Pastor Sell on the Radio: The Language of Christ's Church

Listen at any time.
Go to issuesetc.org

Today (July 25th), Pastor Sell was on Issues Etc., a popular radio program broadcast in St. Louis and on the internet around the world (KSIV 1350 am radio).

On the 3:30 segment, Pr. Sell was interviewed by Todd Wilken about the language of Christ's church. God purposley chooses to communicate with the world through words. His words are revealed to us in the Spirit empowered Scriptures. His words are holy. They have the power to do what they say they do.

God's Holy Word cuts across all of history and penetrates every culture in which they are spoken, regardless of what language is used. The holy Christian Church takes words very seriously because they are salvation, they are God's holy law and life-giving gospel. They are the only thing the church has and in them, they bring the very presence of God in baptism and the Lord's Supper. God's language creates a rhythm of life that brings us to repentance and forgives our sins. The rhythm of God's words are best experienced in the life of the church as she is gathered around God's Word and the Sacramental Life.

You can listen to Pr. Sell's interview here.

Issues, Etc. is a radio talk show hosted by LCMS Pastor Todd Wilken and produced by Lutheran Public Radio.  You can listen to in-depth teachings on subjects like: New Atheism, Jesus’ Journey to Jerusalem, Lutheran Martyr Robert Barnes, Joseph of Arimathea and more.  You can listen LIVE weekdays from 4-5 p.m. on KSIV, 1320 AM in St. Louis.   You can also listen on-demand at http://www.issuesetc.org/.

Welcome to Faith, Bill and Nedra

Bill and Nedra are excited about being new members of Faith. They are retired teachers and enjoy their time traveling about the country. They were publicly welcomed into membership June 28, 2011.

Faith Welcomes New Members

Clint and April (top)
Azura and Cameron (bottom)

Father's Day, June 19 2011, Faith welcomed three new members. April was confirmed after learning more about God's Word. God marked Azura and Cameron as His children in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit (Matthew 28:19) with living waters (John 7:37) by Holy Baptism. 


Forgiveness of sins in the sacramental life brings the fulfillment of the Great Commission of Matthew 28. Clint, April's fiance', is already a member of Faith. Baptizing, teaching, and feeding until the end of the age is what Christ's church does best.

Faith Installs Pastor Sell - Sunday May 15 - 10:30 a.m.

You are invited to the installation of Faith's new pastor, Mark Sell.

May 15, Faith will install Pastor Mark E. Sell as her called and ordained pastor. Pastor Sell has served as Faith's vacancy pastor since November of 2010. We are excited about the Lord's work through Faith's members and Pastor Sell.

The installation will take place during our regular service at 10:30 a.m.

Pastor Scot Kinnaman (Sr. Editor, CPH) will serve as the liturgist. Pastor Kinnaman served with Pastor Sell at CPH and St. Luke in Clinton Twp. MI.

Pastor Matthew Harrison (Assoc. Pastor of Village Lutheran Church and president of the LCMS) will preach. Pastors Harrison and Sell attended the seminary together in the 1980's.

We celebrate this event of Faith with a congregational meal immediately after the service.

He Is Risen! Blessed Easter

(From Luther's Easter Sermon) This is the meaning of the words by St. Paul: "Christ was raised for our justification." Here Paul turns my eyes away from my sins and directs them to Christ, for if I look at my sins, they will destroy me.

Therefore I must look unto Christ who has taken my sins upon himself, crushed the head of the serpent and become the blessing. Now they no longer burden my conscience, but rest upon Christ, whom they desire to destroy.

Let us see how they treat him. They hurl him to the ground and kill him. 0 God; where is now my Christ and my Saviour? But then God appears, delivers Christ and makes him alive; and not only does he make him alive, but he translates him into heaven and lets him rule over all. What has now become of sin? There it lies under his feet. If I then cling to this, I have a cheerful conscience like Christ, because I am without sin.

Now I can defy death, the devil, sin and hell to do me any harm. As I am a child of Adam, they can indeed accomplish it that I must die. But since Christ has taken my sins upon himself, has died for them, has suffered himself to be slain on account of my sins, they can no longer harm me; for Christ is too strong for them, they cannot keep him, he breaks forth and overpowers them, ascends into heaven  and rules there over all throughout eternity.

Now I have a clear conscience, am joyful and happy and am no longer afraid of this tyrant, for Christ has taken my sins away from me and made them his own. But they cannot remain upon him; what then becomes of them? They must disappear and be destroyed. This then is the effect of faith. He who believes that Christ has taken away our sin, is without sin, like Christ himself, and death, the devil and hell are vanquished as far as he is concerned and they can no longer harm him.

Join Us for Holy Week

Maundy Thursday - 7 pm - Preparing the sacrificial Lamb

Good Friday - 7 pm - A holy and perfect sacrifice for sin.

Easter Sunday
- 8 am Morning Service
- 9 am Breakfast
- 10:30 Celebrate the Resurrection in Christ's true body and blood for the forgiveness of sins.

Ash Wednesday at Faith

“Remember that you are dust,

and to dust you shall return.”

For nearly a thousand years, these words have been spoken to young and old alike as the sign of the cross is traced on their foreheads with ashes—the Imposition of Ashes, as it has come to be known.  “What does this mean?”

Ashes in the Bible

The Bible contains a number of references to ashes and dust (cf. Joshua 7:6; 1 Samuel. 4:12; 2 Samuel 1:2, 15:32; Job 2:12, 16:15; Jeremiah 25:34; Lamentation 2:10; Ezekiel 27:30; Jonah 3:6). In fact, the Lord's curse on Adam, “dust you are, and to dust you shall return” (Gen. 3:19) is echoed in the Imposition of Ashes formula. 


