Holy Cross Lutheran Church Volume 37

1495 Underwood
Atwater, Ca. 95301 Tel. 209-358-3471 No. 09
Sunday Service 10:15 Sunday School 8:45 Sep 2017

E-mail holycross@pacbell.net
Web site: http://holycrossatwater.wordpress.com/
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Daily Devotions from Lutheran Hour Ministries
In Christ I remain His servant and yours, Pastor Ken Klaus

"The Human Chain" July 28, 2017

Romans 15:5-7 - May the God of endurance and encouragement grant you to live in such
harmony with one another, in accord with Christ Jesus, that together you may with one voice
glorify the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. Therefore welcome one another as
Christ has welcomed you, for the glory of God.
My wanderings have allowed me to swim in many different bodies of water around the
world.

That being said, I have to confess I never knew what a "yellow flag" condition was. The
story of the Ursrey family has educated me. In Florida a yellow flag is put out when
water conditions are such that swimming is not recommended, but they're not so bad that
swimming is forbidden.

Well, a few weeks ago the Ursrey family went swimming on a yellow flag day.

Like a good mother, Roberta Ursrey kept an eye on her boys. She became frightened when
she saw that they were caught up in a rip current which was, in spite of their struggles,
carrying them out to sea. Without a thought for herself, Roberta, joined by others in the
family, swam out to save the boys It was a noble thought, but not an especially smart one.

Before she could react, Roberta and other family members were also caught in the current.

People on shore were attracted by the struggles of the nine members of Ursrey family who
were fighting to stay alive. But what could they do? More bodies in the overwhelming
current would only mean more bodies in danger.

Well, I can tell you what those people did. They formed a human chain.

One person took the hand of another person, and then another individual grabbed hold,
followed by yet another. Soon a chain of 80 people stretching more than 100 yards reached
the Ursreys and brought them to shore.

Reflecting on the day, Roberta (via the Panama City News Herald and reported by USA
Today) said, "I am so grateful. These people were God's angels that were in the right place
at the right time. I owe my life and my family's life to them. Without them, we wouldn't be
here."
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Now I don't know how many, if any, of those 80 people in that human chain were Christian.
I do know they have given us a first-class example of how God's church is supposed to work
as we see the people around us being swept out to sure and certain death. Yes, we are all part
of a chain.

The preacher is part of the chain, as is the Sunday school teacher and the choir director. Our
parents should have been part of the chain, and their parents before them. Every person
whose name is written in the Lord's book of life is part of that chain. Every person has the
job of doing all they can to reach out to the lost with the saving message of Jesus' cross and
resurrection. And things work best when we work together.

And why would we risk ourselves and go to all that work?

We do it because judgment day is coming. In heaven we want to hear a lot of people echo
Roberta and say, "I am so grateful. These people were God's angels that were in the right
place at the right time. I owe my life and my family's life to them. Without them, we
wouldn't be here."

THE PRAYER: Dear Lord, use me to reach those who are lost. Let me and every believer
come together to share the Savior and the wonderful saving things He has done for us
through His life, suffering, death, and glorious resurrection from the dead. In Jesus' Name I
ask it. Amen.

"Unfair" August 17, 2017

Isaiah 53:5 - But He was pierced for our transgressions; He was crushed for our iniquities;
upon Him was the chastisement that brought us peace, and with His wounds we are healed.
Not so long ago, I read an editorial which had been sent into a newspaper. If you don't mind,
I'd like to share that writing with you and see whether you agree with the feeling it tries to
convey. This is what it said:

"The world is too big for us. Too much going on, too many crimes, too much violence and
excitement. Try as you will, you get behind in the race, in spite of yourself. It's an incessant
strain to keep pace -- and still, you lose ground. Science empties its discoveries on you so
fast that you stagger beneath them in hopeless bewilderment. The political world is news
seen so rapidly you're out of breath trying to keep pace with who's in and who's out.
Everything is high pressure. Human nature can't endure much more."
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So, what do you think, does that article make sense? Most of the people to whom I've read it
nodded their heads in agreement. How about you? Do you think that paragraph accurately
describes the world or not? I ask because that quote was first published in the Atlantic
Journal on June 16, 1833. Amazing!

