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Strengthen Faith, Build Hope, Share Love in Christ Our Savior
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Christ Our Savior
Lutheran Church
ANDY KELTNER, PASTOR
5 South 8th Street
Louisburg, KS 66053
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Pastor Andy Writes...
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| Pastor Andy Keltner |
Worship
God needs nothing from us. He creates. He judges. He redeems. He is omnipotent, omniscient, and omnipresent. We are the created. God is the creator. God does not need our worship. We need God.
The way we satisfy our need for God is to worship him. God encourages us to meet. He encourages us bring our first fruits. He encourages us to gather around His Word and Sacraments. He encourages us to serve one another. These are gifts God gives us. We worship because we need a life-giving relationship with the life-giving God.
"Christians worship God as the God who has bestowed His grace upon them not on account of the works of the Law, but for the sake of Christ's vicarious satisfaction. They present their good works to God not as a ransom to pay for their sins, but as a thank-offering for the redemption that Christ has affected." Christian Dogmatics, Francis Pieper volume 1 page 12
We worship Christ in response to what he has done for us. "For if while we were enemies we were reconciled to God by the death of his Son, much more, now that we are reconciled, shall we be saved by his life." (Romans 5:10) Our life is a response to the gifts God has given. The most valuable gift he gives is the gift of salvation. We are reconciled to God through the suffering and death of Christ.
Worship then is not an odious chore. We do not have to go to church. We do not have to give our first fruits. We do not have to give thanks in all circumstances. We do not have to serve our neighbor. But we can!!
Sadly, because worship is not something we must do we do not worship God. We do not give our first fruits. We do not give thanks. We do not serve. This does not hurt God, it hurts us. It hurts us corporately as the church. It weakens us as individual children of God. God earnestly desires a relationship with his foremost visible creature. We spurn God's advances when we fail to worship him.
If you have never been blessed by God, then do not worship him. If you do not have enough resources to survive the day, do not give your first fruits to God. If you are so busy you cannot stop to eat a meal, do not take time to worship. I say this, knowing that we have all been blessed by God. We lack for nothing that we need to survive the day. We also make time for the things we believe are important. We have no excuse for not worshipping God.
We all sin. Christ died for sinners. God daily and richly provides for us through his creation. We fail to celebrate our blessings. We are bombarded by negative information. We are challenged by the world, the flesh, and the devil. Nothing can separate us from the love of Christ. We are more than conquerors. God is working in all things. As we focus on the promises of God, we respond with thanksgiving. We worship our God.
The highest form of worship is when we come believing we should seek forgiveness of sin from Christ. We celebrate that Jesus is Lord. We receive forgiveness when we worship our Lord. God does not need our worship. We need to worship God.
Pastor
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Dinner and Pie Auction
Looking for a fun evening with a good cause? Make plans to attend the Meals on Wheels Dinner and Pie Auction! The auction will be held on Saturday, July 7th. See the flyer below for more details.
If you can't attend but you can bake, this is for you! We need pies! Please consider baking and donating pies for this worthy cause. If you are interested, please contact Beth Ramsey (316-727-1249). Thank you in advance for helping!
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Thank you from the VBS team!
I would like to say thank you everyone that helped with VBS this year. We had a fun and energetic bunch of kids that made the week a lot of fun. Thank you to Carrie Gregar for teaching the lesson with such enthusiasm each night, it was always fun and interactive for the kids. Thank you to Amanda Gregar for organizing and helping the kids with their fun crafts each night. Thank you to Allison Walania, Grace Walania and Allyson Fisher for all your help with games and activities. Thank you too, Grace, for coordinating the music and helping to teach the kids all the song and actions. Thank you Pastor Andy for getting each night started with a great opening and for being there to interact with all the kids, they all love you! A big thank you to Christine Fauss for making all the meals and desserts for us each night, even though she was going to be out of town all week she made sure we were all taken care of before she left. The biggest thank you of all goes the parents and grandparents who brought their kids to spend the week with us at VBS. Thank you for letting them be a part of this great experience, we loved sharing Jesus and all the wonderful stories from the Bible with them. Thank you again to everyone who helped make VBS a huge success this year!!
Tricia Walania
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Financial Update
Please keep Christ Our Savior in your prayers. During the summer months we experience a drop in attendance due to vacations and summer activities. This also results in a drop in offering. The church has fixed expenses - such as mortgage, insurance, lawn care, outreach, bulletins, and utilities. Our utilities expenses increase during the summer. As of this newsletter we may not be able to meet all of our expenses with the current offering level. The Church Council will discuss our options, such as borrowing funds, and we ask for your prayers that we will make the best choice for the church.
There are a couple of other ways that you can help. Consider signing up for electronic giving to help our income remain steady. It is as easy as completing a form with some information. You can choose the amount and the interval - weekly, monthly, semi-monthly, etc. Ask the church office for forms or find them near the front door. Contact Linda Richards if you have questions (913) 837-6428.
