Labor Day + Gregory the Great = A Special Kind of Work

Dear Fellow Redeemed,

Labor Day is celebrated on September 3rd

this year and is often thought of as the day that marks the

official end of summer. September 3rd

is also the day that the church honors Gregory the Great who

was a monk, a pastor, a bishop, and eventually the Pope of Rome. Gregory lived during the days of

great turmoil and strife in the church. Even though Rome was constantly under attack, Gregory’s

pastoral heart never turned away from those who needed to hear the Gospel of Jesus. There’s a story

about him that goes like this:

One day Gregory was walking through the Roman slave market when he noticed three fair, golden-

haired boys. He asked their nationality and was told that they were Anglos. "They are well named,"

said Gregory, "for they have ANGELIC faces." He was making a play on the word “Anglo” by

changing it to “Angel.” These men from England inspired Gregory to send missionaries to the

Anglo-Saxons in order to share the love of Jesus to a lost people. It is said that through this mission

work the Gospel of Jesus was brought to England and its surrounding parts.

Though we don’t know if this story is true, it does show what kind of leader Gregory the Great was.

He did not bask in the glory of a high position but rather sent people into action… to work… for the

sake of those who did not know Jesus. Gregory also was actively concerned about the work of

priests. He wrote a book of instruction for bishops, On Pastoral Care, in which he wrote, "Act in

such a way that your humility may not be weakness, nor your authority be severity. Justice must be

accompanied by humility, that humility may render justice lovable." It became a manual for holy life

throughout the Middle Ages.

Labor Day, by virtue of its name, reminds us of work. Beginning in the late 19th

century, as the

trade union and labor moments grew, trade unionists proposed that there be a day set aside to

celebrate labor. By the time it became an official federal holiday in 1894, thirty states officially

celebrated Labor Day. Today we celebrate Labor Day by resting from our labors by making this day

“the last hurrah” of summer.

Since this year Labor Day and Gregory the Great day are the same day, I implore you to call to mind

A SPECIAL KIND OF WORK. This is the work that Gregory and so many after him embarked on

regularly. It’s the work of sharing the faith of Jesus. Within our vocations as spouses or parents…

the vocations of office worker, homemaker, or laborer, carry out the SPECIAL WORK of being a

Christian Witness to our neighbor. We are called to be Christians within the various stations of life

and this is a remarkable privilege. So, on this Labor Day month… Gregory the Great month, do

God’s special work of sharing the wonderful message of Jesus dying the cross for the sake of the

world. The labor may be difficult and the results may not be what we hope. But know this…. The

Lord is at work! And every time we give the Holy Spirit the opportunity to work within the lives of

others, we do for our neighbor a special, life-giving, kind of service. And this is the best, most

valuable labor of all. It’s the labor of love!

In Christ’s Service,

Pastor Arnold

THE SHEPHERD’S STAFF September 2018 CHRIST LUTHERAN CHURCH

www.christlc.net

Platte Woods, Missouri

Volume 61, Number 9

From God Can Nothing Move Me

One of the great treasures of historic Lutheran hymnody is Ludwig Helmbold’s hymn From God Can Nothing Move Me (#713 in the Lutheran Service Book). As is the case in most hymns, the backstory gives a fuller sense to the verses that are sung.

Rev. Ludwig Helmbold served in the city of Erfurt Germany in a position we might call a chaplain

at a high school/university. In the year 1563 a plague broke out in the city of Erfurt, during which about four-thousand inhabitants of the city died. In the midst of this tragedy, Helmbold penned this hymn. The suffering he witnessed inspired this work along with Holy Scripture’s Psalm 73:23ff: “Nevertheless I am continually with Thee; Thou hast holden me by my right hand. Whom have I in heaven but Thee? And there is none that I desire on earth beside Thee. My flesh and my heart faileth: but God is the strength of my heart, and my portion forever.”

