THE BELL Can Spread the Good News That the Battle Is Already Won, October 2020 and Then Act Accordingly
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enemies - we must entrust that defense to God. But we THE BELL can spread the Good News that the battle is already won, October 2020 and then act accordingly. No matter how old and weary, we can rejoice, and grow spiritually stronger even when SAINT JOHN’S our bodies weaken. LUTHERAN Incremental improvement is the measure. Long ago I CHURCH hoped to become a pilot, but the Air Force medically grounded me while I was still a cadet. No wings for me. Seek the lost, teach the found, Eventually they sent me to train in California to become send the taught to go make followers of Jesus a missile launch officer, and my roommate had washed 8235 FM 141, out of flight training due to air sickness. He thought his Dime Box, Texas, 77853 career was over before it ever started, and just planned Office Phone: 979-884-4321 to serve out his time commitment then go home. https://stjohndimebox.org/ We roomed together in North Dakota as well until he fell Pastor Joe Leavengood in love and married. His bride saw something in him that In October we are continuing indoor Worship with he didn’t know about, and her love helped him learn, Communion offered on the first Sunday of the month. helped him gather his efforts and helped him rededicate We are conducting all of our Bible Studies and social himself. He got busy again learning new things: fellowship gatherings, while always taking whatever the service needed next. appropriate social distancing precautions. Please use He is now a four-star general, commanding Space Force, your best judgement and courtesy at all times, and which was not on anyone’s radar when he and I were please clean up carefully after yourself! roommates. I’m glad he didn‘t quit after his initial Saint John’s Lutheran Church, established in 1911, is a setback, and his family life had been a joy to see as well. member of the Lutheran Congregations in Mission for But he would be the first to tell you that the Air Force, Christ. The LCMC is a growing movement of 955 the Space Force, and his family also all value the people who are learning and serving every day in incremental independent Lutheran congregations in 40 American ways. They are all still earning the victory. states, 4 Canadian provinces and 17 other countries on My friend spent a good portion of his career in training. six continents. To learn more about the LCMC, go The Air Force, knowing that the world is always changing, online to lcmc.net ****************************************** is unafraid to pull hard-working adults away from doing A LEARNING ORGANIZATION useful things in order to train them to be ready to do the Dear Brothers and Sisters in Christ, next thing. My friend came to see that ‘the training’ very often was and is ‘the doing.’ The Air Force is a Mary and In my Air Force days, I heard a General Martha organization. say “This is the largest learning organization in the world. We don’t all How about us at St John’s? As a congregation we value earn wings, but we all earn the victory.” He argued that one another as people, have great respect for hard work, we were all constantly learning new sciences, and strive to teach our children, but are we are also procedures, systems, terms, languages, and more to adequately training ourselves as adults for what’s next? make us strong enough to scare our enemies away. We have available the spiritual tools to take on the evil Some of our training was “in house,” some from outside and the decay in the world around us, by God’s grace, the Air Force and “some is still up in the air.” The mix of but do we all realize that mastering these skills is a it kept us fresh and ready. lifelong learning process? During the Pandemic I’ve become a student in new ways. Remember, God is not chronologically challenged. I have to exercise often (that’s a long story), and at home, Somehow, the victory is first, then the battles, then the so I found some “Great Courses” and listen to them as I training. We have the option to become complacent as stretch, lift weights, and ride my stationary bike. we trust in God, or to joyfully prepare and be ready for however God would use us in the effort. Leave the wings It makes me pause to ask if our congregation is also a to the angels - How is your training going? Shouldn’t the “learning organization.” I don’t know if it is possible for Church be the largest learning organization in the world? us to equip ourselves with the facts, insights, knowledge, Godspeed, - PJ skills, and practices