Welcome to our visitors and guests! Like the disciples of old, we too have been touched by the Spirit and given the charge to proclaim the Good News to all the earth as we glorify God! For the saving faith that He has brought and daily brings to us we say, "Praise to the Lord, the Almighty!"

ANNOUNCEMENTS
(Edited to remove personal phone numbers, email addresses and other personal information not for online use)
 

Acts 11:1-18:  Our Lord’s first apostles, all Jews by birth and upbringing, had difficulty working with non-Jews, but the power and presence of the Holy Spirit caused them to overcome prejudice and do good to all people.  God’s Spirit is still challenging us to get out of our comfort zones and live in new ways that show our faith and stewardship in acts of love.

 Confirmation Vine:  The base of the serpentine vine contains the work of the Holy Spirit.  Here at confirmation, the dove renews the flame of faith that springs from the vessel containing the blue waters of baptism.  In the middle loop, the Christian continues to grow in his faith through communion (chalice and wafer) and extends the love of Christ to others (cross-fish hook-fishers of men).  In the top portion of the vine the Bible offers the promise of new life with God in heaven after death (butterfly).

  Shadetree Mechanics for God:  The next gathering of “Shadetree Mechanics for God” will be on Friday, May 11 at 7:00 pm.  We will meet at Jim Peters’ home.  All are welcome—young, old, male and female.  We also need small projects to work on and can arrange pick up and drop off.  Any questions, please call Luke Vandercar at 393-1741 or Jim Peters at 393-3496.

From the Altar Guild:  The Altar Guild has planned a cleaning day for May 17 at 8:00 AM.  We would like to invite any church member to join us.  Hope to see a lot of helping hands!

From the Sunday School: Mark your calendars!  On Sunday, May 20, the Sunday School Picnic and Fun Fair return!  After the 10:45 AM service, there will be a potluck lunch in the school cafeteria, and then from 1-3 PM a Fun Fair will be held for all children of the school and congregation.  Tickets (25 cents) will be available for games, face painting, toy raffles, cake walk, and more!  The jumping area and slide will be back, too!  It will be fun for children of all ages!

       Last year, the Fun Fair was a success due to the generous contributions from the members of the congregation.  If you would be able to donate your time to supervise a game, share your baking talents to make baked goods for the cake walk, provide toys for the raffle, or to make a monetary donation, please fill out the accompanying form and return it to the church office or any Sunday School teacher.  Please call Maria Surma (324-9711) if you have any questions!  Thanks in advance for your help!

 St. John’s Daycare is Now Open Year-Round:  If you are interested in summer childcare, we are now offering it here at St. John’s!  We are going to fill daycare openings with St, John’s School and Church members first, and then we are opening it to the public with an ad in the La Porte Herald Argus on May 7.  Please come to the school office or daycare room to fill out an information sheet as soon as possible, so we can reserve a spot for your child. If you have any questions, call Daycare Director, Julie Vergin, at the school office (362-6692) or at her home (326-7315).

     We are also looking for daycare workers at least 18 years of age. Applicants must be able to work well with children, be trustworthy, dependable and responsible.  Apply in person at the school office (8:00 AM-4:00 PM).

From the Family Circle: In honor of our 150th anniversary, the Family Circle is working to create a cookbook. They are hoping to collect cherished recipes from the great cooks in our congregation.  Recipes handed down through generations are especially welcome as are traditional German ones. We also encourage submission of photographs and/or a brief remembrance of the author.

     If you are computer savvy, you may go to www.typensave.com to submit your recipe. The Group Login is (omitted from online), and the password is (omitted from online). If you'd rather, you can leave a photocopy of the recipe and your name in the church office. Please do not leave original handwritten recipes or photographs - copies only. The deadline to submit recipes is May, 24th.   Any questions or comments, please contact Kami Alexander.   

 Annual Parking Lot Sale:  Now is the time to clean those closets and sort through the children’s toys.  For only $7.00 you can be a part of the sale at St. John’s.  It’s good fun, fellowship, and a chance to sell your unwanted “treasures”.

     Customers have flocked to our past sales due to the highly visible location with multiple sales.  We do the advertising and bring in the customers, you sell from your van, truck or bring your own tables and chairs.  Refreshments will be available.

     The time and date is Saturday, June 16, 2007, from 8:00 AM-1:00 PM. For more information, call Ellen Heidel, 362-5694.

Voter’s Meeting: The next Voter’s Meeting will be on May 9, at 7:00 PM in the cafeteria.  The Church Council will propose two motions:

· To change the number of yearly Council Meetings from four to three-March, July, November;  and Voter’s Meetings to April,

      August, and December.

· To change the Saturday evening service to 6:00 PM.

      There will also be School Board Elections. In addition, we are in need of a secretary of the congregation.  If you are interested, please contact Jim Crum.  Please try to attend and let your vote count! 

Thanks From the Trustees:  The Board of Trustees would, once again, like to thank all who helped with the fish fry.  Our total profit was $3553.47.

     The board would also like to thank Mark Hill for volunteering to plow the church and school parking lots this past winter.  When you see Mark, please thank him for his time and a job well done.

      Thanks to the following people who helped on clean-up day: Bob Keller, Mary Jo Uebele, Chris Fronk, Jeff Scherer, Ron Boardman, Jim Peters, Orv Ulmer, Zack Ulmer, Jon Ulmer, Mark Hill, Matt Schuster, Bob Vaughn, Scott Vaughn, Aaron Vaughn, Greg McConnell, Rhonda McConnell, Melanie McConnell, Cory Nehmelman, Shelby Nehmelman, Zachery Robbins, Shane Rogers and Cassandra Nickerson.

