St. John Journey September 2015 A message from The pastor As we move into the month of September there are some special things happening here at St. John. We are now involved and will be the Sponsoring Church for EB Stanley Middle School Backpack Program. Students who are in need and are qualified by the school are provided with enough food to cover their meals for the weekend. This is a wonderful Ministry and we are extremely excited to get it going. On September 27, we will be hosting the St. John Preschool for a combined Worship Service at 10:00AM. This will be a Rally Day and immediately following the Worship Service we will have a meal in the Fellowship Hall. Please invite all your friends, family members and neighbors to attend this wonderful day of celebration here at St. John. We will be talking about Sunday School which will begin the following Sunday at 10:00 am. The 5:00 PM Worship Service will be moving back to 8:45 AM on Sunday, Oct. 4. This will allow us time for Sunday School to begin at 10:00 am. A thank you goes out to all of you who are secret Angels. Those who give so generously of your time taking care of the church building, the gardens, carrying out the trash, making sure the kitchen is organized. I am not going to say names because I know I will leave someone out, but thanks for all you do. Peace, Pastor Scott
S t. John Journey P a ge 2 Creeper Trail Shelter in Memory of Taylor Read Thanks to the many generous donations to the Virginia Creeper Trail Club in Taylor's name, we have been given the opportunity to build a special place along the trail in Taylor's memory. For the first annual "Rails to River" event, we invite family, friends, and the community to join us on a bike ride to the river at Alvarado Station where we are building a new shelter in Taylor's name. There, we will be having a special "Dedication of the Shelter" and a BBQ lunch for all to gather in celebration of Taylor's life well-lived. With gratitude always for our church home & friends in Christ, Paul, Kelly, & Megan Event Details: Cost is $20 and includes a "Rails to River" event shirt and BBQ lunch (vegetarian option available) Please reserve your lunch and shirt size by emailing virginiacreepertrailclub@gmail.com by September 15th. Provide your name, # attending, and shirt size. Payment will be accepted at the event at the Trailhead in Abingdon or Alavarado Station. BIKERS: Registration will be at the Creeper Trail Visitors Center at the Abingdon Trailhead from 9-10:30am. Enjoy a ride on the trail at your own leisure and plan to meet at Alvarado Station at 12:30pm for the BBQ & Dedication NON-BIKERS: drive to Alvarado Station where parking is provided. The dedication and lunch will begin at 12:30pm. To view shelter pictures and progress of the construction an event Facebook page has been created. "Rails to River" Taylor Read Memorial Bike Ride & Dedication https://www.facebook.com/events/143390026002295/144097335931564/ St. John Serves @ Food Pantry September 27th-Oct.2nd September 27th through Oct.2nd, St. John will be serving at Faith in Action. Bagging will take place on Sunday, September 27th. Food Distribution will be done from to on Monday and Friday, and from 4:30 to on Tuesday. See signup sheet on the bulletin board to give whatever time you have. We need two folks to run the desk during those hours, plus more helpers in the back to pack boxes and take them out. Please remember that those who work in the back cannot wear open-toed shoes. 2
P a ge 3 S t. John Journey St. John Choir Rehearsals Wednesdays, 6:00PM 11:00AM Choir 5:00PM Choir Starting up again on September 8th.. The St. John meet at on Tuesdays. No sewing experience required come join the ladies as they make quilts to benefit Lutheran World Relief.. Tuesday Afternoon Bible Study. Bible Study on Tuesday begins on September 8th. The first session will be planning what we want to study. All are welcome to bring a bag lunch at noon for a fellowship hour preceding Bible Study. ST. JOHN SEPTEMBER BIRTHDAYS Sept. 2 Jean Greer Sept. 3 Doris Vaught Sept. 14 Larry Fuller Sept. 14 Bill Phillips Sept. 25 Amber Tran Sept. 26 Mary Rorick Sept. 27 Herb Proffitt Sept. 29 Marty Dunn 3
