St. John’s Lutheran Church A Member of The Lutheran Church-Missouri Synod

980 West Fourth Street • P.O. Box 368 • Rush City, MN 55069

Karen Peterson, Church Secretary Pastor John E. Beck Church Phone/Fax: (320) 358-3623 Res. Phone: (320) 358-4906

stjohns@midco.net www.stjohnsrushcity.org stjohnspastor@midco.net

March 2016

The Prodigal and the Cross [A word of encouragement from Rev. Dr. Gregory Seltz, Speaker of The Lutheran Hour]

Have you ever lost yourself?

In Luke 15, Jesus tells of a prodigal son, who decided he'd had enough of the ways of his father's

house. He took his inheritance, traveled to a distant country, and lived in recklessness. It didn't take long

for that lifestyle to devour his inheritance. When the money ran out, his world crashed. He hit rock

bottom. This man, who had lived in comfort, now scrounged for food with the pigs. What happened

next changed the course of his life. Jesus says, "He came to himself" (Luke 15:17 ESV).

The prodigal lived a life neither his father nor God had intended. He lived as a stranger to the God

who loved him - and became a stranger to himself. Lent reminds us we are a prodigal people: Mankind

fell. We inherited that sinful nature. Our best works could never repair our broken relationship with

Father God. We needed a Savior.

The prodigal son's regret convinced him restoration was impossible. So he decided to return home

and beg his father to treat him as a hired servant instead.

But what happened? While he was far off, his father ran to him and embraced him. "The father said

to his servants, 'Bring quickly the best robe, and put it on him, and put a ring on his hand, and shoes on

his feet. And bring the fattened calf and kill it, and let us eat and celebrate'" (Luke 15:22-23 ESV). His

father restored him!

The undeserving prodigal found grace, compassion and forgiveness. He was himself again - a welcome part of the family - because of his father's gracious love. Grace pursued the prodigal. God's grace pursues you and me.

Do regrets weigh you down today? Has sin set you adrift? Amidst life's events, we can forget who we

are and what life is all about. You may think you've hit bottom or lost yourself. You may feel like you

need to find a new life. But God seeks to restore you.

Jesus said, "For the Son of Man came to seek and to save the lost" (Luke 19:10 ESV). God works to

rescue you from the painful places where you feel stuck. He opens doors to bring you back from worry

and doubt, from disappointment and fear. He heals your wounds with His life-renewing love.

During Lent, we turn our eyes toward Christ's finished work at the cross. He carried our failures. He

suffered the consequences of sin. He hit rock bottom when He died in our place. He defeated sin and

death - and arose victorious.

Through Jesus Christ, we are forgiven. He has restored us and brought us back to the Father.

God is always ready to welcome us home with joy. His love for us endures, no matter where we turn

in life. And in Jesus, reality and regrets give way to restoration and new life.

(Published in LHM Hope for You, Winter 2016 issue)

From Pastor’s Study Midweek Worship Continues

The Lord’s Prayer is “A Prayer for All Seasons,” no matter in what season of life you find yourself. Our midweek series (March 2, 9, & 16) continues:

Seasons of Seeking God’s Will Third Petition

Seasons of Thanks for Simple Things Fourth Petition

Seasons of Standing Up to Evil Sixth & Seventh Petitions

Worship Times for Lent--Easter

Wednesdays in Lent 7:00 p.m.

Holy Week (March 20-27): Palm Sunday ............... 9:00 a.m. Maundy Thursday ...... 7:00 p.m. Good Friday ................ 7:00 p.m. Easter Sunday ......... 9:00 a.m.

Pray for Missionaries & a Mission Trip

Rev. Dr. Daniel & Dr. Joan Jastram on January 6 (Epiphany!) received the green light to go ahead with planning their move to Tokyo, Japan. They are packing and anticipating their move in March. Rev. Jastram will be serving as a theological educator for five seminaries in southeast Asia. Dr. Joan will be utilizing her skills and training as a counselor.

