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Pastors Message Page 1 Birthdays Page 7
General Information Page 2 Volunteers Page 8
Council Minutes Page 6 Calendar Page 9
2016 EPISTLE Page 1
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DUSTING OFF SOME OLD TREASURES
“Jesus said to them, “Therefore every scribe who has been trained for the kingdom of heaven is like the master of a household who brings out of his treasure what is new and what is old.” These words from Matthew (13:52) highlight one of the components of our intentional journey as Christian disciples into the season of Lent. Lent calls us back. “Remember that you are dust, and to dust you shall return.” It’s humbling and it reminds us who and whose we are. We are God’s beautiful creation- one that exists and is sustained by God’s very word. This season of 40 days, leading up to the crucifixion and Resurrection of Jesus invites us to reflect on that which God has created us to be: faithful disciples.
Most of the year we carry on as normal, entering into our worship doors week after week. Each week we carry this treasure with us- this faith in the Risen Lord-but perhaps we take it at face value or even for granted. Sometimes that treasure becomes a thing we simply carry along with us, letting it fall to the bottom of our bag, or roll around under the seats of our car- we have it but we don’t attend to it or care for it. In Lent we are invited to take a few steps back, to clean away the extra goup that has adhered itself to this treasure, to buff out the dings and dents, to pull it out of its hiding place and to use it and enjoy it. Hopefully, we even share it with others.
How can we remind ourselves of the depth of this treasure we carry? The origins of Lent can help us! In the early church Lent originated as the final intensive period of preparation for those converts who were preparing to be baptized at the Easter Vigil. These would have included adults and their children if they had them. In addition, there was a post-Epiphany fast of forty days in Egypt, which was associated with Jesus’ 40 days in the wilderness following his baptism by John. Both marked the significance that baptism had on one’s discipleship. By 325 at the Council of Nicea, it was officially decided that Lent would be a period of 40 days to precede Easter. By 350 Bishop Cyril of Jerusalem acknowledged this period as one of grace, beckoning us to repentance before entering the baptismal waters. By the time of Augustine (early 400’s) it had become a season of repentance and preparation for all Christians, being baptized or not. This Lenten season invites us to join Christ in that final trip to Jerusalem and to experience that self-giving love shown for us in Christ’s passion and death. So what does that mean for us?
The saints that went before us have gifted us with this intentional holy time to prepare for living a life dripping wet from the waters of our baptism! The early Church knew that we would need to cycle back to this identity question and spend time treasuring it. Spiritual disciplines, found within scripture, have been used for centuries as tools unique to the art of strengthening our discipleship. During Sunday worship this Lent we will center ourselves on 5 such disciplines: fasting, giving, praying, serving, and reading scripture. Throughout the 40 days we will commit to at least a small weekly fast which will free up money to serve our neighbors through special weekly donations for local agencies. We will expand our understanding of what it means to be a cheerful giver. We will pray for and with one another; we will listen for God to speak to us. We will vision for the ways in which God is calling us to serve our neighbors and we will prepare meals for starving children. We will download Bible apps to our smart phones or crack open that hefty book from a dusty book shelf and dig into God’s story with our children. Together we will prepare to live boldly into our baptismal identities: disciples of the Risen Lord! We will pull out that old treasure and acknowledge the richness of God’s story and we will discover anew the ways Christ is beckoning us into discipleship each and every day. May this be a season of holy preparation for you! Thanks be to God!
In Christ,
Pastor Annie
Prayer Partner potluck gathering
The Prayer Partner Potluck Gathering is planned for Sunday, February 21st following the worship service. Sign-ups will be available for two weeks before the event as well as on the 21st. Prayer Partners from the past year will be revealed and new Partners drawn. Anyone is welcome to come to the luncheon whether they are involved in Prayer Partners or not.
Please bring a dish to pass.
