Devotional Thoughts...

Why Go to School?

If you were to ask an eager kindergartner, “Why are you going to school,” he or she might have no answer at all apart from responding, “I’m finally old enough. I get to go!” A seventh grade girl might respond, “That’s where the cute boys are!” A yawning sophomore boy might mumble, “I’ve gotta go…at least until I’m eighteen.” A third-year collegiate might grunt and simply explain, “To get a good job!”

Why do we go to school? While individual answers may vary, for any child of God the underlying reason should be to pursue faithfulness! Jesus explains this in His parable of the talents (cf. Matthew 25:14-30). In that parable Jesus compares Himself to a man traveling into a far country and leaving His servants in charge of his goods while he is gone. He entrusts five talents to one, two talents to another, and one talent to a third—“to each,” He explains, “according to his ability” (v. 15).

A talent in Jesus’ day was a unit of money, but in our lives those talents represent the individuals gifts bestowed upon each of us by Jesus which are to be used until the day that He returns.

In the parable the first two servants get busy and use the resources placed under their control. The man with five talents ultimately gains five more talents, while the servant with two talents ultimately gains two more. The third servant, thinking ill of his master, simply buries his talent and does nothing with it.

When the master returns—representing Jesus’ return at the end of time—he commends and rewards the first two servants, while he condemns and punishes the third! He tells the first two servants, “Well done, good and faithful servant; you were faithful over a few things, I will make you ruler over many things. Enter into the joy of your lord” (vv. 21, 23). But to the third servant he says: “You wicked and lazy servant…take the talent from him…and cast the unprofitable servant into the outer darkness. There will be weeping and gnashing of teeth” (vv. 26, 28, 30).

Notice Jesus’ emphasis upon faithfulness! The first two servants were both commended for their faithful use of their talents. The master did not compare the greater gains to the lesser, but rather focused upon the faithful use of what had been entrusted to each. In the same way, Jesus is not concerned how individual students compare to others. Rather, His desire is that each student uses his or her entrusted abilities, gifts, and talents in a faithful manner.

The ultimate purpose of going to school, then, whether we are talking about the kindergartner or collegiate, is to help students discover and develop their God-given talents, gifts, and abilities, so that they might faithfully use them in service to their God as they await their Savior’s return at the end of time.

This can be a challenge for it is a very natural thing for each of us to compare ourselves to others. Such comparisons by students, however, can and do often lead either to pride or dejection, neither of which helps a student use his or her talents faithfully.

It is also a very natural thing for students to give in to the urge to “sluff off” and bury their talents as they simply get by with as little as possible.

Parents and others have the opportunity to emphasize to students of all ages the importance of faithfulness! Let us help them develop the habits and discipline which will lead to both the discovery and development of their individual gifts.

Our ultimate goal, after all, for our children and ourselves is to hear from the lips of our returning Savior those wonderful words of blessing: “Well done, good and faithful servant; you were faithful over a few things, I will make you ruler over many things. Enter into the joy of your lord!”

— Pastor Paul D. Nolting

Christian Marriage

What About Our Money

Please see print version for the article: “What About Our Money”

Money and the handling of finances can often become a source of tension and challenges within a marriage. There is no one God-pleasing method in the mechanics of financial management—for example, one checking account or two. However, God does express His will toward finances in general—for single and married.

God’s will is that we recognize that He is the giver of all that we have (James 1:17), that we are wise stewards of all that he gives (1 Corinthians 4:2), and that we give our first fruits to Him in joyful and love-filled thanksgiving (2 Corinthians 9:7 / 1 Corinthians 16:2).

Interested in knowing how others manage their finances? The question of joint account vs. individual accounts is asked in a survey at the internet link below. Results of this survey will be included in the October issue of the Immanuel Home Messenger.

http://www.surveymonkey.com/s/HTG3R27

Christian Marriage

Marriage Enrichment Seminar

It has been several years since Immanuel offered a marriage enrichment seminar. While final dates have not yet been set, look for announcements regarding this fall’s seminar titled: “Marriage Built to Last—Living Intentionally & Loving Biblically.”

