Thursday, February 22, 2018

Announcements

February 25, 2018

 

Adult Class – March 4, 2018 - Topic:  Return from Exile Lenten Series: The Mountain

 

Welcome new member John Thompson to St. John’s. John has completed the new member class with Pastor and has confessed his faith to the Elders.   

 

LWML Invites you to come to the church dining room the first Thursday of the month at 1:30 p.m.  Pastor Cowell is leading us in a study of Martin Luther's book "A Simple Way to Pray", translated by Mathew C. Harrison. We enjoy a time of fellowship later. Please consider joining us for a time of prayer and fun.

*LWML Meeting is this Thursday March 1st at 1:30 p.m.

 

Special Music:  We are looking for a soloist or group of singers to sing on Maundy Thursday and Easter Sunday.  If you are interested please let Pastor Cowell know.  We will try to meet Wednesdays after church for practice.

 

Lenten Service will be held Wednesday February 28, 2018 at 6:30 p.m.  Remember the offering for these services will go to the 8th grade students to use as a service project they are each doing.

 

Pastor Chats - I will continue to post my available times on the back table for the week ahead for a visit with me.  I will continue to post times until I am able to visit every family.   

 

Lenten Devotionals are available on the back table.  Please, feel free to take one home.

 

Lessons on the Liturgy:  Prayer, Fasting, and Alms

Our repentance during the Lenten season takes shape in the form of prayer, fasting, and almsgiving.  Prayer is the primary discipline of Lent.  We pray that God forgive us of our sins and conform our lives to Christ’s life.  Fasting encourages us toward prayer as we seek not to live by bread alone but by every word that comes from the mouth of God.  Almsgiving gives us opportunity to share the fruits which a repentant faith produce within us by helping our neighbors in need.  Practically speaking we fast during Lent so that we have more time for prayer and more money to share with our neighbor.

  

Under Thrivent’s Choice Program, members who meet minimum requirements are given Choice Dollars to allocate to the organization of their choice.  These dollars are given at no cost to the member.  Thrivent members who have Choice Dollars available have until March 31, 2018 to allocate dollars from 2017. Choice dollars that are not allocated by that date will be lost.  Please consider allocating your Choice Dollars to St. John’s or to the Kids of the Kingdom Preschool.  Both are registered as eligible recipient for Choice Dollars.  In order to see if you have Choice Dollars available and to allocate those dollars, call 1-800-THRIVENT (1-800-847-4836) or access your account through Thrivent.com.  Your Choice dollars need to be allocated each year or they will be lost.

 

Chili Dinner Fundraiser featuring Good Samaritan Society’s Famous Chili Recipe on Sunday, March 11, 2018 from 11 a.m. -1 p.m. at the Trinity Life Center, Algona.  Cost of this event will be a “free-will offering” with proceeds going towards a blanket warmer for the Special Care Unit and other nursing equipment.  Good Samaritan management and staff members will be hosting this fundraiser. Come join us!!

Lock-In for 6-8th graders will be held at Trinity Lutheran Church on Friday, March 16, 2018 from 9 p.m. till 6 a.m.  Contact Trinity at 295-3518 to reserve your spot.   Lots of fun things planned for the evening!!

The Kossuth County CARE Team is hosting a Quilt Show on Saturday, March 24.   It will be held from 10 a.m. – 3 p.m. at the Trinity Life Center, Trinity Lutheran Church in Algona, IA. There will be a $10 admittance charge with all proceeds going to the Kossuth C.A.R.E. team.  We are limiting ONE quilted item per person in an effort to showcase more talent.  If you are interested in displaying a quilt or if you would like to help, please contact Brenda Bormann - bormann@ncn.net or text her at 515-341-6982 or Jane Dreyer - janedreyer95@hotmail.com or text her at 515-320-0490. Please notify Jane or Brenda by Wednesday, March 14th, if you plan on sharing an item.  We would also like the size of the quilted item to be displayed; this will help us plan the display venue. We hope you can join us, share a quilted item, and help us help those in need!! 

