Summer Happenings - Zion Lutheran Church 15.pdf · 1 1 Continued on page 9 ZION LUTHERAN CHURCH 420...
Transcript of Summer Happenings - Zion Lutheran Church 15.pdf · 1 1 Continued on page 9 ZION LUTHERAN CHURCH 420...
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ZION LUTHERAN CHURCH
420 1st Street SE Gwinner, ND 701.678.2401 www.ziongwinner.org
Divine Service 9:00 am Every Sunday
June 2015 Newsletter
Summer Happenings…
Over the next three months of summer we have several changes and additions that you should be aware of.
First, as you have already noted, our Sunday morning time for Divine Service has changed from 10:00 AM to 9:00 AM. With that said, we will be having the Summer Family Bible Study after the Divine Services, starting on June 7th. How this will work is rather simple. After the service, grab some coffee and cookies with your family and hang around in the fellowship hall. Then 10-15 minutes after the service, we will begin our study. This is open to the whole family. The junior and senior high are asked to attend with their parents, and the small children can simply draw, read, and play at the other tables. The Summer Family Bible Study will only last about 45 minutes and will serve as a way to let you wrestle a bit more with the scriptures.
Secondly, I am happy to announce that on Mondays at 9:00 AM, the junior and senior high will get together for “Table Talk.” Yes, each Monday, youth from our community are invited to come to Zion’s Library for donuts, coffee, and juice, while we discuss theology, current events, scripture passages, ethics, and so forth. This youth gathering is definitely geared to make the youth think and process the Christian faith in our ever changing and challenging American Culture. So, please help get the word out!
Thirdly, keep in mind that Vacation Bible School is around the corner (July20-23). There will be signup sheets in the church narthex for you to volunteer and get involved. Furthermore, we will be canvassing the city of Gwinner again this summer, that is to say, leaving fliers on the doors of residents. We will also need help with baking snacks, registration, and so forth. At this point, simply keep your eye and ears open as information about our VBS comes your way.
The Lord bless and keep you in His forgiveness of sin unto everlasting life,
-Pastor
Pastor’s Note
Youth Events
Mission of the Month
Baby Shower
Cleaning List
June Birthdays
Calendar
Service Lists
Newsletter Devotion
In This Issue…
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Our amazing group of youth and chaperones
is ready to head to Concordia University,
Seward, NE on July 27th.
Please keep them in your prayers
as they prepare for this journey.
This summer’s 2015 Higher Things Conferences will rejoice in
the gift of the Te Deum, a hymn of praise that gives us a foretaste
of what’s happening in worship in heaven and on earth.
Final Fundraiser….The Higher
Things Youth will be selling Pizza Corner Pizzas as their final fundraiser for the trip. Watch for details in the coming weeks!
Youth from our community are invited to come to Zion’s Library for donuts, coffee, and juice, while we discuss theology, current events, scripture passages,
ethics, and so forth.
This time is definitely geared to make the youth think and process the Christian faith in our ever changing
and challenging American Culture.
We truly appreciate and are so grateful for the fantastic support that everyone has given us for this trip. It wouldn’t be possible for us to take this great
group of kids to this amazing conference without your prayers and support! Thank You!!
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July 20-23
Join us for Camp Discovery July 20-23 Monday – Thursday
9:00am to 12:00 noon
Open to Preschoolers through 6th Grade
If you are able to help with VBS in any way, please sign up on the
sheet in the Narthex or talk to Hollie, Marsha, or Mike. Thanks!!
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June Birthdays
2 – Derek Wangler
3 – Teresa Illies Janet Nelson
4 – Curt Colemer
5 – Allen McDaniel
7 – Mia Bopp
10 – Sy Hansana
16 – Celeste Metzen
21 – Cindy Enderson Leo Lakpa
22 – Rosalyn Brockman
24 – Kelly Neustel
25 – Pearl Rehborg
27 – Brittini Bergeman
28 – Ron Bergemann Maverick Stroh
We are updating our General church cleaning list. If you feel you can no longer participate and/or would like to be removed from the General cleaning list - contact Cindy Enderson.
