From Pastor Brauer: Welcome!

“O come, let us fix our eyes on Jesus!” No, not that our eyes need to be repaired. It’s a different kind of ‘fix’ that’s implied. It means to gaze with the idea that nothing else can distract our vision. The Psalmist had that desire in our Introit today. But our Gospel reading finds a man who truly needed his physical sight ‘fixed.’ He was blind from birth. Yet the Jews, who had 20/20 vision, could not see—see Jesus, that is. They were spiritually blind. Jesus does again what was done to Adam in forming his eyes, so this blind man could see. By Word and Sacrament Jesus restores your sight each day by removing your spiritual blindness in order to see His face. By His Spirit, we then walk and live as His children in the light of His saving grace.

Ephesians 5:8-14: Our Epistle reading for today encourages us to live as children of light who discover and do those things that please our God. Our acts of faithful stewardship give a powerful witness to the truth that we really are the children of God.

From the Thrift Shop: The Thrift Shop will be changing to spring Merchandise tomorrow, March 3. Anyone who could help from 6:00 AM-10:00 AM, or any part of that time, would be greatly appreciated.

From the Activities Committee: We will have a meeting Monday, March 3, 2008 at 1:15 p.m. in the Ladies Lounge Plan to attend with ideas for the 2008 Fall Festival.

From the Altar Guild: The next regular meeting will be March 5, immediately following the Lenten Service. We are desperately in need of additional members. If anyone is interested, please stay for our meeting.

Parish Fellowship-Upcoming Events: March 9, 2008, is our “Something Green” 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. 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 are still being served Wednesdays, March 5 and 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. A freewill offering will be accepted. See you all there.

Finally, mark your calendars for our next Progressive Dinner on April 18.

Watch bulletins and the next newsletter for more details.

Market Day News: Please place an order for Market Day this month. This is a huge promotion month and the school can benefit greatly if you would purchase a brunch item off of page 2 or 3. Each item you buy for your family gives extra profit to the school. You can place your order online at www.marketday.com or fill out a form which can be found outside the church office and some have been placed here in the church on the table outside the sanctuary. If you have any questions please call Heather Alexander at 325-9653. Filled out forms need to be placed in the Market Day mailbox by Friday March 15 and internet orders are due no later than Wednesday March 19 by 12:00 noon. New and returning customers are greatly appreciated.

From Sunday School: We would like to invite all children to hear the good news of Easter and enjoy an Easter egg hunt on Saturday, March 22 at 10:00 AM. Please meet in the church basement seated in the Sunday school pews (no head starts). Please note this coincides with Market Day pick-up, so parents can pick-up their Easter orders while the kids pick-up eggs! Bring a friend to share the joy!

Please remember that there will be no Sunday School on Easter Sunday.

Discipleship Class: Prospects for our next Discipleship class are being gathered for a class to begin sometime this spring. 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 this class will begin and meet. This class is always open to all members as well, serving as a way to refresh their understanding of the catechism as well as to meet those new to St. John’s. Please consider this as a way of in-reach for yourself and your out-reach to family or friends who would like to know more about the Gospel of Jesus Christ.

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 30) 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.

SSAC is Coming! No, it’s not a Russian spy group! It is an organization within our Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod designed to ‘strengthen schools and churches.’ The weekend of March 29-April 1 will see us hosting this team of district education executives as they make interviews, take observations, and worship with us. They will assess our strengths and provide a plan to make improvements for our school and church operations. Please welcome these visitors!

Help Needed: We have a member, living on the west side of town, who needs a ride to church services at 10:45 AM. If you can help, please call the church office.

Thanks: PRAISE! Thank you for your prayers - Mary Ellen Lehmann, my daughter's godmother, has been seriously ill since November with life threatening conditions and serious post surgical infections. After months of negligible change, she is now healing rapidly and has even gotten out and gone to church! Glory to the Lord! - Sue Rosselli

Donations: Louise Mellenthin and family made a donation to the Church Door Fund in loving memory of her husband, Harold Mellenthin, whose death date is March 2.

A donation was made to the Church Door Fund by the family of George Mellenthin, whose birth date was February 28.

3/3/2008 (Mon.) Pastor Brauer’s Day Off National Lutheran Schools Week
7:30a-Wom. Ex. Class-GYM
1:15p-Activities Committee LL
7:00p-WLC Rehearsal-MR

3/4/2008 (Tues.) 7:00p-Voters Meeting-CAF

3/5/2008 (Wed.) 7:30a-Wom. Ex. Class-GYM
8:00a-Chapel
10:00a-Matins
10:30a-Wed. Warriors-LL
5:30p-Soup Sup.-CAF

6:00p-7th/8th Grade Catechism Class-LL
7:00p-Lenten Worship

3/6/2008 (Thurs.) 2:30p-Brownies #204-YR

3/7/2008 (Fri.) 7:30a-Wom. Ex. Class-GYM
10:30a-Bible Study-LL

3/8/2008 (Sat.) 6:00p-Worship/Communion

3/9/2008 (Sun.) 8:00a-Worship
9:15a-Coffee-CAF (Something Green Fest)
9:30a-Bible Study-CAF
9:30a-Sunday School-CHLL
10:45a-Worship/Communion
6:30p-His Word/Our Joy-MR

3/3 10:00 AM Ronald McDonald visits PS-4th Grade

3/4 5th-8th Grade Math Contest in Valparaiso, Game Day, and

K, 1st- 4th Grades trip to La Porte County Museum

3/5 Dress like ancestors day of 150 years ago

Community Snack Basket Delivery by Student Council

La Porte Community Museum trip for 5th-8th grades

3/6 Grandparents’ Day 7-7:55 AM-Goodies for Grandparents-caf.

8-9:00 AM Grandparents visit their grandchildren's classrooms

9:00 AM Grandparents and students preview “Walk of Fame” talent on stage in the gym 10:00 AM Grandparents Day ends

Rev. Ronald A. Brauer
 

Susan Rosselli
 

Linda Livinghouse

Dorothy Moellman

Judy Schreiber
 

6:00 PM Terry Scherer

8:00 AM Jim Woodruff

Chris Fronk

10:45 AM Greg McConnell

The Altar Flowers this week were sponsored Circle 4, in memory of

departed members.

(Omitted from the online version.)

Wed., 10:00 AM: 7

Wed., 7:00 PM: 73

Sat., 4:30 PM: 47

Sat., 6:00 PM: 90

Sun., 8:00 AM: 119

Sun., 10:45 AM: 143

TOTAL 479

$10,082.50

Memorials $ -

Other $ 1, 900.19

TOTAL $11,982.69

Needed weekly:

$19,015.05

Difference ($ 7,032.36)

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.

Psalmody: Introit Psalm (insert)

Office Hymn: LSB 915 “Today Your Mercy Calls Us”

The Readings (please rise for the Gospel reading)

The Responsory for Lent, p. 231

The Sermon Hymn: LSB 423 “Jesus, Refuge of the Weary”

The Sermon: “Eyes They Have but Do Not See”

The Text: John 9:1-7, 13-17, 34-39

The Canticle: The Magnificat, p. 231 ff., spoken

The Kyrie and The Prayers, p. 233

The Benedicamus and Blessing, p. 234

The Closing Hymn: LSB 571 “God Loved the World”

Opening Hymn: LSB 915 “Today Your Mercy Calls Us”

Introit (See insert), Gloria Patri, Kyrie

Gospel Reading (Please rise for the Gospel reading)

Hymn Of The Day: LSB 423 “Jesus, Refuge of the Weary”

Sermon: “Eyes They Have but Do Not See”

Text: John 9:1-7, 13-17, 34-39