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Section Title
March 27th, 2023
“By this everyone will know that you are my disciples”
John 13:35
Proclaim the Gospel
Grow in Love
Serve One Another
St. Johns’ Mission Statement
Dear Sisters and Brothers in Christ,
Well, I think it finally hit me. The craziness of March 16-19 finally caught up to me. On Wednesday night, my wife asked me if I was okay. She told me I looked terrible. When you have been married over thirty-eight years, I guess one can be honest with each other. I was so tired. That night, I slept for ten hours. I think I could have slept more.
I had the opportunity to join some members of our church at the Laundromat this Saturday. I wish I could explain the thankfulness and joy that some of the patrons displayed when their laundry was paid for. And to hear the stories that they were willing to share. It was amazing. It is one of those ministries that I am not sure who is affected more – them or us. I want to share one story that I shared at church. A woman received a text at around 9:30 a.m. The text was a picture of her niece’s hand with a ring on it. Apparently, she got engaged sometime earlier. It is news that you have to share and so she did. She shared the picture with us. A stranger connecting with a stranger. We shared joy together.
Our Blood Drive was cancelled. Apparently, the bus got stuck in Iowa due to the snow they received. Not sure if it will be rescheduled for a later time. We will let you know when we find out. Sorry if it caused an inconvenience with anyone.
Our pancake breakfast is on Sunday, April 16th. It goes from 8:00 a.m. to 10:00 a.m. Tickets are 5.00 dollars for adults and 2.00 dollars for children. A new addition to this breakfast is Eric Miller; he will be doing an omelet bar. A great price for a great meal. A reminder that there are still items on the board to collect and donate to the cause.
In the past, we have had some visitors for our Council meetings. You are all welcome. I want to make sure you know we have changed location. We have switched from the Fellowship Hall to Pastor Sue’s room at the end of the Sunday School wing.
Next Sunday starts our journey into Holy Week. I would like to explain next weekend and then explain the rest of Holy Week in my next letter. Next weekend is called Palm/Passion Weekend. We will be doing both, the triumphant entry as well tell the passion story according to Matthew. The reason we are doing both is really due to the lack of attendance on Good Friday. The National Church wants all of us to hear the Passion story which is usually read on Good Friday. But, since a lot of people don’t attend Good Friday services, they combined this weekend. I agree with this decision. The Passion story is one that we all need to hear!
This service really makes me expand my boundaries. We will start the service in the Narthex where Jesus’ triumphant entry into Jerusalem will be read. Each of us will have palms and we will enter saying Hosanna which means “God saves us.” This is not in my comfort level, for sure, but I will be shouting it anyway. Sometimes it is a good idea to be uncomfortable for a little while. After that, we will take our seats and move into the Passion story. Just giving you a heads up. If you are uncomfortable shouting Hosanna, know that your pastor is also.
Holy Week Schedule
Maundy Thursday, April 6th, at 6:30 p.m.
Good Friday, April 7th, at 6:30 p.m.
Saturday Vigil, April 8th, at 5:30 p.m.
Easter Sunday, April 9th, at 10:15 a.m.
Cross-marked, Spirits-sealed, Forever!
Pastor Tom
630-334-1771
Readings for the weekend of April 1st & 2nd - Palm/Passion Sunday
Isaiah 50:4-9a Psalm 31:9-16 Philippians 2:5-11 Matthew 26:14-27:11-54
March 20th, 2023
“By this everyone will know that you are my disciples”
John 13:35
Proclaim the Gospel
Grow in Love
Serve One Another
St. Johns’ Mission Statement
Dear Sisters and Brothers in Christ,
Thank you Paul Baker for preaching for me this weekend. Most of you know I attended the Living Waters last weekend. St. John’s was well represented. It was a long and tiring weekend. Definitely a great deal of discernment will occur to process everything. Thank you to the staff for helping me attend. I will probably talk more about this weekend in later letters but it was exactly what I needed.
