This article is part of a series addressing key worship concepts. As we work with these concepts, our worship will be enriched for the sake of both members and guests. It will be faithful to Scripture, to our Lutheran heritage, and to our challenges and opportunities as 21st century followers of Jesus. The author of this month’s article - Pastor Jon Zabell - has served churches in Omaha, NE, and Green Bay, WI. He is the Director of the Commission on Worship and chaired the committee that prepared resources to introduce Christian Worship Supplement.

Worship and Evangelism: Separate or Synergy By Jonathan E. Schroeder

Pastor Jonathan Schroeder serves Faith, Sharpsburg, GA. His duties beyond the parish are numerous: member of the Synodical Council, moderator of the Institute for Worship and Outreach, consultant for Schools of Outreach and for Schools of Worship Enrichment, editor/author for Planning Christian Worship, and more.

An inevitable fact of 21st century America is that public worship has become the primary point of first contact with the unchurched. It would be great if every prospect came to adult instruction class before attending worship – but that is not reality. Most often, a prospect’s first interaction with a congregation’s ministry will be at a Sunday morning service. What we do in worship directly impacts our mission of reaching the lost. Why, then, of all the worship words we wrestle with, does “Evangelism” often seem the most contentious?

Too often evangelism and nurture are pitted against each other in the realm of worship. Yes, evangelism could be an excuse for making worship changes that have little to do with the lost and lots to do with personal preference. And yes,

denying evangelism any role in worship could lead to an ossified rite, unvaried forms, and inaccessible styles – all defended by sniffs of “Worship isn’t the place for evangelism.”

The reality, of course, is that worship can nourish the saints and reach the lost because worship and evangelism are joined in an indissoluble nexus by the central teaching of Scripture: the justification of sinners by the grace of God. Both the act of worship and the act of evangelism communicate the promise of God’s radical act of grace in Christ. Worship and evangelism are bound together because both of them proclaim Jesus.

Recognizing the reality of our culture and the joint purpose of worship and evangelism means that worship can play an important role in a congregation’s outreach plan, and evangelism can play an important role in worship. What does Lutheran worship that emphasizes evangelism look like?

Editor’s Note - Over several quarters, we will explore the following characteristics: Invitational Centered on the Gospel Accessible to the Unchurched Prioritizes Preaching Sacramental Addresses Children Friendly Faithful Follow-Up

Accessible to the Unchurched

Worship certainly plays a prominent role in the Church’s outreach efforts; however, it cannot be the Church’s outreach effort. Being good stewards of the means of grace means that worship isn’t designed for the unchurched, but it is accessible to the unchurched.

A simple way to ensure accessibility is a

Let Us Worship Him

2014

March - April Life In Christ

Inside this issue:

Let Us Worship 1

Cornerstone 2

Symbol 3

Cornerstone Update 4-5

Page 2 Life In Christ

full service folder. Liturgical worship is not too difficult for a first time visitor to follow. The way we’ve done liturgical worship, however, may be too difficult for people to follow. Print your services in their entirety. Any visitor can follow liturgical worship from page 1 to 2 to 3. Your prospects are unchurched; they are not illiterate. Printing your service also offers the chance to include service explanations that discuss the theme for worship, and footnotes regarding the texts or songs of the liturgy. Explain why we do what we do. Printing the entire service enables greater variety in worship without the confusion of multiple books or inserts.

Prioritizes Preaching

The hard work of inviting and preparing and welcoming prospects all comes to a head when the pastor gets into the pulpit as the messenger of God. When it comes to outreach or inreach, good preaching covers a multitude of shortcomings.

The reasons to prioritize preaching are myriad, but for the sake of evangelism, the sermon plays a much bigger role than anything else that happens on Sunday

morning. The prospects have come to hear the message. The sermon means more to them than your worship style or your building or your greeter program. As the confessions say, “There is nothing that so attaches people to the church as good preaching” (ApXXIV). Some of the pastor’s most valuable outreach time is quality time spent working on an excellent sermon. The sermon will often be the most important twenty minutes of evangelism per week.

Let me say that in a different way. If you want to give a boost to your outreach program, spend lots of time on your sermons. Excellent worship encourages your members to invite guests; excellent preaching does so even more.

Next time:

Worship Evangelism… Sacramental Addresses Children

“What are you looking for?” Have you ever said that to a loved one who seems to be searching frantically for …?

What are you looking for beyond simple objects easily lost? Contentment? Happi-ness within your relationships and family? Fulfillment in your job?

