The Grapevine. May 2018

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1 The Grapevine May 2018 Zion Lutheran Church 700 Main St., Clyman, WI Cell (920) In this issue: Pastor s Message Pastor s Report Secretary s Report 3 Trip Kid s Pages Late snow fall pictures Stewardship 4 Birthday & Anniversary May Calendar & My brother-in-law recently bought a pellet gun in order to reduce the squirrel population in his back yard. So far he s two for two. The ammo for his.177 caliber pellet gun is just slightly larger than a bb. A blast of compressed air from a hand cocked spring fires the tiny projectile. When it comes to squirrels, a pellet gun can get the job done. Those who hunt bear or moose will prefer something with a bit more firepower. Our country s military has little use for pellet guns either. Sophisticated tanks, missiles, and aircraft are among the many weapons in our nation s arsenal. Good thing! God has authorized civil government to keep order in society and they do so from a position of strength. For rulers are not a cause of fear for good behavior but for evil. Do you want to have no fear of authority? Do what is good, and you will have praise from the same; for it is a minister of God to you for good. But if you do what is evil, be afraid; for he does not bear the sword for nothing; for it is a minister of God, an avenger who brings wrath upon the one who practices evil. Romans 8:3,4 That kind of tough talk comes from the same Bible that declares, God is love. Indeed, God is terrifyingly tough when He delegates lethal authority to those who enforce civil order. Make no mistake, the sword is no wimpy pellet gun. The sword was used to kill. The sword has given way to more deadly weapons today. Police carry a deadly firearm, but the purpose is exactly the same. The lethal force with which God has invested civil authority (police and military) is to protect those who obey the law and crush those who disobey the law. Thank you God for civil authority. God has given to His church a different kind of power. We operate in a different sphere. Consider this from the apostle Paul: For though we walk in the flesh, we do not war according to the flesh, for the weapons of our warfare are not of the flesh, but divinely powerful for the destruction of fortresses. We are destroying speculations and every lofty thing raised up against the knowledge of God, and we are taking every thought captive to the obedience of Christ. 2Cor. 10:3-5 God s Word has power to change hearts. The Holy Spirit works through you whenever you speak and apply His Word. When the Word of God comes from your mouth, your words have power, power to change the way people think and act. Check out hymn 668, Rise! To Arms! With Prayer Employ You I especially like the line, Wield God s Word, the weapon glorious; Against all foes be thus victorious. Here s a specific application for you and me in our life together as members of God s family at Zion and as part of the Clyman community. We are confronting the evil of a local strip club with new energy and focus. God has given to law enforcement the vital task of bearing the sword against all that commit lawlessness. He gives to you and me a different task. We are to speak up and condemn the evil in our community for the evil that it is. What else does it mean that you are the salt of the earth, you are the light of the world? Jesus challenges you not with glib generalities but with robust action. Let your salt be salt. Let your light be light. Take courage brothers and sisters in Christ. For such a time as this God is calling His people at Zion to let their Gospel light shine. Pellet guns are for squirrels. You however, wield God s Word, the weapon glorious. Oh Lord, open our mouths that our lips may declare your praise. Pastor Schempf

2 The Gathering Source is always in the need of the following items This is the time of when we tend to forget about the people in need. Sloppy Joe Sauce Ketchup Mustard Spices and seasoning Soups, especially cream of mushroom and cream of chicken Salad Dressings Peanut Butter Jelly Canned Meats Side Dishes (pasta, seasoned rice or potatoes) Canned Fruits

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4 Mission Trip to St. Louis-July 28-August 4, Confirmation, high school, college students and adults are all encouraged to serve as mentors at the Intersect Arts-Summer Camp. It is an exciting time at Intersect as this organization has moved into a beautiful, newly renovated space. Our past mission teams helped to prepare the buildings for this next exciting chapter of service. Volunteers will work with inner city children ages 8-14 assisting with a broad arts program including visual arts, drama, and music. We will also work with Holy Cross Lutheran Church and our son-in-law, Pastor Bob Bernhardt on a week long VBS. looking at conflict resolution from a biblical perspective. No experience or expertise needed...just a heart for encouraging kids to build a relationship with Jesus, the people of God and the local church. We have room for 20 people on this team. Please contact Pastor or Karen Schempf for more complete details and information. An organizational meeting will take place on Wed. April 4th at 7:00pm after Confirmation class.

