St. John s Lutheran Church Stewartville, Minnesota Announcements September 2, 2018

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1 St. John s Lutheran Church Stewartville, Minnesota Announcements September 2, 2018 ASSISTING IN WORSHIP: USHERS Sun 8:00: Bruce & Kay Narveson Sun 10:30: Stephen Morse, Pete Wernimont ORGANIST Audrey Oehlke ALTAR GUILD Lisa Campbell, Rose Buns, LuAnn Betcher THE FLOWERS ON THE ALTAR on Sunday are given by Gary and Rose Buns in celebration of their 35 th wedding anniversary on September 3. May the good Lord bless them with many more years of joy together in the embrace of his love. THE ADULT BIBLE CLASS meets at 9:15 Sunday in the fellowship hall. The class will wrap up its look at the book of Daniel, focusing on chapters 11 and 12. SUMMER SUNDAY SCHOOL concludes today. Thank you very much to all the members who stepped forward to lead the children in learning about Jesus this summer. Thank you to Becky Fredricksen for leading the students today in a study of Daniel. REGULAR SUNDAY SCHOOL classes resume September 9 at 9:15am. Classes are available for children three-years-old through 8 th grade. A full staff has been assembled! We thank the members who stepped forward to offer their service. On September 9 all students will meet in the education wing for some refreshments and an introductory program. Parents are also encouraged to attend the opening minutes to meet the teachers and know what rooms the children will be in. To ensure we have current contact and emergency information for all students, parents will be asked to review or complete an enrollment form. Thanks for your cooperation. We look forward to a great year of Christian education for Jesus children. UPCOMING BIBLE CLASSES: - Sunday mornings at 9:15am beginning September 9: Regrets, Reality, Restoration. This 4-week class is a program from Lutheran Hour Ministries. In this DVD series you will hear heartfelt stories from real people who experienced regret in deep and profound ways. What took place previously in their lives substance abuse, walking away from God and family, high-level career missteps, and even taking a life weren't unpardonable sins to God. Self-forgiveness and moving forward, however, was another matter. See how, even in these most tormented moments, it was God's love in Christ Jesus that brought hope and restoration. - Tuesday mornings at 10am beginning September 18: Moses. Explore the life of Moses, not only by reading about him in the Bible, but also by watching the movie Moses starring Ben Kingsley, Frank Langella and David Suchet. Each session will last about an hour, perhaps a bit more. The class will meet about eight times. Everyone is welcome. APPOINTMENTS WITH THE LORD: Today: Worship, 8 & 10:30am Christian Education Hour, 9:15am Monday: Labor Day - Office Closed Tuesday: Elders, 6:30pm Wednesday: 7/8 th Grade Confirmation, 6pm Youth Group Open Doors, 6pm Adult Choir, 7pm Thursday: Ladies Aid Fellowship, 9am/Meeting, 10am Worship with Communion, 6:30pm Saturday: JUMP Event - Pearl of the Lake Boat Cruise, Lake City, 4pm Sunday: Worship with Communion, 8 & 10:30am Christian Education Hour, 9:15am Wee Care Open House, 1pm

2 THE LADIES AID will meet on Thursday, September 6 at 10am for its monthly meeting. All women are invited to gather in the fellowship hall any time after 9am for refreshments and fellowship. Devotions will be led by Committee 3: Ardis Copple, Diane Schultz, Jan Sampson, Carol Nelsen and Bev Feine. JUMP stands for Just Unique Middle-Age People and is a social group for St. John s members in their 40s and 50s. -- The September event is scheduled for Saturday, September 8 on the Pearl of the Lake paddle wheel boat in Lake City from 4 to 6pm with boarding beginning at 3:30. We rented a private charter so it will be a fun way to visit with longtime friends and get to know new ones while we cruise along Lake Pepin and the Mississippi River. For this event we extend a special invitation to people over 60 to join us! A sign-up sheet and flyer are