29 October 2021
*Friday of Trinity 20*
Dear Saints and Friends of Grace & Trinity,
This Sunday is
*The Festival of the Reformation *
Revelation 14:6–7; Romans 3:19-28; Matthew 11:12-19 <www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Revelation+14%3A6%E2%80%937%3B+Romans+3%3A19-28%3B+Matthew+11%3A12-19&version=ESV>
*The Son of God Has Set Us Free from Sin and Death by His Grace*
*“Wisdom is justified by her deeds” (Matt. 11:19), and the true Wisdom of God, Christ Jesus the incarnate Son, justifies us by His deeds. He prepares His way by the preaching of repentance, but He has suffered the violence of the Law and voluntarily handed Himself over to violent men, that we might eat and drink with Him in His Kingdom and “remain in the house forever” (John 8:35). For He is “a friend of tax collectors and sinners” (Matt. 11:19), and He has rescued us by His grace from the slavery of sin and death. By the proclamation of His eternal Gospel “to those who dwell on earth, to every nation and tribe and language and people” (Rev. 14:6), “the righteousness of God has been manifested apart from the law” (Rom. 3:21), “that He might be just and the justifier of the one who has faith in Jesus” (Rom. 3:26). And by hearing the Gospel of Christ Jesus, “whom God put forward as a propitiation by His blood, to be received by faith” (Rom. 3:25), “you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free” (John 8:31–32).*
*In Bible Study* this week we’ll consider why we **celebrate** the Reformation. Join us at 9:30am at Grace for the study!
*Don’t forget to join us* for the Circuit-wide Reformation Festival *this Sunday afternoon* *at Trinity*. Divine Service is at 4pm, the Banquet begins at 5:30pm, and we’ll close by singing the Doxology at 7:30pm. We’re thrilled to have Professor Scott Stiegemeyer from Concordia University-Irvine preach and offer the banquet address: *Made in His Image: Christian Responses to Moral Challenges in Medicine and Science Today*. If you’d like a sneak-peak at the Bulletin <mcusercontent.com/a90ee03ff0810e6c55bae6a58/files/d8ab89b4-f457-28ff-1d2f-8092420a09b8/Reformation_Festival_Bulletin_2021_.pdf>, here you go! Banquet tickets are $15 at the door.
*Those Serving* *at Grace & Trinity today…*
*Trinity** Grace*
*Counter: Elizabeth Booher Counters: Jeanette & Margie*
*Greeters: the Pattersons Greeters: the Suttons*
*Ushers: Ron Rooker & Ushers: Tom & Sandy*
* Dave Norris Altar Guild: the Browns*
*Altar Guild: the Pattersons*
*Elder: **Scott Smith*
*To prepare* your hearts and minds for the Sunday gathering of the faithful, here is the bulletin for Sunday <mcusercontent.com/a90ee03ff0810e6c55bae6a58/files/c3e0c6a3-fb17-0983-493b-2f589b027325/2021_10_31_Reformation_Day.pdf>. Meditate on the readings, pray the prayers, and consider what gifts our Lord has for us this week. Also, here are the news/notes <mcusercontent.com/a90ee03ff0810e6c55bae6a58/files/6abaf611-4c8a-d39c-fd0b-b7df58beacb6/10_31_21_News_Notes.pdf> and the congregation at prayer <mcusercontent.com/a90ee03ff0810e6c55bae6a58/files/99d4233d-5bb8-82f8-da24-a755ff99441b/2021_10_31_The_Festival_of_the_Reformation.pdf> .
*Prayer Requests…*
· For Karl Shultz Jr., Minda’s son, who is recovering well.
· For Jim Delzer, whose surgery this week went well.