ANNUAL MEETING
The annual meeting of the congregation of St. John’s Lutheran Church in Spring Valley, Wisconsin will be held on:
Date: Sunday, February 14, 2016
Time: Following worship
Place: St. John’s Fellowship Hall
All members are encouraged to attend. Potluck lunch will be served after the meeting. Please bring a dish to pass.
LENT 2016 - “Being the Body of Christ.”
As we delve into the 40 day season of Lent again this year we will delve into “Being the Body of Christ.” During our gathered worship times on Sundays and Wednesdays we will recommit ourselves to our discipleship and discover just what it looks and feels like to be the body of Christ. We will share in this discovery with Gilman and Spring Lake Lutheran churches on Wednesday evenings at 7PM. The schedule for the rotation of our worship services is below.
On Sunday mornings we will dig a bit deeper into the spiritual disciplines of our discipleship and explore how our practice of these disciplines enriches our participation in the work of the body of Christ. We’ll learn about praying, studying scripture, fasting, giving, and serving!
My prayer and hope is that each of you join in the opportunity to deeply engage this Lenten season! I know we are busy people! I also know that when I have taken the time to participate in mid-week worship services that I have found the Holy Spirit waiting there for me. My own faith has become stronger, my love for others has grown deeper, and my identity as a disciple of Christ has become sharper. When I have intentionally engaged in a Lenten journey, my experience of Holy Week and Easter are so much more profound and transformational. So I hope that you join us each week as we move toward the cross of Good Friday and the Resurrection of Easter morning!
WORSHIP SCHEDULE
Feb. 10: Ash Wednesday at St. John’s
V Lasagna Dinner Youth Fundraiser at 5:30
V Pastor Annie preaching
V “Turning Our Bodies to Christ”
Feb. 17 at Spring Lake
V Pastor Pete preaching
V “The Identity of the Body of Christ”
Feb. 24 at Gilman
V Pastor Annie preaching
V “Unity in the Body of Christ”
March 2 at St. John’s
V Pastor Pete preaching
V “Equality in the Body of Christ”
March 9 at Spring Lake
V Pastor Annie preaching
V “Diversity in the Body of Christ”
March 16 at Gilman
V Pastor Pete preaching
V “Vitality in the Body of Christ”
SOUPER BOWL DAY OF CARING
Our collection counts. Let's tackle hunger together in 2016! On Sunday, February 7th, we will be collecting food and monetary donations for the Spring Valley Community Food Pantry. Your past participation is greatly appreciated and we hope that February 7th will be a "souper" day for donations, as well.
Library Review
“Color the Sidewalk for Me”
By Brandilyn Collins
As a six year old, Celia wonders why her mother doesn’t love her.
Years later, crushing losses drive Celia grieving and guilt-ridden from her home.
Now, at thirty-five, she returns home to nurse her stroke ridden father. But the greatest need for healing lies in the rift between mother and daughter. God can perform such a miracle, but first Celia and her mother must let go of the past.
Lynda Johnson
Librarian
Ash Wednesday Dinner
Wednesday, February 10
The youth of St. John’s will be hosting the Ash Wednesday dinner to raise money for the youth fund. The youth fund is used to help with the cost of youth activities.
Menu items will be lasagna, tossed salad, garlic bread, assorted bars, milk & coffee. We will be serving from 5:30 – 6:45 pm. This is a free will offering event.
Women of St. John’s
Submitted by Nina Larson
All women of St. John’s are welcome and encouraged to attend all scheduled events.
v CIRCLE/BIBLE STUDY will be on Thursday, February 11, at 2:00 in the Fellowship Hall. Linda Johnson will have devotions and Mary Hampton will serve as hostess.
v QUILTING will be on the first and third Thursday from 9:00-noon in the Fellowship Hall.
v BINGO will be on the first Tuesday, February 2, at the Spring Valley Health Care Center.
v PRAYER PARTNER POTLUCK LUNCHEON will be on February 21 following the Worship Service. Sign-ups will be available for two weeks before the event as well as on the 21st. Prayer Partners from the past year will be revealed and new Partners drawn. Anyone is welcome to come to the luncheon whether they are involved in Prayer Partners or not.
v BUSINESS ITEMS:
§ Pearl has made a table runner for the Foundation Fundraiser at school on February 14. We will pay for the longarm quilting.