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7 Pictures taken by Pastor Confirmation kids enjoying the late snowstorm in April

8 Pictures of the ZOST TEAM which stands for Zion Olympic Ski Team

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11 The Lutheran Church Missouri Synod Stewardship Newsletter Article: May 2018 St. Paul teaches, Let the one who is taught the word share all good things with the one who teaches (Galatians 6:6). And again, he says, Do you not know that those who are employed in the temple service get their food from the temple, and those who serve at the altar share in the sacrificial offerings? In the same way, the Lord commanded that those who proclaim the gospel should get their living by the gospel (1 Corinthians 9:13 14). In other words, ministers of the gospel are supported by the offerings of those who are served by them. And this is how the Church lives even now. It is standard practice. But this deserves closer examination. For it instructs us not just that we are to give but also what we are to give. And it does so with four little words: In the same way St. Paul is building his case for supporting the preachers of the Gospel with the sacrificial giving of individual members on the example of the Old Testament people who supported the Levites with their offerings and sacrifices. We re to support the Gospel ministry in the same way. But how did the Old Testament people support the Levites? Moses records this: You shall tithe all the yield of your seed that comes from the field year by year. And before the Lord your God, in the place that he will choose, to make his name dwell there, you shall eat the tithe of your grain, of your wine, and of your oil, and the firstborn of your herd and flock, that you may learn to fear the Lord your God always (Deuteronomy 14:22 23). The Levites were supported by the tithe, 10 percent of all the yearly yield of that which was harvested. Does that seem like a lot? Does it surprise you that St. Paul instructs us that we are to support the New Testament Gospel ministry in the same way? If it does, ask yourself: is the Church s job in the New Testament bigger or smaller than the Levites job in the Old Testament? Back then there was one Temple, and the ministry was almost exclusively located in one nation among the descendants of Abraham. Jesus calls us to teach and baptize all nations (Matt. 28). And there are churches and ministries all around the world. How could we support this new Gospel ministry with anything less than the Israelites supported the Old Testament ministry? Of course, we are free to give more, for we have received more than those in the Old Testament. We have received the fullness of God s revelation, the fullness of His salvation, the fulfillment of everything that God promised to do. For we have received Christ, God s own Son, in the flesh, who took upon himself our sins and in exchange gave us his righteousness. The Father claimed us as his own in Holy Baptism. He gathers us together in the place where his name dwells to feast on the first fruits of the resurrection, the risen and living body and blood of his Son, our Lord, Jesus. He reminds us that we are His, that all things are ours because we belong to Him. He blesses us here in time with physical and spiritual gifts. In the same way, and in response to his fatherly divine goodness and mercy, we gladly give to those who proclaim to us the excellencies of him who called us out of darkness and into his marvelous light. For once we were not a people, but now we are God s people; once we had not received mercy, but now we have indeed (1 Peter 2:9 10).

12 Randy & Mary K 5/1 Milton & Nancy S 5/5 Daniel & Martha C 5/10 Warren & Caroline J 5/17 Michael & Karen S 5/17 Jodi S 5/2 Scott W 5/11 Anna S 5/12 Lanny B 5/17 Jamie P 5/22 Wendy S 5/24 Robert S 5/25 Candy V 5/25 Ralph K 5/27 David W 5/28 Kathy D 5/30 Jim G 5/31

13 2018 Altar Guild: Karen Rhodes Sun Mon Tue Wed Thu Fri Sat 1 Elder s Meeting 6:30pm 2 Confirmation Class 5:30 to 7pm Choir 7 pm 3 Council Meeting 6:30pm 4 5 Project Linus Good Shepherd 9am to 2pm 6 8:30am Divine Service Sunday School Adult Bible Class Elder: Scott Usher Team # 2 Food Shelf Sunday 7 Mid-Week Service 7pm Acting Elder: Ralph Pray, Praise and Give Thanks 7pm 8 9 Confirmation Class 5:30 to 7pm Choir 7 pm :30am Divine Service Adult Bible Class Elder: Gary Usher Team # 3 14 Mid-Week Service 7pm Acting Elder: Ralph Pray, Praise and Give Thanks 7pm Confirmation Class 5:30 to 7pm Choir 7 pm 17 Quilting 10am to 2pm :30am Divine Service Adult Bible Class Elder: Neal Usher Team # 4 21 Mid-Week Service 7pm Acting Elder: Ralph Pray, Praise and Give Thanks 7pm GRAPEVINE ARTICLES ARE DUE :30am Divine Service Adult Bible Class Elder: Jason Usher Team # 1 28 NO Mid-Week Service