Lent - Deepen Your Relationship With God

Transcription

1 MONTHLY HAPPENINGS St John Lutheran Church February 2015 LIVING AND SHARING A PASSIONATE AND LIFE-CHANGING FAITH IN JESUS CHRIST Lent - Deepen Your Relationship With God Ash Wednesday Service February 18 11:00 am Meal 12:00 pm Worship 5:00 pm Meal 6:30 pm Worship Lenten Service February 25 11:00 am Meal 12:00 pm Worship 5:00 pm Meal 6:30 pm Worship Lent is a wonderful season to reconnect and deepen your relationship with Christ. St John invites you to walk with fellow believers through the Lenten Season with either our 12:00 noon or 6:30 pm services that really serve to quiet the outside world and lead us in deliberate time of contemplation and thanks for what Jesus did for us. Then experience the moving Maundy Thursday and Good Friday services that serve as a somber reminder of the depth of sacrifice that Jesus made for us. Easter Sunday join us for a celebration of the Resurrected Christ and be filled with the Spirit as you take your faith out into the world. Small Groups are a great way to experience Lent together. If you would like to start one or be connected with an existing small group, contact St John at (319)

2 LENT 2015 In just a few days we will be entering into the season of Lent. I am once again mindful of the opportunity Lent presents us to walk together as a community. The journey begins on Ash Wednesday, continues through the pain and heartache of the Maundy Thursday and Good Friday, and triumphantly ends on Easter morning with Jesus victory over death. Lent is a season for us to grow more deeply in our own walk, and it is a chance for all of us to gather together on each Sunday and Wednesday to listen, learn, and ponder our understanding of who God is, and our own personal walks as a follower of Jesus. It is a season to connect with new and old friends in small groups to ponder and discuss what we learn and experience on our own personal Lent journeys. Over the years, people frequently share how their Lenten journey is enriched by attending worship on Sundays and Wednesdays during Lent. These added days of Lenten worship give us the opportunity to come away with a renewed and deeper understanding of the journey of faith we are to walk. I would to personally invite you to take this walk with me this year on Sundays and Wednesdays. Our theme for Lent this year is What DOES this mean? It sounds familiar doesn t it? This question is one that we Lutherans ask ourselves as we study the Small Catechism and the scriptures. This Lent, we will be studying the Small Catechism (Lord s Prayer, Apostle s Creed, 10 Commandments, and more) on each Sunday in Lent, and then on Wednesdays we will go a bit deeper as the Pastors invite us to ask ourselves What does this mean? But don t worry, you won t have to do it alone. During this past several weeks, the Sermon Series Small Groups 101 has been about the hows, whys, and even the whats of being in a small group, and we want to invite everyone at St John to join a small group for the season of Lent to discuss and share the meaning and our own understanding of what these important writings can mean for us. In addition to the messages on Sundays and Wednesdays, there will be a study guide each week for us to use to help us as ourselves and one another What DOES this mean? CHURCH COUNCIL AND NOMINATING PROCESS Each year the Church Council and staff prepare for the annual meeting. At St John, the annual meeting is more than approving a budget, it is also an opportunity to celebrate what has happened during the past year, and to make plans for the future. During this past year, the Church Council, Pastor Duane, and I have taken a look at the nominating and election process and have developed procedures, a timeline, position descriptions, and a form for suggesting names for elected positions. As of this writing the Nominating Committee has already begun their work. These forms are available on the website at this time, and will soon be moved and available on our Online Community (CCB). Paper copies can also be requested in the church office. Remember, Lent starts on February 18 th with Ash Wednesday. It is just around the corner. Start forming up your small group for Lent (or perhaps even beyond), so that we can start talking about What DOES this mean? together. In Christ, Pastor Dave Links to the new SJLC Nomination Process and Timeline and the new SJLC Position Descriptions for Congregational Elected Positions can be found at our website, under the Info Tab, then click on the Resources/Downloads link. (

