The Voice St. John s Lutheran Church Serving the Lord for 113 years December 2017 On Putting Your Church in Your Will The last time I visited with Art Anderson he mentioned that before Amy died she made sure that St. John s was in their will. Many Christians are doing this and it is a good idea. If you love your church you are going to do all you can to ensure its future. Putting your church in your will is a most fitting way to do this. It is one answer to the haunting question posed to me by a member of Immanuel Lutheran Church, Tower, MN, in the Iron Range. Commenting on the lack of youth becoming involved in the church this member asked me while we were both relaxing after one of his wife s famous home-cooked meals (it was not lutefisk!), Pastor, tell me, what will happen to our church once we re gone? True, money left to the church in your will won t guarantee the church s future, but it will help. There s a church rule I learned years ago, Staff up! What this means is, hire a youth director and the youth will come, hire a parish nurse and health needs will be ministered to, employ a technician and your website will flourish. Money cannot buy the kingdom, but money can be used to hire kingdom people who will be released to serve the church and to keep it alive. Think about putting St. John s in your will. Christmas ADVENTure this year Many of your have asked us to bring back an old fashioned Christmas program, and your wish is our command. We will be playing and singing old favorites this year for our Choral Program ADVENTure. Please join us at the 8:00 and 9:30 services on December 17th as the Choirs share their music this Christmas season. Pastor Mark Hillmer
Page 2 HOLIDAY TREAT SALE Baklava, Krumkake, Rum Balls. Fudge...remember those favorite recipes you make. Please consider sharing them with the congregation. December 10 th we are having our 2 nd annual Holiday treat sale from 9:00am until 4:00pm. Begin planning now what you can contribute to this sale. Some of us don t know how to make your special treat, but that doesn t mean we wouldn t like to buy them!!! Drop off your treats on Saturday Dec 9th from 1-3 or early Sunday morning. All funds raised go to the General fund. Everyone s help is appreciated. The Voice Advent Begins Sunday, December 3 Advent #1 December 06 Advent # 2 December 13 Advent #3 December 20 Advent Services will be held at 4:00 & 6:30 PM. There will be a meal offered between service for free will offering. FELLOWSHIP BREAKFAST Christian Outreach will be serving a fellowship breakfast on Sunday, December 3, immediately following the 8:00 AM service. Come share in some good food and good company. They will be serving until all the food is gone. Your free will offering is greatly appreciated. CHRISTMAS EVE SERVICES We will be holding three Christmas Eve Services on Sunday, December 24 at 9:30 AM, 4:00 PM and 11:00 PM. We are looking for four families to light the Advent candles on Sundays in Advent.
The Voice Page 3 WE WISH EACH ONE OF YOU A BLESSED DAY AND PRAY THAT GOD WILL BLESS YOU THROUGHOUT THE YEAR DECEMBER WILLING WORKERS FOR CHRIST 8 AM SERVICES GREETERS 03 Sheldon & Laurel Anderson 10 Dave & Kim Schmidt 17 Mel & Erma White READERS 03 Cheryl Shanahan 10 Lori Dahle 17 Kim Anderson USHERS 03 Terry Linroth & Ken Waha 10 Duane & Nancy Nelson 17 The Humble Family LAY-SHEPHERD 03 Linnea Kment 10 Corky Peterson 17 Cheryl Shanahan Matthew 1:21-23 She will give birth to a son, and you are to give him the name Jesus, because he will save his people from their sins." All this took place to fulfill what the Lord had said through the prophet: "The virgin will be with child and will give birth to a son, and they will call him Immanuel"--which means, "God with us." COUNCIL PERSON ON DUTY 03 10 Dereck Fitcher 17 Vickey Nelson 24 FELLOWSHIP HOST 03 Gloria Stephens 10 Broox Gajeski 17 Evie Dockham & Shelly Smith 24 Eric & Cyndie Dahlstrom Teresa Humble ACOLYTE 8 AM 03 10 17 24 ACOLYTE 9:30 AM 03 Tonya Tyler 10 Raechel Abress 17 Sophie Johnson 24 9:30 SERVICES GREETERS 03 Deb Anderson 10 Barb Brett & Joe Johnson 17 Leo & Candy Johnson 24 Barb Brett & Joe Johnson (4pm) Elsie Groth (11pm) Duane & Nancy Nelson Derek Fitcher Family READERS 03 Anne Schiller 10 Bea Palmer 17 Cheryl Shanahan 24 Linda Welch (4pm) Cindy Johnson (11pm) Linnea Kment Deb Stenberg USHERS 03 Joan Kaiser & John Rice 10 Norm, Kim, Kyle Anderson 17 Teddy Abress & Linda Olson 24 Theo & Tyler Patrin (4pm) The Johnson Family (11pm) Kirk & Lori Dahle Deb Stenberg & Leo Johnson LAY-SHEPHERD 03 Fritz Wheatley 10 Bea Palmer 17 Cheryl Shanahan 24 Linda Welch Lynne Graber ALTAR GUILD Set Up Clean Up 3 Nancy Charpentier John Rice & Sharon Jaworski 10 Loreen Beckett John Rice 17 Loreen Beckett Loreen Beckett Set Up Clean Up 24 Cindy Johnson Cindy Johnson Cindy Johnson Cindy Johnson Loreen Beckett Pastor Hillmer
