Weekly Announcements 8.14.2020

WE ARE WITNESSES

August 16, 2020

Confirmation Sunday

Jesus came from the Father as a witness to the glories of heaven. Forever, Jesus has experienced the goodness and love of God's presence. Through Jesus, we are invited to share in God's glory and love. As God's witnesses now, we share the hope that lives within us.

IN OUR PRAYERS

Cheryl Barksdale, Amy Hedges, Dorothy Levihn, Tee Lipsey,  Joe Manger, Margorie Sims, Pat Soulter, Marcia Stoner, Linda Tangman, John Widau, and Pastor Jon Zehnder. For all who mourn especially the family of Virginia Jones. For all schools, students and educators. For all missionaries including Alyssa Anders, LCMS missionary to Russia. For all who are imprisoned. For all persecuted Christians throughout the world. For our active military, including Corey Cook, Jr., Dominick Greci, Katelyn Harvey, Dylan Pliska-Lyndoe and Rex Rafferty.

UPCOMING EVENTS

Sunday School Resumes,  Aug. 23, 9:30 a.m.

Special Voters’ Meeting, Aug. 30, noon

Second Grade Bible Presentation, Sept. 19-20

ANNOUNCEMENTS

SUNDAY SCHOOL Resumes on August 23rd!—Adult classes will meet each week in the Sanctuary (with Pastor Lepley), in the Gym (with Pastor Matt and Vicar Kyle Borcherding), and on Facebook Live at 9:30. Children ages 2– 4th grade can participate in our In-Person or At-Home "Foundations of Faith" Sunday School. So that we know best how to prepare, we are asking all families with children to register for Sunday School this fall. Email to register.

Emmaus  Lutheran  Teacher—Emmaus Lutheran School in Indianapolis is seeking an elementary teacher. The teacher would be expected to teach a multi-grade classroom. The teacher would also be expected to have a valid Indiana Teaching License. Please email Brandon Davis at  or call (262) 305-5035, if interested. 

SPECIAL VOTERS’ MEETING—-Please join us for an important, yet brief Voters Meeting on August 30th at noon. There are two items on the agenda. Vote to call a Director of Sanctuary Music, and Vote to call SMP Vicar Kyle Borcherding as Pastor. We will need a special quorum, (minimum of 84 people to attend.) There will not be a virtual option because the call votes must be by a ballot vote.

OSLS—Our Shepherd's project approach teaching and multi-aged classrooms in Early Childhood have been recognized as a POWERFUL PRACTICE as part of our recent accreditation. The National Lutheran School Accreditation commission annually recognizes schools which demonstrate innovative leadership through the implementation of best practices related to the academic quality and spiritual development of students. 
We are humbled and blessed to receive this recognition after receiving school-wide accreditation! All glory to be God that we can be an example to other schools in this capacity. Please congratulate our early childhood faculty of Mrs. Tracie Douglas, Mrs. Amy Helmkamp, and Mrs. Abby Fritcha!

SCRIPTURE READINGS

OLD TESTAMENT READING, Isaiah 56:1, 6-8

¹ Thus says the Lord: “Keep justice, and do righteousness, for soon my salvation will come, and my righteousness be revealed.”

⁶ “And the foreigners who join themselves to the Lord, to minister to him, to love the name of the Lord, and to be his servants, everyone who keeps the Sabbath and does not profane it, and holds fast my covenant— ⁷ these I will bring to my holy mountain, and make them joyful in my house of prayer; their burnt offerings and their sacrifices will be accepted on my altar; for my house shall be called a house of prayer for all    peoples.” ⁸ The Lord God, who gathers the outcasts of Israel, declares, “I will gather yet others to him besides those already gathered.”

EPISTLE  READING, Romans 11:1-2a, 13-15, 28-32

¹ I ask, then, has God rejected his people? By no means! For I myself am an Israelite, a descendant of Abraham, a member of the tribe of Benjamin. ² God has not rejected his people whom he foreknew. Do you not know what the Scripture says of Elijah, how he appeals to God against Israel?

¹³ Now I am speaking to you Gentiles. Inasmuch then as I am an apostle to the Gentiles, I magnify my ministry ¹⁴ in order somehow to make my fellow Jews jealous, and thus save some of them. ¹⁵ For if their rejection means the reconciliation of the world, what will their acceptance mean but life from the dead?

