Newsletter 

This Week

Wednesday, Nov. 4: Meal 5:30P. Confirmation & Religion 6:15P. Youth Group

Sunday, Nov. 8: Worship service 9:00A with coffee & rolls following.

Pie Sales: The Youth Group is again selling pies this fall.  The cost is $15/pie.  Call the church office to order or contact a member of the Youth Group.

Sign up sheet for Wednesday night meals starting Sept. 9 is in the fellowship hall.  Please consider making a meal for our youth before Confirmation and Religion classes.

Wednesday Night Education began.  We will again be offering dinner for anyone and everyone (even if you are not in school), beginning at 5:30 and running until 6:10. Education hour begins at 6:15 for all youth pre-K through 9th grade.  7-12th grades can join us on the first and third Wednesdays for Youth Group starting at 7:30-8:30.  

Visits from Pr. Jon: Would you like a visit from Pr. Jon, please call the church office (507-342-5327) or Pr. Jon’s cell (563-564-7249) and let us know.

Here is Pastor Jon's November letter  - - - - - - 

For everything created by God is good, and nothing is to be

rejected, provided it is received with Thanksgiving.  (1 Timothy 4:4)

Paul was writing to Timothy when he wrote 1 Timothy.  A young man who was leading a church.  Yet, it seems that today there is something that is completely different than when Paul wrote the letter; something different about how to be thankful for all that God has made for us.  With the occasion of Thanksgiving, we tend to list what we are thankful for, and what we have received blessings for.  But, when you get down to it, there is something empty and shallow with the attitude of “I appreciate what God has done for me; therefore I will indulge myself with a big meal!”

Don’t get me wrong.  I probably will do my share of overeating this Thanksgiving holiday.  After all, who can resist a succulent turkey, flavorful stuffing, mashed potatoes and gravy, and a scoop of sweet potatoes drowning in butter, brown sugar, and marshmallows?  Not to mention the beautiful homemade pies the youth have hand-made, baked to a golden brown and served with a side of ice cream.  Yet I can’t help wonder if we are actually having a “Thanks-received” attitude instead of a genuine Thanksgiving attitude. After all, what does thanksgiving really mean for us as Christians?

Thanksgiving means giving!

Thanksgiving means GIVING TO GOD because God gives to us. Paul stated to the Corinthians that remembering what Jesus gave for our sakes should make us want to give generously and cheerfully to God in return. (2 Cor. 9:6-9). The point is that thanksgiving to God should be felt with our hearts, with our talents, with our time, and even with our own checkbooks.  In a time that we are paying more and more at the pumps, in the grocery stores, and it seems like everywhere, we need to remember what Jesus did for us, and he had nothing.  He showed us how to be grateful, and supportive, of all God’s children.

Thanksgiving also means GIVING TO THOSE WHO HAVE GIVEN TO US. We all owe a debt of gratitude to those who raised us. Certainly we should honor them (Eph. 6:2). Unfortunately, in our fast-paced society, many children seem unable (or unwilling) to give their parents the time they should (this is true no matter how old you or your parents are). Are we truly thankful for our parents? Then let’s demonstrate our gratitude by giving them the most valuable gift of all–ourselves. And not only our parents, but truly give back to any and all who have selflessly touched our lives (Uncles, Aunts, bosses, teachers, friends, etc.).

And finally, Thanksgiving means GIVING TO THOSE WHO ARE IN NEED, because God gives us all we need. Real gratitude shares with all. Those who have been richly blessed by God, must be a blessing to others. Christ gave to everyone he met, not because he had to, but he choose to share all that he had.  He didn’t ignore the beggar on the street.  He didn’t walk past the blind man crying out.  He didn’t turn away from the lepers who were shunned from the city.  He gave all he had, and more. 

It’s too easy for us to look at world hunger, hardship, and the needs of so many others and excuse ourselves by saying, “Well, I can’t help everyone.” True, you can’t help everyone, but you can help someone (Gal. 6:10)! Like the story of the old man who was walking alongside the beach after the high tide went out.  He walked along and picked up one of the hundreds of starfish that were left to die outside of the water.  When asked why he would pick them up and throw them into the water, and how he thought this would help since there were so many starfish on the beach, the old man looked at the other and said, “I may not be able to help all of them, but this guy is safe.”

It is not enough to count our blessings, we must also share them with others.  Since we have so much for which to be grateful, we need to be gracious to others.  Especially at a time when we feel the pain of prices rising. We are blessed by God, and given all that we need.  I just need to look beyond my own wants to help others who are in need.  That is what Thankfulness, and the Thanksgiving holiday, is about. 

Genuine thankfulness, genuine thanksgiving, not only receives the blessings, but it acts out of grace! Does your thanksgiving really give?

-          Pastor Jon Wendt

You can find information as well as service livestreams for St. Matthew on our Facebook page: St. Matthew Lutheran Church Wabasso.

We also have a new website: www.stmatthewwabasso.com.  Here you will find all the information about church and schedules.

You can also e-mail the church office at stmatthewwabasso@gmail.com If you could please send an email to the church office with your name and phone number, that will help us update our church directory (name, phone, email).