Part 8: It s the Third Quarter

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Part 8: “It’s the Third Quarter”

That’s what the article said back in April, “It’s the Third Quarter.”

And then the writer went on to explain: It happens in sports. It happens in long projects. It happens in all kinds of things. Well, yes; but what does it mean? The writer explained that the third quarter is when things bog down. The 1st quarter we start in, full of energy. The 2nd quarter we continue, with a bit less enthusiasm and focus. In the 4th quarter we are pressing on to finish. But that 3rd quarter; is hard! It drags on. We bog down. We have a hard time keeping focus.

This rings so very true. I can’t count how many times I have been through it in a longer home repair project. Our kitchen took 16 months. Half-way through I started dreading having to start in on every day off. It was months until I could see the end. Then it was “Press on! Almost there.”

I have watched sports teams go through a huge let-down during the 3rd_{quarter of the game, or the 3}rd_{quarter of the}

season (yes, I am a Cubs fan). And I have watched some of the great players carry and inspire their teams through the 3rd quarter let-down.

Back in April the writer said, “We are halfway through the shut-down. This is the 3rd_quarter.

This is when things get weird.” He described how things start to wear on us. We get impatient and

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Friends in Christ Lutheran Church – 1338 Clay Street – Morris Illinois 60450

Saturday Evenings – 05:30 pm Sunday Mornings – 8:15 am

(Live-Streamed)

& 10:45 am

(Senior Service postponed until further notice)

A U G U S T 2 0 2 0

A WORD FROM PASTOR . . . 1-2

BIRTHDAYS/ANNIVERSARIES . . . 3

FINANCIAL REPORT . . . 3

LWML . . . 4

PRAYER CALENDAR . . . 5

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“It’s the Third Quarter” . . . continued from front page

edgy. The time itself makes us ready to act out. And some of the acting out can be odd and emotionally extreme. It looks like he was right about the edgy-ness; and it looks like our 3rd quarter has gone on a lot longer than we thought.

Jesus told a parable. It was about laborers in the vineyard (Matthew 20:1-16). Some hired at the beginning

of the day; others at the 3rd, 6th, 9th, and 11th hours. When all are paid the same, those hired first grumble that they had borne the burden of the day and the scorching heat. They had endured the 3rd_{quarter while}

others got to skip right to the end.

The book of Revelation was in the middle of describing the troubles of this world and this life. And then it

said, “This is a call for the patient endurance of the saints, those who keep the commandments of God and their faith in Jesus.” (Revelation 14:12) Indeed! Patient endurance! And, what is patient endurance? What does

it look like?

Patient Endurance is to continue on persistently; day after day, as many days as it takes.

• Abraham had God’s promise. And then he had to wait, year after year until he was 80, 81, 82, 85,

90, 91, 92, 94, 95, 96, 98, 99 … and then the promise came. Sarah laughed and Abraham named his son Isaac (which means “laughter”). He patiently endured, believing the promise. And yet, in the time of waiting there were a few times Abraham showed how he was struggling with waiting.

• The people of Israel waited at the foot of Mt. Sinai for Moses to return. 36 days, 37, 38, and so on;

and then they lost their way and had Aaron make a golden calf for them to worship. They did not patiently endure and keep faith with God. They did not persist in believing God’s words.

• God told the prophet Habakkuk, “Write the vision; make it plain on tablets …. The vision awaits

its appointed time; it hastens to the end – it will not lie. If it seems slow, wait for it; it will surely come; it will not delay.” (Habakkuk 2:2-3) It does not matter how something looks right at the moment.

God has it sorted out. It will happen.

• There at the temple was a man named Simeon, waiting for the “consolation of Israel”. He was waiting, and the Holy Spirit had revealed to him that he would see the Christ. And then the day came. Mary and Joseph brought the baby Jesus into the temple. Simeon rejoiced, “Lord, now let Your servant depart in peace … my eyes have seen Your salvation”. (Luke 2:25-32) Simeon had

waiting, persistently, faithfully until the time came.

• We continue on, with masks, social distancing, live-streaming, sanitizing, having communion

outdoors on weekdays (and now included within our services; as we distance and sanitize). At the heart of it all, we continue hearing God’s Word, receiving God’s grace. His Word is eternal; His grace is eternal. “Lord, to whom shall we go? You have the words of eternal life.” (Peter in John 6:68)

There is a different kind of enduring, but this truth is absolutely true. Our God is patient, “not wanting any to perish, but that all should reach repentance.” (2 Peter 3:9)

We are in a time that calls for patient endurance. It is a time when we need the promises of Jesus. We

need to hear them and remember how sweet they are:

• “I came that they may have life and have it abundantly.” (John 10:10)

• “Where 2 or 3 are gathered in My name, there am I among them.” (Matthew 18:20)

• “Everyone who acknowledges Me before men, I also will acknowledge before My Father who is in heaven.” (Matthew 10:32)

Press on then. Remember, not only is Jesus worth every bit of patient endurance. Jesus Himself counted

you worth every bit of patient endurance that He had to give; and His patient endurance is absolutely astonishing!

Pastor Mark

Friends in Christ Lutheran Church August 2020

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2

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_{John Nelson}

4

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_{Shirley Seidler}

10

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_{JoAnne Heck}

11

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_{Curtis Johnson}

13

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_{Liam Willig}

18

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_{Linda Hanson}

19

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_{Doug Halkyard}

25

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_{Jamie Ruedin}

28

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_{Jim Krugler}

Art Turner

30

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_{Nicole Horrigan}

Phil Gruenbaum

18

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_{Brandon & Kayla Crawford 8 years}

M

onday,

J

une 12

th

at 1:00 pm

3 I dreamed death came the other night

and heaven’s gates swung wide.

With kindly grace a lovely angel

ushered me inside.

And there, to my astonishment,

stood folks I’d known on earth;

some I had judged and labelled as

unfit; of little worth.

Indignant words rose to my lips

but never were set free;

for every face showed stunned surprise

–

no one expected

me

!’

-author unknown

He saved us because of His mercy, not

because of righteous things we had done.

He did it through the washing of new

birth and the renewing by the Holy

Spirit, which God poured out upon us

generously through Jesus Christ our

Savior.

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Friends in Christ Lutheran Church August 2020

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CANCELLATION:

Due to a slight uptick in local cases of COVID-19, the

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August, 2020

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Friends in Christ Lutheran Church, Morris, Illinois

Sun. Mon. Tue. Wed. Thu. Fri. Sat.

1 COMMUNION

→

Events Cancelled are Printed with

Strikethrough



The KYKS Program is on hold until further notice.

5:30 PM – Worship

2 COMMUNION 3 4 5 6 7 8

9th_{Sunday After Pentecost}

8:15 AM – Worship & Live-Streamed

9:30 AM – Worship Put On-Line

10:45 AM – Worship 9:00 AM – Bible Study 7:00 PM – Elders 6:30 PM – Lutheran Women’s Missionary League 5:30 PM – Worship

9 10th Sunday After Pentecost 10 11 12 13 14 15 COMMUNION

9:15 AM – Voters’ Assembly

10:45 AM – Worship

9:00 AM – Bible Study 5:30 PM – Worship

16 COMMUNION 17 18 19 20 21 22

11th_{Sunday After Pentecost}

23 12th_{Sunday After Pentecost} 24 25 26 27 28 29

30 13th_{Sunday After Pentecost} 31 In September: