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FIRST FRUITS WE GIVE OUR FIRST FRUITS BECAUSE HE GAVE US HIS
ONLY SON
October 2020 Volume 23 No. 10
First Things First …
This I Believe “…in your hearts honor Christ the Lord as holy,
always being prepared to make a defense to anyone who asks you for
a reason for the hope that is in you, yet do it with gentleness and
respect.” 1 Peter 3:15 Belief exerts a powerful influence on every
aspect of life. As Peter says above, there is a hope in everyone
who believes in Christ the Lord. Each one of us should be ready, at
any time, to make a defense (tell the reason) for that hope. In the
series of statements which began in the February edition of First
Fruits, I plan to share a summary of what I believe so that you may
know me more fully and so you may see the reason for the hope that
is in me. I continue the series with the second of two articles
stating my belief regarding the Sacrament of Holy Baptism.
The belief, doctrine, teaching and practice of the historic,
orthodox Lutheran Church regarding Baptism receives strident
opposition from many identifying themselves as evangelical
Christians. Presenting a Biblical defense for Baptism as seen in
Lutheran congregations requires a proper interpretation of several
passages of God’s Word.
The power and process of Baptism can be seen in the following:
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. For if we have been united with Him in a death
like his, we shall certainly be united with Him in a resurrection
like His. We know that our old self was crucified with Him in order
that the body of sin might be brought to nothing, so that we would
no longer be enslaved to sin. (Romans 6:3-6) In Baptism the Holy
Spirit, by the power of the Gospel, baptizes us, buries us into
death with Christ so that He can raise us with Christ to walk in
newness of life. We are likewise crucified with Him that, in the
process of our baptism, we may be delivered from the power and
penalty of sin. Baptism is not a work of ours but of God. The
doctrine is further validated by Peter’s Pentecostal statement:
“Repent and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus
Christ for the forgiveness of your sins, and you will receive the
gift of the Holy Spirit. (Acts 2:38) Also, Peter’s First Epistle
declares: “Baptism, which corresponds to (the salvation of Noah and
his family from the wrath of God in the Flood), now saves you, not
as the removal of dirt from the body but as an appeal to God for a
good conscience, through the resurrection of Jesus Christ.” In
Baptism we are assured of God’s adoption and presence that we may
be comforted that sin is forgiven.
(Continued on page 5)
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10/04 Psalm 22:9-18; Genesis 25:1-11, Acts 15:22-35, Matthew
12:15-32
10/11 Psalm 22:19-26; Genesis 25:12-18, Acts 15:36-40, Matthew
12:33-42
10/18 Psalm 22:27-31; Genesis 25:19-28, Acts 16:1-10, Matthew
12:43-50
10/25 Psalm 23:1-6; Genesis 25:29-34, Acts 16:11-15, Matthew
13:1-9,18-23
First School
And Day Care ews First School has 74 children. We are so
ready
for the fall to begin and we have many things
planned outdoors for the children for when it
cools off outside.
We are happy that we have added a staff
parking lot to allow more parking for the
parents. It will allow for overflow parking for
church events as well. We added a walkway
that leads from the new parking to the rest of
the buildings. We look forward to the
continued future for our school and church.
The best is yet to come!
Many Blessings, Bree Joines First School Director First School
Board Meeting – Tuesday, October 6th, 5:30 p.m.
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WE’RE HERE WHEN YOU NEED US
OR
Office hours: Tues & Thurs: 8:00am - 4:30pm Wed: 8:00am –
12:00pm
Phone: 979-543-5847 Email: [email protected]
10/02 Michael Barosh
10/02 Sharon Nielsen
10/04 Teagan Stewart-Gallegos
10/05 Claudia Wilfert
10/08 Kirk House
10/14 Cheryl Young
10/19 Grace Moulden
10/19 John Nelson
10/25 Sarah Barosh
10/29 Lori Cykala
10/29 Lynette Hernandez
10/23 Jimmy & Kathleen Joines
10/26 Evon & Linda Atchetee
10/30 Kirk & Pat Marek
10/31 Larry & Cheryl Young
COUNCIL MEETING
Thursday, October 15th
6:00 p.m.
10/06 Loretta Johnson
10/06 Odis Newton
10/09 Asa Lundy
10/11 Ronald Chambles
10/18 Sawyer Schoenfield
10/23 Gloria Campbell
10/25 Liam Joines
10/25 Emma Moulden
10/25 Grace Moulden
10/27 Ty Mathews
Pray for our loved ones
In the Military
Jake Barosh U.S. Armed Forces
Pastor Clyde Grier:
Phone: 979-541-6173
Our FLC Family
Dorothy Atchetee
Harlo & Rhonda Atchetee
Charles Bard
Ron Chambles
James & Sheila Herrington
Nora Hollingsworth
Harry & Marilyn Kight
Kim & Larry Ledwig
John Nelson
Odis Newton
Ruth Speckels
Charlotte Watson
Larry & Cheryl Young
Friends of FLC
Lucille
Dustin & Catherine Sless
Riley Sless
Camille Flisowski
Jolene
Ronnie & Lori Cykala-Austin
Joy Roppolo
Chad Rodgers
Dustin Chudalla
List will be cleared on the 1st
in January, April, July
and October. Please help us stay current; call the
office with changes or additions.
http://www.google.com/imgres?q=CHURCH+COUNCIL+CLIP+ART&hl=en&sa=X&tbo=d&qscrl=1&rlz=1T4AURU_enUS498US499&biw=1600&bih=723&tbm=isch&tbnid=VhLD7Uic71AzMM:&imgrefurl=http://evangelicalgallupville.org/index.php?p=1_35_our-council&docid=bmf9UylBYxjYbM&imgurl=http://evangelicalgallupville.org/web_images/church_council_clipart.jpg&w=203&h=202&ei=WO_IUPatDNCyqQHHh4CgBQ&zoom=1&iact=hc&vpx=2&vpy=123&dur=42&hovh=161&hovw=162&tx=50&ty=98&sig=115289479634665367942&page=1&tbnh=117&tbnw=119&start=0&ndsp=35&ved=1t:429,r:0,s:0,i:85mailto:[email protected]
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WOMEN OF THE WORD
MEETING
Monday, October 5th
6:00 p.m.