3 Stewardship Corner What is the first thing that comes to mind when you hear the word stewardship? Budgets and spreadsheets? Money? Pledge cards? A grateful response to God? What about love? For many congregations of the ELCA, stewardship means the church asking for money or it means nothing at all. If it draws to mind anything, it is the three-week annual financial response that happens every fall to ensure there is enough money to fund the budget for the next year. While the annual financial response may be wrapped up in religious language, at the end of the day it is about the need of the congregation to receive rather than the need of the giver to give. Stewardship encompasses so much more than money. It is a way of life. It calls for integration between our faith and the way that we live our lives we are a church that is energized by lively engagement in our faith and life. Stewardship is a mindset, a culture and a discipline that can never be contained in an annual three-week financial response. According to Clarence Stoughton, former president of Wittenberg University, stewardship is everything we do after we say I believe. It is the way in which we use all of the resources that God has entrusted to our care so that we can love God and our neighbor. Stewardship is about love. Stewardship is a matter of the heart. My stewardship practices are a response to the boundless love God first showed me. It means that I am grateful for all that God has generously entrusted to me. As a faithful steward and child of God, I understand that (the) decisions I make, in all aspects of my life, reveal my priorities. It is a privilege to share time, talents and finances, to care for God s earth and to serve my neighbors. Being a good steward has brought me great joy and has helped me grow spiritually. I am blessed to be a blessing. Table of Contents Pastor Dave Letter 2 Stewardship Corner 3 Calendar 4 ELCA National Youth Gathering 5 Paster Duane Story 6 LSC (Lutheran Student Center) 7 Bowling, Food, & Movie 8 Candy Bar Bingo 8 St John Preschool & Childcare 8 Project Linus 8 Kids Stuff Garage Sale 8 Men s 2015 Retreat 9 Silent Auction 9 Facebook Pages 10 Currents 10 CCB Online Community 11 Shared from Kathy Fiscus, Faith and Finances Ministry Team Chair, Central Lutheran Church, Minneapolis!3

4 February Sunday 1 Souper Bowl of Caring 8am Worship Service 9:30am Worship Service 11:00am Worship Service Monday 2 1pm Sole-Full Ministry Monday 16 Sunday 15 8am Worship Service 9:30am Worship Service 11:00am Worship Service 4pm Gifted to Serve 1pm Sole-Full Ministry Tuesday 3 9am Ladies Bible Study 9am Mens Bible Study 10am Ladies Bible Study 7pm Ladies Bible Study 7pm Pints of Grace Tuesday 17 10am Ladies Bible Study 7pm Pints of Grace Wednesday 4 12pm History of Lutherans in North America 4:30pm Children s Chimes 5pm Meal 5:30pm Jubilation Ringers 6:30pm Chancel Choir Rehearsal Wednesday 18 Ash Wednesday 11:00am Meal 12:00pm Worship 4:30pm Children s Chimes 5pm Meal 5:30pm Jubilation Ringers 6:30pm Lenten Worship Thursday 5 7am Mens Bible Study 7:30am Thirsty Thursday Bible Study Thursday 19 Friday 6 Go Birdwatching Friday 20 7am Mens Bible Study 7:30am Thirsty Thursday Bible Study Men s Retreat Saturday 7 Pastor Dave Birthday 9am Zumba 6pm Youth Bowling, Dinner, Movie Saturday 21 Men s Retreat 9am Zumba Sunday 8 8am Worship Service 9:30am Worship Service 11:00am Worship Service 4:00pm Connect 7:00pm High School LaVida Sunday 22 8am Worship Service 9:30am Worship Service 11:00am Worship Service 4:00pm Life Together Monday 9 8am Do-Day Building 8am Do-Day Quilters 1pm Soul-Full Ministry 6:30pm Dad s Night at Preschool Monday 23 1pm Soul-Full Ministry Tuesday 10 10am Ladies Bible Study 6:30pm Dad s Night at Preschool 7pm Pints of Grace Tuesday 24 10am Ladies Bible Study 11am Salvation Army Volunteers 7pm Pints of Grace Wednesday 11 12pm History of Lutherans in North America 4:30pm Children s Chimes 5pm Meal 5:30pm Jubilation Ringers 6pm Candy Bar Bingo 6:30pm Chancel Choir Rehearsal Wednesday 25 11am Lenten Meal 12pm Lenten Worship 4:30pm Children s Chimes 5pm Meal 5:30pm Jubilation Ringers 6:30pm Lenten Worship Thursday 12 7am Mens Bible Study 7:30am Thirsty Thursday Bible Study Thursday 26 Friday 13 Pet a Puppy Friday 27 7am Mens Bible Study 7:30am Thirsty Thursday Bible Study Enjoy Nature Saturday 14 9am Zumba Saturday 28 9am Zumba!4

