on Suffering

Last weeks prayer of the church was roughly two pages of prayer requests.

2 pages of suffering.  2 pages of people crying out to God for help.

Lord, have mercy!  Will it ever end?  Is it just going to keep on getting darker and darker in this place?

Behold, God sends our way out:



Jesus's death on the cross.  Surprising, sad, counter-intuitive.  A God who dies?  This is what we need?  Yes.  We who suffer must look to Jesus.  Jesus, whose death on the cross conquers death and suffering, whose sacrifice explodes like a bomb in our dying world.  Jesus, whose light shines in our darkness, and promises us that the darkness will not overcome it.

For the sermon on August 28, click here

Hope for the Dismayed

"Change and decay in all around I see,

O Thou who changest not, abide with me!"

Listen to the sermon from August 21, "Hope for the Dismayed," here.

Heavenly Father,

We look around to the heavens and the earth, and we fear.  We see change and decay, we see sickness and death, and we see no place to hide.  We look inside ourselves and we see sin and darkness.  We know that we have been made in your image, but we see how we have stained that image; we have mixed poison in all that you have given.  We are sinners, and we are mortals, and we cannot free ourselves from our condition.

We look back, not to our own pasts to see what good we have done, for we know that we will not find hope there.  We look instead to the past of Your people, and we take heart when we see Your steadfast love towards other sinners like us. You had mercy on Abraham and called him out of idolatry.  You had mercy on Noah, on Israel despite their hard hearts.  You are a God who has mercy on sinners.  In Jesus we see Your open arms for us, we receive Your healing grace.  In this world of decay and sadness, we find our security in Your promise.

The heavens will vanish like smoke,

the earth will wear out like a garment,

and they who dwell in it will die in like manner;

but my salvation will be forever,

and my righteousness will never be dismayed.

Isaiah 51:6

Betty McCrory

After seeing the doctor today Betty was admitted to Columbus Regional Hospital to have her pacemaker removed and replaced. It appears that the radiation treatments that she has been taking have damaged the device. Please keep Betty in your prayers as she will undergo surgery today and be held in the hospital overnight.

Visitation and Funeral Arrangements for Brad Everett

The funeral will be conducted at 5 p.m. Thursday at Barkes, Weaver & Glick Funeral Home on Jonathan Moore Pike with Pastor Don Morris officiating. Military rites will be conducted by the Indiana Army National Guard Honor Guard at the funeral home.

Family and friends may call from 4 to 8 p.m. Wednesday and from 4 p.m. until time of service Thursday at the funeral home.

Cremation will take place following the service.

Memorial contributions may be made to Hospice of South Central Indiana.

Online condolences may be sent to Brad’s family and a video tribute may be viewed at www.barkesweaverglick.com.

Kristie's Radiation

After speaking with Kristie this evening, she asked that I update you all regarding her treatment. As it turns out, the doctor that was to administer the radiation was uncomfortable going forward without another consult with the specialist, so Kristie is once again waiting for more results. Please continue to pray for healing and patience as the Wessel continue to wait.

August 28 Weekly News

OUR FALL WORSHIP SCHEDULE will begin on Sunday, September 11, when Sunday School and Bible Class begin at 9:00 AM and Worship at 10:15 AM. Sunday School teachers are needed for classes for children 2 years through 8^th grade – the more volunteers we have, the lighter the load for everyone. Cookies are also needed for the kick-off celebration before church on the 11^th. Please contact Lori Hill (342-7671) or Tammy Claycamp (342-3420).

THE SEPTEMBER CALENDAR AND NEWS will be available from the ushers after today’s worship.

GUILD MEMBERS will meet THIS AFTERNOON AT 2:00 in the Fellowship Room for their meeting and to make noodles for the Smorgasbord. Ladies of the congregation are invited to become members and/or just join them for an afternoon of “fun noodle-making!”

FALL BIBLE SALE: Concordia Publishing House is currently offering many Bibles on sale. Check with Becky in the church office for more information. (Might be a good time to think ahead to Confirmation!)

SMORGASBORD SIGN-UP for donations and/or helping at our annual smorgasbord/bazaar, which will be held on Saturday, September 17, continues today in the narthex. The help of the entire congregation is needed to make this annual event a success! Please note the additional smorgasbord article in today’s September news!

MUM SALE: Our school is currently sponsoring a Mum Sale. Contact any student or Becky in the office. Mums are from Whipker’s Farm Market. Proceeds will be used to fund field trips and special activities for our students. Orders with payments need to be received by Wednesday, September 7.

CONGRATULATIONS TO Phil & Crista Burbrink on the birth of their daughter, JULIA CORINNE, last Monday. Julia arrived weighing 8 lbs. 1 oz. and measuring 21 inches. Everyone is doing fine – God’s blessings to them!

BRICK ORDERS may be placed yet today and next Sunday. Cost is $100 per brick. Contact Ernie & Donna Dettmer, Larry & Janice Claycamp, or Lloyd & Jean Meyer. Bricks will be ordered after Labor Day, with placement sometime in October.

* Update* Kathryn Taulman to have back surgery

*I misunderstood Kathryn, her surgery is actually scheduled for sometime next month (September).*

Please pray for Kathryn Taulman this week. I learned today that she will have back surgery this week in an effort to give her relief from her leg pain.