S t. John s Lu theran Church J u l y 2018 Ea g l e Newsl e t t e r Romans 13:1 ESV Let every person be subject to the governing authorities. For there is no authority except from God, and those that exist have been instituted by God. St. John s Lutheran Church and School 4939 W. Montrose Ave., Chicago, IL 60641 773-736-1112
2 Principal Green: On June 24 th, 2018 Dan Green was installed as our Principal. We acknowledged him at our Elders BBQ after the Divine Service. Summer Worship Schedule: 8:00AM Fellowship/Coffee Hour 8:15AM Bible Class 9:30AM Divine Service 6:00PM Divine Service
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6 Walther Christian Academy News: Congratulations Walther Christian Academy Class of 2018! Walther Christian Academy is delighted to announce that this year s graduating class received the highest total in scholarships and financial aid awards yet more than $12 million! Many students received awards from multiple colleges and three won full academic scholarships, including one to Northwestern University. The Class of 2018 will be well represented at our regional Lutheran colleges this fall with seven attending Concordia University Chicago, four attending Concordia University Wisconsin, four attending Valparaiso University and one at Wisconsin Lutheran College. While things are a bit quiet at Walther this summer with no new facilities projects planned, the admissions staff is available to assist prospective families who wish to enroll either their middle or high school student. Contact Alma_Calleros@walther.com to schedule a visit and learn more about the benefit of a Walther education. Where Blessings Abound Approaches the Finish Line: St. John member and Walther s Director of Development, Catherine Hegarty, reports that the Where Blessings Abound capital campaign is coming to an end. Less than $40,000 is needed to fully pay off the $1.2 million loan taken out to replace the heating and ventilation system which was installed 2015. Our local congregations, along with numerous individual church members, have blessed Walther with generous financial support throughout this campaign. While replacing the 60 year old heating system was the most urgent project, donors also funded improvements to Walther s athletic fields and helped increase security within the main school building, something that is vitally important in today s world. Donations for student scholarships and need-based financial aid awards were also generously given. Additional donations received before September 1st will help Walther retire their loan and complete their campaign. For more information, visit Walther.com/campaign. Donations can be made online at walther.com/donate or checks can be sent to Walther Christian Academy, 900 Chicago Avenue, Melrose Park, IL 60160. The Dorcas Society: Dorcas enjoyed our year-end social with ice cream, cookies, and fellowship. Pastor Gillespie installed our officers for the 2018/2019 year: President, Debbie Wheeler; Vice-President, Betty Carey; Secretary, Laura Weith; Treasurer, Linda Galek; and Membership/Program, Kathi Deahl Join us in September for Trivia Night. God bless your Summer. A Dorcas meeting in the 6th century - Painting by Edwin Long
7 Ladies Book Club: Eric Larson did not disappoint us with this month s selection, Dead Wake - The Last Crossing of the Lusitania. Once again, we found that his material was well-researched and that the book was well-written and interesting to read. With this book and many of our previous selections, the members of the Ladies Book Club are not only enjoying reading our choices, but we are also learning about many historical events. We will be reading For One More Day by Mitch Albom as our selection for the month of July. This book tells of a mother and son relationship that lasts a lifetime and beyond and explores the question: What would you do if you could spend one more day with a loved one? The son gets the one "ordinary" day so many of us yearn for, a chance to make good with a lost parent, to explain the family secrets, and to seek forgiveness. Somewhere between this life and the next, Charley learns the astonishing things he never knew about his mother and her sacrifices. With her tender guidance, he tries to put the crumbled pieces of his life back together. This is a short novel of about 208 pages. If you have been thinking of coming to one of the Book Club meetings, this might be a good introduction. You can read the book quickly and come to the meeting to discuss it. Our upcoming schedule is: August 2018 - The Glass Castle by Jeanette Walls September 2018 - Defending Jacob by William Landay October 2018 - The Jungle by Upton Sinclair November 2018 - What Alice Forgot by Liane Moriarty New members are always welcome to join us in reading and discussing any or all of the selections. If you would like to have a copy of our schedule including a short synopsis of each book, please contact Karen Buhler. We meet for discussion and refreshments at 7PM on the last Tuesday of each month. Contact Karen Buhler or any Book Club member about the location of our upcoming meetings.
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10 July 2018 Stewardship Newsletter from the LCMS Christian stewardship is the free and joyous activity of the child of God and God s family, the church, in managing all of life and life s resources for God s purposes. http://www.lcms.org/stewardship For freedom Christ has set us free; stand firm therefore, and do not submit again to a yoke of slavery (Gal. 5:1). We celebrate this month because of the freedoms and liberties our country has afforded us. We are right to do this. We should be thankful for these liberties: the freedom to gather together to worship and to live out what we believe in our daily lives. But freedom and liberty in our age has devolved. It has become a freedom from duty instead of a freedom for it. Indeed, freedom and liberty in our age has turned into licentiousness: a license to do what we want, when we want. This license is a submission, again, to a yoke of slavery. For freedom as license to do what we desire when we desire it means we are slaves to our desires, slaves to our passions. Christ died to set us free from our sinful desires. In Holy Baptism, our Old Adam is drowned and put to death along with all sin and evil desires so that a new man may arise and live before God in righteousness and purity. In Christ, we are a new creation. We are set free from the passions of the flesh so that we are free to do our duty and bear fruits of the Spirit. Our duty is what God calls us to do as members of a family, society, and the church. God calls us to believe in His Word and gladly hear and learn it. He calls us to pray for all people. He calls us to live in faith toward Him and in fervent love for our neighbor. He calls us to put the gifts He gives to us in His service. God calls parents to provide for their children and raise them in the fear and admonition of the Lord. And God calls children to honor their parents and provide and care for them when they are no longer able to do so themselves. God calls the government to punish those who do evil and to reward those who do good. He calls citizens to pay their taxes and honor the governing officials as God s servants. He calls pastors to preach and teach the Gospel as well as repentance for the forgiveness of sins. And He calls hearers to support those who teach them with every good thing. Christ died to set us free from the works of our selfish flesh, giving us the freedom and liberty to do our duty. Stand firm, then, and do not submit again to a yoke of slavery.