This Week at St. John’s  – (February 25, 2018- March 4, 2018)

Today           8:00     am       Sunday School/Adult Bible Class

                     9:00     am       Service                                                                                      

Tuesday        9:00     am       Preschool          

Wednesday  9:00     am       Preschool                                                                                                          

              6:00-6:30     pm       Religion School

                     6:30     pm      Lenten Service

Thursday       9:00     am       Preschool          

                      1:30     pm       LWML Meeting                                                                        

Sunday         8:00     am       Sunday School and Adult Bible Class

                      9:00    am       Service  (Holy Communion)

                    

Greeters Next Week:         Cheryl Batt & Lavonne Boderius

Acolyte:                             Christian Bierstedt

Head Usher:                      Roger Lavrenz 

Ushers for February:        *John Smith

Elder for February:            Jerry Koestler

 

Thursday, February 15, 2018

Announcements

February 18, 2018

 

Greeters Today:       Terry and Vicki Briggs

 

Prayer Requests:    …  Continual Prayers:  Karen Karels, Joan Koestler, Laura Knoll, Helen Smith, Ruth Nerem

                                       and Don Behnkendorf       

 

Birthdays for the Week:  Laura Knoll (19th); Kassie Renshaw (21st); and Kim Borlik (23rd).

                                                            Please notify the church office of any corrections                                      

 

Adult Class – February 25, 2018 - Topic:  Return from Exile Lenten Series: The Garden

 

LWML invites you to come to the church dining room the first Thursday of the month at 1:30 p.m.  Pastor Cowell is leading us in a study of Martin Luther's book "A Simple Way to Pray", translated by Mathew C. Harrison. We  enjoy a time of fellowship later. Please consider joining us for a time of prayer and fun.

 

Lutheran Witness Subscription:   The cost for a year subscription is $22.70. If you receive the witness and want to keep getting it, leave your money in the church office.  If you no longer wish to receive the witness, please contact the office to have your name removed.  Make checks to St. John’s Lutheran Church.

 

Lenten Services will be held Wednesdays 21, 2018 at 6:30 p.m.

 

Pastor Chats - I will continue to post my available times on the back table for the week ahead for a visit with me.  I will continue to post times until I am able to visit every family.   

 

Parish Messenger Articles for March/April edition are due this week. Send them to the churchoffice@stjohnsburt.org .

 

Lenten Devotionals are available on the back table.  Please, feel free to take one home.

 

Lessons on the Liturgy:   “Giving Something Up” for Lent

The recent tradition of “giving something up” for Lent grew out of the ancient tradition of seeing the season of Lent as a season of self-denial.  We begin the season by putting ashes on our foreheads to confess that this is what we are without God.  Adam was dust before God made him Adam, and we will return to dust and remain dust if we continue in sin apart from God.  With ashes on our heads we begin the season denying ourselves of the things which otherwise identify us as human, which are truly dust.  Then we seek to grow into the new humanity which Christ gave us at our Baptism.  We spend forty days strengthening our attack against the things by which we are tempted to be defined, and forty days seeking to be defined by the life which Christ has delivered to us on the cross.

 

Ski and Tube Mount Kato - Trinity Lutheran Youth invites all St. John’s Youth to a Ski Trip at Mt. Kato today in Mankato, MN.  We will leave at 12 p.m. at the Life Center and return around 10 p.m. that evening. We will stop for supper, and each youth will be responsible for their own meal.  Cost/Ski-$21 each lift ticket and $19 each ski rental, and optional $4 ski lesson, optional helmet $4.  Cost/Tube - $18 for three hours.  Contact Pastor Hauan at Trinity 295-3518 to sign up.   (Refer to poster along ramp for more information).

 

Final Witness - Planning Your Funeral Have you ever thought about your funeral as being your final opportunity to witness to others about your faith? Funerals often bring friends and family members into the church who haven’t been there for a while or maybe even ever. The scriptural texts and hymns that you pick can bring great comfort in a difficult time and point people to the hope that we have in Jesus. Pastor Schlund will lead this workshop as we look at planning for our final witness as Christians. Jayme Lentz will also share important information about options for pre-planning your funeral with a funeral home. Mark your calendar for Saturday, February 24th at 9am in the Life Center and plan to be there with us. 

Under Thrivent’s Choice Program, members who meet minimum requirements are given Choice Dollars to allocate to the organization of their choice.  These dollars are given at no cost to the member.  Thrivent members who have Choice Dollars available have until March 31, 2018 to allocate dollars from 2017. Choice dollars that are not allocated by that date will be lost.  Please consider allocating your Choice Dollars to St. John’s or to the Kids of the Kingdom Preschool.  Both are registered as eligible recipient for Choice Dollars.  In order to see if you have Choice Dollars available and to allocate those dollars, call 1-800-THRIVENT (1-800-347-4836) or access your account through Thrivent.com.  Your Choice dollars need to be allocated each year or they will be lost.