More than 175 years ago people were convinced society's pressure was too great and the
world's pace was too fast. I guess some things just don't change.

We get upset at fate; we get upset at karma, kismet, fortune, and destiny.

We even get upset with the Deity. That's right, not even the good and gracious Triune God
escapes humanity's challenge: "It's not fair! Lord, when are You going to be fair? When are
they going to get punished, and when am I going to get what's coming to me?" I don't know
if it's any consolation for you to know you're not the first to ask these questions of the Lord.
In the Old Testament, afflicted Job wanted to know: "Why do the wicked live, reach old age,
and grow mighty in power? ... Their houses are safe from fear ... They spend their days in
prosperity ..." (see Job 21:7-13).

The author of Psalm 94 asks, "O Lord, how long shall the wicked ... exult? ... They
crush Your people, O Lord ... They kill the widow and the sojourner, and murder the
fatherless" (see Psalm 94:3-6).

Even the martyrs in the book of Revelation want to know: "O Sovereign Lord, holy and true,
how long before You will judge and avenge our blood on those who dwell on this
earth?" (Revelation 6:10b). Folks in the Bible -- you, me -- we all want to know when am I
going to get what's coming to me?

You should know there's a problem with that kind of thinking. That's because the Lord, when
He judges people, doesn't compare us with each other He compares us with Himself. And
that's where our problem shows up. You may be an Albert Schweitzer, a Mother Theresa, but
compared to God you're a first-class, A-1 stinker. And, in Ezekiel the Lord says, "The soul
who sins it shall die" (Ezekiel 18:20a).

Which, my friends, is why we need Jesus. Look at His life and you will see Someone who
got all kinds of things He never should have had. He was perfect, but He carried our sins. He
was innocent, but He was still found to be guilty. We could go on. Instead, let us quote
Isaiah: "But He was pierced for our transgressions; He was crushed for our iniquities; upon
Him was the chastisement that brought us peace, and with His wounds we are healed" (Isaiah
53:5).

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THE PRAYER: Dear Lord, I give thanks for the Savior who got what was coming to me, so
I would be forgiven, saved, and at peace. May I always share the glories of His love and
gifts. In Jesus' Name. Amen.

"Wealth" August 16, 2017

Philippians 3:8 - Indeed, I count everything as loss because of the surpassing worth of
knowing Christ Jesus my Lord. For His sake I have suffered the loss of all things and count
them as rubbish, in order that I may gain Christ.
Jesus once said, "It is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich man
to enter the kingdom of heaven" (Mark 10:25). With those words He painted an indelible,
unforgettable mental picture: a humorous snapshot of a needle and a camel trying to squeeze
through that impossibly miniscule opening.

The Bible shares the disciples' reaction.

It says, "They were exceedingly astonished, and said to Him, 'Then who can be
saved?'" (Mark 10:26). For a moment, just for a moment, the disciples panicked at the idea
they might not make it into heaven. Then, Peter came to the rescue and reassured his fellow
followers by saying something like, "Hey, fellows not to worry. We're not rich. We've left
everything we had to follow Jesus. That has to count for something!" If you had been there
that day you might have heard an audible sigh of relief, as the others agreed: "Hey, yeah,
that's right. We're not rich. We'll make the cut into Christ's kingdom." (See Mark 10:28-30).

It's quite possible you have a similar thought.

Right now, you may be saying to yourself, "I'm not rich. I'm no multi-multi-millionaire." On
one level that is true. You may not have all the stuff that the super-rich have. Still, without
much fear of contradiction, I can say most of us are rich. Let's think about your situation for
a moment.

