Growing in Grace

T h e N e w s l e t t e r o f Z i o n L u t h e r a n C h u rch
Volume 8, Issue 10

Notes and News for October

+ Catechism instruction has started for the 2013-2014 school year! Please offer your prayers and encouragements for the students and their families that the Gospel strengthens and enriches their faith. Catechism will normally meet on Wednesday evenings beginning at 6:00 pm and will break at about 6:45 pm for the 7:00 pm worship service.

October 1st 2013

Inside This Issue

October Birthdays and Anniversaries Come Follow Me Released this October September Ladies Aid Meeting September Church Council Meeting Online Bible Study Opportunity October Service Schedules and Prayers ReWELS Q&ADealing with Critical People

2 3 4 5 5 6 7

+ Choir practice begins for the fall season on October 2nd beginning at 7:45 pm. We will shoot for 45
minute practices so that we are done by 8:30 pm. This time was chosen to allow past members with work commitments to attend; if you are interested at all in singing praises to God you are more than welcome to come and join us!

+ A New Evening Bible Class will be beginning Sunday evening, October 6th, at 7:00 pm in the church.
More information on this class is found in this Newsletter, the bulletin, and a letter that went out Friday, September 27th.

+ On October 9th and 23rd will be a DVD entitled God of Wonders; it beautifully presents the wonders we see in this world from a thoroughly biblical perspective. These presentations begin promptly at 6:00 pm; members of the congregation and the general public are all invited and encouraged to attend!

+ The children of St. Johns Grade School will be joining us for worship on Sunday, November 17th.
They will sing multiple songs as part of our 10:00 am worship service that morning. If you would be interested in helping organize a meal following the service please talk to Pastor or the Council.

Zion Lutheran Church is affiliated with and actively supports these Christian institutions:

Zion Lutheran Church

105 South Street PO Box 25 Sanborn, MN 56083 507-648-3601 bbprell@yahoo.com Bryan Prell, Pastor

Page 2

Growing in GraceThe Newsletter of Zion Lutheran Church

Worship
Sundays at 10:00 am (9:00 am June-August) Wednesdays at 7:00 pm

October Birthdays & Anniversaries

Birthdays
Angie Hanneman1st Erika Rogotzke1st Bonnie Radel2nd Bob Steffen4th Lonnie Leopold5th Maxine Weber7th Warren Gramstad8th Greg Graff9th Michael Scheffler10th Blake Altermatt11th Norman Batzlaff12th Zackary Hagert13th Caleb Brown17th Ann Beyer15th Josh Fredrickson20th Evelyn Rogotzke23rd Blake Stevens25th Becky Prell31st

Anniversaries
Bob & Jan Steffen4th John & Robin Leegaard14th

Worship Service Broadcasts

Wednesday & Friday at 4:00 pm on Local Access Channel 8 (Springfield) Thursday at 4:00 pm on Local Access Channel 6 (Lamberton)

The list on which the above dates are based is a continual work in progress. PLEASE let Ladies Evening Circle know if we have either missed or misdated your birthday or anniversary. The following designations have been made for offerings at special services in 2013. The offering is collected from the envelope for that day along with any unmarked loose offerings:

New Years Eve, Maundy Thursday, Good Friday, Christmas Eve & Christmas DayZions General Fund Midweek Lenten Services & EasterMissions (CMO) Ascension & ThanksgivingThe Church Extension Fund
For you know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that though he was rich, yet for your sakes he became poor, so that you through his poverty might become rich. II Corinthians 8:9

Bible Class
Sundays at 8:45 am (10:30 am June-August) Sundays at 7:00 pm

October Worship Emphases

CLOC Week SevenLove Speaks Unconditionally The Christian is always thankful because God is always faithful. Because God is always faithful the Christian is both confident and persistent in prayer. Because God is always faithful we can confidently declare that heaven is ours through faith in Christ Jesus.

