The results of the quarter wars are in. The women had a total amount minus their paper money of $40.25. The men had a total minus all their paper money of $40.25. Can’t believe after 4 weeks of back and forth, we are tied. I want you to know I have nothing to do with counting. It was sort of fun to watch the flurry of activity around the jars at the end. A total of over $400 was collected. Nice job St. Johns.
So, I received the official email from Kay Raineri. We are meeting at the laundromat on March 8 in LaSalle for the first week. It is located at 1600 St. Vincent’s Ave. They will start at 9:00 a.m. and go until 12:00 p.m. On March 15, we will be meeting at 1628 Peoria St in Peru at the same time. Even if you didn’t sign up, feel free to come join us. There are “Give Generously” T-shirts in the office. If you can, pick one up and wear it during your volunteering hours. The Evangelical Committee wants to thank all of you who participated. Again, great work.
I am pretty excited about the people who are taking the Discipleship course. We have the men’s group almost halfway done. We have the Women’s Bible Study starting on their second lesson and the YMCA group will be starting the course on Tuesday. I have told you how much I love the course and how it is very applicable even to me. I came across this quote about the course: “The strong will be challenged and the weak will have nothing to fear.” I think this is so true the way the course is set up. But don’t take my word for it, talk to someone who is in the course. Again, my goal is for every member of St. Johns to take this course. I hope you are thinking about when I can take it.
Lent starts this week. Ash Wednesday is this week. With everything on the church calendar, Ash Wednesday is my most humbling experience. I am going to tell you that you are going to die. The first people in all creation were made out of dust by God’s hand. Then he breathed life into what he made. When we pass away, we will return to this dust. But here is the thing to remember. When I place ashes on your forehead, I am tracing the same cross that was placed on you during your baptism. I have anointed some of your family who have passed away. I am doing the same thing. Just tracing the same cross that, for most, was given to you way before you can remember. I am reminding you now. “You are sealed by the Holy Spirit, and marked with the cross of Christ, forever!” Don’t ever forget what is on your forehead. You are a child of God. What a joy but humbling nonetheless. Hopefully I will see you on one of the three times we offer you on that day. I will just trace what I see.
Lent will be here in full force when Ash Wednesday comes on Wednesday. It is a time when we reflect and repent and turn ourselves back to God. We will talk more about this during the weekends coming up. Something to think about. Do something this Lenten season. Go ahead and give something up for Lent. However, you may want to do something special. Maybe you want to read Scripture every day (Psalms are a good place to start). Maybe daily prayer. Maybe try to fast one day a week during this time. If you miss a day don’t beat yourself up. This is a great season for you. Repent and return back to God. Again, do NOT beat yourself up. Why would you do something to yourself that God will not do to you? Try again!
Truth: Only by filling up with God’s love, do I have love to share. (Living Lutheran, March 2023)
Pastor Tom
815-223-1144
Ash Wednesday, March 5
Joel 2:1-2, 12-17 Psalm 51:1-17 2 Corinthians 5:20b-6:10 Matthew 6:1-6, 16-21
Readings for 1 Weekend of Lent – March 8 & 9
Deuteronomy 26:1-11 Psalm 91:1-2, 9-16 Romans 10:8b-13 Luke 4:1-13
Reading the Bible in a Year- Monday, March 3 to Sunday March 9
Day 2 Kings Psalms Proverbs Acts
Monday Ch 3-Ch-Ch 4:37 78:56-72 Ch 21:1-26
Tuesday Ch 4:38-Ch 6:23 79:1-13 Ch 21:27- Ch 22:22
Wednesday Ch 6:24-Ch 8:15 16:8-17 Ch 22:23 -Ch 23:11
Thursday Ch 8:16 – Ch 9 80:1-7 Ch 23:12-35
Friday Ch 10 – Ch 11 80:8-19 Ch 24:1-27
Saturday Ch 12-Ch14:22 81:1-7 Ch 25:1-22
Sunday Ch 14:23-Ch 15 16:18-27 Ch 25:23 – Ch 26:23
Acts- It is all about Paul’s journey which will eventually lead him to Rome. He stops in Jerusalem and gets in trouble with the religious leaders. They really want him arrested so they create charges against him. His trials begin in Jerusalem where he meets several leaders. It seems everyone wants to hear him speak. He was almost let go because the charges were false but he calls on his Roman citizenship and he will eventually speak in Rome. Acts 23:11 basically says he has divine protection that will get him to Rome despite the circumstances.
Psalm- The last part of 78:5-78:7 caught my attention. We are told to teach our children so they will know God. I know some of you did and they still went their own way. It is no guarantee that they will love the Lord but you are giving them a chance. In most cases, children will not out faith their parents. That is why we need to take those vows seriously when we see a baptism. To teach them the ways of the Lord. Don’t forget, God is not done with them yet.
Proverbs- Verse 16 and 18 caught my attention. Verse 16 shows the value of wisdom and understanding. Verse 18 describes how our ego can get us in trouble.
2 Kings- Like father, like son. It sure sounds like this. If their father didn’t follow the Lord, they would not either. And when they didn’t, they brought the country down with them. We were introduced to a total of 5 kings that did right with the Lord… on the most part. They didn’t go 100% in, leaving the high places of other gods in place. Elisha is the main character in these chapters. He is doing one miracle after another. Kings come to get his advice. Even in his death, he performs a miracle. In our readings there is a. lot of battles. It is hard to keep track of all of them.