From God can nothing move me; He will not step aside But gently will reprove me and be my constant guide. He stretches out His hand In evening and in morning, My life with grace adorning Wherever I may stand. (LSB 713 st. 1) God who neither sleeps nor rests watches over His creation—especially all humanity as the crown of

that creation, all day and all night. He is by us and near us, quick to give spiritual and physical blessings wherever we are.

The Lord my life arranges; Who can His work destroy? In His good time He changes All sorrow into joy. So let me then be still: My body, soul, and spirit His tender care inherit According to His will. (st. 3) Who can destroy the work of the Almighty Creator? When we face tears, sadness, adversities, and

yes, even death itself, the Lord turns our sorrow to sadness and our crosses to crowns. His tender care envelopes our whole being in His time.

Praise God with acclamation And in His gifts rejoice Each day finds its vocation Responding to His voice. Soon years on earth are past; But time we spend expressing The love of God brings blessing That will forever last! (st. 5) Each day is a blessing from God. Each day we praise Him. How? Through the vocations God

bestows upon us, we respond to grace and acclaim His salvation for us. And the blessings God brings through His love lasts to eternity.

For thus the Father willed it, Who fashioned us from clay; And His own Son fulfilled it And brought eternal day. The Spirit now has come, To us true faith has given; He leads us home to heaven. O praise the Three in One! (st. 7) This unique doxological stanza highlights not only who God is but what He does. The Father created

us; the Son fulfilled what we are unable to accomplish in the flesh and by His death and resurrection grants us eternity; the Holy Spirit bestows the gifts of the Son, including faith, which give us a home forever with Him. In Christ’s Service, Pastor Froiland

Deacon’s Page Youth and Education Opportunities for the Parish September, 2018

YOUTH NEWS

FAMILY DAY AT THE “K”

Sunday, September 16 Noon–4:30 PM

Families are invited to a Sunday afternoon of Major League Baseball at Kauffman Stadium as the Kansas City Royals take on the Minnesota Twins. $ 10.00 will cover the cost of your ticket…bring other money if you are going to purchase concessions or souvenirs. Seats will be in the shade of View Level Section 415…third base side.

We will leave the CLC parking lot at noon and return to the CLC parking lot at about 4:00-4:30 PM. Carpooling will be encouraged in order to save on Parking Fees.

Twenty tickets have been reserved for our group. Please sign-up on the poster in the Fellowship Commons no later than Wednesday, September 12, so that Deacon can find others to share the remaining tickets.

YOU MUST SIGN UP BY WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 12!

Little Lambs / Kids For Christ

Infant-Kindergarten Grades 1-5

CLC OUTDOOR

MOVIE NIGHT

Friday, September 28 7:00-8:45 PM

Our first Kids For Christ and Little Lambs activity for the 2018-2019 school year takes place on Friday, September 28. Bring lawn chairs and blankets as we enjoy a movie together outside. We will project the movie onto the east wall of our church. Popcorn, Movie Candy, Drinks will be provided! We will start the movie as soon as it is dark enough after 7 PM. Please sign-up on the poster in the Fellowship Commons.

WEEKDAY SCHOOL

September 5 September 12 September 19 September 26

There is room in each class for more students! Contact Deacon Buchholz for enrollment info!

PARENT / YOUTH

COMMITMENT DAY

Immediately following the late service on Sunday, October 7, all parents of youth wishing to attend the 2019 National Lutheran Youth Gathering are asked to stay for a 20-30 minute informational meeting. (Youth are encouraged to attend too). This meeting will be held in the Walther Room (Church Overflow).

Sign-up for the 2019 National Lutheran Youth Gathering in Minneapolis, MN is well underway! Theme for the once-every-three-year gathering will be “Real.Present.God.”. Dates for this event are July 11-15, 2016…..but our group will be leaving from church in the early morning of Monday, July 8, 2019 and return in the evening of Monday, July 15, 2019. Side trips will include two nights at Lutheran Island Camp in West-central Minnesota and downtown experiences right before the Gathering begins.

Registration, nationwide, is expected to be 30,000. Deacon needs the names of those who will attend on or before “Commitment Sunday”, October 7. Deposits of $ 125.00 per participant will be due on “Commitment Sunday”. Trying to be added to the roster at a later date will be a little difficult and more expensive. See you on October 7th!

