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St. John Lutheran Church February 2020________________________________________________________________________
Church Office: 563-242-5588Pastor Daniel Pool: 321-6757, homee-mail: [email protected] Site: www.stjohn-clinton-ia.org
________________________________________________________________________
From Bill’s Desk…On Sunday, February 16th St. John will celebrate our 165th Anniversary. We will have one service on that day at 10:15 p.m. There will be no early service. Our District President, Rev. Dr. Brian Saunders will be our guest preacher. It would be nice to fill the church for this special service.
After the service we will have a potluck luncheon. We would ask everyone to bring two dishes to share. If you are not able to cook, please come and be our guest. Table service and beverages will be provided. There will be people in the kitchen to handle the food you bring in and set it out.
I would like Elders, ushers and anyone else who is able to park on the side streets to allow ample parking for this special event.
This is a celebration of what God has given us…a wonderful church, a church family and His love for us all. Let us show our appreciation by coming to this special service and celebration.
God’s Blessings,
Bill Ross, Executive Elder
165 Years
Pastor Pool’s Sunday Bible StudyThe Gospel of Mark
In February, we continue our study on the Gospel of Mark. This class meets Sundays at 9:00 a.m. in the Fellowship Hall. No previous Bible study experience is necessary and it is
always fine to sit and listen. Now is a great time to join us!
February 2: Mark 12:18-27: The ResurrectionFebruary 9: Mark 12:28-37 The Great CommandmentFebruary 16: No Bible Classes, Anniversary WeekFebruary 23: Mark 12:38-44: Beware of the Scribes
Exodus Bible Study with PastorOur Tuesday Bible study is working through the book of Exodus verse by verse, exploring the departure from Egypt, the giving of the Torah, and the creation of the Tabernacle. Now is a great time to join us! We normally meet on the 1st and 3rd Tuesdays. Our study
is at 9:30 a.m. or 7:00 p.m. in classroom 1. New people are always welcome! Bring your Bible.
February 4: Exodus 7: The First Plague: Water to BloodFebruary 18: Exodus 8: Plagues 2-4: Frogs, Gnats, Flies
Crucifers NeededConfirmed youth are encouraged to sign up to be a Crucifer for one or more upcoming Sunday mornings. There is a sign-up sheet in the fellowship hall. Please sign up as soon as possible.
Transfiguration Sunday with Holy CommunionWe conclude the Epiphany Season with the celebration of the Transfiguration. I have been preaching on Lutherans and Worship during Epiphany, and we conclude this series and this season with a special Service of Holy
Communion on February 23 as we answer the question, Why Frequent Communion?
Not to get ahead of myself, but let me offer a few insights, which I will develop more fully on Transfiguration. I have been gradually pushing the congregation to commune more frequently. For example, we added fifth Sundays as Communion Sundays when I first arrived at St. John. This Church year, we communed every Sunday in Advent. And let me tell you why.
Historically, and especially during the Reformation, the Church communed every Sunday. They saw Holy Communion as a necessary component to the Service, even as the Reformers emphasized the necessity of preaching. In a sense, the two key elements of the Church Service were Word and Sacrament. Your hymnal even breaks down the Divine Service into the Service of the Word and the Service of the Sacrament.
Second, as much as I would love to have each of you attending every Sunday, there are times when you need to miss. Crises happen, small and large. We are still in the middle of the ice and snow season, and the cold and flu season. We travel, although I hope you still are in Church when you can’t be at St. John. Frequent Communion allows those who can’t always be in the pew on Sunday mornings more opportunities to commune.
But maybe most importantly, Holy Communion is something we should love! It is the presence of Christ with us in very unique and profound ways. Holy Communion brings us into the kingdom of God, it forgives our sins, it gives us strength for godly living. Yes, maybe the service lasts a couple of minutes longer, but our service is still much shorter than every football
game or movie. And if you sing our wonderful hymnody while others commune, the time is not lost. It is also an excellent time to pray.
I look forward to more frequent Communion, especially on the festival days of the Church like Transfiguration. And as the hymn says, “For You, O resurrected Lord, are found in means divine, beneath the water and the word, beneath the bread and wine.”
