LCMS Stewardship Newsletter Article The Lutheran Church ...

LCMS Stewardship Newsletter Article The Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod Stewardship Ministry September 2017 Newsletter Article “Whatever your hand finds to do, do it with all your might” (Eccl. 9:10). God bids us to be faithful in the tasks He calls us to do. He calls us to be members of a family (husbands and wives; fathers and mothers; sons and daughters). He calls us to be members of society (those who govern and those who are governed). And He calls us to be members of His family, the Church (those who preach and teach and those who hear and learn). Each of these callings from God places a duty on us. As members of a family, husbands are given the duty to die for their wives as Christ gave His life for His bride, the Church; while wives are given the duty to respect their husbands and submit themselves to them as the Church does to Christ. Fathers and mothers are to raise their children in the fear and admonition of the Lord, teaching them the Ten Commandments, the Creed, the Lord’s Prayer, and the Scriptures concerning Baptism, Confession, the Office of the Keys, and the Lord’s Supper. Children are to honor their parents throughout their lives, and even when their parents are no longer alive, serving and obeying them, loving and cherishing them, and speaking well of them. As members of society, God calls those who govern to bear the sword, that is, to punish those who do evil— those who live contrary to God’s will—and to reward those who do good—those whose lives are lived in conformity with God’s will. Those who are governed are to obey their leaders as to the Lord Himself, for their leaders bear the sword of God’s temporal justice for a purpose. As members of God’s own family, the Church, He calls those who preach and teach to do so in faithfulness to His holy Word. To preach and teach the Law of God to convict the hearts of hearers of their sin and to encourage, admonish, and exhort them to do good works in accordance with God’s will. They are to preach and teach the Gospel, the full forgiveness of their sins accomplished by Christ and received through faith, not by works. They are to administer the means of grace in accordance with the Gospel and the Word of God. They do all this for the young and old alike, for those who are near and far off. Those who hear and learn are to submit themselves to their preachers and teachers. They are to support them by their prayers and their gifts. Each of these callings from God places a duty on us. They make a claim on our presence, our prayers, and on our time, talents, and treasures. So, “Whatever your hand finds to do, do it with all your might” (Eccl 9:10). Pray for your family, for your government, and your church. Give of yourself by means of your time, your talents, and your treasures to your family, your government, and your Church. That is what it means to be faithful in the tasks that God has given us. That is what it means to do it with all your might.

News from St. James Lutheran School... THE 2017-2018 SCHOOL YEAR began August 17th. We are blessed with 157 students and 10 teachers. May God bless the efforts of our teachers and families as we begin a new school year of Seeing Jesus and Causing Him to Be Seen! MIDDLE SCHOOL TENNIS CLUB – This newly formed club is open to 6th, 7th and 8th grade parochial/private and home schooled students and includes students from public schools. The season will run from Wednesday, September 13th to Thursday, October 5th. Email [email protected] if your child might be interested. SUBSTITUTE TEACHERS NEEDED – St. James Lutheran School is compiling a list of substitute teachers for the upcoming school year. If you are interested (or know of someone who might be) please contact Principal Landskroener at 222-8267. BOXTOPS AND UPC LABELS – Please continue to save General Mills Box Tops, Hy-Vee UPCs and Tyson A+ labels throughout the summer. They help support our school library! Thank you! Dear Members of St. James Lutheran Church and School, My name is Hayden Covey and I am a junior at Quincy Notre Dame High School and a former student of St. James Lutheran School. I have been in scouting for ten years and I am in the process of working on my Eagle Scout Project. I am writing this letter to you because I need your help. For my Eagle Scout Project, I have decided to renovate the “comfort room” at the Advocacy Network for Children. If you are not familiar with the Advocacy Network for Children, it is a local nonprofit organization that provides a voice for abused and neglected children in Adams County along with eight other surrounding counties in Illinois. When a child arrives at the center, a worker takes the child to the comfort room. The comfort room is designed to make the child relaxed and feel at home while waiting to be interviewed by a trained child forensic interviewer. Unfortunately, the current comfort room is outdated and desperately needs new paint, furniture, wall art, toys, a playhouse and iPads. Children of all ages will then be able to play and relax during a difficult and traumatic time. My hope is to transform what is currently a very dull and run-down room into a beautiful, welcoming, and engaging space. I need to raise $3,400 to cover the cost of the materials needed for this renovation. I am sending this letter to friends and family to assist me in reaching my goal. I am asking you to contribute as much as you can, whether it be one dollar or one thousand dollars. If you are unable to give money, then please consider blessing this project with your prayers. Contributions can be mailed to: (I can also pick up at your convenience) Hayden Covey Eagle Scout Project 4330 Bunker Dr. Quincy, IL 62305 217-506-1450 All contributions are tax deductible. Thank you for time and consideration. If you have any questions, feel free to contact me. Sincerely, Hayden Covey, Troop #2, Quincy, Illinois