Brewing Theology, Monday September 14th Brewing Theology will meet at Wolf Hills, Monday evening, September 14th at 6:00 PM. Come out and enjoy fellowship and interesting conversation. Weather permitting, we just might be outside! Getting Ready for Friends of Santa It s only September, but some of us are thinking about what we ll need for the Friends of Santa! Friends of Santa is a community-wide Christmas ministry that is based right here in St. John. Families in Washington County who qualify are given gift cards to brighten their Christmas celebrations. Over 600 children were served last year. We try to give each child a bag of basic supplies as well. So for the next few months we ll be gathering toiletries and school supplies to include in Friends of Santa baggies for kids. Suggested items include personal care items such as toothbrushes, toothpaste, shampoo, soap and lotions, as well as pencils, pens, crayons, markers, school notebooks and paper. Consider buying the needed items as you find them on sale; school supplies are deeply discounted in some stores right now. Drop your items in the marked collection boxes in the fellowship hall. Later in the year we ll come together to prepare the gift bags. St. John s Financial Summary Unfortunately, St. John s income has slipped badly over the summer. Expenses, however, have continued on track. We are now projecting a $20K shortfall for the year. Please come out, give generously, and help get St. John back on track! The Finance Team 4
Page 5 Assistant Minister Offering Counter Usher Altar Guild Stewardship Sept. 6 Sept. 13 Sept. 20 Sept. 27 Steve Kluttz Ray Whitner Steve Kluttz no Joel and Carole Ann Rosen Kelly Read 5:00PM service Ray Whitner Jim Suhrbier Dianne Suhrbier Joel and Carole Ann Rosen Kelly Read 11:00AM service 5:00 Worship today S t. John Journey Sept. 6 Sept. 13 Sept. 20 Sept. 27 10:00AM Assistant Minister Joan Shaver Ken Croghan Ed Davis Edie Hiltebeitel Lector Bill Spencer Helen French Joan Shaver John Gifford Acolyte Chris Dixon Sharon Meacham Chris Dixon Chris Dixon Reception Joanna Wolfe The Keens The Bonhams Luncheon Counters Jim and Tammie Kroll Parker Keen Gary Halverson Helen French David Bonham Jim Kroll Parker Keen Ushers The Keens The Lovetts The Krolls The Giffords Altar Guild Edie Hiltebeitel Helen French Helen Findley Carol Halverson Jean Harley Lectionary Readings for the Month Sept. 6 Isaiah 35:4-7a James 2:1-17 Mark 7:24-37 If you cannot serve on your scheduled day, please make arrangements with another person and call the office to let the secretary know. Sept. 13 Isaiah 50:4-9a James 3:1-12 Mark 8:27-38 Sept. 20 Jeremiah 11:18-20 James 3:13 4:3,7-8a Mark 9:30-37 5 Sept. 27 Numbers 11:4-6,10-16,24-29 James 5:13-20 Mark 9:38-50
Page 6 S t. John Journey September2015 SUNDAY MONDAY TUESDAY WEDNESDAY THURSDAY FRIDAY SATURDAY 1 2 3 4 5 6 Pentecost 15 11:00 AM Worship 5:00PM Worship 7 Labor Day Church office closed 8 Bible Study 9 10 11 12 13Pentecost 16 11:00 AM Worship 5:00PM Worship 14 6:00PM Brewing Theology Evangelism 15 Bible Study 16 17 Council 18 19 20 Pentecost 17 11:00 AM Worship 5:00PM Worship 21 6:00PM Worship & Music Worship Training 22 Bible Study 23 24 25 26 27 Pentecost 18 10:00 AM Worship Luncheon after Worship Food Pantry Bagging 28 - Food Pantry 29 1PM Bible Study 4:00- Food Pantry 30 6
Staff G. Scott Homesley St. John Lutheran Church 807 E. Main St. Phone: 276-628-6215 Phone: 276-628-6215 E-mail: stjohnlutheran@stjohnabingdon.comcastbiz. E-mail: stjohnlutheran@embarqmail.com net http://www.stjohnabingdon.org We are a community of believers, gathered by the Spirit, washed in Baptism, marked with the cross of Christ, nourished by Word and Sacrament, called to respond to God's gifts of grace, and set apart as disciples of Jesus Christ for a life of learning, witness, and service. pastorscott@stjohnabingdon.comcastbiz.net Home Phone: 276-739-7740 Cell Phone: 276-525-5801 Joan Shaver, Parish Secretary stjohnlutheran@stjohnabingdon.comcastbiz.net Office hours 9-12 Tuesday-Friday Wrenda Fuller, Music Director wrendafuller@gmail.com Council Debbie Kluttz Jim Lovett Helen French Cheryl Carrico Ed Honaker Robin Homesley Jill Morris Josh Wellenhoffer Parker Keen Linda Brumleve, Financial Secretary Steve Kluttz, Treasurer St. John Lutheran Church 807 E. Main St. Abingdon, VA 24210 Address Service Requested St. John Lutheran is a congregation of the Virginia Synod of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America. The Rev. Elizabeth Eaton, Presiding Bishop, ELCA The Rev. James Mauney, Bishop, Virginia Synod 7