Tip: Beware of scams! Christians want to help those in need, but be sure you know the organization is legitimate before you give personal information or donations. It is safer and more secure for you to contact a trusted charity than to respond to a direct request from someone with whom you do not usually correspond. You do NOT need to give the government or a solicitor your personal information in order to receive the federal Coronavirus relief money or to get it any faster. Words of Hope: And my God will supply every need of yours according to his riches in glory in Christ Jesus. Phil. 4:19 Words of Hope: When the cares of my heart are many, your consolations cheer my soul. Psalm 94:19 Tip: Search God’s Word for passages that speak to your needs and concerns. Write them on a sticky note or index card and place them around your house to see. Find verses that also encourage you to praise God. He is faithful and will not forsake you no matter what you face. Helpful Hint: God speaks to us through His written Word – the Bible. It is always a good thing to spend time in God’s Word. Now is an especially good time. God has abundant GOOD NEWS to counter and even defeat the bad news of what occurs in the world. Consider “Walking in the Word” from the LEARN menu bar on our home page. Go to the beginning and start with day one of a forty day journey through Scripture verses and meditative thoughts. Go to the bottom of the page and use the “previous” and “forward” buttons to begin and continue the journey. It was provided several years ago, but it is still a helpful tool and continues to be available for you.
Helpful Hint: Christians have peace knowing our God is greater than anything we face. One way or another we will be victorious. Use COVID as an acronym to remember that Jesus “Conquers Our Viruses and Infectious Diseases.” Helpful Hint: We are told to wash our hands for at least 20 seconds. Sing this verse as you wash, to gauge the time, as well as focus your mind on the God who cleanses us and promises His good will for us in Jesus. Some may consider Amazing Grace to be a sad song we sing at funerals. It is a comforting song and can remind us that God has been and will continue to be with us because of His gracious heart. “Through many dangers, toils and snares I have already come; His grace has brought me safe thus far, His grace will lead me home.”
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It is easy to get information overload and become stressed out, so turn to Jesus and ask Him to calm your heart. 1 st Peter 5 says, Cast all your anxiety on Him, because He cares for you.
We are aware of the daily changes and can use the 3rd , 4th , and 5th commandments to guide us to respond appropriately. I know we want to gather for worship to receive God’s Word and Sacraments, but this is also a time to show obedience to the authorities and their recommendations or executive orders. The steps being proposed will help us not put our neighbor’s life in danger by our actions. Therefore, we are cancelling all our worship services and all scheduled events at SPL, not because we do not trust in God, but as a way to help our neighbors and country get through the spread of COVID-19 as quickly as possible and with the least amount of impact. Although we will not meet in person, we WILL continue to livestream the services on Wednesday at 1:30 p.m. and Sunday at 10 a.m. See our website to see it live or go back and watch a service that has already been streamed. Out of care and concern for our families and those that we serve, and by way of example, our faculty and staff will work from home as much as possible. Staff may come in as needed, but the building has been sanitized and will be closed until further notice. The electronic keys have been deactivated, except for select individuals. The church office will be accessible but on a limited basis. Please call us to be sure we are available. We invite you to reach out to staff members by phone during business hours or email. Despite the many changes, we still need your help, so we can continue to provide ministry. We are considering a method to enable offerings to be dropped off at the church, but if you want, you can mail it in. The most efficient method though, is our online giving system. Visit our website and select “GIVE” from the menu bar. It truly is an easy process to “give” once or repeatedly using a bank account or credit card. We will continue to evaluate the ever changing situation. In the midst of it all, 1 Thess. 5:16-18 says “Be joyful always; Pray continually; Give thanks in all circumstances for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.” Remember – you matter to God and you matter to me. Pastor Bruner Presently, the building has been closed to limit the risk for spread to our community. We will continue to stream our services at 1:30 PM Wednesday and 10:00 AM Sunday. You can join in those livestreams by going to stpaul-millington.org/stream. “Therefore I shall ask God to mercifully protect us. Then I shall fumigate, help purify the air, administer medicine and take it . . . If God should wish to take me, he will surely find me, and I have done what he expected of me. If my neighbor needs me, however, I shall not avoid person or place but will go freely.” Martin Luther, Whether One May Flee From a Deadly Plague Regular in person worship has been canceled. However, we will provide a stream on Wednesdays at 1:30 PM and Sundays at 10:00 AM. This stream and past streams will be available at stpaul-millington.org/stream.
Offerings are still needed to continue providing ministry. You may use our online giving portal, or mail them to us. We are also developing a strategy for you to drop them off. Any update will be provided here. Other Notable Events: All extra-curricular activities have been cancelled. Some events will be rescheduled, so please be on the look out for further information. Child Care will be closed. The building has been sanitized and access will be limited. The following individuals are authorized to enter St Paul Lutheran Church in accordance with Governor Witmer's Executive Order 2020-21 (COVID-19), Paragraph 4: Care of equipment: Bill Weber Care of animals: Christy Ostrander Process Transactions: Diane Mills Facilitate remote working: Jon Keinath, Julie Keinath, Stacey Force, Rev. James Bruner, Rev. Tim Martinal, Teresa Walter, Janette Keinath All notes above are as of this posting (3/26/2020) and may be revised as new information is received.