WOW Food Drive
Sunday, October 4th
SERMONS AVAILABLE
Pastor Grier’s sermons are now being
recorded and are available via email or text.
Hopefully, in the near future there will be a
link to the recordings on our website.
+ + + + + +
An Invitation
Please join us for the baptism of our
daughter, Everly Shea Orsak, on
Sunday, October 11, 2020 at 10:45
a.m. We would also like our church
family to join us for a meal
immediately following in the
Fellowship Hall. Please RSVP to Haley
at 979-332-5379.
A Prayer for Reformation Day
Almighty God, gracious Lord, pour out your Holy Spirit upon your
faithful people. Keep them steadfast in your Word, protect and
comfort them in all temptations, defend them against all their
enemies, and bestow on the Church your saving peace; through your
Son, Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the
Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever. Amen. --- LBW, page 36
Romans 12:12
The LCMC Annual Gathering will be
live streamed on Monday, October
5, 2020. The theme is LCMC 3.0. A
schedule for the day can be found
on the LCMC website.
+ + + + +
Manna Meals We do not have a new schedule for October. The date
for our FLCEC Team to serve will be announced.
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(Continued from page 1)
An objection challenges the validity of a baptism prior to a
profession of faith. Examine carefully the revelation of: For with
the heart one believes and is justified, and with the mouth one
confesses and is saved.” (Romans 10:10) Admittedly, the previous
verse says: …if you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and
believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you will
be saved. (Romans 10:9) It appears that it matters little if one
makes confession before baptism or after. So faith comes from
hearing, and hearing through the word of Christ. (Romans 10:17) The
Gospel is the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes…
(Romans 1:16) It is with the heart, not the intellect, one
believes. But: what of the one who cannot hear or the one too young
to verbalize the faith given them. The heart (soul or spirit) to
whom the Lord communicates the Gospel rejoices in Christ the
Savior, whether verbally or not. As for the hearing-impaired, the
Lord has motivated believers throughout the Kingdom to bring the
message in such a mode that every one who will believe will hear in
their heart. And that, my friends, includes infants whom we
joyfully bring to the Lord that His Word may speak salvation in
their hearts.
I believe this is most certainly true. Pastor Grier
= = = = = = = =
BIBLE READING SCHEDULE OCTOBER 2020
Date Reading Date Reading 1 Joshua 24 17 Judges 8 2 Luke 17 18
Judges 9 3 Luke 18 19 Judges 10 4 Luke 19 20 Judges 11 5 Luke 20 21
Judges 12 6 Luke 21 22 Judges 13 7 Luke 22 23 Judges 14 8 Luke 23
24 Judges 15 9 Luke 24 25 Judges 16 10 Judges 1 26 Judges 17 11
Judges 2 27 Judges 18 12 Judges 3 28 Judges 19 13 Judges 4 29
Judges 20 14 Judges 5 30 Judges 21 15 Judges 6 31 Ruth 1 16 Judges
7
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Sunday Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Friday Saturday
1
2 3
4 Sunday School
9:30 AM Worship Service
10:45 AM w/Communion
WOW Food Drive
5 WOW
Meeting 6PM
6 First School
Board Meeting 5:30PM
7
8
9
10
11 Sunday School
9:30 AM Worship Service 10:45 AM
12
13
14 Newsletter Items Due
15 Church Council Meeting 6PM
16
17
18 Sunday School 9:30 AM Worship Service 10:45 AM
w/Communion
19
20
21
22
23
24
25 Sunday School
9:30 AM Worship Service
10:45 AM
26
27
28
29
30 31
October Responsibilities
ASSISTING MINISTER: Kirk House
SEXTON: Kirk Marek
USHERS: Will Joines, David Kight
ALTAR GUILD: Sheila Miller, Sharon Nielsen
ACOLYTES READER 4th Lynn Talafuse 11th Ty Schoenfield 18th Kirk
Marek 25th Ted Schoenfield If you are unable to serve on your
date,
please find someone to take your place.
OCTOBER FLOWER
CALENDAR
4th Open
11th Open
18th Open
25th James & Sheila Herrington
October 2020
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First Lutheran Church
304 Oscar
El Campo, TX 77437
979-543-5847
Email: [email protected]
ESTABLISHED FEB 1893
Worshipping Christ and Sharing the Word for over a century.
Clyde Grier, Pastor Helen Marie Kight, Organist
Christine Richter, Office Manager Bree Joines, Director of First
School
Join us on FACEBOOK or check us out at
www.FIRSTLUTHERANEC.COM
CHURCH COUNCIL MEMBERS: Milton Johnson, David Kight, Kirk Marek,
Jimmy Nielsen, Cathy Schoenfield &
Lynn Talafuse
Our Newsletter
can be found on
our website at www.firstlutheranec.com
Sunday School – 9:30 a.m
Worship Service – 10:45 a.m.
http://www.firstlutheranec.com/http://www.firstlutheranec.com/