If you would like to be become a Mission Sender and/or prayer partner with the Jastrams in bringing the Good News of Jesus Christ to people in southeast Asia and training pastors and teachers, prayer cards and sponsor information are available at church or online at: www.lcms.org/jastram

St John-Weber Mission Society has its mission trip to Texas and into Mexico on March 4-14. Please pray for their safe travel and faithful witness as they serve the needs of the people at the mission site.

“Go and make disciples of all nations…

baptizing…and teaching…

Does Your Involvement Matter? (a parable)

In a certain mountain village in Europe several centuries ago, a nobleman wondered what legacy he should leave his townspeople. At last he decided to build a church.

No one saw the complete plans for the church until it was finished. When the people gathered, they marveled at its beauty and completeness. Then someone asked, “But where are the lamps? How will it be lighted?”

The nobleman pointed to some brackets in the walls. Then he gave to each family a lamp which they were to bring with them each time they came to worship.

“Each time you are here the area where you are seated will be lighted,” the nobleman said. Each time you are not here, that area will be dark. This is to remind you that whenever you fail to come to worship, some part of God’s house will be dark.”

“Oh come, let us worship the Lord!

A Reminder for Everyone – please check

In recent weeks, lights have been left on and doors unlocked at St John’s. When you are one of the last people in the building, please walk through the facility to check that lights are turned off and that doors are locked. Thank you for giving this your attention and cooperation.

“’Could Jesus have equipped his disciples to carry out their ministry by preaching a brief sermon to them once a week for two or three years?’

Without a doubt, no! The disciples listened to and followed Jesus hour after hour, day after day, week after week, month after month while He was with them on Planet Earth.” --- Harry Wendt

On Tuesday evening, March 1, Minnesota will join nine other states in giving its citizens the opportunity to participate in a process that will determine who will represent the various political parties in November’s presidential election. What a great blessing it is to live in a nation in which every citizen has the opportunity to have meaningful input, not only in choosing between the candidates of different parties on election day, but also in determining who those candidates will be. As Christian citizens, especially as people called to reflect the love of Christ by showing concern for the welfare of our neighbor and our nation, this is our chance to put our faith into action in a very concrete way.

Of course, the Church should never tell its members or anyone else who to vote for, and we will not in this election. What the Church has always done and will continue to do is to urge its members to be good stewards of their rights as citizens and participate in the process. In addition, the Church has also offered its counsel on a small number of specific issues to which the Bible speaks clearly and unambiguously, and which directly impact our ability to proclaim the gospel in our sanctuaries as well as in the public square.

For us, the members of the Lutheran Church Missouri Synod, there are four general areas that meet these standards and to which we have spoken publicly over the years. These include 1) the life issues (speaking out against abortion and physician assisted suicide); 2) the issues surrounding marriage, family and sexuality (witnessing to God's good design of marriage as one man and one woman and the meaningfulness of our maleness and femaleness); 3) religious freedom issues (insisting that our religious liberty is the greatest of our rights and cannot be swept aside whenever anyone makes a claim of personal autonomy); and finally, 4) parental choice in education (advocating for the right of parents to choose from the full range of schools available, including religious schools, without being financially penalized by the State for that decision).

And so, as we approach March 1, Caucus Night in Minnesota, we urge you to be good citizens and faithful Christians by participating in this great civic exercise. Whichever is your party of choice, we encourage you to go to your caucus site and, guided by a conscience that has been formed and tutored by the Holy Spirit, offer your thoughts about the various issues of the day and your thoughts as to who will best serve the common good in public office.

Got questions about these four issues? Pray for guidance. Talk with your pastor or visit with other members of your congregation. Get informed. And then go out and lovingly and winsomely exercise your citizenship. It's what Christians do!