5 2015 ELCA Youth Gathering Why Detroit? Why St John? Detroit, the host city for the 2015 ELCA Youth Gathering, is a diverse, distinct city with a rich history. The birthplace of the car industry and Motown music, Detroit also played a critical role in the underground railroad and in the industrialization of America. Although the media would have you believe Detroit is on the verge of collapse its residents know a different story. The city they know, our host city, has faced and continues to face its share of challenges. Yet there is a growing revitalization effort underway, and we believe God is calling us to Detroit for the 2015 ELCA Youth Gathering to learn from and serve among our brothers and sisters there. Downtown Detroit, where the two main venues for the Gathering are located, is a hub of vibrancy and activity. With new companies headquartered downtown and more than 11,000 new employees working and living in the city, Detroit is home to many young adults at the beginning of their professional careers. With great architecture, cultural opportunities and winning sports teams, Detroit has much to offer visitors. The Detroit metro area is also the home to several faithful ELCA congregations who are living out their faith in new and exciting ways. Take Grace in Action, for instance. Grace in Action is an ELCA faith community dedicated to reclaiming the mission of the church, being transformed by God and each other and building a more just society for all of God s people. The ministries at Grace in Action are inspired by the visions and dreams of people in the community: open mic night, citizenship class, prayer group and more. That is just one story from Detroit. Detroit has much to teach us about being a part of what God is up to at this time in our history. The story youth and their adult leaders will hear there, and will proclaim there, is that Jesus endured death for us, and Jesus rose from the grave in fulfillment of God s plan, to make us worthy in Christ, to write us into a new story in which we are free from our fears of the powers of sin, death and the devil. There are many people in Detroit who know experiences of death, and there are many Lutherans, and brothers and sisters from partner communions who stand alongside the citizens of Detroit with the cross, proclaiming healing and wholeness in the midst of the death and despair. God is calling us to bear witness to their story, and to his creative and redeeming story of death and resurrection. We will gather in Detroit in July 2015 to be inspired, encouraged, strengthened, connected and sent out to do God s work in the world. In order to pay for the cost of the trip, the youth of St John are raising money through donations and a variety of fundraisers. St John feels that part of the positive experience of a trip like this lies in the participation of both the youth and the congregation in the raising of funds, as it more closely ties us to the mission. Thank you for your past support, and thank you in advance for your future efforts. If you would like to donate to this trip, contact AJ Houseman at aj@stjohncf.org.!5

6 I want to share a story with you that I try to tell at least once at every congregation I serve. It was the weekend after the National Day of Thanksgiving. I was 11 years old. I lived on the east side of the city of Lansing, Michigan. Our family was invited over to have dinner with some of my parents friends. They loaded us into the car and we set off. My Dad decided to stop and run into the corner drug store. Next to the store was a walk-up to some apartments. I was sitting in the back seat next to the curb, so I could see into the walk-up. Someone was looking back at me. It was a girl roughly my age. I didn t know her, which was strange. I knew most of the kids in the neighborhood because we all went to the same school. A younger boy who I presume was her brother was standing next to her. Both of the kids looked sad and pale. Their clothes were tattered. I was getting upset that these kids looked cold and hungry, and I said something to Mom. By this time, Dad was back in the car and we were pulling away. Mom tried to reassure me. Don t worry! she said. Someone will take care of them. It was hardly reassuring. Who was taking care of them? It sure didn t look like anyone was taking care of them! Who will take care of the children? Who is taking care of hungry people? Current estimates cited on the Bread for the World website are that 805 million people in the world are hungry (the good news is that there were 925 million hungry people just a few years ago). One child dies every five seconds due to hunger related causes. In the United States, 49.1 million people live in households that are food insecure (the bad news is that this number was 48 million just a few years ago). More than one in five American children is at risk of hunger (no recent changes there). The memory of that girl in the walk-up that Thanksgiving weekend is one reason I lift up the needs of hungry people. I also believe that God is calling people of faith to be part of all legitimate efforts to fight hunger and poverty. The Souper Bowl of Caring is one such effort. It started in 1990 when a Presbyterian seminary intern challenged some high school youth to use Super Bowl weekend as an opportunity to collect money and canned goods for the charity of their choice. St. John participates in Souper Bowl of Caring every year. This year our youth will be receiving your financial contributions after every worship service on Sunday, February 1. Your generous contributions will be forwarded to ELCA World Hunger. For every dollar given to ELCA World Hunger, 70 cents supports relief of chronic hunger and poverty and development of communities around the world, primarily through the work of Lutheran World Relief and the Lutheran World Federation. About 9 cents is spent on relief and development for chronic hunger and poverty in the United States. 5.5 support efforts to educate ELCA members about hunger issues. Efforts to advocate for poor and hungry people receive 11.5 cents, and 8 cents goes to administration and fundraising expenses in the Chicago-based office. You can learn more about ELCA World Hunger at Please plan to contribute to ELCA World Hunger in participation with the Souper Bowl of Caring now through February 8. If you wish to write a check, make it payable to St. John Lutheran Church and note ELCA World Hunger in the memo line. Or, you may make a contribution online Thank you in advance for supporting a most effective ministry of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America. In Christ, Duane E. Miller Interim Associate Pastor!6

