Tuesday, February 28, 2012

02-26-2012 Announcements

IN OUR DAILY PRAYERS this week we pray for Tom Stolp who is hospitalized, for those under doctor’s care, for those recovering at home, for those in cancer treatment, for our shut-in and inactive members and at least two people in your life who do not know Christ.

THE SAMARITANS will have a meeting today at 1:00 in the Fellowship Hall.

CARE PACKAGES: If anyone would like a care pkg. sent to a family member, friend or loved one, please contact Diane Schnabel or Penny Smidt. The Samaritan Group would like to get them mailed out in the next few weeks.

LADIES AID will meet on March 1st at 7:00 pm. with Barb Salis as hostess. Pastor Borglum will lead the 5th Lesson in our Bible Study, “What An Extraordinary Love” followed by the Business Meeting. All Ladies are invited to attend. Mildred Siekmann is on Altar Guild for March, Julie Huber is Visiting Helper and Coffee Hour committee for March 4th is Clarice Haar, Corrine Handel, Ella and Elsie Hein.

THANK YOU to all who participate in the Thrivent Choice program and have designated our church to be the recipient of your Choice dollars. These Choice dollars are a distribution to us of Thrivent’s profits which we can spend in any manner we choose. For 2011 we received about $9,600; so far in 2012 we have received about $1,500. At our delegate meeting last Wednesday the group began gathering some ideas on where this money should be spent. If you have suggestions on how or what programs we should fund (e.g., church projects, needy families, charitable organizations, etc.), please contact one of our Thrivent delegates: Gary Walz, Orville Huber, Brian Knittel, Paul Wynia or Richard Salis. Thank you again for directing your Choice dollars to St. Paul Lutheran Church; we pray that you will continue to be so thoughtful and generous in the future!


NO CONFIRMATION CLASS this week (February 29th) since half of the class will be out of town.
THANK YOU VERY MUCH, ALETA for all of your work and the hours you spent on preparing our 2011 Annual Report! We sincerely appreciate the excellent job that you did! It is a First Class job – thanks!

THE YOUTH GROUP will be going tubing in Sioux Falls and going to the Pizza Ranch for supper next Sunday, March 4th. Those who are going, please meet at the church at 1:00.

MIDWEEK LENTEN SERVICES – The theme for this year’s Lenten season will be “The Christian and Cross-Bearing” in which we will see what “cross-bearing” means and doesn’t mean, how the crosses we bear in our lives are related to our suffering (if at all), the attitude we should have about the crosses we have to bear, the testing of our faith, etc. Soup and sandwich suppers will start at 5:45 and worship services will begin at 7:00 p.m.
Wed., Feb. 29 “Every Christian Bears a Cross”
Wed., Mar. 7 “The Right Attitude Toward Bearing the Cross”
Wed., Mar. 14 “The Purpose of Bearing the Cross”
Wed., Mar. 21 “The Cross and Sin”
Wed., Mar. 28 “The Strength to Bear the Cross”

WHAT DOES LENT REALLY MEAN? – With the arrival of Ash Wednesday this last week, the season of Lent is upon us. Yes, the ashes are a reminder of our mortality (“to dust you shall return”) and, along with sackcloth, are an ancient biblical symbol of remorse and repentance. The somber tone of Lent is appropriate for a season that asks us to take stock of ourselves and recommit to being the kind of disciples God wants us to be. But Lent (which means “the lengthening of days” or simply “Spring”) is also a time of joy and hope. With repentance comes renewal – a “spiritual Spring” if you will. During Lent, we prepare to walk alongside our Lord as He makes His journey to the Cross. This requires turning 180 degrees from our sinfulness and following in the footsteps of our Servant-King. If we go the distance in our spiritual walk with Jesus, we will be there to see the glory of the open tomb! The promise of resurrection on Easter Sunday! God’s eternal Kingdom fully realized! Our days on earth are indeed finite. But God’s plan for us – His loving embrace of us – is everlasting. All thanks be to God who makes it so!


