SHEPHERD S VOICE MONTHLY NEWSLETTER OF GOOD SHEPHERD LUTHERAN CHURCH LCMS OCTOBER 2013

Transcription

1 SHEPHERD S VOICE MONTHLY NEWSLETTER OF GOOD SHEPHERD LUTHERAN CHURCH LCMS OCTOBER 2013 Lorem ips um dolorsit amet, con se ctetuer adi pisc ing Lorem ipsum dolor sit adipiscing "The New Heaven and the New Earth Telling the Whole Gospel Story" Pastor John Butcher Mark your calendar 10.6 Worship Worship LWML Sunday Hayride Worship Worship Congregation meeting As many of you know, I attended a wonderful symposium, or lecture series, at Concordia Seminary in St. Louis last week on their beautiful green campus. The theme was "From Creation to New Creation - Telling the Whole Story." Our worship services in the chapel reflected the gospel story from Genesis 1:1: "In the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth..." all the way to Revelation 21, where St. John has a vision from God of the new heavens and earth coming down. We even processed outside the church to plant a tree at the start of worship service in God's creation. Then chanted on the way in, "Unless a grain of wheat falls into the earth and dies, it remains alone; but if it dies, it bears much fruit." (John 12:24) We heard about how God created the heavens and earth, and how they were "very good." We heard about how man was tempted by Satan and fell into sin. But then God promised that He would send His Son to come down to the earth and suffer and die for sinners who had no way they could redeem or restore themselves or creation to the way it used to be. Only God could pay the price of restoring us one day to "a new heaven and a new earth." That "R" word - restoration - is important, and sometimes gets left out of the story that we tell people. What kind of future do we have, and what kind of future do we set before our people? Do we say, Jesus died for our sins on the cross and when we die, we are going to heaven? Is that the whole story? Continued next page 1

2 God says in His Word that His goal is not to destroy earth and our bodies so that we can GO to heaven and sit as spirits on fluffy clouds, playing our harps or lyres or even guitars to the His glory. We are not just spirits. We were created as body-and-soul creatures by our Maker out of the dust of this earth. God is going to transform or renew the earth we inhabit. He will NOT annihilate it. "Heaven and earth will pass away, but not my Word." (John 20) What do we tell people about the future? Will the trees and rocks and space? Will there be animals in heaven? Will there be only heaven and no more earth? Only God? What are the promises of God? We learn in God's Word (Romans 8: 20ff) that the sons of God await eagerly the new creation. Creation one day will be free of sin. We will be adopted and redeemed in body. Because of sin, the creation and the creature fell away from their original state and decayed. It's like looking at an old bicycle or toy. They were once shiny and new and worked perfectly. But then, after the years pass, they wear out and don't work well. God will renew those old toys. Even better, he will renew all creation and all His creatures - you and me. And just as there were animals "in the beginning," there will be animals in the new heavens and earth. Jesus spent 40 days and night in the desert and He was with the wild animals. Dangerous animals - bears, and leopards, and snakes. Jesus was red meat to animals. But the animals did not hurt Jesus. There was a close and friendly companionship. Jesus inaugurated the new creation when He came down to earth. He incarnates the new relationship with animals. So how do we tell the whole story, from creation to resurrection? We usually don't talk about the future. We say Jesus died for our sins. But we need to finish the story. Jesus died for our sins, then preached the future-tense promises. God will come down to His people - "Rend the heavens and come down!" (Isaiah 64). God in the flesh will come down to us! We even processed outside the church to plant a tree No more floods or tornadoes or tsunamis. No more volcanoes and earthquakes destroying earth and human life. No more corruption. No more human suffering. God's creatures and His creation will be freed from slavery into the freedom of the glory of the children of God! There will be freedom from corruption and futility. Creation and creatures - both - have a glorious future. We await the new heavens and new earth. God will come down and "tabernacle" with His people. St. John in his vision written down in the book of Revelation saw a "new creation, a new heaven and earth." In that future, heaven will be on earth. God makes this happen. Man doesn't. Heaven comes down from earth, and the Creator dwells with human creatures. Let's speak of "heaven on earth" (Revelation 21). People will reign on earth. People will inherit the earth. People will inherit God's kingdom. God will renew the earth on which Satan deceived mankind. God will banish all that smacks of Satan. God will reclaim His creation and creatures. God promises that we have a glorious future ahead of us! A blissful future. Jesus will come again and transform your body (no more knee or hip replacements). You will have a new body. You will live in a new creation. In a New Promised Land. The new is coming! The old is passing away. What a glorious future is ahead of us. We will see our Creator, Redeemer, and Sanctifier. Humans are earth-creatures. Earthlings. Humans do not ascend. The Creator comes down and God makes all things that exist NEW. God does not make all new things. There's a difference. Re-read that last sentence. His creation was always "good." Come, Lord Jesus. Come quickly! Pastor John W. Butcher 2