October 6th

October 13th October 20th October 27th

Sunday School
Sundays at 8:45 am (September-May)

Volume 8, Issue 10

Page 3

The Release of Come Follow Me

Road To Emmaus
Road to Emmaus was designed and produced as a tool to help local churches with outreach. At a low cost, congregations can distribute copies of the DVD as a calling card to invite people to their local church. Nearly 1,000 congregations have ordered Road to Emmaus. Here are just a few examples of how congregations have used the DVD to assist in their ministry: Offering the DVD to visitorsor new members. Providing copies to church members so they can share it with neighbors, friends, and family. Distributing through door-todoor campaigns, and mailings. Screening the film at a local theater. Distributing DVDs at a local grocery store.

A gentle voice called, Come follow me and a man named Peter was drawn to respond. Peter struggled in his efforts to follow Jesus. Finally, he learned to rely only on the power and promises made certain by Jesus death on the cross and his resurrection from the dead. Jesus still invites you, Come follow me. Like Peter you can learn why that invitation is so important and wonderful!

Come Follow Me is a movie that depicts what it means to be a disciple, a follower of Jesus. The movie

recounts the experience of the Apostle Peterhis misunderstanding, denial, doubts, and fears. The answer for Peter is Jesus who assures his disciple of forgiveness through his death on the cross and resurrection from the dead. The way for Peter to be a follower of Jesus is found in the power and promises of Jesus word. In the same way as it is for us. The movie dramatizes Peters progression from the denier before the crucifixion to the preacher of repentance and salvation at Pentecost.

+ The movie will be released in October, 2013 and will contain both English and Spanish versions, as
well as English closed captioning.

+ Single DVDs will be available from Northwestern Publishing House. Quantity orders of the DVD at
a reduced price will be available from a special Web site for the movie that is still under construction. Please watch for more information. free downloads.

+ A Bible study and discussion guide based on the movie will be available from the movie Web site as + As part of the Walking Together program this fall, congregations will receive suggestions for using the
movie and its supplemental materials. More information can be found at the following link: http://www.wels.net/evangelism/about-come-follow-me

Individual copies and bulk orders ($1.50 each for 100 copies) of Road to Emmaus can still be purchased at the following website: http://roadtoemmausmovie.com/emmaus.html

Page 4

Growing in GraceThe Newsletter of Zion Lutheran Church

Offering Envelope Goals & Commitments for 2013

The Congregational Mission Offering $19,000.00
$13,243.70 through June 30th which is 69.7% of our annual commitment

Minnesota Valley Lutheran High School $2500.00

$2799.00 through June 30th which is 111.9% of our annual commitment

People curse the man who hoards grain, but blessing crowns him who is willing to sell. (NLT) He who seeks good finds goodwill, but evil comes to him who searches for it. (NLT) He who brings trouble on his family will inherit only wind, and the fool will be servant to the wise. (NLT) Whoever loves discipline loves knowledge, but he who hates correction is stupid. (NLT) Proverbs 11:26-27, 29; 12:1

September Ladies Aid Meeting

Zion Ladies Aid met on September 4th at Valley View Manor. President Nancy called the meeting to order and Pastor Prell presented a DVD entitled: Why Genesis Matters which was enjoyed by all. He closed with a prayer. Roll call was answered by 7 members and 3 guests. The Secretarys and Treasurers Reports were approved as read. Desserts will be brought to Valley View Manor and served for dinner; Nancy will check on the date. Nancy K. gave the Cheer Report. Martin Luther College in New Ulm currently has no formal commitment. We are currently committing $2500.00 per student to St. Johns Lutheran School in Redwood Falls. Upcoming events at Zion include St. Johns Lutheran Grade School singing on November 17th and MVLs travelling choir singing on December 8th; there is the possibility of a lunch following these services. There being no further business brought forward, we closed with the Lords Prayer and Table Prayer. Our next meeting will be held on October 2nd at 2:00 pm at church.

