February 19, 2023
Transfiguration of Our Lord
Sermon Notes for Sunday
- Sermon Notes
Sermon based on Matthew 16:13-20
Today we hear about Peter’s confession of faith and how, like Peter, we are given the Spirit of Christ to confess the one true Christian faith boldly and confidently, and that even when we do not confess as we ought, our God and Savior continues to forgive, strengthen, and renew us so that we learn to confess His name before others.
Serving Schedule
This Week’s Servants
- ELDER: Alan Marxhausen
- Usher: Dan Dreyer
- Reader: Craige Roeschlein
- Organist: Sue Drury
- Acolytes: Waylon/Lily Dreyer
- Sound Booth: Chase/Lizzy Calander
- Altar Guild: Jane Marquardsen
- Fellowship: Lanaya Totzke/Laurie Maurer
Next Week’s Servants
- Elder: Alan Marxhausen
- Usher: Travis Bemboom
- Reader: Derek Marxhausen
- Organist: Jane Marquardsen
- Acolytes: Makenna Miller/Ella Roehl
- Sound Booth: Waylon Dreyer
- Altar Guild: Jane Marquardsen
- Fellowship: Cassie Yeats/Lane Frazier
Statistics for Last Week
Financials
- Regular Offering: $951.00
- Online Giving: $125.00
- Non-Budget: $50.00
- Pizza (Intern Fund): $212.00
Attendance
- Worship Attendance: 57
- Sunday School: 6
- Youth Group: 3
- Mid-Week: 4
Important News & Announcements
New Website Now Live!
Our newly formatted website is now live and nearly every page is completed. Because of the additional capabilities of the new website, the weekly news will be emailed directly, without reformatting or converting to images. This means that you can click on any included links, as well as enjoy other features. Be SURE to subscribe, not only to the weekly news, but to the daily devotionals. Note: Printed announcements will still be available under your mailboxes.
Another Successful Senior Social Day!
We had another wonderful time on Thursday, February 9th when seniors from Milaca gathered at St. Paul’s for Valentine’s Day Bingo. If you’ve not had the opportunity to take part in this monthly event, the next Senior Social Day is Thursday, March 9th at 10:00. Come early (9:00) for Bible Study too!
Maundy Thursday Seder Needs Your Help!
We will hold the Maundy Thursday Seder on April 6th. We’ve invited Rum River Circuit churches to join us, so we will certainly have a full house once again. To make the night a success, we are looking for volunteers to provide food, to help prepare, and to take part in the Seder liturgy with speaking parts. A sign-up board will be available in the Narthex next Sunday. Please prayerfully consider volunteering. If you’ve not done a lot of volunteering, make the Seder Meal a great way to start.
Youth Night Date Change
Due to scheduling conflicts, we have changed the Youth Food, Fun, Fellowship night to Friday, March 10th.
Sunday School/Pre-Confirmation/Youth Group
Our Sunday School/Pre-Confirmation and Youth Group hour has been low on attendance these past few weeks. The Scripture teaches us that we are to raise our children in the faith, bring them to church, and teach them every day about the love of God in Christ. The Education Hour on Sunday morning is a GREAT time to do this, to supplement your time at home with your kids in prayer and study. If you haven’t brought your kids to church in a while, why not start this Sunday? And while they’re in class, why not stick around and attend the Adult Bible Study, taught by one of our Elders? Like the kids, we must also be in regular study of God’s Word and use these opportunities to grow in Him.
Youth Food
Fun
Fellowship
CALLING ALL YOUTH! On Friday, March 10th, we will be gathering at St. Paul’s for a Youth night with games, fellowship, FOOD, and devotion. The Youth from our circuit is also invited. Mark your calendars and bring a friend or two. We gather at 6:00PM. Remember to bring a few non-perishable food items with you for the Milaca Food Pantry.
Prayer Requests
| Tom Litfin | Glen Hamann |
Weekend Devotion
Prayer: Father in heaven, may Your will be done in me as it is in heaven, so that through daily repentance and a sure faith, I might always seek to do Your will as an obedient child. In Jesus’ name, amen.
SCRIPTURE: “Your kingdom come, your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven.” – Matthew 6:10
God’s will is done when our wills are broken. Our Lord is after a contrite heart, a broken spirit, a humble demeanor, and a silent tongue. He is not interested in our excuses or our platitudes. He has no desire to hear us try and justify our actions and sinful thoughts, words, or deeds. Instead, He seeks true contrition, humble confession, and an honest cry for mercy. He seeks that our wills be crushed.
If a person calls you a fool, do not resist him or defend yourself. Instead, agree with him whether you are or not. For before God, we are all foolish and silly. If a person seeks to take something from you, to harm you, or hurt your reputation, do not resist him or fight back but let him. Even if the person is truly wronging you of no fault of your own, understand that it is the Lord’s will, whether He uses a wicked person or a good person to take from you or harm you. Do not resist His will, but say instead, “Your will be done.” This is what Christ means when He says, “If someone wants to sue you and take your tunic, let him have your cloak as well” (Matthew 5:40).
Someone might object and say, “if this is what it means for God’s will to be done, who can be saved? For who can keep such a difficult command to give up their own will in all things?” But what we must learn from this prayer and from the rest of our Lord’s words is how crucial it is that we allow our wills to be totally defeated so that only God’s will is done. After all, our own will is full of sin and death, but God’s will is that we be saved and filled with His Holy Spirit. Whose will is better for us?
Learn from the example of Jesus who gave up His own will, glory, power, and honor and instead fully submitted to His Father’s will. For He said, “Yet not my will, but Yours be done” (Luke 22:42). And Christ’s will was good, the best will of all. If He surrendered His will so that God’s will be done, why do we poor little worms make such a fuss over our own?
This Week’s Meetings
- NO Confirmation (students have an assignment)
- Ash Wednesday Service 5:00pm
- Book of Concord Study Thursday 9:00am
- Next Sunday is the First Sunday in Lent
Coming Events
- Lenten Midweek Services begin with Ash Wednesday (this Wednesday) and continue through the end of March. Make an effort to attend these wonderful services. Our theme this Lententide will be the Sixth Chief Part of the Catechism: The Sacrament of the Altar
- Youth Night, March 10th from 6-8
- Seder Meal, April 6th
- Good Friday, April 7th
- NO EASTER VIGIL THIS YEAR
- Easter Sunday Services, April 9th
“Prayer preserves temperance, suppresses anger, restrains pride and envy, draws down the Holy Spirit into the soul and raises man to heaven.”
— St. Ephriam the Syrian (306-373)