3 October 6 "Listening to God" Lutheran Hour Speaker: Rev. Gregory Seltz God isn't ignoring you. You can wait for Him in faith. (Habakkuk 2:1-4) MONTH OF SUNDAYS October 6 Twentieth Sunday after Pentecost Message: A Little Faith Can Go A Long Way Text: Luke 17: 5-10 October 13 Twenty-first Sunday after Pentecost Message: Telling, Loving, Caring in Christ Text: Luke 24: October 20 Twenty- second Sunday after Pentecost Message: Be Persistent Text: 2 Timothy 3:14-4:5 October 27 Reformation (observed) Message: Compelling Love of Christ Text: 2 Corinthians 5: October 13 "The Reason to Go" Lutheran Hour Speaker: Rev. Gregory Seltz Jesus invites you to embark on a voyage of faith, trusting in His promises. (Luke 17:11-19) October 20 "Absolute Grace Creates Absolute Growth Absolutely!" Lutheran Hour Speaker: Rev. Gregory Seltz God's Word delivers absolute grace to a world of itching ears and empty promises. (2 Timothy 3:15-4:5) October 27 "Absolute Truth" Speaker Emeritus of The Lutheran Hour: Rev. Ken Klaus; Truth is not putty. Truth is a Person. (John 14:6) On October 27, we will celebrate the festival of the Reformation. It commemorates Dr. Martin Luther's posting of his Ninety-five Theses on the door of the Castle Church in Wittenberg, Germany on October 31, This act triggered the movement in world history known as the Reformation. While the historical date for the observance of Reformation is October 31, most churches, like Good Shepherd Lutheran Church, celebrate it on the last Sunday in October. The Reformation was the great rediscovery of the doctrine of justification, that is, the good news of the salvation of all sinners by grace alone through faith alone because of Christ alone. To remind us of the whole gospel, Luther designed his own Rose (pictured at left) to symbolize the new life that we have in Christ Jesus. Red is the worship color for this day. Red reminds us of the Holy Spirit who descended on Christ's followers in tongues of fire on Pentecost. It was by the power of the Holy Spirit that Martin Luther came to learn the gospel. The Holy Spirit moved him to post his Ninety-five Theses and inspired him and his colleagues to work toward the Reformation of the Christian church. The same Holy Spirit continues to come to Christians in the means of grace to forgive sins and strengthen faith. TELLING LOVING CARING in Christ 3

