ST. JOHN LUTHERAN CHURCH
(The Lutheran Church - Missouri Synod)
Alma, Kansas
A family united by faith in Christ gathering around God's Word and Sacraments.
To reach out in Christ-like concern and Christ-borne love to each other and to those without Christ!
In This Month's
St. John Witness
SEPTEMBER WITNESS
Spiritual Growth
“I BOWED MY HEAD AND WORSHIPED THE LORD.” We worship together as a response to God’s mercies, and in accord with His commands to pray, praise, and give thanks. When we worship, we hear God’s Word. When we worship, we pray for God’s mercies to be extended in various ways to many people. When we worship together, we receive gifts of God in the sacraments. When we worship together, we encourage others to be faithful.
10 SMART WAYS TO PREPARE FOR SCHOOL. Dr. Randy Schroeder, LCMS pastor, offers guidance for parents in this twelve-minute video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wRf1MM7JH0I
THURSDAY BIBLE CLASS: Paul wrote a number of letters to individuals which are in the Bible. They often carry personal remarks, as well as divine guidance. We shall study 1 & 2 Timothy, Titus and Philemon in a LifeLight study Thursday mornings.
THE BOOK STUDY GROUP will meet in September to read “Book 2 of Mere Christianity” by C.S. Lewis. They will meet on September 10th in the SJLC Fellowship Hall with the MacGregors hosting. They will meet again on September 24th at Becker’s.
ADULT INFORMATION CLASS. We have a solid confession of faith. Come explore the teachings of the Lutheran Church, to review or prepare for membership in the Lutheran Church. Classes will begin Sunday September 13.
THE QUILT IN MEMORIAL HALL was pieced by Pauline Stauffer, assembled by Charla Hess, quilted by our Friendship Circle Quilters, and displayed in this semi-quincentennial celebration of the U.S.A.
HAVE YOU EVER SEEN A BRINK’S TRUCK IN LINE AFTER A HEARSE in a funeral procession? Me neither. When we die, we cannot take our earthly wealth with us. But we can determine how we would like gifts of God to be used by godly planning. Have you had any conversations of how to distribute your wealth? Read Luke 12:13-21 and see how God views a love of earthly wealth.
GIFTS OF LOVE: LEAVING A LEGACY Do you have a plan to distribute God’s gifts when you live? Or when you die? We shall conduct a Gifts of Love workshop on October 4. Carol Von Soostern from the LWML (with the LCMS Foundation) will explain opportunities and provide guidance on how to share the gifts God has given to you. There are many godly options for how to manage the gifts God gives us. Come explore them after church
BILLBOARD ON HIGHWAY 99: The past billboard is gone, and we are left with one that is completely outdated So let’s update it with a statement of who we are! The surface area is 8 feet long by 4 feet high. We can produce something attractive and informative. It will remain beneath the current St. John Lutheran Church sign. It may be Scripture, slogan, or philosophy. It may or may not include an image. The Board of Elders will choose one option, Submit entries to the church office by September 6.
Mission Notes
MISSIONARY Michael Hageman and his wife Shanna need our prayers as they go to a place hostile to Christianity in Tanzania, Africa. He will train pastors at the seminary there to reach out with the Gospel. You may provide financial support for Missionary Hageman through Together in Mission.
Renovations, building projects, road construction, car repairs, natural disasters, budgets, homework or even knee surgery; the “Under Construction Stage’ of life. If you have lived any amount of time on this earth, you have experienced the stress of the “Under Construction” period of life.
Recently, Shanna and I moved into a rental house in Shinyanga, Tanzania. It is beautiful. The rooms are spacious, the yard looks like paradise, and yet there is much that could be improved upon. As with most houses, there are some things that needed to be tinkered with in order to make it a home. Our recent tinkering included hot water heaters and air conditioners; essentials for us Americans. After going through the motions of buying materials and securing workers for the renovations, we began to experience the period known as the “Under Construction Stage”. It wasn’t pretty. It was, Tanzanian! Let’s just say that the sinner/saint complexities were on full display.
In Lutheran theology: the phrase "under construction" may fit well with the classic doctrine of simul iustus et peccator, meaning "simultaneously justified and a sinner." What this means is that a Christian is 100% saint because of Christ's righteousness, and yet at the same time 100% sinner because the old, broken human nature remains active until death. The Apostle Paul speaks of this struggle in Romans 7:21-25 when he says:
“So I find it to be a law that when I want to do right, evil lies close at hand. For I delight in the law of God, in my inner being, but I see in my members another law waging war against the law of my mind and making me captive to the law of sin that dwells in my members. Wretched man that I am! Who will deliver me from this body of death? Thanks be to God through Jesus Christ our Lord! So then, I myself serve the law of God with my mind, but with my flesh I serve the law of sin.”
The reality of sin is like the stark reminder that your house is never perfectly put together. You are always in the “Under Construction Stage”. This is not a self-improvement stage. You may think you are getting better, but the reality is that you are captive to the law of sin that dwells in (your) members. You can scour the cabinets, scrub the floors, dust your lampshades and the Lord’s white glove test will still reveal your selfish, fleshly nature. His Word will show you that you still rebel against Him every day.
Across from our house, some other construction is going on. It is on the Seminary campus where we will be teaching. On this campus there is also a Lutheran Church that gathers throughout the week to receive God’s gifts. Currently this church worships in a shabby room with cracks in the walls and paint that is chipping away. The seats are uncomfortable after sitting for three hours and the space is cramped. However, a few hundred yards away this church has begun laying the foundation of what they hope to be a future church building that will deliver God’s forgiveness into the far future. You see, they have experienced in their current shabby church building God’s delivery system of forgiveness through Word and Sacrament. Weekly they hear from their pastor that they are righteous through Christ. Even in the midst of their “Under Construction” lives, the pastor proclaims that they are completely righteous (justified) by grace through faith because Jesus took their sin and credited His perfection upon them. Because of this good news that they have received, they are going through the difficult Church Building “Construction Stage” so that many more into the future may receive what they cling to each week.
As with most construction projects there is a daily dying and rising that must go on. The Christian life is daily repentance - drowning the old sinful nature in baptism and letting the new person rise through Christ. It is during this “Under Construction Stage” that we rely more completely on Christ as we recognize our brokenness. We always have a constant need for grace: Because construction is ever ongoing, you are encouraged to continually return to receive God's forgiveness through His Word and Sacraments (Absolution, Baptism, and the Lord's Supper). You are encouraged to daily die to sin and live for Christ. Look at what you receive now! Wouldn’t it be great for others to receive it like you?
In Christ Alone,
Rev. Michael Hageman
Date Bible Text Theme Hymns Order of Worship
8/30 Luke 10:23-37 Good Neighbor 685 - 680 - 848 - 660 P and P, page 260
9/6 Luke 17:11-19 Can Others Praise? 833 - 790 - 547 - 632 - 849 - 619 - 894 DS 1, page 151
9/13 Matthew 6:23-34 What? Me W orry?!? 869 - 725 - 730 - Te Deum - 727 Matins, page 219
9/20 Ephesians 3:1-6 Rooted in Love 525 - 527 - 570 - 649 - 636 - 923 DS 3, page 184
9/27 Proverbs 23 (LWML) Words Fitly Spoken 783 - 651 - 578 - Serve the Lord - (362) DS 4, page 203