Our current list consists of:
Cindy Linderkamp Chelie Greenmeyer Hollie Asche Carmen Cavett
Jen Hansana Brook Olson Tana McKenna Sandy Asche
Mary Stroh Shellie Colemer Stephanie Stroh Geneva Waswick
Ella Rempfer Diane McDaniel Cindy Dietz Diane Johnson
Celeste Metzen Sandy Mathias Jan Swanson Corrine Haussler
Teresa Rodahl Genise Arnst Kathy Schriener Jan Riebe
Marcia Asche Cindy Enderson
A special Thank You to men that help with the ceiling fixtures! If you would be willing to help us out again blessing to you! If you want to be removed or if there are any other men that would like to help please let Cindy Enderson know.
Dennis Linderkamp Kevin Dietz Mike Mlnarik Lonnie Hoechst
Oops! If we missed you for General Church Cleaning and
you would like to be on the list and help with the General cleaning please contact Cindy Enderson or email [email protected].
General Church Cleaning
Tentatively scheduled for
August 2 – 8th
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For Alaythia Jane Richard
Proud Parents are Pastor Matt & Serenity Richard. The baby shower will be held at Zion Lutheran Church on
Tuesday, June 9, 2015 at 7:00pm.
All are welcome to attend! Lunch will be served.
A gift registry can be accessed through Amazon at the following link: http://www.amazon.com/gp/baby-reg/ref=cm_sw_r_fa_br_vu.ivb11RJMNA?ie=UTF8&lid=3A1S0O06EO49S
Parish Assistant Office Hours
Monday-Thursday 9:30 am to 12:30 pm
Friday Off
Email: [email protected]
Please call or email either Pastor or the Church Office if you need spiritual care,
know of somebody in the hospital needing a visit, have prayer submissions for the
divine service, or for any other church related circumstance.
Mission of the Month –
Make note of these:
Pastor’s Office & Study Hours
Monday 9:30 am to 5:00 pm
Tuesday 9:30 am to 5:00 pm
Wednesday 11:00 am to 3:00 pm
Thursday 9:30 am to 5:00 pm
Friday Pastor’s Day Off
If Pastor is out for visitations, meetings, etc…
during the scheduled times above, he will
generally have a ‘be back soon’ sign on the
church’s front door informing you of
his estimated time of return.
Need to Contact Pastor?
Email: [email protected]
Cell: 701-680-2658
Office: 701-678-2401
Blog: www.pastormattrichard.com
LHM is a Christian outreach ministry supporting churches worldwide. LHM produces Christian radio and TV programming for broadcast, as well as Internet and print communications, dramas, music, and outreach materials, to reach unchurched people in the United States and more than 30 other countries. LHM's flagship program, The Lutheran Hour, airs weekly on 1400 stations and the American Forces Network. The first program was broadcast Oct. 2, 1930 and continues on the air today, making it the world’s oldest continually broadcast Christ-centered radio program.
Local Sunday broadcast times are 7:30am KFGO 790AM and 4:30pm KFNW 1200AM.
At Lutheran Hour Ministries, we want to be your partner in calling the lost and hurting back to the Church; back to forgiveness and grace; back to God and His Word. We have made it our mission to encourage and support you as you respond to God’s call to action. While you may know us because of our flagship radio ministry, THE LUTHERAN HOUR, we invite you to take advantage of everything that Lutheran Hour Ministries offers for discipleship and outreach: evangelism training events and resources; opportunities for hands-on international outreach; resource media and materials for men’s ministry; mission resources for children and schools; and much more. For more results of how the Lord blesses Lutheran Hour Ministries with opportunities to plant the Gospel seed in exciting ways around the world please visit our website at www.lhm.org
Bringing Christ to the Nations – and the Nations to the Church
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Ushers
June 7
th Greg & Janet Nelson
14th
Duane & Shelli Bergemann
21st
Scott & Teresa Illies
28th
Rich & Virginia Beaver
July 5
th Dale & Martha Asche
12th
Ella Rempfer & Teresa Rodahl
19th
Randal & Michelle Brockman
26th
Kelly & Liz Neustel
CHIP Families (Christians Held in Prayer) June 7
Delores Johnson 415 4th Ave SE Gwinner, ND 58040
June 14
Kendall & Diane Johnson PO Box 85 Gwinner, ND 58040
Acolytes
July
5th Adam Neustel
12th Reed Nelson
19th Grace Mathias
26th Schuyler Utecht
Cleaners List 31st to 6th
Jason & Hollie Asche
Jay & Karen Enderson
Rich & Virginia Beaver
Andy & Stephanie Stroh
7th to 13th
Jan Swanson
Scott & Teresa Illies
Duane & Sharon Orth
Jody Schreiner
Kathy Schreiner
Note: If you are unable to usher or acolyte on your scheduled date, we ask that you please contact another member to switch with.
