St. John Lutheran Church, Charter Oak

St. John Lutheran Church, Charter Oak Offering with open arms
the love of Jesus

06/21/2026

Proclaiming Christ without Fear

06/14/2026

Receive, Then Give

06/08/2026

There is a Sunday Psalm this week, even though it's Monday!

Sunday Psalm
Today's Devotion from Pastor Merrill Sunday, May 17, 2026

Psalm 119:65-72 is our Sunday Psalm for this week. The Lord deals well with us according to His Word. In Jesus He seeks and saves us when we go astray.

You have dealt well with Your servant,
O Lord, according to Your Word.
Teach me good judgment and knowledge,
for I believe in Your commandments.
Before I was afflicted I went astray,
but now I keep Your Word.
You are good and do good;
teach me Your statutes.
The insolent smear me with lies,
but with my whole heart I keep Your precepts;
their heart is unfeeling like fat,
but I delight in Your law.
It is good for me that I was afflicted,
that I might learn Your statutes.
The law of Your mouth is better to me
than thousands of gold and silver pieces.

Prayer: Lord, You have dealt well with Your servant. Let Your Word teach me good judgment and knowledge, that I may show Your goodness and love to those around me. Amen.

06/07/2026

VBS Closing Program

06/03/2026

The Word for the Week for the first week in June.

The Word for the Week
A Weekly Meditation from Pastor Merrill Wednesday, June 3, 2026

[Jesus said,] "For the Son of Man came to seek and to save the lost.” Luke 19:10 (ESV)

It’s Vacation Bible School week at St. John. The theme is “Tropical Trek.” Our main point for the week is “Jesus comes to seek and to save,” based on the above verse. So the Word for the Week I have chosen is “lost.”

Have you ever been lost? I remember I time when I was visiting friends in Idaho, a mother and her son whom I had known from my time in Grinnell, Iowa (before I went to seminary to study for the ministry). She wanted to show me Moscow Mountain, which was a nearby attraction. I drove and she gave directions. We found the road to the mountain (a small mountain compared to, say, the Rockies). It was a dirt road that led uphill; the mountain was mostly evergreens.

Well, the road wound around, and there was really no place to turn around. Unfortunately, my friend did not know the way back to the road we started on! It was evening, and the sun would be setting soon. On top of that, my gas gauge was getting low. I had no idea where I was, or how to get back to town! After what seemed like hours, we finally came to a paved road. It was a numbered highway, so I was able to consult a map and navigate back to town. There was a gas station along the way, so I was able to fill up and get us back home. What a relief!

Many people feel lost in life. Some, like the tax collector Zaccheus who was the lost person Jesus was referring to in our verse, start out on the wrong road. Zaccheus was seeking after the wealth and riches of this world and found himself far from God. But Jesus found him, asked to stay with him, and brought salvation to him.

But even those who know God and His love in Jesus can feel lost at times. Sometimes we find ourselves in life situations where we have no direction, and we don’t know which way to go. Sometimes our circumstances cloud our vision and we can’t see God’s love for us or His purpose for our lives.

Jesus comes to seek and to save. He came for Zaccheus, who was lost in the pursuit of wealth and riches, brought him forgiveness, and gave him a new direction, as he used his wealth to help others. He comes to you in your “lostness.” If you have been trying to go it alone without God, He brings you back to God through His forgiveness, which He won for you by His death on the cross. If you have lost sight of His love, He seeks and finds you with His Word to give you new direction and purpose.

Jesus comes to you in His Word, which assures you that your heavenly Father is gracious and merciful and welcomes lost sinners. He comes to you through Baptism, which makes you part of His family and connects you to Jesus through the local congregation. He comes to you in His Holy Supper, which assures you of forgiveness of sins and strengthens you as you live as His forgiven child. Jesus comes to seek and to save.

Prayer: Lord Jesus, thank You have come to seek and to save—lost me! Amen.

05/20/2026

Wednesday brings another Word for the Week.

The Word for the Week
A Weekly Meditation from Pastor Merrill Wednesday, May 20, 2026

"But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law.” Galatians 5:22-23 (ESV)

