augsburg Confession, Article V: Love and Fulfilling the Law, para. 15-20
We profess that the work of the Law must be begun in us, and that it must be kept continually more and more. Our theologians not only require good works, but they also show how they can be done. Human nature is far too weak to resist the devil by its own powers. We may pray for the governance and defense of the Holy Spirit, that we may neither be deceived and err, nor be pushed to do anything against God's will. Christ has overcome the devil, and has given to us the promise and the Holy Spirit, that—by divine aid—we may overcome. 1 John 3:8 says, "The reason the Son of God appeared was to destroy the works of the devil." We teach not only how the Law can be kept, but also how God is pleased if anything is done. This is not because we satisfy the Law, but because we are in Christ. It is clear that we require good works. We also say: Our love for God, even though it is small, cannot possibly be separated from faith. For we come to the Father through Christ. When forgiveness of sins has been received, then we are truly certain that we have a God that cares for us. We call upon Him, we give Him thanks, we fear Him, we love Him as 1 John 4:19 teaches, "We love because He first loved us." In other words, we love Him because He gave His Son for us and forgave us our sins. In this way John shows that faith comes first and love follows.
St. John’s Lutheran Church – Burt, IA.
Phone: 515-924-3344
Email: churchoffice@stjohnsburt.org
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