Pastor
Lutheranism 101 Our Lutheranism 101 Class continues this month on Saturday mornings at 9:00am. This class is recommended for those considering membership, but current members
may also attend any session. Pastor has reworked this class to cover the Small Catechism in some new ways. Come and learn more about what we believe and why we believe it!
The Season of Lent Lent begins February 26 with Ash Wednesday. The pastors of our area LCMS congregations will be preaching on The Words of Christ from the Cross in this year’s Wednesday night rotation.
February 26 (Ash Wednesday): Pastor PoolMarch 4: Pastor Bill Traphagan, Stanwood and BennettMarch 11: Pastor Anthony Dodgers, CharlotteMarch 18: Pastor Daniel Redhage, LowdenMarch 25: Pastor PoolApril 1: Pastor Pool
Lent and Youth CatechesisBecause Pastor is traveling for three weeks on Wednesday nights for our Lenten Rotation, we will have a couple of Saturday make-up days. Our Wednesday Confirmation Class will meet on the following dates:
Wednesday, February 26, 8-8:45 pmSaturday, February 29, 10:30-11:30 amSaturday, March 14, 10:30-11:30 amWednesday, March 25, 8-8:45 pmWednesday, April 1, 8-8:45 pmWednesday, April 8, 7-8 pm (and back to normal for the rest of the month)
We hope this works for you all. Send your students as often as possible! You can also see the Church calendar in the newsletter or on our website for these dates.
Parents with Young KidsHave you tried out our Bible class for Parents with Young Kids? This group meets Sundays at 9:00 a.m. and is designed for parents
with infants, preschoolers, and babies on the way. Young couples without children are welcome too! Bring your kids to class with you, or if they are preschool age or older, drop them off in Sunday School.
Scrip FundraiserThrough Scrip, we raise money for our preschool in places we already shop. Scrip permits us to buy prepaid cards for places like Walmart, Jewel, Amazon, gas stations, and restaurants. These organizations then make donations to us. The typical donation can vary from 2-16%. This means no extra money out of pocket and yet we can still raise funds. Order forms are available in the Fellowship Hall or Church office. We are hoping to do this all year! Give it a try!
Our next Scrip order is due February 2. Cards will be available for pick-up by February 9. We will put your cards in your box in the narthex.
Mary Martha
Mary Martha will not have a meeting in February. The next meeting will be on Tuesday, March 10 for the annual Soup Supper at 6:00 p.m.
Ladies AidLadies Aid will meet on Friday, February 7 at 1:30 p.m.Pastor Pool will lead the Bible Study.
Quilting Bee
The Quilting Bee will meet on Thursday, February 20 at 9:00 a.m. in the fellowship hall. All ladies interested in helping sew and tie quilts for Lutheran World Relief are invited to attend.
Ushers NeededWe need a few more ushers for both services.This is an easy job and a good way to serve your church.If you are interested please contact the church office or one of the elders.
Presidents’ Day
The Church Office and Preschool will be closed on Monday, February 17 for Presidents’ Day.
Check It Out In Our Church Library
We have a good number of magazines and brochures in the library for your use. These include: THE LUTHERAN WITNESS, THE MESSENGER, LUTHER LAYMAN, LUTHERAN ENGAGE, THRIVENT,
REPORTER, LUTHERAN JOURNAL, CONCORDIA SEMINARY and many copies of THE QUARTERLY. Any out of date material does not need to be returned.
Sermons in the Library
If you have missed a church service or two please stop in the library and pick up a copy of Pastor Pool’s past sermons.
2020 Church DirectoryThe 2020 Church Directory is now available. You may pick up a copy on the guestbook stand in the church entryway or in the fellowship hall.
Financial Peace UniversityThere is a new Financial Peace University class beginning on Sunday, March 15th. There will be a free preview class on Sunday, March 8th at 3:00 p.m. Please see Cindy Johnson for more details.