§ The Food Pantry has issued a request for blankets, diapers and wipes.
§ There were eight women present and the offering was $16.00.
FAMILY EVENT
Join us on Sunday, February 28th after worship for sledding, cupcakes and hot chocolate. Everyone is invited!
SISTERS AND BROTHERS STARVING IN MALAWI
Did you know that our Synod of the ELCA (the Northwest Synod of Wisconsin) has a companion synod in Malawi (Evangelical Lutheran Church of Malawi)? In early 2015 Malawi suffered from severe drought and the maize crops took a significant hit. For this extremely poor agricultural country, this was devastating and has set the stage for famine once again in Malawi. Then in January they experienced severe flooding when double the average rainfall came. This displaced many households and damaged and destroyed other crops in an area with an already diminished food supply.
In addition, food prices in an already poverty-stricken country have increased sharply, and food sources are becoming constrained to specific areas, leaving those in the worst economic position in the biggest harm. Government food aid is extremely sparse and demand far outweighs supply. Humanitarian assistance programming will end in March, if not before, and our sisters and brothers are being turned away starving. Food insecurity will likely be a severe problem through June at the earliest.
An estimated 2.8 million of our brothers and sisters are facing starvation and the need for food is critical. Our synod’s presence in Malawi is still one of very few relief groups who are allowed access to provide relief. Our synod helps provide 40 separate food stations, each of which feeds 50 children. This is a significant impact and your generous donations can help us in continuing our efforts to provide famine relief to those desperate for it.
Famine seems so foreign to us. We live in a country of abundance where even the poorest among us likely has some kind of access to a food pantry or food aid. We pass by herds of cattle and fields of corn without thinking twice. As disciples of Christ we are called to feed the hungry and to care for all of God’s children. Please prayerfully consider what you can faithfully offer to provide famine relief to our sisters and brothers in Malawi. On February 7th, our Souper Bowl of Caring Campaign will send all monetary donations to the Malawi Famine Relief. Please make checks payable to St. John’s memo line: “Malawi Famine Relief.” The need is urgent, feel free to make donations as soon as possible!
CHURCH HUMOR
From a Childs Heart
A daddy was listening to his child say her prayers. “Dear Harold…”
“Wait a minute, honey, how come you called God ‘Harold’?”
The little girl looked up and said, “That’s what they call Him in church. You know the prayer we say, ‘Our Father, who art in heaven, Harold by Thy name.’ ”
FEED MY STARVING CHILDREN
Sign Up NOW to help
Volunteer to help hand-pack meals for malnourished children in more than 70 countries…..
On March 19, 2016 from 2:00-4:00pm, St. John’s Mission Endowment Committee has reserved 50 spots for volunteers (5 years old and older) to help pack meals at the Eagan, MN packing sight. We will plan to leave St. John’s by 12:30pm on the 19th, and would return before 6pm. For each volunteer who participates in this packing event, the Mission Endowment Fund will donate $10 to FMSC, and that $10 covers the cost for 45 meals.
We are looking for a good mix of adults and students, as there are requirements for so many adults per students (i.e. Grade K-2: 1 student to 1 adult/ Grade 3-6: 3 students to 1 adult/ Grade 7-9: 4 students to 1 adult/ Grade 10-12: 5 students to 1 adult). We will also need volunteers who are willing and able to drive to and from Eagan, MN….. 50 volunteers will require approx. 10 vehicles.
Orientation and packing instructions will be provided 10-15 min prior to our 2pm shift start. All volunteers are to wear clean, comfortable clothes and close-toed shoes. Do not wear or bring jewelry (FDA compliance for food manufacturing facilities).