E-Vine October 22, 2015

             

This Week’s Memory Verse

For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.  ~Romans 6:23

                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                    We continue our worship series on Paul’s letter to the Romans.  Grace was the heart of the message that Paul preached.  As he began to prepare to go to Rome to preach and teach there, he sent a letter to the Church to serve as an introduction to his message.  That letter, Paul’s letter to the Romans, is the most systematic and thorough treatment of the plan of salvation in the New Testament.  Reading almost like a theology text book, Paul lays out the need for grace and the amazing gift of grace.

Paul presents the Gospel in terms of slavery and freedom. We are slaves. The question is whether we are slaves to sin or slaves to God? What does it mean to be a slave to sin?  What does it mean to be a slave to grace?  Today we rejoice in the amazing freedom of our “slavery” to Christ.

Sunday, we also celebrate Reformation.  We celebrate the 498^th anniversary of the Reformation, giving God thanks that we are saved by grace alone, through faith alone, preaching and teaching the truths of Scripture alone.  We also pray for God’s ongoing work of Reformation in the Church, continually calling us to repentance, faith, and boldness for the sake of the mission.

• Exodus 6:1-8
• Romans 6:15-23
• John 8:31-36

• Wednesday Morning Bible Class… This class, led by Pastor Mark, will begin again on Wednesday, October 28^th.  We will review the first four chapters of Galatians and then finish the rest of the book.  Class meets most Wednesday mornings in Room 10 from 10:30 – 11:30 PM.

• Valley Fire Special Offering With Thrivent Match…  On Sunday, November 1, a special door offering will be received in both services in support of victims of the recent Valley Fire in Lake County. The Napa Valley Thrivent Chapter will match the door offering at St. John’s (as well as proceeds of a special event at Napa Valley Lutheran) dollar for dollar up to a total of $950. Checks should be made out to St. John’s Lutheran Church with a memo notation “Valley Fire Victims.” Checks can also be sent to the Church Office prior to November 1 to qualify for the matching funds. Funds will be channeled through Redwood Credit Union (Santa Rosa) with CA Senator McQuire overseeing the distribution.

• Dine and Donate – Mary’s Pizza Shack to benefit the SJLS Theatre Department:  Tuesday, October 27^th, all day.  Twenty percent of your dine-in or take-out purchase will be donated.  Please bring attached flyer.

• Children’s Church teachers this week: Janet Gates, Sarah Santora

• Want to learn about Aaron’s Deployment?  On Monday, October 26^th Team Aaron invites you to join us in Room 10 for a chance to talk about our experience in Roseburg, Oregon.  Aaron spent two weeks in Roseburg, Oregon , as part of a team of 8 Comfort Dogs seeking to bring comfort to the Umpqua Community College community as they return to classes.  Please keep the people of Roseburg in your prayers.

• Trunk or Treat – October 25^th at 5:00 PM    Helpers are needed for Trunk or Treat!  We need 12 dozen cupcakes for the Cupcake Walk at Trunk or Treat!  If you can make 2 dozen cupcakes, decorate them for Halloween, and deliver them to the Parish Hall kitchen on Sunday morning, that would be awesome and so greatly appreciated!  Please email Janis King (jking@stjohnsnapa.org) and let her know if you are able to help out! Thank you so much!

• Wine Donations: Once again, the Worship Preparation Committee is seeking donations of red wine for Communion. Donations should be a minimum of 2 bottles, the usual amount needed for one service. Thank you for considering this opportunity to participate in the worship life of St. John’s.

• Campus Security:  Please remember to check that doors are properly closed and locked as you leave the room you are using.  Thanks for helping us take care of our campus.

• Aaron Comfort Dog Visits:  If you would like to request a visit from Aaron, please contact Tim or Christy Kramer @ 255-0119.  For an update on his activities, please check out his Facebook page at AaronComfortDog.

• Mission India:  Please keep our Mission India Literacy trainer in your prayers.  As announced in church, we have met the goal for financially supporting our trainer for this year.  But we are still collecting support for Mission India, which will go toward supporting other literacy trainers.  To support this ministry financially, please make out your check to St. John’s.  You can use the designated offering envelopes or write on your check that it is for Mission India.  For more information about our partnership with Mission India and the opportunity to change lives and draw them to Christ, click here and see the display in the church entryway.

• Abide Daily Devotion: How do I let Scripture guide my prayer life?  How can I let Jesus direct what I pray for each day?  The Abide Devotion, written by Pastor Mike, is a daily devotion designed to address these concerns.   You can click here for more information and to subscribe to receive the devotion in your email each morning.