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(EDITED TO REMOVE PERSONAL INFORMATION FROM THE
ONLINE VERSION.)
A Newsletter concerning the
Mission and Ministry
of St. John’s Evangelical Lutheran Church, La Porte, IN
Vol. 57 July 2008 No. 6
“As one family, we lovingly proclaim Jesus Christ.”
From Pastor Brauer:
With the recent flooding, particularly along the Mississippi River, many
habitats for animals and birds have been inundated with water. That hasn’t
occurred since the flooding of 1993. In some places, this year’s flooding has
exceeded that by almost 10 feet. With that volume of water many animal and bird
sanctuaries along the Mighty Mississipi have been lost. Water has intruded in
places and violated that safe haven. It will take years to restore those places
of safety.
According to the dictionary, a sanctuary is a place of safety—a place of
refuge or protection where animals or birds may not be hunted or trapped. In the
language of the church, the sanctuary is a holy place set aside for worship. In
the Bible, the sanctuary usually referred to the Temple in Jerusalem.
The idea of a sanctuary for God’s people was a place where the influences of
the outside world were removed. The focus could be on worship without the
distractions of the commercial and sinful world. The sanctuary would be a safe
place for the believer to commune with God in serenity and peace.
However, Satan and sinful flesh will try to destroy that. Satan, of course,
crept into God’s sanctuary of the Garden of Eden and tempted Adam and Eve. He
tempted and confused Eve and misled both of them to eat of the forbidden fruit.
Satan continues to distract and confuse even worshippers in the courts of the
Lord’s house.
Our sinful flesh would desire the comforts of the world by bringing them into
church on the Lord’s Day. More and more children are being allowed to bring
Gameboys or other electronics into church and to use them rather than listening
to the Word of God and participating in worship. Parents: This must end. Leave
these devices at home. Let God’s sanctuary be that place where the things of the
world are left behind. Lead your children to follow along in worship, reading
the Scriptures, singing the hymns, and listening and praying during the Prayer
of the Church. This is how you can truly “train up a child in the way he should
go, so that when he is old he will not depart from it” (Proverbs 22:6). Proper
clothing and dress is also part of our outward training as we prepare for
worship. Those with cell phones know to turn them off or set them to ‘stun mode’
(vibrate) if on call for work when entering church.
“I was glad when they said unto me, ‘Let us go unto the house of the Lord.’”
(Psalm 122:1). The psalmist David looked
forward to the safety and serenity of God’s Holy House, that sanctuary that
was safe from the world’s distraction. As we, the baptized, gather for worship
in God’s House, may we truly keep God’s House a holy place, a place of refuge
and protection from the things that would trap us. Let us honor the House of God
as His place of sanctuary and rest for us!
Pastor Ron Brauer
Matthew 11:28-30
Thanks for your prayers and gifts of compassion in reaching out to those of
our Indiana District in the flooding affecting our brothers and sisters in the
Columbus-Seymour area. Your donations will assist many in need. Jesus said, "I
was in need and you visited Me," even as we would share with those in His
kingdom. May God bless you and your gifts.
Reminder: The annual planning meeting is scheduled for Saturday morning,
August 9th at 9 A.M.. This is a breakfast pot luck. Members from all boards and
committees are encouraged to attend.
Don’t Forget…
Voter’s Meeting, July 2, 7:00 PM– Cafeteria
Message from The Board of Stewardship “Citizens and Stewards”
On July 4th most citizens of our country will pause to reflect on
the freedoms that we enjoy because of God’s rich blessings upon our nation. We
wish that every American citizen would join us in reciting and really meaning
these words: “I pledge allegiance to the flag of the United States of
America, and to the Republic for which it stands, one Nation under God,
indivisible, with liberty and justice for all.”
This liberty and justice for all did not happen by itself. Many Americans,
from the time of the Revolutionary War to the current war in the Middle East,
have laid their lives on the line to preserve our liberty as a nation. A large
number of them died in those efforts to defend our country and its freedom. This
is a vivid reminder to us that “freedom is never free.”
This month and throughout the year we Christians wish that larger numbers of
people would join with us in also pledging allegiance to the Christian flag. The
words of this pledge have some variations but the most used reads this way:
“I pledge allegiance to the Christian flag and to the Savior for whose
kingdom it stands. One Savior, crucified, risen and coming again, with life and
liberty for all who believe.”
It is irresponsible for citizens of our nation to be disrespectful and
disloyal to our flag and the nation it represents. To enjoy the freedoms without
understanding the responsibilities is not the American or Christian way. We show
our loyalty through our words and actions.
