Newsletter - Redeemer Lutheran Church

November 2016
Vol. 116 Issue 10
Come visit us on the Web at www.redeemerlutherannac.com
Redeemer Lutheran Church, bringing all into a saving relationship with Jesus Christ as we…
Rejoice in His Grace, Live as God’s Own Family, & Care for His World
Give Thanks to the Lord
The traditional Thanksgiving Gospel is Luke 17:11-19 where we read:
On the way to Jerusalem he was passing along between Samaria and Galilee. And as he entered
a village, he was met by ten lepers, who stood at a distance and lifted up their voices, saying,
"Jesus, Master, have mercy on us." When he saw them he said to them, "Go and show yourselves
to the priests." And as they went they were cleansed. Then one of them, when he saw that he was
healed, turned back, praising God with a loud voice; and he fell on his face at Jesus' feet, giving
him thanks. Now he was a Samaritan. Then Jesus answered, "Were not ten cleansed? Where are
the nine? Was no one found to return and give praise to God except this foreigner?" And he said to
him, "Rise and go your way; your faith has made you well."
I have preached many messages on this text. I have talked about how the Samaritan returned and
gave thanks to Jesus. I have talked about how Jesus assured him (and all like him) that it is faith in
Jesus that truly heals us.
But for what should we give thank to Jesus? This we can find in the Psalms. For example, we read
in Psalms 106:1:
Oh give thanks to the Lord, for he is good, for his steadfast love endures forever!
Other translations say: for his mercy endures forever.
Just what is God’s steadfast love? What is his mercy? The steadfast love and mercy of God is
demonstrated through Jesus’ sinless life and sacrificial death and resurrection for the forgiveness
of all our sins. If you understand this – this is what heals us.
Every week we pray in our worship services that God would heal our loved ones, our friends, and
often ourselves from some physical illness or impairment, just like Jesus did the ten lepers. And we
should pray for such healings and thank God when such healings are granted! But the greatest
healing of all is the healing Jesus has provided us through his death and resurrection. It is this
healing that guarantees us life forever in God’s presence.
So as we gather with family and friends this Thanksgiving and we offer prayers of thanks for all the
blessings we have received from God in the past year, why not add a specific prayer of thanks for
the life God has given us in Jesus? That will not only make our prayer of thanks complete. We will
also hear Jesus say to us: "Rise and go your way; your faith has made you well."
A blessed Thanksgiving to you and your families,
Pastor Steve and Dottie Simon
The Messenger
THE LAW OF
PROPORTIONATE
PARTICIPATION
God’s provision dictates the
believers proportion.
Living The Laws
Don’t worry about what
you have or don’t have to
give.
The Law of Proportionate
Provision is a reassuring truth
of Scripture because it
eliminates the pressure of
thinking about what we have
or don’t have to give. Relying
upon the Lord and depending
upon Him as our source, we
grow in grace as we give. In
the process, giving becomes a
therapeutic experience, for as
we die to self we come alive in
faith.
Give in proportion to
everything you have
received.
Proportionate participation in
the work of God involves
much more than money.
Whatever God has given you,
in whatever measure, is to be
dedicated to Him. Your
talents, your abilities, your
material wealth, your time---all
are resources from which you
can give.
Deny the dominance of
worldly thinking.
Worldly attitudes emphasize
me and mine, and they can
suck us into a whirlpool of
obsessions. John the Apostle
cautioned, “Do not love the
world or anything in the world.
If anyone loves the world, the
love of the Father is not in
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November 2016
Him.” As believers in
Jesus Christ, we belong to
a different universe. Our
citizenship is in heaven,
and if we act as if our
citizenship is in this corrupt
world, we lose sight and we
lose the fullness of God’s
blessing.
