A Newsletter
concerning the MISSION & MINISTRY of St. John's Ev. Lutheran Church
________________________________________________________________
VOLUME
XLIX LA PORTE, INDIANA / May 2001
No. 4
FROM THE CALL
COMMITTEE
The Call Committee will be interviewing Interim Pastor,
Martin Homan, on Saturday, May 5. Pastor Homan will also preach in our services
that weekend so that everyone will have an opportunity to meet and hear him. If
the committee decides he is the Interim Pastor for St. John’s, they will make a
recommendation to the Church Council to extend a contract to him.
In the meantime, we will continue to have vacancy pastors
or seminary students preach in our weekend services through May. A schedule of
guest preachers is listed on the May calendar.
Please continue to keep St. John’s and the Call Committee
in your prayers. If you have any questions, feel free to contact the Chairman
of the Call Committee, Mark Jerndt.
THANK YOU!
A heartfelt “Thank You” from St. John’s Sr.
Youth Group to all the volunteers, donors, and those you came to share in the
fellowship at the Easter Breakfast. We sincerely thank A.A.L. Branch #317 for
co-sponsoring the event and the $800 matching funds, bringing the total raised
to $1,600. This money will be used for our Mission Trip to Guatemala in July.
STAFF CARE
COMMITTEE NEWS
We have
been busy planning receptions this year. Thank you to all who are so willing to
help! Please mark these dates on your calendar so you can join us in honoring
these fellow members:
June 10 Julie Stelter & Karen Ulmer- Years of Service
June 24 Mary Ann Scholz-Retirement
Watch the church bulletin for details as they become
available!
NEW MEMBER DINNER
Don’t forget to attend our “New Member
Dinner”....
When? May 20, 2001 Where? St. John’s
School
Time? 12:00-2:00 p.m.
Please come and join us in welcoming our new
members. There will be good food and great fellowship for all! The dinner
will be provided.
Therefore, we need reservations for everyone (workers,
too). lease RSVP by calling one of the following people by May 13:
Monyean Hahn, Trudy Roule, Terry/Kathy Page, Sherrill Lee,
Ellie Heidel
The menu includes chicken and noodles, mashed
potatoes, garden salad, dinner rolls, dessert, and beverage. A freewill
offering will be received to help cover the cost of future dinners. The Board
of Missions and Evangelism hopes you can come to this dinner!
“AN EVENING IN
PARIS”
That is the theme for this year’s
“Mother-Daughter Dessert” to be held Wednesday, May 2, at 6:30 p.m. in the
school Gymnasium. It is sponsored by the Evening Circle. Tickets are still
available from the circle members or at the Church Office for $3-Adult and
$1.50-Children age 12 and under. There will be fashions from Walmart, delicious
desserts, entertainment, and door prizes. All ladies are invited to join us!
ANNIVERSARY
CELEBRATION
St. John’s Ladies’ Aid will have an Anniversary
Celebration for couples in our congregation celebrating their 50th,
55th, 60th, 65th....wedding anniversaries this
year. The event will be held Friday, June 8. If you or someone you know
is celebrating one of these milestones, please turn the information in to Hilda
Danitschek (326-1267).
SUMMER
FESTIVAL & PARKING LOT SALE
This event will be held in the school parking lot on
Saturday, June 16, from 8-12:00 noon. It is sponsored by A.A.L. Branch 317.
Space rental is $5 and the location is great! We advertise and you keep the
profits. It will be an exciting morning. Book your space today! To date, we
have rented to the following vendors:
Nelson’s Port-a-Pit Chicken Sale sponsored by St.
John’s School from 9:30-1:30 p.m. Presale tickets $3.75 for half chicken which
must be picked up by 12:30 the day of the sale. Tickets $4 day of sale.
Tickets available at the School Office or call Annette Williams .
Krispy Kreme Doughnuts will be featured and taste
wondeful!! Place your order with Annette Williams.
Ramy Stacy Appliqued Ladies Shirts
Aquatic Gardens.
New York Cheesecake.
Sporting Goods Flea Market sponsored by St. John’s
School. They have collected used sporting goods equipment from the community and
parents/children in our school. If you have questions, call the School Office
(362-6692) or Annette Williams.
More information will be forthcoming!
CHRISTIAN
DINNER/THEATRE
The Sr. Youth Group is hosting a Christian
Dinner/Theatre, “People Need the Lord.” It will be held in the school Gymnasium
on Friday, May 11, from 6-8:00 p.m. Menu includes: parmesan chicken with
noodles, green beans, mashed potatoes, salad, rolls, dessert, and beverage.
Tickets are $10-Adult and $5-children age 12 and under. They are available from
Youth Group members until May 6. No tickets available at the door! You’ll want
to experience this special event!
PROJECT ENDING
Due to a shortage of workers, the Lap Robe
Project started by L.W.M.L. will be ending in May. Many ladies in our
congregation have donated fabric and yarn, cut blocks, sewed lap robes, and tied
knots so that hundreds of laprobes could be completed and given to shut-ins and
nursing home residents! We give thanks to the Lord for our workers’ time and
talents!!