Just as the freedom of our country was won and defended by the shed blood of
many brave men and women, so also the Christian freedom that we enjoy was won
through the shed blood of our Savior and Lord, Jesus Christ. Because of His
great sacrifice on Calvary’s cross we are freed from our dreaded
spiritual enemies and freed for fruitful lives as God’s stewards. St.
Paul wrote in 1 Corinthians 4:2: “Moreover, it is required of stewards
that they be found trustworthy.” (ESV)
So, whatever you do as God’s faithful steward whether it’s being the best you
can be at home, at work and in the community or whether it’s contributing [time,
talent, money] generously to the church and other worthy causes, do it with
freedom and enthusiasm because God loves a cheerful [hilarious] giver. (2
Corinthians 9:7).
Have a blessed Independence Day, loyal citizens and faithful stewards!
Principal’s Page
I. School Calendar Items
8/7 Registration, 2-6:30 PM-Cafeteria
8/17 Teacher Rededication, 8:00 AM Service
School Board’s “Meet & Greet Teacher Reception” 9:15 AM-Caf.
8/18 First day of school, 11:30 AM dismissal (No bus service)
8/19 First day of Preschool
8/27 PTL Open House, 6:00 PM-Gym
II. Other notes
Dave Wippich, Karla Eigenmann, Lois Krider, Marlene Will and Megan Nieman
will all be attending conferences and educational seminars this summer to
prepare for the coming school year.
2. Dave Surma is working on bids for projectors and computers for
classrooms, principal’s office, pastor’s office, and for the cafeteria.
3. Megan Nieman, a new graduate from Valparaiso University, has been hired
to teach 3rd grade.
Congratulations to the recent St. John’s graduates who will be attending
high school in the fall:
Ben Brown
Blaise Grott
Ellen Hough*
Victoria Kelsey
Taylor Kneifel*
James Pavlak
Congratulations to former St. John’s graduates who graduated from LaPorte
High School:
Blaise Fetters
Kali Light
Matt Norris
Brittany Scherer
Caitlin Wippich
Caitlin and Taylor Chartier, a former student of St. John’s, were recognized
as two of the eight students receiving a 4.0 GPA and a #1 Ranking.
Brittany, Kali, Caitlin and Taylor were part of 38 students recognized at the
Senior Pride banquet for finishing in the top 10% of their class.
Congratulations!
St. John’s LYF (Lutheran Youth Fellowship)
News
Our Youth Group is working hard to make it to Cedar Point. With July being a
very busy month we may move the trip to August. A parent meeting will be July 20th
at 3:00 PM to talk about the trip.
The kids have been busy working to make money for their trip. So far we have
composted, moved plants into pots, washed cars and sold baked goods, cleaned up
leaves and garbage from the church campus, moved and spread mulch (A LOT OF
MULCH).
We will be working July 9th at St. John’s cemetery to clean up the
lawn. There has been a pledge of $5.00 per youth that shows up to work. Would
anyone like to also pledge money for the clean-up? The youth group does accept
the challenge and will appear in LARGE number$$$$$$
What we are doing:
Planning to meet with other Youth groups from the area.
Have a “Battle of the ROCK BANDS” evening at St. John’s with dinner and fun
for families.
Make home made quilts for St. John’s shut-ins.
Collect baby items to send to LCMS World relief for Hospitals and villages
around the world.
Make and sell play dough for young children in our congregation.
LYF-Bible Scavenger Hunt
Answer the following 15 questions and bring them to the next
Meeting, July 20, 4:00 PM in the Youth Room, for a PRIZE!!
John 15:5 – Jesus said, “I am the vine and you are the ________.
2) Genesis 8:11 – Noah sent a dove out from the ark and it returned
with an olive ____ in her mouth and Noah knew the waters of the flood were
going down.
3) Matthew 14:15 – The boy shared the meal he had packed. Jesus used
the five loaves and two ____ to feed the 5,000 people.
4) Exodus 8:2-3 – The second plague visited upon pharaoh and the
Egyptians was _____. “So the river shall bring forth ____ abundantly.”
5) Exodus 10:4-5 – The eighth plague visited on pharaoh and his people
was _______. “They shall cover the face of the earth and they shall eat every
tree which grows out of the field.”
6) Genesis 24:22 – Abraham sent his servant to find a wife for his son Isaac.
“So it was when the camels had finished drinking that the man took a golden
nose ring and two _________ for her wrists and said, ‘Whose daughter are
you?’”
7) Genesis 9:13 – God made a
covenant with Noah never again to destroy the earth with a flood. God said, “I
set my _______ in the cloud and it shall be a sign of the covenant between me
and the earth.”
8) Luke 23:44-45 – On the day that Jesus died, there was darkness over
all the earth until the ninth hour; the ___ was darkened.
