St.Paul Lutheran Church & School
400 S.13th Street Fort Dodge, IA 50501
Phone 515-955-7285
stpaulfd@stpaulfd.org
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THE EPISTLE OF ST. PAUL
Monthly newsletter of St. Paul Ev. Lutheran Church, Fort Dodge, Iowa
Our Mission Statement: Disciples of Christ Making Disciples for Christ
Volume XXXXV JANUARY 2024 Volume XXXXIIII
Love Makes Us Do It
A young girl was dying. Her only hope lay in a complete blood transfusion, but she had a very rare blood type. Only her brother, even younger than she, had the same type blood. His parents and doctors explained the situation to him, giving him time to ask questions. He agreed and, without delay, he was laid on a bed, the needle was pushed into his tiny vein, and slowly his blood seeped from his small body into the bag hanging from his bed. He lay quietly as the nurse stood next to him, ready to attend to any need he might have. “How do you feel?” she asked. “Ok,” he answered, “but, Nurse, when do I die?”
What love this little boy had for his sister. What must he have thought when his own parents seemingly agreed, even asked him to sacrifice his life to save his sister’s?
The boys’ love for his sister can help us see how much Jesus loves us. Jesus suffered abuse, torture, persecution, and death for all of us. “Greater love has no one than this, that He lay down His life for His friends” (John 15:13). He demonstrated His tremendous love not because of our worthiness, but because He is a God of tremendous love. Jesus’ love for His heavenly Father and for us changed the world. Through His death and resurrection from that death, we through faith have received the forgiveness of our sins and life eternal. God’s love to us in Christ is that power that enables us to love Him. “We love because He first loved us” (1 John 4:19).
The love of Jesus empowers us. Because of Jesus’ love, like the little boy, we can be a people responding out of love. Certainly, we give to needs such as our church budget, Christian causes, and people, but our primary reason for living as a Christian is out of love and commitment to Jesus. When there are opportunities to show love and encouragement, Jesus opens our eyes and hearts so we can respond to those needs. We express our gratitude and thanksgiving for our Lord and the love that He shows us every day. I find it interesting that Ash Wednesday is on Valentine’s Day. We especially see God’s love expressed in Jesus during the Lenten season. God’s love for us changed us from people who are lost to people who are in a deep relationship with our God.
We live in difficult and changing times. How wonderful it is that, as Christians, we know that there is the certainty that Jesus always reaches out to us and loves us. May our lives continually and genuinely reflect His love for us..
Pastor Kendall Meyer
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Fort Dodge IA, (LCMS)
Faith comes by hearing and hearing by the word of God. (2nd Corinthians 5:17
We believe that those who believe in Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior are the Church, the Body of Christ in the world.
School children Can Play
Sunday
9:15 a.m. – Adult Bible Class today – Fellowship Hall.
9:15 a.m. – Sunday School - Multipurpose Room.
4:00pm - High School Youth - Youth Room Lower Level.
Tuesday:
6:30am – Men’s Bible Study with Ken Hays will meet – Conference Room #2.
1:00pm - Women’s Bible Study--Board Room.
6:30pm – Kingsmen will meet the 2nd Tuesday of each month at Shiny Top.
Wednesday:—
6:00pm Women’s Bible study—Board Room
Thursday:
7:00 a.m. – Men’s Bible Class – at Zakeers.
Praise Band: Practice on Tuesday’s at 6:00pm in the Music Room & play on the 2nd Sunday.
Teen Praise: Practices on the 1st, 3rd, &4th Sun.at 9:00am in the sanctuary. They play on the 1st & 4th Sunday at 10:30am service.
Any one who would like to join
contact Lynn Meyer.
Bell Choir: Practice on Thursdays, at 5:15pm in the church balcony.
Spring - a season of renewal and new life - officially arrives on Tuesday, March 19 at 10:06 pm! Though you can’t dig in the garden quite yet, take some time this week to take your family (or just yourself!) to your local greenhouse where you can smell, see, touch, feel and experience the new life all around you. As you do, be mindful of the new life that stirs within you and of Paul’s inspired words written for you in Romans 6: “You were therefore buried with him through baptism into death in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead through the glory of the Father, you too may live a new life.” (Pssst…. Easter is coming soon!)
Lutheran Family Service,
409 Kenyon Rd. Suite C,
Fort Dodge, 515-573-3138 –
Click here for the link
We Stand on Truth-Every life is created by God with a divine purpose, and every human being is endowed with precious dignity and worth.
Our Mission- Whole care for the Whole You/At Obria Medical Clinics we provide reproductive healthcare in a way that empowers our community to make well-informed, life-affirming decisions. Our Services-Pregnancy Testing, Ultrasound & Pregnancy confirmation, Pregnancy Options Counseling, STI Testing & Treatment,
Abortion Pill Reversal, Pap Smears,
Well-Woman Care, and Post-Abortion Services through referral to Restored by Grace. Our Fort Dodge Mobile Medical Unit Hours-2nd & 4th Tuesdays 9-5 with pre-scheduled appointments, 10-5 with no pre-scheduled appointments, & Fridays 9-1
Obria you are invited to a special evening, Legacy for Life, Tuesday April 23rd, at 6:00pm-8:30pm. Doors open at 6:00pm, silent auction from 6pm-7:30pm, dinner at 6:30pm program 7:30pm-8:30pm. This will be at Cornerstone Church, 56829 US Highway 30, Ames, Iowa. Please RSVP before April 15th by visiting https://bit.ly/legacy_of_life.
St.Paul Lutheran Church & School
400 S.13th Street Fort Dodge, IA 50501
Phone 515-955-7285
stpaulfd@stpaulfd.org
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