THE MESSENGER NEWSLETTER FEBRUARY, 2019

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1 MESSENGER NEWSLETTER ST. JOHN S LUTHERAN CHURCH The small church with a BIG heart: Ordinary people With an extra ordinary message! Pastor Gerald Scheperle (573) (church) (573) (home) st.jschubert@hotmail.com Web Site: Schubert Babbtown (Near Meta) 4409 St. John s Road 7075 Highway P Jefferson City, MO Westphalia, MO Volume 51, Issue 2 FEBRUARY, 2019 INSIDE THIS ISSUE Schubert and Babbtown News Usher & Communion Schedule Acolyte Schedule Calendar for February 2019 WORSHIP SCHEDULE BABBTOWN 8:00 A.M. Worship (Holy Communion 2 nd & 4 th Sunday) 9:10 A.M. Sunday school & Bible Study SCHUBERT 9:00 A.M. Sunday school 9:30 Adult Bible Study 10:00 A.M. Worship with (Holy Communion) FEBRUARY AT A GLANCE Feb 2 Feb 3 Feb 5 Feb 6 Feb 7 Feb10 Feb11 Feb13 Feb14 Feb17 Feb20 Feb23 Feb24 Feb25 Feb27 Installation at Faith 1 pm MAAG, Family of Christ 3 pm Pastors Conference, Men s Bible Study/Supper 6 pm Chapel Honey Creek, WkDay/Conf 6-7:30 pm, Elders 7:30 pm Ladies Aid (Schubert) 6:30 pm Choir 11:15-12:15, Basement Reserved, Installation-Moberly Ladies Bible Study 1 pm WkDay/Conf 6-7:30 pm Valentine s Day Anniversary Kickoff Calvary Chapel, WkDay/Conf 6-7:30 pm Wedding Rescheduled Tea Babbtown Bible Study 7 pm Calvary Witness Worship WkDay/Conf 6-7:30 pm, Dear Friends and Members of St. John s Congregations, Brothers and Sisters in Christ Fellow Redeemed, I recently read a news article concerning a tourist family, whose behavior was so rude and unruly that they have been ordered out of the country and sent home. The alleged offenses included: littering, throwing food on the floor in a restaurant, and theft. This incident occurred in New Zealand, a country that is experiencing a tourism boom. Evidently, this family was so bad that it has effected the entire country and made them rethink if they really want visitors in their beautiful country! This story made me think. It made me think that we, as Christians are like visitors in a foreign land. God has called us out of darkness into his light and has formed us into His holy nation. This separates us from the world and makes us visitors aliens sojourners or pilgrims among the nations of the world. What do they see in us, our lives and our actions? God forbid that we should appear as rude and offensive as the tourist in New Zealand. Instead we are instructed in I Peter 2:11 & 12: Dear friends, I urge you, as foreigners and exiles, to abstain from sinful desires, which wage war against your soul. Live such good lives among the pagans (unbelievers) that, though they accuse you of doing wrong, they may see your good deeds and glorify God on the day he visits us. Can the unbelievers see your good works? Do they experience your Christian hospitality? Are they moved by your acts of love so that even though they may hate you they will still give glory to God because of you? It s something to think about especially as we face the temptation of a sin darkened world. May God give us all His strength and mercy to live up to the new life we have been given in Christ! In Christ s Love Pastor

2 SPEAKING FOR LIFE SCHOOL/CHRISTIAN EDUCATION And what about those mothers who acted on their fears and aborted their child? We need to be there for them as well, assuring them of a loving, merciful, forgiving God reminding them that there is no sin that Jesus did not pay for on the cross! Duane Matz, former lay pastor with the Association of Free Lutheran Congregations (AFLC) and Christian radio announcer. (For those who have made an abortion decision, there is a Word of Hope, Lutherans For Life s post-abortion healing ministry. Call or info@word-of-hope.org.) A Life Quote from Lutherans For Life LADIES AID HIGHLIGHTS There was no regular Ladies Aid in January. The next regular meeting of the Ladies Aid will be February 3, 6:30 p.m., weather permitting. Congratulations to Jeannette Essen who is our new President. Hostess is Linda. The SOLA Kit goes to Jeannette in February. Celebrating Love Soon, many of us will celebrate St. Valentine s Day with cards, chocolate, candy, and gifts all in the name of our holiday of love. When you consider that the holiday originated as a feast to celebrate the death of a 3rd-century Christian martyr, it s amazing and wonderful that the theme of love emerged over the centuries and has prevailed to this day. Paul was trying to show us the importance of love when he wrote that even if he spoke the language of angels, could understand all of life s mysteries, had faith enough to move mountains, and was generous enough to give all his possessions to the poor, if he didn t have love, he was nothing. (I Corinthians 13:1-3) The notes in my Bible read, The Greek for this word (love) indicates a selfless concern for the welfare of others that is not called forth by any quality of lovableness in the person loved, but is the product of a will to love in obedience to God s command. God s love for us God s bottomless, indescribable, unfathomable, unconditional love for us is the sole reason we can be reconciled with Him. Because God is love, because God loves us, and because God has commanded us to love one another, we have had endless opportunities to receive and give love. So let s practice love and pray for a will to love as God commands. Let s open our minds and our hearts to love. It is certainly something to celebrate! This is the love that we teach and study as we come together in Sunday school and Bible class. Be sure to take advantage of this opportunity to grow in Christ together. God s Blessings! Kevin Lohraff

