Many were instrumental this month and deserve our heartfelt thanks.
To: The Newmans, Sandy Barsh, Beth Ramsey, the Keltners and the Roths for providing meals during Lent. Thank you.
Education News
Easter Activities
Mindy Bell is looking for help putting Easter Activities together for the children of the congregation. If you'd like to help please contact her to get involved.
Bible Study
The PLAN, an online Bible study tutorial is available HERE.
Wednesdays
February 23rd is the last class for the 7th graders.
8th graders will return after Easter.
A copy of the Confirmation schedule can be found HERE!
Sundays
Sunday School
Ages 3-Adult
9:15 AM - 10:15 AM
Altar Flowers
04/03 In honor my Myriam Burton's 16th birthday.
04/10 The Newmans in honor of Illa Watkins Birthday
04/17 Easter Lilies*
04/24 OPEN
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*Beginning March 30th you may sign up for Lilies for Easter Sunday. The cost this year is $10 each. Please make checks payable to: Sandy Barsh. Lilies may be picked up after Easter Sunday service.
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Those who have signed up for flowers have two options:
You can provide your own. They must be at the church before the 8 AM service.
Sandy can get them for you for $20. (Make checks payable to Sandy Barsh.)
Flowers may be taken home after the 10:30 AM service. Please return vases to the church when flowers are done. You may contact Sandy Barsh at 913-548-9588 for questions or to fill and open date.
April Birthdays
04/01 Michelle Eickhoff
04/02 Harrison Kalinka
04/04 Myriam Burton
04/06 Ashley Bell
04/07 Shane Hovey
04/09 Karl Karrow
04/11 Gwen LawRance
04/12 Scott Marsh
04/15 Sharon Murphy
04/17 Wyatt Axmann
04/17 Jimmy Chandler
04/18 Elaine Bell
04/19 Isaac Grove
04/21 Alison Moore
04/22 Emma Knop
04/23 Heather Keltner
04/24 Adalyn Spinner
04/25 Maddox Spinner
04/25 Laney Stohs
04/25 Matt Stohs
04/26 Josh Weber
04/27 Andrew Harding
04/27 Homer Spinner
April Anniversaries
04/26 Richard & Christine Fauss
In the Military
Military members and friends of our congregation include:
Colin Alexander
Dylan Ash
Jim Buckman
Garret Cline
Mark Edgar
Maurissa Glick
Megan Honeywell
Jeremy Howard
Zac Howard
Freddy Hurt
Greg Jeffrey
Tyler Jordan
James Keltner
Tom Moore
Danny Myers
Austin Nicholes
Rob O'Bannon
Garrett Rausch
Lindsey Rausch
Allison Walania
D.J. Weaver
Ministerial Alliance:
Work day--April 2nd-meet at the city park at 5th and Vine at 8:45 that morning. We will hand out jobs and locations at that point. Bring rakes, shovels, wheelbarrows, and other yard tools you may want to use.
Baccalaureate--May 18th at 7:00
Worship: 8 AM, 10:30 AM
& 7 PM
Sunday school at 9:15 AM.
Office Hours:
Monday-Friday
10 AM- 2 PM
Please contact us if we missed your birthday or anniversary so we can update our records.
Christ Our Savior newsletter is published monthly and produced in email and print versions.
Pastor Andy Writes...
True of False
The world is millions, and millions of years old.
Babies are born innocent. (Without sin)
Jacob was Isaacs first born Son.
All angels have wings.
There was only one apostle named Judas.
There will be a rapture before Jesus comes again.
We are saved when we accept Jesus.
There are two Baptisms, a water baptism, and a spirit baptism.
Elijah was carried to heaven in a chariot.
The longest chapter in the Bible is 1 Kings 8.
The Old Testament does not talk about Christ.
It does not matter what you believe if you are faithful.
God does not care if we come to worship or not.
These are all false statements. The reason I can say they are false statements is because they contradict the truth that is revealed in Scripture. The way we know the truths revealed in Scripture is by reading and studying the Bible.
I would like to ask all you if you think a Sunday school hour is valuable? Is it valuable to spend an hour studying God’s Word between our worship services? Is Sunday school a tradition that is no longer relevant?
If we do not have a Sunday school hour is there a time that you would have available to study the Bible. Should we have VBS? To have Sunday school and VBS we need children. As parents are you willing to bring you children to Sunday School? I there a time that you would commit your children to attend VBS?
Over the next few weeks, I pray that corporately we can come up with answers to these questions.
The Worship Word...
Disruptors
I have a friend who is a healthcare consultant and she describes herself as a "disruptor". She goes into organizations and shakes things up. It might be people or processes and/or systems, but change is enforced. It is interesting to think that for a living she forces change. There are downstream effects of the change. We have heard over the years that nothing grows in our comfort zone, change is constant and necessary for growth. However, disruption is often painful.