Do you have air-conditioning in your home? The richest person of Jesus' day sweltered and
sweat. Do you have electric lights? No Caesar who ever ruled the vast Roman Empire ever
had electricity or penicillin or anesthetic before surgery. The richest of the rich couldn't boast

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corrective eyeglasses or a telephone or a ballpoint pen. The most affluent never tasted corn
on the cob or turkey or cranberries or tomatoes or peanut butter or pineapple or, and this is
the big one: chocolate.

According to Jesus, our wealth and our mixed-up priorities mean we have more stuff to
struggle for, to strive for, more stuff to divert our attention away from God and His will. Our
different priorities, different goals, different wants, different desires make our getting into
heaven as likely as a camel going through the eye of a very small needle.

Which is why we need a Savior. Twenty centuries ago, the Lord sent His Son into this world
to seek and save lost sinners.

It was a gracious, godly act. From the moment Jesus was born in Bethlehem, He dedicated
Himself to redeeming us from Satan, our sin, and ourselves. Selflessly, unstintingly, Jesus
did all that was necessary to do His Father's will. When people lied about Him, He continued
to love them and speak the truth. When they rejected Him, He didn't quit. On the contrary,
He kept going. Yet, even as He hung dying on Calvary's cross, He still managed to show His
concern for His mother, for a thief, for the people whose hatred had put Him there, for the
ones who had swung hammer on nail.

To have such a Savior makes everything else seem unimportant. To believe in such a Savior
is to be wealthy, indeed.

THE PRAYER: Dear Lord, for earthly blessings we give thanks. For our Savior, we rejoice
and are filled with the joy of having spiritual riches which cannot be bought with money.
Keep us always in that joy. In Jesus' Name. Amen.

"Last Requests" August 18, 2017

John 14:19 - (Jesus said) "Yet a little while and the world will see Me no more, but you will
see Me. Because I live, you also will live."
Emily Pomeranz, a resident of Cleveland Heights, Ohio, was dying.

This was her second go-round with pancreatic cancer, and there was no doubt she was losing
the battle. Her friends, including one by the name of Sam Klein, would often stop by for a
visit. More than once these friends asked, "Is there anything we can do? Anything we can get
you?"
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Well, Pomeranz put some thought into her friend's requests to provide assistance. She
eventually came up with two items. So the next time Klein asked what she needed, she was
able to say, "I'd like a Cleveland Indian's hat." Klein thought a hat would be no problem. The
second thing on Pomeranz's list was harder. She said, "I want a Tommy's mocha milkshake."

I should tell you Tommy's Restaurant, the restaurant from which this milkshake was to come,
was 400 miles away: a tough distance for any milkshake to travel.

Well, Tommy Fello, the owner of the restaurant was touched by, and started out to fulfill,
Pomeranz's request. The mercy mission was assisted by a dry ice donation from an ice cream
company in Cleveland. Fello made up his concoction, packed it, and paid $123 for overnight
shipping to Pomeranz's room.

The mocha milkshake made it to the hospital. Pomeranz enjoyed it and talked about it for
days.

Now, my question to you is this: if you were in Pomeranz's situation, and odds are that
someday we will be, what will be your last request? It's quite possible the thought of a mocha
milkshake might be high on your list -- nothing wrong with that. And maybe you would want
a Chicago Bear's cap. That would be okay, too.

But would there be anything of a spiritual nature on your list of special requests?

Over the years, I have waited at the deathbeds of some powerful saints. These people were
looking at life from a different perspective than most. No longer did they number their days
in weeks and months. They were in a final countdown, and their Savior who had always been
important had become more so.

These people knew that when their doctors were helpless Jesus was just beginning. And they
were incredibly grateful to their Redeemer for the forgiveness He had won for them during
His life, His suffering, sacrificial death, and glorious resurrection. Yes, they were thankful to
Him and desired to share Him with those around them, which is why I've seen their last
wishes include

1. talking to family members about their faith which had been neglected;

2. mending bridges with friendships that had been washed away;

3. planning a funeral service which would bear witness to the Savior who had blessed them.

