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News and Events happening in our church community!
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Obituary & Funeral for Marjean Ruddle
/1 Comment/in News, Uncategorized /by pastorBulletin
Marjean Louise Ruddle
Marjean Louise Ruddle was born on Sept 9,1941 in Wood Lake, Minnesota, a twin daughter born to Arnold and Louise (Behm) Voigt. She was baptized into the Kingdom of God and made an heir of eternal life on October 12,1941. Marjean confessed her Christian faith and faithfulness to her savior and Lord Jesus Christ thru the Rite of Confirmation on May 22,1955. She graduated from Wood Lake High School in 1959 and Mankato Commercial College in 1960 for Business machine Accounting career. First employed by the Soo Line Railroad, then after raising 2 boys, with the City of St Louis Park. She retired to Maple Lake in 2000. Marjean was a breast cancer survivor (1998).
Marjean was united in marriage to William Ruddle on April 1, 1967 at Pilgrim Lutheran Church in Minneapolis, MN. Her hobbies included bowling, sewing and gardening. She was active with Maple Lake Red Hats lunch group and Maple Lake Lady Bug garden club. She was an active volunteer with the Wise Penny Thrift Shoppe In Buffalo for many years. Marjean was a member of the choir at Timothy Lutheran, St Louis Park MN, and St Peter’s Lutheran in Monticello, MN.
The Lord Jesus called Marjean to himself in heaven on Sunday, January 3rd, 2021 at the age of 79 years.
Survivors include her husband William, (son) Kevin Ruddle and wife Becky of New Hope, MN; (son) Kenneth Ruddle of Prior Lake, MN. 9 grandchildren: Zach, Nich, Evan, Amanda, Jack, Luke, Caitlin, Lexie, Emma and 2 great-grandchildren : Aubrey, Harry.
Sisters and brother as follow: Merlin Voigt and wife Pamela of Waukee, IA; Marian Mundale and husband G. Ronald of Maiden Rock, WI and Marcia Schottler and husband Wayne of Helena, MT. Nieces and nephews as follow: Tamra and Garry Voigt; Melissa Mazurek; Jennifer Corrigan; Jeff Mundale.
Marjean was preceded in death by her parents; (sister) Marlys Jones; (sister) Mavis Hatcliff; (daughter-in-law) Anne Ruddle.
A Christian funeral and memorial service is being held at 2:00 pm on Friday, January 8, 2021 at St Peters Lutheran Church, with Pastor Darren Green officiating.
Visitation will start at 1:00 pm until the service. Family, friends and members of St. Peter’s are welcome to come to the service and/or visitation.
Interment will take place at Lakeview Cemetery in Silver Creek, MN. Memorial contributions may be made to St. Peter’s Church or as donors choose.
Marjean had a stroke early Sunday morning. She never fully recovered and was called home to Jesus at 8 pm on Sunday evening. A service of worship and praise to our Lord will take place on Friday at 2:00 pm. We thank the Lord for having brought her to faith and now bringing her to paradise. May the Lord be with Bill and his family at this time and give them comfort and peace in Jesus’ sure Word.
What comfort the reading we heard this last Sunday from Hebrews 2 was. I was able to share this with Bill, Marjean and family in the hospital. We are reminded that Jesus came and calls us family. He especially came to destroy the devil and free us from the fear of death!! Yes, Jesus is true God and true man that stepped into our lives to make certain that we would be holy before God and eventually enter the glory of God. Jesus made atonement for us so we could be confident. Marjean knew Jesus and his precious gift. We take comfort that she is now with the Lord.
Hebrews 2:10–11, 14-18 —10 In bringing many sons and daughters to glory, it was fitting that God, for whom and through whom everything exists, should make the pioneer of their salvation perfect through what he suffered. 11 Both the one who makes people holy and those who are made holy are of the same family. So Jesus is not ashamed to call them brothers and sisters. … 14 Since the children have flesh and blood, he too shared in their humanity so that by his death he might break the power of him who holds the power of death—that is, the devil—15 and free those who all their lives were held in slavery by their fear of death. 16 For surely it is not angels he helps, but Abraham’s descendants. 17 For this reason he had to be made like them, fully human in every way, in order that he might become a merciful and faithful high priest in service to God, and that he might make atonement for the sins of the people. 18 Because he himself suffered when he was tempted, he is able to help those who are being tempted.
Give Online! New Vanco Giving Plus available.
/0 Comments/in News /by pastorWe have set up our new online giving with Vanco Giving Plus. Use the form here or follow links below for mobile or a separate page.