Thy Strong Word

Weekdays @ 11am (CT) on your Lutheran Radio Station:

www.KFUO.org

During the week of February 29

Join us as we open up the Gospel of Luke:

Mon, Feb 29 --- Luke 8 “Parable of the Sower” Tues, Mar 1 --- Luke 9 “Jesus Sends out the Twelve Apostles” Wed, Mar 2 --- Lenten Service Thurs, Mar 3 --- Luke 10 “Parable of the Good Samaritan” Fri, Mar 4 --- Luke 11 “The Lord’s Prayer”

Law And Gospel

on your Lutheran Radio Station: www.KFUO.org during the week of March 6:

Learn about two completely different Biblical teachings on your Lutheran Radio Station Worldwide KFUO.org. Law and Gospel uses the theological distinctions between Law and Gospel not only to apply the Bible, but also to understand our relationship to God’s entire plan of salvation in Christ.

Monday-Friday @ 9:30 am Central Time. Both programs are archived at KFUO.org. Follow us on Facebook.com/KFUOradio.

WORDS OF APPRECIATION are expressed to:

… those who serve weekly in worship: pastor, musicians, lay readers, ushers, greeters, PA technicians, elders, acolytes and altar guild.

… those who counted and posted the offerings.

… those who brought refreshments on Sunday mornings.

…those who provided meals before the Lenten Services in February, Mike Willert, Wendy Whittaker, Gladys Enzenauer, Arlen & Karen Peterson and Ray & Jeanette Polzin.

… those who helped with prison ministry and the Golden Living Center services.

… East Central Sanitation who provides free refuse and recycling service for SJLC.

… those who helped to assemble this newsletter.

… our gracious God who makes all these things possible through the priceless gift of His Son, our Savior, Jesus Christ.

March Birthdays and Anniversaries

1 Brandi Lewis 4 Melissa Shoemaker 10 Rustin Hahn 11 Gary & Susan Scheff 13 Marc Blomquist 17 Richard & Diane Friday 18 Taniel Schellbach 19 Odin Brown, Marlene Reiser 21 Pastor John Beck 28 Kyle Blomquist 30 Alma Ohnstad 31 Michelle Volk

Have a happy & blessed day!

Provide Altar Flowers

Would you like to celebrate a special occasion, remember a loved one, or give thanks to God for all your blessings? Consider providing altar flowers.

There is a sign-up sheet at the back of the sanctuary. Add your name to the list and fill out a form. The cost of the flowers is $35. Please make checks out to “St. John’s Altar Guild.” That’s all there is to it! The altar guild will order the flowers and make sure they are in place.

Updated Membership Directory

We have been updating our membership directory. We plan to have it available by Sunday, March 7. If you have any corrections or additions, please contact the church office right away.

The church directory is for church use only. It is not for any commercial or business purposes.

Easter Flowers and Plants

You are invited to contribute Easter Plants for the season of Easter. The flowers purchased from your contributions and flowers that you bring from home will be used to decorate the sanctuary, and then you may take them home with you after the 9:00 a.m. Worship service on Easter Sunday.

You may submit your donation along with the form at the back of the church to any Altar Guild member or to the church office. Please have the form and contribution in by March 13.

Flowers available this year are:

___ Easter Lily ($13) ___ Begonia ($16)

___ Tulip ($14) ___ Bulb Garden ($23)

___ Azalea ($25) ___ Chrysanthemum ($16)

___ Hydrangea ($25) ___ Hyacinth ($15)

Daylight Savings Time

Turn your clocks ahead 1 hour for

Sunday, March 13.

Minnesota Food Share—March Campaign

For 34 years, Minnesota FoodShare has coordinated the March Campaign—the annual food and fund drive that provides more than half the food distributed by 300 food shelves throughout the state.

Day in and day out, thousands of Minnesotans are fighting to put food on the table. Last year alone, there were more than 3 million visits to our state’s food shelves.

Help families in our community who may be struggling to put food on the table. Bring cash or items to church during this month to help stock the shelves at our local food shelf. Below is a list of ideas on what may be brought. Thank you for your help!