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Oh, there's one other thing I should share about these folks and their last requests. To a
person, each of them knew that their "last request" was really not their last. They let
everyone know that because Jesus lives, they would continue to live also.

THE PRAYER: Dear Lord, there is a time when I must say my earthly farewells. Grant that
I do so bearing witness to You who has done what was necessary so these won't be my final
goodbyes. In Jesus' Name. Amen.
"Time to Pray" August 20, 2017
Luke 3:21 - Now when all the people were baptized,
and when Jesus also had been baptized and was
praying, the heavens were opened.
Dear Brothers and Sisters in Christ:

The salvation story of Jesus Christ reaches around the world. So that the readers of our Daily
Devotion may see the power of the Savior on a global scale, we have asked the volunteers of
our international ministry centers to write our Sunday devotions. We pray that the Spirit may
touch your day through their words.

In Christ, I remain, His servant and yours,

Kenneth R. Klaus
Speaker Emeritus of The Lutheran Hour

It is two o'clock in the morning when the phone of the Cristo Para Todas Las Naciones rings
in Paraguay.

The Paraguay director picks up the phone. A voice on the other side says, "Pastor, can you
pray for my son who had a serious motorcycle accident and is in the hospital?"

Do you know when to pray? Should we have a proper time to pray? Should we pray once a
month or only when there is worship and Bible study? Or should we pray only at a fixed time
like some religions do?

We can find Jesus' answer to many of these questions if we look at what He said to His
disciples the night He was delivered. He encouraged: "Watch and pray that you may not
enter into temptation. The spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak" (Mark 14:38).

Are you among those who think prayer is like a pre-paid cell phone, which has a balance
limit? How many times do you pray? And how many times do we pray as a Christian
church?
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Writing to the Thessalonians, St. Paul addressed many such questions when he said, "Pray
without ceasing, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus
for you. Do not quench the Spirit" (1 Thessalonians 5:17-19).

So there we have it: Christ's redeemed pray not only when something bad happens to them
or when they are afflicted and sick. We who have been cleansed of our sins by the Savior's
precious blood are glad to pray in every situation and circumstance.

My dear Daily Devotioner, by now you realize our hearts ought to be filled with gratitude for
physical blessings, spiritual blessings, and the love of God shown to us at Jesus' cross and
empty tomb.

Proof of this is that when Jesus was praying, heaven was opened, and the Holy Spirit
descended upon Him in the form of a dove. Luke 3: "And the Holy Spirit descended on
Him in bodily form, like a dove; and a voice came from heaven, "You are My beloved Son;
with You I am well pleased (Luke 3:22).

THE PRAYER: Dear God, may Your love teach us to be grateful children who consider
themselves blessed to stand in Your presence. This I ask in the Name of Jesus Christ. Amen.

Biography of Author: Today's international devotion was written by a volunteer who wants
to remain anonymous. The volunteer dedicates his life to the service of Christ seven days a
week through the Cristo Para Todas Las Naciones Ministries Center in Paraguay.

Lutheran Hour Ministries (LHM) in Paraguay, known locally as, "Christ for All the
Nations," opened its first ministry center in 2000. Since Paraguay is such a remote area,
LHM-Paraguay uses Bible Correspondence Courses (BCC) to reach out with the Gospel
to as many people as possible. In various communities, small groups of 12 to 30 people
often gather to study the Bible and discuss how it relates to their lives Another way
LHM-Paraguay distributes its message is over the radio. Programs are being broadcast over
four radio stations throughout the country, including the capital of Asuncin.

A sign of whats to come

When God is about to do something great, he starts with a difficulty.
When he is about to do something truly magnificent, he starts with an impossibility.
Armin Gesswein

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LCMS Stewardship Ministry Newsletter Article September 2017
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 Lords Prayer, and the Scriptures concerning Baptism, Confession, the Office of the
Keys, and the Lords 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 evilthose who live contrary to Gods willand to reward those who do goodthose
whose lives are lived in conformity with Gods will. Those who are governed are to obey their
leaders as to the Lord Himself, for their leaders bear the sword of Gods temporal justice for a
purpose.
As members of Gods 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 Gods 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.