In the New Testament, Jesus declares: “Woe to you, Chorazin! Woe to you, Bethsaida! For if the mighty works done in you had been done in Tyre and Sidon, they would have repented long ago in sackcloth and ashes” (Matt. 11:21). Thus, in the Bible, ashes carry a two-fold meaning: as a sign of human mortality (Gen. 3:19) and as a sign of public repentance (Matt. 11:21).
 
Ashes Today?

A reminder of your baptism. Lutherans use the Imposition of Ashes with the two-fold biblical understanding of ashes: as a sign of our mortality and as a sign of our repentance. The pastor traces the cross on the forehead with the traditional formula, “Remember, you are dust, and to dust you shall return.” It's a paraphrases of the words of God in the Garden of Eden (Gen. 3:19).

Spaghetti Dinner - Benevolence in Mercy - $600+ Raised

Thanks to all the hard work, the volunteers and friends of Faith who attended.

Over $600 was raised to add to our Benevolence in Mercy fund.

"The one who does acts of mercy, does so with cheerfulness."

Acts of Mercy

Faith is hosting a spaghetti dinner as a fund raiser to support her benevolent activity throughout the year. Annually, Faith provides thousands of dollars in aid for families and individuals who are in dire need.

Our Benevolence in Mercy is governed by the Elders of our church. Faith uses our gifts to provide food, shelter, and other individual needs. Cash is NEVER given out.

"...so we, though many, are one body in Christ, ... Having gifts that differ according to the grace given us... if service, in our serving, the one who teaches in his teaching;... the one who contributes, in generosity; the one who leads, with zeal; the one who does acts of mercy, with cheerfulness (Romans 12:5-8)."

Suggested Donations

• Children 4 and under Free!
• 5-11 yrs. old $4
• 12 and up $7

Contact Wendy Hagan to help with preparations or call Faith (636) 239-0554.

A Story of Mercy $500 before Christmas
How the Lord Cares for People
It was a week before Christmas and there was a message left on the Church's phone. "I'd like to give $500 to Faith to help someone in need." Benevolence in Mercy went into action. The caller hoped that the gift would help someone in time for Christmas.

Faith's Organ Fund - Opus 220

Thank You! Thank You!
Money Raised in 2 Sundays!
Organ Fund

Johannus Opus 220

Former organist, Karen Rabe, is offering her personal organ to Faith for $500. Our current organ is broken (no foot pedals). The organ is currently in our neighborhood and would be easy to move to our church.

Good news! We are half way there already! Donations of $250 were committed last week.

We need $250 more.

 $500 Price

-Over $700 Raised
 $00 Needed.

Details on the organ, Johannus Opus 220

How to donate?

Make check out to:

Faith Lutheran Church

     Memo: Organ Fund

www.faithwashingtonmo.blogspot.com

Email us

Faith Preschool Committee Holds First Meeting: Getting to Work

An Exciting Time at Faith

Last Sunday, after church, Faith's Preschool Committee held its first meeting in Pastor's office. It was a meeting to get organized and elect a chairperson. There were five people in attendance. The group elected Wendy Hagan as its chairperson. The members of the committee are Wendy Hagan, Dave Meyer, Becky Bopp. The ex officio (advisory members) are the pastor of Faith and a representative of the elders. They are currently Pastor Sell and Mark Bopp.

The Work Has Begun

The committee will be in touch with other members of Faith who have expressed interest in serving on the committee. There is a lot of work ahead of us and we need the help.

A couple of tasks are already set. Becky Bopp will begin hunting for opportunities for grants and funding. Wendy Hagan will contact MO District's Director of Lutheran Schools, Dennis Gehrke, who will provide us with plenty of ideas and structure to begin our study. Dave Meyer is going to be the link with the trustees to learn about what we need to do to our existing classrooms to serve the children in the preschool.


Interested in being on the committee? Feel free to contact Wendy Hagan to help out or join the committee.

Faith Establishes a Committee to Study Preschool

This past week, the council began the process for a feasibility study to determine the likelihood of opening a preschool at Faith Lutheran. The leaders of the church believe that there is a strong possiblity that Faith could very well open a preschool to serve the families in the area.

[Keep up with Preschool Study news here. ]


The Elders are taking up this challenge and will soon put together the committee and meet with the Missouri District of the LCMS. The district provides some wonderful resources that will help us to move forward. Please check back frequently and keep us in your prayers.

If you are interested in serving on our Preschool Committee please let Pastor or Mark Bopp know.

This is an exciting time for Faith as we continue to shine the Epiphany Light of our Lord, Jesus Christ.

An Epiphany Message from Pastor Harrison

Blessed Epiphany and New Year from President Harrison from VimeoLCMS on Vimeo.
LCMS President Rev. Matthew Harrison reminds us that no matter what challenges the new year brings, we can look ahead with one certainty – Jesus came for us!

Come to Faith and have an Epiphany

We are now in the midst of the Epiphany season in the Christian Church. Our service this Sunday will celebrate the revelation of our God - Jesus Christ.

Epiphany means to bring to light, to reveal. God's word reveals the true Light of the World in Jesus. The man, Jesus is the God Jesus. The death of God on the cross for the forgiveness of sins means that the miracle of Christmas lives on. Jesus was a baby in Mary's womb who was God. The boy in the temple learning and teaching was God. The Son who heeded his mother's wishes at the wedding of Cana was God.

Join us for our Epiphany service this Sunday and rejoice in your Epiphany experience in the presence of the God-man Jesus Christ who calls you into His body, the church.

Pr. Sell