With Pentecost coming up on Sunday, the Word for the Week this week is “Spirit,” particularly referring to the Holy Spirit, the third person of the Holy Trinity. The Spirit’s role in our lives is two-fold. One, He brings us to faith and preserves us in faith until we are called home to heaven. Two, He guides and empowers us in Christlike living.
The big “church word” for the Holy Spirit’s work is “sanctification.” To sanctify means to make holy; the Holy Spirit makes us holy by bringing us to faith in Christ so that our sins are forgiven, and by enabling us to live holy and godly lives in the world.
In the passage above from Galatians, Paul outlines the fruit that the Holy Spirit produces in our lives that shows our faith and benefits our neighbor. Love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control are all desirable qualities. They are qualities of the Lord Jesus Himself. When these fruit of the Spirit are evident in a Christian’s life, they show Christ to the world.
Unlike the gifts of the Spirit listed in 1 Corinthians 12:7-11, which the Holy Spirit “apportions to each one individually as He wills,” the fruit of the Holy Spirit is manifested in all believers. We may see specific fruit in different degrees under different circumstances. Perhaps you don’t consider yourself a very patient person. But as a believer in Jesus, you do have the fruit of patience. It may be difficult to show patience at times, but if you look at things with a clear mind you will probably see where the Spirit has given you patience to endure when you need to.
Of these fruit Paul makes a great understatement: “Against such things there is no law.” Who would not agree that showing love to someone is a good thing? Who doesn’t desire joy in work and play and relationships? Who doesn’t want peace in his or her life? Who isn’t thankful when someone is patient with his or her shortcomings? Who doesn’t want their children to be kind and good? Who doesn’t appreciate it when a friend is faithful in keeping his or her promises? Who doesn’t benefit from gentleness and respect? And many a person with a misspent youth has regretted not having more self-control. The Spirit has begun a good work in every Christian.
Most of all, the Holy Spirit leads us to Christ. When we fail to evidence the fruit of the Spirit in our lives, we can turn to Jesus for forgiveness. The Spirit works through the Word of God to bring us to repentance for our sins and trust in Jesus’ saving work on the cross for forgiveness and salvation. The Holy Spirit’s focus is never on Himself; He is always pointing us to Jesus who saves us. Through Baptism He comes to live in you, so that you will produce Christlike fruit in your life.

Prayer: Holy Spirit, You have brought me to faith in Jesus as my Savior. You live in my heart through my Baptism. Produce in me the fruit of a Christlike life. Amen.

05/18/2026

Due to graduations yesterday, the Sunday Psalm arrives on Monday.

Sunday Psalm
Today's Devotion from Pastor Merrill Sunday, May 17, 2026

With most of our high school seniors graduating this weekend, the words of Psalm 119:9-16 seem very appropriate.

How can a young man [or young woman] keep his [her] way pure?
By guarding it according to Your Word.
With my whole heart I seek You;
let me not wander from Your commandments!
I have stored up Your Word in my heart,
that I might not sin against You.
Blessed are You, O Lord;
teach me Your statutes!
With my lips I declare
all the rules of Your mouth.
In the way of Your testimonies I delight
as much as in all riches.
I will meditate on Your precepts
and fix my eyes on Your ways.
I will delight in Your statutes;
I will not forget Your Word.

Prayer: Heavenly Father, we thank and praise You for the milestones reached by our recent graduates from high school, trade school, college, or other levels of achievement. Bless them as they move on to the next stage in life, that they may continually hunger for spiritual sustenance, seeing even more clearly their need to faithfully receive Your Word and Sacrament. In Jesus name. Amen. (From Portals of Prayer, April-June, 2026; Concordia Publishing House).

05/13/2026

Ascension Day tomorrow--the Word for the Week today.

The Word for the Week
A Weekly Meditation from Pastor Merrill Wednesday, May 13, 2026

"You ascended on high, leading a host of captives in Your train, and receiving gifts among men.” Psalm 68:18a (ESV)

The Word for the Week this week is “Victor,” as in one who is victorious in battle or conflict. Tomorrow in the church year is Ascension Day, 40 days after Easter. Ascension Day is the "forgotten festival" in the church year. Historically it is one of the four major festivals, along with Christmas, Easter and Pentecost. But today it is hardly celebrated, even among Lutherans. Most of our congregations have given up holding Ascension Day services because of poor attendance.
Yet Ascension Day is worth celebrating! The English hymn writer Christopher Wordsworth, in his hymn, "See, the Lord Ascends in Triumph," (LSB #494) speaks of Christ's Ascension into heaven in terms of a victorious King being welcomed home. Having defeated all His enemies by His death and resurrection, Jesus returns to heaven as the Victorious One, to the joyful alleluias of angels (verse 1).
Wordsworth expands on the Victor theme by showing how Jesus provides fulfillment to the works of some of the saints in the Old Testament. Jesus is "our Enoch" (verse 3) who has walked with God and pleased Him perfectly, and is now "translated to His everlasting home." Jesus fulfills the role of Aaron, who as high priest took the blood of the people's sacrifices into the Holy of Holies to atone for the people's sins. Jesus has entered heaven, presenting His own blood as the sacrifice that cleanses us from sin once and for all. Jesus is our Joshua, who is the first to set foot in our promised land of heaven, and who leads us there and "plants the tribes of Israel in their promised resting place." (verse 4) He is our Elijah, who before being taken up to heaven, offers us a "double portion of His grace."
The crowning verse of the hymn is verse 5:

"He has raised our human nature On the clouds to God's right hand;
There we sit in heav'nly places, There with Him in glory stand.
Jesus reigns, adored by angels; Man with God is on the throne.
By our mighty Lord's ascension We by faith behold our own."