4 SEEN & HEARD "Roman Catholics and Confessional Lutherans Explore Deeper Ties" (excerpted from First Things, Feb. 2013) Mathew Block In 1976, Joseph Ratzinger then still a professor suggested it might be possible to interpret [the Augsburg Confession (CA) i.e., the primary Lutheran confession] under the laws of the empire as a catholic confession. He continued: Efforts are underway to achieve a Catholic recognition of the CA or, more correctly, a recognition of the CA as catholic, and thereby to establish the catholicity of the churches of the CA, which makes possible a corporate union while the differences remain. In the United States of America, for example, the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops and The Lutheran Church Missouri Synod have recently become allies over the subject of religious liberty in the face of the Health and Human Services contraceptive mandate. And in Canada, very tentative discussions between the Canadian Conference of Catholic Bishops and Lutheran Church Canada have also begun. These churches are members of the International Lutheran Council, an international association of Lutheran churches known for their more traditional interpretation of the authority of Scripture and the Lutheran Confessions hence the term confessional Lutherans. To be sure, this is not the first time Roman Catholics and Lutherans have held dialogues. In 1999, the Vatican and the mainline Lutheran World Federation (LWF) agreed to a Joint Declaration on the Doctrine of Justification. But notably absent from the discussion were confessional Lutherans. Yet many confessional Lutherans nevertheless recognized that a substantial step forward had been taken, even if they were reluctant to sign on themselves.... While Ratzinger now Benedict XVI would not continue a campaign for such acceptance, it is nevertheless a striking comment from the man who would be pope. At the very least, it demonstrates a particular interest in Roman Catholic-Lutheran dialogue which has continued into the present. This past September, for example, Pope Benedict XVI met with former students in Castel Gandolfo, Italy, to discuss the subject of Roman Catholic dialogue with Lutherans and Anglicans. This get-together between the pope and his former students is an annual tradition that dates back to the 1970s, and the topics of discussion are chosen by the pope himself. Benedict even invited an emeritus Lutheran Bishop, Ulrich Wilckens, to lead the discussion. While this is the most recent nod by the pope to Lutherans, it is hardly the first. Only a few months earlier, Pope Benedict XVI announced the new prefect for the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith. The man chosen? German Bishop Gerhard Ludwig Müller, a veteran of Lutheran-Roman Catholic ecumenical dialogue. Among other things, he served as the Catholic head of the International Lutheran/Roman Catholic Commission on Unity. These events reflect increasingly congenial relations between Roman Catholics and Lutherans. But what is more, there are signs Roman Catholics are interested in exploring deeper ties with a specific group of Lutherans namely, confessional Lutherans. Senior Youth On Sunday, September 29, our Senior Youth held a BBQ and challenged the members of our congregation to a softball game. Around 40 people enjoyed hot dogs & burgers with all of the trimmings. The Senior Youth proved to be good sports again this year as they allowed the congregation to win the game. Players, ranging in age from 14 76, made the game very exciting to watch with their many home runs, long running catches, and even a dive for the ball! We would like to thank the Rakers family for preparing the field after the rain as well as John Briggs for organizing and helping with the teams. On Friday, October 11, at 6:00 p.m., we will have our next meeting at the Hoek s home. We are planning outdoor activities, including a bon fire. Everyone is welcome to invite their friends. 4

5 YOUTH VERSUS ADULTS ENJOY A SOFTBALL GAME SEPTEMBER 29,

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7 Date/Offering Amount Attendance 9/1 67/10 Current Building Sunday School 4.44 Missions Total /8 68/4 Current Building Sunday School 5.00 Total /15 86/5 Current Building Sunday School 8.59 Scholorship fund Total /22 76 Current Building Sunday School 9.00 Scholarship Fund Freezer Benevolence Total /29 72/4 Current Building Sunday School 3.00 Total OFFERING DESIGNATIONS: Current 10% of current offerings are designated for Missions. The balance is used for budget expenses. Building 100% of money designated for building stays in our congregation for budget expenses. Other funds are set up from time to time as needed. Money can be designated to those funds by simply noting it on your envelope. You do not need to use separate envelopes or separate checks as long as you include a note, or indicate on the envelope how it should be divided. STAY IN TOUCH CHECK YOUR MAILBOXES All members of Good Shepherd, as well as those who attend on a regular basis, should have a family mailbox on the back wall of the narthex. They are in alphabetical order. If you do not see your name on one of the slots, or if you know someone who needs a box, please let Judy Maseman know. This is where you will find your newsletters each month, as well as other communications about things happening at Good Shepherd. WATCH FOR YOUR WEEKLY DEVOTION E- MAIL BLASTER FROM THE PASTOR S DESK Pastor sends out a weekly devotional message a word of encouragement from the Lord for the upcoming week. We send them out on Tuesday afternoons. If you are not on the blaster list, let Judy or Pastor know. If you have requested this and are not getting it, please send an to the church at goodshepherdcentralia@centurytel.net, so we can verify we have your address entered correctly. A CONVENIENT WAY TO CONTRIBUTE The church is set up to accept donations on our website. Go to and you will find the Donate button on the lower right side of the home page. You may pick from six designations: General Fund, Building Fund, Benevolence Fund, Youth Group Trip (San Antonio 2013), Capital Improvement, and Memorials. You may donate two ways: Through PayPal or from your credit/debit card. When you enter your amount, you will see that the Total Amount field will include fees. This fee will be charged to you and it includes % of your donation. Thank you for your donations however you choose to give; whether online, in the offering basket at church, through the mail, or in person to the Treasurer or Financial Secretary. If you have any question, please let me know. Jacki Stelzer

