Author: TechCommittee
Elder, Usher, and Acolyte Schedules for November 2017
Elder and Usher Schedule
| Nov 5 | Gerald Semelka, Nathan Kluender, Paul Gerike | Barry Hamlin | Bud Kessler, Curt Kessler |
| Nov 12 | Joshua Parry, Mike Field | Curt Kessler | Brian Dirks, Greg McNeely, Theron Noth |
| Nov 19 | Craig Culp, Daryle Schempp, Nathan Kluender, Steve Parry | Craig Culp | Greg McNeely, Mike Huth |
| Nov 22 7PM | Jeff Piper, Lucas Piper | Nathan Kluender | |
| Nov 26 | Gene Fuller, Richard Ross | Randy Reinhardt | Brian Dirks, Bud Kessler, Theron Noth |
Acolyte Schedule
| Nov 5 | Tanner Hitch | Pastor/Elder |
| Nov 12 | Pastor/Elder | Justin McNeely |
| Nov 19 | J.T. Piper | Pastor/Elder |
| Nov 22 7PM | Thanksgiving Eve | Jessica Isaac |
| Nov 26 | Pastor/Elder | Will McNeely |
Stewardship Corner November 2017
Our Father in heaven has claimed us as His own. By the shedding of His Son’s blood, by the His death for our sins and His resurrection for our justification, God the Father has received us back into His family. By water combined with His Word, promise, and name, the Holy Spirit has taken up residence in us. We belong to Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. He is in us, and we are in Him. And being in Him, all things are ours. In Him, we are richly and abundantly blessed.
Our true treasure and wealth is that we belong to the most holy Trinity and everything that is His belongs also to us: righteousness, peace, eternal life. Even our temporal treasures are gifts from His fatherly divine goodness and mercy.
We receive our treasures from Him, and thus, as (good stewards of His varied grace,) (1 Peter 4:10) we manage them in such a way that they may be returned to Him. We bring them to Him, hallowed through prayers of thanksgiving and God’s holy Word, as an offering.
Thus, all our possessions, as gifts from God, are also offerings to Him, from which we eat to nourish our bodies, share with our family, neighbors, and fellow Christians, with the poor and even our enemies, as holy things given by the holy God. His temporal gifts are blessings to and for us, and bring blessing upon us even as they are pressed into His service for His kingdom and the souls that receive them.
Thus we place all that we have into God’s hands, and He never fails to remember us and pours out the fullness of His promises upon us. We give thanks for all that He has done, is doing, and will continue to do. We give thanks by not taking for ourselves, but giving to all even as our heavenly Father has given to us.
As we prepare for the celebrations of Thanksgiving, may we all give thanks continually for all that we are and all that we have because of God’s providential care. And may we be all the more diligent in bringing everything that we have received from God to Him, so that He may bless it and employ it for the good of all — even for us. “ For to the one who has, more will be given, and he will have an abundance” (Matthew 13:12).
Celebrating November 2017
Birthdays
Karen Dale Nov 1
Caleb Evans Nov 2
Ryan Kleiboeker Nov 2
Sheri Piper Nov 4
Shirley Potter Nov 4
Patricia Hanner Nov 6
Jeanette McNeely Nov 6
Phoenix Kleiboeker Nov 7
Denyce Berg Nov 8
Holden Lueck Nov 9
Curt Kessler Nov 15
Ruth Gooding Nov 17
Cannon Kleiboeker Nov 17
Theron Noth Nov 18
Joshua Parry Nov 23
Gordon Schroeder Nov 24
Baptismal Birthdays
Jacquelyn Semelka Nov 1
Janet Evans Nov 7
Bob Love Nov 14
Cheryl Reichert Nov 14
Ryan Kleiboeker Nov 19
Thomas Anderson Nov 20
Penny Culp Nov 26
Holden Lueck Nov 28
Joshua Parry Nov 28
Pastor’s Notes November 2017
Dear Brothers and Sisters in Christ,
Because it is so difficult in parts of the world to find clean drinking water, an organization called Water Is Life developed a wonderful resource called “The Drinkable Book.” The paper in the book is coated in silver nanoparticles that filter out almost 99.9 percent of harmful bacteria. Each tear-out page can be used and reused to filter up to 100 liters of water at the cost of only four pennies per page.
The Bible is also an unusually “drinkable” Book. In John chapter 4 we have the story of the woman at the well. She needed much more than just water to quench her spiritual thirst. Because of the circumstances in her life she was desperate to know about “the living water” that Jesus was talking about.
Jesus said to her, “Whoever drinks of the water that I will give him will never be thirsty again. The water that I will give him will become in him a spring of water welling up to eternal life.” (John 4:14)
The Lord gave us living water in our Baptism. We need the “drinkable” Book as we face the circumstances of our life. This “drinkable” Book points to God’s Son as the sole source of “living water.” Those called and washed in the water through the Holy Spirit will experience “a spring of water welling up to eternal life.”
Lord, help us discard the things that leave us empty and thirsting and exchange them for the blessings of the living water you offer.
In Christ,
Pastor