FROM THE PASTOR    I suspect that most of you who are now reading this little article would never, ever think of classifying yourselves as of the same rank as some of the heroes of the faith like Abraham or David or Peter or Paul. No way -- no how! (But I think most of us harbor a deep seated desire to be like them – at least in some small way.)

            This is where we would do well to draw near to our Lord Jesus Christ and learn from Him to learn the lessons of humility and trust – the God given gifts that are so necessary for Christian living in an often godless and frightening world.

            I use my own example – as a frail and often inept human being who is subject to temptation I often find myself confessing that the good I want to do I often do not do; and the evil I abhor I often am guilty of committing. I know I must stand before the judgment seat of my Lord Jesus Christ, and He will hold me accountable for every sin. I am guilty of sin.

            So I throw myself on God’s mercy. I plead for grace and not justice. I ask for forgiveness – not because of anything I have said or thought or done, but because Jesus went to the cross to make full payment for all my sins.

That is when I again hear the sweetest Good News. “For God so loved the world that He gave His One and Only Son, that whosoever believes in Him should not perish, but have eternal life.” ^{John 3:16} In this Gospel, this Good News, I know I am forgiven. In this Gospel I know I am restored to a right relationship with my God. In this Gospel I know that I am like those heroes of faith, I am like the prophets of old, I am like the martyrs of the early church who faced persecution and grisly death for the sake of the Gospel of Jesus Christ. I am washed clean of every sin stain and have been given a cloak of Christ’s own righteousness!

So should it be with you, friends. We are the ones who are forgiven, restored to God and saved from everlasting damnation by what our God has done in Jesus Christ. In God’s time, and in His way our Lord took care of the problem of sin once and for all. Jesus Christ is the Lamb of God who took away the sin of the world. Jesus Christ is the One who was raised up, so that everyone who would look on Him with believing eyes would be saved.

The only real hero of our faith is Jesus. He did it all for us and for our salvation by covering His godliness and becoming a human being who would live a perfectly obedient life. Then He sacrificed Himself to make full payment for the sin-debt owed to God by all people. And finally, in the great divine revelation He took His life back from death itself and became the First fruit of all those who had died. Jesus took His own life back.

I pray that I am never so brash as to claim that I am a hero of the Christian faith. There is only One – Jesus. But I pray only that I will by God’s blessing become more like Him. I pray this for you, too.

 

CHURCH AND SCHOOL WEBSITE We hope you will take a few minutes out to check us out online on our website: www.stjohnchurchlcms.org  once there, you can check out the Pastor’s message, our mission statement, facts about our staff, and contact information.  We will continue to update the site, so log in often! 

 

PARENTS OF 4^th – 6^th GRADERS:  Peace Lutheran Church, Rogers City, is hosting a Parents’ Seminar on Saturday, May 11, 9 – 11 a.m. for parents of children in grades 4 – 6.  Join other parents in gaining a fresh and practical perspective in how to understand how the Bible fits together, how to use the Bible in personal and family devotions, and how to teach your pre-teen to love spending time in God’s Word.  Please register by Wednesday, May 8 by contacting Abi S.

 

FACING DANGER is the title of the current Sunday morning Bible study which began on April 28. This DVD series, prepared by the Lutheran Hour Ministries’ Men’s Network, stresses the importance of relying on God in an age when the specter of disaster is an all-too-familiar occurrence.  Pastor Kurt Klaus considers the tragedies that strike our lives and how God’s grace and comfort can help us face and overcome the disasters in our lives.  Please prayerfully consider joining us as we grow together in God’s Word.  Everyone high school age and older is invited to attend this study at 8:45 a.m. in the Deacons’ Room.  Contact Steve H. for more information or to suggest topics for future studies. 

Please note that the Sunday morning adult Bible study class will be suspended for the summer months, beginning on May 26 through Labor Day.

   

LADIES AID NEWS   Watch the bulletin for more information on the school kitchen refurbishing project in early July.  Plans are to empty the kitchen, scrub it well, and paint.  We will need helpers with this much needed project.  Please contact Judy (766-8417) if you will be able to lend a hand.

 

Thank you to the 40-plus volunteers who helped to make our Spring Donut Sale a success!  The funds raised will be given to the M & I Fund for church roof repairs.

 

LWML NEWS   Copies of the Spring, 2013 issue of Lutheran Woman’s Quarterly are available in the narthex. Check out the interesting articles and Bible studies. Women’s Bible study continues to be held at Immanuel Lutheran Church in Moltke on the 3^rd Monday of each month at 1 p.m.  The next study at Immanuel will be on May 20. If you need a ride, please contact Judy. 

