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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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THANKSGIVING SERVICE
Wednesday, November 25, 2015
7:00 p.m.
A special opportunity to join together and give thanks to God for his many blessings
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Pastor Andy Writes...
 | | Pastor Andy Keltner |
Thankful
The narrative of Jesus healing the ten lepers is familiar to many. The leper was considered unclean. He was not allowed to have any contact with those who were whole and healthy. He was destined to a miserable existence of begging and decay. The lepers sat by the road on the way to Jerusalem. When Jesus passed by they cried out, "Jesus, Master, have mercy on us." The hopeless leper cries out with hope that Jesus can change his situation of desperation.
The Biblical narrative tells us there are ten lepers. The narrative tells us that at the word of Jesus these lepers are healed. "Then one of them, when he saw that he was healed, turned back, praising God with a loud voice; and he fell on his face at Jesus' feet, giving him thanks." (Luke 17:15, 16) One turned and gave thanks. One, who was doomed by his disease, when healed, turns and gives thanks to the one who heals.
As I visit with people many of them focus on their desperate condition. They understand the temporary nature of life on this planet. They are bombarded daily by messages of doom and gloom. Some are social outcasts. Some are sick and suffering. Some face financial setbacks. Some struggle with relationships. Some teeter on the brink of despair. Our cry should be the same as the leper. "Jesus, Master, have mercy on us." Jesus hears our cry he gives hope and healing.
God's Word communicates that we are sinners. And the wages of sin is death. "For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord." (Romans 6:23) Our cries of mercy are met with our Lord's declaration that we are redeemed. His suffering sanctifies our suffering. He takes our punishment on the cross and we receive his righteousness. We are healed. We have hope. We are declared righteous. We are redeemed and chosen children of the King.
Luther's explanation of the first article of the Apostles Creed: All this He does only out of fatherly, divine goodness and mercy, without any merit or worthiness in me. For all this it is my duty to thank and praise, serve and obey Him. Ten lepers were healed. One of them turned and gave thanks. Christ died for all. He pays the price our sin demands. What a privilege to cry out with a loud voice our thanks and praise to our God.
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Community Thanksgiving Service
Plan now to attend the Community Thanksgiving Service at First Christian Church , 602 N. 1st Street on Sunday, November 8th at 5:00 p.m. Dan Rhodes, pastor at First Baptist Church, will preach the sermon.
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Craft Group
 The Craft Group event for November is a "field trip" to the Louisburg Holiday Mart on Saturday November 14th. Join us at 8:45 am when we meet at church and head over to the Middle School. Doors open at 9:00 am and the Mart is open until 3:00 pm. The event promises 100+ vendors, concessions and a bake sale. Contact Cindy Karrow at 913-269-1935 (cell) or ckarrow524@yahoo.com for more information and to let her know you want to attend. |
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Advent Dinners
The Christmas season is right around the corner. We will again host 3 dinners before the Wednesday night Advent Services this year.
Join us for a meal and fellowship on:
December 2nd
December 9th
December 16th
(No dinner during the week of Christmas)
Everyone is welcome. The meals will begin at 5:30 pm and end at 6:30 pm. Church is at 7:00 pm. Watch the weekly bulletins for menus, sponsors, etc. If you or your group would like to provide a meal, please contact Cindy Karrow at 913-269-1935 (cell) or ckarrow524@yahoo.com. |
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Monthly Fellowship
We have had a couple of casual fellowship events in September and October. After the8:00 am service attendees grabbed coffee or juice and a donut or other treat and mingled for a while before going home or attending Sunday School or Bible class. Those who came early to the 10:30 service or the 7:00 pmservice also had treats before attending church. The Church Council plans to continue these informal events after the Christmas season.
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Stewardship Lunch
   Thank YOU! We had a great turnout on Sunday October 18th to celebrate our stewardship of the resources the God has entrusted to us. LWML members along with Paul Richards, Bill Richards, and Nadine Wells provided the meal and we had some very short presentations about LWML Mite boxes, Simply Giving a Thrivent sponsored program for electronic contributions, Operation Christmas Child sponsored by the "YOUth" group and Thrivent Action Teams. |
Operation Christmas Child Shoebox Potluck Packing Party Challenge
The youth are challenging the congregation to pack 25 shoeboxes.
If the church meets that goal, we will receive 3 tickets to Silver Dollar City. In order to be in the running for these tickets, you must participate in the shoebox packing party on November 8. Your family's names will be entered in the drawing at the potluck packing party - one entry per family. Sign-ups for the Potluck Meal will be in the narthex on Sunday, November 1. Don't forget to sign-up and let us know what you are bringing to share!