3 Help wanted if you would be interested in helping organize, plan and host an Easter egg hunt please contact Pastor. Choir will begin the spring session February 10th after church, 11:15-12:15. Other dates are: March 3rd after worship 11:15-12:15. March 6th choir sings for Ash Wednesday services March 10th choir sings for first Sunday in Lent. Practice after worship. March 24th after worship 11:15-12:15. March 31st after worship 11:15-12:15. April 7th after worship 11:15-12:15. April 10th if needed April 14th choir sings for Palm Sunday April 17th if needed April 18th choir sings for Maundy Thursday April 19th choir sings for Good Friday April 21 choir sings for Easter New Date and Time for the Ladies Tea: Due to the weather forecast we cancelled the January 19th Epiphany Tea. The food needed to be purchased on Friday morning and the forecast was still rather grim at that time. The church and personal calendars have filled up so the best alternate date we could come up with is Sunday, February 24th right after church. The time is probably around 11:30 for those who have friends or family who do not attend worship here and plan to come. Pastor has offered to have food for husbands and children in the parish house for any who need to stay. The youth group will still be helping with serving and cleanup and our free will offering will go to them for the youth gathering this summer. This is your chance, if you weren t able to make it in January, to come now! Please sign your name below and place it in the offering basket, or in Paula s box if you would like to come. We will have some entertainment, sandwiches, cupcakes, devotion and fellowship and of course tea and coffee. We are looking forward to seeing you there as we begin 2019, in fellowship and Love, thanking God for His many blessings, which have been preached here at St. John s for 175 years! I plan to attend the tea (name) I m bringing a guest: (how many)

4 2019 Missouri Essay Contest Sponsored by the Council of Federation Presidents, Lutherans For Life For students in Grades 6 through 12 Any Lutheran student or student in a Lutheran school is eligible Contest Guidelines 1. Students will write a life-affirming essay based on the 2019 Conference theme: Did God Really Say...? and Conference bible verse: Lord to whom shall we go? You have the words of eternal life. (John 6:68). Not incorporating the conference verse in the essay will disqualify the entry. 2. Examples of topics the essay could deal with are, but not limited to: abortion, the handicapped, adoption or foster care, infanticide, cloning, stem cell research, physician assisted suicide or euthanasia. 3. Essays should include student s name, grade (Identify school or church) and address. All entries submitted by a teacher or pastor, should include their name and address. This information should be submitted on the rubric page used in grading the essay. 4. All sources for references, statistics and quotes should be incorporated within the essay and then included in a bibliography at the end. Grades 6-8 should submit essays up to 400 words Grades 9-12 should submit essays up to 750 words Entries should be submitted digitally using Microsoft Word via to lflofmo@gmail.com by March 15, There will be a state award for each of the two categories for the state of Missouri Essay Contest. The two winners will advance to the national contest. 6. Grand Prize for the national winning entry at each level: $250 plus free conference registration to a 2019 Regional Conference and one night stay at the conference hotel. 7. All entries become the property of Lutherans For Life. 8. For questions or resources on the sanctity of life, see: lutheransforlife.org

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7 MONTHLY BIBLE CLASS Bible class will meet at 7 pm on February 25th. We urge more to attend. LADIES AID The Ladies Aid will meet for their Quarterly Business meeting following Bible Class. Dianna will be hostess. CHILI SUPPER Our annual Chili and Chicken Noodle Soup Supper is scheduled for March 3rd. The usual menu will be served. Be prepared to help and cook soups as used. Pastor will be printing and distributing some more information as we go into February. CALENDER OF EVENTS FOR FEBRUARY, 2019 February 25th, Ladies Aid and Bible Class, 7 pm. CLEANING FOR PARISH HOUSE FEBRUARY, 2019 Art and Donna Mueller BAPTISM BIRTHDAY FEBRUARY, 2019 Feb 4, Jeremiah Schubert I Feb 12, Donna Mueller Feb 27, Bailey Buschjost

8 Usher Schedule Feb 3 Kurt Boeckmann Andy Beach Silas Luetkemeyer Gary Lofton Feb10 Kurt Boeckmann George Kuhlman Eric Lofton Dale Schmutzler Feb17 Kurt Boeckmann Mike Forbis Dave Mueller Dale Ludwig Feb24 Kurt Boeckmann Kevin Lohraff Berry Wiggins Sherri Russell Communion Assistant Feb 3 Russ Titus Allan Forbis Feb10 Gary Stroup Gene Walkenhorst Feb17 Mark Russell Jim Forbis Feb24 Gary Stroup Allan Forbis FEBRUARY, 2019 CLEANING CHURCH Lofton Family Kevin Lohraff ALTAR GUILD Linda Brenner Ronda Williams Acolyte & Offering Feb 3 Emma Fichter Isabella Larkins Feb10 Josh Kollmeyer Mason Mistler Feb17 Marshall Gibson Brantly Carver Feb24 Cale Willson Claire Prohaska GREETERS LIST Feb 1 Carol Pleus Feb 3 Sarah Spurgeon Feb 6 David Mueller Feb15 Emmitt Carver Feb18 Kathryn Grothoff Feb20 Martha Kleindienst Feb21 Isabelle Marble Feb23 Jim Kemmer Feb28 David Bartel Rebecca Welschmeyer MARCH, 2019 Newsletter Items are Due FEBRUARY 17, 2019 Newsletter items may be placed in either Pastor s or Jan s mailbox. OR they may be ed to Pastor Scheperle st.jschubert@hotmail.com Any announcement: weddings, birthdays, anniversaries, personal notes, pictures or church related business are welcome. FEBRUARY 3 Allan Forbis Linda Brenner FEBRUARY 10 Bob Nienhueser Dorece Colter FEBRUARY 17 Mary Vida Lynn Lofton FEBRUARY 24 Linda Brenner Mary Vida