1 - the format of the printed page is modified slightly to better suit an internet environment; and
2 - for caution's sake, full names and addresses have been removed.
If you would like a copy of the unabridged newsletter to be e-mailed to you, send a message through our Ask the Pastor page.
The April 2005 Newsletter of
St. John Evangelical Lutheran Church
Edgar, Wisconsin
and
Bethlehem Lutheran Church
Milan, Wisconsin
click here for archived past editions
Spring is here! And with Spring comes Easter. And with Easter comes Confirmation. The 7th and 8th graders of our two congregations have worked hard this last year, learning their Small Catechisms by heart, studying the Christian doctrine and exploring what their faith in Jesus really means. And so on Sunday, April 24th at Bethlehem; and on Sunday, May 1st at St. John, the 8th Graders who are ready to speak their Confirmation vows will be publicly confirmed in their respective Churches.
The question, though, is... how do we know they're ready? One old custom associated with Confirmation (that will take place here on April 20th) is the Public Examination.
Since it is proposed that the Church receive these children into full communicant membership, it is right and fair that the congregation have prior evidence that these children have been instructed in the doctrines of our holy religion and have reached the stage in which they are able to examine themselves previous to participating in the Lord's Supper, as St. Paul requires in First Corinthians 11:26-29:
For as often as you eat this bread and drink the cup, you proclaim the Lord's death until he comes. Whoever, therefore, eats the bread or drinks the cup of the Lord in an unworthy manner will be guilty of profaning the body and blood of the Lord. Let a person examine himself, then, and so eat of the bread and drink of the cup. For anyone who eats and drinks without discerning the body eats and drinks judgment on himself.
Also, public examination helps the confirmands to take seriously their Confirmation Instruction. After all, if there's to be no test and no way to fail... why study? Why put the time into learning the Catechism and in seeking out who God is and what God has done for us in Christ? The seriousness and the solemnity of the Confirmation vows will be enhanced by the fact that they entail a previous examination. It impresses upon him or her the fact that this is not a mere matter of attending so many lectures, but involves the study and learning of God's Word, the Holy Scriptures, which alone are able to make us wise unto salvation.
This Public Examination will not displace Sunday morning worship, but will take place at the normal time and place of Confirmation class; i.e., Wednesday night, April 20th, 6:45 p.m. at St. John. Also, as the Pastor has conducted the instruction and is presenting the children to the congregation, he is not going to conduct the Examination himself. Rather, the Elders of Bethlehem and St. John will ask the questions while the Pastor sits with the students whom he has instructed (he'll also be there to give hints or help the kids along if they need it!)
All members of both congregations are invited and encouraged to attend as witnesses. Family and friends are also invited. Hopefully, if someone volunteers to organize it (hint hint! to volunteer, talk to Pastor Matthew), a small reception will be held afterward in the Parish Hall with light refreshments.
If you have questions or concerns or thoughts about any of this, please talk to Pastor Matthew or one of the elders.
Yours in Christ,
Pastor Matthew
QUESTION OF THE MONTH
Pastor, you said in your Good Friday sermon that "God died." Where is this found in Scripture?
The sentence, "God died," or a sentence of almost identical words, is not used in Scripture. Many times we are told that Jesus Christ died and many times we are told that Jesus Christ is true God. The conclusion that "God died," therefore, is a valid one drawn from Scripture.
You may find several passages helpful in pondering this truth. I'll cite only three. In John 10:18, Jesus says he has authority to lay down his life and to take it up again. This confirms that he saw the impending crucifixion as a giving up of his life and as an act of deity as well. In Acts 3:14-15, Peter uses almost paradoxical terms to state the death of Jesus. "You killed the author of life" is a sentence that highlights Christ's godhood and his death at the same time. Acts 20:28 refers to God purchasing the church with his blood, telling us that was true divine blood that was shed on the cross.
At times we are tempted to grow somewhat philosophical and ask, "How can God die? How can the immortal be mortal, or the eternal lay down his life?" The Bible simply does not attempt to resolve these questions for us, but leads us to stand in amazement at the fact. This event, on which our eternal destiny stands, is beyond our full understanding. But with joy, we grasp its meaning and significance. Let us be content with that.