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Your Treasure
/0 Comments/in Devotions /by pastorWhat do you treasure? Your family? Your stuff? Your teams? Your money? You treasure all sorts of things. Your treasure is what you sink your time into and talk about. It’s what your thoughts turn to again and again. The people you spend time with probably have a pretty good idea what you treasure.
It is certainly easy to see what the man in Jesus’ parable valued. After all, he sold everything he had to get it! He realized that the treasure in that field was more valuable than everything else he had put together.
Jesus told this parable to help us understand that being part of his kingdom, his family, is more valuable than everything else we have put together. Your house won’t last forever. Your car won’t last forever. Your career won’t last forever. Even your relationships won’t last forever. But, the kingdom of heaven will last forever.
So, don’t be fooled. Don’t think that anything or anyone in your life is as valuable as a relationship with your Creator—a relationship only made possible through Jesus and his saving work. Hold on to that relationship more tightly than anything else. Let it be what you sink your time into and talk about. Let it be what your thoughts turn to again and again. You can be sure it will be worth it!
devotion from WELS Daily Devotions. https://m.wels.net/devotion/dd/26067
Readings for Pentecost 11 – August 16, 2020
/0 Comments/in News, Uncategorized /by Darren GreenIsaiah 55:1–5 —1 “Come, all you who are thirsty, come to the waters; and you who have no money, come, buy and eat! Come, buy wine and milk without money and without cost. 2 Why spend money on what is not bread, and your labor on what does not satisfy? Listen, listen to me, and eat what is good, and you will delight in the richest of fare. 3 Give ear and come to me; listen, that you may live. I will make an everlasting covenant with you, my faithful love promised to David. 4 See, I have made him a witness to the peoples, a ruler and commander of the peoples. 5 Surely you will summon nations you know not, and nations you do not know will come running to you, because of the Lord your God, the Holy One of Israel, for he has endowed you with splendor.”
Romans 8:35–39 —35 Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall trouble or hardship or persecution or famine or nakedness or danger or sword? 36 As it is written: “For your sake we face death all day long; we are considered as sheep to be slaughtered.” 37 No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. 38 For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, 39 neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.
Matthew 14:13–21 —13 When Jesus heard what had happened, he withdrew by boat privately to a solitary place. Hearing of this, the crowds followed him on foot from the towns. 14 When Jesus landed and saw a large crowd, he had compassion on them and healed their sick. 15 As evening approached, the disciples came to him and said, “This is a remote place, and it’s already getting late. Send the crowds away, so they can go to the villages and buy themselves some food.” 16 Jesus replied, “They do not need to go away. You give them something to eat.” 17 “We have here only five loaves of bread and two fish,” they answered. 18 “Bring them here to me,” he said. 19 And he directed the people to sit down on the grass. Taking the five loaves and the two fish and looking up to heaven, he gave thanks and broke the loaves. Then he gave them to the disciples, and the disciples gave them to the people. 20 They all ate and were satisfied, and the disciples picked up twelve basketfuls of broken pieces that were left over. 21 The number of those who ate was about five thousand men, besides women and children.
Rest – Come to Me
/0 Comments/in Devotions, News /by pastorRest
Listen to this devotion:
President Abraham Lincoln once described how tired he felt. “Nothing could touch the tired spot within,” he said, “which was all tired.”
None of us has ever faced what President Lincoln had to face, of course. Nevertheless, his description of how he felt might touch a nerve with more than a few of us. As you read or listen to this devotion, perhaps you’re on vacation. Perhaps you’re enjoying some downtime or getting ready to dive into a favorite hobby. Or maybe you’re just looking forward to a good night’s sleep or at least a good nap. Whatever it is, enjoy it. Each, in its own way, is a gift of refreshment from God.
But it could also be that, at this moment, you have your own version of “the tired spot” that nothing can touch. It’s the kind of tired that no vacation, hobby, or good night’s sleep will remove.
That’s what sin can do—your sin and mine. The sinfulness of this broken world and the sinful failures of my own life can all roll together into a weariness difficult to describe. But the weariness is there. The weariness is deep.
But, listen to what Jesus tells us in our Bible reading for today, “Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened.” Jesus, here, is speaking as someone who knows precisely the kind of profound weariness that sin can bring. For this reason, when Jesus says, “I will give you rest,” he’s describing the kind of rest he knows we need.