in the narthex. The cost is $20. Those who wish to do so may go out to eat at a local restaurant after the cruise. If you have any questions, or want to register to attend please contact Janelle Fistler at secretary@stjohnsandweecare.org. A confirmation with directions will be sent this week to everyone who registers. STEP AHEAD LEARNING AND TUTORING (SALT) is a ministry of our congregation to provide after-school tutoring to first and second grade students on Wednesdays during the school year. This year s program will begin on September 19. Each session runs from 3 to 5pm. If you are interested in helping with the program as a tutor, even on an as available basis, or as someone who will provide a snack, contact LouAnn Gotch at louanngotch@hotmail.com for more information. Thanks for your support of this great community program. CONFIRMATION CLASS for students in grades 7 and 8, begins on Wednesday, September 5. The class will meet from 6 to 7:30pm. This year because of the very small number of 6 th graders, that confirmation class will be incorporated into Sunday School. Under Pastor s guidance Jenni Laures will teach the material, give assignments, etc. Thanks, Jenni! CHOIR REHEARSALS will begin on Wednesday, September 5 at 7pm. New singers are welcome! It would be great to have some of our high school students join the group! HANDBELL REHEARSALS begin on Tuesday, September The Adoration Choir, for students beginning in grade 3 and all new ringers, rehearses from 5:30 6:15pm. Parents and experienced ringers are always welcome to come and help these new ringers learn! The choir will work on how to ring a hand bell, how to count the music, and everything else one needs to know to ring. -- The Jubilate Choir, for more experienced ringers will rehearse from 6:30 7:30pm. New ringers are welcomed to the Jubilate Choir as well. No knowledge of music is necessary, although it certainly helps. Please come and join in the fellowship and fun of worship through music! If you have any questions, please talk to LouAnn Gotch or contact her at louanngotch@hotmail.com. WEE CARE CLASSES begin on Monday, September 10. A limited number of spots remain available. To get more information call Dee Radtke at or check the website: An Open House will be held on Sunday, September 9 from 1 to 3pm. AS YOU HARVEST your gardens, if you have extra produce you would like to share with church members please place it on the table in the east part of the fellowship hall. The food will be free for the taking for all to enjoy! Thank you!

3 CALL TASK FORCE UPDATE At the end of May the Minnesota South District President sent us the names of sixteen possible candidates for our Associate Pastor position. The Call Task Force prayerfully and exhaustively reviewed all the material sent by the District President. It identified ten candidates it wished to talk with more about their qualifications, experiences and interests. Eight of those men (for various reasons) said they could not consider a call at this time. Two candidates were interviewed via Skype last Tuesday. Based on those interviews and all the other information the Task Force is ready to recommend two pastors for consideration of a call. They are: - Rev. Matthew Behrens of Kyle, Texas who is serving as a missionary-at-large of the Texas District at a church replant called Cornerstone Church, and - Rev. Daniel Potts of Monroe, Michigan who is currently serving as associate pastor at Trinity Lutheran Church in Monroe. On our behalf, the Minnesota South District is now conducting the state-required background checks on these candidates. That could take until the end of September. In addition, if any member of St. John s knows either of these men and has a valid objection to them being considered for a call, the reason for the objection must be put in writing, signed and given to our Call Task Force chairman, Aaron Fistler, no later than Monday, September 10. The Call Task Force will meet on Tuesday, September 11 and consider any objections that may be received. After