Volume 8, Issue 10

Page 5

September Church Council Meeting

The September Zion Lutheran Church Council Meeting was called to order by Chairman Beyer on September 8th at 8:02 pm in the School Building. The Secretarys Report was read and accepted as read. The Treasurers Report was accepted as read. Pastor reported an average weekly attendance for the month of August of 89; the Wednesday Evening Service continues to do well averaging 19 since Memorial Day. The Evening Bible Class continues the series How Can They Teach That and will be wrapping it up in a few weeks. The Sunday Morning Bible Class has begun a series coinciding with the worship theme for the next number of weeks entitled Love Speaks. Sunday School opened this month with 17 children the first week; the following week added a few more new faces as well! They will be singing Christmas Eve and Palm Sunday as normal; attendees of VBS sang in church on August 11th; there is some initial prep work going on for Christmas for Kids. The Youth Group had a cookout behind church the week of VBS which was very well attended by about a dozen kids. Catechism will begin this month with 5-6 children attending classes on Wednesday evenings; we are planning on two confirmands this spring. Betty Fennern continues to be enrolled in hospice care and Irene Weber has moved into Valley View Manor from her apartment. Pastor also reported on a Joint Conference in WI which he attended the first part of this month. MVLs enrollment at the beginning of the school year is 199 (up from the projected 189) and their choir will be out to sing on December 8th. Buds Nuisance Wildlife Removal will be out about the 24th to take care of the bat issue in the parsonage and church. There has been no response yet from Mike Mason concerning stained glass window estimates. Foam tiles will be purchased for the lower grade classroom. Pastor presented an idea for a congregational Facebook page; after lengthy discussion it was decided to table this until the meeting next month. The October Church Council Meeting will be on the 10th at 8:00 pm and the Quarterly Voters Meeting will be held on the 20th at 2:00 pm. A meeting of the Church Improvement Committee will be held this month to discuss plans for next year and subsequent years and Sam A. will look into interior trim kits for the windows on the north side. Various bills were discussed and paid, mostly concerning the recently completed remodeling. A healthcare letter from the government was read and discussed; Don S. will have Dave Graff help him fill it out. There being no further business, the meeting was closed at 9:27 pm with prayer.

Elected Church Officers

Chairman
Arlan Beyer

Treasurer
Don Steffen

Financial Secretary
Jim Rogotzke

Elders
Lynn Weber Sam Altermatt Brian Pabst

Trustees
Al Larson Dale Fennern Jim Kosel

October 6th at 7:00 pm we will be starting a series on the first eight chapter of Pauls Letter to the Romans. Professor Paul Wendland will be our presenter and both members and the general public are invited and encouraged to attend!

Cemetery Board
Jim Kosel John Rogotzke John Ohlemann A full listing of elected positions, delegates & phone numbers is posted in the back of the church.

Page 6

Growing in GraceThe Newsletter of Zion Lutheran Church

There are different kinds of gifts, but the same Spirit. There are different kinds of service , but the same Lord. I Corinthians 12:4-5

October Service Schedules

Ushers John Rogotzke, Jim Rogotzke, David Friedrich, Justin Reese, Jim Zimmerman

Councilman on Duty Don Steffen Altar Guild Deb Fredrickson & Sharon Leopold Youth Erika RogotzkeOctober 6th, Cora EichtenOctober 13th, Nick AltermattOctober 20th, Andrew VogelOctober 27th

Greeters Pastor and Becky PrellOctober 6th, Bob and Jan Steffen

October 13th, Cal and Gloria ButenhoffOctober 20th, Cary and Deb FredricksonOctober 27th

October Prayer Requests

Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. Philippians 4:6

May the prayers and intercessions of Gods people be offered in the coming month for:
+ Laurie Cohrs, wife of Barry Cohrs and daughter-in-law of Ed and Roxy Cohrs, who is recovering from
surgery for cancer and will be undergoing further treatment in the coming months.