How about this question: What are you looking for in regards to the education of your child? Learning for the moment—getting by, catching just enough to go on to the next level or grade? Thankfully, there are very few parents who have that attitude. Most parents want the very best for their children. They want the best foods, the best athletic opportunities, the best home and the best toys. Nothing is too good!

Just as there are many choices in the quali-ty of foods, sports programs, homes and toys, there are many choices in educational

opportunities for your child. What are you looking for? A solid education where most students average a grade or two above the national average on standardized testing? How about opportunities for students to participate in interscholastic sports, after school science or chess programs, academ-ic fairs, music lessons and choirs? Would a school where Spanish, art, music, and God’s Word are part of the daily curricu-lum interest you? Are you looking for small class sizes and more communication with the teachers? Have you visited your child’s classroom to see for yourself how things are going? Is this what we are look-ing for?

The most important question has yet to be asked: What are you looking for spiritually for your child?

This year our education ministry at Christ Lutheran will be expanding by adding Cor-

What Are You Looking For Cindy Christianson

Page 3

nerstone Early Learning Center at our Hu-go campus. Cornerstone will be welcoming children age 6 weeks through preschool beginning September 2nd. Our goal is simple: to reach out to young children and their families with “learning for a lifetime” opportunities. Learning not just numbers and words-- preparation for this lifetime, but learning about our Savior and what He has done for each of us. In other words, our emphasis is learning for the lifetime to

come. Cornerstone is intended as an out-reach ministry, and also as a natural exten-sion of the mission work our elementary school has been part of since 1976. Thanks to your partnership and God’s blessings, Christ Lutheran will now be able to offer a Christ-centered education to children from the cradle through grade 8.

What are you looking for? …What are you waiting for?

Alpha and Omega are the first and last letters of the Greek alphabet, and thus refer to the eternal nature of Christ. Jesus refers to himself in Revelation 1:8 "I am the Alpha and the Omega," says the Lord God, "who is, and who was, and who is to come, the Almighty." A similar symbol is the Alpha Mu Omega. These letters are the initials for the Greek words for "yesterday, today and forever," emphasizing not only Jesus' eter-nal nature, but His presence with us. This is a reference to Hebrews 13:8 “ Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever.”

Alpha and Omega

Alpha Mu Omega

Symbol: Alpha and Omega

The spring Ladies’ Auxiliary meeting will be March 15th at Christ the Lord in Cottage Grove. The day will begin with registration at 9:00am with the meeting starting at 9:30am. There are 3 students attend-ing MLC this year from the Caribbean, one of them will give a presentation on what their life is like at home. We have two cities with congregations, St Lucia and Antigua. When these students graduate they will go back to their country to teach. It should be a very interesting and enlightening meeting. We are in need of two ladies for our St. Paul area as representatives, if you can help in this way please con-tact Deb Mayer at 651-283-3609.

Martin Luther College Ladies’ Auxiliary

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Life In Christ

Page 5

Page 6 Life In Christ

Dec - To-Date

Actual Budget

Last Yr. This Yr. This Yr.

% of

Budget

% Chg

vs.

Last Yr.

Dec. 2013 %

of

Actual Budget Budget

INCOME

All Envelopes

$98,726 $99,369 99% $819,416 $854,202 $840,906 102% 4.2%

Tuition/ Cougar Corner

$30,844 $35,278 85% $367,550 $341,569 $397,500 86% -7.1%

Matched Offering 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0

All Other $6,765 $1,963 345% $16,684 $19,582 $23,550 83% 17.4%

Total $172,335 $136,609 126% $1,203,650 $1,215,353 $1,261,956 96% 1.0%

EXPENSES

Salaries/Benefits $83,714 $75,247 111% $960,539 $982,395 $956,482 103% 2.3%

General Operating Costs

$13,697 $15,897 86% $126,339 $154,901 $181,876 85% 22.6%

Mission Beyond the Parish

$39,266 $11,436 343% $122,375 $123,599 $123,599 100% 1.0%

Total $136,676 $102,580 133% $1,238,222 $1,260,894 $1,261,956 100% 1.8%

Gain or (Loss) $35,659 $34,029 $-34,572 $-45,541 0

Over or (Short) Covering Current Liabilities

Actual

2012

($149,581) Actual 2013 ($165,171)

Mission Partners Pakistan Goal $10,000 - Received to date - $2,020

Reason for Hope Goal $3,000 - Received to date - $525

Time of Grace Goal $5,000 - Received to date - $0

Camp Croix Goal $2,000—Received to date—$50

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Church Record and Statistics (Dec. 2013 - Feb. 2014)

Total Baptized Members 1536

Total Communicant Members

1224

Averages Totals

Weekly Worship Avg. 479

NSP 369

HUGO 110

KIX 43

NSP 36

HUGO 7

Teen Bible Class Avg. 8

Women’s Bible Study Avg 12

Mom’s Bible Study Avg 4

PCU Study Avg. 16

Men’s Thursday Breakfast Study Avg.