EVERY-SUNDAY WORSHIP PREPARATION
To help prepare for Sunday morning worship. Here are the weekly readings for the 8:15am & 10:15am Sunday services in April:
April 3
Acts 5:2942
1 Peter 1:39
John 20:1931
April 10
Acts 2:14a, 3641
1 Peter 1:1725
Luke 24:1335
April 17
Acts 2:4247
1 Peter 2:1925
John 10:110
April 24
Acts 6:19; 7:2a, 5160
1 Peter 2:210
John 14:114
BETHLEHEM CHURCH COUNCIL CAPSULE
March 21st, 2005 at 8:00 p.m.
OLD BUSINESS:
Bethlehem budgets will be set up elecronically and will be stored in the parish office.
A copy of the revised Lutheran School Student Aid Application was reviewed and approved.
Process for nominating officers was tabled and will be revised in September.
Discussion was held concerning job descriptions for church officers.
A copy of the "meeting protocol" was handed out. The meeting protocol info sheet will be shared with all organizations to utilize. A suggestion to put the agenda for any meeting out one week prior to the meeting was made.
NEW BUSINESS
The quarterly Voters' Meeting has been rescheduled for April 10th, 2005. Fellowship potluck to follow.
Consensus was reached to have each office submit a not/update to be published in the monthly newsletter.
The next Elders' meeting is scheduled for 3/22/05. The agenda includes:
- greeters/ushers/elders/acolytes - their duties
- Evangelism Committee - it was noted the by-laws state appointments to are made by the Elders
- Membership list updating
The Trustees' reports stated that specific duties have been communicated to the custodians. The keyboard speak installations are nearing completions.
The Board of Education will be meeting March 31st and 7:30 p.m.
The Building Committee stated that several other options for parcels of land as a building site have been offered for consideration. To date, the new options have limitations and all are being looked at carefully prior to pursuing further.
The next Church Council meeting is scheduled for April 18th, 2005.
SENIOR AND JUNIOR HIGH YOUTH NEWS
On April 10th, the Youth will meet at Bethlehem at 6:30 p.m. for a Bible study and fellowship. Plans will be made for the Bowling Event to take place on April 16th at Edgar Lanes. We will meet at 11:30 a.m. Bowling will cost $1.25 which includes shoe rental. Please let Keith or Fay N. know if you are planning to attend. Please call 687-4796.
Mark your calendars for the May meeting dates and events. On May 8th, we will have our annual flower and bake sale. At 6:30 that night, we will have Bible Study at St. John's. On May 21st, we will partake in the Edgar "Join Hands" day. Times and projects are yet to be determined.
The Youth Groups will be taking orders for carnations later in April for our Mother's Day Flower sale. Please watch the bulletin for flower choices and costs.
We would like to THANK everyone who helped make our first Easter Breakfast a success. We served 64 people and made of $300. What a wonderful way to celebrate Easter together. Thank you to all.
ST. JOHN SUNDAY SCHOOL
"Hearts for Jesus" annual collection was done on March 6th, during our worship service. We used our February offerings and the March 6th offering for a total of $230.90 God's blessings to our 2005 District Missions. This year was "Babas," or Grandparents for the children in orphanages in Bulgaria.
BETHLEHEM BOARD OF PARISH EDUCATION
There are student aid/scholarship funds available for any children attending a Lutheran K-12 school or a Lutheran college or university. The only requirements are you must be a member of Bethlehem and you must complete and return a Student Aid Application to the Board of Parish Education by January 1st prior to the upcoming school year. An application may be obtained for any of the Board members. There is also funding available for Camp Luther.
LWML SPRING RALLY
The LWML Spring Rally will be held at Christ Lutheran Church in Abbotsford on April 2q1st. Registration begins at 9:00 a.m. and the cost is $4, which includes the lunch. The Speaker for the day is Linda P. She is in the Medical Missionary field in Africa and Bulgaria. The "Helping Hands Project" will be to help the nursing homes, hospital and orphanages in Bulgaria. We may bring small items, such as Kleenex, pencils, pens, crayons, notebooks, toothbrushes, small toothpaste, combs, handkerchiefs, lotions and cologne.
ST. JOHN - MARK YOUR CALENDARS
Our Sunday School will be hosting a potluck after services on May 29th, 2005. Everyone is welcome! Sunday School students are encouraged to bring their parents, grandparents, uncles, aunts, and friends to meet their Sunday School teachers. Please bring a dish to pass. Utensils and beverages will be provided.
[Home] [Site Map] [Current Newsletter] [Past Newsletter Archive]