St. John CookbookIf you would like to have one or more of your recipes in the new St. John Cookbook, please submit them by Wednesday, April 1. Those who have already turned in recipes are more than welcome to submit more. Profits from the sales of the cookbook will go to St. John Preschool. The next cookbook committee meeting will be on Monday, March 9 at 3:30 p.m.
Attention all Gardeners: I am excited to announce that the Board of Education is holding its first Plant Sale in the Spring of 2020! All profits from the
sale will be going to support St. John Pre-school. Orders will be taken beginning Saturday, February 22 and ending Saturday, March 21st. You may order on-line or from a Board of Education member and pick up your order on Thursday, April 30th from 4 to 8 pm or Friday, May 1st from 9 am to 5 pm. Watch the Sunday bulletins and the March newsletter for more information. I have purchased plants the past few years from Janet’s Jungle through our grandson’s school in Lincoln, NE. I have not been disappointed. Plants come healthy and in good condition. I urge you to order plants from the board and support our pre-school. Thank you, Joan Ross
St. John Preschool Now Enrolling
The preschool is now accepting students for the 2020/2021
school year. We will continue to have a multi-age classroom
setting with 3 year olds attending 3 days per week and older
children attending 5 days per week. Our hours of operation are
8:50 a.m. – 12:45 p.m. to be more accommodating to parents
and to provide more for our students. Tuition will be $135.00
per month for 1st year 3-day students, $165.00 per month for
1st year 5-day students, and will be free for 2nd year returning
students. Contact the church office, 242-5588, for more
information or enrollment forms.
Lenten Serving ScheduleEach year the congregation is divided into groups according to the church directory for Lent and Advent services. St. John has a 1:30 p.m. and a 7:00 p.m. service each Wednesday during Lent. Families are asked to attend one of the services for their scheduled date and to help in the kitchen before and after service. Please bring a plate or two of sandwiches, four dozen cookies, or a pan of bars. Otherwise a donation to purchase punch and coffee may be left in the marked container in the church kitchen. If you are not able to attend on your scheduled day, please drop your cookies or sandwiches off at the church ahead of time.
The serving schedule is divided by those in the church directory as follows:
February 26 – Craig Miller to Dave Reynolds
March 4 – Dennis Richter to Pete Sirna
March 11 – Barb Slapnicka to Paul Wenzel
March 18 – Janice Wheelock to Renae Council
March 25 – Sharon Craig to Penny Fullick
April 1 – Adrienne Gabel to Janelle Huffman
February Birthdays & Anniversaries
C O N G R A T U L A T I O N S !
Happy Birthday to: Glen Gray Jr., who will be 86 on Feb. 25.
Happy Anniversary to: Gary & Vicky Harmsen, 25th Wedding Anniversary on Feb. 18.
We list birthdays 80 and above and anniversaries for year one and every five years thereafter unless we receive a request not to do so.
Private Communion Calls
Pastor Pool makes his visits to those in nursing homes throughout the month. Those at home who would like to receive a Communion visit are asked to call Pastor at the Church Office, 242-5588, to schedule.
THOSE WHO SERVE IN FEBRUARY
Early
Elders: Jim Schnitzmeyer Rick Eizenga
Ushers: Brent Pladna Gary Lueders Jon Meyermann Craig Miller
Nursery Attendants (Late)
2 – Jennifer Kammerer
9 – Anna Krueger
16 – Margie Mueller
23– Heather Becker
Recording
2 – Darlene Paysen9 – Darlene Paysen16 – Darlene Paysen23– Darlene Paysen
Late
Elders: Tom HardersenWesley Melchin
Ushers: Wayne Becker Jay Mueller Tom McHugh
Acolyte Schedule
2-Early – Addison Parks2-Late – Hunter Holesinger
9-Early – Carver Lange9-Late –Elder
16-Early – No Early Service16-Late – Brayden Parks
23-Early – Nolan Lange23-Late – Elijah Mueller
Crucifer Schedule16-Late – Sam Reynolds23-Early – William Schemers23-Late -
NEWSLETTER DEADLINE: FEB. 20If you would like to put any information in the newsletter, contact Camil Dell, and get her the information by February 20.
