July and August 2019

 St. Paul’s Evangelical-Lutheran Church
109 S. Elm, Kewanee, Illinois 61443
Newsletter
Volume 31                                   July - August 2019                                      No. 7-8
               
Bodily Worship

It is helpful and edifying to learn bodily reverence when we are at worship. Not only does it help us focus, but it also is a subtle reminder that God became flesh and has bound himself to us in his holy incarnation.

The fact that we genuflect on both knees when we receive the Sacrament is a bodily way of confessing that we believe it to be Christ’s true Body and Blood. Making the sign of the cross at various times during worship is likewise a silent way of confessing that we have been redeemed by Jesus’ atonement and baptized in his name. The practice of dipping your thumb or forefinger in the waters of the font as you pass is another way of confessing your blessed Baptism.

The very fact that we participate actively in the liturgy, not only by hearing, but also by singing and confessing, standing and kneeling, is a way of showing forth the fact that we have been redeemed bodily as well as in spirit. Remember: the liturgy includes your active participation.

There are also some very helpful, more subtle practices that add to our reverence and attentiveness at worship. There is a slight and brief bow of the head whenever the name of Jesus is heard, whether in a reading, or in a hymn or confession or prayer, or even in the sermon. This is a subtle way of remembering the words of the Apostle about every knee bowing at the name of Jesus (Phil 2:10-11).

A fuller expression of this very thing is to genuflect at the words “and was made man” during the Nicene Creed. You can see the celebrant and his assistants doing this at the altar, and you may do it yourself while in your pew. I like to recall the colorful words of Blessed Martin Luther about this practice:

“The following tale is told about a coarse and brutal lout. While the words ‘And was made man’ were being sung in church, he remained standing, neither genuflecting nor removing his hat. He showed no reverence, but just stood there like a clod. All the others dropped to their knees when the Nicene Creed was prayed and chanted devoutly. Then the devil stepped up to him and hit him so hard it made his head spin. He cursed him gruesomely and said: ‘May hell consume you! If God had become an angel like me and the congregation sang: “‘God was made an angel,” I would bend not only to my knees but my whole body to the ground! And you vile human creature, you stand there like a stick or a stone. You hear that God did not become an angel but a man like you, and you just stand there like a stick of wood!’
“Whether this story is true or not, it is nevertheless in accordance with the faith. With this instructive story the holy fathers wished to admonish the youth the revere the indescribably great miracle of the incarnation; they wanted us to open our eyes wide and ponder these words well” (AE 22:105-106).
 
-Pastor Eckardt

Words of wisdom for the young
 
The following letter was written a month ago by Pastor Andrew Preus for his parishioners at St. John’s in Guttenberg, Iowa. It is well worthy of your careful consideration. – Pastor
 
Dear fellow Christians especially my parishioners,

Here is some advice. Seek a pious spouse and pray for many pious children, those who go to church with you and confess with you the saving doctrine of Christ crucified for our sins, raised for our justification, delivered by the Spirit through baptism, preserved by the body and blood of Jesus given in bread and wine, received by faith created and nurtured by the Word of God. For you who are already married with children, teach your children to seek such things.
God gives and takes away. This includes spouse and children. But above all, he promises to remain with those who love his Son and keep his Word. So don't consider any of the gifts of God to be in your control. If you receive from God these gifts of spouse and children, then you will be rich and happy. If you lose these things or are deprived of them while still clinging to the Word of Christ, then you will be blessed. I am more wealthy than I could ever have imagined, because I have a wife who has borne me five children, and she teaches them to love and trust in their Savior. And I am especially blessed, because my wife reminds me that even more than that she belongs to me and I belong to her, we belong to God who has given us so many blessings. Our children belong to him, which means that even if we lose them they are in his care.