²⁸ As regards the gospel, they are enemies for your sake. But as regards election, they are beloved for the sake of their forefathers. ²⁹ For the gifts and the calling of God are irrevocable. ³⁰ For just as you were at one time disobedient to God but now have received mercy because of their  disobedience, ³¹ so they too have now been disobedient in order that by the mercy shown to you they also may now receive mercy. ³² For God has consigned all to disobedience, that he may have mercy on all.

 GOSPEL READING, John 3:11-21

[Jesus said,]¹¹ Truly, truly, I say to you, we speak of what we know, and bear witness to what we have seen, but you do not receive our testimony. ¹² If I have told you earthly things and you do not believe, how can you believe if I tell you heavenly things? ¹³ No one has ascended into heaven except he who descended from heaven, the Son of Man. ¹⁴ And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, so must the Son of Man be lifted up, ¹⁵ that whoever believes in him may have eternal life.

¹⁶ “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life. ¹⁷ For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but in order that the world might be saved through him. ¹⁸ Whoever believes in him is not condemned, but whoever does not believe is condemned already, because he has not believed in the name of the only Son of God. ¹⁹ And this is the judgment: the light has come into the world, and people loved the darkness rather than the light because their works were evil. ²⁰ For everyone who does wicked things hates the light and does not come to the light, lest his works should be exposed. ²¹ But whoever does what is true comes to the light, so that it may be clearly seen that his works have been carried out in God.” 

Weekly Announcements 08.07.2020

ST. MARY, MOTHER OF OUR LORD

St. Mary may be the most popular person to ever live besides her Son, Jesus. This is quite remarkable when we consider her humility and servant-nature. She blesses us in two ways. First, as the mother of God, Who was born to save us. Secondly, as a faithful example of true godliness in a dark world.

ANNOUNCEMENTS

SUNDAY SCHOOL Resumes on August 23rd!—Adult classes will meet each week in the Sanctuary (with Pastor Lepley), in the Gym (with Pastor Matt and Vicar Kyle Borcherding), and on Facebook Live at 9:30. Children ages 2– 4th grade can participate in our In-Person or At-Home "Foundations of Faith" Sunday School. So that we know best how to prepare, we are asking all families with children to register for Sunday School this fall at https://bit.ly/ss_at_oslcs

VOTERS’ MEETING—TODAY, noon. Agenda items include: Devotion, Ministry Reports, 2020-2021 Budget Approval, Approve Financial Reviewers, Specific Ministry Pastor (SMP) Call Committee - Approve Members, Director of Music Call Committee - Approve Members, Approval of Membership Roll Review, Endowment Committee Report, Ambassadors of Reconciliation Update, Doxology. Members may review a copy of the 2020-2021 Budget and printed ministry reports in the church office.

Confirmation 2020—Celebrate the Rite of Confirmation with us on August 16 at 10:30 in the Sanctuary! Please consider sharing a note of encouragement with our Confirmands through their Blessing bags, available in the Narthex. The Rite of Confirmation will be recorded and available.

Our Shepherd Lutheran School is beginning the new year this Monday, August 10th. Faculty and staff are so thankful and excited to start the new year with in-person instruction. As we continue to navigate needs and changes, we ask for our congregation members to keep students, families, faculty, and staff in your prayers. For those wishing to support or follow our school ministry, we invite you to view the school website for newsletter access.

IN OUR PRAYERS

Cheryl Barksdale, Amy Hedges, Virginia Jones, Dorothy Levihn, Tee Lipsey,  Joe Manger, Margorie Sims, Pat Soulter, Marcia Stoner, John Widau, and Pastor Jon Zehnder. For all who mourn especially the families of Carol Ford. For all schools, students and educators. For all missionaries including Pastor Sam Ruiz, Luterno Indy. For all who are imprisoned. For all persecuted Christians throughout the world. For our active military, including Corey Cook, Jr., Dominick Greci, Katelyn   Harvey, Dylan Pliska-Lyndoe and Rex Rafferty.

UPCOMING EVENTS

Voter’s Meeting, Aug, 9 noon

Confirmation Orientation, Aug. 9, 5:00 p.m.

OSLS first day of school, Aug. 10

Confirmation Sunday,  Aug. 16, 10:30 a.m.

Sunday School Resumes,  Aug. 23, 9:30 a.m.