8 ARE YOU SMARTER THAN A CATECHUMEN? In Confirmation class, Pastor John has been teaching on Wednesday evenings at 7:30 to our youth: Caden Bird, Kelsey Jaeger, Katelyn Rakers, Audrey Seider, Madison Smith, Kallie Tunink, and Kody Walters. They are a smart group and are learning and growing in the faith of Jesus Christ. Our theme for this year is on the wall in the middle classroom in the Fellowship Hall. It says, "Learn the faith. Live the faith." Recently, we have been learning about the Bible and its writers. Here are some facts about the Bible that you may remember: Did you know that The Bible was written over a year period by approximately 40 men? That the time of the writings was from 1500 B.C. to AD 100? Did you know that there are 66 books in the Bible, with 39 books in The Old Testament, which was written before the birth of Jesus and foretells of His coming down to earth die for our sin? And 27 books in The New Testament, which covers the life of Christ and fulfills the promises of God in the Old Testament? We are also learning that the book of the Bible is not just an ordinary book that we read and put away. We have learned that God's Bible is His inspired (Spirit-filled) Word written for mankind to hear the good news of Jesus Christ. In fact, Jesus is the Word from above. His Word is a lamp to our feet and a light to our paths (Psalm 119). We can never read His Word enough or ever be done studying His Word. His Word strengthens us, forgives us, and promises us that we have a great future with Jesus after we die. CONFIRMATION CLASS IS NOT ALL WORK There is also time for fellowship and getting to know each other as we study! Members of the Grade 7 and 8 Confirmation Class took time at the end of their lesson on September 18 to join Gary Seider for a birthday celebration. From left: Madison Smith (7), Caden Bird (8), Kelsey Jaeger (8), Kody Walters (7), Kallie Tunink (8), Pastor John Butcher and Audrey Seider (8). Katelyn Rakers (8) is also a member of the class but is not pictured. Several parents were also in attendance. Ann Seider furnished the cake. Are you smarter than a Catechumen? Take this quiz on the Facts of the Bible to see: 1. Which of the following books of the Bible are NOT divided into chapters? Obadiah, Philemon, 2 John, 3 John, Jude? 2. What is the longest chapter of the Bible? 3. What is the middle chapter of the Bible? 4. What is the longest book of the Bible? What is the shortest book of the Bible? 5. True or False? The Apostle Paul wrote at least 13 books of the Bible. See you again next month for another update on how our catechumens continue to "learn the faith live the faith." And be ready for another quiz! The cake is the evidence showing why this birthday was extra special! (To God alone be the glory!) 8