You don't need a lot of money. But if God gives it to you, use it to promote the gospel and to support other Christian families. There is no greater wealth than hearing your children confess the truth. Nothing is greater. Nothing is of greater priority. To my young parishioners: I don't care how successful you are in this life. And no one will care in the end. I care that you seek the kingdom of God and his righteousness. This means desiring to live a Christian life in everything you do, making every decision in life with the fervent prayer and priority that you and your offspring will be nurtured in the truth of Christ and his Word. Girls, unless you have been given the gift of celibacy, make it your priority to seek out a pious man who will confess the truth you have been taught to confess. Of course, God blesses single women who live in chastity, but don't be fooled. If a man wants to move in with you, telling you that he loves you, then don't believe him. If he loved you then he would love your Savior, and he would desire to be chaste against the grain of this unchaste world. Boys, unless you have been given the gift of celibacy, make it your priority to seek out a pious woman who will teach your children to confess the truth you teach to your household. Don't simply date for the sake of dating. Date a potential spouse. If you seek the kingdom of God in everything you do, then you will be happy, truly happy, not as the world gives happiness, but as God does. You will rejoice even though you mourn, be rich even though you are poor, and inherit all things from God as you receive with meekness the implanted Word that is able to save your souls.

Pray for chastity and purity, not because you are shackled to some form of etiquette and decorum, not because you are under the law, but because you are free under the grace of the Spirit of Christ. He is pure. He is chaste. He loves his bride, the church, with everything he has. Pray for this truth to permeate your entire life. And you will be content. You won't strive after the wind. But you will run toward what is certain, sealed in the blood of Christ, and guaranteed by the Spirit who raised him from the dead and will give life to your mortal bodies, according to the promise of your baptism.

In Christ,
Pastor Preus
 
Bible Class Tuesdays
 
Our Tuesday Bible Class is at 4:00 p.m., in Pastor’s Study, looking at I Samuel. Always a lively discussion. Join us!
 
Our schedule in the summer is a bit spotty as usual, since Pastor will be away some of the time. We meet the first two Tuesdays in July and August: July 2nd and July 9th, then no class on July 16th, 23rd, or 30th. Class resumes August 7th, and concludes August 14th, after which catechism resumes on Tuesdays at 5 pm.
Booklet Is Now Available
 
The booklet explaining the chancel and the symbols of the apostles is now available to those who come to worship. Each of the twelve apostles has his own shield and symbol in the Arch. They are ordered according to their ranking given in St. Matthew’s Gospel (10:2-4). The symbols are each explained in the booklet. Take one!
 
UPDATE: July Council LAST Wednesday
 
Due to Pastor’s schedule, the council will be meeting on Wednesday, July 31st this month, instead of the usual third Wednesday. Please make a note of it. THIS IS AN UPDATE FROM THE PRINT NEWSLETTER.

Altar Guild Notes

• Preparations are underway to alter the superfrontals, fair linens, and other linens to fit the new dimensions of the altar.
• Color is GREEN for all Sundays in July and August
• Color is WHITE for Wednesday, July 24th (St.. Mary Magdalene observed)
• Color is WHITE for Wednesday, August 14th (Dormition of the Blessed Virgin Mary, observed)
• Color is RED for Wednesday, August 28th (Martyrdom of St. John the Baptist observed)
• No mass on Wedneesday, July 17th

 
In Our Prayers
Our list of prayer intentions at mass includes the names on the lists below.  To update the lists please inform pastor.
in our parish:
Emilie Ricknell, John Ricknell, Linda Rowe, Mary Hamilton, Emmy Wear, Sue Murphy, Don Murphy, Dick Melchin, DeAnne Anderson, Bea Harris, Allan Kraklow, Father Eckardt, Jim Watson