9) Joshua 6 – God commanded Joshua and his army to march around the
city of Jericho seven times on the seventh day and the priests shall blow the
_______. And the people shall shout and the city wall will fall down.
10) Genesis 6 – God told Noah to bring onto the ark two of every living
thing, of the birds after their kind, of _______ after their kind, and of
every creeping thing.
11) Matthew 2:2 – Now after Jesus was born n Bethlehem, wise men from
the east came to Jerusalem saying, “Where is He who has been born King of the
Jews, for we have seen his ____ in the East.
12) Genesis 3 – And the ______ said to Eve, ‘Did God really say you
shouldn’t eat of every tree of the Garden?’
13) Mark 12:42 – One poor widow came and threw two ______ into the
treasury. Jesus said to his disciples, “This poor widow has put in more than
all those who have given to the treasury.”
14) Luke 15:22 – In the parable of the lost son, when the son returns
home the father says to his servants, “Bring out the best robe and put it on
him, and put a ____ on his hand and sandals on his feet.”
15) Exodus 3:5 – Moses saw a burning bush in the desert, but it was not
consumed by the flames. God called to him from the midst of the bush and said,
“Moses, Moses!” And Moses said, “Here I am.” Then God said, “Do not draw near
to this place. Take your _______ off your feet for the place where you stand
is holy ground.”
ANNOUNCEMENTS
A Reminder about ‘Attendance Based Tuition’:
St. John’s School parents are reminded to maintain their attendance
through the summer months. Church attendance from January through June
determines the level of tuition for the first semester; attendance from July
through December will factor in the second semester’s tuition. Worship at St.
John’s Lutheran Church or another Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod church is
counted toward your attendance totals. If you travel and worship at another
LC-MS congregation, please bring in the bulletin with your names to the church
office and this will be credited towards your attendance. We have seen a high
level of participation and thank all parents and children for their faithfulness
in worship. If you have questions or concerns, please feel free to contact the
Church office.
New Teachers are Coming to St. John’s:
The Day School Board announces that Miss Erin Ponder from Kokomo, Indiana,
will be joining our staff as our new 5th Grade teacher. She will be
completing course work this summer and receive her diploma from Concordia
University-Chicago. In her move to La Porte in August, she will need a place to
rent that will also accept her large dog. If you know of an affordable place
that allows pets, please call the School office (362-6692) or Mr. David Wippich
and leave word with your information. Thanks! We will have
the opportunity to meet her and the new 3rd Grade teacher, Megan Nieman,
at the School registration on August 7th.
Vacation Bible School:
Mark your calendars now! Vacation Bible School will be July 28—August
1. Many volunteers are needed. Please call Rhonda McConnell if you can help.
From the Board of Parish Fellowship:
Fellowship coffee hour featuring Blueberry treats will be July 13 after the
8:00 a.m. worship service in the school cafeteria. Join us for coffee, blueberry
treats, and Bible study with Pastor Brauer.
Pastor Brauer’s annual planning meeting is Saturday, August 9 at 9:00 a.m.
This is a breakfast buffet; bring a breakfast dish to share. Beverages and table
service will be provided by the Board of Parish Fellowship. All Boards and
Committees (including school groups) should be represented to secure a date for
their event on the calendar so major events aren’t overlapping or so closely
scheduled thus creating a financial hardship on our members. Once your event is
scheduled, no other can be scheduled for the same day.
St. John’s annual outdoor worship service/family picnic/hog roast is August
24. Plan now to attend. See the flyer elsewhere in this newsletter with
pertinent information.
More From the Board of Parish Fellowship:
The Board of Parish Fellowship is seeking individuals and/or couples to work
as greeters in the Narthex and at the southeast and southwest entry doors of the
church on Saturday evening at 6:00 p.m. and Sunday 8:00 a.m. and 10:45 a.m.
worship services. If you are already a greeter and wish to continue, let us know
your preferred worship service and entry.
We would like to see our younger, the youth of our church, and older folks as
well greet our worshipers. How about a mother/daughter or son or father/son or
daughter combination; a husband/wife or one or the other; or a single person.
All you have to do is come and be at your designated entry 20 minutes prior to
the service; be pleasant, wear a smile; and welcome all to St. John’s and give
them a worship service bulletin. Just one weekend service each month would be
great. Please advise Barbara Swanson or Marilyn Sawyer of your willingness to
serve the Lord in this capacity. You may receive a telephone call asking you to
volunteer – just one service per month. This would be a great service to St
John’s, and most of all, to the Lord.
Thank you.
From the Activities Committee:
Plans are underway for our annual Fall Festival October 16. The Bazaar runs
from 9-1 p.m. and luncheon from 11-1 p.m. See the enclosed flyer designed to
recruit vendors.