This six session seminar based upon a DVD series compiled by Chip Ingram will feature sessions on the following topics:

1. Adjusting to Expectations
2. Learning to Communicate Clearly;
3. Breaking Down Walls;
4. Resolving Conflict;
5. Restoring Sex & Intimacy; and
6. Striving for a Christ-centered Marriage.

This series, released in 2009, features many practical suggestions to overcome common problems found in a majority of marriages. At times the material will make you laugh, while at other times it may well make you cry, but it will always stimulate your thoughts and, we pray, strengthen your marriage. Please, plan on joining us sometime later this fall! For additional information or to ask any questions, please, contact Pastor Nolting.

College Visitors’ Day

Immanuel Lutheran College Visitors’ Day is November 5th beginning at 10:05 a.m.

The Visitors’ Day begins with chapel in the ILC gymnasium. The day will also feature presentations and classroom visits until 2:00 p.m. A Campus tour will be available at 2:00.

In the evening, the ILC fall play will presented (7:30 p.m.) with a band concert preceding the performance (7:00 p.m.).

Come and learn more about our college and the opportunities for a continuing education with Christ.

For more information about ILC College Visitors’ Day and/or to be included in trip planning from Mankato, please speak to either pastor.

Sundays

Fall Bible Study

Beginning September 19

After several years of New Testament studies, we will be returning to an Old Testament study this fall in our Sunday Morning Bible Class.

Beginning Sunday September 19 we will explore the period of the Divided Kingdom (ca. 931-425 B.C.) of Old Testament history. This will focus on the history from the time of Solomon’s death through the return of the Jews from the Babylonian captivity and up to the prophetic ministry of Malachi—God’s last Old Testament prophet.

The study will be broad, encompassing the Old Testament historical books of 1 & 2 Kings, 2 Chronicles, Ezra, Nehemiah, and Esther as well as the sixteen Major and Minor Prophets.

We will place the political and spiritual leaders of God’s Old Testament people in their historical contexts considering both their triumphs and tragedies with an emphasis upon present-day applications to our own lives.

We will trace the prophetic revelations of the promised Savior and demonstrate how those prophecies found fulfillment in the life and ministry of Jesus Christ and so bring us the certainty of salvation.

This is a study that should challenge you and, we pray, uplift you each week in your personal spiritual life. Please plan on joining us each Sunday from 8:15 to 9:15 a.m.

Christian Parenting/Family

Mind Games

Video Games and Children

What started in 1972 with the novel game Pong has blossomed into a world-wide business larger than the Hollywood film industry. Video games are natural teachers, highly motivating, interactive, and reward based. Do you know the positives, but worry about the negative impacts such as violence and video game addiction? You’re not alone. Considering the thousands of game titles available, it’s no big surprise if you find it hard to choose good games for your children to play, or to decide what place video games have in your child’s life.

PROS

Quality video/computer game playing can:

• Introduce children to technology
• Boost self-discipline—games usually require following directions
• Provide practice in problem-solving and logic
• Increase fine motor and coordination skills
• Provide fun occasions for adults and children to play together
• Foster interest in information technology

CONS

Over-involvement with video/computer game playing can:

• Foster social isolation and take time from other important activities—in effect, poor stewardship of gifts God has given and neglect of responsibilities
• Negatively affect a child’s academic performance and impact physical health including obesity

Some very popular games reward and glamorize anti-social themes such as violence, sinful sexual situations, murder, theft, and aggression.

• Playing violent video games may lead to increased aggressive/sinful behavior
• Playing violent games may lead to increased aggressive/sinful thoughts and feelings
• Playing violent video games may lead to a decrease in helping and service-oriented behaviors

CONCERNS

The amount of time a child plays. The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends no more than 1-2 hours per day in front of all electronic screens including TV, videos, video games, and computers (non-school use). It is recommended that screen time for children younger than two years old be very minimal or non-existent.