9

OFFICIAL MEMBER MOVEMENT

Baptism Non-Mbr - 2 Hannah Boder 10-27-2013 Trista Partlow 11-17-2013

Baptism - 7 Mallory Emma Jacobsen 11-10-2013 Brycelynn Diane Partlow 11-17-2013 Elaina Mae Brandt 11-17-2013 Breanna Christine Simons 12-01-2013 Micah David Hennig 12-29-2013 Carter James Johnson 01-05-2013 Jameson Jacob Vogt 01-05-2013

Adult Confirmation - 11 Jacob/Jenny Linder; Gabby, Mikey & Samantha Ricky/Katie Healy, Luke, Hunter & Heath Dan Wagner

Youth Confirmation - 0

Affirmation of Faith - 0

Transfer In - 0

Transfer Out - 7 Tim/Allison Peper; Annika & Ailee to Salem, Woodbury Amanda Moe, Miles to Cross of Christ, Coon Rapids Jessica Frick to Salem, Stillwater

Released - 4 Tom/Carol Roeller to heterodox church Dave/Carol Swiden to heterodox church

Death - 3 Nicole Rose 11-14-2013 Hazel Olson 01-03-2014 Phyllis Anderson 01-23-2014

When we speak or preach from the “Passion of Christ,” we are speaking or preaching about Christ’s suffering and death on Calvary’s cross for the sins of the world. Certainly, the Passion is about the pur-ple robe and the crown of thorns; Christ carrying His cross; the soldiers with their hammers, the nails, and the spear; and His words from the cross. But more than the objects and events, the Passion is about Jesus assuming unto Himself the sins of the world and then experiencing to the fullest degree the Fa-ther’s just wrath upon that sin. It is about forgiveness and salvation graciously offered in view of the shed blood of Calvary. This series is about all of that and more. It is also about the important and signif-icant miracles and miraculous signs that God the Father performed to set apart His Son’s death from absolutely all others:

March 5 Ash Wednesday: The Miraculous Darkness (Matthew 27:45)

March 12 Midweek 2: The Miraculous Tearing of the Temple Curtain (Matthew 27:51a)

March 19 Midweek 3: The Miraculous Earthquake (Matthew 27:51b)

March 26 Midweek 4: The Miracle of the Splitting Rocks (Matthew 27:51c)

April 2 Midweek 5: The Miraculous Raising of the Saints from Death (Matthew 27:52–53)

April 9 Midweek 6: The Miraculous Faith of the Roman Soldiers (Matthew 27:54)

Miracles of Lent

Christ Ev. Lutheran Church & School 2475 17th Avenue E. North St. Paul, MN 55109

Non-Profit Organization

U.S. Postage Paid Twin Cities, MN Permit No. 2215

View this newsletter and much more on our website:

www.christlutheran-wels.org

Or call, Church: 651-777-5771 School: 651-777-1450

This newsletter is a quarterly publication of

Christ Ev. Lutheran Church of North St. Paul and Hugo

and is published in September, December,

March and June.

Deadlines for articles are the second week of August, November, February and May.

Please send articles to:

newsletter@christlutheran-wels.org. All ideas for articles are

welcome!

In North St. Paul

Heritage Pkwy

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County Road B

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Christ Lutheran Church worshipping at

Oneka Elementary School

In Hugo

Need to contact us? Go to www.christlutheran-wels.org click on meet the staff on the church site or staff directory on the school website to find the contact information for individual staff. Do you have an address change? Please contact the church office if you have recently moved or changed your contact phone number(s).

In North St. Paul: Sunday Worship 8:00 & 10:30 am Monday Evening Worship 7:00 pm Sunday School 2 yrs—8th grade 9:25 am Labor Day-Memorial Day)

Sunday Adult Bible Study 9:30 am

In Hugo: Sunday Worship 9:30 am at Oneka Elementary School, Hugo, MN Sunday School 2 yrs—6th grade 10:30 am (Labor Day-Memorial Day)

Adult Bible Study 10:40 am

Worship & Bible Study Times

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