HUGE thanks go to these people for helping make this year's

VBS a "SPLASH". Without the help of so many volunteers, we

could not bring the Good News to these priceless treasures.

Thank you so much to Shannon Hollander, Avery Rothert,

Greta Jones, Karen Doughtery, Amy Boynton, Payton Stubbs,

Kelly Henry, Sarah Vincenti, Russell Hollander, Honor Foutch,

Madelyn Otis, Deacon, Kristy Rothert, Kristina Fredde, Karla

Fera, Carol Houghtlin, Carolyn Enyeart, Nancy Ruud, Lindsey

Johnson, Janessa Almstedt, Mason Rogers, Janet Duff,

Marilyn Steffens, Pat Toillion, Thomas Henrichs, Gus Jones,

Chadron Cummins, Carla and Dan Jones, Andrea Arnold, Pastor

Arnold, Pastor Froiland, and La Verne and Verda Lutte.

Thank you, also, to the congregation for sending in supplies!

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Handbell Choir The handbell choir will soon begin practices again. The choir will participate in

worship services from September 2018 through May 2019. We will rehearse

most Thursday evenings. We are looking for new members

who are high school or adult age to join the choir. While

the ability to read music is advantageous, it is not

required. If you have an interest in joining the choir or

have questions, please contact Tanya Cvetan at

tcv322@gmail.com.

Choir will be starting September 11th at 7:30pm. New voices are welcome--we especially need tenor and bass voices!

OASIS (Older Adult Seniors In Service)

Pot Luck, Speaker & Collection

You are invited to a Pot Luck at church on Friday September 14 @ noon. Don’t miss

our speaker after lunch, Major Kelli Bailiff from the Wyandotte County Sheriff’s

Department. Kelli will be speaking on Lost & Exploited children. (You have probably

seen her on TV on a Sunday morning.) Please sign up to attend.

OASIS will be collecting freewill cash donations of any amount or $25

Walmart/Target gift cards. With the funds we collect, we will purchase Walmart or

Target gift cards in $25 increments to present to Kelli. The gift cards will be for the

Wyandotte County Sherriff’s department, so they can purchase a new outfit of

clothing for the children recovered. They do this so that the children are dressed in

new clean clothing when they are united with their parents or guardians. For

questions please see Howard or Judy Gibson or any OASIS member.

World War 1 Museum

On Saturday October 13, join OASIS for an afternoon at the World War I museum.

Tickets are valid for two consecutive days of admission. Ticket prices are:

College Students (ID required)‎: ‎$14

Youth (Ages 6-17)‎: ‎$10

Seniors (Ages 65+)‎: ‎$14

Adults‎: ‎$16

Children 5 & under are free

A group of 15 or more with one payment transaction may receive a discount of $2

($1 youth). If carpooling, we will leave the church at 12:30. The museum is open

until 5:00pm. There will be a sign-up sheet. Questions, please see Howard or Judy

Gibson or any OASIS committee member.

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Do you have any changes in your address or phone number? Did your children graduate from high school or college? Do they have a new address? What about going into kindergarten this school year? Let us know so we can get that info into the computer and include them with different mailings and things that are happening for our youth. Maybe you no longer have a land line but

only use cell phones. Please call or email the church office with any new news that we may need to know. It really helps when the information can be put into the computer program and then the correct information can be shared with your fellow members of Christ parish. Thank you so much!

