Inside

This

Issue:

Pastor’s Heart to Yours 1

JUNE by Tom Kyner and

announcements

2

Announcements: Social

Ministry, Work Day, etc.

3

Small Group Meetings 4

2 0 1 5

Concordia Lutheran

Church

725 Truxton Drive, Kingsport, TN 37660 423-247-3582 www.concordiakingsport.org

From Pastor Becker’s heart to yours…..

I’ve had the privilege (twice!) to hear Rev. Professor Jeffrey Gibbs teach on the

importance of Jesus’ resurrection in Christian life and ministry. Dr. Gibbs wrote the

Concordia Commentary on Matthew and teaches at Concordia Seminary in St. Louis. His

basic take away point is that we have placed undue emphasis on what is called the

intermediate state, or the period of time between physical death and the resurrection of

the body as confessed in the Apostles’ and Nicene Creeds. Our hope rests not on being

disembodied spirits in heaven with Jesus, but on the glorification that we will share with

Jesus when this mortal puts on immortality and this corruptible puts on incorruptibility. Dr.

Gibbs suggested , somewhat tongue in cheek, that we inscribe on our tombstones: “just a

temporary set-back”. He drew our attention to hymns that emphasize this truth such as

“Jesus Lives! The Victory’s Won” in which we sing: Jesus lives! Death’s reign is done! From the grave will Christ recall me. Brighter scenes will then commence; This shall be my confidence. He also composed a new stanza for the familiar hymn “Abide with me”.

And when You come again at last to save,

Bring us to life, Lord, raise us from the grave.

So, then, with all creation, brave and free

I shall rejoice for you abide with me.

The lie is the death of man, his temporal and his eternal death. The lie kills nations. The most powerful nations of the world have been laid waste because of their lies. History knows of no more unsettling sight than the judgment rendered upon the people of an advanced culture who have rejected the truth and are swallowed upon in a sea of lies. Where this happens, as in the case of declining pagan antiquity, religion and law, poetry and philosophy, life in marriage and family, in the state and society — in short, one sphere of life after another falls sacrifice to the power and curse of the lie. Where man can no longer bear the truth, he cannot live without the lie. Where man denies that he and others are dying, the terrible dissolution of his culture is held up as a glorious ascent, and decline is viewed as an advance, the likes of which has never been experienced. (Hermann Sasse, Union and Confession, 1936) Pastor Paul Becker Open my eyes that I may behold wondrous things in Your law. Psalm 119:18

...to bring about in all Christians such an enthusiasm for their faith in Jesus, they freely share it with others.

Page 2

PROJECT CONNECT BOOK REVIEW: Cancer: Courage through Christ

A cancer diagnosis can change your life. Do you know someone who has recently been diagnosed with this dreaded

disease? This little booklet might be just the gift you could give to help out your friend or relative.

Answering questions such as “Is God really in control of my cancer?” four people who got the diagnosis give their

stories with their reactions. The booklet addresses the problems of getting one’s mind stuck on the “why’s” and “If

onlys” and being willing to accept help from friends and family. The text assures the reader that with God there is

always help and hope.

Q: Where does this practice (making the sign of the cross) come from?

A: In order to demonstrate this concept of being sealed in Baptism and identified as one belonging to Christ, Christians began as early as the second century to mark a candidate for Baptism with the sign of the cross. Since it is by Jesus’ death that we are reconciled to the Father (2 Cor. 5:18) and into His death that we are baptized (Rom. 6:3), it shouldn’t come as a surprise that the sign of the cross itself would eventually be used to indicate this relationship. Thus, we find in our rite of Holy Baptism a phrase that has been spoken and an action that has been made for well over 1,500 years: “Receive the sign of the holy cross both upon your + forehead and upon your + heart to mark you as one redeemed by Christ the crucified.” That cross that you see twice in that sentence marks the place where the pastor literally traces the cross upon the baptismal candidate. Placing that mark on a person signals a new reality that Baptism bestows, namely, “I am marked by the one who died for me and now belong to Him. I even get His Name. I’m a Christian!”

June Here it is, June, already. School is out. Let’s go to the beach. Families are putting the finishing touches on

their vacation plans. Let’s go to the mountains. Let’s go visit (you can fill in the blank). Father’s Day gets

squeezed in. By the end of the month we will be halfway through the year and we have barely started the

garden chores. Between mowing the grass, tending the garden, trimming shrubs and other household chores

that seem to multiply during the summer, do we sometimes have trouble fitting our paid work into our

schedule?

Things can get pretty busy during the summer. Then there is the tradition of June weddings.

Perhaps it is worth considering how much God, our Heavenly Father, loved us. Sometimes it seems that

Good Friday, Lent and Easter as well as Ascension have all past as has the Festival of Pentecost. Now we

are in the “long green season”. The excitement of Birth, Death and Resurrection has passed. Choirs take the

summer off, church attendance declines. “It’s Summertime and the Living is Easy” is a line from a song, I

think; and even if not, it realistically defines the attitude of many people.

We sometimes forget that unlike earthly fathers who are sometimes good and loving, but who may also be

abusive, absentee or just plain non-functional, Our Heavenly Father loves us no matter who we are or what

we may have done. He loved us enough to send His only Son to die for us in order that we might have

eternal life.

In Mark 2:19 Jesus refers to Himself as the Bridegroom, “Jesus said to them, ‘The wedding-guests cannot

fast while the bridegroom is with them, can they? As long as they have the bridegroom with them, they

cannot fast.’” There are several references throughout the Gospels and the Book of Revelation too Jesus as

the Bridegroom. And if Jesus is the Bridegroom; who might be the bride? We are the Church and the

Church is the Bride of Christ. Therefore we are the Bride of Christ. Recognizing this, it seems that we will

wish to please our Bridegroom.