Covid for example, is the biggest disruption we have experience for a long time. It has been a two-year disruption. Regarding church, we closed our doors, and we changed our worship service to create a safe worship environment. The result of these changes has affected the congregation. Our habits changed and our church attendance changed. We have benefited from technology changes, and yet our Sunday school program no longer exists. We have an adult Sunday morning Bible study but not a children’s program. My question is, how do we start new habits? What are we doing or not doing that our children’s program no longer provides value to a point we don’t bring our children to Sunday morning education?
The Bible has a very clear message to us on what does not change, God never changes, God’s plan is perfect. We are going through exactly what he has set before us in his perfect plan. The author of Hebrews 13:8 was very direct,
“Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today
and forever.”
James wrote,
“Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and comes down from the Father of lights, with whom there is no variation or shadow of turning.”
--James 1:17.
Our changing circumstances are planned and don’t affect God. He hasn’t forgotten us; he is our anchor. I don’t know the answers as to why our Sunday school program is what it is, but I know that there is a plan. God will move hearts to build a program and we will thrive.
God has not forgotten us, one step at a time we will build our church and programs. One step at a time will build what God intends. One step will turn into hundreds of steps.
Blessings!
LERT Training Opportunity
A Basic LERT Training class will be held at First Lutheran Church, Paola, KS. Participants will be introduced to the LCMS Disaster Response program and learn the basic nature of disasters, the opportunities to respond to personal needs in such disasters and how Christians can support families, congregations and the public, as the hands and feet of Jesus during trying times.
A registration fee of $25 per person helps cover the cost of lunch, training materials and LERT T-shirt.
Please make check out to First Lutheran Church and send registrations fees to:
First Lutheran Church,
401 E Piankisha St.
Paola, KS 66071
before April 13th, 2022. Please note "LERT Training April 30, 2022" on your check.
Walk-ins are welcome on a limited basis as materials will be limited.
The course will run from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. on Saturday, April 30, 2022. Please arrive by 8:30am to complete registration and sign in.
What will we study?
There are three main sections:
An introduction to the LCMS Disaster Response program
Congregation preparedness: I'm a trained LERT volunteer......now what?
Lutheran Early Response Teams: Who we are. What we do and why. How we function.
Who can be trained?
Anyone 14 years and older who is interested is welcome to attend this LERT training session and will receive certification as LCMS LERT volunteers. You will receive your certificate of participation, volunteer ID card, and T-shirt from LCMS Disaster Response after the training is complete. Your LERT trainer will distribute all the LERT materials.
Additional Details
Volunteers should be between the ages of 14 and 100.
Is Not Outdoors
Not Wheelchair Accessible
Snacks & Lunch provided
Facilitated by NE Training Team-Gardner
Along the way through the Old Testament, and in the Book of Genesis, we get a foreshadowing of our Savior’s redemptive work through the people the Lord would use to fulfill His mission and purposes. Throughout the Lenten time, we will journey with Joseph in Genesis, and through his experiences we will be brought to the cross of Christ. We will see how like Joseph, Jesus will be rejected, abused, yet also ultimately raised up. Like Joseph providing food for the nations, Jesus provides nourishment for those spiritually starving. Like Joseph forgiving his brothers, Jesus will bring forgiveness and reconciliation for the world. But unlike Joseph, Jesus will do all things perfectly in His journey to the cross carrying the sins of the world.
Midweek Lent services
Wednesday, April 7th at 7 PM
Dinner at 5:30 PM
Service at 7 PM
Maundy Thursday, April 14th
Dinner at 5:30 PM
Service at 7 PM
Good Friday, April 15th at 7 PM
Easter, April 17th
Breakfast at 9 AM
Services at 8 AM, 10:30 AM & 7 PM
Council Openings!
Have you been looking for a way to serve but don't know how to get involved? Currently, the Council has three openings and is searching for the right person to fill the slots.
Board of Worship Chair--Help shape the worship service by taking the lead in all things musical.
Board of Caring Chair--Plan and coordinate meals for Advent, Lent, funerals, special events and for those in need.
Facilities Board Chair--Help keep the church in tip top shape by planning and facilitating repairs and maintenance of church, community center and grounds.
If you have any questions please speak with Pastor, Janie Ott, or any other member of the council for more information.
Position Opening: Communications Specialist
The LCMS Kansas District is looking for a Communications Specialist (up to 28 hours per week). The Communications Specialist oversees the communications efforts of the District, including the website (kslcms.org), newsletter, social media, special projects, and other duties as assigned.
To apply, please send a letter of interest, a resume, and a completed employment application (link below) via email to Heather Williams, Kansas District Business Manager, heather@kslcms.org. A review of applications will begin May 1.
