April 2017 newsletter

Transcription

1 1 ZION LUTHERAN CHURCH st Street SE Gwinner, ND Divine Service 10:00 am Every Sunday April 2017 newsletter The theme of death and life stands before us this April. We travel to Mt. Calvary to behold the death of the Son of God and then on Easter Sunday, we hear of the resurrection of Jesus - life. This theme of death and life is not just found in the events of Lent and Easter, though, but they are also found in our daily lives. In our Small Catechism, we read that our baptisms indicate that daily our Old Adam in us should be drowned and die by contrition and repentance and that a new man should emerge and rise and live before God! Yes, this theme of death and life - killing and making alive - happen to us each and every single day, as we confess our sins and are returned to the reality that we are baptized into the Lord for the forgiveness of sins and life everlasting. So, dear Baptized Saints, as we journey through the Season of Lent to Holy Week and then to Easter Sunday, we not only recall the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus, but we also remember our daily death and our daily resurrection. That is to say; we remember that daily we are dying to our sins in repentance and then daily being raised up anew by God's Grace in faith. Yes, we daily confess our sins and daily remember our baptisms, knowing that we were buried with Christ and raised in Christ so that we might walk in newness of life in our vocations! May the Lord bless us all this month of April as we journey through Holy Week (death) and then to Easter (life). May the Lord bless us as we daily die and daily rise in Christ Jesus. In This Issue Pastor s Note Love vs. Tolerance Holy Week/Easter Confirmation Sunday Mission of the Month April Birthdays HT Retreat Food Pantry Kids Club Service Lists Calendar In Christ, Pastor Matt Richard

2 2 There is great confusion about what love is in our culture. Indeed, very few people seem to understand what love really is. Maybe the problem is that we have confused love for the idea of tolerance. Consider the word tolerance for a moment. The word tolerance in our contemporary culture has evolved to mean that a person should not only put up with another person s point of view but must also celebrate, enable, and promote that person s point of view, regardless if one agrees with it or not. Any opposition to this modern view of tolerance is immediately seen as hateful and not loving. Therefore it is easy to see how the current view of tolerance can be mistaken for the idea of love. So if love is not tolerance and tolerance is not love, what exactly is love, at least according to Christianity? Well, love does not act the way that we might think it does not typically operate the way that it is portrayed in Nicholas Sparks movies or sung about in Beyoncé and Katy Perry s music. Love is not defined by those signs at love not hate protests. For example, love never gives up, it cares more for others than self, it does its works secretly, it is not boastful, and it does not seek to gain but seeks to give. Love does not insist on its own way and it does not make a lot of noise rejoicing in the evil of others. Love rejoices and works for the truth it pleads with people who are in error, it risks the possible offense to restore a neighbor in the freedom of truth. Clearly love is not the same as tolerance and tolerance is not the same as love. But what of Jesus? Do we see love or tolerance at work with Jesus? In Jesus we do not see tolerance, but we see love. If Jesus would have gone the way of tolerance, He would not have gone to the cross but would have left us in our sins. And if we were left in our sins, we would be left with damnation. So much for the way of tolerance! But because of His great love for us and His rich mercy, Jesus could not tolerate our sin. Indeed, the Son of God could not tolerate our sin, so He was compelled to the cross in love to do something about it. You see, Jesus is God s anointed. He is the keeper of the sheep. And as the great Shepherd who keeps His sheep, He lays down His life in love for the sheep. He cannot and will not tolerate straying sheep or threatening wolves. Truly, Jesus is the display of the Father s love the one who suffers long and is kind, not puffed up, the one who never fails. Jesus is the one who is driven by mercy and compassion to deliver you and me. He is gracious when we are in distress; His face shines upon us in our grief over sin. And by His steadfast-unending-consistent-persistenteverlasting-love He saves us. He does this not out of tolerance oh no! But rather, He does this because of His love love for you.

3 3 Resurrection Sunday 8:30 am Easter Breakfast 10:00 am Divine Service with Holy Communion Confirmation Sunday May 7, 2017 At 8:45am there will be a video presentation from the confirmation students, followed by the Divine Service at 10:00 AM. The Confirmands are: KyAnna Halmrast, Christina Mathias, Brady McKenna, Carissa Stroh, Schuyler Utecht, and Bladen Wangler

4 4 Mission of the Month Issues, Etc. is The Radio Voice of the Lutheran Faith for the 21st Century. The program features expert guest interviews on Scripture, church history, Reformation theology, timely social issues and more. It s hosted by Lutheran Church- Missouri Synod Pastor Todd Wilken. Issues, Etc. airs ten hours weekdays on several terrestrial and internet radio stations, TuneIn, Stitcher, and on the Lutheran Public Radio mobile app. The program also airs weekly on Sirius-XM Family Talk 131. Issues, Etc. had more than 4.1 million downloads in 2016 with listeners in more than 100 countries. Issues, Etc. has more than 12,600 Facebook fan page followers, 4,600 Twitter followers and 10,000 subscribers to the Issues, Etc. Journal. Issues, Etc. has been on the air for 24 years and is produced by Lutheran Public Radio, Inc. in Collinsville, IL. For more information, and to listen, please visit the website Through your support of the Mission of the Month, we can partner with Issues, Etc. as they broadcast a Christ- Centered, Cross-Focused message around the world! 10 Rodney Asche Sheyenne Grenier 11 Kevin Dietz Vivian Halvorson Jody Schreiner 13 Connor Olson 14 Sandi Bergemann 15 Shelli Colemer Brandon Enderson 16 Cindy Dietz 17 Slatin Essig 21 Marsha Mathias 25 Dale Asche Laurie Timmerman 26 Autumn Gaden 27 Jamie Drevlow Pastor s Office & Study Hours Monday Pastor s Day Off Tuesday 10:00 am to 5:00 pm Wednesday 11:00 am to 3:00 pm Thursday, Friday noon to 5:00 pm Parish Assistant Office Hours Monday-Friday 9:30 am to 12:30 pm Wednesday 9:30 am to 5:00 pm secretary@ziongwinner.org