St. John s Lutheran Church December 2017 Sun Mon Tue Wed Thu 1 Fri 2 Sat Page 4 The Voice 3 1st Sunday of Advent 10 2nd Sunday of Advent Sunday School Program 10:45 AM 17 3rd Sunday of Advent 24 4th Sunday of Advent Healing Service 9:10 AM Bell Practice 10:30 AM LAP Christmas Program 4 PM Book Fair All Day Holiday Treat Sale All Day All Choir Choral Service 8 & 9:30 AM Christmas Eve Regular Service 9:30 AM Children s Service 4 PM Candlelight Service 11 PM New Year s Eve One Service at 9:30 AM 4 School Board 7 PM 11 Christian Outreach 6 PM Missions 7 PM 18 Christian Ed. 6 PM Church Council 6:30 PM 25 Christmas Day! Office Closed 1/1/2018 New Year s Day Office Closed 5 12 19 26 6 Evangelism 10 AM Advent Services 4 & 6:30 PM 13 Advent Services 4 & 6:30 PM 20 Kitchen Clean Noon Advent Services 4 & 6:30 PM 7 Worship & Music 6 PM 14 21 27 28 8 9 15 16 Choir Practice 8-11 AM (Bells 8-10/Sr. Choir 9-11) 22 23 29 30
The Voice Page 5 CONGRATULATIONS TO OUR NEW CONFIRMANDS Acts22:16 And now what are you waiting for? Get up, be baptized and wash your sins away, calling on His name. Confirmation is the process whereby we raise up the next generation of leaders in our congregation. Please join us in congratulating our newest full voting members: Kimberly Schmidt and Christopher Nastrom. HEALING SERVICE The next healing service is on December 3rd from 9-9:15 AM, in the Fireside Room. PLEASE REMEMBER WHEN YOUR SHOPPING TO SUPPORT THE CHURCH AND SCHOOL School Office Max: - 7023945 Church Office Max - St. John s Church Stacy Church Amazon Smile - St. John s Stacy Church Good shop - St. John s Stacy Order things from Amazon to start on the Smile page. This program gives back to Church. Just pick us St. John s Stacy, and we will get the donation for the Church. BLUE GRASS LOVERS Mark your calendars! The Becklands will entertain at the 8:00 & 9:30 AM at Sunday services here at the church on January 14, 2018. Everyone is welcome come one come all. Sponsored by the Worship and Music Committee. CHRISTMAS GIVING TREE The Christian Outreach Committee will have the Christmas Giving Tree in the Narthex. Please take an ornament, purchase the gift, return it unwrapped, and place it under the tree with the ornament attached. Gifts will be accepted until December 11. They will then be distributed to families in need to make their Christmas special and filled with love. THE CALL COMMITTEE Welcome your call committee Harvey berg, Cheryl Shanahan, Matt Humble, Kim Schmidt, Julie Sauser-Johnson, Patha Vue and Linda Welch.
The Voice of St. John s St John s Lutheran Church P. O. Box 308 075 Genesis Ave. Stacy, MN 55079 Return Service Requested Church Office: 651-462-5115 Pastor Mark Hillmer Cell: 651-925-6509 Pastor Mary Ellen Steinkraus Cell: 651-815-3633 Inside This Issue: Put St. John s in your will Christmas Adventure concert Holiday Treat Sale Christmas Program Schedule Christmas Giving Tree Non-Profit Organization Postage Paid, Permit #3 Stacy, MN 55079 Page 6 CHRISTMAS WITH THE ANIMALS Merry Christmas! Little Angel Preschool would like to invite you to our Christmas program, CHRIST- MAS WITH THE ANIMALS. It will be on December 10 at 4:00 p.m. in the sanctuary. There will be refreshments after the program. We will also be having our annual book sale on December 10, before and after each service, as well as before and after our Christmas program. DECEMBER CALENDAR The Voice CHILDREN S CHRISTMAS PROGRAMS Sunday, December 10 Sunday School: LA Preschool : Book Fair: Holiday Treat Sale: 10:45 AM 4:00 PM All Day All Day SUNDAY, DECEMBER 17 All Choir Choral Service 8, 9:30 AM SUNDAY, DECEMBER 24 Regular Service: Children s Service: Candlelight Service: 9:30 AM 4:00 PM 11:00 PM MONDAY, DECEMBER 25 There will be no service on Christmas Day. SUNDAY, DECEMBER There will be one regular service on the st at 9:30 AM