Kerygma St. Luke Lutheran Church Family Worship 10:00 AM, Holy Communion Celebrated on the first and third Sundays Located Between Napoleon and Wauseon St Rt 108, Wauseon, Ohio 43567, Ph. 419-335-9170 www.st-lukechurch.org Missouri Synod Volume 39 Issue 11, December, 2018 The KERYGMA is the official monthly newsletter of the St. Luke Lutheran Church, Wauseon, Ohio Rhonda Ripke, Editor, Donna Frank, Photographer, Debbie Wesche, Midweek School News. Darlene Oberhaus Assistant KERYGMA Editor Midweek Advent Services: December 5 th , 12 th , 19 th at 7:30 p.m. Children’s Christmas Program: December 24 th at 7:00 p.m. Christmas Day Service: December 25 th at 10:00 a.m. Welcoming New Members Rev. Chris Sigmon Rev. Alvia Martis Mrs. Joyce Martis
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Kerygma St. Luke Lutheran Church
Family Worship 10:00 AM, Holy Communion
Celebrated on the first and third Sundays
Located Between Napoleon and Wauseon St Rt 108, Wauseon, Ohio 43567,
Ph. 419-335-9170 www.st-lukechurch.org
Missouri Synod
Volume 39 Issue 11, December, 2018
The KERYGMA is the official monthly newsletter of the St. Luke Lutheran Church, Wauseon, Ohio Rhonda Ripke, Editor, Donna Frank,
“For God so love the World, that He gave His One and only Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish but have
eternal life”. (John 3:16 NIV)
Right now, just about every single person who celebrates Christmas is focusing on ei-ther, what gift can I find to give to someone, or, what gift am I hoping to receive. The oft found difficulty in this, we sometimes get so caught up in this dilemma, we forget the gift we already have been given.
My brothers and sisters in Christ Jesus, by grace through faith, God’s grace, mercy, and peace be yours, from God the Father, and Christ Jesus our Lord, through the outpour-ing of God the Holy Spirit. Now, let me ask you this, do you understand what you just read? Or, are you so caught up in questioning whether the text chosen is a proper one for starting off the Advent and Christmas season?
During Advent we focus on the coming of the Lord. This year, the last Sunday in No-vember is celebrated, liturgically as the End the Church Year. The first Sunday in December, is liturgically, the First Sunday in Advent! This year it is different, for we normally celebrate the start of Advent on the Sunday After Thanksgiving.
No matter when we begin Advent the reason behind it, we celebrate the coming of Christ as the Babe in Bethlehem. If you notice, we always seem to start with a darkness in the assigned readings, and the closer we get to Christmas, the lessons take on a lighter or happy prophecy of His coming! Instead of the Lord coming in power to judge us, we see Him come as a babe, one with the promise of great blessings. The forgiveness of sins. Yes,
“For God so love the World, that He gave His One and only Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not
perish but have eternal life”. (John 3:16 NIV)
Think about this as you will. God has given us a gift! A gift that forever gives, hence the title, “The Gift Which Keeps on Giving!” This gift is not just for eternal life, but as the Scriptures say, life now, life in abundance.
This gift is the heartfelt acknowledgement that we are sinners, “For all have sinned and fallen short of the Glory of God.” The Law, judgement, that sick feeling of know we have missed the mark. Then the gift, “Whosoever believes in Him shall have everlasting life.” The gospel, the release from the prison of our sins. The chain has been broken! We are free in Christ.
This gift given to us by God the Father, (sending His one and only Son,” through Christ’s, “birth, life, death on the cross, and His resurrection on the third day” is adminis-tered to us through the outpouring of the Holy Spirit. “If I go away, the Father will send you a helper, He will remind you of everything I have said to you.”
Think of it like this, as the Sainted Rev. Dr. Martin Luther point out to us in the Third Article of the Creed, we can not even think about Jesus as our Savior, our gift, unless we are drawn by the Holy Spirit, and given the ability to believe! Luther drew this from John chapter six, where Jesus told those following Him, “Unless the Father enables you, you can-not come to me, ... this is why I told you, unless the Father enables you, you cannot come to me.”
So, can we all now see in this blessed gift that God has given to us? The ability to be-lieve in Jesus and know that we have life everlasting. Yes, Faith, faith in Jesus as Savior and Lord is The Gift Which Keeps on Giving.