THE LUTHERAN WITNESS subscription update: If you would like to continue to receive The Lutheran Witness (or to begin receiving it), please sign up on the bulletin board. If we do not see your name on the list, we will assume that you do not wish to receive it. Thank you! (s) Lisa and Aleta

MAIN STREET LIVING – March 4th -- Kid’s Crossing: watch as Simon learns that we gain back as we give to others. The featured speaker is Rev. Jenina Gatnoor, Sudanese Pastor, Zion Lutheran Church in Sioux Falls, SD. The sermon theme is “Promise!” The hymns are “Chief of Sinners”; “Jesus Thy Blood and Righteousness”; and “Let Us Ever Walk With Jesus.” The Main Street Living Choir will provide the hymns. The program is interpreted for the hearing impaired. MSL may be seen each Sunday morning at 10:00 on KDLT-NBC.

THE LUTHERAN HOUR – March 4th – The sermon theme is "Faith Sees Through Suffering" by Lutheran Hour Speaker: Rev. Gregory Seltz.
Jesus suffered on the cross for us. In His strength, we are willing to suffer and bear the cross for others (Mark 8:27-35). The Lutheran Hour is broadcast every Sunday morning at 8:30 on 105.9 FM (KMIT) and at 9:30 on 570 AM (WNAX).

Friday, February 17, 2012

02-19-2012 Announcements

IN OUR DAILY PRAYERS this week we continue to pray for Wyona Hofer still in McKennan Hospital. We also keep in our prayers 2-month-old Landon hospitalized with RSV, 4-year-old Isaac as he and his family prepare for a bone marrow transplant to treat his leukemia, for all others under a doctor’s care, for all who are in cancer treatment, for our shut-in and inactive members and, as always, at least two people in your life who do not know Christ.

THE SAMARITANS will have a meeting February 26th at 1:00 in the Fellowship Hall.

THE YOUTH GROUP will be going tubing in Sioux Falls and going out to eat on Sunday, March 4th. Please let Bob or Karen know if you are planning to attend. We need to know 2 weeks in advance in order to get the group discount.

THE 2011 ANNUAL REPORT will be distributed after today’s worship service. Please be courteous of the next person and take only 1 copy per family so that there will be enough to go around. Additional copies may be obtained later after everyone has had a chance to get a copy. Please review the membership information that pertains to you and let the Church Office know if anything still needs to be updated. Thank you for your cooperation!

LENTEN SEASON SOUP AND SANDWICH SUPPERS are being scheduled. Of the 6 Wednesdays in Lent, only 2 remain open: March 14th and March 21st. Soup/suppers for the other 4 dates have been taken as follows: Feb. 22nd = LWML, Feb. 29th = Pastors’ wives (Bunny and Susan), March 7th = LFL and March 28th = Men’s Bible Study Group. If any person – or a group! – would like to volunteer to do one of the remaining 2 Wednesday soup suppers, please call Aleta at 660-3651 or e-mail her at starner5@gwtc.net as soon as possible. Thanks! We are all looking forward to some great meals and great fellowship time!


MIDWEEK LENTEN SERVICES – The theme for this year’s Lenten season will be “The Christian and Cross-Bearing” in which we will see what “cross-bearing” means and doesn’t mean, how the crosses we bear in our lives are related to our suffering (if at all), the attitude we should have about the crosses we have to bear, the testing of our faith, etc. Services will begin at 7:00 p.m. Please mark your calendars and join us for worship as we examine these issues that affect all of us!
Wed., Feb. 22 “What It Means to Bear the Cross”
Wed., Feb. 29 “Every Christian Bears a Cross”
Wed., Mar. 7 “The Right Attitude Toward Bearing the Cross”
Wed., Mar. 14 “The Purpose of Bearing the Cross”
Wed., Mar. 21 “The Cross and Sin”
Wed., Mar. 28 “The Strength to Bear the Cross”

LENTEN DEVOTIONS (written by Lutheran Hour Ministries) will be provided this year in both electronic and paper formats. The printed devotions will initially be distributed after today’s worship service; extra copies will be available throughout the Lenten season in the library. If, instead, you wish to have the electronic version e-mailed to you, please contact the Pastor.

COMMUNION REGISTRATION
– We are suspending the use of registration cards for the Sacrament of Holy Communion. This is an administrative issue only and has no bearing on who can partake of the Lord’s Supper. Those who may come to the Altar for the Lord’s Supper are still those baptized and confirmed members (and members in good standing of a sister LC-MS congregation) who confess the same faith that is preached, taught and practiced here at St. Paul and the Lutheran Church-Missouri Synod. The confession of faith to which we subscribe is based solely upon the Holy Bible which says that we partake of our Lord’s true Body and Blood for the forgiveness of our sins and to strengthen our union with our Lord and with one another, and that we are to be in a like confession with each other. Our Lord invites to His table only those who trust in His words, repent of all sin and set aside any refusal to forgive others who may have wronged them. All those who are unwilling to repent of their sins or are unwilling to forgive others as well as those who hold a confession of faith differing from that of this congregation and the LC-MS yet desire to receive the Sacrament are asked to speak with the Pastor prior to worship.