 

 This Week at St. John’s  – (February 18, 2018- February 25, 2018)

Today           8:00     am       Sunday School/Adult Bible Class

                     9:00     am       Service (Holy Communion)                                                                 

Tuesday        9:00     am       Preschool          

Wednesday  9:00     am       Preschool                                                                                                          

              6:00-6:30     pm       Religion School

                     6:30     pm      Lenten Service

Thursday       9:00     am       Preschool                                                                                              

Sunday         8:00     am       Sunday School and Adult Bible Class

                      9:00    am       Service 

                    

Greeters Next Week:         Vern & Joan Koestler

Acolyte:                             Jacob Haase

Head Usher:                      Roger Lavrenz 

Ushers for February:        *John Smith

Elder for February:            Jerry Koestler

 

Trinity Bible Studies – St. John’s members are welcome to attend any of the following Bible Studies at Trinity:

·         Wednesday AM Adult Bible Class – Mornings at 9:30 a.m.

·         Women’s Bible Studies during the school year on Monday mornings at 7:00 a.m. and 9:30 a.m.

·         BYOB (Bring Your Own Bible) - Sunday Evening Bible Study at 7:30 p.m. in Fireside Room. We will be studying The Book of Hebrews

 

Thursday, February 08, 2018

Announcements

February 11, 2018

 

Adult Class – February 18, 2018 - Topic:  Return From Exile Lenten Bible Study Series

 

Lutheran Witness Subscriptions are coming due soon.  The cost for a year subscription is $22.70. If you receive the witness and want to keep getting it, leave your money in the church office.  If you no longer wish to receive the witness, please contact the office to have your name removed.  Make checks to St. John’s Lutheran Church.

 

Ash Wednesday Services will be held on Wednesday, February 14, 2018 at 6:30 p.m.   Lenten Services will be held on the following Wednesdays at 6:30 p.m.

 

Pastor Chats - I will continue to post my available times on the back table for the week ahead for a visit with me.  I will continue to post times until I am able to visit every family.   

 

Membership - This week St. John's sent letters to all of our rostered members who no longer live in the area to encourage them to find a church where they live.  If you have a family member or friend who has membership at St. John's and has since moved, please also encourage them to get connected with a Lutheran church in their area.  These people will be removed from our membership in six months so that St. John's can more honestly, responsibly, and regularly care for all our members as God's Word, our constitution, and Pastor's ordination vows direct.  However before this happens we want to do everything we can to ensure that these people are receiving Christ's forgiveness, life, and salvation by way of another pastor and another church near them. 

 

Lessons on the Liturgy:   Transfiguration Sunday

Transfiguration Sunday is always the last Sunday of the Epiphany season and the Sunday directly preceding Ash Wednesday.  We hear from St. Luke’s account that after Jesus was transfigured on the mount he descended and “set his face to go to Jerusalem (Lu. 9:53).”  That is to say, after Jesus showed his glory on one mountain (the Mount of Transfiguration) he then set out to show his glory on an even greater mountain (the mount of the cross).  So then, our Lenten journey will mirror the life of Christ as we descend with Christ into the penitential valley of Lent and finally arrive at the joyous mountain of the cross and empty tomb.

 

Ski and Tube Mount Kato - Trinity Lutheran Youth invites all St. John’s Youth to a Ski Trip at Mt. Kato on February 18th in Mankato, MN.  We will leave at 12 p.m. at the Life Center and return around 10 :00 p.m. that evening. We will stop for supper, and each youth will be responsible for their own meal.  Cost/Ski-$21 each lift ticket and $19 each ski rental, and optional $4 ski lesson, optional helmet $4.  Cost/Tube - $18 for three hours.  Contact Pastor Hauan at Trinity 295-3518 to sign up.   (Refer to poster along ramp for more information).

 

Final Witness - Planning Your Funeral Have you ever thought about your funeral as being your final opportunity to witness to others about your faith? Funerals often bring friends and family members into the church who haven’t been there for a while or maybe even ever. The scriptural texts and hymns that you pick can bring great comfort in a difficult time and point people to the hope that we have in Jesus. Pastor Schlund will lead this workshop as we look at planning for our final witness as Christians. Jayme Lentz will also share important information about options for pre-planning your funeral with a funeral home. Mark your calendar for Saturday, February 24th at 9am in the Life Center and plan to be there with us. 