What does this mean to you? Dcn. Tom Kyner 4/14/2015

Page 3

Social Ministry News

The clients of Kingsport Community Ministry Center and the Outreach team sincerely thank all who

served as KCMC receptionists last month. God’s richest blessings to you!

Family Care Team Celebration Sunday, June 14, 2015 CLC will be honoring our Graduates & New Members after church for a light luncheon.

Family Care Team will provide the cake, ice cream, and drinks. CLC members are to bring finger foods, sandwiches, veggie trays, chips & dips, etc.

Our honorees names will be published in upcoming bulletins…...

Living the Six: learning to live as an everyday missionary.

3. when preparing a meal for your own family, double the recipe. Take the second portion to a neighbor, a friend, or someone who is discouraged or experiencing hardship.

4. Pick up trash at the local park, playground, or on a walk through the neighborhood. Take some plastic bags with you.

5. volunteer at a community food bank or soup kitchen with your family or a group of friends.

The Operations Team will have one last effort to make repairs before summer is fully upon us. Please come help on Saturday, June 6 for our work-morning. It will take a few helpers to make an impact on the list this time. We will most likely postpone July and August work mornings, so please come help in June. See the work list below. Both inside and outside projects are on the list. Thanks in advance for your help. Ed Mc

Item Item needing attention Location

Priority

(1 is

most

urgent) Comments

386 Paint ceilings in hallway to cover the non-matching paint.

Narthex, hallway 1 First coat already applied.

389 Glue door, clamp, and add screws to lock plate Choir Loft 3 Door to choir loft from Narthex

390 Add dirt to entry way - both sides under concrete, or mix and add concrete to fill in.

Outside, in entry 2 Mix in some organic matter to encourage growth on steep part

359 Add dirt to area just outside Narthex against windows

Outside 1

1 to 2 cubic feet needed, mix of sand and dirt. To remove the possibility of water getting into the foundation.

338

Replace rotting wood on windows outside Sanctuary, (2nd window from fellowship door going toward street)

Outside 3 Evaluate, purchase wood and replace

335 Clean gutters on fellowship hall - power wash or scoop out.

Outside 2 Gloves and trowel. Bring power washer.

337

Reroute gutters outside fellowship hall (make sure water is draining away from building - obtain drain-guides if needed)

Outside 2

May need to purchase drain guides

391 Replace light or light sensor on right of cross outside

Outside 1 LED flood needs testing, if ok, return the sensor and buy conventional flood

392 Spray week killer around rocks on street side Outside 2

379 Clean windows above narthex, on the outside. Outside, on roof. 3

393 Put Preen herbicide under rocks when filler soil/sand is added outside Narthex

Outside 2

423-247-3582

bygrace4u@embarqmail.com

Secretary: Sheri Bentley

clcmsl@embarqmail.com

Concordia Lutheran Church 725 Truxton Drive Kingsport, TN 37660

Church Web Page: www.concordiakingsport.org

June 2015— Small Group Meetings

Page 4

For a listing of daily scripture readings,

check out

anonymouslutheran.com

June 1 Members-in-Touch 9:30am

June 1 Men’s Bible Study at Church w/lunch 12:00pm

June 3 Men’s Prayer Group 6:00am

June 3 Prayer Service 6:30pm

June 4 T.O.P.S. Group in Fellowship Hall 9:15am

June 6 Church Work Day 8:30am

June 8 Women’s Afternoon Bible Study at Church 1:00pm

June 9 eTeen Prayer at Volunteer Baptist Church in Bristol 7-8pm

June 10 Men’s Prayer Group 6:00am

June 11 T.O.P.S. Group in Fellowship Hall 9:15am

June 12 Get Healthy Potluck Dinner 6:30pm

June 14 Service Honoring our Graduates and New Members 10:30am

June 14 McWhirter’s Bible Study 7:00pm

June 15 Members-in-Touch 9:30am

June 15 Elder’s Meeting 7:00pm

June 15 Men’s Bible Study at Church w/lunch 12:00pm

June 17 Men’s Prayer Group 6:00am

June 17 Prayer Service 6:30pm

June 18 T.O.P.S. Group in Fellowship Hall 9:15am

June 22-26 Sheri on Vacation

June 22 Women’s Afternoon Bible Study at Church 1:00pm

June 23 eTeen Prayer at Volunteer Baptist Church in Bristol 7-8pm

June 24 Men’s Prayer Group 6:30am

June 24 Prayer Service 6:30pm

June 25 T.O.P.S. Group in Fellowship Hall—Annual Picnic 9:15am

June 26-28 Pastor Becker & Jean Fleischer gone to Mid South District Conv.

June 27 Scrapbooking with Nancy Braaten in Fellowship Hall 10am-5pm

June 28 McWhirter’s Bible Study 7:00pm

Church Work Day

June 6th at 8:30am

Happy Father's Day

You have a loving heart

And you're quick to forgive

Always thinking of others

And always willing to give

You're a loving person

Who can see only good

You always do the right thing

As you believe you should

A person such as you

Deserves a special award

And a recognition

From Jesus our Dear Lord

I Love You!

- Anonymous

Many thanks to all those who helped prepare

and deliver the lunch to the teachers and

staff of John F. Kennedy Elementary

School. They look forward to this every year

and are very appreciative of Concordia's

generosity, love, and support.

Scrapbooking with Nancy Braaten

Saturday, June 27th 10am-5pm

EVERYONE INVITED!!