THE LUTHERAN WITNESS subscription update: If you would like to continue to receive The Lutheran Witness (or to begin receiving it), please sign up on the bulletin board. If we do not see your name on the list, we will assume that you do not wish to receive it. Thank you! (s) Lisa and Aleta

MAIN STREET LIVING CHOIR will be recording on Feb. 25th at Zion Lutheran Church, 1400 So. Duluth Ave., Sioux Falls at 1:00. The choir is a great experience to help spread the salvation message of our Savior. If you wish to sing with the choir as they record more hymns, women are asked to wear a white top and dark slacks; men are asked to wear a white shirt, dark slacks and no tie. Come and sing praises with others as you share the gift of singing! If you have any questions, please call Anne Koosman at 310-0027.

MAIN STREET LIVING – Kid’s Crossing – Feb. 26 – Janitor Bob encourages Simon to learn to say, “No!” when he is tempted to do wrong. The featured speaker is Rev. Dwaine Doremus from St. Peter Lutheran Church in Wentworth. The sermon theme is “Look From Mariah to Calvary.” The hymns are “Come to Calvary’s Holy Mountain,” “A Mighty Fortress Is Our God” and “Drawn to the Cross Which Thou Hast Blessed.” The Main Street Living Choir will provide the hymns. MSL may be seen each Sunday morning at 10:00 on KDLT-NBC.

THE LUTHERAN HOUR – Feb. 26 – “Repent” is the sermon theme for Rev. Dr. Ken Klaus. Is repentance important? Is repentance necessary? The answer is an unqualified “Yes!” True, Jesus loves us as we are but He never leaves us as we were. (Mark 1:14-15) The Lutheran Hour is broadcast every Sunday morning at 8:30 on 105.9 FM (KMIT) and at 9:30 on 570 AM (WNAX).

Monday, February 13, 2012

02-12-2012 Announcements

IN OUR DAILY PRAYERS this week we pray for our hospitalized members (Wyona Hofer and Tom Stolp ), for Dawn admitted several days ago to the Mayo Hospital in Rochester, for those recuperating at home (Ted Hofer and Rev. Weeman), for Kermit Schrag as his doctors finalize a treatment plan, for Rick Hutchinson diagnosed with terminal liver failure as he and his wife fly out to Seattle this weekend for a possible liver transplant, for all others under doctor’s care, for all who are in cancer treatment, for our shut-in and inactive members and, as always, at least two people in your life who do not know Christ.

PASTOR IS ON VACATION thru tomorrow. Pastor Bob Moeller will be leading our worship service today and will be on call thru tomorrow for pastoral emergencies. You may reach him at (605) 321-1641 [cell phone]. You may also contact any of our elders for assistance.

THANK YOU, REV. MOELLER, for leading us in worship today! We sincerely appreciate your Christian service to our Lord, to His Church and to our congregation!

THE SAMARITANS will meet this afternoon at 1:00 in the Fellowship Hall.

THE YOUTH GROUP will be going tubing in Sioux Falls and going out to eat on Sunday, March 4th. Please let Bob or Karen know if you are planning to attend. We need to know 2 weeks in advance in order to get the group discount.

THE SOUTH DAKOTA GIDEONS
wish to thank St. Paul Lutheran Church for inviting them to give their presentation after last week’s worship service. They enjoyed worshipping with us, talking with those whom they knew and meeting those whom they didn’t know! The freewill offering collected for Gideon International was $440. Thank you to all who donated. Lives will be changed and more copies of the Bible can be distributed because of those donations.

LENTEN SEASON SOUP AND SANDWICH SUPPERS are being scheduled. Of the 6 Wednesdays in Lent, only 2 remain open: March 14th and March 21st. Soup/suppers for the other 4 dates have been taken as follows: Feb. 22nd = LWML, Feb. 29th = Pastors wives (Bunny and Susan), March 7th = LFL and March 28th = Men’s Bible Study Group. If any person – or a group! – would like to volunteer to do one of the remaining 2 Wednesday soup suppers, please call Aleta at 660-3651 or
e-mail her at starner5@gwtc.net as soon as possible. Thanks! We are all looking forward to some great meals and great fellowship time!

