July 2, 2023
5th 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: Alan Marxhausen
- Usher: Travis Bemboom
- Reader: Logan Marxhausen
- Organist: Sue Drury
- Acolyte: Ella Roehl
- Sound Booth: Chase VanDonsel
- Altar Guild: Laurie Maurer
- Fellowship: Sarah M./April B.
Next Week’s Servants
- Elder: Alan Marxhausen
- Usher: Mike Maurer
- Reader: Chase/Lizzy Calander
- Organist: Jane Marquardsen
- Acolytes: Brock Theisen
- Sound Booth:
- Altar Guild: Laurie Maurer
- Fellowship: Beth T./Tracy V.
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: $1,234.00
- Online Giving: $185.16
- Non-Budget: $0.00
- Memorial: $0.00
- Scholarship: $0.00
- Building Fund: $0.00
Attendance
- Worship Attendance: 44
- Sunday School: n/a
- Youth Group: n/a
- Midweek Bible Study: n/a
- Men’s Bible Study: 3
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
Matthew 10:42 – “And whoever gives one of these little ones even a cup of cold water because he is a disciple, truly, I say to you, he will by no means lose his reward.” The tithes and offerings you give to the Lord’s work in His church go toward supporting all manner of discipleship. They provide for a minister of the Gospel to preach, teach and conduct the Sacraments; they provide for our missionaries and ministries of mercy here and abroad; and they make sure that the folks in your area have a place to go to worship the Lord. The Lord is pleased with this work, and He wants to bless you through your support of it.
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.
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 the theology of the Lord’s Supper and touch on historical practices. Join us, and bring a bible if you have one!
Men, join us Thursdays at 6:30pm for Men’s Bible Study. We are studying the Book of Romans.
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. The next Senior Social Day is July 13th!
We will not have a monthly Newsletter during the summer months. Important announcements, schedules, and meetings will be printed/emailed in the weekly news.
July Voters Meeting
Regular Voters Meeting is scheduled for Sunday, July 16th at 10:30. This is an important meeting as Pastor will spend some time talking about the national convention and giving you a taste of some of the things to be voted on by the over 5,000 delegates attending in Milwaukee.
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 | Dale Krotzer |
| The Bembooms (travelling to Columbia, South America) | LCMS National Convention |
EXPERT GUESTS, EXPANSIVE TOPICS, EXTOLLING CHRIST… Issues, Etc. is a radio talk show and podcast produced by Lutheran Public Radio in Collinsville, IL and hosted by LCMS Pastor Todd Wilken. This week’s topics include: The Toxic War on Masculinity; The Battle for the Bible in the LCMS; Women & Head Coverings; Does the Bible Condone the Killing of Homosexuals? and more. You can listen on-demand at issuesetc.org, the LPR mobile app and your favorite podcast provider.
Weekend Devotion
Prayer: Lord, keep me faithful to Your kingdom and Word in all things, and help me also to obey whatever authorities or government to which I am a citizen. Keep all earthly authorities from tyranny and evil. Amen.
SCRIPTURE: “But I tell you, do not resist an evildoer. If someone strikes you on your right cheek, turn to him the other also. If anyone wants to sue you to take away your shirt, give him your coat too.” – Matthew 5:39-40
It is no sin for Christians to involve themselves with secular matters or fulfilling their role as citizens. But Christians must try to avoid sin and do what the Lord expects of them, even in secular matters. The unbelieving world does not do what the Lord requires, for sure, but Christians should always seek the Lord’s counsel and teaching whenever dealing with matters of the world, the state, or the secular.
When a Christian fights in a war, files a lawsuit, or carries out a punishment, he is functioning in his role as soldier, lawyer, or judge. But even in these or any secular roles, the Christian should try to keep his conscience clear and motives pure. No Christian should want to hurt anyone. He lives as a Christian in all situations, even if he must endure hardships in the world, and he lives as a secular person obeying all laws, community regulations, and household rules. Even in the congregation, the Christian is expected to obey whatever rules or policies setup by the congregation or its parent body. To do any less is to set an example of disobedience and to create an atmosphere of division and anarchy which is certainly not proper for a Christian.
To be sure, Christians do not live for the things of this world and such things fall under the authority of the secular government or authority. The Lord had no intention of abolishing such earthly authorities at this time. Outwardly, the Lord does not want us evading our government or authorities unless said authorities are forcing us to sin, for God’s rule is greater than any earthy authority. Rather, God wants us to submit to and make use of those structures and powers which keep order and keep society functioning. Yet, inwardly, we live only under Christ and His authority. His kingdom has no concern with governmental authority and doesn’t even interfere with it. Christians, then, live with one foot in heaven and one foot on earth, and the side of us in God’s kingdom should not resist an evil person but forgive, pray for, and seek to draw him to repent. But the side of us still living in an earthly kingdom, we should certainly oppose evil as much as permitted by the earthly authority.
This Week’s Activities
- 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
Coming Events
- Voters Meeting July 16th.
- LCMS National Convention, July 31st through August 3rd.
- Vacation Bible School coming in August
“Freedom prospers when religion is vibrant and the rule of law under God is acknowledged.“
— St. Ronald Reagan (1911 – 2004)