7 LSC. Home Away From Home. Most of us know of the Lutheran Student Center, but do we really know all they have to offer? The LSC is open to everyone, regardless of religious affiliation. You don t have to be a UNI student, or even a student at all, and anyone from roughly is invited. We are open from 10am - 10 pm each day, so stop in! The LSC Mission Drawn We are a community that seeks to be encouraging and draw people in - a community where young adults feel welcome and can grow in relationships with other young adults and be connected to the larger Church. Changed We are a ministry of transition and equipping. Young adults passing through the LSC go on to serve God in a variety of ways. We are constantly investing in and helping young adults grow and discern their callings. Sent We are missional. We see reaching out a necessary outcome of God's work in and among us. We try to build the mindset of selflessness and service in these years and send students out regularly to live out their faith in the vocations of their adulthood. LSC WORSHIP Join your current friends or some new ones on Wednesday nights at 8:30pm for worship at the LSC LSC MISSION TRIP This year s Spring Break Mission Trip will be March Location? It is still a secret! Contact AJ at aj@stjohncf.org for more information or to sign up. Last year s trip to Alabama was fun and rewarding, come along! LSC HIGH SCHOOL LA VIDA High School Students, join us on the second Sunday of each month for an evening of coffee, fellowship, soft drinks, and fun at the Lutheran Student Center High School LaVida, from 7:00pm until 9:00pm PINTS OF GRACE Pints of Grace is a time for fellowship and conversations of faith. Come relax, enjoy a beer or soda and the company of other brothers and sisters in Christ. Pints of Grace meets on Tuesday nights at 7:00pm at Beck s on the Hill. LSC COFFEEHOUSE The LSC Coffeehouse is the LSC s unique FREE coffee house. Come for the warm atmosphere, friends, free wifi, study time, and even live entertainment on occasion. Open Tuesdays & Thursdays from 8:00pm till 11:00pm. LSC SERVICE OPPORTUNITIES The LSC is very active throughout our community in numerous ways. Visit our website for the current service opportunities which often includes the Northeast Iowa Food Bank, New Aldaya Lifescapes, Habitat for Humanity among others. Contact AJ at aj@stjohncf.org for more info.!7

8 Bowling, Food, & Movie High School Youth from St John are meeting at the church on Saturday February 7 at 6:00pm. From there we will be going bowling, then we ll grab some food and then head back to the church for a movie. Contact Drake or Jon for more information, feel free to bring a friend! REGISTRATION IS OPEN! Wednesday, February 11 Taco Dinner at 5:00 pm, 6:00 BINGO! Cost to play: 1 full size candy bar. Win: Candy Bars! BONUS Bring 3 cans of food for the Northeast Iowa Food Bank and receive an extra card, limit of 1 extra card per person. This is a great activity for parents and children to participate in together. Be Prepared. Well, maybe that isn t Linus line, but it still applies. St John will be participating in a Project Linus event in the near future, and we need your help. We need donations of fleece in 1 1/2 yard lengths in kid appropriate patterns. If you would be willing to donate some, that would be wonderful, and you ll make Linus day. Donations can be left in the Good Samaritan room next to the office. Preschool & Childcare Registration Registration for St John Preschool & Childcare is now underway for the school year! Contact Kathy Thompson at (319) or kathythompson@stjohncf.org Kid s Stuff Garage Sale Please start saving your things for the Kid s Stuff Garage Sale coming March 27. *Toys*Kids Clothing*ALL THINGS KID*!8