There is fabric and yarn available if any group
at St. John’s is interested in continuing to make lap robes. Otherwise, these
materials will be donated to Lutheran World Relief and to another L.W.M.L.
society. Any suggestions for the use of this material should be given to Ellen
Heidel. Thank you!
SCHOOL NEWS
School Enrollment
St. John’s School is enrolling
students in Preschool-8th Grade for the 2000-01 school year. If you would like
to receive enrollment information, contact the School Office (362-6692).
Kindergarten Graduation
Kindergarten Graduation will
be held Friday, June 1, in the school Gymnasium at 7:00 p.m. The congregation
is invited to attend this special occasion!
8th Grade Graduation
Graduation for the 8th Grade will be
held Saturday, June 8, in the 7:00 p.m. Evening Service. Guest Preacher will be
Pastor DeLloyd Wippich who serves Trinity First Luth. Church in Minneapolis,
MN. All are welcome to attend!
School Musical
Students in Grades 1-4 will
perform in the musical, “100% Chance of Rain,” on Friday, May 18, in the school
Gymnasium at 7:00 p.m. Cost of admission is $3-Adult and $2-Children through
high school. Tickets available at the door.
Washington, D.C. Trip
Grades 7-8 of St. John’s School
will travel to Washington, D.C. from May 2-8.
Assistant Cook Needed
The school is seeking an
individual who would like to serve as Assistant Cook in the school kitchen for
the 2001-02 school year. The hours would be Monday-Friday from 9:00 a.m. until
approximately 1:00 p.m. If you would like more information or to apply for this
position, please contact the School Office (362-6692).
SUPPORT NEEDED
One of our youth members, Amanda Johnson, is
seeking monetary support to participate in the youth mission Teen Mania Honor
Academy to be a missionary to the young people of America! You may pledge
monthly support or a one-time gift. For more details, call Amanda . Your
prayer support will also be appreciated!
GROCERY
CERTIFICATES
St. John’s Lutheran Church and School families may
buy grocery certificates that are redeemable at Krogers or Al’s stores. For
each certificate purchased, the church receives 5% profit. The first quarter
profits provided a new sweeper for the school Ladies’ Lounge ($253), support
towards the school’s Internet cost ($89.95), stained glass window project
($410.05). Certificates are available before church services, in the school
hallway between Sunday services, or by calling Vivian Brettin , Imogene Dahl ,
Jan Kessler , and Dorothy Levandoski.
WHAT’S NEW AT
SUNDAY SCHOOL
Our opening worship focus in April and May is
Prayer! How privileged we are to bring everything to God in prayer–as the well
known hymns states. While open prayer was banned from our public schools back in
1963, no one can stop us from praying any time or anywhere we choose to speak to
our Father. It is our desire here at Sunday School to maintain an environment
where students feel free to pray and ask for prayer at any time. We hope you
feel free to share your prayer concerns with us as well by jotting down your
prayer needs/thanksgivings and placing them in the Prayer Boxes at the church
entrances or call the Sunday School Prayer Line (325-3049) and leave your prayer
requests in the voice mail box–there is no need to give your name unless you
want to. We will faithfully pray for your petitions. There’s POWER in prayer!
We like the acronym “FROG”–Fully Rely On God.
Children received candy frogs to help them “hop” to it and fully rely on God in
prayer instead of themselves first. Mrs. Ryan, our Craft Director, will be
making “Prayer Rock” reminders with the children. Each week students will write
down their prayer requests in our Prayer Book. We will bring these petitions
before the Lord along with the prayer needs we receive from you. Would you
please pray for us, too?
Perfect Attendance for March went to: Brooke
Baima, Rachel Hill, Storm Shortt, Ryan Farrell, Jenna Marie Kalsow, Taylor Baima,
Emily Barnhart, Katrina Games, Marissa King, Chelsea Levandoski, Ryan Searing,
Aaron Vaughn, Sam Bublitz, Victoria Kelsey, Andrew Schuelke, Sky Shortt, Brianna
Searing, Jacob Barnhart, Larry Keller, Gus Radke, and Aubrey Barnhart.
Congratulations to the students and their parents. These students received a
Christian witness pencil and small bag of candy.
It’s time to start thinking of summer!!! Yeah!
Our summer program is called, “Soncreek Junction.” This summer, give your
children something of lasting value. Head on out to Sunday School at Soncreek Junction!
This colorful old west town set in the heart of gold country offers up plenty of
toe-tappin’ music, homespun crafts, games, skits, and life-changing Bible
stories. It’s good ole fashioned fun! Your children will find more than a
nugget of truth here. While they’re having fun, they will also be learning what
it means to live and grow as part of God’s family, based on the book of Acts.
Each Sunday focuses on one of five Soncreek sayins’ easy-to-remember phrases
which describe aspects of growing as a Christian: Start-up--become a member of
God’s family, Listen-up--follow the Bible, Open up–love and accept others,
Look-up–talk to God in prayer, and Speak-up–tell others about Jesus. Visit
Soncreek Junction for yourself and help children find true gold in Jesus! We
hope everyone will take this wonderful opportunity to attend Sunday School and
bring some friends, too!
