VOLUME 41 ISSUE 9

SEPTEMBER 2015

Heartline...from the Pastor

Helmar Heartlines 815-695-5489

helmarlutheran@gmail.com

INSIDE THIS ISSUE

Birthdays & Anniversaries 2

Thank You 2

Youth Front, Choir Practice 3

Family Mission, Finances 3

New Address 3

Council Minutes 4-5

New Website, Altar Flowers 5

"The Longest Day"

"Then Joshua spoke to the Lord in the day when the Lord delivered up the Amorites

before the children of Israel, and he said in the sight of Israel: Sun, stand still over Gibeon: And Moon, in the Valley of Aijalon. So the sun

stood still, and the moon stopped, till the people had revenge upon their enemies. And there has been no day like that, before it or after it that the Lord heeded the voice of a

man; for the Lord fought for Israel." Joshua 10:12-14

Can you imagine a day like that? The

Israelites had observed God's power before, but they had never seen anything like this. For the sake of His people God decided to break the order that He had set, and cause disorder in the rotation between the earth and sun.

There has never been a day like that one many years ago. And there has never been a passage of Scripture so universally explained away as the one in Joshua 10. It is explained away because to "Intellectuals" the scientific implications of keeping the sun in one spot for that long would cause unheard of chaos in the solar system as well as turmoil on earth. Wouldn’t the earth burn up, and the oceans swell over the land? Wouldn’t planets bump into each other, and asteroids destroy the earth?

I believe that it happened just as the Bible says it did. In fact I don't even feel the need to explain how it scientifically could have happened. If we really and truly believe that God created the World and all that exists. And if we really and truly believe that God set in motion everything in the cosmos. If God set up the current order that we live in, why can't He change it whenever He wants to? He

can and often does change the order when He sees fit. Those changes are sometimes referred to as miracles.

Now if we have misread Joshua 10, and “the sun standing still” means something other than standing still in the sky for 24 hours, that’s fine, I can accept that. What I cannot accept is someone saying that God could not make the sun stand still. When we say that God is omnipotent, we mean it. All-powerful means having all power.

All of this points to a much bigger question for us all. When someone using "indisputable Scientific proof" explains that something in the Bible just couldn't have happened, is our faith strong enough to say simply, "The Bible says it happened and I believe the Bible to be true".

Whether God decides to cause a day to last longer than usual, or whether He decides to heal someone miraculously, or whether He decides to save a sinner like me, is not for me to question but to believe and marvel. Our God is much bigger than any scientific "proofs". He can do anything He wants to, that's what makes Him God.

What an honor it is to serve The Creator and worship Him. Because of His power and majesty, He is worthy to be praised. May God bless you, and cause you to see the wonder of God’s power everyday as He works in your life. In Christ, Pastor Molstre

Birthdays and *Anniversaries For SEPTEMBER

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Sept. 1 Ryan & Crystal Cryder* Sept. 2 Taylor Adams Shira Christian Mark Frieders David & Shira Christian* Sept. 3 Sharon McKanna Dennis & Charlene Austin* Sept. 5 Hannah Greven Christian Pilon Brad & Treva Mathre* Sammy Swenson Sept. 6 Meagan Butts Myrtle Duvick Brian Mathre Sept. 7 Rachel Riemenschneider

Sept. 8 Ron Thorson Brian & Carrie Pilon Sept. 9 Harry Erickson Sept. 10 Marlon Mathre Sept. 12 Tim & Katie Blanchard* Henry & Pam Cryder* Gayle Schoenfielder Don & Gayle Schoenfielder* Laverne Spera Sept. 14 Tim Blanchard, Jr. Sept. 16 Brandon Niles Sept. 18 Diane Cryder Sept. 19 Stephen & Sarah Meyer* Mike & Tina Perkins* Terry & Deena Schroeder*