LAY LEADERSHIP INSTITUTE classes will be offered by the District Office again this year with the first one from 1:00 to 4:00 on Feb. 18th at Faith Lutheran in Pierre. This year’s Bible Study and lay leadership classes will be organized under the theme of “Interpreting the Bible in Translation.” The registration deadline is Feb. 10th. Please see the poster on the bulletin board for more information.

PARISH LEADERSHIP WORKSHOP classes on church administration will be offered next Sunday by the District Office. The seminars closest to us will be in Sioux Falls on Feb. 12th from 2:00 to 5:30 at Our Redeemer Lutheran Church. There is no charge for attendance, no registration deadline nor advance registration required. Please see the poster on the bulletin board for more information.

THE 2011 ANNUAL REPORT will be distributed next Sunday. We are still waiting on the last 2 Board / Committee reports. For those who were not in church last week: This year’s report will include an updated directory of our members. The Pastor and the Church Office have cell and work phone numbers and e-mail addresses for many of our members but these will not be included in the directory unless you specifically tell us. In other words, only your home phone number will be listed unless you give us permission to list another phone number and/or your e-address. That permission must be received by Feb. 16th. This is especially important for those members who have cell phones only and no home phones. Also, when you receive your Annual Report, please review the information that pertains to you and let the Church Office know if anything still needs to be updated. We are striving to have the contact information for our members be as current and correct as possible. Thanks!

OPERATION BARNABAS BROCHURE – Lutheran Hour Ministries has published a brochure on PTSD for friends and families of returning combat veterans. The brochure was written by Chaplain Steve Hokana (former pastor serving Trinity, Hartford and St. John, Montrose). If you would like a copy, you may either contact the Pastor or order it directly from Lutheran Hour Ministries.

MAIN STREET LIVING CHOIR will be recording on Feb. 25th at Zion Lutheran Church, 1400 So. Duluth Ave., Sioux Falls at 1:00. The choir is a great experience to help spread the salvation message of our Savior. If you wish to sing with the choir as they record more hymns, women are asked to wear a white top and dark slacks; men are asked to wear a white shirt, dark slacks and no tie. Come and sing praises with others as you share the gift of singing! If you have any questions, please call Anne Koosman at 310-0027.

MAIN STREET LIVING – February 19, 2012 – Kid’s Crossing – The story of the transfiguration of Christ. The featured speaker is Rev. Terry Naasz from Mt. Calvary Lutheran in Brookings, SD. The sermon theme is “Why Elijah?” The hymns are “Beautiful Savior”; “Tis Good Lord, to be Here”; and “Whose Glory Fills the Sky”. The Main Street Living Choir will provide the hymns. The program is interpreted for the hearing impaired. Main Street Living may be seen each Sunday morning at 10:00 on KDLT-NBC.

THE LUTHERAN HOUR – February 19, 2012 –The sermon theme is
"A Resurrection Glimpse to Empower Your Faith" by Lutheran Hour Speaker: Rev. Gregory Seltz. Can you fathom what it means that it required the sacrifice of God's own Son in order that you might live, forgiven and redeemed? (Mark 9:2-11) The Lutheran Hour is broadcast every Sunday morning at 8:30 on 105.9 FM (KMIT) and at 9:30 on 570 AM (WNAX).

Sunday, February 5, 2012

02-05-2012 Announcements

IN OUR DAILY PRAYERS IN OUR DAILY PRAYERS this week we pray for Wyona Hofer who was re-hospitalized this last week (McKennan), for Ted Hofer hospitalized in Freeman with pneumonia and the flu, for Tom Stolp in McKennan Hospital, for Kermit Schrag as he begins his chemotherapy treatments, for Jennifer who recently had a bone graft, for Rick Hutchinson diagnosed with terminal liver failure, for all others under doctor’s care, for all who are in cancer treatment, for our shut-in and inactive members and, as always, at least two people in your life who do not know Christ.