 

Have you picked up your dime sock or baby bottle yet?  This special project will benefit the Presque Isle County Baby Pantry.   Need a new mite box?  They’re always available in the narthex!  Thank you to everyone for continuing to save your spare change to support mission grants such as: Worship for Shut-ins – Reaching out to Lutherans and the Lost; Gospel Outreach through Open Arms Child Care; Children’s Nutrition and Care in Vietnam.   The Michigan District has a goal of $235,000 (2012-2014) and the National LWML has a goal of $1,389,569 (2011-2013).  Your coins continue to do MITE-Y work for the Lord around the world!  

 

Secret Pal Reception for our Confirmands will be held on May 4 in the narthex following the Worship Service. The students will finally get to meet the ladies who have been praying and corresponding with them during the past two years of their confirmation instruction.  Everyone is invited to attend this special event.

 

Women’s Retreat will be held on May 18 at the Black Lake Club House near Onaway.  Under the theme “Seed, Weed and Feed”, our featured speaker will be Julie Riddle who is a guest columnist for The Alpena News as well as our Librarian at St. John Lutheran School.  Registration begins at 9:30 a.m.  The closing devotion will begin at 3:00 p.m.  The cost of the Retreat is $20 and includes a buffet luncheon.  Registration forms are available on the bulletin boards in the narthex and at the school office.  Your check should be made payable to:  Aurora Borealis LWML Zone and mailed to:  Deanna Sellke, 6622 Co. Rd. 451, Hawks, MI 49743 by May 13.   For more information or to share a ride, contact Judy at 766-8417.

 

THRIVENT NEWS   Have you directed your first quarter Thrivent Choice dollars yet?  Please consider St. John Church or School as you earmark these funds at 1-800-847-4836 or Thrivent.com/choice dollars.  Requests have been made for supplemental funds from Thrivent for the May 19 Youth Pancake Breakfast and the June 2 VBS Kick-off Reception and Door Offering.   Please mark your calendar and plan to support these events which will benefit the young people of our congregation as they grow in their faith.

QUILTERS NEWS   Our last day for quilting will be on May 2, 2013.  We will start again on September 5, 2013.  We would like to thank everyone for their help and donations in the past.  During the summer, watch for garage sale items such as material, good sheets, blankets and sewing machine thread.  We will also accept cash donations to purchase items that we don’t have.  Hope everyone has a good summer. 

 

EMAIL ADDRESSES   We need current email addresses for our congregation members.  Please contact Joan Altman at 734-2228 or joan_altman@yahoo.com or sjlcrogerscity@gmail.com

 

TUNE IN every Sunday at 10 a.m. at 99.9 FM for our radio broadcast.

 

CONDUCTING CHURCH BUSINESS… To contact Pastor Schreiber, call the parsonage at (989) 474-9079.  Please call him when a loved one is hospitalized.  He may also be reached on-line at jcschreiber613@gmail.com    Pastor is at the church office on Thursday mornings from 10:15 a.m. till 12:30 p.m.  Stop in!  You may contact Mrs. Erke, secretary at the school office (989)734-3580.  Deadline for messenger and bulletin items is noon on Wednesday.

  

CHURCH EXTENSION FUND NEWS  Michigan’s Church Extension Fund Helps Build a Future  Building a solid future for our Michigan District churches and schools is important. Building a solid future for your family is important as well. Why not include the ministry of the Church Extension Fund (CEF) in your investment plan and accomplish both?  When you invest a portion of God’s blessings in CEF, you create a personal stewardship ministry, while providing loan opportunities for Michigan District organizations that want to build or expand their facilities. Call the CEF Rate Line for this month’s rates (800.232.7313) or for more information, call us 800.242.3944 or visitwww.mi-cef.org. 

CHURCH SIGN CARETAKERS are needed.  If you would be willing to help change the messages periodically, please contact Judy Hein or the Church Secretary.  No experience is necessary! 

VACATION BIBLE SCHOOL will be held at St. John Lutheran School the week of June 24 – 28, 2013.  Registration forms will be included with a church bulletin soon.  Please fill it out and return it to register your child for VBS.  We will be looking for helpers again this year.  Please prayerfully consider helping out.

CHURCH LIBRARY   There is a nice selection of books for both adults and children in the narthex.  Please remember to sign the books out when you take them to read, and sign them back in when they are returned.  

MAY BIRTHDAYS   Call the school office at 734-3580 to be included in future birthday listings.