Birthdays
Kyle Baldock 11/1
Bridger Ethridge 11/3
James Kroll 11/5
Fran Wilson 11/5
Sarah Linge 11/7
Jerry Bahn 11/11
Melissa Bates 11/14
Janice Christensen 11/14
Sue Lantz 11/15
Larry Erwin 11/19
Bob Finnerud 11/21
Dianne Newton 11/21
Judy Rainey 11/21
Anniversaries
Sherril & Ben Crisp 11/7
Larry & Betty Erwin 11/11
Samaritans Purse Shoe Boxes
Ministry – Recommended items
list
Please begin purchase of items
for the shoe boxes as several
churches in the area are also
doing this project and items in
November can be very scarce.
Right now the stores are stocked
with items that the children
receiving the boxes will greatly
enjoy. Stores such as Staples,
Walmart, Dollar General and
Dollar Tree all have items on sale
now.
The Samaritan’s Purse Shoe
Boxes will be available at the
church on the second Sunday in
November.
Listed below are some of the
items suggested for the boxes:
Toys!! Start with a central item
that a child will cherish, like a
doll, deflated soccer ball with
pump or soft stuffed animal.
Then fill with other items like
cars, slinky, yo-yos, puzzles, play
jewelry, jump ropes, etd.
Fill them out with School
Supplies!!
Pencils and pencil sharpener,
pens, crayons, coloring books,
small notebooks, etc.
NON-Liquid
Hygiene
Items!!
Tooth brush, bar soap with wash
cloth, combs, hair items, etc.
Thank you all for your
participation and support.
Steven Mezines & Angela
Wiederhold Co-Chairpersons
The Messenger
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November 2016
serious about sharing Christ
will be alert for and
responsive to any indication
that a “hopeless” unbeliever
may
be
reconsidering.
Accept the person’s right to
reject the Lord even as you
wait for an opening to say
something
about
Him.
Continue to be friendly and
compassionate even to those
who never change. Expect a
“hopeless”
unbeliever
to
change. You have nothing to
lose, and what the unbeliever
could gain is priceless!
HOPE as a FUNCTION of
WITNESS
No one is a hopeless case.
People can and do change
radically. Saul of Tarsus is a
classic example. He was a
fanatic enemy and persecutor
of Christians. He was an
intelligent, well-informed, tough
-minded unbeliever. Christians
were afraid to talk with him, but
God had His way of getting
through, and Saul became Paul
the first and greatest
missionary of all times.
Hostility toward Christianity is
Join
us
on
Thursday
often evidence of an internal
November 10th at 11:30am
struggle against a God-given
for food, fun and fellowship.
impulse to believe. In some
cases, the hardest shell of
resistance to the Gospel can be
shattered by a hard blow of
adversity. People who seemed
hopelessly anti-Christian
sometimes have second
thoughts when faced with great
danger or imminent death.
God is the reason why people
make these about-face
changes in their attitude toward
Him. Either directly, as in the
case of Paul, or indirectly
through health or relational or
Youth Group
economic crises, or a Christian
witness, God will bring people
meets November
to the realization that they need
19th @10:00 A.M.
Him. It does not always
happen, but it happens enough
that we have reason to expect
it. Every Christian who is
LWML
Missions
————
Carla Mezzines Mission
Chair
Dear Friends in Christ,
Thanksgiving is coming soon and
we have so many things to be
thankful for. We are waiting for a
new year, a new pastor and a new
beginning. Thank God for the
Blessings that await us.
We wish to thank all who brought in
used stamps. We will send them in
so that they can be sold to dealers
in order for that money to provide
funding for the shipping of school
kits, quilts, and personal care kits
through "Project
Comfort" (Lutheran World Relief
Stamporee)
Our mites this month go toward a
$15,000 Texas District Grant to
help leaders reach into the Austin
community by holistically meeting
needs, building relationships, and
sharing the Gospel. It will also be
used for support of street youth,
and homeless, tutoring and
mentoring in schools, and
establishing a community for those
who are too old for foster care.