Another great way to help is to sign up with Amazon Smile. Amazon donates cash to the church quarterly based on purchases made by those who choose Christ Our Savior Lutheran Church in Louisburg as their charity. It is easy to sign up and the donation is not added to your purchase - it comes directly from Amazon. If you already have an Amazon account you can still use it - including Amazon Prime members. Just choose smile.amazon.com first - Amazon Smile and then log in to your Amazon account. You must choose Christ Our Savior Lutheran Church in Louisburg as your charity. If you do not have an Amazon account you can still go to smile.amazon.com (or use the link above) to set up an account. When you shop Amazon always log in to
Amazon Smile. You will see this notice near the upper left side of the web page.
Thank you to those who are already signed up through Amazon Smile. We received $24 so far this year.
Thrivent members may have Choice dollars available to contribute to Christ Our Savior. Contact your Thrivent representative for more information about how Choice dollars can be donated.
Thank you,
COS Church Council
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Christ Our Savior is partnering with Military BibleSticks
. What is a BibleStick? It is a small, personal listening device pre-loaded with the Audio New Testament and selected Psalms. Each BibleStick includes a card that offers free MP3 Bibles for spouses and children.
Please consider donating at least one BibleStick from your family. Envelopes are in the entry hall of the church. Checks should be made out to Christ Our Savior. Each BibleStick is $25.00. The last day to donate is Sunday, July 8th.
Help bring the scriptures to our military abroad. Thank you!
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Come Hungry for Biscuits and Gravy
| What: |
Come on down for our monthly "All you can eat" Biscuits & Gravy, eggs, hash browns, cinnamon rolls with fruit, coffee and juice.
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| Cost: |
Suggested $5 donation
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| For: |
Help the Youth Group raise funds for District & National Gatherings
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| When: |
Sunday, July 1st
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| Time: |
Between church services (9-10:00)
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| Where: |
COS Basement
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| Youth: |
We need Youth to be in the basement @ 8:30 a.m. to help prep, cook, set-up tables, serve the meals and clean-up! We are asking youth to bring a bag of shredded hash browns. |
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Kansas District Convention
The 73rd Convention of the LCMS Kansas District met in Topeka June 7-9, 2018. Our mission statement was "Together In Mission", Philippians 1:5. President Rev. Peter Lange presided over the meetings with diligence, organization and humor. He was re-elected as President for the next triennial. Rev. Matthew Harrison, President of LCMS, led us in worship the first night and gave his report on the state of the synod. His booklet, "Joy:Fully Lutheran", covers his report and I will happily lend it to anyone interested in reading it. Our essayist speaker was Rev. Dr. Alfonso Espinosa, a Pastor in California, writer/contributor to many Lutheran publications and author of the new book, "Faith That Sees Through the Culture".
Naturally, we had much business to address, including many resolutions to approve, as well as elections of officers, boards, and circuit visitors. Our own Pastor Andy was elected Circuit Visitor for Circuit #3S.
The convention was enlightening, inspiriting, educational, challenging, and sometimes tedious (resolutions). I was privileged to attend, learn more about the LCMS, meet many fine people, and eat some really yummy food!
All of the convention business, workbook, etc. are available to anyone who wishes to learn more about this important event. If interested, please contact me at 316-727-1249.
Beth Ramsey, Lay Delegate
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"YOU"th Fun Event
What:
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Picnic and Swimming at Lake Miola |
| Who: |
COS "YOU"th in grades 6th - 12th. Family and Friends are invited! |
| Date: |
Sunday, July 1st |
| Time: |
12:30 - 3:30 p.m. |
Where:
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Lake Miola |
| What to Bring: |
Swimsuits, towels and picnic lunch items. Sign up in the narthex. |
"YOU"th Group Lock-In
What:
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COS Youth Group Lock-In |
| For: |
Music * Food * Fun * Games * Movie * Fellowship |
| Who: |
Middle School and High School Students Only! Invite Your Friends! |
| When: |
Saturday, August 4th - Sunday, August 5th |
| Time: |
9:00 p.m. - 10:15 a.m. |
Where:
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COS Church Basement |
| What to bring: |
Your favorite snack or two to share with everyone - i.e. - 2 bags of chips; your favorite soft drink - i.e. -Gatorade, Pepsi, etc. |
| Service Project: |
Birthday In A Box ( We will donate these boxes to the local food pantries): please bring in as many of the following items as you can - boxed cake mix, a tub of frosting, birthday card, candles, sprinkles, cupcake liners, napkins, noise makers, and anything else birthday related.
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| Optional to Bring: |
sleeping bag, blanket, pillow - if you feel the need to crash at any point during the night. |
| to Register: |
Sign the poster on the bulletin board in the narthex by Sunday, July 29th letting us know you are coming so we can plan. |
Lock-In Help Needed!
To help with this event, we need parent volunteers throughout the night to help supervise some of our activities. If you are willing to help, please sign up in the narthex or contact Gerry & Michelle at 913-837-5276 or via e-mail: gmicough@hotmail.com.
We are also in need of some supplies for our lock-in. If you would be willing to donate any of these supplies, please contact Gerry &/or Michelle ASAP. Below is a list of what we need.
Pancake Mix, Paper Plates, Eggs, Aluminum Foil, Jello Cups, Whipped Cream, Milk, Orange Juice, Microwave Popcorn, Shoeboxes, Drinking Straws, Syrup, Chocolate Chips, Fresh Fruit, Birthday Gift Wrap or Gift Bags.
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