9 SERVE WITH YOUR PRAYERS For the sick For those with ongoing health issues Men and women serving in the armed services and emergency personel Victims of natural disasters and political unrest around the world SICK: Mary Darby Sister of Jane St. John. Michelle Smith daughter of Jane St. John Betsey Dailing treatment for leukemia; mother of Drew Bartels Dwayne Bell husband of Curt Nadler s cousin; injured by falling tree Dorothy Gerdiman brain tumor Aunt of Curt Nadler Klyde Adams neuroblastoma; undergoing Chemo infant Jeanette Stelzer recovering in nursing home; mother of Russell Stelzer and Palmyra Dubbert. Nancy Dueringer mother of Dayna Graham Randy Paul suffered a stroke. Son of Ruby Riedel s cousin. Joanne Bettenhausen recovering from a fall at home. Josh Rausch diagnosed with thyroid cancer; having surgery; son of Mark and Wanda Rausch Norma Keil recovering from knee replacement surgery ONGOING HEALTH CONCERNS: Family and friends of members - Carol Hoffman, Ralph Ostmann, Mark Ramsey son of Ed Ramsey Karsen and Kaylyn Trentham son and daughter of Eric and Kim Trentham both have Friedreich s Ataxia. ARMED FORCES OF OUR COUNTRY: Chris Macklin nephew of Ernestine Ramsey Ray Finlay husband of Suzanne (Hedberg) Finlay, Diton J. Parker son of David and Emma Parker; grandson of Margaret Parker Joe Martin nephew of Palmyra Dubbert and Russell Stelzer Dylan Kempker son of LeeAnn Mahieu Gregg Allmon grandson of Edgar and Mary Orth Caleb Bohlmeyer, Marcus and Mathew Younger, Jeremy Mitchell, Justin Thurston, Ethan Lee son of Steve and Nancy Lee; grandson of Dick and Norma Keil. Matthew Bolin grandson of Ed and Jean Morse Ryan Ball grandson of Betty Ball. Andrew Butler in Afghanistan husband of Margaret Parker s granddaughter, Sarah. Thomas Teem husband of Margaret Parker s granddaughter, Kaylyn. We are thankful with Chris Greve and his family that he has returned to the U.S. after a tour of duty in Afghanistan. He is the great nephew of Ed Ramsey, Thanksgiving for our many daily blessings 9

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11 MINISTERIAL ALLIANCE TRIVIA NIGHT NOVEMBER 9TH Good Shepherd is sponsoring a Trivia Night in our fellowship hall to raise money for the benevolence fund of the Alliance. The money in the fund is used to help individuals during the year that need financial assistance. Centralia churches are being asked to support the effort by promoting it in their churches and getting members to attend and participate and others by volunteering to help out during the evening. Good Shepherd Lutheran Church is donating the cash prizes for the winning teams. If you would like to help out, contact one of the members of the committee listed below. The list below details the help we will need and the flyer that is being distributed is included elsewhere in this newsletter. Refreshments each church is to bring 3-6 snacks so we can provide free refreshments to those attending. Registration Table 4-6 people to arrive early and register the players. Display Table we plan to offer 8 nice gift baskets with quality items. Trivia night attendees may give a donation, receive tickets for their donation and place those tickets in a drawing for one of the baskets. We will need some people at this table to take donations, issue tickets and answer questions. Rovers will need teens or speedy adults to hand out trivia supplies and collect answer sheets. Scorers will need volunteers willing to grade the answer sheets and enter data into the spreadsheet for viewing. THIS IS TO BE A FUN for ALL EVENT WITH FUNDS RAISED FOR A GREAT CAUSE IN OUR COMMUNITY Ann Seider, Dana Rakers, Dennis Haubein, Alane Gronefeld and Gary Seider The Centralia Ministerial Alliance Benevolence Fund is used to provide assistance to individuals in the Centralia Community and School District. The churches who make up the Ministerial Alliance administer the funds according to guidelines that have been established by the Alliance. The main use is for emergency help paying utility bills, food, or transportation to doctors appointments. The money in the fund comes from offerings at community services, such as World Day of Prayer or Community Thanksgiving Service, as well as private donations from individuals or congregations in the area. The Ministerial Alliance has a cell phone number that people can call to ask for help. The phone is handled on a rotating basis (two months at a time) by six participating churches. Good Shepherd will have the phone through October and November. During that time Pastor John Butcher and Judy Maseman will be taking the calls. The phone number to call for assistance is