The content of the games a child plays.

TIPS FOR PARENTS

• LIMIT game playing time.
• CHECK the age game ratings and descriptors on the box as a FIRST STEP.
• USE other content sources and reviews to help you choose a game. Be part of the choice and make a knowledgeable decision, not one based merely on a child’s request.
• AVOID the “first person shooter,” killing-machine games.
• REQUIRE that homework and chores be done completely and well before game playing.
• DO NOT PUT video game consoles in children’s bedrooms.
• PLAY AND ENJOY a game with your child; check-in as your child moves into deeper levels of the game.
• TALK about the content of the games. Ask your child what’s going on in the game.
• EXPLAIN to your children why you object to certain games, and why God objects — use Scripture!
• LOOK for games that involve multiple players to encourage group play.
• PICK games that require the player to come up with strategies and make decisions in a game environment that is more complex than punch, steal, and kill.
• ENCOURAGE your child to play with friends or other activities away from the video set.

Excerpted and Adapted
©2007
National Institute on Media and the Family

Refugees from Sudan

Four of the people received into membership at Immanuel in our July Quarterly Meeting are members of Mankato’s Sudanese community:

• Sarah Y.
• her daughter
• Tut G.
• and his wife, Sarah R. (according to Sudanese custom wives retain their maiden name after marriage).

They are all refugees from the Sudan, having fled a civil war that has engulfed the Sudan for nearly two generations.

In the past six months we have had an increasing number of Sudanese visitors in church. Currently, eight additional members of the Sudanese community are receiving Bible instruction which we pray will lead to a unity of faith and ultimately membership in our congregation.

The following information is to provide Immanuel’s members with a little information about the Sudan and our new members and visitors. Historically Immanuel was a church begun by 19^th century immigrants. I pray that we will welcome these 21^st century immigrants into our midst!

Sudan, which lies in northeast Africa, is that continent’s largest country and the world’s tenth largest country. It is almost 1,400 miles long, almost 1,300 wide, and covers an area about one-fourth the size of the United States. The Nile River, the world’s longest river, divides the country geographically in half—east and west—but its geographical differences are more pronounced as you travel from north to south.

The northern part of Sudan is part of the Sahara Desert, while the southern part of Sudan is made up of grasslands and forests. While the northern part of Sudan is quite barren, the southern part was once considered the “bread-basket” of Africa and is home to many of the animals most associated with Africa—giraffes, elephants, lions, and tigers.

Sudan’s human population of roughly 42 million is likewise divided north to south. The northern part of Sudan is dominated by people of Arab descent whose principle language is Arabic and whose primary religion is Islam. The southern part of Sudan is dominated by people of various tribal descents who speak a variety of languages, but whose primary religion is Christianity—principally Roman Catholic and Presbyterian.

The capital city of Sudan is Khartoum which lies in the north. Sudan has a long history most of which was tied to Egypt but in the last century to England as its colonial ruler.

In 1952 Sudan achieved its independence only to be thrown into a 17 year civil war to be followed, after a brief respite, by a 21 year civil war. Colonel Omar al-Bashir seized power in 1989 and declared himself to be president. He has ruled since that time as a military dictator.

When vast reserves of oil were discovered in the central and southern portions of Sudan, al-Bashir supported Arab militias using guerilla warfare to drive out local populations so that the government could control, develop, and then profit from those resources. Genocide was the result with millions of Sudanese being murdered or driven from their homes and forced into refugee camps in surrounding nations. While the devastation of the region of Darfur has received tremendous international news coverage, the entire southern Sudan has been affected by the civil war.

In 2008, the International Criminal Court (ICC) issued an arrest warrant for President al-Bashir on charges of war crimes and crimes against humanity—the first sitting head of state ever indicted by the ICC. He has never been tried and recently was reelected President in an election that was widely recognized as fraudulent.

