Church guide

Please pray for Justus Lengemann who has had two recent heart surgeries. Justus is Jack’s son and John’s grandson.

Today is our last day for Youth Group before Summer Break! These kids have been amazing for my first year as their Youth Minister...there’s a few special faces missing from our pictures; but I hope you all enjoyed this year and hope you’re looking forward to some summer fun together. Can’t wait to start back up with Youth Group in the fall! 😁

Please add Arnie & Evelyn Butterfield to your prayers. They are Pam Radelt’s parents, Kaylee and Michon’s grandparents. Both having health issues.

A colleague of Kim Kroll asked us to pray for Joseph Wafer who is fighting an unknown virus.

Happy Pentecost!!

🔔 Register NOW for our Vacation Bible School Program! 🎉 VBS When: July 22nd-July 26th Time: 6 pm - 8:30 pm Where: St. Paul’s Lutheran IC Who: Pre-k through 6th graders Come journey with us back in time to Marketplace 29 AD, back when Jesus was here! Register with the link to google docs below or visit our website: stpaulslutheranic.org https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSd789XzM2WOQyXgW9IpHdBPhHB1jn5eev9dYTrhZJqJ5u7rIg/viewform

Karl Menninger, the well-known psychiatrist, once said that if he could convince his patients that they were forgiven, 75 percent of them could walk out the next day! Forgiveness is the key to freedom.

