| Thanks to Our Sponsors | |
Darrel Barrett
Dr. Mark Birkmann
Don Maris
Brad Mitchell |
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Immanuel Lutheran Church | |
214 West 5th Street
Washington, Missouri 63090
636-239-4705
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 From Pastor Mark
Worship - The Offering
(This is part twelve of a running newsletter series on worship.)
The offering is perhaps the most misunderstood portion of the worship service. Some of the misunderstandings include:
· "Here's the church grabbing my money again!"
· "Time to pay the bills."
· "Time to give my fair share."
Those ideas about the offering couldn't be farther from the
truth. Here is the right understanding of the offering gathered in
each worship service:
·
First - it is not your money. It is on loan to you from
God. He gave you skills, health and opportunity to earn what you
have earned. Without His blessing you would be in the street.
·
He expects you to manage well what He gives you. That means to
use it faithfully to support the work of the Gospel and then to support
your family, your retirement, and your liesure.
·
The offering is not the time we "pay the bills". It is the time
when we speak in the most concrete way just how thankful we are to God
about what He has given us in Jesus Christ. It is not about our
bills. It is about your faith and your thankful heart.
·
Your offering is also not about your "fair share". God has
blessed each of us differently. Our responses should be in line
with how God has blessed each of us, so our offerings will be different.
Allow me to share how the Bangert family handles their offerings.
I do it humbly, gratefully, and as an example to the flock.
· We
plan our offerings a year in advance. Left overs each week or
month, will not do. Our God deserves our best.
·
The Bangert family has always tithed. We do it with joy because
we are grateful for the eternal blessings God has showered on us in
Christ.
· We
give over and above the tithe too. In our current fiscally
challenging situation we went beyond a tithe in our regular offerings
and with our "New Sanctuary" offerings actually are closer to a double
tithe.
We
are paid twice each month by electronic deposit. After each
payment received, Lisa opens up our checkbook and proceeds to write the
offerings for the next two weeks and puts them in a special place in her
purse. We make our offerings first before we pay any bills.
It is our way of saying we trust God to provide all of our needs.
And in fact, He always has.
The time of the offering is a holy time in the Worship service. It is a time when we are allowed to
respond to what we have heard and what we have received from our giving
God. We have yet to outgive God. We never will. See
you in church. I am
Yours in Christ, Pastor Mark |
Back to Church Sunday
Please reserve September 26
Did you know that:
Most
Americans have been to church, but yet only 20 percent are regular
attendees. - The
American Church in Crisis
82
percent of the unchurched are likely to attend church if invited by
a trusted friend or relative. - Dr.
Thom Rainer
Only
2 percent of church-going people invite someone to church in a
given year. 98 percent of church-goers never extend an invitation
in a given year. - Dr.
Thom Rainer
60 percent of the current U.S. adults, aged 18 to 35 stated they would attend a church again if someone they knew asked them.
Immanuel is kindly asking your help to join us to invite the whole community
of Washington 'Back to Church' before and after the week of Sept 26, 2010.
Plans
are underway to celebrate Sunday, September 26 as a special day where
we will have invited our friends, neighbors, family, and former members
of Immanuel, to return to church. We will have special music that
Sunday, full services, and the beginning of a sermon series, "Happiness
is..." Watch in the coming weeks for more details and how you can
be involved in this important outreach. |
150th Anniversary Steering Committee
Forming Soon!
2012 will be a momentous
year in the life of Immanuel Lutheran Church and School. It will
mark the 150th year of God's grace among us. We want to plan for
that year and need a committee to chart the way. If you would like
to serve with other Immanuel members in making 2012 a year to remember,
please speak with Pastor Bangert. We will begin meeting this
fall.
|
 Youth News
A new year of Youth Ministry is starting this month. Don't miss out on any of these exciting events. Click on Youth Group News for all the latest information! |
 "Bird Seed"
News from Robin McCoy - Missionary to Thailand
This
month Robin shares more news about her Bangkok family and her
preparation to return home to Washington for a few months. Please
click on Bird Seed to read the whole story. |
 School News
Classes
begin on August 23rd! Find all the information on
upcoming pre-"school year" activities, and more, by clicking
on School News. |
Thank You from Vicar Hopkins!
Dear Immanuel Lutheran Church,
What
a year this has been! It seems like only yesterday that we were driving
here in our loaded U-Haul truck trying to get used to the idea of
living in Washington and trying to figure out what this next year would
be like. We were filled with excitement and a little anxiety. Now, a
full year later, our hearts are a little heavy as we leave Immanuel; we
will miss you and this place. At the same time though, we are full of
joy and gladness for all that the Lord has done for us through you.
During this past year, you have shown us so much Christian love and
kindness that we have been overcome at times. We know our own
sinfulness, and we feel that we do not deserve all of your blessings and
gifts. We do, however, thank God that despite our shortcomings, you
have been so generous to us. Certainly, we have a generous God who gave
up everything in His Son Jesus Christ so that by faith we may enjoy the
blessings of forgiveness and heaven itself for Christ's sake. We thank
God that you have modeled His love in your words and actions toward us.
As
we return to the seminary, know that our thoughts and our prayers will
remain with you. We will never forget this wonderful year that we have
had here. As wonderful and gracious as you have been to us, I pray that
you may show that loving kindness to the whole Washington community so
that many more may hear the good news of God's love in Jesus and each
weekend Immanuel may be full to the brim. Full with the forgiveness and
life that Christ gives to us and full with people yearning to receive
these gifts of our gracious God. Thank you again for everything you have
done for us! The peace of the Lord be with you all!
Your friends in Christ,
Vicar Ted and Beth Hopkins
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| Sanctuary Design Forum
Sunday, August 22nd
We have come to some conclusions for our new sanctuary and the
Building Committee is now looking for your input. Join us on Sunday,
August 22nd, beginning at 9:00 a.m. in the cafeteria for a Continental
Breakfast, followed immediately by the Forum. Outside and inside
building drawings will also be presented. You won't want to miss being a
part of this important Forum.
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Worship & Picnic in the Park & New Member Welcome
Sunday, August 29th at 10:00 a.m.
Our
annual Christian Education Rally Sunday Worship & Picnic will
be held on Sunday, August 29th at the main pavilion at
the City Park. The Saturday service on August 28th and the 8:00
a.m. Service on Sunday, August 29th will meet as usual. However, the
late service on Sunday will be at 10:00 a.m. at the park. We will also be welcoming our new members from the last few months. Some of the fun activities planned for after the Worship Service are: For the Kids - Spunky Beans Balloon Twister from 11:15-1:15 For the Whole Family - The Ultimate Kickball Game |
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