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11
 Bible Quiz

In memorable language in Revelation,

God tells the church in Laodicea, I am
about to spit you out of my mouth,
because it is metaphorically ______ (fill in
the blank).

A. too hot
B. too cold
C. tasteless
D. lukewarm

Answer: D (See Revelation 3:16.)

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13
Forever Clean
In the Word
Do you not know that all of us who have been baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into his
death? We were buried therefore with him by baptism into death, in order that, just as Christ
was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, we too might walk in newness of life.
Romans 6:3-4

Of the Word
Imagine being buried in the sand at the beach. It sounds like fun until the weight of the sand
becomes oppressive. When your friends pull you out, your first inclination is to jump into
the water to be washed clean of all that sand. But getting clean on a sandy beach is nearly
impossible. No matter how many times you dunk under water, the sand still clings somewhere
on your body.

Without the death and resurrection of our Lord Jesus Christ, our lives would be buried in sin.
No matter how hard we tried, no amount of washing would make us clean. Sin would cling to
us like that beach sand. But through His sacrifice on the cross we have been given a new life.

What a gift we have in Baptism! Through the water and God's almighty Word we have been
washed clean. Christ died to remove the filth of sin forever. We remember our Baptism daily
as we enjoy the new life we have been given. We will never be hopelessly buried in sin again!

Walking with my Lord

Lord, thank You for cleaning my life in this powerful, mysterious, and effective way. Thank You
for daily walking with me in my new life. In Your precious name I pray. Amen.

Continuing to Train - Being Consistent

In the Word
Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of lights with
whom there is no variation or shadow due to change. James 1:17

Of the Word
In order to gain the most benefits from running, you must be consistent. If you run a few miles
on Monday, but don't run again until the next Monday, you will find that reaching your fitness
goals will be hard. Work, family, illness, or weather may interfere with your plans, but carving
out time to run consistently is important.

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 God knows something about consistency. In fact, from In the beginning, the first words of
Genesis, to the last Amen in Revelation, God has been nothing but consistent. He always has and
always will continue to condemn sin. He always has and always will continue to reach out with
forgiveness and life to those stuck in sin. His words never change. And God sent Jesus, the Word
made flesh, into the world demonstrating that He can be trusted because He always keeps His
promises.

Walking with my Lord

Dear God, when I am frustrated by unfairness and injustice, help me to continue in prayer,
knowing that You are just and good. Thank You for giving me hope. In Jesus' name I pray. Amen.

Continuing to Train - A Positive Mind

In the Word
[Jesus] said to them, " ... For truly, I say to you, if you have faith as a grain of mustard seed,
you will say to this mountain, 'Move from here to there,' and it will move; and nothing will be
impossible to you." Matthew 17:20-21 (RSV)

Of the Word
Negativity most often leads to negative results. However, positivity brings about different
results. Running goals - or any other goals - can only be achieved with positive motivation,
hard work, and perseverance.

As strong as a dose of positive thinking is, faith in God can do infinitely more. Jesus' disciples
didn't understand why they couldn't cast out demons (Matthew 17:19 RSV), how the fig tree
withered (Matthew 21:18-22), or how five loaves of bread and a couple fish could feed over
5,000 people (Matthew 14:13-21). But Jesus explained that even the smallest amount of faith
can do seemingly impossible things.

What things are on our minds right now that we have been told are impossible to achieve?
What are our deepest worries, our darkest fears, and our biggest dreams? In faith, we approach
the throne of God with our prayers. He will hear each of our seemingly impossible requests, and
He will give answers that are good for us.
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Walking with my Lord
Awesome God, You make all things possible. Increase my faith so that I may confidently
approach Your throne, knowing that You hear and answer each of my prayers. In Jesus' name
I pray. Amen.

