September 2017ST. PAUL’S EVANGELICAL LUTHERAN CHURCH

Repetition…Repetition

Very little of what we remember is simply heard once. Rather it is those morals and lessons that are repeated often that stick with us through our lifetime. Luther understood this. So in the 1500s, after seeing “the miserable and deplorable state” that the church was in, he thought long and hard how to help teach the faith. And after marriage and having children of his own, Luther turned his attention to learning the Bible in a simple way in the home. He wrote the Small Catechism over the course of about 6 weeks from December 1528-January 1529. Each part of the catechism begins with this heading:

AS THE HEAD OF THE FAMILY SHOULD TEACHTHEM IN A SIMPLE WAY TO HIS HOUSEHOLD

Luther intended for the basic teachings of the Bible to be repeated daily, not weekly. In section on Daily Prayers he writes: “In the morning when you get up.” “In the Evening when you go to bed.” And before and after meals he writes “members shall go to the table reverently with folded hands and say…” Parents, especially fathers, are charged with seeing this repetition is done. But, really this isn’t Luther’s idea at all:

And these words that I command you today shall be on your heart. 7 You shall teach them diligently to your children, and shall talk of them when you sit in your house, and when you walk by the way, and when you lie down, and when you rise. (Deuteronomy 6:6-7)

I will open my mouth in a parable; I will utter dark sayings from of old, 3 things that we have heard and known, that our fathers have told us. 4 We will not hide them from their children, but tell to the coming generation the glorious deeds of the LORD, and his might, and the wonders that he has done. 5 He established a testimony in Jacob and appointed a law in Israel, which he commanded our fathers to teach to their children, 6 that the next generation might know them, the children yet unborn, and arise and tell them to their children, 7 so that they should set their hope in God and not forget the works of God, but keep his commandments; (Psalms 78:2-7)

Train up a child in the way that he should go. (Proverbs 22:6)

And they spoke the word of the Lord to him and to all who were in his house. 33 And he took them the same hour of the night and washed their wounds; and he was baptized at once, he and all his family. 34 Then he brought them up into his house and set food before them. And he rejoiced along with his entire household that he had believed in God. (Act 16:31-34)

I am reminded of your sincere faith, a faith that dwelt first in your grandmother Lois and your mother Eunice and now, I am sure, dwells in you as well. (2Timothy 1:5)

The families of our Catechism students are instructed to pray once a day with their children. And once a week to read through the Catechism. And of course, all Christians are called to remember the Sabbath day- by gladly hearing the Word of God. This repetition isn’t to be mind-numbing, done in vain, or a way in which we make ourselves holy before God. It isn’t even just to see how many words we can memorize. The goal is to strengthen our faith in Christ. Faith comes by hearing and hearing the Word of Christ (Romans 10:17). This repetition might just stick with you… while everything else in this world fades and dies. As families adjust to another school year, what is the most important thing your kids should be learning? Answer: God’s Word. If your children and grandchildren don’t get it in school, they desperately need it in their home.

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GOAL:

Once a day : pray with your family (See, Luther’s Daily Prayers in the Small Catechism). Once a week: read the Small Catechism and receive God’s Word and Sacrament in church. Once a month: pick a hymn and learn it together. (September we’re singing 738 Lord of All

Hopefulness every week! Don’t have a hymnal? Take one from church.)

VBS Thanks to all that donated to the VBS. Thank

you to all the volunteers, parents, and children for a great VBS.

SUPPORT OUR CATECHISM FAMILIESWe need volunteers to provide a snack every

Wednesday for 12 Catechism students from 5:20-5:30pm. In addition, all are welcome to join us for evening Vespers from 5:30-6pm. And go to stpaulsute.org and click on the Catechism tab to follow along with discussion videos that our Catechism students watch with their families.

RALLY DAYThe 2017-2018 Sunday School Year will start

September 10th at 9:00 a.m. with Rally Day.

LCW NEWS LCW Meeting is Wednesday, September 13th at

1:00 p.m.