The rest he brings is not in the perfect vacation. It’s not in your favorite pastime. It’s not in a dreamless sleep. The rest he brings is himself. “Surely he took up our infirmities and carried our sorrows,” the prophet Isaiah said. In going to the cross on our behalf, not only has Jesus washed our sins away. He has also lifted from us the burden of guilt that went with those sins.
In its place? Himself. His forgiveness. His peace. His untiring love.
https://m.wels.net/devotion/dd/25926
Taken from WELS Daily Devotions, July 24, 2020.
Find more devotions at https://m.wels.net/devotion/ddlist
Plan for Worship at St. Peter’s
/0 Comments/in News, Uncategorized /by pastorfor
St. Peter’s Evangelical Lutheran Church, Monticello
May 29, 2020
Dear Member and Friends of St. Peter’s,
As members of the body of Christ, I pray Jesus has continued to fill you with his peace and the certainty of salvation and eternal life. The Apostle Paul lifts us with his words to the Colossians:
12 Therefore, as God’s chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience. … 15 Let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, since as members of one body you were called to peace. And be thankful. 16 Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly as you teach and admonish one another with all wisdom, and as you sing psalms, hymns and spiritual songs with gratitude in your hearts to God. 17 And whatever you do, whether in word or deed, do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him.” (Colossians 3:12,15-17).
I rejoice to know you have continued to grow in your faith through Jesus’ word proclaimed online and in your daily devotions. However, “I rejoiced with those who said to me, ‘Let us go to the house of the Lord'” (Psalm 122:1). During the COVID stay-at-home order, God’s people have longed to gather in the same space to spiritually feast on God’s Word and sacrament and join our voices in praise to God our Savior. While online worship has been a blessing for continued spiritual nourishment, it does not and cannot replace the social aspect of worship as a community of believers gathered in place and time.
We are moving toward that opportunity, but carefully with a plan in place and encouragement to all. The council has decided to resume public worship starting June 7th and 8th. We ask that you continue to look to one another’s needs and in love strive to encourage and build one another up. We also do not want you or anyone to feel pressure to come to worship until you feel comfortable. We will continue to offer online worship, although, since we will be recording the morning worship, the service may be put up later on Sunday afternoon.
Here is a summary of our plans, starting June 7th for Sunday and Monday worship following:
Communion (The Lord’s Supper will be offered on the first three Sundays & Mondays following in June! June 7, 8, 14, 15, 21, 22).
This document is for purposes only of outlining how our church plans to handle and maintain
social distancing practices for worship. Your pastor and church council will continue to monitor these protocols and make adjustments as appropriate. This has been put together using guidance from the CDC guidelines and MN state health guidelines. While we cannot safeguard against every germ and sickness in this sin-fallen world, we seek to conduct our lives and ministry in love for others – both soul and body.
In Christ,
Pastor Green and the St. Peter’s Church Council
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7th Sunday of Easter Readings
/0 Comments/in News, Uncategorized /by pastorJesus Lives to Assure Us of His Abiding Presence!
Live in eager expectation of glory! That glory is not dimmed by earthly suffering; rather, such suffering reminds us of the glory that awaits us. First the cross; then the crown. Our light and momentary troubles cannot mute the joy of living in eager expectation of glory. The week that falls between Ascension and Pentecost is one of waiting and expectation for the promised Spirit and the promised glory. The Prayer and Verse of the Day mark the impending nature of our departure and Christ’s return.
Gospel Lesson: John 17:1–11
Can you hear the certainty in Christ’s voice? Can you feel the authority resonate from his words? Stop for a moment and marvel at the words Christ speaks even as his enemies prepare to arrest him, to torture him, to kill him. Christ enters his passion as victor. We know the end of the story; we know this is Christ’s path to glory. But what would the disciples think in the next few hours as the blows landed, the whip bit, the nails pierced, and the blood flowed? This is glory? Just wait…these sufferings would not last. Just wait…glory is coming. Look at Jesus’ promise: he has been granted all authority—but he uses it to give, not to take. He gives us life eternal won by the glory of his completed work. On this post-ascension Sunday, Christ’s promise to return to his Father has proven true. What comfort, then, is his promised prayer for us who remain behind! We are in the world, but not as orphans, and so we bear our sufferings in eager expectation of the glory that’s coming.