Thank you for helping LWML
collect mites for We>I ( We is
Greater than I)- LINC Austin
Prayer: Friend of sinners, You
became poor to make us rich; You
came for us, who are in greatest
need of healing and
forgiveness. As LINC Austin
performs acts of mercy and
compassion for those who are so
often neglected and disregarded,
let Your love shine through so that
they would see You as their
greatest Friend and Savior, the
One who has laid down His life for
all. In Your name we pray. Amen.
The Messenger
November 2016
Those Serving This Month
We appreciate you!!
Elders
6– Paul Hughes & Gary Manley
13–Cody Jenkins & Brian Oswald
20– Greg Baldock & Richard King
27– Keith Bahn & Brian Oswald
Readers
6-Rick Oaksford
13–Warren Fisher
20– Karl Bahn
27–Angela Wiederhold
Counters
6–Paul Hughes & Greg Baldock
13–Marie Saracino & Jackie Young
20–Brian Oswald & Cody Jenkins
27-Roy & Rayanne Bowker
Greeters
6-Brian & Tina Oswald
13-Jim & Ilse Dennis
20–open*
27–Guy & Doris Hicks
Flowers
6-Kaspers
13– open*
20– Wille
27– Galatas
Communion
6– Amy Jenkins
18-Amy Jenkins
* Can you fill these openings?
Thanks to those who have volunteered to provide a meal for our LSF SFA Students.
Sharon Kasper
November 6—Voters’ meeting followed by potluck
November—13 Guy and Doris Hicks at their home
November 20—Amy & Cody Jenkins
November 27— out for Thanksgiving holidays
December 4 — Roy and Rayanne Bowyker
December 11— Angela Wiederhold at her home
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The Messenger
LWML Fall Fundraiser
Afternoon Tea
Saturday, November
12, 2016
2:00 – 4:00 PM
Fellowship Hall
Come and join us for a
lovely 3-course afternoon
tea, to include Harvest
Pumpkin Scones served
with Elmwood Devonshire
Cream, 3 assorted tea
sandwiches, and 3
scrumptious finger-size
desserts. Each course will
be served with a different
tea.
Dress up and wear a pretty
hat if you wish. Imagine
yourself living in Victorian
times as you sit at a lovely
round table decorated in the
beautiful colors of autumn
and enjoy a quiet, relaxing
time for conversation while
sipping tea and sampling
both sweet and savory
finger foods.
Tickets are on sale now for
$15 each. Seating is limited,
so see Kathy Baxter right
away or call her at
C: (972) 897-0983 or H:
(972) 358-8772. Checks
should be written payable to
L.W.M.L
A LWML Business
Meeting will be held after
Sunday School on
November 13
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November 2016
We have 52 adults and 24 children who have registered this semester.
We average 35-40 adults and 12-14 children coming on a regular
basis. Two rooms are very crowded. We could use an extra teacher to
divide the class up. We are thankful for the college students who are
coming to volunteer in child care and helping teachers. I also want to
thank Margarita Riley for volunteering to sub for a teacher. We have
two Spanish ministers who are doing the devotion.
Due to the huge amount of students enrolling in classes, we have had
to buy more textbooks, workbooks and Bibles. If you feel you would
like to help with the funds for this, we would be glad to accept it.
We could use clothing for men and children. We get more women’s
clothing than the other two.
We also accept items like sheets, towels and children’s books. We
could use a supply of Christmas books.
Thank you to all who have been supporting the H.E.L.P. ESL
Mission program. Thank you for your prayers. God continues to
bless us with volunteers and teachers.
Come sometime to hear the students singing. You will be blessed.
Thank you Rayanne for the wonderful job of teaching them the songs
in English. The students are really learning their English words in
the songs and they sound beautiful.
When an alien lives with you in your land, do not mistreat him. The
alien living with you must be treated as one of your native-born.
Love him as yourself. Leviticus 19:33-34
Lois Worsham Director of H.E.L.P. ESL
Join us for Wednesday
evening Advent Services
beginning November 30th.
Supper will be served at
6:00pm and the service
begins at 7:00pm
The Messenger
November
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June 2016
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The Messenger
June 2016
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