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January 2025
Dear Friends,
Take heed to yourselves: If thy brother trespass against thee, rebuke him; and
if he repent, forgive him. 4 And if he trespass against thee seven times in a
day, and seven times in a day turn again to thee, saying, I repent; thou shalt
forgive him. 5 And the apostles said unto the Lord, Increase our faith. 6 And
the Lord said, If ye had faith as a grain of mustard seed, ye might say unto
this sycamine tree, Be thou plucked up by the root, and be thou planted in the
sea; and it should obey you. 7 But which of you, having a servant plowing or
feeding cattle, will say unto him by and by, when he is come from the field, Go
and sit down to meat? 8 And will not rather say unto him, Make ready wherewith I
may sup, and gird thyself, and serve me, till I have eaten and drunken; and
afterward thou shalt eat and drink? 9 Doth he thank that servant because he did
the things that were commanded him? I trow not. 10 So likewise ye, when ye shall
have done all those things which are commanded you, say, We are unprofitable
servants: we have done that which was our duty to do. (Luke 17:3-10 KJV)
How many times? Jesus says every time. Every time a person sins and repents they
are to be forgiven. Isn’t that a little much? No wonder the disciples told Jesus
to give them more faith. They couldn’t understand how they would ever be able to
fulfill what He said so they asked for more faith. However, as Jesus indicated,
they didn’t need more faith; they simply needed to be obedient servants and do
what they were told. They had all the faith they would ever need; they only
needed to be obedient. So is the wideness of God’s grace. He doesn’t explain it,
He simply gives it. It seems impossible doesn’t it? Doesn’t God get tired of
forgiving us after a while? Obviously not, God would not and could not invoke
upon us what He wouldn’t do Himself. God showed us the depth of His forgiveness
and grace on Calvary’s cross. There the Son of God bleeding on the cross forgave
us, not just once but once forever (Hebrews 10:12). The disciples couldn’t
fulfill Jesus expectation given their circumstance at the time Jesus uttered
these words but after His death, resurrection, ascension and sending of the Holy
Spirit they not only understood; they did it. They forgave a world that treated
them horribly, even at times imitating their Lord in forgiving the very people
who were putting them to death. Those who had experienced so great a grace
dispensed the same. The disciples received so much grace from God in covering
their own sins that it became second nature to do the same for others; a new
nature, the nature born of God; an eternal nature from a new birth in Jesus
Christ. In this way we begin the new year, the same way we ended the last;
forgiven. How sweet the sound, not just once but forgiven forever. So let us
begin this year forgiven and forgiving, that grace would be the watchword of the
kingdom and we would be found obedient servants For Jesus’ sake.
It is of the LORD'S mercies that we are not consumed, because his compassions
fail not. 23 They are new every morning: great is thy faithfulness.
(Lamentations 3:22-23 KJV)
Happy and Blessed New Year,
Jay Weidner
DONATIONS RECEIVED...
In memory of Rudolph & Sylvia Keskitalo
From Michael & Susan Keskitalo
In memory of Einar Fiskari
From Michael & Susan Keskitalo
In memory of Aurora Grace Mixon
From Dale & Carolyn Questad
In memory of Don Kilpela
From Pastor Ernest Bylkas III, Joy & family
In memory of Kathleen Forsman
From Pastor Ernest Bylkas III, Joy & family
In memory of Ernest Bylkas Jr.
From Pastor Ernest Bylkas III, Joy & family
In memory of Ross, Kent & Kris Wolfe
From Fayth Wolfe
In memory of Donald Bielinksi
From Pamela Bielinski
In memory of Ivan & Iris Seppala
From Dale & Carolyn Questad
THANKS TO YOU, the matching funds program was a huge success.
We are pleased to report that donations received reached $25,000 and will now be
matched by a generous donor. May God bless your generosity and continued
support!
THRIVENT FINANCIAL
CHOICE DOLLARS PROGRAM IN 2024
THANK YOU to those who made contributions through Thrivent Financial Choice
Dollars Program. The seminary received $1,935 in the calendar year 2024. For
more information about Choice Dollars, visit http://www.Thrivent.com/thriventchoice
or call 800-847-4836 or contact your local Thrivent Financial representative.
2025 SPIRNG CLASS SCHEDULE LINK
https://ilseminary.org/classchedule.htm
ATTENTION: SUPPORTERS
THERE ARE OTHER WAYS TO SUPPORT THE SEMINARY.
CHOICE DOLLARS DETAILS: Eligible clients with membership can recommend
where Thrivent distributes some of its charitable grant funds. These
recommendations are shared by directing Choice Dollars to enrolled nonprofit
organizations, including churches.
Eligibility requirements: To be eligible to direct Choice Dollars as part of
Thrivent Choice®, you must be a client with benefit membership. Individual
eligibility is also based on at least one of the following:
• Having $750 or more in annual billed premiums of qualifying life and health
insurance products.
• Having $20,000 or more in contract value of qualifying life insurance and
annuity products.
Eligibility is determined monthly and reevaluated on an annual basis.
Minimum and maximum Choice Dollars designations: Eligible clients will be
designated a minimum of 25 Choice Dollars and a maximum of 5,000 Choice Dollars
per eligibility period (Jan. 1 to Dec. 31).
Choice Dollars expiration date: Choice Dollars designated during the calendar
year can be directed until March 31 of the following year.
For more information about Choice Dollars, visit http://www.Thrivent.com/thriventchoice
or call 800-847-4836 or contact your local Thrivent Financial representative.
THRIVENT CHARITABLE IMPACT & INVESTINGTM
The Inter-Lutheran Seminary has established an Endowment Fund through Thrivent
Charitable Impact & InvestingTM (formerly InFaith Community Foundation). All
earnings of the endowment will be used for the seminary’s needs thereby ensuring
the continued existence of this funding source. This is the preferred method
used by many non-profit entities, especially ongoing religiously focused
organizations such as seminaries. To learn more about this organization, go to
www.thriventcharitable.com.
We would love to grow our endowment into a major source of ongoing seminary
support. Although the seminary still needs the financial ongoing regular
contributions of our supporters, please consider the endowment fund for your
planned giving needs. For more additional information, please contact Kirk Otto,
Jr. at (715) 821-8574 or Cheryl Hendrickson at
(906) 482-3337.
ANOTHER OPTION FOR GIVING – PayPal
Online giving is as easy as clicking the DONATE button on our website: https://ilseminary.org.
Simply go to the How to Contribute tab and tap the yellow DONATE button to
begin. There are options for credit and debit card donations and even the option
to help the seminary cover the PayPal processing fee. (Note we are charged 1.99%
+ $.49/transaction fee). As always, we are thankful for your continued support!
**PLEASE NOTE**
If you are receiving this newsletter in error or would prefer to be taken off
the mailing list, please complete the form below and mail to: P.O. Box 449,
Hancock, MI 49930.
Or call 906-482-3337 or email: cilseminary@ilseminary.com. Thank you!
Date:_________________
Name:_______________________________________________________
Address:_____________________________________________________
I wish to be removed from the Inter-Lutheran Seminary’s mailing list.
Inter-Lutheran
Theological Seminary
James Weidner, President
P.O. Box 449
Hancock, MI 49930
administrator@ilseminary.org
Phone: 906-482-3337
FAX: 906-482-0694