Sept. 21 Steve & Tammy Underwood* Sept. 22 Scott Anderson Andrew Kittelson Sept. 25 Rachel Mathre Sept. 26 Sharon Bond Bruce & Diane Meyer* Sept. 27 Lauren Punke Nathan Punke Sept. 29 Lori Chelsen Teresa Mathre Sept. 30 Dave & Lori Chelsen* Muriel Robinson *Wedding Anniversaries

Thank you, thank you isn't enough to all of you who where involved in VBS

2015. We had another successful week due to all the dedicated helpers from

float builders for the 4th of July parade, to decorating the education wing, FLC

lobby, and the FLC, all crew leaders, volunteers,and department heads, publicity,

tee shirts, programs for the performance Thurs. night, and our picnic on Friday. We

touched the hearts of almost 100 kids with the power of Christ in their lives. It was so ex-

citing to see the faces of those eager to learn about Jesus. The children learned nine songs

with motions for the program on Thurs. night. They are like little sponges which enables

them to learn so quickly!!! What a joy!!!

Just a few reminders: If you have any materials from our VBS this summer, please return

to Diane Cryder so we can keep all materials together. Also we would like any input or sug-

gestions for next year. Tell us what worked or what needs improvement. You can email

those suggestions to either dncryder@att.net or renee.geistler@gmail.com, we welcome

your ideas.

We would also like to put out a call for next year's VBS 2016 "Cave Quest" Jesus is the

light of the world. If you feel God is leading you to head up a department, decorating, or

the many jobs necessary to make the program thrive, please let us know through emails.

Looking forward to another successful year in 2016. SAVE THE DATE!!!! ( July 11 - 15.)

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Family Family Mission will be a little different this month. We will meet at 5pm on September 13th for a light supper of hamburgers, etc. After enjoying some “make your own sundaes”, Nate and Rhoda Jore will share about their work in Uganda. Newark Lutheran has been invited to join us.

Worship Choir begins r e h e a r s a l s o n September 17 at 6:30pm in the Choir loft. Please join us and

bring a friend!

“Year-To-Date” Financial Report General Fund Missions Foundation Amount needed thru 8-30-15 $195,898.88 $42,600.00 thru 6-30-15 $40,062.00 Received thru 8-23-15 $222.149.21 $37,896.50 $32,045.74 Net difference needed ($26,250.32) $5,338.50 $8,016.26 Dennis is out of town, so I couldn’t get the latest figures for the Foundation. That is why I used the latest ones I had.

Sean & Jen Johnson’s New Address Address in Germany:: The Johnson Family Zu den Höfen 1 40883 Ratingen Germany Mail Forwarding Address:: Sean Johnson 301 SW Adams St c/o Wealth Management Peoria, IL 61602 Our email: millie5599@yahoo.com

God deserves praise and glory for His lovingkindnesses--they are daily, personal, eternal! What a wonderful God! We want to see Him at work more and more in our lives.

Pastor Jon has been leading the Youth Bible studies this summer. We are currently walking through the Old Testament, looking at God's plan of salvation in each book. For a final summer event, eleven youth and three adults spent the day together helping at Feed My Starving Children, picnicking at Phillips Park, playing laser tag, and eating tacos at the Pilon's house. Another get-together was helping do yardwork around the church, under the supervision of John and Laurie Chally.

YOUTH FRONT

Handbell practice will resume

on Tuesday, September 1st at

7:00pm.

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PLEASE check our Lost & Found box in

the narthex (under the coat rack). It is

quite full of coats, umbrellas, etc. We

will be donating unclaimed items to our

Food Pantry on September 28th.

Be sure to check out our new web site at helmarluthranchurch.com.

It’s had a facelift!

You will now be able to listen to past sermons from the website as

well as seeing the bulletins or newsletters. Sue will be able to make

changes on the web page now, so be sure to let her know of any

upcoming events that should be posted.

Just a reminder that we would love to have fresh flowers on the altar each Sunday. You can read on the bulletin board

in the narthex about the different op-tions. Flowers will be used for two Sun-days. Questions, contact Sheila Marie at 815-617-2917.

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