Seventh Sunday of Easter 11:00 AM Series C John 17:20-26 June 2, 2019 St. Paul’s Lutheran Church Holding On Or Letting Go Let the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be acceptable to you, O Lord, my rock and my redeemer. Grace to you and peace from God our Father and from our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ I can’t remember if I told you this story before, but it is worth telling again. The following story, The Bridge, was written by Edwin Friedman in his book, Friedman’s Fables. There was a man who had given much thought to what he wanted from life. He had experienced many moods and trials. He had experimented with different ways of living, and he had his share of both success and failure. At last, he began to see clearly where he wanted to go. Diligently, he searched for the right opportunity. Sometimes he came close, only to be pushed away. Often he applied all his strength and imagination, only to find the path hopelessly blocked. And then, at last, it came. But the opportunity would not wait. It would be made available only for a short time. If it were seen that he was not committed, the opportunity would not come again. Eager to arrive, he started on his journey. With each step, he wanted to move faster; with each thought about his goal, his heart beat quicker; with each vision of what lay ahead, he found renewed vigor. Strength that had left him since his early youth returned, and desires, all kinds of desires, reawakened after being dormant for so long. Hurrying along, he came upon a bridge that crossed through the middle of a town. It had been built high above a river in order to protect it from the floods of spring. He started across. Then he noticed someone coming from the opposite direction. As they were moving closer, it seemed as though the other were coming to greet him. He could see clearly, however, that he did not know the other person who was dressed similarly except for something tied around his waist. When they were within hailing distance, he could see that what the other had about his waist was a rope. It was wrapped around him many times and probably, if extended, would reach a length of 30 feet. The other began to uncurl the rope, and, just as they were coming close, the stranger said, “Pardon me, would you be so kind as to hold the end of this rope for a moment?” Surprised by this politely phrased but curious request, he agreed without a thought, reached out and took it. “Thank you,” said the other, who then added, “Two hands now, and remember, hold tight.” Whereupon, the other jumped off the bridge. Quickly, the free-falling body hurtled the distance of the rope’s length, and from the bridge the man abruptly felt the pull. Instinctively, he held tight and was almost dragged over the side. He managed to brace himself against the edge, however, and after having caught his breath, looked down at the other dangling, close to oblivion. “What are you trying to do?” he yelled. “Just hold tight,” said the other. “This is ridiculous,” he thought and began trying to haul the other up. He could not get the leverage, however. It was as if the weight of the other and the length of the rope had been carefully calculated in advanced so that together they created a counterweight just beyond his strength to bring the other back to safety. “Why did you do this?” he called out. “Remember,” said the other, “If you let go, I will be lost.” “But I cannot pull you up,” he cried. “I am your responsibility,” said the other. “Well, I did not ask for it,” he said. “If you let go, I am lost,” repeated the other. He began to look around for help. But there was no one. How long would he have to wait? Why did this happen to befall him now, just as he was on the verge of true success? He examined the bridge, searching for a place to tie the rope. Some protrusion, perhaps, or maybe a hole in the boards. But the railing was unusually uniform in shape; there were no spaces between the boards. There was no way to get rid of this newfound burden, even temporarily. “What do you want?” he asked the other hanging below. “Just your help,” the other answered. “How can I help? I cannot pull you up, and there is no place to tie the rope so that I can go and find someone to help me help you.” “I know that. Just hang on; that will be enough. Tie the rope around your waist; it will be easier.” Fearing that his arms could not hold out much longer, he tied the rope around his waist. “Why did you do this?” he asked again. “Don’t you see what you have done? What possible purpose could you have in mind?” “Just remember,” said the other, “my life is in your hands.” “What should I do?” If I let go, all my life I will know that I let this other die. If I stay, I risk losing momentum toward my long-sought-after new way of life. Either way this will haunt me forever. With ironic humor he thought to die himself, instantly to jump off the bridge while still holding onto the rope. “That would teach this fool!” But he wanted to live and to live life fully. “What a choice I have to make; how shall I ever decide?” As time went by, still no one came to his rescue. The critical moment of decision was drawing near. To show his commitment to his own goals, he would have to continue on his journey now. It was already almost too late to arrive in time. But what a terrible choice to have to make. A new thought occurred to him. While he could not pull the other up solely by his own efforts, if the other would shorten the rope from his end by curling it around his waists again and again, together they could do it. Actually, the other could do it by himself, so long as he, standing on the bridge, kept it still and steady. “Now listen,” he shouted down. “I think I know how to save you.” And he explained his plan. But the other wasn’t interested. “You mean you won’t help? But I told you I cannot pull you up by myself, and I don’t think I can hang on much longer either.” “You must try,” the other shouted back. “If you fail I die.” The point of decision arrived. “What should I do? My life or this other? And then a new idea. A revelation. So new in fact it seemed heretical, so alien was it to his way of thinking. “I want you to listen carefully,” he said, “because I mean what I am about to say. I will not accept responsibility for your life, only for my own; the responsibility for your life I hereby give back to you.” “What do you mean?” the other asked, afraid. “I mean, simply, it’s up to you. You decide which way this ends. I will become the counterweight. You do the pulling and bring yourselves up. I will even tug a little from here.” He began unwinding the rope from around his waist and braced himself anew against the bridge. “You cannot mean what you say,” the other shrieked. “You would not be so selfish. I am your responsibility. What could be so important that you would let someone die? Please, do not do this to me.” He waited for a long while. There was no change in the tension of the rope. “I accept your choice,” he said, at last he freed his hands. Graduates: There are a host of ways to interpret this story. There are perhaps as many variations as there are people. More often than not, this is a story of codependency. It is most relevant in relationship to some dysfunction like alcoholism or some other addictive behavior. There are a myriad number of ways others can make themselves dependent upon you or you upon them. No one has the right to hold you hostage to their plan for your life. No one has the right to choose life or death, blessing or curses for your life. Unless of course you choose it. God gives these choices for your life to you alone. In Jeremiah 21:8 the LORD says, “See, I am setting before you the way of life and the way of death.” Deuteronomy 30:19 The Lord declares, “I have set before you life and death, blessings and curses. Choose life so that you may live.” Graduates don’t let others give you rope burn. If another person chooses to become wholly dependent upon you—then you might get rope burn. If another has made their dysfunction and life your responsibility— then you might get rope burn. When it comes to dysfunction rarely is it healthy to take responsibility for another person’s dysfunction or life, unless if it is absolutely necessary to save their life and lead them to healing, and then only temporarily. If a parent refuses to let go of the apron strings long after he or she should have, controlling your life— then you might get rope burn. If as a young adult, you are holding on to the apron strings of your parents longer than what is healthy and you refuse to grow up and mature— then you might give your parents rope burn. Graduates, arriving at the bridge is like graduation from high school. You have planned long and hard for this day. You are about to embark on a whole new adventure in life. You are about to enjoy a whole new level of freedom. The other that you meet on this bridge who is dressed similarly could be yourself—your own worst enemy. If your own fear, self-doubt, lack of self-confidence is holding you hostage, keeping you from embarking on this new adventure, and keeping you from becoming your best version of yourself— then you might give yourself rope burn. These are but a few of the ways we can get roped into the dysfunction of another or our own. The story of The Bridge, neatly resolved five minutes in the telling, can make the agony of helping or letting go or seeking help seem much easier than it is. It is exceedingly difficult to know when to help, when to let go, when to seek help. There is a fine line between helping and enabling the dysfunction and unhealthy dependence to continue. When you start to lose your life and your identity to the dysfunction of another you can be sure it is time to do something differently. In the story of The Bridge there is no one to help. In the real world there are many who are willing and able to help us. It is better to seek the help of another than to be pulled over the edge or to be stuck between life and death or to be stuck at war with yourself. In Matthew 11:28-30 Jesus says, "Come to me, all you that are weary and are carrying heavy burdens, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me; for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light." Rather than getting rope burned by unhealthy relationships yoke yourself to Christ. Carrying our own burdens is difficult enough. Take back responsibility for your life. Seek help when help is needed. Carrying the burdens of others makes us more than weary and in need of rest. There may be times when the most loving thing you can do for another is give them back responsibility for their life and let go of the rope that has you entangled in their unhealthy choices, point them to Christ and the yoke he offers them. Help if you are able. If the other is unwilling, it may be time to let go. Before you let go, pray them into the hands of Christ. There is no other relationship as healthy and life giving as our yoked relationship with the Lord Jesus. In John 10:10 Jesus said, “I came that they may have life, and have it abundantly.” Lord, we pray that you would bring your abundant life into the lives of our graduates and into all of our relationships, especially those that are the most burdensome and unhealthy. Lift up those who are cast down and fill them with hope and life. You alone are Savior. Save Lord. Yoke all people to yourself, so that all might live and move and have their life in you. Amen.

Today we honored our high school graduates, Andrew Dodge, Benjamin Jaros, and Kayley Reynolds. Andrew graduates today (Imlay City), Benjamin tomorrow (Armada) and Kayley next Sunday (Lapeer). We are so proud of you! Enjoy your day!

Sermon June 2, 2019 7th Sunday of Easter

Honoring our graduates today! Congratulations!!

Please continue to pray for Carol Winslow who is back in the hospital.

Please pray for the family of Dorothy DiMino who passed away yesterday. Dorothy is Kim Kroll’s aunt.

Sermon June 2, 2019 7th Sunday of Easter

Sermon for May 26 6th Sunday of Easter

A student from LCC initiated a conga line at our Unified Gathering! #unified

Christ is risen! Sermon Easter Sunday April 21, 2019

Sorry for the late start. Fifth Sunday in Lent sermon.

Sermon March31, 2019 4th Sunday in Lent

Sermon March 24, 2019

Sermon March 10, 2019

Our theme this year at Spring Hill is “Outside the Lines.” We are talking about being God’s masterpiece!