background checks are completed then a congregational call meeting will be scheduled at which time a call may be extended to one of the two candidates. Prior to the call meeting, and most especially at the meeting, much information will be shared so that the voters can make a well-informed decision about whom to call to serve at St. John s. Therefore, please continue to be patient as the process is followed. By God s grace the steps will enable his will to be done. We acknowledge that the by-laws of our congregation say that a minimum of three names should be brought to the voters for consideration of a call. As explained earlier that was not possible with the list of names we received. Therefore, the congregation will be asked to allow the submission of only two names. However, if the voters want to have at least three names to consider then the group will be able to vote to essentially begin the process again and ask for more names from the District President. We only caution that with the shortage of pastors (especially of recent graduates) and the specific nature of our associate position, it can be challenging to come with several well-qualified candidates. The Call Task Force has done its work well and believes that it has two names, either of which, if he accepts the call, will serve the Lord and his Church with skill and true devotion. FELLOWSHIP HALL UPDATING The painting part of the project is essentially complete except for some work that needs to be done around the door and the new beverage counter in the kitchen. But we will hold off on that pending completion of plumbing and electrical work which should be done this week. After that the new cabinet, sink, faucets and disposal will be installed and the drinking fountain reinstalled around the corner near the racks of chairs. The window blinds have been put back up and we are working on a new curtain for the stage. It seems like the new carpet and tile may be laid the week of September 24 (although that can still change.) When we know for certain we will set a time to move everything out of the fellowship hall and kitchen and rip out all the old carpeting. THE 2019 LCMS Youth Gathering will be held in Minneapolis July Right now the Gathering is looking for adult volunteers to help. If you might be interested in assisting and getting a firsthand view of such a Gathering go to this webpage for information: Thanks.

4 AFTER LABOR DAY the church office will resume regular hours. The secretary will be in the office Monday through Thursday from 8am to noon and 1-4pm. The office is closed Fridays. DAILY BIBLE READING GUIDE Sunday, September 2: Deuteronomy 15, Psalm 62, Galatians 5:16:6-5 Monday, September 3: Deuteronomy 16:1-17, Psalm 63, Galatians 6:6-18 Tuesday, September 4: Deuteronomy 16:18-17:20, Psalm 64, Luke 1:1-4 Wednesday, September 5: Deuteronomy 18, Psalm 65, Luke 1:5-25 Thursday, September 6: Deuteronomy 19, Psalm 66, Luke 1:26-38 Friday, September 7: Deuteronomy 20, Psalm 67, Luke 1:39-56 Saturday, September 8: Deuteronomy 21:1-23, Psalm 68, Luke 1:57-66 A NEW PROJECT has been added to the Memorials and Special Gifts List: Moving Expenses for the New Pastor. Whenever we call a pastor and he accepts, it will be a responsibility of the congregation to cover moving expenses. This fund will help do just that. We are keeping the Fellowship Hall Updating project on the list until all expenses have been covered. The Board of Directors also decided to include laying new vinyl flooring in the kitchen as part of the project. MEASURES OF OUR LOVE: Baptized Members: 636 Communicants: 535 Attendance: Last Sunday: 211 Last Year: 197 General Fund Offerings: Last Weekend: $10, Last Year: $6, (Memorials and Special Gifts are not included) MEMORIALS AND SPECIAL GIFTS RECEIVED For St. John s General Fund Ron & Sandy Geist in memory of Otto Kitzmann For Ladies Aid Maxine Runkle in memory of Maurice Sinn For Fellowship Hall Updating Lee & Kathy Boettcher Clifton & Lori Feltis Ron & Sandy Geist John & Nancy Henke Randy & Renee