From Pastor Brauer:

Welcome to Bethel, the House of God! In ways, we are like Jacob and Peter. Like Jacob, we unfortunately set aside God’s promises and have sought our own selfish interests. Like Peter, we have rejected the cross as a way of salvation and pursued earthly wealth and fame. Lord, have mercy on us. But thanks be to God, Christ died for the ungodly—He died for us! Let us deny ourselves, take up our appointed cross, and follow Jesus as redeemed, restored, and forgiven believers!

From the Board of Parish Fellowship: Come for the Mint Fest today between services as usual. Then, stay for Pastor Young’s new Bible Study after Fellowship Coffee. “Water, A Theme Throughout Scripture.” How many times are the words water, ground and man used in chapters one and two of the Book of Genesis? Those of us who attend will find out. Bring your Bible and come join us!

Lenten Suppers: With the Lenten season upon us, our Wednesday evening worship services will be preceded by soup suppers prepared and served by the ladies of Parish Fellowship and several other organizations. We will have homemade soups to choose from, breads, sandwiches, fruit, dessert and beverages. Serving begins at 5:30 p.m. in the cafeteria. A free- will offering will be accepted to support our youth servant events.

His Word, Our Joy: We meet tonight at 6:30 PM in the Music room in the school. Thoughts about PATIENCE are our focus with a small craft for the children. Come join with us for song and prayer.

From St. John’s Seniors: Think Spring! Angie Prast of Angelo Bernacchi Greenhouses Inc. will be the guest speaker when St John’s Seniors meet on March 15, 2006 at 11:30 am in the school cafeteria for their monthly potluck meeting. All senior members of St. John’s are cordially invited to attend. Please bring your own table service and a covered dish to share.

From the Finance Committee: Contribution statements for 2005 are available for pick up in the in the church office. Contribution envelopes for 2006 are available in the church Narthex. “Sowing Seeds” envelopes are available in the church office. Lastly, please be sure to put your NAME and your NEW ENVELOPE NUMBER on the outside of your “Sowing Seeds” envelopes. With the new year and most people having new envelope numbers, we want to make sure all pledges are credited to the correct account. Thank you!

PTL Disco Dance: Come join us for fun at the Disco Dance this Friday evening at 6 pm in the gym. Dance, costume and limbo contests will be held. Food, for a nominal charge, includes; Disco Dogs, Hippy Burgers, Freedom Fries, 70’s Sundaes and Bandana Banana Splits. There will also be a 70’s Toy Raffle. Costumes are optional, come and have a “groovy” time.

Easter Lilies: It is time for us to start asking for donations for the Easter Lilies. We do appreciate all your help in the past and pray that you will be so generous again this year. The cost per lily is $10.00. You can make your donation to the church office, Kathy Page, Joan Scherer, or Sherrill Lee. The lilies will be taken down after the second service on the Sunday following Easter (April 23). If you are going to take your lily, please be there at that time. If not for yourself, maybe you know someone who would really appreciate a flower and a visit from you. Thank you again for your donations to the flower fund.

From St. John’s Thrift Shop: We are in urgent need of more volunteers at our Thrift Shop! Shifts are from 10:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. or 1:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m., Monday through Saturday. Any of you ladies who could give three or more hours a month of your time, please call Arlene Hacker at 362-8916. Your willingness to help will be most appreciated and of great benefit to our congregation.

For the Children: The Pew Pouches books have been changed to reflect the Lenten season and Easter celebrations. Thank you to the 5th graders for taking care of these Pew Pouches. Children from ages 3-8 are welcome to get a Pew Pouch from the narthex to use during the church services.

Children’s bulletins are available for all other children.

From the School Board: The School Board wishes to thank all of the other boards and many individual volunteers for another successful LILY Event this year. We had over 130 auction items and about 225 attendees. A terrific time was had by all and we raised a total of $18,629.00 that night! After expenses, the total net profits are $15,107.00. Thanks be to God for his blessings on our efforts!

From the Youth Group: Collection day for the aluminum cans and scrap iron you have been saving is Saturday, March 18, the same day as Market Day. These items will be collected and transported to the recycler by our youth. Al Vollmer is overseeing this project. Place your containers of cans and scrap iron at the school entrance for transfer that morning between 9:30 and 10:30 a.m.

From the Trustees: Our long-awaited fish fry will be March 24, 2006, 4-7 pm in the school gymnasium. Because the price of fish has increased, our ticket prices this year are $6.75 in advance and $7.75 at the door. Tickets for children under 12 are $3.50. Carry outs will be available. Tickets are available in the church office.

Much preparation work must be done, such as filling food cups, wrapping potatoes, wrapping tableware, breading fish, taking tickets and greeting. We also need help cleaning and folding tables and chairs for storage; and to vacuum the gym. If you can help with the above tasks, call Dawn Crum at 324-2985, Paul Tibbs at 369-8658 or the church office at 362-3726. We need many hands! Volunteer today! Pies are also needed. If you can help, please bring a couple pies to the school during the afternoon of March 24. Any questions, call Annette Williams at 326-8017.

Mission Trip: The 6th and 7th grades are selling Butter Braids for their mission trip fundraiser. The sale ends March 26 and the cost of each Braid is $9.00, payable at time of order. The Braids will be in on April 10th, just in time for Easter and confirmation or graduation parties. Contact a St. John’s 6th or 7th grader or call Renee Scherer at 325-8831.

Deadlines: Please have all bulletin items submitted to the church office by noon each Wednesday. The deadline for April newsletter items is Thursday, March 16. Thank you.

Thanks to Pastor Brauer and Pastor Young for your prayers and visits during the time of my surgery and recovery. A special thanks also to the members of the congregation who remembered me with well wishes, prayers and cards. Jack Wuggazer

Thanks from Jim Foglesong for your many prayers, cards, thoughts and your continued prayers as he will have his last treatment March 13.

Donations: Mrs. Margaret Applegate made a donation to the Ladies Aid in loving memory of her grandmother, Helena Ahrndt Heckard, and Elsie Ahrndt Burden, who were both former members of the Ladies Aid.

A donation has been made to the General Fund by the family of Walter Schwarzkopf, whose birth date is March 13 and death day was March 15.

Pastor: Rev. David M. Young

Pastor: Rev. Ronald A. Brauer

Organist: Susan Rosselli

Director of Music Matt Nelson

Altar Guild Linda Livinghouse, Dorothy Moellman and Judy Schreiber

Elders on Duty: 7:00 PM: John Schulz and Roger Schuster

8:00 AM: Jim Woodruff

10:45 AM: Dean Ebbott and Terry Page

Acolytes: 7:00 PM: Kathryn Scherer

8:00 AM: Shannon Bradburn

10:45 AM: Shelby Nehmelman

The flowers on the Altar this weekend were sponsored by Mrs. Margaret Applegate in loving memory of her grandmother, Helena Ahrndt Heckard, whose birth date was March 13; her sisters, Elsie Ahrndt Burden and Frienda Ahrndt; and Elsie’s granddaughter, Judy Jones Murphy.

PRAYERS ARE REQUESTED FOR

Funeral: Maxine Emerick returned to the Lord Friday, March 3, 2006 and received a Christian burial Tuesday, March 7, 2006.