Lutheran Central Newsletter
September 23, 2022
Our Mission: “To share the Good News of Jesus Christ, teach children, and assist parents in training children to be witnessing Christians and productive citizens.”
But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law. Galatians 5:22-23
For the month of September students will be learning about JOY!
Fruit of the Spirit-JOY
For the kingdom of God is not a matter of eating and drinking but of righteousness and peace and joy in the Holy Spirit” (Romans 14:17).
What does it mean to be Christian? Is it in eating or not eating certain foods? Is it drinking or not drinking certain beverages? Well, in the early days of Christianity, some thought that this was the case, because many thought that the ceremonial and dietary laws that marked the Old Testament were still in effect. They didn’t quite understand that when Jesus fulfilled the old ceremonies of the Law—like circumcision and the sacrifices—that God’s people no longer needed to do those things. They were a shadow of Christ, who came to fulfill all of God’s Word for us, and restore us to our status as God’s children. St. Paul says in Colossians 2, “Therefore let no one pass judgment on you in questions of food and drink, or with regard to a festival or a new moon or a Sabbath. These are a shadow of the things to come, but the substance belongs to Christ.”
Unfortunately, today, many people have fallen off on the other side of the horse. We live like God’s Law is a hinderance on the way we want to live our lives. I love to sin, and God loves to forgive! What a wonderful arrangement! But the Word of God warns us against this in many places. In Romans 6, St. Paul asks the question, “Are we to continue in sin that grace may abound?” That is, “Shouldn’t I sin more and more so that I can get more and more grace?” His answer isn’t a hearty, “YES!” Instead, it is a resounding, “By no means! How can we who died to sin still live in it?” In short, how you live your life matters. If we don’t find joy in God’s Word and living our lives according to it, is the problem with God’s Word, or is it with us?
What does it mean to be a Christian, then? St. Paul says it’s about righteousness—our right standing before God, which only comes by faith in Christ Jesus, who fulfilled the Law for us. He also says it’s about peace—that is, wholeness and a restored relationship with God—more on this when we get to next month’s fruit of the Spirit. And, it’s about joy in the Holy Spirit. That is, finding delight in Christ and the gifts He has come to give. That joy is wrought in us by the power of the Holy Spirit, working in us through the Word and the blessed Sacraments. This joy is the joy of heaven itself, and we don’t even have to wait for heaven to have it. John the Baptizer experienced it when he heard the voice of Christ’s mother, even while they both were still in the womb. The wisemen experienced it when they saw the Christ in Bethlehem. The disciples experienced it when they encountered the risen Jesus on the night of the first Easter. Where Jesus is, that is where true joys are found. Don’t miss, then, your congregation’s gathering around God’s Word this weekend, because there, you will hear the very voice of Jesus. Run to the altar and receive the body and blood of Jesus. That way, no matter what the world throws at you, your joy is secure in Christ.
Prayer: O God, You make the minds of the faithful to be of one will. Grant that we may love what You command and desire what You promise, that among the many changes of this world, our hearts may always be fixed where true joys are found; through your Son, Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever. Amen.
Written by: Pastor Jordan McKinley
Students and Families we are praying for this week....
Jack Nehrt, Abigail and Elizabeth Nichols, Brayton and Camdyn Nierman, Brayden and Knox Otte, Mack Pendleton, Prather Peters, Heidi and Ava Rautenkranz, Remy and McCoy Ray, Lily and Claire Redicker.
PARENT-TEACHER CONFERENCES Oct. 4th and 5th
Parent-Teacher conferences will take place on Tuesday, October 4th and Wednesday, October 5th. The conferences will take place after school from 3:30-7:00 P.M. Parent-Teacher conferences will be held on these days for all students in Kindergarten - 8th grade.
Teachers will meet with each family for a maximum of 15 minutes to allow enough time to speak with every family. The second grade review of the first trimester and the results of the NWEA testing will be discussed during the conferences.
The teachers met this afternoon to schedule parent-teacher conferences and will be sending home notifications with the date and time of the conferences home to families early next week. Families with more than one child will be scheduled into consecutive time slots.
LUNCH BALANCES
Please check your Sycamore Account for lunch balances. We have multiple students with negative lunch balances. Notices will be sent next week to all families that are carrying a balance next Friday. Thank you for your prompt attention.
Chili Supper Volunteers Needed!
Dear Families,
Our annual Chili Supper is quickly approaching. This event is not possible without our amazing volunteers. Listed below are the dates and times needed for volunteers.
Wednesday October 12th (prep work) 4-8p
Friday October 14th Set up 1-4p
Friday October 14th Serve 4-7p
Friday October 14th Cleanup 4-7p
If you can only do a partial shift that is fine. Please reach out to April Wolka to sign up.
If you signed up during back-to-school night, you do not need to sign up again. We will contact the volunteers shortly with additional information.
Thanks!
April (812) 530-6956
Grade Review-Friday, September 30th
A reminder that next Friday, September 30th is the second grade review of Trimester 1. Grade Reviews will be posted on Sycamore that afternoon.
CHAPEL MISSION
The LCS August and September Chapel Mission will help to fund the LCMS mission work of Rev. Matthew and Kali Wood.
Rev. Matthew and Kali Wood serve on behalf of The Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod (LCMS) in Indonesia, based in Medan. Matthew works closely with the Indonesian Christian Lutheran Church (GKLI). He helps train pastors and lay leaders by providing resources through educational workshops, translation projects and other efforts in cooperation with the GKLI.
Pray for Matthew and Kali as they serve in Indonesia. Pray for each of them (especially the girls) as they transition to the new language and culture. Pray for Kali’s pregnancy and the health of their new child to be born August 10, 2022. Pray for the Wood family as they develop a support system within Indonesia. Let us give thanks that the Wood family is serving in this part of the world.