March 12, 2023
Third Sunday in Lent
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: Derek Marxhausen
- Usher: Jason Theisen
- Reader: Logan Marxhausen
- Organist: Sue Drury
- Acolytes:
- Sound Booth:
- Altar Guild: Sue Drury
- Fellowship: Jane M./Lois G.
Next Week’s Servants
- Elder: Derek Marxhausen
- Usher: Chad Calander
- Reader: Chase/Lizzy Calander
- Organist: Jane Marquardsen
- Acolytes: Lauren Foster/Brantley Frazier
- Sound Booth: Calanders
- Altar Guild: Sue Drury
- Fellowship: Kris Marxhausen
Statistics for Last Week
Financials
- Regular Offering: $4,555.00
- Online Giving: $0.00
- Non-Budget: $0.00
- Midweek: $150.00
- Other: $715.00
Attendance
- Worship Attendance: 61
- Sunday School: 7
- Youth Group: n/a
- Mid-Week: 13
Important News & Announcements
Lent Midweek Service This Wednesday
Try to join us for our midweek Lenten services where we are going through the sixth part of the Small Catechism – The Sacrament of the Altar. The service is at 5:00 PM.
DCE INTERN UPDATE
News about the current status of a DCE Intern will be coming at the next Voters Meeting in April.
Maundy Thursday Seder Needs Your Help!
We will hold the Maundy Thursday Seder on April 6th at 6:00 PM. 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 table is now available in the Narthex. Please prayerfully consider volunteering. If you’ve not done a lot of volunteering, make the Seder Meal a great way to start. Also, be sure to sign up ASAP if you plan on attending to Seder!
NEED PRINTED ANNOUNCEMENTS?
A limited number of printed announcements are available each Sunday and left on the table under the mailboxes. You may also have a PDF copy of the announcements emailed to you if you prefer it that way. Just ask.
Join us for this fun Student Scholarship fundraiser for Good Shepherd Lutheran High School! Proceeds will go to families who place Christian Education as a priority, but may not be able to afford tuition for their student.
On March 19, teams of 4 will gather and compete to be the first team to finish a 500 piece puzzle. Prizes for first and second place teams to finish their puzzle, as well as, door prizes, prize drawings, silent auction and concessions!
To Sign-up/Register:
https://www.eventbrite.com/e/puzzle-competition-fundraiser-tickets-537973331717
Registration open until March 12.
If you have any questions, please contact: Melissa Lamkin at mlamkin@goodshepherdlutheranhs.org
If you are unable to participate you can still support Good Shepherd Lutheran High School student scholarship fund using this donation form, in the comment box enter “Donation to Scholarship Fund, will not be able to participate in Puzzle Contest”. Thank you so much for your support!
Subscribe to the official newspaper of The Lutheran Church-Missouri Synod! Visit reporter.lcms.org to get regular updates, notices, synodical news, and more!
Pastor Carlson has been publishing a daily devotion online and emailing it to subscribers. That’s right! This is a great way to start of your day in the Word and prayer. Simply go to stpaulsmilaca.org/subscribe or speak to Pastor, and you’ll start to receive a devotion every weekday in your email inbox.
Prayer Requests
| Tom Litfin | Glen Hamann |
| Terry Bemis (recovering) |
Weekend Devotion
Prayer: Teach me to be faithful to Your Word and promises, heavenly Father, in times of difficulty and times of ease. In Jesus’ name, amen.
SCRIPTURE:
Then God blessed Noah and his sons, saying to them, “Be fruitful and increase in number and fill the earth.” – Genesis 9:1
God’s anger and wrath had come to an end. The entire earth was destroyed, all life drowned under deep waters. God’s promise to Noah and his family was about to begin. They were going to restart the human race and the animals they kept on the ark were to fill the earth once more. Naturally Noah and his family had fears and questions. But living solely by faith is a very difficult way to live, indeed. But Noah and his family did live this way, with their eyes fixed on heaven. I mean, the world was covered in water and there was no dry ground upon which to walk. All they had was God’s Word and promises.
Often, we consider faith insignificant where there is no physical danger or fears. As we consider Noah’s situation, however, we see that he was surrounded by water, nearly swallowed up by the flood. Yet, he was saved, not because if his own efforts — yes, he built the ark, but he built it according to God’s instructions — but he was saved because he relied on God’s mercy, relied on the promise that God would save him. He had confidence because he trusted in God.
When the scripture says, “God remembered” in Genesis 8:1, it means to show how difficult Noah’s situation was. Moses points out that Noah and the ark drifted aimlessly on water for so very long that he felt God had forgotten him. It’s easy to succumb to similar thoughts and to feel like all there is is darkness and God’s favor is gone. But when you feel that God has forgotten you, remember Noah. Living by God’s Word alone — living by faith — is difficult, more difficult than living a strict and disciplined life. But when all is said and done, God never forgets His people and He will always fulfill His promises to you.
This Week’s Activities
- Lent Midweek IV, Wednesday @ 5:00pm
- Confirmation, Wednesday @ 6:30 PM
- Book of Concord Study Thursday 9:00am
- Next Sunday is the Fourth Sunday in Lent
Coming Events
- Lenten Midweek Services continue this Wednesday and 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
- Seder Meal, April 6th, 6:00 PM
- Good Friday, April 7th
- NO EASTER VIGIL THIS YEAR
- Easter Sunday Services, April 9th
“Baptize first the children; and if they can speak for themselves, let them do so. Otherwise, let their parents or other relatives speak for them.”
— Hippolytus of Rome (170-235)