5 5 April 28-29, 2017 Friday 6pm- Saturday 3pm Immanuel Lutheran Church Wahpeton, ND $50 per person Wednesdays 3:30-4:15 pm Games! Snacks! Catechism! Kid's Club is for K-5 th grade children here at Zion! Grand Opening Tuesday, April 4 1-4pm

6 6 COMING SOON: We live in a time of many counterfeit christs. Going the way of idolatry, our culture and many churches have created a plethora of false christs to suit their own fancy. In this book, Pastor Richard exposes 12 false christs prevalent within the spiritual landscape of North America. After identifying these counterfeit christs, Pastor Richard not only leads us to the real Jesus of the Scriptures but also offers ways for how to respond to those who subscribe to The Mascot, The Option Among Many, The Good Teacher, The Giver of Bling, The Social Justice Warrior, and so many other false christs. Look to Zion's Bulletins in the upcoming weeks for ways to pre-order the book. Tentatively the book is set to be released on June 6th of 2017.

7 7 April Ushers 2 nd Wayne & Genise Arnst 9 th Sy & Jen Hansana 13 th Greg & Janet Nelson 16 th Crystal Fletcher family 23 rd Derek & Jenny Wangler 30 th Corey & Patty Essig Note: If you are unable to usher or acolyte on your scheduled date, we ask that you please contact another member to switch with. CHIP Families (Christians Held in Prayer) April 2 Delores Johnson th Ave SE Gwinner, ND April 16 Dennis & Cindy Linderkamp th St SE Cogswell, ND April Acolytes 2 nd Anna Dudas 9 th Evan Asche 13 th Carissa Stroh 14 th Bladen Wangler 16 th KyAnna Halmrast 23 rd Jewell Fletcher 30 th Brady McKenna April 9 Kendall & Diane Johnson PO Box 85 Gwinner, ND April 23 Brian & Angela Lukes Tallie 127 Maplewood Dr Gwinner, ND April 30 Chris & Marsha Mathias Grace, Christina, Marcus rd St SE Stirum, ND Counters 2 nd Jay Enderson & Gary Drevlow 5 th Michelle Brockman & Bob Orn 9 th Rodney & Sandy Asche 13 th Brian McKenna & Marsha Mathias 16 th Gary Drevlow & Michelle Brockman 23 rd Bob Orn & Brian McKenna 30 th Rodney & Sandy Asche 2 nd to 8 th Cleaners List 16 th to 22 nd Darlene Buchholz Jim & Marge Asche Kaaren Euscher Corey & Lauri Timmerman 9 th to 15 th Grover & Jan Riebe Ron & Chelie Greenmyer Scott & Christine Bopp Corey & Patty Essig Carmen Cavett 23 rd to 29 th *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* Duane & Shelly Bergemann Rick & Dawn Gaden Sy & Jennifer Hansana Andrew & Katelyn Greenmyer Chris & Marsha Mathias Jesse & Michele Utecht Rodney & Sandy Mathias Steve & Celeste Metzen Bob Orn 30 th to 6 th Steve & Agnes Dudas Jozsef & Judit Olah Naomi Vincent Heather Swanson Tina Vincent

8 8 April 2017 SUNDAY MONDAY TUESDAY WEDNESDAY THURSDAY FRIDAY SATURDAY am Sunday School 10 am Divine Service *Communion Pastor s Day Off Lidgerwood Food Pantry Grand Opening 9 am Pastor s Study 3:30 pm Kids Club 4 pm Confirmation 5:30 pm Lenten Meal 6:30 pm Vespers Palm Sunday 9 am Sunday School 10 am Divine Service Pastor s Day Off 10 am Staff Mtg 9 am Pastor s Study 2pm LWML 3:30 pm Kids Club 4 pm Passion of the Christ Movie 6:30 pm Maundy Thursday Divine Service with Holy Communion 6:30 pm Good Friday Tenebrae Vespers Service :30 am Easter Breakfast 10 am Easter Sunday Divine Service *Communion Pastor s Day Off 10 am Staff Mtg 9 am Pastor s Study 10:30 am 4 Season s Chapel Service 3:30 pm Kids Club 4 pm Confirmation 7:30 pm Quarterly Voters Meeting am Sunday School 10 am Divine Service 30 9 am Sunday School 10 am Divine Service *Communion Pastor s Day Off 10 am Staff Mtg 9 am Pastor s Study 3:30 pm Kids Club 4 pm Confirmation 7:15 LWML Higher Things Retreat

9 9 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 Zion Lutheran Church PO Box 118 Gwinner, ND