14th to 20th
Dale & Martha Asche
Joey & Cindy Enderson
Lonnie Hoechst
Paul Bartz
21st to 27th
Rodney & Sandy Asche
Vince & Donna Olson
Ella Rempfer
Teresa Rodahl
Kevin & Cindy Dietz
June 21
Dennis & Cindy LInderkamp 12543 86th St SE Cogswell, ND 58017
June 28 Brian & Angela Lukes Tallie 127 Maplewood Dr. Gwinner, ND 58040
*Please remember to sign your name
on the chart on the bulletin board
by the kitchen noting which area of
the church you have cleaned*
June
7th Christina Mathias
14th KyAnna Halmrast
21st Matthew Asche
28th April Gaden
28th to 4th
Duane Bergemann
Rick & Dawn Gaden
Sy & Jen Hansana
Tim & Jess Peterson
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June 2015 SUNDAY MONDAY TUESDAY WEDNESDAY THURSDAY FRIDAY SATURDAY
1 2 3 4 5 6 7:15 pm LWML
9 am Pastor’s Study
Pastor’s Day Off
Church Office Closed
7 8 9 10 11 12 13 9 am Divine Service
*Communion
10:15 am Family Bible Study
9 am Table Talk
10 am Staff Mtg
7:30 pm Council
9 am Pastor’s Study
2 pm LWML
Pastor’s Day Off
Church Office Closed
14 15 16 17 18 19 20 9 am Divine Service
10:15 am Family Bible Study
9 am Table Talk
10 am Staff Mtg
9 am Pastor’s Study
Pastor’s Day Off
Church Office Closed
21 Father’s Day
9 am Divine Service
*Communion
10:15 am Family Bible Study
22 9 am Table Talk
10 am Staff Mtg
23
24 9 am Pastor’s Study
25 *Newsletter Material Due
26 Pastor’s Day Off
Church Office Closed
27
28 29 30 9 am Divine Service
10:15 am Family Bible Study
9 am Table Talk
10 am Staff Mtg
8 pm LYF Bonfire @ Immanuel
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We Speak the Truth in Love to All: on same-sex marriage by Rev. Dr. Matthew C. Harrison
In the face of another radical cultural shift — a denial of God and His creation, a
rejection of Christ, the Ten Commandments and God-given natural law (Romans 1)
— a great Lutheran responded with truths that are also true for our times:
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)
In just a few weeks, the Supreme Court is expected to rule on the legality of same-sex marriage in America and roll
out the implications of that ruling for individual states. I expect the ruling to create an alleged constitutional right to
same-sex marriage, contrary to God’s created orders, natural law and the inerrant Scriptures. This will be the earnest
beginning of a very long struggle for faithful Christians who will, more and more, be driven from participation in the
culture. We shall come to know and understand parts of the Word of God like never before. “But our citizenship is in
heaven, and from it we await a Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ” (Phil. 3:20).
Brothers, the battle has already been won. Our Lord, Jesus Christ, has
already defeated the foe. Satan surrendered at Golgotha. It is finished.
But what do we do? If the Supreme Court rules that same-sex
marriage is legal in every state or must be recognized in every state,
what is our response?
We stand fast (2 Thess. 2:15). We live in and by our Savior, who calls us
to stay the course, to repent of our sin, to be in the Word of God and in prayer. We redouble our teaching on God’s
gift of marriage. And we show love and mercy to those harmed by the dissolution of God’s ordering of marriage and
family, intended for protection for all. We take legal action where absolutely necessary. “Public remedy, made
through the office of the public official, is not condemned, but is commanded and is God’s work, according to Paul
(Romans 13)” (Apology XVI 59).
