July 9, 2023
6th 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: Mike Maurer
- Reader: Chase/Lizzy Calander
- Organist: Jane Marquardsen
- Acolyte: Brock Theisen
- Sound Booth:
- Altar Guild: Laurie Maurer
- Fellowship: Pastor
Next Week’s Servants
- Elder: Alan Marxhausen
- Usher: Jason Theisen
- Reader: Stephanie Theisen
- Organist: Sue Drury
- Acolytes: Preston Kuseske
- Sound Booth: Chase/Lizzy C.
- Altar Guild: Laurie Maurer
- Fellowship: Carin C./Shanna C.
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: $3,777.00
- Online Giving: $100.00
- Non-Budget: $66.28
- Memorial: $0.00
- Scholarship: $0.00
- Building Fund: $1,000.00
Attendance
- Worship Attendance: 35
- Sunday School: n/a
- Youth Group: n/a
- Midweek Bible Study: 5
- 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
Matthew 11:28 – “Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.” Jesus has come to do the work so that we might have rest from burdens and labors we are not capable of bearing. He frees us from sin, death and the demands of the Law. In that peace and rest of Jesus we find a new purpose — His light yoke is not a burden to bear, but a joy!
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! WE WILL MEET TODAY!
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 Bev Laurent | Gary Anderson |
| Gary Asher | |
| The Bembooms | LCMS National Convention |
TRUTH, GOODNESS & BEAUTY… 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: End Times Teachings, What Is Real Science? The Vocation of Midwife, Pastoral Care and more. You can listen at your convenience at issuesetc.org, the LPR mobile app and your favorite podcast provider.
Weekend Devotion
Prayer: Lord, you gave me this job to do, so help me do it! Teach me and guide me and give me wisdom and understanding and strength to perform my work without fear, fatigue, and to do it well. Amen.
SCRIPTURE: “The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom. All who do his precepts have good understanding.” – Psalm 111:10
There are two extremes to be aware of. The first is arrogance concerning one’s own wisdom and knowledge; the second is deep depression when wisdom fails and plans are unfruitful. Yet the Lord forgives and even blesses our mistakes because we are His beloved children. How often do we make the biggest mistakes when we are trying to be helpful and give good, solid advice? We should always pray to God and ask for forgiveness when our attempts at helping fail, even if done with good intent. Likewise, good and faithful leaders can cause great harm through their advice and actions. If the Lord were unmerciful to them and didn’t pick up after them, this world would be in a much more horrible mess than it is!
We all make mistakes, from pastors to laity, from CEO’s to shop clerks, everyone makes mistakes. We think we know something; we think we have a right understanding of things — and perhaps we even do — but in our desire to help, no matter how sincere we are, we cause damage. If God, in His divine wisdom and understanding and compassion, didn’t pick up after us and correct or mistakes, our lives would be chaos, and all our attempts would breed more chaos.
Should we then stop trying? Should we do nothing, run away, and shirk our responsibilities? Absolutely not! Each of us must continue to do what we are given to do in our vocations, whatever job the Lord has given us to do. But we must not do it relying on our own wisdom or opinions or strength, or pretend to be smarter than we really are or important such that everything must be done our way or we’re going to scream and yell and treat others disdainfully. Do not be ashamed to get down on your knees and pray, “Lord, you gave me this job to do, so help me do it! Teach me and guide me and give me wisdom and understanding and strength to perform my work without fear, fatigue, and to do it well.”
This Week’s Activities
- Council Meeting this Wednesday evening
- Adult Bible Study this Thursday at 9:00 AM.
- Senior Social Day, Thursday at 10:00am
- 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
“Love admits no schisms: love gives rise to no seditions: love does all things in harmony.“
— St. Clement of Rome (AD 35 – 99)