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Of all the gifts for which we thank God, above all is the gift of Himself to us, His erring but redeemed children! “Whom have I in Heaven but You? And earth has nothing I desire besides you” (Psalm 73:25).

Our purpose is to reach out to families and individuals of all backgrounds and bring them into healing and transforming relationships with the Lord Jesus and with others in His Church through the sharing of God’s Word and Sacraments.

THE CHIMES April 6, 2008 Listen to Sermon Here St. Paul Lutheran Church and School a multiethnic family of faith 1025 Lake Street * Melrose Park, IL 60160 Church Ph. No. 708-343-1000 * School Ph. No. 708-343-5000 Fax No. 708-343-8635 www.stpaulmp.org Rev. Thomas R. Johnson, Pastor  Mr. Douglas Grebasch, Principal

CALENDAR

EVENTS THIS WEEK AT ST. PAUL, – April 6 - 13, 2008
TODAY:	9:00 AM	Worship Service (HC)
	10:15 AM	Coffee Hour
	10:30 AM	Sunday School / Christian Growth Hr.
	11:30 AM	Servicio de Adoración (SC)
TUESDAY:	7:30 PM	Praise Team Choir Reh.
WEDNESDAY:	7:00 PM	Stewardship/Ed Boards’ Meetings
THURSDAY:	9:00 AM	Quilters
	7:00 PM	Adult Choir Rehearsal
		Spanish Bible Class
		Nova Youth Group
	5:30 PM	Contemporary Service (HC)
SUNDAY:	9:00 AM	Worship Service (NHC)
	11:30 AM	Servicio de Adoración (NSC)
	10:15 AM	Coffee Hour
	10:30 AM	Sunday School / Christian Growth Hr.

HELP WANTED! Vacation Bible School has been planned for the week of July 28^th through August 1^st, 6 - 8:45 PM however we are still looking for a VBS Director to help us make this year’s VBS another success! If you are willing to do this job or know someone you can recommend, please call Pastor Johnson at ext. 241. Let’s work together to share Jesus with our neighborhood families!

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SUNDAY SCHOOL. Today in Sunday School the children learned of how the disciples recognized the resurrected Jesus through the Scriptures and the breaking of bread when he appeared to them on the Emmaus Road (Luke 24:3–15). Talk with your children about how Christ comes to us and abides with us through Word and Sacrament, continuing to open our eyes and strengthening our faith.

O.W.L.S. Wednesday, March 16th, at 11:30, the O.W.L.S. group will meet at Winberie’s for lunch. Winberie's is located on the southwest corner of Lake Street and Oak Park Ave., in Oak Park. After lunch we will visit the Hemingway Museum which is a block north of Lake St. on Oak Park Avenue. This visit, which costs $4.50, includes a visit to the Hemingway house which is north another block and a half. There is parking nearby or it can be walked by those who choose to walk. All are welcome to join us for this outing-no obligations. Please watch for May's notice which will be a trip north (to compliment the trip that we took south) to hear about the history and see the sights in Chicago. In June we will head west and meet later in the day to enjoy a supper and paddleboat ride on the Fox River.

Please include the following prayer needs in your personal and family devotions this week.

ü We pray for those in care facilities and at home who are physically unable to worship with us. We also ask God to heal and comfort the following members and/or friends of our congregation:

Evelyn V	Paul M	Dorathy L	Julie P	Fred M
We also want to continue to remember those in nursing facilities, those who are recovering, and those who are receiving ongoing treatments.

*(If you would like us to pray for someone, please let Maria, our church secretary; know, either by phone or with a request card. Names of congregational members will remain on this list for 4 weeks unless additional requests are received.)

ü We pray for those celebrating birthdays the week of April 6^th through 11^th

7:	Norman Z.
9:	Therman B.
10:	Keairra H.

For those who mourn,

The family of Gay Schuppe, that the past Sunday was called by our Heavenly Father to eternal rest. A funeral service took place here in our church, last Wednesday, April 2.

The family of Jane P., on the death of her aunt Mary Walther, this past week in St. Louis, Mo.

FROM PASTOR JOHNSON. “If you are in the hospital or are in need of pastoral care, please notify Maria in the church office. If it is an emergency, please call my mobile phone (in printed copy of chimes). Please don’t hesitate to call me at any hour if it is important; I keep the phone with me at all times. If the matter is important enough to think about calling a pastor, by all means call me. Please do not think you will disturb me or I will think the matter unimportant. Thanks!”

ANNOUNCEMENTS

“DEAR FRIENDS, Thank you for your prayers, thoughts and cards during my recent knee replace--ment surgery and subsequent rehabilitation. I am just in the beginning stages of physical therapy but look forward to much better days under God’s care. Again, thanks! Al Zimmer.”

STEWARDSHIP CORNER. By nature, we are selfish and greedy people. Our society encourages that sinful mindset by telling us that more and newer is better. Although Scripture nowhere teaches us that being rich is sinful, it does warn us that wealth may be a trap and temptation “that plunges men into ruin and destruction” (1 Timothy 6:9). Jesus said, “You cannot serve both God and Money” (Matthew 6:24). An indication that our money has become overly important to us is when we ignore the needs of others and the needs of our church. With God’s strength, we can place God first and overcome the temptation to love our money.

BATHROOM TISSUE & DIAPER COLLECTION. For the next two weekends the Care Corps will be collecting bathroom tissue and disposable diapers donations for the Proviso Food Pantry. We are happy to announce that up to $500 in supplemental funds toward this project will be provided by Thrivent Financial for Lutherans – West Cook County – Chicago Chapter – in addition to the St. Paul donations!! These items cannot be purchased with food stamps. All sizes of diapers are needed, especially sizes 4 – 6. Cash donations will also be accepted. We encourage your support. Containers will be placed at all entrances to the church where you can deposit your donations.

CONSECRATION SUNDAY IS COMING! Congregations that approach financial stewardship from a biblical perspective do not view the money Christians give to their church merely as a way to pay its bills. Rather, such congregations see financial contributions as a way to help people grow spiritually in their relationship with God by supporting their church’s mission and ministry with a percentage of their incomes.

Our congregation’s Board of Stewardship has selected the New Consecration Sunday Stewardship Program as a way to teach the biblical and spiritual principles of generous giving in our stewardship education emphasis this year.

New Consecration Sunday is based on the biblical philosophy of the need of the giver to give for his or her own spiritual development, rather than on the need of the church to receive. Instead of treating people like members of a social club who should pay dues, we will treat people like followers of Jesus Christ who want to give unselfishly as an act of discipleship. New Consecration Sunday encourages people toward proportionate and systematic giving in response to the question, “What percentage of my income is God calling me to give?”

During morning worship on Consecration Sunday, we are asking our attendees and members to make their financial commitments to our church’s missionary, benevolent, and educational ministries in this community and around the world.

Every attendee and member who completes an Estimate of Giving Card does so voluntarily by attending worship on Consecration Sunday or the Saturday service the day before. We urge people to attend who feel strongly opposed to completing a card. The procedure is done in such a way that no one feels personal embarrassment if he or she chooses not to fill out a card.

We will do no home solicitation to ask people to complete cards. During Saturday evening and Sunday morning worship our guest leader will conduct a brief period of instruction and inspiration, climaxed by members making their commitments as a confidential act of worship.

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