Can you imagine? Jesus eating with tax collectors and sinners! I’m not sure why but I think people have the impression that the church is for “good” people, respectable people. People who can’t seem to get their lives together don’t seem to be good Christian people. But good people are not who Jesus was hanging out with. Tax collectors. Sinners. That made the good people upset! So we get the parables of the lost sheep and coin and the prodigal son. (Though really it should be the prodigal father!). What do these parables teach us? That sinners will sin. That despite all the best guidance in the world from God’s Law, we’re still going to wreck everything. These parables teach us about God. About His grace. That He will go to the ends of the earth (and even through suffering and death) to find us lost sinners. The Father gives us everything we think we want and is right there when we have nothing left but to come crawling back. These three parables tell us much about us but way more about the Lord. His mercy is one which comes after us who could never find our way back. His mercy waits for us who sometimes takes awhile to come to our senses by the work of the Spirit. Strip every other notion away. We are sinners and we would wander forever. God is merciful and saves us. There’s no “good” people. Just people whom the Lord loves and gives the gift of repentance. And the angels rejoice when that happens! That’s coming up this Third Sunday after Trinity.

ONE SERVICE SUNDAY – 9:00 AM
That’s the big news. We’re going back to one service at 9:00 AM THIS SUNDAY. Details for the service are as follows:

• Pews will not be restricted.
• We will kneel at the rail for Communion.
• Masks will not be required. Those who are not vaccinated or who may be more comfortable doing so should wear a mask. (Vaccination status will not be asked or checked). If you are not feeling well, consider remaining at home and watching our livestream.
• The passing of the offering plate will be resumed.
• For now, we’ll continue to take attendance by list. We’ll return cards to the pews soon.

BIBLE STUDY will be at 8:00 AM on Sundays.

LEARNING THE FAITH will be held following the service on Sundays.

LWML MITES COLLECTION
Bring your Mite Boxes or loose change this Sunday for our LWML Mite Collection. The Lutheran Women’s Missionary League uses those mites – which add up! — to accomplish mission projects around the world.

SOFTBALL SCHEDULE
Come on out and cheer on our Zion Zephyrs. They play Monday, June 21 at 6:30 p.m. Zephyrs vs. St. John’s at Township 1.

LIVE STREAM INFORMATION
We will continue to Live Stream and Record the service each week:

You can watch live and find recorded services here:
We stream live on our FACEBOOK PAGE HERE.

Our videos are also live and recorded on YOUTUBE HERE.

The simplest way to watch online (not live) is probably through our church’s website HERE.

SUMMER SCHEDULE CHANGES
Please note the following exceptions to our regular schedule over the summer:

• No Wednesday Services – July 14 and 28
• No Tuesday Bible Study – July 13 and 27

Some people, it seems, must be sought out until they are found and brought back. Others, it seems, need to wake up to their need for the Lord. Either way, this change of heart is the work of the Spirit. Repentance means a “turn around” or “change of heart,” but this is the work of the Spirit within us. By His Good News of forgiveness, Jesus brings us back to God. On our own, we’d never even try. We’d just get more lost and desperate. So the Lord brings us back to His house to rejoice and throw a celebration. So we are gathered together this week again to celebrate God’s mercy and grace, gifts the “good” people don’t get but we sinners are happy and relieved to enjoy! See you all in the Divine Service… at 9:00!

In Christ,
Pastor Buetow

Vacation Bible School

Fish Lake Services