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 ADVENT
December 4, 2022
Stir up our hearts, O Lord, to make ready the way of Your only-begotten Son, that by His coming we may be enabled to serve You with pure minds; through the same Jesus Christ, our Lord, who lives and reigns with You and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever. Amen.
ST. JOHN’S NEWS
Organist Today: Marcia Hanna
Elder: Boyd Shipler
Greeters Today: Jeff and Brenda Schutjer
Greeters Next Sunday: Jesse & Kelly Fitzgerald
Call Update - We are still waiting to hear of Pastor Meyer’s decision regarding his call to be our Partnership associate pastor. Please keep Pastor Meyer in your prayers as he deliberates.
A Voter’s Meeting will be held following the service today to vote on approving the 2023 budget and slate of 2023 officers.
Job Opening - January 1, 2023 - We are looking for someone who would like to clean the church. This is an approximate 3-4 hours a week, sometimes less in the summer months. If this is something you would like to do please talk to trustee, Randy Reimers.
Adopted Family - St. John’s has adopted a family again this year. This family is a father, mother and 6 children. A list of the needs/wants are on the table in the back. Sunday Dec 11th would be the last day gifts/money can be accepted for the family. Money and or gift cards can be left in the church office or given to Doris Blocker or Debra Steven. A box designated for the gifts is on display in the back.
“This Is My Son” Advent/Christmas Daily Devotional Booklets are now available on the back table. Feel free to take one with you!
Greeter and Usher sign-up lists are now available in the back for the 2023 year. Please, feel free to fill your name in more than once.
Birthday Card List is available for volunteers to sign-up for the next year. This is to send out Birthday cards to the members of the congregation each month. Contact the church office for more information.
“Share the Blessing” letter and giving envelope is on the small table in the back. This is a special offering to the church during the harvest time, previously known as “Corn, Bean, Cash.”
An Partnership Advent and Christmas service schedule is on the table in the back. Our three Advent midweek services will be hosted by Trinity this year.
St. John’s Ice Fishing Day - Join us on Wednesday, December 28th at 1:00 p.m. for a day of ice fishing! We’ll meet at St. John’s and then carpool to either Emmetsburg or Fairmont depending on ice conditions. Lucas Parsons will guide us to catch lots of fish in the comfort of heated tents! For more information and to sign up, contact Hannah Cowell. If you have fishing questions, be sure to ask Lucas!
Boxes of Christmas Cards and Individual Cards are now available for you to purchase in the back on the east wall. Money envelopes available and should be given to Rosann Shipler. Prices are marked on the boxed and for the individual cards.
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.
St. John’s Help Wanted List - Our “help wanted” volunteer lists have moved to the bulletin board by the ramp. Check them out to see if you’re able to help, and look out for new tasks to be added periodically. Talk to Pastor Cowell if you have a help-wanted suggestion of your own!
A big Thank You to Lisa Haase for volunteering to fill the 3-5th grade Sunday School teaching position!!
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!
Young Adult Bible Study - A young adult (post-high school) Bible study meets 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 - The first snowfall of the year - welcomed or not - always makes a significant impact on the landscape. The brightest of white color covers all and everything is – for a brief time until the plows and cows come through – clean and beautiful. Notice the new fallen snow when it comes, and let it remind you to reflect on the amazing gift that is yours through Jesus: “…though your sins are like scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they are red like crimson, they shall become like wool.” Isaiah 1:18 Lutheran Family Service - www.LutheranFamilyService.org.
COMMUNITY NEWS
Santa Day is coming to Lone Rock today (Sunday, December 4), at the Lone Rock Legion from 10:30-12:30 p.m. We will be serving Chili, Cinnamon Rolls, Hot Dogs, Chips.
”Chips Off the Old Block” is holding its annual silent auction fundraiser for local charities at the Algona Library now through noon on Saturday, December 17th.
For Your Reflection:
THE SECOND SUNDAY IN ADVENT
LECTIONARY SUMMARY
By the Preaching of Repentance, We Are Prepared for the Coming of the Lord
“John the Baptist came preaching in the wilderness of Judea, ‘Repent’” (Matt. 3:1–2). His preaching of repentance for the forgiveness of sins prepared people for the coming of Christ into the world. St. John’s work was historically complete with the incarnate advent of Jesus, but his vital ministry continues in preaching Law and Gospel. The Son of God has come in the flesh, “a shoot from the stump of Jesse, and a branch from his roots” (Is. 11:1), and continues to bear the fruits of righteousness. His good tree of the cross is “a signal for the peoples” (Is. 11:10), by which He calls the nations to repentance. “With the rod of his mouth, and with the breath of his lips” (Is. 11:4), He slays the wicked and brings the dead to life, making sons of Abraham out of lifeless stones. So also the “root of Jesse” comes to us, “even he who arises to rule the Gentiles” (Rom. 15:12), that “we might have hope” and be filled “with all joy and peace in believing” (Rom. 15:4, 13).
SERMON SENTENCE
John the Baptist shows us in word and deed what it means to prepare the way of the Lord this Advent season.
LESSON ON THE LITURGY
Chrismons
Chrismons™ Ornaments were originated and first made for use on the Christmas tree of Ascension Lutheran Church in Danville, Virginia, in 1957 by Mrs. Frances Kipps Spencer, a church member. The designs were monograms of and symbols for our Lord Jesus Christ. Because these designs have been used by his followers since biblical times, they are the heritage of all Christians and serve to remind each of us of the One we follow. All Chrismons™ Ornaments are made in a combination of white and gold to symbolize the purity and majesty of the Son of God and the Son of Man. (Excerpt taken from www.chrismon.org/chrismons-ministry.html)
CHAT WITH THE CHURCH FATHERS
“First, the heavenly life and glorious humility of John are demonstrated in his way of living. He who held the world in low regard did not seek costly attire. He who had no use for worldly delights did not have any desire for succulent foods. What need was there of fancy worldly clothing for one who was dressed with the cloak of justice? What dainty food of the earth could he desire who fed on divine discourses and whose true food was the law of Chrsit? Such a precursor ought to be the prophet of the Lord and the apostle of Christ who gave himself completely to his heavenly God and had contempt for the things of the world.” - Chromatius, Tractate on Matthew 9.1, qtd. in ACCS: Matthew 1-13, p. 40.
St. John’s Lutheran Church – Burt, IA.
Phone: 515-924-3344
Email: churchoffice@stjohnsburt.org
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