From Pastor Brauer:
Since our transition back in March to one pastor here at St. John’s, I have
many people to thank for their prayers, encouragement, support, and gifts. Thank
you for these precious gifts. Your thoughtfulness is greatly appreciated.
Another note of thanks goes to the many people who attended our recent “Round
Table Discussions” and offered input, ideas, and support. We will look forward
to putting some of these into action in the near future. Also, a number of
volunteers have helped with the cleaning and trimming of our lawn and parking
areas. Your work is truly appreciated. Continue to keep the members and servants
of Christ’s Church in your prayers.
From the School Board:
The numbers are in on the LILY Event and WOW are they impressive. Our
profit was $13,390.61, and that includes $1600.00 that we received from Thrivent.
Thank you to all that worked so hard to make the event so successful, thank you
to all that attended to help support our church and school, and thank you to all
that donated items to be auctioned. The proceeds will be distributed as follows;
10% to the Board of Social Ministry, 10% to the Scholarship Fund, and the
balance to the church to pay everyday expenses. It was a great evening of fun
and fellowship and we hope next year it will be even better. Thanks again for
all of your support! LILY Event Committee, 2008
More From the School Board:
We are in need of benefactors who would be willing to sponsor student
tuition for the 2008-2009 school year. Please contact the school office at
362-6692 if you are able to help. Thank you, in advance, for helping more
children receive a quality Christian education who might otherwise be unable to
attend.
The Teacher Dedication for the 2008-2009 school year will be held on Sunday,
August 17, 2008 at 8:00 AM. There will be a “Meet and Greet” between services
that will be sponsored by the School Board. David
Wippich and School Board
Thanks:
Thanks to all who participated in the parking lot sale. Special
thanks to the great volunteers who cleaned up the lot for us!
We took in $151.00, spent $21.00 for ads, and made a profit of $130.00, which
was given to the General Fund.
Co-chairmen, Ellen Heidel and Karen
Piper
Please remember to pray for all those who are unable to worship with us in
person.
Fountainview
Hazel Hubner
Roselyn Schulz
Helen Steen
James Hubner
Countryside
Frances Grisamore
Mildred Ludwig
Ida Brillinger
Settler’s Home
Robert Richter
La Porte Hospital
Helen Schmitz (5th Floor)
Brentwood
Mildred Sramek
Marjorie Fiess
Ann Schuster
Mary Helen Schultz
Elaine Heidel
Margaret Schering
Dorothy Salzwedel
Loretta Smith
Hamilton Grove
Carl Thode
Donald & Dorothy Kalsow
Oakwoods Manor
Hilda Danitschek
Ruth Sabin Home
Marjory Luther
Marilee Mantick
Jeanette Darby
At Home
Francis Koch
Esther Pawlikowski
Betty Koss
Ruth Cook
Phyllis Ainsworth
Edna Simpson
Bernice Blohm
Pearl Scherer
Ed and Shirley Galloway
William Neblung
Fred and Mary Krause
Beth Krause
Myrtle Hartwick
Adele McClelland
Dorothy Hedtke
Catherine Hubner
Military
Ron Eigenmann Jr.
Jason Eigenmann
Mark Moellman
Barry Ryan
Kevin Schoof
Jacob Sims
Andy Watson
Eric Wykowski
Jeff Zeizig
St. John’s Annual Outdoor
Worship Service & Hog Roast
AUGUST 24, 2008
Worship Service 10:00 AM
Hog Roast & Family Potluck
Noon-Gymnasium
The Family Potluck will be accentuated with our fifth Annual
Hog Roast—this year roasted by Wendell Cooper.
Dining will be in the gym and the buffet will be set up in the
cafeteria. (Please bring table service for your family and one or two
dishes of generous proportion and/or dessert to share.) Beverages will be
provided. Members of the Boards, Trustees, and the congregation are joining
together to make this a meaningful day of worship followed by good food,
fellowship, fun and games.
You may bring your hot or cold dish to the kitchen before the
Service.
ST. JOHN’S LUTHERAN ANNUAL FALL FESTIVAL
BOOTH APPLICATION
OCTOBER 16, 2008—9:00 A.M. TO 1:00 P.M.
CHURCH ORGANIZATIONS BOOTH SPACE FREE
INDIVIDUAL CHURCH MEMBERS $10.00
FOR MORE INFORMATION PLEASE CONTACT
KAREN or JUDY
OR DROP OFF THIS FORM AT THE CHURCH OFFICE.
NAME
__________________________________________________________
PHONE
__________________________________________________________
DESCRIPTION OF ITEMS
___________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________
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