A Direct Line to God

In the Word
O God, hear my prayer; give ear to the words of my mouth. Psalm 54:2

Of the Word
Don't you find it awesome that our prayers, no matter how ineloquent they may be, reach
the ear of the almighty God? Also amazing is the fact that our great and loving Father always
answers.

Sometimes He says, "Yes, I want this for you, too." Sometimes His answer is "Not just yet,
because I have something different in mind." Sometimes His answer is "I heard you, but that's
not a good idea."

God wants us to come to Him with the needs and desires of our heart. While we may not know
God's specific will for all that we ask, He is always ready to listen.

... do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with
thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God (Philippians 4:6).

A Point to Ponder: Do I pray about everything, or do I often think, "I can handle this one alone?"

Walking with my Lord

Lord, thank You for the gift of prayer as my connection to You. Through Your Holy Spirit teach
me to offer prayers of praise along with requests about my needs. In Jesus' name. Amen.

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The first meeting, after summer break, of the LWML at Holy Cross will be
September 11th at 7 pm.
All women of the church are more than welcome and we would be glad to have
you join.
The goal we strive for is to enrich the lives of the members and support
missions both local and abroad. If you are unable to attend the meetings
and still want to be involved we would be glad for the support.
Monthly Gathering of Mites to support missions
Yearly Country Pantry to raise funds for missions
Monthly Love Gifts to support missions

LWML Sunday-Celebrate Lutheran Women in Mission

A special worship service is planned for Sunday, September
24, 2017, to celebrated all that God has done through the
LWML. The author of this service, Dr. Lawrence Rast writes
Building on Gods promises, we know that this is our time to
be distinctly Lutheran. Since 1942, the LWML has affirmed
each womans identity as a child of God and her relationship
with Jesus Christ, encouraging and equipping Christian women
to live out their lives in active mission ministries, and to
support missions around the world through their sacrificial
gifts of mites, tithes, offerings, and tireless service. Now is
our time to Be Ready to Confess! faithfully and boldly of
Christs redemptive work for us and for all the world.

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 The 500th Anniversary of the Reformation
Worship Service and Oktoberfest
October 29, 2017 @ Zion Lutheran
105 S. Ham Lane Lodi, CA 95240

Brass Band Pre-Service Music 2:45 p.m.

Organ Prelude 3:25 p.m.
Worship Service 3:30 p.m.
Guest musicians
Choral groups
Rev. Waetzig guest preacher

Oktoberfest following immediately afterward

Lodi Grape Festival Grounds
Ole Metter Pavilion
413 E. Lockeford St. Lodi
Bratwurst, Sauerkraut & rolls
Roasted Red Potatoes
Salad
Beverage
Cost to be determined we are accepting donations to help defray the cost
of this meal.

RSVP by Friday, September 15 to Tracy (209) 369-1919

Donations to help with the cost of the Oktoberfest may be sent to

Zion, Lodi please note: Oktoberfest
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The slurry walls of life
As horrific as 9/11 was, it couldve been even worse if not for a 30-year-old engineering
feat. Reaching some 70 feet underground, a 3-foot-thick concrete structure called a slurry
wall surrounded the base of the World Trade Center complex. Designed to prevent the
Hudson River from flooding the basement, this wall prevented New Yorks subway system
from flooding and countless additional people from dying on September 11, 2001.

A slurry wall is constructed by pouring a thick, goopy mixture of powdered clay and water
into a deep, narrow trench. The solution coats the sides, preventing water and soil from
collapsing the trench. Pipes are then inserted through the slurry, and concrete is pumped into
the trench, pushing the slurry up and out. At the WTC, the concrete formed such a strong
wall that even two airplanes and the falling towers didnt fracture it. Part of the slurry wall
still stands at the 9/11 Memorial site, a symbol of resilience.

Sometimes God uses lifes slurry to make us stronger than we ever thought possible.
We might wish something yucky hadnt happened until we discover it was part of what
sustained us, making us resilient and enabling us to
rise out of destruction and death to awe-inspiring
new life.