Discipleship Data Accessions Communicant:

Rick Birch – adult confirmation

Shannon Duncan – transfer from King of Kings KC, MO

Cecily Boyd – reaffirmation of faith

Accessions Baptized:

Cora Elizabeth Longnecker, daughter of Sarah and Josh Longnecker, baptized July 15, 2018

Naomi Amanda Lynn Boyd, daughter of Cecily and Nicolas Boyd, baptized July 29, 2018

Isaac Boyd, received with mother

Kathryn Duncan, received with mother

Deletions:

Aelan Hudnall (son Jaden Compton), at own request

New address:

Charley and Brittany Buckner Erin Carr Dist. 5

1833 NW 82nd St. 16390 NW 123rd St.

KC, MO 64151 Platte City, MO 64079

Alexandra Wasko Alexis and Jacob Davis

2106 NW Sweetgum Ct. 1340 NW 82nd St.

Grain Valley, MO 64029 Apt. 5-022

KC, MO 64118

Megan Waylett Dist. 5 to 1

5021 NW High Drive Terr. Dave and Rachel Baker

Riverside, MO 64150 9705 NW Hampton Woods Dr.

KC, MO 64152

Becky Fritts

1050 Kent St. Apt. 111

Liberty, MO 64068

Martin Luther Academy 7112 N. Overland Dr. Kansas City, MO 64151 816-734-1060

Martin Luther Academy has started for the 2018-2019 school year with a record enrollment of 104 students! We thank and praise God for His blessings bestowed on our school. Martin Luther Academy will celebrate Grandparents’ Day, Friday, September 7. Grandparents are invited to join us starting at 8 am for chapel with the students, and then travel from station to station for various sessions, such as the book fair, family photos, trivia, puzzles, and games. This is a unique opportunity for Grandparents and Grandchildren to spend quality time together. The MLA Eagles’ volleyball and soccer teams practices have begun. MLA participates in the Lutheran League, a group of other Kansas City area Lutheran Schools. Save the date…

MLA Walkathon – Friday, September 21st

MLA Extravaganza – November 4th

IN MEMORIAM

Gen Stark

September 11, 1929 – August 9, 2018

“Precious in the sight of the Lord is the death of His saints.” Psalm 116:15

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September - November Acolytes 8:00am 10:45am

September Gus Jones Joseph Winfrey, Jacob Baker October Chadron Cummins Alex Smith, Joshua Keller November Chadron Cummins Jackson Winfrey, Forrest Boynton

Dress and behavior

Your dress code shall consist of dark colored pants and socks and dark colored shoes; clean and combed hair.

Watch your posture when walking in the chancel. It is expected that you sit upright, both feet on the floor and do not stare out into the congregation. Also, acolytes are part of the worshiping community and are expected to sing hymns and participate in the liturgy.

You are responsible for securing your own substitute if one is needed. You are to be in the sacristy and vesting no later than 15 minutes before the service.

Please do not talk during worship!!

Jacob Baker 10:45am 866-4093 Forrest Boynton 10:45am 326-7191 Brandon Cuda 10:45am 419-6976 Chadron Cummins 8am 550-6829 Connor Henry 8am 584-2988 Gus Jones 8am 547-4751

Joshua Keller 10:45am 734-1962 Jarien Montgomery 10:45am 785-341-9397 Alex Smith 10:45am 407-7542 Jackson Winfrey 10:45am 898-3846 Joseph Winfrey 10:45am 898-3846

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Adult Information Class A new Adult Information Class will begin next month with an organizational meeting on Sunday,

September 9th at 6:00PM. The meeting will be very brief, about 20 minutes or so, to hand out

materials and discuss which days the class would like to meet.

Who is it for? It’s for everyone. It’s for the longtime member who wants a refresher on

Christian doctrine and the Lutheran faith. It’s for those who are seeking membership in this

congregation. It’s also for anyone else just interested in what Lutherans teach and confess.

May I come and bring a friend? Absolutely! That’s exactly what the class is for. In other

words, don’t just invite someone you know to the class. Rather, BRING THEM WITH YOU.

Invite them along and offer to pick them up. Friends will be much more willing to go if they

know you will be in the class with them.

Don’t miss out – Organizational meeting for a new class will be Sunday, September 9th at 6:00PM

at the Church. Remember, the participants in the class will decide which days are best to meet.

Do come and be a part of our new class.

Note – If you can’t make the organizational meeting – no problem. You may join the class at any

time. Just talk with either Pastor Arnold or Pastor Froiland.