In 2005 a cease-fire was signed between the government in Khartoum and rebel forces defending the south. The cease-fire granted the south limited autonomy.

As noted in a front-page article of the Mankato Free-Press (August 22), a referendum is taking place in January 2011 which may lead to a political division between the north and south in Sudan. Immanuel’s new member, Sarah Ruae, was quoted in that article.

The Sudanese community in Mankato is made up of many people who fled the Sudan during its second civil war and who were helped by the United Nations to relocate to other countries. They are attempting to rebuild their lives here just as many immigrants before them. They do so, however, while healing from great sorrow.

Sarah Yien lost her husband in the war, Nyakim her father. Tut Gatkuoth lost his brother. One of the members of our Sudanese Bible Class, Sarah Tut, lost her husband and small son, was shot in both legs by guerilla forces and then was left to die only to be rescued by the grace of God and the faithfulness of friends.

Dear members of Immanuel—let us welcome our Sudanese members and visitors and get to know them! They love the Lord and rejoice in the messages from God we all share!

— Pastor Paul D. Nolting

Immanuel Hosts...

CLC Teachers’ Conference

October 20-22

Immanuel is hosting this year’s CLC Teachers’ Conference, scheduled for October 20-22.

Some teachers attending the conference will require housing, so we are asking for volunteers to provide housing for these teachers.

The host will be responsible for providing a place to sleep on Tuesday through Thursday evenings, the 19^th to 21^st. Some teachers may arrive the morning of the 20^th, and need housing for only Wednesday and Thursday nights. In addition to housing, the host is asked to provide breakfast for these CLC called servants.

If you wish to volunteer to host one or more CLC teachers for this year’s conference, there is a sign-up sheet in the narthex where you can fill in your name and the number of teachers you would wish to host. Thank you for your help.

Tentative Teachers’ Conference Agenda

Wednesday, October 20—

• Opening Devotion with Communion Service
• Preventing Teacher Burnout/How to Keep the Joy of Teaching Every Day (Pastor Eichstadt)
• When to Hold Back a Student—When Won’t it Help? (Rachel Dassow)
• Religion Class Curriculum (Ryan Hammett)
• Book Review: Already Gone (Craig Owings)
• Title Fives
• Church Service

Thursday, October 21 —

• Opening Devotion
• Contemporary Christian Music (Professor Joel Gullerud)
• Teaching with Analogy Models to Improve Thinking / Critical Thinking (Jeff Karnitz)
• Title Fives
• How to Help the Slow Child as Your teach the Whole Class and Keep Pace with Your Curriculum (Kirsten Gullerud)
• Field Trip

Friday, October 22 —

• Opening Devotion
• Answers in Genesis Science Curriculum Review (Quinn Sprengeler)
• Interactive White Boards in the Classroom (Kyle Ochsner)
• Idea Exchange
• Business Meeting
• Closing Devotion

Immanuel Property Purchase

At the Quarterly Voters’ meeting in July, the assembly approved the purchase of the property on 218 E Washington Street pending the development and approval of a financing plan.

At a special meeting of Immanuel’s voters on August 15, financing for the purchase of the property at 218 E Washington Street was determined.

We will put down 25% from the Expansion/Relocation Fund. The remaining $90,000 will be financed via member loans.

Loans will have member-selected rates not to exceed 4.375%. Interest to be paid semi-annually (February 1 and August 1). Principal will be paid at maturity, which will be no longer than five years from the origination of the loan.

The church will retain the right to prepay any outstanding principal, without penalty.

The member may also request payment, given 90 days written notice to the church, through the Financial Secretary.

If an insufficient amount of member loans are offered, the Finance Committee will make arrangements to borrow the shortfall.

The next page is the promissory Note Investment Form that the Church Finance Board will use for the member-loan process. Please direct any questions to Financial Secretary, Tom Lentz.

May the Lord bless us in this acquisition and use it for His glory and the spread of the Gospel!