SCRIPTURE READINGS

OLD TESTAMENT READING, Job 38:4-18

⁴ “Where were you when I laid the foundation of the earth? Tell me, if you have understanding. ⁵ Who determined its measurements—surely you know! Or who stretched the line upon it?⁶ On what were its bases sunk, or who laid its cornerstone,
⁷ when the morning stars sang together and all the sons of God shouted for joy? ⁸ “Or who shut in the sea with doors when it burst out from the womb, ⁹ when I made clouds its garment and thick darkness its swaddling band, ¹⁰ and prescribed   limits for it and set bars and doors, ¹¹ and said, ‘Thus far shall you come, and no farther, and here shall your proud waves be stayed’? ¹² “Have you commanded the morning since your days began, and caused the dawn to know its place, ¹³ that it might take hold of the skirts of the earth, and the wicked be shaken out of it? ¹⁴ It is changed like clay under the seal, and its features stand out like a garment. ¹⁵ From the wicked their light is withheld, and their uplifted arm is broken. ¹⁶ “Have you  entered into the springs of the sea, or walked in the recesses of the deep? ¹⁷ Have the gates of death been revealed to you, or have you seen the gates of deep darkness? ¹⁸ Have you comprehended the expanse of the earth? Declare, if you know all this.

EPISTLE READING, Romans 10:5-17   

⁵ For Moses writes about the righteousness that is based on the law, that the person who does the commandments shall live by them. ⁶ But the righteousness based on faith says, “Do not say in your heart, ‘Who will ascend into heaven?’” (that is, to bring Christ down) ⁷ “or ‘Who will descend into the abyss?’” (that is, to bring Christ up from the dead). ⁸ But what does it say? “The word is near you, in your mouth and in your heart” (that is, the word of faith that we proclaim); ⁹ because, if you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. ¹⁰ For with the heart one believes and is justified, and with the mouth one confesses and is saved. ¹¹ For the Scripture says, “Everyone who believes in him will not be put to shame.” ¹² For there is no distinction between Jew and Greek; for the same Lord is Lord of all, bestowing his riches on all who call on him. ¹³ For “everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.” ¹⁴ How then will they call on him in whom they have not believed? And how are they to believe in him of whom they have never heard? And how are they to hear without someone preaching? ¹⁵ And how are they to preach unless they are sent? As it is written, “How beautiful are the feet of those who preach the good news!” ¹⁶ But they have not all obeyed the gospel. For Isaiah says, “Lord, who has believed what he has heard from us?” ¹⁷ So faith comes from hearing, and hearing through the word of Christ.

GOSPEL READING, Luke 1:26-38, 46-55

²⁶ In the sixth month the angel Gabriel was sent from God to a city of Galilee named Nazareth, ²⁷ to a virgin betrothed to a man whose name was Joseph, of the house of David. And the virgin's name was Mary. ²⁸ And he came to her and said, “Greetings, O favored one, the Lord is with you!” ²⁹ But she was greatly troubled at the saying, and tried to discern what sort of greeting this might be. ³⁰ And the angel said to her, “Do not be afraid, Mary, for you have found favor with God. ³¹ And behold, you will conceive in your womb and bear a son, and you shall call his name Jesus. ³² He will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High. And the Lord God will give to him the throne of his father David, ³³ and he will reign over the house of Jacob forever, and of his kingdom there will be no end.” ³⁴ And Mary said to the angel, “How will this be, since I am a virgin?” ³⁵ And the angel answered her, “The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you; therefore the child to be born will be called holy—the Son of God. ₃₆ And behold, your relative Elizabeth in her old age has also conceived a son, and this is the sixth month with her who was called barren. ³⁷ For nothing will be impossible with God.” ³⁸ And Mary said, “Behold, I am the servant of the Lord; let it be to me according to your word.” And the angel departed from her. 

⁴⁶ And Mary said, “My soul magnifies the Lord, ⁴⁷ and my spirit rejoices in God my Savior, ⁴⁸ for he has looked on the humble estate of his servant. For behold, from now on all generations will call me blessed; ⁴⁹ for he who is mighty has done great things for me, and holy is his name. ⁵⁰ And his mercy is for those who fear him from generation to generation. ⁵¹ He has shown strength with his arm; he has scattered the proud in the thoughts of their hearts; ⁵² he has brought down the mighty from their thrones and exalted those of humble estate; ⁵³ he has filled the hungry with good things, and the rich he has sent away empty. ⁵⁴ He has helped his servant Israel, in remembrance of his mercy, ⁵⁵ as he spoke to our fathers, to Abraham and to his offspring forever.”