12 Caring and Serving Ministry Let each of you look not only to his own interests, but also to the interests of others. Philippians 2:4 GOOD SHEPHERD CARE MINISTRY Each one should use whatever gift he has received to serve others, faithfully administering God's grace in its various forms. (1 Peter 4:10) Please notify the Care Ministry if you need any of these services: Meals for families of those hospitalized or otherwise incapacitated. Delivery or pick up of medicine, or groceries for ill or shut-in Delivery of meals Transportation to physician appointments Light housekeeping Hospital or shut-in visits Other as needed Care Committee: Kathy Dickey (573) Karen Butcher (573) Alane Gronefeld (573) Serving the Lord Ushers 10/6 Matt Hoek Dan Hoek 10/13 Steve Maseman Russell Stelzer 10/20 Gary Seider Ed Bartels 10/27 Matt Hoek Dan Hoek Readers 10/6 Bill Mahieu 10/13 Judy Maseman 10/20 Audrey Seider 10/27 Katelyn Rakers Nursery 10/6 Leslie Fadler Lisa Smith 10/13 Alane Gronefeld 10/20 Starr Nadler Lori Gesling 10/27 Amanda Tunink Altar Guild Kitchen Karen Butcher Kathy Dickey Norma Keil Dayna Graham Peace in the Congregation A Look at Conflict Prevention and Resolution District President Mirly and Gene Wyssmann invite pastors, presidents, church council members and lay leaders to discuss creating peace in the congregation by looking at the causes, prevention and resolution of conflict. Place: Trinity, Columbia Date: Wed., Oct. 9 Time: 7-9 p.m. The event is free to attend, but reservations are needed. RSVP to Sue.Thompson@mo.lcms.org ( ) if you wish to attend. Or you can call our church office ( ) and we will send in the reservations. Acolytes 10/6 Caden Bird Kelsey Jaeger 10/13 Audrey Seider Ella Smith 10/20 Abby Hoek Katelyn Rakers 10/27 Madison Smith Christina Gronefeld 12

13 ON A NIGHT IN BETHLEHEM Walk through Nativity Christmas is just a couple months away and it s time to get ready for the Centralia Community On a Night in Bethlehem walk through Nativity. Representatives from the participating church met recently and have shared the following information. The date is Saturday, December 14 5:00-8:00 p.m. We will not be holding auditions as in years past for roles. The roles are: About the speaker: Cynthia Mehdi Khan was born and raised in Pakistan. She has lived in four countries and has personally dealt with Muslims and people with other Eastern Religious backgrounds in a variety of settings and cultures. She now resides in Troy, Michigan. Her personal real-world experience makes her workshops very interesting. Her unique real life stories have had a significant impact on many attendees. One of her recent speaking engagements was the National Youth Gathering in San Antonio, Texas in July WOMEN S GUILD Good Shepherd Women s Guild will meet at 7:00 p.m. on Thursday, October shepherds-speaking, 1 shepherd-singing, 7 shepherds-non-speaking 1 Gabriel-speaking, 1 Gabriel-speaking & singing 1 Mary-singing, 2 Mary-speaking 1 Joseph-speaking, 1 Joseph-non-speaking 4 Lead Lambs-speaking & singing Choir of Lambs-singing (children ranging from K-6th) 1 Inn Keeper-speaking 3 Inn Keeper children-non-speaking 3 Townspeople-speaking (very small speaking role just saying the word No! Anyone wishing to participate in a non-speaking, speaking or solo roles can contact the committee chairperson Lori Benson; or Good Shepherd s representative Sheryl Bartels - as listed below: Lori Benson - onanightinbethlehem@gmail.com or Sheryl Bartels - edbartels@centurytel.net or We usually begin with a devotion and Bible Study, followed by a short business meeting. Then we adjourn for a time of refreshments and fellowship. We invite all women to join us on the second Thursday of each month. We have ordered Christmas Card samples and they should be here by mid-october. Watch for those on the narthex table by the window. 13