The Staff Spotlight this month is our First Grade
teacher, Mrs. Dana Alexander, and our Pianist, Mr. Martin Vollrath:
Dana Alexander is married to Dr. Clayton Alexander and
together they have six children. They are: Felicia age 22, Haley age 19, Ashley
age 13, Nathan age 8, Rachel age 3, and Abigail age 1. Dana’s hobbies include
crafts, computers, children’s activities, and sports. Her favorite restaurant
is Red Lobster and favorite food is steak. Dana enjoys reading the books of
Isaiah, Luke and Matthew. She has been teaching Sunday School for three years.
When asked what it is she likes best about working with our Sunday School, Dana
replied, “The Lord is allowing me to do His work–filling me with His love–being
able to give it out.”
Martin Vollrath is married to Eleanora and they have one
son, Thomas, age 56. Martin’s hobbies include collecting pens/pencils and
playing the piano! His favorite food is “ribs.” The place he enjoys eating at
is Christos. A Bible verse that is special to Martin is John 3:16, “For God so
loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in
Him should not perish but have everlasting life.” Martin has been playing the
piano for our opening devotions and special programs for 17 years. He says that
the things he enjoys most about working with our Sunday School is seeing the
children’s happy faces and working with the children.
May God bless both of these faithful workers in
God’s kingdom! We appreciate both of you! A special thanks to Mrs. Alexander
for organizing and providing the funding for this year’s Easter Egg Hunt.
ITEMS OF
INTEREST
For those interested, here is the new address for
Pastor and Annelie Schoop: 2447 Pueblo Drive, Sioux City, IA 51104. The
moving van will be leaving La Porte the first of May.
MAY AT ST.
JOHN'S
May 5-6 Guest Preacher: Pastor Martin Homan,
Bridgeville, PA Special Music: 7:00/10:45-Carin Riley 8:00-Walther League
Chorus
May 12-13(Mother’s Day) Guest Preacher: Pastor Darrell
Howanitz, Ft. Wayne, IN Special Music: All Services-Hilary Howanitz
10:45-Walther League Chorus
May 19-20 Guest Preacher: Pastor Darrell Howanitz, Ft.
Wayne, IN Special Music: 8:00-School Chorus
May 24(Ascension) Guest Preacher: Pastor Noel Olse, La
Porte, IN
May 26-27 Guest Preacher: (not available at time of
printing)
NEWS FROM OUR BOARDS/GROUPS:
Board of Public Relations:
a. Thirty-five New Member Survey forms were mailed. We
received 18 responses. A 5-page draft has been made with the results and will
be distributed to the appropriate boards.
b. The Board of Public Relations will be responsible for
the church Pictorial Directory. The Board of Parish Fellowship agreed to turn
this project over to us. We have not set a date for a new directory.
c. We need three more members on our board. If you would
like to serve, contact the Nominating Committee Chairman, Edward Brettin, Jr..
Contact Person: Peggy Droege
Recruitment Committee:
a. We organized Concordia Sunday, Apr. 22.
b. We are working on plans for a trip to Concordia
University in Mequon, WI.
c. We are encouraging donations to the Concordia Univ.
scholarship program called, “For the Sake of the Church.”
d. The Committee is searching for youth or adults
interested in full-time church work careers. If you know of anyone interested,
contact Chairman Terry Page or board members: Judy Schreiber (362-6390),
Marlene Will at the school, Lori Foglesong, or the Congregation Coordinator,
Debra Trowbridge.
Board of Missions & Evangelism:
a. Almost 200 Easter postcards were distributed. Thanks
to all who participated.
b. We are happy to report one of our youth, Amanda
Johnson, is dedicating her life to doing the Lord’s work as a Missionary Nurse.
She has several years of training ahead of her and needs our help. We urge you
to support her with prayers and donations to enable her to spend a year at the
Teen Mania training “camp” in Texas before she begins her education at Concordia
University in River Forest, IL. More information on this is located elsewhere in
this Newsletter.
c. We are sponsoring an English as a Second Language Class
on Saturday, May 19, at 9:00 a.m. in the school. You can help with childcare,
refreshments, donations for reading materials in English and other languages,
etc. (You don’t need to speak a foreign language to help!) The work is simple
and schedule flexible. Please consider giving a few hours per month to this new
Mission field in La Porte. An information meeting will be held Saturday, May 5,
at 9:00 a.m. in the school. Deacon Tomas Angon, our Hispanic outreach
assistant from the district, will be here. For more information, contact Jim
Jozaitis- Hispanic Outreach Committee Chairman or Debra Trowbridge.
Contact Person: Ellie Heidel e-mail:
ekheidel@csinet.net
REPORT OF FINANCE SECRETARY FOR JANUARY
2000 Attendance - 1,989
2001 Attendance - 1,833
2000 General Fund receipts - $64,918.78
2001 General Fund receipts - $39,982.80
2000 Mission Fund receipts - $2,241.00
2001 Mission Fund receipts - $4,868.00
Church Budget Year to Date for 2001:
General Fund (short)...($27,869.09)
Mission Fund (short)... $3,329.52