9/1 Nancy Schneider

Jonathan Almstedt

Kayla Henrichs

Miranda Zeigler

Benjamin Arnold

9/2 Lindsay Grace

Gavin Graf

9/3 Josephine Heerboth

Bonnie Keller

Lori Baker

David Musil

9/4 Liz Kimball

Krysia Gornicki

Dean Lemburg

9/5 Ron Knop

Janet Mann

Michelle Waller

John Obie

Rebecca van der Linde

9/6 Ken Lyons

9/7 Cindy Farruggia

Krista Caton

Rachel Buchholz

9/8 Eireland Lietzau

Jackson Winfrey

9/9 Mark Sperl

Brianna Martin

Brittany Buckner

9/10 Shelly Bosworth

Wendy Basch

9/11 Pat Toillion

Steven Keck

Lori Brinkmeyer

Mikaela Colvin

9/12 Shannon Smith

Molly Henry

9/14 Mindi Shupe

Ashley Aguilar

9/15 George White

Melanie Fuller

Jakobi Pope

Chloe Colvin

9/16 Tammy Raines

Sarah June

Blake Faller

William March Jr.

9/17 Tom Stepp

Shannon Duncan

Haley Williamson

9/18 Janelle Hopkins

Stephen O’Toole

Sarah Vincenti

9/19 Kristin Peterson

Kendal Obie

Elise Rothert

Kaelyn Rothert

Lillian Roberts

9/20 Alva Morton

Shirley Howard

Teri Knop

Teddi Pietsch

Easton Basch

9/21 Larry Sperl

Jacqueline Wilson

John Ramos

Mary Doherty

9/22 Melanie Jobe

Sue Daley

9/23 Janice Faller

9/24 Brian Repplinger

Chad Koren

Katie Easley

9/25 Sheril Hagler

Olivia Daley

Graham Houghtlin

Kourtney Mann

9/26 Dennis Chrisman

Kara Johnson

Avery Rothert

Koko Malone

9/27 Mary Buchholz

Aimee Truetken

Lauren Peterson

Truitt Masoner

Charles Hudnall

9/28 Sheryl Cozad

Charles Ball

Aubrey Koffman

9/29 Jennifer Rowe

Barbara Dietrich

DeeDee Weymuth

Candice Masoner

Kenneth Carr

Aurora Montalvo

9/30 Michael Kelly

Christopher Utterback

Christ Lutheran – September 2018 Sun Mon Tue Wed Thu Fri Sat

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8am - Divine Service 9am - Fellowship 9:30am - Bible Study & Sunday School 10:45am - Divine Service - LS Noon - Oromo Worship

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Pastors’ Day Off Labor Day - Office Closed

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10:30am - Bible Study 7pm - Elders

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4:30pm - Weekday School 5:30pm - Moms’ Bible Study 7pm - Midweek Service - LS

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6:30pm - Bells

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6am - Men’s Bible Study

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8am - Divine Service - LS 9am - Fellowship 9:30am - Bible Study & Sunday School 10:45am - Divine Service Noon - Oromo Worship 2pm - Callers for Christ 6pm – Adult Info. Organizational Mtg.

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Pastors’ Day Off

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10:30am - Bible Study 5:30pm – SOC 7:30pm – Choir Practice Begins

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4:30pm - Weekday School 5:30pm - Moms’ Bible Study 7pm - Midweek Service

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6am - Men’s Bible Study Noon – OASIS Potluck

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8am - Divine Service 9am - Fellowship 9:30am - Bible Study & Sunday School 10:45am - Divine Service – LS 11:45am – Youth/Family Day at the “K” Noon - Oromo Worship

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Pastors’ Day Off

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10:30am - Bible Study 7:30pm – Choir

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4:30pm - Weekday School 5:30pm - Moms’ Bible Study 7pm - Midweek Service - LS

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6:30pm - Bells 7pm - Board of Directors

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6am - Men’s Bible Study Noon - Shepherd’s Staff Deadline

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8am - Divine Service - LS 9am - Fellowship 9:30am - Bible Study & Sunday School 10:45am - Divine Service Noon - Oromo Worship