John 17:1–11 —1 After Jesus said this, he looked toward heaven and prayed: “Father, the hour has come. Glorify your Son, that your Son may glorify you. 2 For you granted him authority over all people that he might give eternal life to all those you have given him. 3 Now this is eternal life: that they know you, the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom you have sent. 4 I have brought you glory on earth by finishing the work you gave me to do. 5 And now, Father, glorify me in your presence with the glory I had with you before the world began. 6 “I have revealed you to those whom you gave me out of the world. They were yours; you gave them to me and they have obeyed your word. 7 Now they know that everything you have given me comes from you. 8 For I gave them the words you gave me and they accepted them. They knew with certainty that I came from you, and they believed that you sent me. 9 I pray for them. I am not praying for the world, but for those you have given me, for they are yours. 10 All I have is yours, and all you have is mine. And glory has come to me through them. 11 I will remain in the world no longer, but they are still in the world, and I am coming to you. Holy Father, protect them by the power of your name, the name you gave me, so that they may be one as we are one.
First Lesson: Acts 1:1–14
The disciples rightly expected glory; they just expected it too soon. The time would come for them to rule with Jesus in his kingdom. The time would come for glory that knows no limit. But that time had not yet arrived. The Christian life is not lived in glory here and now, but in eager expectation of the glory that’s coming soon.
Acts 1:1–14 —1 In my former book, Theophilus, I wrote about all that Jesus began to do and to teach 2 until the day he was taken up to heaven, after giving instructions through the Holy Spirit to the apostles he had chosen. 3 After his suffering, he presented himself to them and gave many convincing proofs that he was alive. He appeared to them over a period of forty days and spoke about the kingdom of God. 4 On one occasion, while he was eating with them, he gave them this command: “Do not leave Jerusalem, but wait for the gift my Father promised, which you have heard me speak about. 5 For John baptized with water, but in a few days you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit.” 6 Then they gathered around him and asked him, “Lord, are you at this time going to restore the kingdom to Israel?” 7 He said to them: “It is not for you to know the times or dates the Father has set by his own authority. 8 But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.” 9 After he said this, he was taken up before their very eyes, and a cloud hid him from their sight. 10 They were looking intently up into the sky as he was going, when suddenly two men dressed in white stood beside them. 11 “Men of Galilee,” they said, “why do you stand here looking into the sky? This same Jesus, who has been taken from you into heaven, will come back in the same way you have seen him go into heaven.” 12 Then the apostles returned to Jerusalem from the hill called the Mount of Olives, a Sabbath day’s walk from the city. 13 When they arrived, they went upstairs to the room where they were staying. Those present were Peter, John, James and Andrew; Philip and Thomas, Bartholomew and Matthew; James son of Alphaeus and Simon the Zealot, and Judas son of James. 14 They all joined together constantly in prayer, along with the women and Mary the mother of Jesus, and with his brothers.
Second Lesson: 1 Peter 4:12–17, 5:6-11
Peter wrote at a time when Nero and the empire had turned against the Way (Name for Christians). As followers of an illegal religion, great suffering impended for the faithful Christians. The lion’s roar could be heard coming ever closer to the people of God. In this life, sufferings will come; but we live in eager expectation of glory. The God of all grace called us to future glory, and no suffering, no emperor or empire can make us lose sight of what awaits us. The cares we have, we cast on him, knowing that any suffering can be borne in joy with eyes fixed on the glory that’s coming.
1 Peter 4:12–17 —12 Dear friends, do not be surprised at the fiery ordeal that has come on you to test you, as though something strange were happening to you. 13 But rejoice inasmuch as you participate in the sufferings of Christ, so that you may be overjoyed when his glory is revealed. 14 If you are insulted because of the name of Christ, you are blessed, for the Spirit of glory and of God rests on you. 15 If you suffer, it should not be as a murderer or thief or any other kind of criminal, or even as a meddler. 16 However, if you suffer as a Christian, do not be ashamed, but praise God that you bear that name. 17 For it is time for judgment to begin with God’s household; and if it begins with us, what will the outcome be for those who do not obey the gospel of God?
1 Peter 5:6–11 —6 Humble yourselves, therefore, under God’s mighty hand, that he may lift you up in due time. 7 Cast all your anxiety on him because he cares for you. 8 Be alert and of sober mind. Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour. 9 Resist him, standing firm in the faith, because you know that the family of believers throughout the world is undergoing the same kind of sufferings. 10 And the God of all grace, who called you to his eternal glory in Christ, after you have suffered a little while, will himself restore you and make you strong, firm and steadfast. 11 To him be the power for ever and ever. Amen.
Verse of the Day:
Alleluia. Alleluia. Christ is risen! He is risen indeed! Alleluia. I will not leave you as orphans; I will come to you. Alleluia. (John 14:23).