Labor Day reflections

Labor Day brings to mind picnics, cookouts and family gatherings. Falling on the first
Monday in September, it marks the unofficial end of summer and the beginning of a new
school year. But the holiday was created in 1882 to honor the social and economic
contributions of American workers.

In a strong economy, its easy to take for granted the ability to work and be paid well.
But times have changed during the past few years, with many people still struggling with
unemployment and underemployment.

During our holiday celebrations this year, lets give thanks for the jobs we have, pray for
those who arent as fortunate and offer words of encouragement or help to someone who
needs it.

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Forsaken for us
Church reformer Martin Luther considered Jesus cry from the cross, My God, my God,
why have you forsaken me? (Matthew 27:46) as the greatest words in all of Scripture,
writes Timothy Keller. In Walking With God Through Pain and Suffering (Penguin Books),
Keller notes, Luther knew personally about what he called Anfectungen, a word that means
the assaults that the world, the flesh and the devil make on human beings through the evils
and suffering of life.
Jesus suffered Anfectungen in infinite degrees, beyond anything any other human being
will ever experience, Keller writes. And he did it all for us. As Luther said, In Christ,
the God-forsaken sinner has a Savior who has taken on himself the full depths of human
estrangement from God and overcome it.

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Monday, July 31, 2017 7:25 PM
Dear Prayer Warriors, a dear friend of mine asked for your prayers
for her son. His name is Christopher, he's 45 and being tested for
prostate cancer. Very scary stuff!!! Prayers for a GOOD diagnosis
and comfort for his Mom, wife and 3 children. Thank you for this
support.
God Bless you all! Mary Rahn
Sunday, August 13, 2017 3:05 PM
Christian Wisniewski who has been diagnosed as a diabetic and is
now on insulin. Also pray that he can keep it under control so no
dialysis is needed in the future.
Doreen had some recent mishaps causing some injuries. Prayers that she be kept healthy and
sane during the long healing time.
Jacob with Valley Fever (age 20)
Marie Roan's friend Beth was found to have stage 1 breast cancer. She will be having the
lump removed soon and starting radiation treatment with possible chemotherapy also.

Monday, August 21, 2017 6:09 PM

A CNH LWML member, Diana Kriegels husband Ken had a biopsy on his brain yesterday
(Sunday). He has a tumor and the doctors cannot operate. He is resting now and will be sent
home. Please keep Diana and her family in your prayers.
Monday, August 28, 2017 7:01 AM
Larry Rogge not feeling well
Dennis Northern - Eye Surgery on Aug 28th
Irene Schmidt - Upcoming surgery in September
Texas Hurricane/Flooding
Mark Johnson's roommate Bob's family with health struggles
Vicki Samples - Back Surgery in October
Doreen with health needs
Continued prayers for Ron Wolff

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 SEPTEMBERS SPECIAL DATES OF OUR MEMBERS
BIRTHDAYS WEDDING ANNIVERSARIES
ANNE LUEDECKE 9/17 MIKE & PAM
JOHNSON 9/22
BAPTISM ANNIVERSARIES
MIKE JOHNSON 9/25
ADAM WAKEFIELD 9/27

SERVING IN
AT

HOLY CROSS LUTHERAN CHURCH

Please Remember: It is up to YOU to arrange coverage if YOU are
UNABLE to serve on your scheduled day. Please contact the church
office with any changes.
THANK YOU FOR USING YOUR STEWARDSHIP TALENTS
BY SERVING DURING WORSHIP!!!

Elders: Altar Flowers/Before &

Aron Schmidt After Worship Greeters
Larry Rogge
Keesler 09/03
Acolytes: Volunteers
_____________ 09/10
Lay Readers: Volunteers _____________ 09/17
Stewardship: Hopkins 09/24
Sharon Roper
Lillian Hopkins
If you would like to help with
any of these committees,
Ushers: Volunteers please call the church office.
358-3471
Altar Guild:
Anna Bautista

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