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Christ Lutheran Church |
Office
Hours |
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Christ Lutheran Church |
Office
Hours |
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FROM THE PASTOR Sunday, February 6: Recalls are common when a defect is found. We have a defect called sin. Guilt tries to tell us we are useless but God continues to call us back. Peter was recalled and repaired through forgiveness in Jn.21:1-19. You are part of this recall through baptism. Sunday, February 13: “It’s a choice” does not refer to the receiving of faith for it is a gift of God but we have choices every day to walk by faith or by sight. Moses calls us to make the choice that leads to life and blessing in Deut.30:15-20. Paul says that division in the Church is the result of walking by sight in I Cor.3:1-9. Jesus says that the choice to obey comes from the heart in Matt.5:21-37 Sunday, February 20: The devil, the world and our sinful nature will huff and puff; will they blow your house down? There is only one foundation upon which we are to build our lives, Christ! The issue is what we are building our lives with. In I Cor.3:10-23 Paul warns that we are to be building our lives with materials that will last eternally. Sunday, February 27: While You Were Sleeping is more than a title of a movie, it describes most Christians when it comes to our faith. What happens while we are sleeping? Mat.25:1-13, Rev.3:14-22 & Prov.19:15-18 all have something to tell us.
LLL SWEETHEART SUPPER SUNDAY,
FEBRUARY
13,
6:00 P.M. Everyone is invited to join the LLL for a meal at the garden Café. We will share stories of our courtship and enjoy entertainment with our sweethearts. Contact Greg Krueger for details and reservations.
LLL DARTBALL SUNDAY, FEB.20 All men of all ages are invited to this evening of fun, food and fellowship. Those wishing to practice may use the dart-ball target in the basement. Contact Marlin Reiners for details.
ADULT BIBLE CLASSES Adult Bible class in the upper grade class room entitled will be discussing various topics. Pastor Volzke will lead a study of Nahum.
WINTER BIBLE STUDY “Walking With God Through the Desert” is our winter Bible study. Author Ray Vander Laan takes us to the actual site of Israel’s wilderness wonderings to bring faith lessons about our life’s desert experiences. What might we learn from the times that test us if we simply lay these struggles before the Lord? Join us Sunday nights at 7:00 at the parsonage for 6 weeks of study. The cost of the material is $10.00 per family. Please make checks to Christ Lutheran. We are also in need of a second site and time option. If you would like to hose these lessons on another day of the week, please call Pastor Volzke.
ELDERS MEETING The Elders will meet and if you have concerns, please contact the Pastor or your elder so that we might pray for you and seek to help in any way we can. LYF LYF meets Wed. at 6:45 p m - 8:15 p m for Bible study. Favorite Bible story lessons we will discuss each week in praise time. They are on the youth calendar. Praise has been moved to Sunday morning after worship at 11:00am.
LIFE BANQUET This year’s Speaker is Francis J. Beckwith is Professor of Philosophy and Church-State Studies at Baylor University in Waco, Texas. Tickets may be purchased from June Reiners. Please mark your calendars and come for inspiration and information that will help you take a stand for life. CHARITABLE GIFTS OF RAISED COMMODITIES Last year Christ Lutheran received $54,000.00 in gifts of commodities. Direct giving may your best option for tax purposes but it must be done correctly. The bulletin will include a donation form for the next two months. Copies of the rules are available on the foyer table. The circled & underlined portions are what you will need to know to make your gift. We are following a long tradition for in scripture, many of the gifts were commodities.
MEN’S BIBLE STUDY Invite a friend to breakfast and bring your bibles. We will finish by 8:00 and continue to meet into March. If you have a topic you would like to discuss, tell Pastor Volzke. THE GIFT A Baby's Hug ~ We were the only family with children in the restaurant. I sat Erik in a high chair and noticed everyone was quietly sitting and talking. Suddenly, Erik squealed with glee and said, 'Hi.' He pounded his fat baby hands on the high chair tray. His eyes were crinkled in laughter and his mouth was bared in a toothless grin, as he wriggled and giggled with merriment. I looked around and saw the source of his merriment. It was a man whose pants were baggy with a zipper at half-mast and his toes poked out of would-be shoes. His shirt was dirty and his hair was uncombed and unwashed. His whiskers were too short to be called a beard and his nose was so varicose it looked like a road map. We were too far from him to smell, but I was sure he smelled. His hands waved and flapped on loose wrists. 'Hi there, baby; hi there, big boy. I see ya, buster,' the man said to Erik. My husband and I exchanged looks, 'What do we do?' Erik continued to laugh and answer, 'Hi.' Everyone in the restaurant noticed and looked at us and then at the man. The old geezer was creating a nuisance with my beautiful baby. Our meal came and the man began shouting from across the room, 'Do ya patty cake? Do you know peek-a-boo? Hey, look, he knows peek- a-boo.' Nobody thought the old man was cute. He was obviously drunk. My husband and I were embarrassed. We ate in silence; all except for Erik, who was running through his repertoire for the admiring skid-row bum, who in turn, reciprocated with his cute comments. We finally got through the meal and headed for the door. My husband went to pay the check and told me to meet him in the parking lot. The old man sat poised between me and the door. 'Lord, just let me out of here before he speaks to me or Erik,' I prayed. As I drew closer to the man, I turned my back trying to sidestep him and avoid any air he might be breathing. As I did, Erik leaned over my arm, reaching with both arms in a baby's 'pick-me-up' position. Before I could stop him, Erik had propelled himself from my arms to the man. Suddenly a very old smelly man and a very young baby consummated their love and kinship. Erik in an act of total trust, love, and submission laid his tiny head upon the man's ragged shoulder. The man's eyes closed, and I saw tears hover beneath his lashes. His aged hands full of grime, pain, and hard labor, cradled my baby's bottom and stroked his back. No two beings have ever loved so deeply for so short a time. I stood awestruck. The old man rocked and cradled Erik in his arms and his eyes opened and set squarely on mine. He said in a firm commanding voice, 'You take care of this baby.' Somehow I managed, 'I will,' from a throat that contained a stone. He pried Erik from his chest, lovingly and longingly, as though he were in pain. I received my baby, and the man said, 'God bless you, ma'am, you've given me my Christmas gift.' I said nothing more than a muttered thanks. With Erik in my arms, I ran for the car. My husband was wondering why I was crying and holding Erik so tightly, and why I was saying, 'My God, my God, forgive me.' I had just witnessed Christ's love shown through the innocence of a tiny child who saw no sin, who made no judgment; a child who saw a soul, and a mother who saw a suit of clothes. I was a Christian who was blind, holding a child who was not. I felt it was God asking, 'Are you willing to share your son for a moment?' when He shared His for all eternity. The ragged old man, unwittingly, had reminded me, 'To enter the Kingdom of God, we must become as little children.' Sometimes, it takes a child to remind us of what is really important. Remember who we are, where we came from and, most importantly, how we feel about others. The clothes on our back or the car that we drive or the house that we live in does not define us at all; it is how you treat your fellow man that identifies who you are. |