May 28, 2023
Day of Pentecost
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: Chad Calander
- Usher: Travis Bemboom
- Reader: Kris Marxhausen
- Organist: Sue Drury
- Acolytes: Lane Marxhausen
- Sound Booth: OPEN
- Altar Guild: Wilma Frazier
- Fellowship: Nancy R./Virginia M.
Next Week’s Servants
- Elder: Jason Theisen
- Usher: Mike Maurer
- Reader: Craige Roeschlein
- Organist: Sue Drury
- Acolytes: Preston Kuseske
- Sound Booth: Chase VanDonsel
- Altar Guild: Wilma Frazier
- Fellowship: Jane Marquardsen
If you are unable to keep your scheduled serving day, please contact the church at least a few days before the service so there is time to find a replacement. Thank you!
Statistics for Last Week
Financials
- Regular Offering: $1,302.00
- Online Giving: $100.00
- Non-Budget: $0.00
- Memorial: $150.00
- Scholarship: $0.00
- Building Fund: $0.00
Attendance
- Worship Attendance: 103
- Sunday School: n/a
- Youth Group: n/a
- Midweek Bible Study: n/a
Please make every attempt to have your kids in Sunday School each week, and your teens in Youth Group.
Important News & Announcements
NEED PRINTED ANNOUNCEMENTS?
Please ask Pastor if you would like a printed copy of the announcements. Thank you.
Stewardship Thought for This Week
Acts 2:1 – “When the day of Pentecost arrived, they were all together in one place.” Pentecost is the Old Testament harvest festival, taking place around the time when the wheat and oats are ready to be brought in. Of course, this was an image and foreshadowing of the great harvest of humankind that God means to carry out through the preaching of His Word. God gives the seed, and God brings about the harvest. From first to last, in things temporal and things eternal, we stand only by His grace.
LCMS Convention Video
Pastor will play the official Convention Video, produced by the LCMS and President Harrison, today before the service. As you know, Pastor Carlson will be attending the convention later in July and representing St. Paul’s and the rest of our circuit. Please pray for him for safe travel, and for the convention delegates as they prepare and gather in convention!
Sunday School/VBS News
Though Children’s Sunday School and Youth Group is over for the summer, we want to gather one last time on May 28 after church to thank our teachers and the kids for a great year. Bring your kids next Sunday to church for a special Children’s Message, and to Sunday School where there will be treats provided in the classrooms.
Next Sunday the Board of Ed. and teachers will meet to discuss this year’s VBS plans. We will meet at 10:30 after fellowship.
Beginning June 11th, Pastor Carlson will lead an all-church Sunday Bible Study throughout the summer and kids, youth, and adults are encouraged to attend. Also, VBS is coming in the fall, and more information will be available soon about needs and opportunities.
Summer Bible Study Opportunities
There is no time like the present to be in the Word, studying and growing in Christ. To that end, we will continue to have our Thursday morning class where we study the Book of Concord. As Lutherans, we believe the Book of Concord is a correct exposition of the Holy Scripture and thus it’s important we are familiar with it. Join us Thursdays at 9:00 am and bring your Book of Concord with you. If you don’t have one, speak to pastor about getting one for you.
Pastor is starting a weekly Men’s Bible Study in June. Our first meeting will be Thursday, June 8th at 6:30pm. Bring your bibles. This Bible Study will be very informal and open for questions and discussion. Please read the first several chapters of Romans before you come. And invite your friends. If you can help with coffee or snacks, speak to pastor.
Beginning in June, Pastor Carlson will resume teaching the Sunday morning Bible Study at 10:30. Adults and youth are encouraged to attend. Pastor will be following the “We Preach Christ Crucified” series from the LCMS in preparation for the national convention.
Lifetree Cafe is coming in August…
Morning and Evening Prayer
Beginning in June, Pastor will lead a Morning Prayer service and Evening Prayer service every Tuesday and Thursday. Morning Prayer will be at 7:30 AM and Evening Prayer will be at 8:00 PM. It will be led in the Sanctuary and anyone is welcome to attend. What a GREAT way to start your day and end your day! There will be singing, praying, and Scripture. The services will be about 20 minutes long. They will be livestreamed starting later in June.