and beyond our parish:
Anna Rutowicz [granddaughter of Harrises]
Katy Rutovicz [granddaughter of Harrises]
Jodi Rutowicz [daughter of Harrises]
Julie Ross [Svetlana Meaker’s daughter]
Pastor Kenneth Wegener
Elizabeth Godke, Sharon Field’s mother
Brandt and Oneda Hendrickson [Ricknells’ relatives]
Linda Anderson
Helen Woods [Sue Murphy’s sister]
Janice Hart [Judy Thompson’s sister]
Caleb Cleaver [Ricknells’ grandson]
Dennis Hoag [Adam Shreck’s father-in-law]
Sue Harris [Steve Harris’s sister-in-law]
Nancy Callahan [Don Murphy’s sister]
LeRoy Tuthill [Kevin Thompson’s father-in-law]
Mark Helmkamp, who has cancer

in the military
John Eckardt
Donny Appleman [at request of the Ricknells]
Richard Heiden [at request of the Eckardts]
Luke Van Landigan [grandson of Dick Melchin]
Jaclyn Alvarez [daughter of Kris Harden]
Traven Wetzel [at request of Kris Harden]
Eli Wetzel
Eric Verplaetse [Sandra’s grandson]
Jake Mahaffey
Trevor Shimmin

in trouble
any unborn children in danger of abortion
those suffering from unrest, persecution, and imprisonment in Sri Lanka, Iran, Iraq, Syria, Kenya, Sudan, Nigeria, China, Vietnam, North Korea, and elsewhere
 
Additional areas considered places of persecution may be found at www.vomcanada.com (Voice of the Martyrs).

July Ushers: Larry Campbell, Jim Hornback 
August Ushers: Otis Anderson, John Ricknell, Bill Thompson (Jim Hornback in reserve)
 
July, August Anniversaries
July:
7/1/1951 John and Emilie Ricknell
 
August:
8/1/2009 Chris and Trista Dooley

July and August Birthdays
July:
7/2 Dana McReynolds
7/4 Sarah Kraklow
7/5 Sandra Verplaetse
7/7 Stephen Harris
7/9 Michelle Armstrong
7/10 Otis Anderson   
7/10 Dale Baker         
7/13 Gayle Beauprez  
7/14 Pastor Eckardt
 
August:
8/9   Donald Kegebein
8/11 Sam Fisher
8/11 Judy Thompson
8/13 Donald Murphy
8/16 Trista Dooley
8/21 John Sovanski
8/24 Becky Russell
 
Catechesis to Resume in August
Junior catechesis is set to resume on Tuesday, August 20th, at 5 pm.
 
Matthew Harrison Re-elected to Fourth Term
The election results came in on June 26th: LCMS President Matthew Harrison, whom we nominated, was re-elected for another triennium, with just over 51.76% of the vote. The rest of the elections and business will take place at the LCMS convention in Tampa, Florida, from July 20-25.

Shut ins
Mary Hamilton at home; Emmy Wear at Williamsfield Home in Williamsfield; Emilie Ricknell at home; Dick Melchin at Hammond-Henry extended care in Geneseo; others are occasionally confined to home. If you need a home visit, call pastor: 309-852-2460.
 
Listen at Home
Our website, www.stpaulskewanee.org, has easy-to-find podcasts (recordings of studies) that you can access and listen to on demand. There are podcasts of St. Paul’s on the Air, recordings of sermons, and occasional Bible classes as well. These are also sent to Facebook to make it easy to access the website from there. Have a listen, and spread the word.
 
On the Road
I will be away three times during July. First, to Indiana for Joey and Emily’s wedding and a family reunion from the 12th to the 17th; next, for the LCMS national convention from the 18th to the 23rd; and finally to speak at the Bugenhagen Conference (a free conference for pastors) in Racine, Wisconsin from the 29th to  the 31st. This includes Sunday the 14th , when Pastor Mike Bahr from Good Shepherd in Sherman will again be here to fill in, and Sunday the 21st, when Pastor Mattheew Synott from Trinity in Peoria will be here. The only Wednesday evening I will be away is the 17th, when midweek mass is cancelled.
+ Pastor
 
St. Paul’s Ev. Lutheran Church
   109 S. Elm Street
   Kewanee, IL 61443