The youth have purchased the shoeboxes. All you have to do is help us collect items to fill the shoeboxes. If your family would like to pack your own shoebox prior to the party to help us add to our total - you are more than welcome to do so. That total will increase our total shoebox number and we may be eligible for another Silver Dollar City Ticket if we pack 50 shoeboxes.
We will be collecting items until Sunday, November 8. Operation Christmas Child pamphlets will be available Sunday, November 1 if you would like to participate. We will also have prayer bookmarks and your prayers are essential to the work of Operation Christmas Child, so please join us during National Collection Week Nov. 16-23. The youth group will then deliver the shoeboxes to the drop off site in Louisburg (Faith Chapel) on Monday, November 16 (6 p.m. - 7:30 p.m.). The goal this year is to collect 9.8 million shoebox gifts from the United States and nine other countries. During this collection time, we ask you to pray for the people packing the boxes, the volunteers who will be collecting, processing, and delivering the gifts, and for the children receiving them - thank you!
How To pack a shoebox:
Use an empty shoebox (standard size, please) or a small plastic container. You can wrap the box (lid separately), but wrapping is not required. Most importantly, pray for the child who will receive your gift.
Determine whether your gift will be for a boy or a girl, and the child's age category: 2-4, 5-9, or 10-14. Print out the appropriate boy/girl label by downloading the artwork to the right. Mark the correct age category on the label, and tape the label to the top of your box.
Fill the box with a variety of gifts that will bring delight to a child. Use the gift ideas provided on the bottom of this page. Please include at least one item a child can immediately embrace such as a stuffed toy, doll, ball or toy truck.
Please donate $7 or more for each shoebox you prepare to help cover shipping and other project costs. You can give online by using our "Follow Your Box Donation" option, or you can write a check to Samaritan's Purse (note "OCC" on memo line) and place it in an envelope on top of the gift items inside your box. If you or your family are preparing more than one shoebox, please make one combined donation.
Place a rubber band around each closed shoebox.
Gift Suggestions- SCHOOL SUPPLIES: Pens, pencils and sharpeners, crayons or markers, stamps and ink pad sets, writing pads or paper, solar calculators, coloring and picture books, etc.
- TOYS: Small cars, balls, dolls, stuffed animals, kazoos, harmonicas, yo-yos, jump ropes, small Etch A Sketch,® toys that light up or make noise (with extra batteries), Slinky,® etc.
- HYGIENE ITEMS: Toothbrush, toothpaste, mild bar soap (in a plastic bag), comb, washcloth, etc.
- OTHER: T-shirts, socks, ball caps, sunglasses, hair clips, toy jewelry, watches, flashlights (with extra batteries)
- A PERSONAL NOTE: You may enclose a note to the child and a photo of yourself or your family. (If you include your name and address, the child may write back.)
- DO NOT INCLUDE: Used or damaged items; war-related items such as toy guns, knives or military figures; chocolate or food; out- of-date candy; liquids or lotions; medications or vitamins; breakable items such as snow globes or glass containers; aerosol cans.
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"You"th Group Meeting
No Youth Group Meeting this month. Next meeting with be in December!
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"You"th Thank You!
We would like to say "Thank You" to all those who purchase Bierocks from the youth group this year. Thank you to the Varns family for donating the hamburger this year for our bierocks - you rock! Thank you to Paulette and Drake Varns; Allison and Grace Walania; Micaela Eickhoff; Koell and Bill Smith for waking up early on Saturday to bake 16 batches plus 6 (246 bierocks). We certainly had a fun time making them! ☺
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Kansas District Youth Gathering
 We will be leaving on Friday, November 20 @ 5:00 p.m. from the church and heading to Hutchinson for the Kansas District Youth Gathering. We all excited and can't wait! We will be there through Sunday, November 24- going to various events, meeting other youth across the state who shares the same faith as us, and worshiping together as one. What an experience! Then we will be heading back after morning church services. We'll share our experiences with the congregation and others in our youth group once we organize it into a presentation. |
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Chiefs Tailgating Fundraiser
It's a Chiefs and Chilidogs Tailgate Fundraising Party to Help support the youth for the National Youth Gathering - July 2016
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When:
| Sunday, November 15
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Time:
| After 2nd church service
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Where:
| COS Church Basement
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What:
| Enjoy eating some chilidogs, sides and desserts as you prepare for the chiefs game at 3:00 p.m. We hope to have the pre-game on in the basement to watch as we eat!
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Cost:
| Suggested donation $5 a plate.
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So come cheer on the chiefs, tailgate with some friends and help support the youth at the same time!
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