necessary to protect us from spiritual 1 DRAFT MINUTES: COUNCIL MEETING 20 AUGUST 2020 UPCOMING LCMC EVENTS: October 5, 2020 St. John’s Lutheran Church Council 20th Annual Gathering & Convention September 17, 2020 Register Now: President Jeff Shows called the meeting to order at If you plan on attending in person, there are still a few 6:32 pm. The following members were present: more weeks to register online for our 20th Annual Pastor Joe Leavengood, Jeff Shows, Jan Perry, Gathering & Convention. For those who plan to "attend" Joyce Lerche, Danita Smith and Ginger Kubena. the event virtually, information on how to access the free Pastor Joe opened with prayer. live stream will be available on the Annual Gathering page of our website and on our blog closer to the time of the The minutes from the previous meeting were read event. It all takes place October 5, 2020 at North Heights and accepted upon motion by Joyce, seconded by Lutheran Church in Arden Hills, MN from 9:30 A.M. to Jan. Motion carried. 5:00 P.M.CDT. The Treasurer’s report was given and approved January 5 - 7, 2021 9th Annual Three Days of Prayer upon motion by Jan, seconded by Joyce. Motion At Every LCMC Congregation carried. ********************************************** Old Business CONTACTS AT SAINT JOHN’S LC Council President: Jeff Shows 979-224-5483 The sound and video system bids have been Vice Pres.: Michael Wiederhold 979-220-6434 received. The council is requesting more prices on Secretary: Ginger Kubena 979-884-0017 the equipment. Treasurer: Danita Smith 979-220-5971 The door on the Annex that connects to the Trustee: Linda Kieschnick 979-540-9556 outside BBQ pit area is being looked in to. Trustee: Joyce Lerche 713-816-2202 Trustee: Jan Perry 979-777-6888 Pastor will get bids on replacing the parsonage Pastor: Joe Leavengood, LCMC shower. MDiv, JD, MBA, MA, Lt Col USAF Ret JAGC The shelving for the storage room in the Annex has 8229 FM 141, Dime Box, TX 77853 been purchased. Home 979-884-4035 [email protected] New Business Cell 406-366-2611 – best for messages Danita made a motion, seconded by Joyce to use Mail 8235 FM 141, Dime Box, TX 77853 the Building & Maintenance Fund to pay for the air Phone 979-884-4321 Website: conditioner in the Annex. https://stjohndimebox.org/ Pastor will get bids on adjusting the parsonage Cemetery Administrator: Carol Dismukes 979-540-0035 doors. Parish Hall Coordinator: Rachel Gold 979-540-9359 Jehovah Jirah Coordinator: Barbara Hoover Confirmation Class will begin on Sunday, Custodian: Crystal Scott September 19, 2020. Groundskeeper: Kasey Kubena Joyce made a motion to adjourn the meeting, Organists: Virginia Shows, Beth Campbell seconded by Danita. Motion carried. Communications: Carol Dismukes, Pr. Joe Leavengood The meeting was adjourned at 7:35 pm. Librarian: Open Praise Band Jammers (PBJ): Stewart Hervey, Audrey Respectfully submitted, Kubena, Pr. Joe Leavengood Ginger Kubena Wanted: Carpenter for a few small projects 2 FROM LUTHER’S SMALL CATECHISM shaky, they might inquire to see if you “come from a The Ninth Commandment: You shall good family.” The reputation of your household is a not covet your neighbor’s house. shared asset, and if it isn’t worth much, you might be tempted to take on the trappings of another What does this mean?: We should fear household or to invent one like characters in F. Scott and love God so that we don’t scheme to Fitzgerald’s “The Great Gatsby.” Shakespeare put it get our neighbor’s inheritance or house, or to get it in this way” a way which only appears right, but help and be of service to him in keeping it. “Good name in man and woman, dear my lord, is the immediate jewel of their souls. Who steals my What is coveting?: Coveting is having a sinful desire purse steals trash; 'Tis something, nothing; 'Twas for anyone or anything that belongs to our neighbor. mine, 'tis his, and has been slave to thousands; But Romans 7:8, Matthew 15:19. he that filches from me my good name, robs me of What coveting does God forbid in the Ninth that which not enriches him, and makes me poor Commandment? According to Luther: God forbids indeed.” - Iago, in Othello Act 3, Scene 3 every sinful desire to get our neighbor’s possessions Sometimes it is such intangible things that we covet in openly or by trickery. Micah 2:1-2, 1 Timothy 6:8-10, others, and in their households. We can forget just 1 Kings 21:1-16. how sinful such coveting can be precisely because the What does God require of us in the Ninth evidence of it is in our minds and in the minds of Commandment? According to Luther: We should be others, rather than in objects we can see and touch.