Mrs. John A. Rose III, Mr.& Mrs. Charles Baima and family, and Ms. Deborah Mansfield and sons made a donation to the Hymnal Fund in loving memory of John A. Rose III, whose death date is May 6.

     Jeanette Vail, Edith Lange, Circle 1-Quilters, and Jeanette Darby made donations to the new Hymnal Fund.

     Ron and Marilyn Boardman made a donation for Sanctuary Candles

The flowers on the Altar were sponsored by the congregation in honor of our 2007 Confirmands.

(Omitted from online version.)

Wed. 10:00 AM: 10          Sat. 7:00 PM: 96

Sun. 8:00 AM: 120     Sun. 10:45 AM: 175

Total: 401

INVOCATION

P In the name of the Father and of the + Son and of the Holy Spirit.

C Amen.

P Let us pray:

God our Father, your Son grew in wisdom and stature and in favor with God and men. Bless, guide, and govern these sons and daughters and all the young people of your Church by your Holy Spirit that they may grow in grace and in the knowledge of your Word. Grant that they may serve you well and usefully, developing their talents not for their own sakes but for the glory of God and the welfare of their neighbor. Protect and defend them from all danger and harm, giving your holy angels charge over them; through Jesus Christ, our Lord.

C Amen.

HOLY GOSPEL

John 16:12-30

Text: John 16:12-30

P Beloved in the Lord, our Lord Jesus Christ said: "All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I will be with you always, to the very end of the age."

You have been baptized and you have been taught the faith according to our Lord's bidding. The fulfillment of his bidding we now celebrate with thankful hearts, rejoicing to confess the faith into which you were baptized and which you yourselves will now confess before the Church.

Jesus said: "Whoever confesses me before men, I will also confess him before my Father in heaven. But he that denies me before men, I will deny him before my Father in heaven."

Lift up your hearts therefore to the God of all grace and joyfully give answer to what, in the name of the Lord, as a minister of his Church, I now shall ask you.

P Do you this day in the presence of God and of this congregation acknowledge the gifts which God gave you in your Baptism?

C I do.

P Do you renounce the devil and all his works and all his ways?

C I do.

P Do you believe in God, the Father Almighty?

C Yes, I believe in God, the Father Almighty, maker of heaven and earth.

P Do you believe in Jesus Christ, his only Son?

C Yes, I believe in Jesus Christ, his only Son, our Lord,

P Do you believe in the Holy Spirit?

C Yes, I believe in the Holy Spirit,

P Do you intend to continue steadfast in this confession and Church and to suffer all, even death, rather than fall away from it?

C I do so intend with the help of God.

P Do you hold all the prophetic and apostolic Scriptures to be the

inspired Word of God and confess the doctrine of the Evangelical

Lutheran Church, drawn from them, as you have learned to know it from the Small Catechism, to be faithful and true?

C I do.

P Do you desire to be a member of the Evangelical Lutheran Church and of this congregation?

C I do.

P Do you intend faithfully to conform all your life to the divine Word, to be faithful in the use of God's Word and Sacraments, which are his means of grace, and in faith, word, and action to remain true to God, Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, even to death?

C I do so intend by the grace of God.

P Give then your hand as pledge of your promise, and kneel to

receive the blessing.

P (Name), God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, give you his Holy Spirit, the Spirit of wisdom and knowledge, of grace and prayer, of power and strength, of sanctification and the fear of God.

P Upon this your profession and promise I invite and welcome you, as members of the Evangelical Lutheran Church and of this congregation, to share with us in all the gifts our Lord has for his Church and to live them out continually in his worship and service.

P Let us pray for the newly confirmed.

Lord God, heavenly Father, we thank and praise you for your great goodness in bringing these your sons and daughters to the knowledge of your Son, our Savior, Jesus Christ, and enabling them both with the heart to believe and with the mouth to confess his saving name. Grant that, bringing forth the fruits of faith, they may continue steadfast and victorious to the day when all who have fought the good fight of faith shall receive the crown of righteousness; through Jesus Christ, your Son, our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever.

P The almighty and most merciful God, Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, bless and keep you.

Pastor: Dearly beloved, since it is our intention to come to the Holy Supper of our Lord Jesus Christ, it is proper that we diligently examine ourselves as St. Paul tells us to do, for this Holy Sacrament has been instituted for the special comfort and strengthening of those who humbly confess their sins and hunger and thirst for righteousness, forgiveness and reconciliation with God.

But if we thus examine ourselves, we shall find nothing in us but sin and death, from which we cannot set ourselves free. Therefore our Lord Jesus Christ has had mercy on us and has taken on Himself our nature that he might fulfill for us the whole will and law of God and for us and for our deliverance suffer death and all that we by our sins have deserved. And that we should the more confidently believe this and be strengthened by our faith in cheerful obedience to his holy will, He has instituted the Holy Sacrament of His Supper, in which he feeds us with His body and gives us to drink of His blood.

Therefore whoever eats of this bread and drinks of this cup, firmly believing the words of Christ, dwells in Christ, and Christ in him, and has eternal life.

We should do this also in remembrance of Him, showing His death, that He was delivered for our offenses and raised again for our justification and, giving Him our most hearty thanks, take up our cross and follow him and according to his commandment love one another as He has loved us. For we are all one body, even as we all eat of His body and drink of His blood.