June 25, 2023
4th Sunday after 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: Jason Theisen
- Usher: Dan Dreyer
- Reader: Makenna M./Jaiden K.
- Organist: Jane Marquardsen
- Acolyte: Lily Dreyer
- Sound Booth:
- Altar Guild: Carin Calander
- Fellowship: Jen VanDonsel/Sue Drury
Next Week’s Servants
- Elder: Alan Marxhausen
- Usher: Travis Bemboom
- Reader: Logan Marxhausen
- Organist: Sue Drury
- Acolytes: Ella Roehl
- Sound Booth: Chase VanDonsel
- Altar Guild: Laurie Maurer
- Fellowship: Sarah M./April B.
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: $1,382.00
- Online Giving: $100.16
- Non-Budget: $0.00
- Memorial: $0.00
- Scholarship: $48.10
- Building Fund: $0.00
Attendance
- Worship Attendance: 38
- Sunday School: 13
- Youth Group: n/a
- Midweek Bible Study: 4
- Men’s 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
Romans 6:13 – “Present yourselves to God as those who have been brought from death to life, and your members to God as instruments for righteousness.” Everything we have — even our own existence, our very selves — is a gift from God to be used for His purposes. God has called you to be His own and has given you tasks to perform in home, in church and in society. How will you serve Him today?
Sunday School/VBS News
Children’s and Youth Sunday School is over for summer, but children and youth are always encouraged to attend adult Bible Study. Instill a good habit of churchly participation! Bring them to Bible Study.
Vacation Bible School is slated for Monday, August 14 – Wednesday, August 16th in the evenings. We need adults and older youth to participate and help lead. More information will be coming soon. A VBS Meeting is schedule for this Wednesday at 6pm.
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.
Adult Bible Study continues this Sunday at 10:30 with a multi-week study on the Lord’s Supper. Today we will talk about some foundational matters: theology and the proper way to read and interpret the Scripture, and we will look at the history, how the Church has practiced the Lord’s Supper over the centuries. Join us, and bring a bible if you have one!
Men, join us Thursdays at 6:30pm for Men’s Bible Study.
Lifetree Café will begin in September! Members are invited to attend, have great social time, and talk about some of the deeper things of the faith.
Morning Prayer @ St. Paul’s
Join us at the church or online every Tuesday and Thursday morning at 7:30 for morning prayer, a short service of responsive prayers, hymns, and readings.
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.
We will not have a monthly Newsletter during the summer months. Important announcements, schedules, and meetings will be printed/emailed in the weekly news.
Special Voters Meeting scheduled for this Sunday after fellowship. It will be a brief meeting, covering only two important topics: the parking lot and air conditioning units. Please plan on attending this meeting. Thank you.
Subscribe to the official newspaper of The Lutheran Church-Missouri Synod! Visit reporter.lcms.org to get regular updates, notices, synodical news, and more!
Subscribe to the Minnesota North District e-News service! Visit https://www.mnnlcms.org/newsletter to subscribe to regular emails, updates, and more!
Pastor Carlson has been publishing a regular 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 regular devotion in your email inbox.
Also visit https://www.lcms.org/worship/memory-verse-challenge and memorize a verse of Scripture a day!
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 | Gary Anderson |
| Gary Asher |
UNANSWERED BIBLE QUESTIONS… Issues, Etc., a radio talk show and podcast produced by Lutheran Public Radio, will have Pastors Bryan Wolfmueller and Brian Kachelmeier respond to your unanswered Bible questions. You can submit your question via email: talkback@issuesetc.org, Facebook: facebook.com/issuesetc, or the Issues, Etc. Comment Line: (618) 223-8382. You can listen to the interview at your convenience at issuesetc.org, the LPR mobile app or your favorite podcast provider.
Weekend Devotion
Prayer: Lord, purify my heart that I might see You and trust You above all things. Amen.
SCRIPTURE: “Blessed are the pure in heart, for they will see God.” – Matthew 5:8
Believers must, above all, have pure hearts that follow God. For God’s Word is pure and holy and lives in the believer’s heart. And what is the reward for such a heart? God has promised everyone believer that, “they will see God.” This is of the greatest treasures, fully of God’s grace, and the most wonderful news He gives!
But what does it mean to “see God?” Some people invent their own ideas about seeing God. They lock themselves into their thoughts and minds, start thinking and rambling about heaven, and live lives engaged in idle speculation. They aim to “see God” by looking inside themselves as if God is a manifestation or invention of their own minds. They try to get to God by their own strength, power, or will, as if intellect has the ability to figure out all there is to know about God and His Word. They make a golden calf out of their own reasoning and rational abilities and thus never see God, but only themselves.
But if you believe that Christ is your savior, the first thing you realize is that God is gracious. Faith — not intellect, not works, not inner contemplations, emotions, or chattering — faith leads you to heaven and lets you see inside the heart of God. You get a glimpse of His infinite kindness, love, and compassion toward you, that He lovingly calls you to repentance and to trust that He forgives you and sets you free from sin and the devil. This is what it truly means to “see God.” You cannot see Him with your eyes, but you must only see Him and seek Him by faith.
This Week’s Activities
- VBS Meeting, Wednesday at 6:00pm
- Adult Bible Study this Thursday at 9:00 AM.
- Morning Prayer, Tuesday & Thursday at 7:30am
- Men’s Bible Study this Thursday at 6:30pm
- New Member Class, Friday at 10am
- Vision Meeting, Friday at 5:30pm
Coming Events
- LCMS National Convention, July 31st through August 3rd.
- Vacation Bible School coming in August
“Sound doctrine does not enter into a hard and disobedient heart.“
— St. Justin Martyr (AD 100-165)