The Kossuth County CARE Team is hosting a Quilt Show on Saturday, March 24.   It will be held from 10 a.m. – 3 p.m. at the Trinity Life Center, Trinity Lutheran Church in Algona, IA. There will be a $10 admittance charge with all proceeds going to the Kossuth C.A.R.E. team.  We are limiting ONE quilted item per person in an effort to showcase more talent.  If you are interested in displaying a quilt or if you would like to help, please contact Brenda Bormann - bormann@ncn.net or text her at 515-341-6982 or Jane Dreyer - janedreyer95@hotmail.com or text her at 515-320-0490. Please notify Jane or Brenda by Wednesday, March 14th, if you plan on sharing an item.  We would also like the size of the quilted item to be displayed; this will help us plan the display venue. We hope you can join us, share a quilted item, and help us help those in need!! 

 This Week at St. John’s  – (February 11, 2018- February 18, 2018)

Today           8:00     am       Sunday School/Adult Bible Class

                     9:00     am       Service                                                                                      

Tuesday        9:00     am       Preschool

                      8:15     am       Pastor’s Winkel here at St. John’s

                      6:00     pm       Preschool Board

Wednesday  9:00     am       Preschool                                                                                                          

              6:00-6:30     pm       Religion School

                     6:30     pm      Ash Wednesday Service (Holy Communion)

Thursday       9:00     am       Preschool                                                                                              

Sunday         8:00     am       Sunday School and Adult Bible Class

                      9:00    am       Service  (Holy Communion)

                    

Greeters Next Week:         Terry and Vicki Briggs

Acolytes:                           Gabby Kelly

Head Usher:                      Roger Lavrenz 

Ushers for February:        *John Smith

Elder for February:            Jerry Koestler

 

Trinity Bible Studies – St. John’s members are welcome to attend any of the following Bible Studies at Trinity:

·         Wednesday AM Adult Bible Class – Mornings at 9:30 a.m.

·         Women’s Bible Studies during the school year on Monday mornings at 7:00 a.m. and 9:30 a.m.

·         BYOB (Bring Your Own Bible) - Sunday Evening Bible Study at 7:30 p.m. in Fireside Room. We will be studying The Book of Hebrews

                                                             

Thursday, February 01, 2018

Announcements

ANNOUNCEMENTS AND NOTICES

February 4, 2018

 

Greeters Today:       Dave and Linda Kerkove

Prayer Requests:     …  Continual Prayers:  Karen Karels, Joan Koestler, Helen Smith, Ruth Nerem and Don

                                            Behnkendorf        

                                 … Surgery:  Laura Knoll

Special Senior Birthday:  Russ Parsons – February 4, 2018  (Seniors 80+)

Birthdays for the Week:   Alice Wilhelmi (4th); Jeff Kerkove & Lori Schmidt (7th); Allison Christensen (9th).

                                                                        Please notify the church office of any corrections                                       

 

Adult Class – February 11, 2018 - Topic:  Reflections on the Symposium at Concordia Theological Seminary, Fort Wayne

 

Lutheran Witness Subscriptions are coming due soon.  The cost for a year subscription is $22.70. If you receive the witness and want to keep getting it, leave your money in the church office.  If you no longer wish to receive the witness, please contact the office to have your name removed.  Make checks to St. John’s Lutheran Church.

 

Ash Wednesday Services will be held on Wednesday, February 14, 2018 at 6:30 p.m.   Lenten Services will be held on the following Wednesdays at 6:30 p.m.

 

Pastor Chats - I will continue to post my available times on the back table for the week ahead for a visit with me.  I will continue to post times until I am able to visit every family.   

 

Membership - This week St. John's sent letters to all of our rostered members who no longer live in the area to encourage them to find a church where they live.  If you have a family member or friend who has membership at St. John's and has since moved, please also encourage them to get connected with a Lutheran church in their area.  These people will be removed from our membership in six months so that St. John's can more honestly, responsibly, and regularly care for all our members as God's Word, our constitution, and Pastor's ordination vows direct.  However before this happens we want to do everything we can to ensure that these people are receiving Christ's forgiveness, life, and salvation by way of another pastor and another church near them. 

