Blessings! We enter God’s house this day in the holy season of Lent pondering the passion of our Lord. We come together in the season of Lent to grow in our understanding and appreciation of Christ’s sacrifice for us through Word and Sacrament. It is the central teaching of the Christian Church that God, in His holiness, is reconciling the world unto Himself through the atoning sacrifice of His Son, our Lord and Christ (2 Corinthians 5:19), and thereby makes us holy!

ANNOUNCEMENTS
(Edited to remove personal phone numbers, email addresses and other personal information not for online use)
 

Romans 5:12-19: Our Epistle reading tells us that Jesus came in human form to rescue us from sin and death and empower us to live as God’s children. As children of God we love and live and give freely and generously to bring honor to God, support for the work of the church and blessings for people around us.. (LCMS)

Parish Fellowship-Upcoming Events: Today is our Chocolate Fest during Fellowship Coffee hour. Enjoy the special treats prepared by the Board members and in some cases, spouses. If you have not attended one of these fests, please come. All children are welcome before going to Sunday School and all adults before attending Bible study, along with those returning home after worship during the first service. A $2.00 donation per family is requested to help defray the costs of supplies used throughout the year as well as the hog roast.

The Lenten Soup Suppers start this Wednesday, February 13, and each Wednesday thereafter through March 12, 2008, at 5:30 p.m.; we’ll serve until 6:15 p.m. We will not chase you out at 6:15, but we need time to clean up after supper so we can go to the worship services too. This leaves you time for fellowship. As usual there will be three choices of soup to choose from, along with breads, crackers, fruit, dessert and beverages. This first week, we’ll have Potato, Vegetable, and Chicken and Dumpling soups. A freewill offering will be accepted.. See you all soon.

Another Note: Our Board could use some additional members. Anyone willing to be a part of this very active, working Board should contact Marilyn Boardman or Marilyn Sawyer.

From the Altar Guild: The next Altar Guild meeting will be a working meeting on February 14 at 9:00 AM

Loving Jesus - The Many Languages of Praise! Come and join us on February 17 at 6:30 P.M. in the gym for a wonderful family evening sharing the love and praise of our Lord in many languages and in many ways. Returning guests who were with us last year will be Anthony Brewer and the Morning Star Choir, and Pastor Jim Keller and his Burmese youth singers. This year we will also be blessed by offerings from Kat Peters with Hispanic singers from Gloria Dei, some worship dancers, and an exciting group of young people, the Michigan City Soul Steppers, who combine music, Scripture and movement. Our own Walther League Chorus and some of our students will sing as well, and we will all have opportunity to sing and pray together. Refreshments and fellowship will follow. Bring some friends, meet some friends!

Discipleship Class: Prospects for our next Discipleship class are being gathered for a class to begin in March. If you or someone you know who would be interested in studying the basics of Christian doctrine and would like to become a member of St. John's Lutheran Church, then please call the church office and be included on the list. We will contact those who sign up to inform when and where class will begin and meet.

Easter Lilies: It is time for us to start asking for donations for the Easter Lilies. We do appreciate all of your help in the past and pray that you will be so generous again this year. The cost per lily is $12.00. You can make your donation to the Church Office, Marilyn Boardman, Mary Jo Uebele, or Sherrill Lee. Please let us know at that time if you will be picking up your lily. The lilies will be taken down after the 2^nd service on the Sunday following Easter – (March 30th.) If you are going to take your lily, please be there to pick it up at that time. If not for yourself, maybe you know someone who would really appreciate a flower and a visit from you. Thank you again for your donations to the flower fund.

From the Board of Social Ministry: We are requesting your help to fill care packages for all of the military personnel that we pray for weekly. That is twelve packages to fill and send off for them to receive by Easter. We feel since we are the Church of the Risen Christ we need to celebrate this time especially with those who are away from home and serving our Country. Won’t you help us? Following are items we can send to them. All products NEED to be travel size.

Deodorant, Kleenex, Shampoo & conditioner (combined), Shaving

Gel (tubes only), Liquid Soap, Toothbrush, Toothpaste, Razors, Antibacterial Wipes, Baby Wipes (travel size), Foot powder, Lip Balm (Carmax),

Beef Jerky, Tuna Packets, Chicken Packets, Pre-sweetened Kool-Aid Packets, Gatorade packets, Gum, Word Search & Puzzle Books,

Disposable Cameras, Radio Batteries, Dried Fruit, Easter Candy would be appreciated too.

We want to have these items collected by March 1^st to enable the boxes to reach them by Easter which is March 23^rd.

Collection boxes can be found in the Narthex and School marked Military Care Packages.

Thank you – with your help – this will be a huge success.

2/11/2008 (Mon.) Pastor Brauer’s Day Off 7:30a-Wom. Ex. Class-GYM 7:00p-WLC Rehearsal-MR

2/12/2008 (Tues.) 1:30p-Circle 8-LL 6:30p-School Bd-LIB 7:00p-Parish Fel.-LL 7:00p-Stewardship. Bd-CAF

2/13/2008 (Wed.) 7:30a-Wom. Ex. Class.-GYM 8:00a-Chapel 10:00a-Matins 10:30a-Wed. Warriors-LL 1:30p-Circle 7-LL 5:30p-Soup Supper-CAF 6:00p-7th/8th Catechism Class-LL 7:00p-Lenten Worship

2/14/2008 (Thurs.) 7:00p-Elders-L.L 7:00p-Trustees-LIB

2/15/2008 (Fri.) Pastor Young’s Day Off 10:30a-Bible Study-LL

2/16/2008 (Sat.) 8:00a-Banner Committee-4th grade 6:00p-Worship

2/17/2008 (Sun.) 8:00a-Worship/Communion 9:15a-Coffee-CAF 9:30a-Sunday School-CHLL 9:30a-Bible Study-CAF 10:45a-Worship 6:30p-Loving Jesus/Many Languages of Praise

Pastor: Rev. David M. Young

Pastor: Rev. Ronald A. Brauer

Organist: Susan Rosselli

Altar Guild: Dawn Crum, Deana Murray, Pauletta Schuster

Elders on Duty: 6:00 PM: Greg McConnell, Jim Sherwood

8:00 AM: Ron Scherer

10:45 AM: Ron Scherer, Chris Fronk

The Altar flowers this week were sponsored by the Newspaper Stuffers in loving memory of departed members.

(Omitted from online version)

Sat. 4:30 PM: 109;  6:00 PM: 57

Sun. 8:00 AM: 90; 10:45 AM: 109

Total: 365

ST. JOHN’S COMMUNION STATEMENT: As a member of the Lutheran Church-Missouri Synod, we believe Scripture teaches that the Lord's Supper is a precious gift of God in which Christ gives us His true body and blood (in a miraculous way), together with the bread and wine, for the forgiveness of our sins and the strengthening of our faith. Because the Bible teaches that this sacrament may also be spiritually harmful if misused, St. John’s communes only those instructed in the teachings of the LCMS and our church who have confessed their faith in these teachings. Prompted by the love for God’s Word, love for God’s people, and love for the Bible’s deep concern for doctrinal truth (Romans 16:17), guests who desire to commune are asked to speak with the pastor before service.

Holy Baptism (page 268)

Prayer of the Church (page 215)