The Twin Steeples Podcast

Hymn 292 - Lord Jesus Christ, With Us Abide

This weekend we will be considering the importance of exercise in our worship service. Not physical exercise, but spiritual exercise. As we consider HOW we exercise spiritually, we will reflect on the "gym equipment" that the LORD has given us to remain spiritually fit and healthy.

This weekend we will be singing Hymn 292 in our worship. It was written by a reformer who struggled with confessional purity during a very dark and trying time in Church history. Yet the Lord preserved His church and promises to do the same today. He defends, protects, sustains and builds up His Church and people through His Word and Sacrament. This hymn highlights both the power of God's Word, which is our "shield and sword" as well as the dangers that surround us in this evil world, from both the world and the devil. For "falsehood's spirit wide has spread, and error boldly rears its head." May the Lord enable us to stand firm against error and false teaching and strengthen us through His Word of truth, preparing us for eternity. 

Join us this weekend as we are reminded of God's spiritual blessings in His Word and Sacrament, and as we reflect on how we can exercise our faith in both heart and body!

July 2, 2025

• Devotion
  • Ecclesiastes 4:13-16
• Review
  • Monday, June 30 - Special Voters’ Meeting
  • ERC / CC meeting
  • Outreach meeting
• Upcoming
  • Board of Elders meeting tonight
  • Evening Ambassadors @ Lien House tonight 7-9pm
  • No Mid week Bible Study on Colossians this week
  • No Men’s Breakfast this week
  • No Women’s Bible Study on Friday night
  • Fourth of July Parade in St. Peter (talk to Hilary to help!)
  • Communion this weekend (please register for communion)
  • Outdoor service on July 20th @ Erlandson Park
    • Games and lunch Sunday after church
    • Saturday night will be at church
  • Third Sunday communion will be moved to the Second Sunday in July
  • Parenting/Mentoring Seminar - July 20 4-7pm (RSVP)
  • VBS Registration Open (July 28- August 1)
• Prayer List
  • Cancer Patients
    • Pastor John Hein
    • Pastor Tim Wheaton
    • Jim Lien
  • Other health issues
    • Ethan Kranz
    • Mark Stelter
    • Joan Strand (hip)
    • Marty Flowers (elbow /arm)
    • Alex, Miranda, and Baby Hanel
    • Caroline Matzke (infection)
    • Dale Redlin (hospice)
• Prayer Highlight
  • Church - Outreach Efforts: Outreach Committee organize events: two parades, worship in the park, invite a friend to church, adopt a highway, Flyers on billboards, signs on the roads, Facebook ads; etc. Personal invitation!
  • CLC Missions - Nepal – Prayers continue for the eight CLC Mission Helpers who are doing VBS outreach in Nepal with Pastor Raju and his family. The Mission Helpers will divide into two teams as they spend the next few weeks proclaiming the simple Gospel message to approx. 2,000 children in towns and mountain villages where HCLCN congregations are located. They will be helping  pastors, leaders, and members of the Himalayan Church of the Lutheran Confession of Nepal (HCLCN) to spread the Gospel in Nepal. You can follow along with the Mission Helpers through the trip blog at: www.2025clcmhtnepal.blogspot.com. Your prayers are requested and much appreciated.
• GPC Paper Review
  • Motivation for Ministry - Ben Libby
• Hymn of the Day: TLH 584 “Swell the Anthem, Raise the Song”  

Sermon - June 29, 2025

This recording is a condensed version of the sermon preached at Immanuel Ev. Lutheran Church on June 22, 2025. You can watch the full recording on our YouTube Channel.

John 7:40-53 (NKJV)

Therefore many from the crowd, when they heard this saying, said, “Truly this is the Prophet.” 41 Others said, “This is the Christ.” But some said, “Will the Christ come out of Galilee? 42 Has not the Scripture said that the Christ comes from the seed of David and from the town of Bethlehem, where David was?” 43 So there was a division among the people because of Him. 44 Now some of them wanted to take Him, but no one laid hands on Him. 45 Then the officers came to the chief priests and Pharisees, who said to them, “Why have you not brought Him?” 46 The officers answered, “No man ever spoke like this Man!” 47 Then the Pharisees answered them, “Are you also deceived? 48 Have any of the rulers or the Pharisees believed in Him? 49 But this crowd that does not know the law is accursed.” 50 Nicodemus (he who came to Jesus by night, being one of them) said to them, 51 “Does our law judge a man before it hears him and knows what he is doing?” 52 They answered and said to him, “Are you also from Galilee? Search and look, for no prophet has arisen out of Galilee.” 53 And everyone went to his own house.

Theme: Wrestling with Who Jesus Is

 

Hymn 281 - The Savior Calls, Let Every Ear

This weekend we will be dealing with the questions: "Who is Jesus?" and "What does that mean for me?" During the ministry of Jesus there were many people who had questions about who He was, and what that meant for them. The same is true today. Jesus declared that He was the Messiah, the Savior promised by God to the world, and He showed that to be true by His words and actions. If that is true, then His words have implications for us today. He invites us to come to Him for forgiveness, life and salvation. 

This hymn, written by Anne Steele, repeats that invitation. It reminds us that Jesus has invited us to come and never thirst, and it reminds us that we are also to invite others to come to Jesus as well. The hymn is based on several passages from the Old and New Testament that contain God's gracious invitation to sinners, but foremost it is based on Jesus' words in Matthew 11:28 and John 7. Jesus says: "Come to Me, all you who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For My yoke is easy and My burden is light” (Matthew 11:28). And “If anyone thirsts, let him come to Me and drink. He who believes in Me, as the Scripture has said, out of his heart will flow rivers of living water" (John 7:37-38).

What rich blessings our Savior offers to undeserving sinners such as us through this invitation! Thank God for His Mercy in Jesus!

Join us this weekend as we are reminded of God's gracious call, and as we reflect on the rich blessings that He offers through heeding that invitation!

June 25, 2025

• Devotion
  • Ecclesiastes 4:7-12

 

• Announcements
  
  • Pastoral Conference
  • Christian Family Weekend
  • Ambassadors
  • Midweek Bible Study
  • Men's Breakfast
  • Ladies Bible Study
  • Voters' Meeting
  • Outdoor Service
  • Parenting Seminar
  • VBS Registration

 

• Prayer List 
  • Pastor John Hein
  • Pastor Tim Wheaton
  • Jim Lien
  • Ethan Kranz
  • Mark Stelter
  • Joan Strand
  • Marty Flowers
  • Hanel Family
  • Bible Study Leaders
  • Mission Helpers to Nepal

 

• Common Christian Q&A 

  • Why does Luke record the lineage of Jesus through Mary?

 

• Hymn: TLH 622 “The Voice that Breathed o’er Eden”