9 Men s Retreat - Strawberry Point Friday and Saturday February we will gather at the Stone Center in Strawberry Point. We will have dinner on the way up, and when we get up to the center we will unload our stuff and settle in for the evening with material from Michael Jr., Christian comedian. Saturday morning will start off with a nice breakfast in house, lovingly prepared for us by the EWALU staff. The morning will be more fellowship, more Michael Jr., likely a little free time, then a nice lunch. We are usually back home by mid-afternoon. Some of the best stories start out Do you remember that one time at the Men s Retreat? We d love to be able to include you in that story! If you ve never been to one of our retreats, we d love to have you there. It is no stress and fun, but at the same time can have a huge impact on a person s faith. It is also a great opportunity for fathers and sons to spend some quality time together as well. I had to be convinced to go on my first Men s retreat with St John years ago. I had assumed it was going to be a lot of religious, do this, do that, stuff. It wasn t that at all. It was just guys being guys, getting to know each other, and coming to understand that we share and carry a lot of the same loads in our lives. Oh, and football in the snow broke out! I made friendships in those couple of days that I still have. I can t recommend it enough. Please sign up at the Opportunities Table or online at Bill Bass Cost for the retreat is $65* for a double room or $77* for a single room. * If cost is an issue, check with Steve Ferguson for possible scholarship opportunities. Silent Auction The youth that are going on the ELCA National Youth Gathering in Detroit are going to be doing a silent auction on a variety of themed baskets February So far there is a Spa Basket, a Kayak Fishing Basket, and a Camping Basket (pictured on the left) with more to come. There should be something for all ages and all interests. All proceeds go to support the cost of the trip. Keep an eye out for more pictures of the baskets in the days to come!!9

10 New Facebook Page But Why? Social Media is quite the buzzword these days, but how does it help the church? Multiple ways. When you like a page on facebook, it not only tells facebook that you want to see our posts, but it also shows your friends and family what a great place St John is to live out your spiritual life. When you share a post, that helps even more. Sharing a post helps St John get the word out about what is going on, not only to your Facebook friends and acquaintances, but it can also positively effect our ranking on search engines such as Google. That can be a great asset for somebody looking for a new church home, somebody in crisis, or a family looking for a place to worship while visiting our area. So visit the St John page or the new St John Preschool and Childcare page and look around. And tell your friends! Sign up at the Opportunities Table In the scriptures, water is a powerful image that connects God s people more deeply to God and the life God calls us to. At St John, CURRENTS serve as streams into a deeper connection to our walk as disciples of Jesus, to the St John Community, and to our mission & vision. These are streams, so feel free to wade in and participate at any time! All classes start at 4:00 pm. February 8 - CONNECT In this class for those interested in becoming a member of St John, you will have the opportunity to learn a bit about our story and share a bit of yours; discover the mission and vision of SJLC; meet leaders; learn what the next steps are; and take a tour of the building. February 15 - GIFTED TO SERVE Discover how you have been gifted to serve & the many ways the people of SJLC reach out into the community and around the world. February 22 - LIFE TOGETHER You will be introduced to the values we hold in our life together at SJLC and the small group & huddle community of SJLC. March 1 - LEAD At SJLC, we believe it takes time to learn how to lead and what it means to lead in a community of faith. This leader pipeline can help you discover and develop your giftedness for leadership in ministry. March 8 - LUTHERAN 101 So what makes a church Lutheran? Come & see what Lutherans hold at the center of what we believe about who God is and how we are to live as followers of Jesus in today s world.!10

11 Did You Know? Did you know that St John Lutheran Church uses an online community (CCB) in order to give the members of our congregation access to all the information related to our church? While there is too much to show on one page, below are some screen shots to give you an idea what you can find on our CCB site ( For more information or to get signed up, contact Jenny at (319) or

12 Nonprofit Organization U.S. Postage PAID Cedar Falls, IA Permit No.111 Address Service Requested PRAYING FOR ONE ANOTHER Comfort and Consolation to.... The family of Robert Jensen upon his death - Monica Jensen, Kim & Bill Jordan, and Tammy & Tony Halterman Arleen & Jim Burkhardt and Frankie Knight on the death of Arleen & Frankie s Aunt Joe & Lin Schutte on the death of Joe s brother-in-law, Norm Caley. Tom & Linnea Nicol s on Tom s father, LaVern Nicol 715 College Street Cedar Falls, IA 50613