Jesus' ascension serves as a preview of what will happen to us. As true man He has ascended into heaven. He has broken the barrier of sin that threatened to keep human beings out. He has opened the gates of heaven to us by His death and resurrection. He has blazed the trail for us to join Him in heavenly joy and glory. We are the “host of captives”—former captives to sin but now free in His forgiveness--that He leads in His train. Praise to our ascended Lord and Savior!

Prayer: Lord, Your Son has entered heaven as Victor over sin and death. increase our faith in Jesus’ past, present and future triumph, and make us bold witnesses to Him. Amen.

05/10/2026

Happy Mother's Day! Here is the Sunday Psalm.

Sunday Psalm
Today's Devotion from Pastor Merrill Sunday, May 10, 2026

The appointed Psalm for this day is Psalm 66:8-20. It connects well with the Epistle from 1 Peter 3:13-22, which talks about suffering for Christ’s sake and being prepared to give an answer to anyone who asks you to give a reason for the hope that is in you. The Psalmist’s response is, “Come and hear, all you who fear God, and I will tell what He has done for my soul.”

Bless our God, O peoples;
let the sound of His praise be heard,
who has kept our soul among the living
and has not let our feet slip.

For You, O God, have tested us;
You have tried us as silver is tried.
You brought us into the net;
You laid a crushing burden on our backs;
You let men ride over our heads;
we went through fire and water; yet You have brought us out
to a place of abundance.

I will come into Your house with burnt offerings;
I will perform my vows to You,
that which my lips uttered
and my mouth promised when I was in trouble.
I will offer to You burnt offerings of fattened animals,
with the smoke of the sacrifice of rams;
I will make an offering of bulls and goats.

Come and hear, all you who fear the LORD,
and I will tell what He has done for my soul.
I cried to Him with my mouth,
and high praise was on my tongue.
If I had cherished iniquity in my heart,
the LORD would not have listened.
But truly God has listened;
He has attended to the voice of my prayer.
Blessed be God,
because He has not rejected my prayer
or removed His steadfast love from Me!

Prayer: Merciful Lord, though You test our faith, You promise to listen to our prayers and always supply us with Your steadfast love in Jesus Christ. Give us courage to tell all You have done for our salvation. In Jesus’ name. Am

05/06/2026

After a week's absence, back today with the Word for the Week!

The Word for the Week
A Weekly Meditation from Pastor Merrill Wednesday, May 6, 2026

"For by works of the law no human being will be justified in [God’s] sight, since through the law comes knowledge of sin… [F]or all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, and are justified by His grace as a gift, through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus.” Romans 3:20, 23-24 (ESV)

“So also faith by itself, if it does not have works, is dead… You see that a person is justifies by works and not by faith alone.” James 2:17, 24

Christ is risen! The Word for the Week this week is “paradox,” which refers to two things that appear to be opposite but are both true. It is not often in my personal devotions that I get to read Romans 3 and James 2 in the same day. But this morning my one-year Bible reading plan had me reading James 2, while the Portals of Prayer daily reading was from Romans 3.

So today I’m faced again with one of the great paradoxes in the Bible. Romans 3 says a person is justified (declared right with God) only by grace through faith in Jesus, and not by works. James 2 says that a person is justified by works and not by faith alone. How do we make sense of this? God’s Word does not contradict itself. Can both possibly be true? If so, how does that work?

A phrase that I find helpful in this regard is, “Faith alone justifies, but faith is never alone.” There is no way that any of us can become right with God by our own works. Paul, quoting David in Psalm 14, reminds us, “None is righteous, no, not one… All have turned aside; together they have become worthless; no one does good, not even one” (Romans 3:10-12). Isaiah in the Old Testament agrees. “[All our righteous deeds are like filthy rags” (Isaiah 64:6). But Paul proclaims the Gospel: “All have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, and are justified by His grace as a gift, through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus.” Jesus died for all our sins. We trust in Him alone to make us right with God and to save us.

Yet James reminds us that faith without works is dead, it is really no faith at all. Good works, loving God and our neighbor according to the Ten Commandments, are the natural fruit of faith. Paul agrees with this. After writing in Ephesians 2:8-9: “For by grace you have been saved, through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, not a result of works, so that no one may boast,” he continues with verse 10: “For we are [God’s] workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works.”

We are saved by faith, and then we do the good works God has prepared for us to do. And so we show by our works that God has made us right with Him. Faith alone justifies, but faith is never alone!

Prayer: Lord Jesus, it is only through Your death and resurrection that I become right with God. Let me show my faith by doing the works You have created for me. Amen.

Address

104 Birch Avenue
Charter Oak, IA
51439

Opening Hours

Monday 9am - 5pm
Tuesday 9am - 5pm
Wednesday 9am - 5pm
Thursday 9am - 5pm
Friday 9am - 5pm
Sunday 8:45am - 12pm

Telephone

+17126783630

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