St. Paul will be having Preschool and Kindergarten Round Up on Sunday, March 15th, from noon until 4pm. If you are looking for a Christ-Centered Education and a loving Church Family, please call us for more information. Anyone interested in Kindergarten, please call for an appointment.
If you know anyone who may be interested, please send them to our Facebook page for the event below.. Preschool: https://www.facebook.com/events/188564382489427/ Kindergarten: https://www.facebook.com/events/867985596989650/ Lent is a time of reflection and sacrifice as we prepare for Easter and the celebration of Christ’s death and resurrection.
Here are some ideas for sacrificial giving. Together we can help eliminate the education debt of our pastors and sons of our congregation who are pastors serving our LCMS.
Here are a few new ideas for giving:
Together we can eliminate this debt, please pray for God to show you how you can do your part, and then chip in. Lenten Sacrificial Giving for Seminarian Fund Our congregation has been blessed with several young men attending seminary and becoming pastors to serve our LCMS. One year at seminary is $44,000.00+. So over 4 years the cost is $132,000.00+, (vicarage year they earn a stipend and don’t pay tuition.) The seminaries are doing a wonderful job finding partial sponsors for students from all over the country and they give each student as much as they possibly can. I want to thank you all for the support afforded Tim Kern. He is currently debt free, and will be ordained in 2021. However, Pastor Jason Peterson was ordained in 2006. 13 years later he still shoulders $45,754.52 in student loan debt. Pastor Peter Ill was ordained in 2010. 9 years later he is still carrying $44,646.68 of student loan debt. Pastor Tim Martinal was ordained in 2014. 5 years later he is carrying $44,139.08 in seminary education debt. We can rejoice with: Pastor Michael Roth was ordained in 1986. He is debt free. Pastor Bruner was ordained in 1991. He is debt free. Pastor Nathan Higgins was ordained in 2002. He is debt free. The combined student loan debt from these men’s seminary studies is $134,540.28. My appeal to you is one of moral and fiscal responsibility; I believe we have a responsibility to our pastors & sons of our congregation who serve our LCMS churches as pastors, to assist them in paying down some of this debt. So, I have come up with a list of ideas for ways we can each do some sacrificial giving during lent. Take a look at the list on the back of this page. Please pray that God will help you and each of us to do our part. Together we can eliminate this debt so these pastors who serve our Lutheran Church Missouri Synod can be relieved of this burden freeing up their energies to serve the Lord with gladness. Again, thank you for the generous support St. Paul has given Tim Kern these past three years. Let’s all be generous and do what we can to help, Pastor Jason Peterson, Pastor Peter Ill and Pastor Tim Martinal. May God Bless each of you as you ponder your part. Give until it feels good.
March 21st
GOD’S WILL AND MY RESPONSE DISCUSSION QUESTIONS Talk about one or more of the following with a friend or family member. -Talk about a few of your favorite things—foods, or colors or music. Do you associate a memory, place or activity with any of those? -Have you ever gotten side-tracked on a trip or in life, and ended up someplace you didn’t intend to go—and it was better that way? Share your story. -Do you recharge socially or privately? Would you rather serve publicly or behind the scenes? How do you think the people around you would answer those questions? Discuss with someone who can point you back to Jesus and His love for you. -The Holy Spirit prepared Lydia’s heart to receive Paul’s message and shaped her response. How have you seen or experienced the Holy Spirit at work in similar ways? -When have you felt most useful to other people? When have you felt most useless? What can you learn about yourself in the differences between those two settings? -Where do you think the Holy Spirit is creating openness in you right now? What help from others or promise from Jesus will shape your response? March 14th
GOD’S WILL AND MY WORLDVIEW DISCUSSION QUESTIONS Talk about one or more of the following with a friend or family member. -Have you ever been afraid of the dark? Have you ever enjoyed the dark? Share a good and bad memory about the dark. -Are you more open or more closed to new people or new perspectives? How quick are you to admit you are wrong? Is this a strength of yours, or a weakness, or both? -What’s the most important thing you have ever changed your mind about? How did that happen? What was the result? Discuss with someone who can point you back to Jesus and his love for you. -We often experience obedience as something we do. Obedience is also something that God shapes in us, or gives to us as a gift. How would your attitude or actions change if you thought of your obedience as dependent on Jesus and a gift from him? -What do you see Jesus doing in you right now that you don’t quite understand? -When you don’t understand or don’t know what to do next, which promises from Jesus are most helpful to you? Who speaks those promises into your life when you need to hear them? |
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February 2024
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