*Coming up this week…*
· *Today: *
o *No Private Confession & Absolution*
o *5-7pm *Funeral Visitation for Delmar Quade, Trinity
· *Saturday:*
o *9am-Noon *Junior Lutherans Quiz Competition, Grace
o *10am *Graveside Committal for Delmar Quade, Blackwell, OK
o *12:30pm *Memorial Service for Delmar Quade, Trinity
· *Sunday (10/31): **Festival of the Reformation*
o *8am *Divine Service, Grace
o *9:30am *Bible Study, Grace
o *11am *Divine Service, Trinity
o *3pm* Choir Rehearsal for the Reformation Festival, Trinity
o *4pm *Divine Service for the Reformation Festival*, *Trinity
o *5:30-7:30pm *Reformation Festival Banquet, Trinity
· *Monday*: *Feast of All Saints*
o *6:30pm* New Member Catechesis, Trinity**
· *Tuesday: *
o *No Matins*
o *6pm *Grace Elders’ Mtg., Grace
· *Wednesday:*
o *9:30am *Bible Study, Grace
o *11am *Divine Service, Grace
o *4:15pm *Hand Bell Choir, Trinity
o *5:15pm *Youth Catechesis, Trinity
o *7pm *Evening Prayer, Trinity
· *Thursday*
o *No Matins*
o *10am *Funeral for Carolyn Schaub, Zion Lutheran, Independence
· *Friday: *
o *4-5pm *Private Confession & Absolution, Trinity
o *7pm *Concordia Academy Benefit Recital, Holy Cross Lutheran (600 N Greenwich)
· *Sunday (11/7): **Feast of All Saints (observed) & Joint-Parish Sunday & Daylight Savings*
o *9:30am *Bible Study, Grace
o *11am *Divine Service, Grace
o *12:15pm *Meal, Grace
o *2pm **Misa en Español*, Grace
*Looking Ahead…*
· *November 1* – I’ll begin another New Member Catechesis Class, 6:30pm Mondays at Trinity. Please invite friends and join us for a refresher of what we believe, teach, and confess.
· *November 5* – Concordia Academy Benefit Recital, 7pm at Holy Cross. Board member Ann Harms will be performing a recital of works for violin, voice, piano, and bowed psaltery *at Holy Cross Lutheran* (600 N Greenwich) with a reception following. All are invited! A free will offering will support Concordia Academy’s capital campaign, and all donations will be matched by our grant donors. See more at www.concordiaacademywichita.org.
· *November 9, 6:30-8:30pm* – The Kansas District is inviting folks to join them for “meet the district” events throughout the state. This one is held in Wichita at Holy Cross. You can find out more details here <kslcms.org/presidents-office/living-as-the-baptized/>.
· *November 12-13 – *Youth Catechesis Retreat in Herington!
· *November 14 –* Special Grace Voters’ Mtg. at 3:30pm. Please plan to attend!
· *November 21 –* Regular Voters’ Mtg. for each congregation: Grace, 9:30am; Trinity, 12:30pm. No Bible Study this day.
· *December 4, 2-4pm* – Please join the ladies of Grace & Trinity for Advent-By-Candlelight at Trinity. Sign-up in the narthex to attend or to be a Hostess. Questions? Contact Vicki Lessman at 316-641-9392 or vlessman@cox.net
*Other Things*
· *The November Newsletters* are ready! (Trinity’s Torch <mcusercontent.com/a90ee03ff0810e6c55bae6a58/files/23129b89-1aaf-33f5-a0a8-32f63a8d89e0/November_Torch_2021.pdf>, Grace’s Grace Notes <mcusercontent.com/a90ee03ff0810e6c55bae6a58/files/ebde0e03-59c0-52f7-b5e1-7c85f3e51570/November_Grace_Notes_2021.pdf>) This month you’ll learn about the Offertory and the Offering—not just filler or meeting the budget, but acts of thanksgiving! Also, you’ll see the Thanksgiving Eve service noted along with a Higher Things notice. Also, here’s the Calendar <mcusercontent.com/a90ee03ff0810e6c55bae6a58/files/ac0f2b92-7bae-bad1-afa1-7c0e6f6fbac8/November_2021_Calendar.pdf>. As always, see our google calendar for the most up-to-date happenings.
· *Concordia Academy’s **Monthly Newsletter* <mcusercontent.com/a90ee03ff0810e6c55bae6a58/files/c2cca5b7-f3b3-266b-b005-406f27f2c098/10.2021.pdf> is also here—if you haven’t already seen it, check it out! Our *Benefit Recital on Nov 5 at Holy Cross* is right around the corner. See also another article by Stan Kenny. Thanks for your kind and generous support of this up-and-coming high school!
· *A few weeks back*, I made a plea for each of you to fill out a Funeral Planning Worksheet <mcusercontent.com/a90ee03ff0810e6c55bae6a58/files/3640ba66-26c5-9ab5-1944-f7652f815b2a/Funeral_Planning_Worksheet.pdf> and turn in a copy to the church. Please, please, please do this! Here are some suggested readings and hymns <mcusercontent.com/a90ee03ff0810e6c55bae6a58/files/d042beaf-23e4-b018-77d0-cf89df4f4922/Recommended_Funeral_Scriptures_and_Hymns.pdf>, as promised.
· *My Newman University Lectures* on the Old Testament can be found here <mcusercontent.com/a90ee03ff0810e6c55bae6a58/files/6afb6f97-7d7f-874d-00c6-bdd35c7e2614/Zoom_Recordings.02.docx>. Enjoy!
Many blessings and much joy to you all in Christ our life.
-Pastor