Senior Social Day
Seniors, why not come to the church every 2nd Thursday at 10am for a time of good fun, fellowship and games, coffee and treats, and to meet other Milaca seniors? We’ve got a good group of people but would love it if you could come too! Bring your favorite board game or card game with you.
Youth Volleyball Night
Youth Open Volleyball night scheduled for Friday, June 9th at 6:00 PM. There will be food and a devotion…and volleyball! Bring friends.
Board of Education
A Board of Ed. meeting is scheduled for Sunday, June 4 at 10:30 AM.
We will not have a monthly Newsletter during the summer months. Important announcements, schedules, and meetings will be printed in the weekly news.
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.
The Lutheran Church-Missouri Synod, 68th Regular Convention is July 29 through August 3. Pastor Carlson, along with a lay delegate from our circuit, will be attending the convention and representing St. Paul’s and our circuit. The convention is in Milwaukee, WI at the Wisconsin Center/Arena.
Pastor will spend a little time at the next quarterly voters meeting detailing the convention and provide for you a list of matters which will be voted on.
To keep up with the convention timeline, to read the overtures, and to learn about the various candidates who will fill positions nationally, please visit LCMS National Convention – The Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod. Also, please pray for safe travel for all who are preparing to head to Milwaukee in late July.
Prayer Requests
| Tom Litfin | Glen Hamann |
| Family of Harry Totzke | |
Weekend Devotion
Prayer: Lord of life, help me to understand Your Word so that I do not change its simplicity and plain meaning, but rely on it always even if I do not fully understand it. In Jesus’ name, Amen.
SCRIPTURE: “How can a man be born when he is old?” Nicodemus asked. “Surely he cannot enter a second time into his mother’s womb to be born!” – John 3:4
It is clear that Christ isn’t talking about physical birth in this passage, but about spiritual birth which happens through water and the Spirit. Up until this point, however, Nicodemus didn’t understand what Christ was saying, so how could he possibly understand spiritual rebirth?
Like Nicodemus, many today think it absurd that we teach a person must be born anew by water and the Spirit and nothing else. They don’t understand these words. They either shout from the hills that a person must also do good works or exhibit signs of being saved or one is not truly saved, or they reject any notion that God uses water to save, going as far to say that if you think you are saved because you are baptized, you are truly lost.
But as Christ says, no one may enter the kingdom of God unless He is first born anew by water and the Spirit. These are plain words yet powerful words! We must pass from the birth of sin to the birth of righteousness, we must die to our old selves and be reborn by water and the Spirit to our new selves in Christ. Otherwise, we will never go to heaven. Good works will follow our rebirth but are not necessary for being reborn.
Christ speaks of how God saves sinners, but Nicodemus does not understand. Like Nicodemus, you will not understand this either unless you are born from above by water and the Spirit. So, let us not change these words but let them stand as they are. Let us not reinterpret them to fit our opinion or our lack of faith in what God can do, even if His Word might sound foolish or strange to the human mind. It’s best to take the simple and plain meaning of these words — and all words of the Scripture whenever we can.
In fact, you should never, and I mean NEVER dare to reinterpret the Word of God in your own way! This reinterpretation is precisely what the devil caused Eve to do in the garden, and it’s clearly what he continues to do today. It would be better for you to say, “I don’t understand these words, but I will let them stand as they are and trust in the Lord,” and have some fear and respect for the God of the universe.
This Week’s Activities
- BLESSED MEMORIAL DAY!
- Adult Bible Study this Thursday at
- 9:00 AM.
- New Member Class, Friday at 10am
Coming Events
- Board of Ed/VBS Meeting, June 4th
- Morning/Evening Prayer beginning June 6th, 7:30am and 8:00pm every Tuesday and Thursday
- Men’s Bible Study, Thursday, June 8th at 6:30pm
- Youth Volleyball, Friday, June 9th at 6:00pm
- LCMS National Convention, July 31st through August 3rd.
“O Holy Spirit, descend plentifully into my heart. Enlighten the dark corners of this neglected dwelling and scatter there Thy cheerful beams.“
— St. Augustine of Hippo (AD 365 – 430)