Dear Brothers and Sisters in Christ, 

This week Jesus tells a story of a guy who got caught ripping off his master and his way out of the problem was to rip him off even more! What, what? The master even told the steward, “Good job! Well played!” This steward takes advantage of his master knowing the master will honor the bills that were changed. The point of Jesus’ story is to teach us to take advantage of God’s “unrighteous mammon,” that is His forgiveness, because He will honor that. To put it another way, we’ve been given the green light to go around and forgive others as if it’s our place to do so, as if it’s our forgiveness to give. Imagine if those around us who expected to be judged, condemned, hated, or reviled, instead hear the Good News that we forgive them. Jesus forgives them. We forgive them. He isn’t and we aren’t going to hold their sins against them. No grudges here. This parable is a good reminder that it’s not our job to call in people’s debts but to figure out how to forgive them. That’s what Jesus does when He dies for our sins and the sins of the whole world. More this Sunday as we celebrate the Ninth Sunday after Trinity.


SPECIAL VOTERS MEETING THIS SUNDAY
Please stay around for a very brief Special Voters Meeting Sunday after worship. The Board of Property needs voter approval to spend the amount estimated to replace the metal doors and frame by the gym, as well as some other maintenance on the metal exterior doors around the whole building. 

CLEARING THE CLASSROOMS THIS SUNDAY
After our Voters Meeting, if you can spare a few minutes to help us clear out the back classrooms to prepare for the floors to be stripped and waxed, it would be much appreciated!

CHURCH WORK DAY NEXT SUNDAY
We’re having a work/cleaning day NEXT SUNDAY (AUGUST 8). It will be right after the Divine Service. There are plenty of things to do; the goal is to do some deep cleaning and cleaning of areas that have not had good attention in awhile. It’s “all hands on deck” so that we can bring some shine to our building. We’ll order lunch, too! Wear your cleaning clothes to church and we’ll be ready to dive in and make everything look great! 

Thank you to Pam Brackmann and Jennel Lawson who have been doing some “advance” cleaning in preparation for our work day. 

SCHEDULE NOTES
Please note there will be NO Learning the Faith this Sunday (Aug. 1) and next Sunday (Aug. 8) due to the projects going on after the service. 

Tuesday Bible Study resumes THIS TUESDAY at 10:30 AM. We’re reading the Book of Acts. Everyone is welcome! 

BRINGING BEAUTY TO THE LORD'S HOUSE - A PROCESSIONAL CRUCIFIX
This year marks the 145th Anniversary of the Lord’s congregation at Zion, McHenry. It’s also been five years since we’ve had a major project to beautify the Lord’s sanctuary (our stained glassed windows!) Things have come together to present an opportunity for Zion to acquire a one-of-a-kind piece of art: a Processional Crucifix by Lutheran Artist Ed Riojas. 

This processional crucifix (read more below) is being sold by the artist for $12,000. HOWEVER…we have a generous donor who has agreed to match funds for us, bringing our cost to $6000. At the recommendation of our Elders, Church Council has approved asking for donations to raise the $6000 for this piece to adorn the sanctuary and to be used in worship. As you’ll read below, the processional crucifix is full of details that confess our faith in Jesus, the testimony of the Gospels, and the foundation of the Word of God. If you wish to make an offering for this please place it in an envelope (or mark your check with a memo) for “PROCESSIONAL CRUCIFIX.” 

You can read the artist’s commentary and see pictures of the crucifix at THIS LINK. 

1ST WAY LIFE COLLECTION
This Sunday is our week to collect for the 1st Way Life Center in Johnsburg. 1st Way helps pregnant moms and moms with newborns. Please bring your items this week to help them out! 


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.

In one sense, Jesus is the cheating steward in this story that we hear this week. If we owed God anything on account of our sins, Jesus, by His death and resurrection, slashes our bill. And not just partway. It’s slashed to nothing! When it comes down to it, God’s grace and mercy and forgiveness alway seem wasteful. We’d never let employees get away with such a thing! But in the kingdom of God, that’s exactly how it works. It’s like we take advantage of the Lord, knowing He’ll honor His promise to forgive our debts - because He does! See you in the Divine Service this week as we receive that mercy and forgiveness yet again!

In Christ,
Pastor Buetow
 

Farewell & Godspeed, Trey Schopen! 



Fish Lake Service!