THE SOUTH DAKOTA GIDEONS have a short presentation for us after today’s worship service. Roger Tieszen and Charles Duerksen, representing this Christian Businessmen’s Association, will discuss the Gideons’ mission to purchase and distribute the Bible around the world and what we can do to help them. We give praise and thanks to our God that so many people have been given access to the Holy Scriptures because of the Gideons. Last year alone 290,529 Gideons and Auxiliary members world-wide distributed almost 80 million copies of the Bible in 194 countries in 93 languages at an average cost of $1.31. We are one of 49 churches in the Freeman area who support the Gideons and we look forward to their presentation. A freewill offering for the Gideons’ work will also be accepted today’s service.

OUR 2012 CHURCH OFFICERS being installed today are Randy Koerner (Chairman), Darren Walz (Board of Trustees), Brian Knittel (Board of Elders), Matthew Stern (Board of Ushers), Phyllis Knittel (Board of Evangelism), Keri Neuharth (Board of Education), Millie Siekmann (Board of Finance), Sharon Pfeiffer (Secretary) and Leann Schulz-Thomas (Treasurer). We thank God for raising up these servants to work in His kingdom and pray that He will give them the wisdom, strength and courage to fulfill the duties of their respective offices.

LENTEN SEASON SOUP AND SANDWICH SUPPERS are being scheduled. The first one will be on Ash Wednesday, Feb. 22nd. If any person – or a group! – would like to volunteer to do one of the 6 Wednesday soup suppers, please call Aleta at 660-3651 or e-mail her at starner5@gwtc.net as soon as possible. We suggest that you hurry to choose your Wednesday while it is still open and you can pick the one you want!

LAY LEADERSHIP INSTITUTE classes will be offered by the District Office again this year with the first one from 1:00 to 4:00 on Feb. 18th at Faith Lutheran in Pierre. This year’s Bible Study and lay leadership classes will be organized under the theme of “Interpreting the Bible in Translation.” The registration deadline is Feb. 10th. Please see the poster on the bulletin board for more information.

PARISH LEADERSHIP WORKSHOP classes on church administration will be offered next Sunday by the District Office. The seminars closest to us will be in Sioux Falls on Feb. 12th from 2:00 to 5:30 at Our Redeemer Lutheran Church. There is no charge for attendance, no registration deadline nor advance registration required. Please see the poster on the bulletin board for more information.

THE 2011 ANNUAL REPORT will likely be published in the near future! We are waiting on the last of the reports from the various Board and Committee chairpersons. This year’s report will include an updated directory of our members. Please note that even though the Pastor and the Church Office have cell and work phone numbers and e-mail addresses for many of our members, these will not be included in the directory unless you specifically tell us. In other words, only your home phone number will be listed unless you give us permission to list another phone number and/or your e-address. That permission must be received by Feb. 9th. This is especially important for those members who have cell phones only and no home phones. Also, when you receive your Annual Report, please review the information that pertains to you and let the Church Office know if anything still needs to be updated. We are striving to have the contact information for our members be as current and correct as possible. Thanks!

OPERATION BARNABAS BROCHURE – Lutheran Hour Ministries has published a brochure on PTSD for friends and families of returning combat veterans. The brochure was written by Chaplain Steve Hokana (former pastor serving Trinity, Hartford and St. John, Montrose). If you would like a copy, you may either contact the Pastor or order it directly from Lutheran Hour Ministries.

MAIN STREET LIVING February 12, 2012 – Kid’s Crossing – Grandma B reads the story of the raising of Lazarus from the tomb.
The featured speaker is Rev. Thomas Brown, from Zion Lutheran Church in Mitchell, SD. The sermon theme is “Foolishness or Power?” The hymns are The People That in Darkness Sat; Source of Thankfulness and Praise; and Oh God Our Help in Ages Past. The Main Street Living Choir will provide the hymns. The program is interpreted for the hearing impaired. Main Street Living may be seen each Sunday morning at 10:00 on KDLT-NBC.

THE LUTHERAN HOUR February 12 "You Can't Muzzle True Joy" Lutheran Hour Speaker: Rev. Gregory Seltz. Joy is rooted in a relationship with God. You can't muzzle joy when that joy is connected to Jesus. (Mark 1:40-45) The Lutheran Hour is broadcast every Sunday morning at 8:30 on 105.9 FM (KMIT) and at 9:30 on 570 AM (WNAX

Three Estates; God's innoculation for fear

  The following is a republishing of a series of articles for a newspaper in 2020, slightly modified. Pastor Makelin Wow. The world has gone...