Krug Dick & Cel Louks Larry & Bettie Miller Rob & Amy Myhrvold Bruce & Kay Narveson Ray & Janet Quandt Jan Schumann Tom & Cindy Sinn Howard Sloneker Judy Stoltenberg Stan & Kathy Tordsen Ed & Sharon Wellik all in memory of Maurice Sinn Larry & Bettie Miller in memory of Dale Meldahl Aaron & Janelle Fistler Dick & Cel Louks Käthe Schroeder Mark & Deb Sloneker Dean & Janie Wellik all in memory of Otto Kitzmann BIRTHDAYS THIS WEEK: 3 Connie Fritsch 4 Mike Dolton 5 Michelle Griffis 7 Elsa Paulsen 8 Faye Claussen, Harrison Petersen, Gina Schatz ANNIVERSARIES THIS WEEK: 3 Gary & Rose Buns 4 Lee & Kathy Boettcher 6 Brad & Shelly Miller 7 Dick & Cel Louks Fellowship Hall Updating: $1,365.00

5 NEXT WEEK: UNIVERSITY OF MINNESOTA ROCHESTER CAMPUS MINISTRY MEAL St. John s turn for serving a meal to the UMR students living in the dorm is Saturday, September 22. This is a continuing ministry effort of our Rochester Circuit churches to the students. Every Saturday through the school year our Circuit churches take turns providing a meal and conversing with the students, sharing with them the love of Christ. The dorm is called 318 Commons and is located at st Ave SW in Rochester. As we did last year, we are looking for members who would be willing to make lasagna or other pasta dish and dessert to serve that day. We will need food for about 80 people. Expenses can be reimbursed. We also need three or four people willing to go, serve, and eat lunch with the students from 11am-1:30pm. Please contact Dave Erickson if you are interested or would like more details. You may also sign-up on the Task Force page of the church website. I will write this out: Creation Conference September 28th at Grace Lutheran Rochester, 800 E Silver Lake Dr Semisaurus Museum will be open from noon to 6:00 pm** Dinosaurs, Ice Age, and Preflood World (World before Noah's Flood) -- part 7:00 pm -- part 8:15 pm September 29th at Grace Lutheran Rochester, Semisaurus Museum will be open from 10:00 am to 6:00 pm** Age of the earth (Evidence for a Young Earth) --@ 6:00 pm (during church service) Pharoahs of the Bible (Evidence for the Exodus) 7:00 pm Miracle of Birth (Evolutionary Impossibility) 8:15 pm September 30th at Redeemer Lutheran Rochester 869 7th Ave SE Semisaurus Museum will be open from noon to 6:00 pm** Mount St. Helens (during morning bible study) --@9:20 am Attack on Christianity (Inside and Outside the Church) -- part 7:00 pm -- part 8:15 pm **Semisaurus museum will be in Grace Lutheran parking lot the entire weekend. For more information call REGULAR SUNDAY SCHOOL NEWS - Regular Sunday School classes for children preschool age through 8 th grade resume on Sunday, September 9 at 9:15. On that day all students will meet first in the education wing for refreshments and an opening. From there they will be dismissed to their classrooms. Again this year the students will be able to participate in the Young Investors Club of the Lutheran Church Extension Fund. We are very grateful to the Lord for the following members who are serving the Lord and his children in our Sunday School this year: Preschool Cara and Kyle Rentz Kindergarten Emily and David Fritsch 1 and 2 grades Pat Dahl/Jena Feltis/ Sonora Purrier 3 and 4 grades Rose Buns/ Lisa Moham 5 and 6 grades Jenni Laures 7 and 8 grades Vince Meyer Devotion/Music Suzette Rowen LCEF Stamps Stan and Kathy Tordsen Superintendent Jennifer Reed Substitutes: Kim Feine, Amy Myhrvold, Becky Fredricksen

6 For Fellowship Hall Updating David & Suzanne Paulson Joyce Kraut Steve & Pat Wondrasch R.D. & Karen Howell Nancy Evans Dennis & Linda Haakenson Leigh & Jane Behrman Kenneth Feine Dan & Dorothy Michaelis Terry & Janel Stevens Keith & Barb Wolf John Mueller & Cindy Nelsen David & Bette Preuss Bradley & Beth Hortop Gregory & Gina Meyer Michael & Diane Splittstoesser Stephen & Pamela Holty James & Gaylene Ryan Steve & Nancy Fraasch Jim & Annette Sinn John Doffley John & Kris Keefe Rob, Maureen & Tracy Schroeder Greg & Judy Hamilton Catherine Jones all in memory of Maurice Sinn