+ Betty Fennernwho is in hospice care for cancer. + Arlan Beyerwho continues treatment for a chronic medical condition, and has undergone surgery in
Sioux Falls

+ Our youth once again beginning the study of Gods Word in Confirmation; may the Lord richly bless
their time in His life-giving Word!

+ Christians undergoing persecutionmay God keep safe all who trust in Him. We especially keep in
our prayers those Christians undergoing violent attacks and persecution in nations like Syria, Egypt, and Pakistan; lift them up dear Lord in your protecting arms and move the hearts of those who are able to act in compassion to do so. ther strengthen His Church to speak clearly, confidently & lovingly the Word of God to a nation which has drifted away from Him.

+ The Christian Church in Americamay God preserve us from violent persecution, and may He fur-

Volume 8, Issue 10

Page 7

WELS Q&ACritical People

What happens on judgment day to a believer who constantly criticizes others, blames everyone else for his problems, and refuses to forgive others by always bringing up their past wrongdoing?

I cannot say definitively what will happen on the Last Day to this constantly critical person because I cannot look into his heart. He may be a weak or immature believer reminiscent of the Corinthians with their habitually bad behavior (see 1 Corinthians 1:11; 3:1-3). Or he may be an unbeliever whose profession of faith is empty. But I can say that we all have to deal with critical people, even in the church, and important issues need to be identified and addressed whenever that happens. I appreciate the fact that you are asking the question and expressing concern. It is not normal for believers to be so characteristically or chronically critical of others. We should not ignore, much less excuse, such behavior or take it lightly.

Zions Purpose & Mission

Grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. To him be glory both now and forever! Amen. II Peter 3:18 Go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. Matthew 28:19-20 Speak to one another with psalms, hymns and spiritual songs...always giving thanks to God the Father for everything, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ. Ephesians 5:19-20 Be devoted to one another in love. Romans 12:10

Take This Seriously

You describe a faultfinding lifestyle trait. If this is the case, this is worrisome. All of us have bad moments, are subject to bad moods, and can be critical at times. But the Bible describes a child of God as one whose dominant lifestyle is governed by the new man rather than the old. Were not talking about ethical perfection, but we are talking about a discernible habitual pattern of godly attitudes and actions, fueled and maintained by the Holy Spirit through the gospel. Constant denigration/ of others and an unforgiving attitude are not compatible with true faith (as James 3:9-12 and Matthew 18:21-35 illustrate well). So we take this situation seriously. Even if faith remains, denigrating others is not living a life worthy of the calling [we] have received (Ephesians 4:1). Sometimes there are serious psychological and social issues to be addressed. Most often, as the old adage says, hurting people hurt people. Low self-esteem and insecurity are frequently involved, and miserable people tend to preferor seek to createmiserable companions. Even if its more of a superficial matter of lacking social skills like diplomacy and tact, this is serious stuff for the Christian community, since we represent our Lord when we interact with others.

Clarify the Real Issue

We are to be agents of change not just identifiers of bad behavior. I am to speak straightforwardly with the critic, confront unacceptable speech, and hold professing believers in particular to biblical norms. Our Lords clear counsel in Matthew 18:15-20 applies to this kind of situation as it does with any other departure from the command to love your neighbor as yourself. Within the church this always involves a compassionate use of law and gospel to expose sin and underscore the grace of God for sinners. Enlist the help of fellow believers who know the person and his behavior patterns. The primary goal is to serve the persons spiritual as well as emotional needs. A companion blessing of serving the critics needs is that it keeps us from growing bitter or becoming enablers of bad behavior through silence. Be patient in your loving testimony to the critic. Change may not be apparent overnight. Ingrained behavior patterns are notoriously difficult to amend even if the person is repentant and growing spiritually. Expect fruits of faith, but be realistic in your expectations as you entrust the person to Gods Word and Spirit, and continue your testimony to him and intercessions to God on his behalf.

Zion Lutheran Church

105 South Street PO Box 25 Sanborn, MN 56083 507-648-3601 bbprell@yahoo.com Bryan Prell, Pastor