14 OCTOBER 2013 SUNDAY MONDAY TUESDAY WEDNESDAY THURSDAY FRIDAY SATURDAY :00pm Heritage Hall Worship 6 8:45 am SSchool/Bible Class 10:00 am Worship 7 6:00 pm Worship 8 9:00 am Bible Study 7:00 pm Council meeting 9 7 pm Peace in Congregations meeting at Trinity, Columbia 7:30 p.m. Confirmation Class grade 7 & :00 pm Women s Guild 11 6 pm Senior youth meet at Hoek s 12 LWML Rally Lone Elm 13 8:45 am SSchool/Bible Class 10:00 am Worship Hayride/weiner roast Gronefeld Farm :00 pm Worship :00 am Bible Study 7:00 pm Worship Committee :30 p.m. Confirmation Class grade 7 & :45 am SSchool/Bible Class 10:00 am Worship 6:00 pm Worship 9:00 am Bible Study 7:30 p.m. Confirmation Class grade 7 & :45 am SSchool/Bible Class 10:00 am Worship After worship congregation meeting 28 6:00 pm Worship :30 p.m. Confirmation Class grade 7 & 8 31 Birthdays: 10/5 Clint Gesling 10/5 Dana Rakers 10/7 Jerry Kilthau 10/24 Karen Butcher 10/24 Andrew Graham 10/24 Nancy Lee 10/26 Jon Hoek 10/31 Vickie Chism 11/1 Greg Hedberg 11/3 Bert Power Anniversaries: 10/18 Neal and Becky Jennings 10/18 Russell and Jacki Stelzer 10/26 Ed and Joanne Bettenhausen (57) 10/27 Armand and Barbara Fischer (50) 14

15 TREE OF LIFE VERSES OCTOBER 2013 Oct 6 1 Peter 1:24-25 Sola Scriptura (Scripture Alone) All flesh is like grass and all its glory like the flower of grass. The grass withers, and the flower falls, but the word of the Lord remains forever. Oct 13 Romans 11:6 Sola Gratia (Grace Alone) But if it is by grace, it is no longer on the basis of works; otherwise grace would no longer be grace. Oct 20 Ephesians 1:13 Sola Fide (Faith Alone) In him you also, when you heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation, and believed in him, were sealed with the promised Holy Spirit. Oct 27 John 14:6 Solus Christus (Christ Alone) I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me. The first leaf on our Tree Of Life was placed there January 20, It was the middle of winter. Pastor Butcher said we would add one leaf each Sunday unil we had forty leaves on the tree. The tree looked rather bare; and forty weeks stretching out ahead of you can seem like a long time to look at an empty tree. All through the cold, snowy winter, into the rainy spring; and finally the hot, dry days of summer, each Sunday we added one more leaf to our tree. Each Sunday a Sunday School student reads the selected verse for that week and then places it on the tree. Now, as we are entering into fall, we are nearing completion of our tree. The leaves are changing color. We are on schedule to put the last leaf on the tree on October 27, which will be observed as Reformation Sunday. The tree branches are no longer empty and bare. Its branches are filled with leaves of different colors. But these are more than just imitation leaves. Each leaf contains God s Word; words of promise, comfort, encouragement; and above all, the reassurance of His constant love and forgiveness for His people. We have printed the verses on small bookmark size notecards. There are ten verses on each card. The first thirty are in the green envelopes on the narthex table. If you haven t already picked up one of those, you are encouraged to do so. If you already have one of the envelopes, but are missing the second or third card, those are also available. The final card with the last ten verses will be added when the tree is completed at the end of October. 15

16 Church Hayride, Bonfire, and Weenie Roast Sunday, October 13 th, pm at Darrell and Alane Gronefeld s Barn West on Hwy 22, North on Hwy 151, 4 th gravel road on the right, barn is on the left watch for signs Hot Dogs, Drinks, and S mores will be provided. Bring your favorite Chili and label it as mild, medium or hot for a Chili Cookoff. Please bring family and friends, a side dish or dessert, lawn chairs, and hotdog skewers (if available). Games and food will be followed by the hayride. Music for entertainment and dancing provided by John Briggs. For any questions, please contact: Russell Stelzer , Janet Power , or Vickie Chism