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Pastors’ Day Off

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10:30am - Bible Study 2pm – Collate Shepherd’s S. 7:30pm – Choir

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4:30pm - Weekday School 5:30pm - Moms’ Bible Study 7pm - Midweek Service

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6am - Men’s Bible Study 7pm - Outdoor Movie Night

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8am - Divine Service - LS 9am - Fellowship 9:30am - Bible Study & Sunday School 10:45am - Divine Service - LS Noon - Oromo Worship

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Acolytes: 8am – Gus Jones 10:45am – Joseph Winfrey, Jacob Baker Head Ushers: 8am – John Peer 10:45am – Steve Foutch

Ushers: 8am – John Fairhurst, Jon Almstedt 10:45am – David Lackey, Rob Henrichs Elder In Charge: 8am: Steffens 10:45am: Repplinger Wednesdays: 5th – Lewis; 12th – White; 19th – Repplinger; 26th – Lyons

Greeters: 8am – Russell & Shannon Hollander 10:45am – Russell & Shannon Hollander

Counters:

Altar Guild: Servers Linens

9/2 Chastain/Gibson/Vincenti Truetken

9/5 Oswald/Schneider Faller

9/9 Durham/Degnan/Moore Faller

9/12 Rothert/Schneider

9/16 Daugherty/Duff/Howard Truetken

9/19 Rothert/Schneider Faller

9/23 Sperl/Steffens/Truetken Faller

9/26 Goodwin/Lewis

9/30 Moore Truetken

Launder and Steam Cassocks and Acolyte Robes – Watson

Launder and Steam Acolyte Cottas – Heermann

Launder‎and‎Steam‎&‎Pastors’‎Surplices‎– Vincenti

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A Stewardship Lesson from God’s Word … Luke 12:48

It’s September, and everything is in full swing again: back to school and back to

church attendance after vacations and weekends away. And since everything is back into full swing, it’s a perfect time to get back to basics, back to the foundation.

At the end of the first of his chapters on the virtue of faith in Mere Christianity, C.S. Lewis provides a helpful reminder, by way of analogy, for the foundation of stewardship. He wrote:

“Every faculty you have, your power of thinking or of moving your limbs from moment to moment, is given you by God. If you devoted every moment of your whole life exclusively to His service you could not give Him anything that was not in a sense His own already. So then, when we talk of a man doing anything for God or giving anything to God, I will tell you what it is really like. It is like a small child going to its father and saying, ‘Daddy, give me six pence to buy you a birthday present.’ Of course, the father does, and he is pleased with the child’s present. It is all very nice and proper, but only an idiot would think that the father is six-pence to the good on the transaction. When a man has made these two discoveries God can really get to work. It is after this that real life begins.” (128–129)

So the first thing we are given to confess about stewardship is that it has to do with ownership. God owns everything, and we are simply managers — stewards — acting on His behalf. This is true not only of all that we have in this life (Deuteronomy 8:17–18), but also all that we are in this life (1 Corinthians 6:20).

The rest flows from here. Since we are stewards, or managers, of what belongs to God, entrusted to make use of it according to His will, there is an expectation of responsibility and accountability.

For the Lord said, “Everyone to whom much was given, of him much will be required, and from him to whom they entrusted much, they will demand the more” (Luke 12:48b).

And from this comes blessing and reward: “Well done, good and faithful servant. You have been faithful over a little; I will set you over much. Enter into the joy of your master” (Matthew 25:21).

We have everything we need to support this body and life from our God’s fatherly divine goodness and mercy, without any merit or worthiness in us. We have everything we need for our spiritual life also from His merciful hands.

On account of the sacrifice of His Son, our Lord Jesus, through the preaching of the gospel and the administration of the sacraments, we have the forgiveness of sins, eternal life, and everlasting salvation delivered to us with absolute certainty that it is ours — not as stewards but as sons (Galatians 4:1–7).

Let us then, as His own sons, press all that He gives to us into the service of His church and to His glory.