The plan fits the nature of the Church: she is enduring and eternal. She speaks Christ’s forgiveness and peace to men
and women struggling with same-sex attraction and heterosexual attraction alike, in and out of season. She doesn’t
do flash-in-the-pan or drive-by ministry. She works in the world for the long haul. She doesn’t change her tune or
stop her singing. She keeps telling real people about a real Jesus, from black-robed Supreme Court justices to the
protestors on the steps of that building to the young people in college watching the ruling unfold to those of us
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who never imagined we would see this seismic shift in our lifetime. And she lives to demonstrate the mercy and love
of Christ (1 John 3:15ff).
Most importantly, she speaks of the One who came for sinners — all sinners — and of the One who showed His love
for us by dying for us. She simply stays the course.
That’s why you, dear brothers in the Office, will need our prayers in the days ahead. And you will have them. Legal
marriage may be redefined, and outcomes we never imagined will occur. But these don’t surprise or alarm us. The
crumbling culture merely proves that what began in the Garden of Eden is still prevalent today, that we are sinners
among sinners, that we are all in need of Christ’s mercy and grace. This world is wending its way toward the end
(Matthew 25). The story ends well (Revelation 7). That is what those in the pew and those disenchanted by the
people in the pew need to hear, and will always need to hear, the most.
Beyond the theological consequences of this ruling, however, there are also practical implications, and I urge you to
consider the following:
(1) The Synod’s legal team is carefully examining the potential ramifications of this case. It will likely be a messy
ruling that will require time to unpack. We may discover that there is ultimately no constitutional protection for
the Synod, its institutions, you or your congregation. We don’t know, but we will be reporting back to you with
our findings.
(2) Your congregation should give serious thought to obtaining counsel from your own attorney. Also consider
utilizing the Synod’s document on marriage policies for member congregations, which offers sample provisions
limiting the use of church property to marriages that are consistent with LCMS beliefs. The day may come when
even this legal protection will not be enough, but it may assist you and your congregational leadership in
forestalling issues as long as possible.
(3) Be prepared to discuss what marriage will look like in the future. Will LCMS pastors eventually be forced, as
agents of the state, to perform same-sex marriages? If that happens, will we be prepared to let the state perform
the legal marriage ceremony, while we as pastors provide a religious ceremony for those marriages that are in
keeping with our confession of faith as Lutheran Christians? We must have these discussions as pastors and as a
Synod, and we may even need to make decisions at the next Synod convention in the summer of 2016.
(4) Know that I, as Synod president, stand with you. What protections will the Synod or even the Constitution
offer you? I don’t know. But here is what I am personally sure of: The Gospel is enduring. It never changes. Jesus
Christ is the same yesterday, today and forever. We as pastors are called to repent and to be faithful to Him —
and to His Gospel — alone. Will we be fined for not performing same-sex marriages? Potentially. Will we be
thrown in jail? Maybe. A recently deceased Catholic bishop (Cardinal George) described what I believe we shall
now begin to face: “I expect to die in bed, my successor will die in prison and his successor will die a martyr in
the public square. His successor will pick up the shards of a ruined society and slowly help rebuild civilization, as
the church has done so often in human history.”
Make no mistake, the battle has been won. The devil has been defeated. The Victor reigns triumphant in mercy, love
and truth. The Gospel knows no limits, but proclaims the gracious kingdom of our Lord to all, through Christ’s Word
and Sacraments.
The temptation will be to run out into the melee, to abandon the home front or to give up all together. But we are
called instead to repent, to be ready, to move confidently into the future, come what may. We speak the truth in love
to all. We share Christ’s forgiveness with each person He sets in our path.
And the Lord will work all things for good, even these trying times.
He is faithful, brothers. He will do it.
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Zion Lutheran Church A Church of The Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod
THE MISSION OF ZION LUTHERAN CHURCH IS TO
CONTINUE THE MINISTRY OF JESUS CHRIST BY
BEING ROOTED IN THE WORD,
BY GROWING IN FAITH,
AND BY BRANCHING OUT
WITH THE GOSPEL
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