17 SHORT REVIEW OF THE HISTORY OF GOOD SHEPHERD LUTHERAN CHURCH FIFTY FIVE YEARS OF BLESSINGS Our story begins in the mid-50s. There were several Lutheran families in Centralia and the surrounding countryside, but no Lutheran Church here. Lutherans were going to church in Columbia, Moberly and Mexico, and a few were worshiping in Centralia in churches of other denominations. The initial meeting of what was later to be called Good Shepherd Lutheran Church was held on September 29, 1958, in the shoe department of Alwin s Department Store on Allen Street in Centralia, Mo. Rev. Walter Warmann, Pastor of St. John s Lutheran Church in Mexico, agreed to help this group get organized and serve as it s pastor, with the consent of St. John s in Mexico. Mr. Lloyd Alwin was appointed to find a place where services might be held on a temporary basis. Sixty people attended the first worship service, which was held at the American Legion Hall in Centralia, on Sunday evening, October 26, On April 26, 1959, the members purchased an old house on property located at the corner of Jefferson and Head Street in Centralia (present location of Centralia Public Library). Members spent many hours remodeling the interior of the house to make it suitable for a house of worship. The remodeling job was completed and dedication of the new church was held on December 10, The five-acre tract of ground where Good Shepherd is now located was purchased in 1965 and building plans began shortly thereafter. It was a joyous and thankful group that filed out of the Church on Jefferson and Head and reassembled on our property on JJ and Allen St. for the groundbreaking of our church on July 10, 1966! The church was dedicated February 19, The facility included the sanctuary, office and kitchen space, as well as a small fellowship area with dividers to accommodate several Sunday School classes. A larger fellowship area with additional Sunday School space was added in At this time the kitchen was also enlarged. Ground was broken on April 30, 2006, for the construction of the present Fellowship Hall. Good Shepherd Fellowship Hall was completed in time to be dedicated on October 26, 2008, at the 50th anniversary celebration of the founding of the church. The Fellowship Hall contains a large multipurpose room, kitchen and restrooms. There are also three classrooms in the upstairs area above the restrooms and kitchen. A new printing of Good Shepherd Lutheran Church history is in progress and will be completed by the end of October. It contains additional pictures and a much more detailed history of the church. 17

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19 Are You Smarter Than a Catechumen? Answers to the quiz 1. All these books are divided into chapters: Obadiah, Philemon, 2 John, 3 John, Jude 2. The longest chapter of the Bible is Psalm 119 with 176 verses. 3. The shortest chapter is Psalm 117 with 2 verse; the middle chapter of the Bible is also Psalm The longest book of the Bible is Psalms with 150 chapters. It contains 43,743 words. The shortest book is 3 John with only 1 chapter and 299 words. 5. True. Paul wrote at least 13 letters. Can you find all these words in the puzzle at left? You can go up, down, left, right and diagonal Ape Bear Dog Donkey Dove Elephant Horse Hyena Lion Monkey Mule Owl Oxen Raven Wolf 19

20 Good Shepherd Lutheran Church 120 W. Gano Chance Road Centralia, MO CHECK OUR WEBSITE You can find it on the website! Member Directory (Resources) Preview of upcoming Sunday message Calendar for church events Information about Men s Club or LWML Archives of Shepherd s Voice newsletters Current events Constitution and Official church business Donations to Good Shepherd through PayPal or your credit card Church Office (573) W. Gano Chance Road, Centralia, Missouri goodshepherdcentralia@centurytel.net John 14:6 Solus Christus (Christ Alone) I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me. Staff Pastor John (573) pastorbutcher@centurytel.net Judy Maseman (573) jmaseman@socket.net Elders Russell Stelzer (573) Dennis Haubein (573) Jon Rakers (573)