May each of you know you have this gift and have it in abundance. God’s Peace! From the Martis household to each of yours, Joyce and I wish you all a very Merry Christ-mas and a blessed, New Year. Pastor Martis
Take Note Please Note: Ladies Guild meeting rescheduled for Nov. 29 as it was cancelled on Nov. 15 due to weather. Same time 1:00pm
Children’s Christmas Practice will be December 9, 16, and 23. Meals are provided after church. Practice starts immediately after the meal.
COME and begin celebrating Our Savior’s Birth this Christmas season by helping deco-rate our church and Sunday School rooms for Advent and Christmas. We will gather here Saturday, December 1 beginning at 1:00 p.m. till done.
Midweek Classes will begin at 6:15 during Advent (December 5th, 12th, and 19th). They run from 6:15-7:25 with Advent Services following at 7:30.
Worship Opportunities: This year’s Mid-Week Advent services will be December 5th, 12th, 19th, starting at 7:30 PM. The Children’s Christmas Service will be Monday Decem-ber 24th, at 7:00 PM; and Christmas Day service at 10:00 AM. If there is to be a New Years Eve service, the church Council will let you know.
Ladies Guild Christmas Party will be on Dec 6 with appetizers beginning at 5:30 and dinner at 6 p.m. Meal is being provided. Please bring a plate of Christmas cookies for dessert. All ladies and girls are invited.
GREETINGS BROTHERS AND SISTERS. This Wednesday we gather in a worship of Thanksgiving. We gather at 7:30 PM, for our Wednesday evening services. The Text for Thanksgiving Eve is, “Remember to Give Thanks, and the text is, Luke 17:11a-19. Advent services are Wednesday, December 5, 12, and 19 at 7:30 p.m. to celebrate the first Coming of our Lord. The theme this year, “What Child is This? I look forward to being in worship with you. God’s peace, Pastor Martis
THANKS The Community Meal on October 25 served 82
people. A heart-felt thank you goes out to the 10 adults who helped serve the meal and cleaned up afterward. Also thank you to the 8 ladies who donated jello salads and cupcakes. We look forward to serving another community meal in Feb-ruary 2019. “Every generous act and every perfect gift is from above.” James 1:17a
THANK YOU to the women of St. Luke for their memberships to the Women's Guild
of the Filling Memorial Home of Mercy. This year we have eleven members with dona-tions of $55.00.
Morning Meditations
11/26-12/2 Rev. Logan Scheiwe
St. Paul, Napoleon
12/3-12/9 Rev. Jeremy Kleino
St. Paul, Liberty Center
12/10-12/16 Rev. Willie Stottlemyer
St. Stephen, Defiance
12/17-12/23 Rev. Jacob Stuenkel
St. Peter, Napoleon
12/24-12/30 Rev. Jeff Corder
St. John, Stryker
12/31-1/6 Rev. Lee Genter
Christ Our Savior, Defiance
A MESSAGE FROM THE STEWARDSHIP BOARD
Watch! Wait! Pray! These are wonderful words of Advent. The watchman's prayer is also the call to witness to stand faithfully and fervently, watching and waiting for the hands of God the Potter to work at the clay of His people. Isaiah understood the simple truth that in the hands of the Potter, nothing is impossible for the clay. Boldly share the watchman's prayer: Potter, God, mold me and shape me according to Your will, for in You there is life and purpose for eternity.
OUR MISSION OUTREACH The Mission Outreach for December is Fulton County
Christmas Cheer. This local organization provides food and necessities for those in need in our community. Envelopes to contribute are on the table in the Narthex.
LWML Grant #15 for the 2017-2019 biennium is Sharing Jesus with Peo-ple with Disabilities. This mission grant will provide funding for faith-filled services for brothers and sisters in Christ with intellectual disabili-ties. For more information, go to www.lwml.org/2017-2019-mission-grant-15.
Ohio District LWML Grant #1 is for POBLO Missionary/Evangelist at Emmanuel Lutheran Church, Kettering, Ohio.
Ohio District Grant #2 is for Military Veterans and Families Ministries. They are helping veterans let go of their past, engage in the present, and have hope for the future. For more information, go to www.lwmlohio.org