 

Lessons on the Liturgy:   Exorcisms

In today’s Gospel we hear of Jesus casting out demons.  The work of casting out demons, or “exorcising” demons in Christ’s name is a work that continues today.  Exorcisms are commonly performed by Lutheran pastors in some African countries, for instance, where satanic cults or practices tied to tribal religions are present.  Lutherans used to (and still can) perform what is called a “minor exorcism” at Baptism, saying toward the candidate something like: “come out you unclean spirit and make room for the Holy Spirit.”  This confesses that although the baptismal candidate is not “possessed” by demons as we commonly think of the term, any person not filled with the Holy Spirit is filled with the spirits of the devil.

 

Ski and Tube Mount Kato - Trinity Lutheran Youth invites all St. John’s Youth to a Ski Trip at Mt. Kato on February 18th in Mankato, MN.  We will leave at 12 p.m. at the Life Center and return around 10 :00 p.m. that evening. We will stop for supper, and each youth will be responsible for their own meal.  Cost/Ski-$21 each lift ticket and $19 each ski rental, and optional $4 ski lesson, optional helmet $4.  Cost/Tube - $18 for three hours.  Contact Pastor Hauan at Trinity 295-3518 to sign up.   (Refer to poster along ramp for more information).

 

Final Witness - Planning Your Funeral Have you ever thought about your funeral as being your final opportunity to witness to others about your faith? Funerals often bring friends and family members into the church who haven’t been there for a while or maybe even ever. The scriptural texts and hymns that you pick can bring great comfort in a difficult time and point people to the hope that we have in Jesus. Pastor Schlund will lead this workshop as we look at planning for our final witness as Christians. Jayme Lentz will also share important information about options for pre-planning your funeral with a funeral home. Mark your calendar for Saturday, February 24th at 9am in the Life Center and plan to be there with us. 

The Kossuth County CARE Team is hosting a Quilt Show on Saturday, March 24.   It will be held from 10 a.m. – 3 p.m. at the Trinity Life Center, Trinity Lutheran Church in Algona, IA. There will be a $10 admittance charge with all proceeds going to the Kossuth C.A.R.E. team.  We are limiting ONE quilted item per person in an effort to showcase more talent.  If you are interested in displaying a quilt or if you would like to help, please contact Brenda Bormann - bormann@ncn.net or text her at 515-341-6982 or Jane Dreyer - janedreyer95@hotmail.com or text her at 515-320-0490. Please notify Jane or Brenda by Wednesday, March 14th, if you plan on sharing an item.  We would also like the size of the quilted item to be displayed; this will help us plan the display venue. We hope you can join us, share a quilted item, and help us help those in need!! 

A Breakfast Brunch will be held at the Lone Rock American Legion on Sunday, February 4th from 9 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. Serving French toast, scrambled eggs, sausage, fruit, juice and coffee.  Free Will donation.  Supporting funds from Thrivent.

 

Creative Spirits Picture- Camp Okoboji invites you to join in a Valentine’s Day art event Saturday, Feb. 9 from 9:30-11:30am. We will be partnering with Creative Spirits of Spirit Lake to create a one-of-a-kind picture of love. Camp Okoboji’s “Make It Take It” is a camp program that has a unique focus with each event.  Cost of this event is $45 per adult and $35 per child. This covers all painting materials, supervision, and plenty of refreshments. Check out the Camp website: campokoboji.org or call the office 712-337-3325.    Please RSVP for this event. Thank you.

 

 This Week at St. John’s  – (February 4, 2018- February 11, 2018)

Today            8:00     am       Sunday School/Adult Bible Class

                     9:00     am       Service (Holy Communion)                                                                     

Tuesday         9:00     am       Preschool

Wednesday    9:00     am       Preschool                                                                                                           

                      6:00     pm       Religion School

Thursday        9:00     am       Preschool                                                                                               

Sunday           8:00     am       Sunday School and Adult Bible Class

                      9:00    am       Service 

                    

Greeters Next Week:           Gordon and Mary-Shipler-Oleson

Head Usher:                       Roger Lavrenz 

Ushers for February:          *David Haase & Michael Bierstedt

Elder for February:              Jerry Koestler

 

Trinity Bible Studies – St. John’s members are welcome to attend any of the following Bible Studies at Trinity:

·         Wednesday AM Adult Bible Class – Mornings at 9:30 a.m.

·         Women’s Bible Studies during the school year on Monday mornings at 7:00 a.m. and 9:30 a.m.

·         BYOB (Bring Your Own Bible) - Sunday Evening Bible Study at 7:30 p.m. in Fireside Room. We will be studying The Book of Hebrews