Notes from The Island

Lutheran Island Camp 45011 230th Street

Henning, MN 56551 Website: www.islandcamp.org

Email: info@islandcamp.org Phone: 218-583-2905

2016 Summer Camps & Retreats at LIC

Summer 2016 is just around the corner and it will be filled with “Extraordinary Flying Things” that God created on Day 5 and to which He refers so often throughout scripture. This is the theme for this year’s camp and retreat season at Lutheran Island Camp. They will look at various creatures that come under that topic of flying things. They will also look at the physics and biology behind flight. They will also focus on God’s Word: “Behold the fowls of the air: for they sow not, neither do they reap, nor gather into barns; yet your Heavenly Father feedeth them. Are ye not much better than they?” Matthew 6:26

The new brochures are available at the church. There are many opportunities to experience the “Extraordinary Flying Things”. Stop by and pick up your brochure.

Winter Weather Cancellations

In the event of winter storms, listen to WCMP (1350 AM or 100.9 FM) for cancellation notices. We will also place an announcement on the church answering machine (320) 358-3623 not less than one hour before the activity or event. You can also call Pastor Beck at his home phone, (320) 358-4906.

The Lutheran Hour

Sundays at 6:05 am on WCCO 830 AM)

March 6 "Reconciled Reconcilers" Lutheran Hour Speaker: Rev. Dr. Gregory Seltz Through forgiveness, God gives us another way to deal with people who have hurt us. (2 Corinthians 5:17-20)

March 13 "It's Worth the Sacrifice" Lutheran Hour Speaker: Rev. Dr. Gregory Seltz God calls us to be the right people in the wrong place, for the sake of others. (Philippians 3:8-14)

March 20 "Strive for What You Already Have" Lutheran Hour Speaker: Rev. Dr. Gregory Seltz Christianity is about putting to work what God has already given us, in Christ. (Philippians 2:5-11)

March 27 "An Unbeliever's Sermon" Lutheran Hour Speaker: Rev. Dr. Gregory Seltz Pastor Ken Klaus asked several non-believing friends to help him write his Easter sermon. Hear what they said. (Luke 24:5-6)

2016 Lutherans For Life National Conference

Mark the date: October 21-22, 2016, at St. Michael's Lutheran Church in Bloomington, Minnesota.

Scheduled speakers include Dr. Jean Garton and actor Frank Runyeon.

Social Security: Strategize to Maximize

You are invited to a special event hosted by Thrivent Financial. Turn retirement concerns into confidence. Get positive, professional guidance from a membership organization of Christians that has been helping our member-owners be wise with money and live generously for more than 100 years.

Thursday, April 14, 2016 6:30 pm

Chisago Lake Lutheran Church 1 Summit Avenue Center City, MN

To reserve your place, please call Chisago Lake Lutheran Church at (651) 257-6300 or email craig.stockel@thrivent.com

Refreshments will be served at the event.

A Measure of our Discipleship Together in Christ

Day of Worship Attendance Communed Offering Bible Hour Students + Youth & Adult Class + Staff

Monday Bible Class Longer Look

2-7-2016 41 38 $1,536.00 0+14+1=15 4

2-10-16 Ash Wednesday Service

34 33 $618.00 ------- -------

2-14-2016 40 ------- $1,039.00 0+18+1=19 3

2-17-16 Lenten Service

29 ------- $332.00 ------- -------

2-21-2016 56 46 $1,533.85 0+19+1=20 4

2-24-16 Lenten Service

29 ------- $264.00 ------- -------

A question for each of us: Is my example of discipleship strengthening and encouraging others in our life together in Christ?

St. John’s Lutheran Church 980 West 4th Street PO Box 368 Rush City MN 55069 www.stjohnsrushcity.org

Sunday Schedule Worship 9:00 am Family Bible Hour 10:20 am.

Lenten services Wednesdays 2, 9, 16 at 7:00 pm Pre-service suppers 6:00-6:30 pm

Holy Week Schedule Palm Sunday Worship 9:00 am Maundy Thursday Worship 7:00 pm Good Friday Worship 7:00 pm Easter Worship 9:00 am Easter Breakfast 8:00-8:30 am

God so loved …

…that He gave His only begotten Son that [your name] who believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life.