AUGUST FLOWERS Thank you to Fred & Dar Mohr for donating the

altar flowers this month.

SEPTEMBER ALTAR FLOWERS Thank you to Lyle & Tammy Bramley for

donating the flowers this month in honor of their 40th wedding anniversary on September 3rd.

REFORMATION CELEBRATION SERVICEOn Oct. 29th the Mapleton and Denison Circuits

will celebrate the reformation together at St. John’s Charter Oak, beginning at 1:30pm. Please save the date and stay tuned for more info.

“THY STRONG WORD”‘Thy Strong Word’ is a daily devotion airing at

6:25 a.m. Monday through Saturday on KDSN 107.1FM). Sept. 4-9 Rev. Richard Merrill

St. John, Charter OakSept. 11-16 Rev. Marcus Manley

St. Paul’s, UteSept. 18-23 Rev. Mark Kluzek

St. John, KironSept. 25-30 Rev. Joshua Keinath

Zion, Denison

Events at Mission Central

September 9, 2017 - 10:00 am - Matros from Papua New Guinea

September 9, 2017 - 1:30 pm - Ritzmans from Papua New Guinea

September 27, 2017 - 1:00 pm - Heidorn from Asia

SEPTEMBER VOTER’S MEETINGWe will have a special voter’s meeting toward

the end of the month to once again decide to assist Pastor Manley with his educational debt through our LCMS district’s Ministry in Excellence Fund.

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SEPTEMBER 12PBS will air a documentary production on

Martin Luther and the reformation “An Idea that Changed the World.” More info. soon to come.

BAPTISMAL BIRTHDAYS FOR JULY/AUG. We are listing Baptismal birthdays to remember and celebrate the day we were adopted into the family of God through the washing of the Holy Spirit. Those having Baptismal birthdays are:Patrick Ohlmeier, Marvin Koch 1Lois Greder, Bailey Kuhlmann 2 Ray Gosch-Brendan Lane 3Ervin Kiepe 4Norman Meadows 6Heather Rosburg 7Derek Erlemeier 9Gina Hull 10Mark Goslar 13Ella Fester 15Glenn Ullerich 16Arlis Petersen 17Sara Folk 19Cody Rosburg 22Sasha Teut 23Larry Folk 24Norma Buschmann-Hannah Hageman 25Delaine Nelson 27Roger Johnson-Jo Thies-Heath Winsor 28Trent Mordhorst 29Tyler Leitz 30

ST. PAUL’S UTE: Nursing home/Shut-in

September 2017

HOSPITALIZED1. Barbara Timm St. Luke’s, Sioux City2.

MAPLEHEIGHTS 3. Delbert Olson4. Sally Schwingdorf5. Lois Potteroff6. Leona Goslar

Denison Care Center (Denison)7. Elmer Mordhorst

Twilight Acres (Wall Lake)8. Gertrude Eneboe

600 W 6th St, Wall Lake, IA 51466(712) 664-2488

Pleasant View Care Center (Whiting)9. Ruth Seieroe

200 Shannon Drive Whiting, IA 51063(712) 458-2417

The Lexington Assisted Living Center (Lincoln, NE)

10. Gladys Thompsen5550 Pioneers BoulevardLincoln, NE(402) 486-4400

Willow Creek Apartments (Le Mars)11. Lillian Koch

620 14th Ave NE, Apt. 2Le Mars, IA 51031(712) 541-6143

Country Care Center (Harlan)12. Bernice Schuitema

Country Care Center725 Hwy 59PO Box 351Harlan, IA 51537 (712) 744-3453

Shut-In13. Vernon Thies (Mapleton)14. Ella Fester (Ute)15. Ervin Kiepe (Ute)16. Eldon Teut (Ute)17. Lorrie Moffit (Ute)18. Craig Lynn (Ute)

NEWSLETTER SPONSORSPlease contact the office if you’d like to sponsor

the newsletter. The cost is $37.

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