We were told not to bring our phone. That was probably the worst part of the weekend was not talking to my wife. The one of many take-aways was I missed her a great deal. It wasn’t like she was pining away in Peru. She was coaching at the YMCA State Championships in Indiana (Yes, you read that right). Illinois doesn’t have a pool available to host this championship event. But both of us are able to talk swimming and I was interested to know how they were doing. No way to find out until Sunday night. They did very well.
Reality hit home when I found my phone. 24 emails, 11 missed phone calls, 20 texts and 1 YMCA notification. There is a new Body Pump class offered at the Y if anyone is interested. I am not.
I love it when church happens without the pastor. A number of members went out and spent your money at the laundromat last Saturday in LaSalle. Here are the totals for the day: 39 washer loads; 39 dryer loads; 19 families having their laundry done. How cool is that? But the good news is, because of your generosity, we will be going out next Saturday, March 25th at the laundromat in Peru on 13th & Peoria Street. Can you spend some time helping us out at this event? Again, the goal is to do a one-hour shift, starting at 9:00 a.m. and going to 12:00 p.m. We need your help!
Don’t forget to attend the Blood Drive on the same day, Saturday, the 25th. Donate a pint and then help with some laundry. What a perfect morning. Call Eloide to reserve your time.
Holy Week is fast approaching. The schedule is below. The Living Last Supper is coming back to St. John’s on Maundy Thursday. Please mark your calendars for this special event. You will see many familiar faces including three women. As on the first Last Supper, this year we are incorporating three women who probably played a large part two thousand years ago.
Holy Week Schedule
Maundy Thursday, April 6th, at 6:30 p.m.
Good Friday, April 7th, at 6:30 p.m.
Saturday Vigil, April 8th, at 5:30 p.m.
Easter Sunday, April 9th, at 10:15 a.m.
Cross-marked, Spirits-sealed, Forever!
Pastor Tom
630-334-1771
Readings for the weekend of Mar 25th & 26th - 5th Weekend of Lent
Ezekiel 37:1-14 Psalm 130 Romans 8:6-11 John 11:1-45
March 13th, 2023
“By this everyone will know that you are my disciples”
John 13:35
Proclaim the Gospel
Grow in Love
Serve One Another
St. Johns’ Mission Statement
Dear Sisters and Brothers in Christ,
I want to thank Paul Baker ahead of time for leading worship next weekend. I will be heading to the Living Water Via de Cristo program in Tiskilwa, IL. I am very much looking forward to this trip. I think my faith journey not only needs this but I also feel I am being called to participate. This was our theme last weekend: Being Called by God. Just like all of us, I am trying to not only discern what the Holy Spirit is speaking to me, but also to obey what the Holy Spirit is directing me to do. Do you find that this takes work? That it takes prayer? There are so many other voices competing for your attention. I pray that we all are able to listen to the one true voice – the voice of God.
We are off to the Laundromat Saturday, March 18th. Members of the church will be there from 9:00-12:00. Even if you didn’t sign up, come in and join in on this ministry. Because of your generosity, we collected over five hundred dollars for this ministry. I can’t believe after one month of collecting, the females and males ended up with a tie…or so we thought. Kay Raineri who counted the money (along with others) added a quarter at the end. So technically, the women won. Thank you to all who supported this event.
This Monday at 7:00 p.m. we will be starting our book study by Amanda Ripley called High Conflict. All are welcome to join us in our discussion. Please let me know so I can send you the Zoom link. Also, I will send you the guidelines in which we will try to follow. We will try to cover the Introduction and Chapter 1. We will try.
Don’t forget we have a Blood Drive at our church, Saturday, March 25th. The whole community is welcome. Give Eloide a call at the office to sign up for times. What a great way to love our neighbor.
We had our first Living Last Supper event on Sunday in New Bedford. It went very well. It was the first-time women were added. They played the roles of Leah, the owner of the home where the Last Supper took place, Mary Magdalene and Mary the mother of Jesus. Linda Parsons and Stacy Newall played two of those parts from our church. We will be performing this event a total of four times. We will be doing this at our church on Maundy Thursday during the worship service. Please mark your calendars for that event.
Pretty busy week this week. Besides the book study we will be working on the constitution on Monday. Tuesday, I will meet with other pastors in the Southern Conference. We also have Music and Worship that night. Wednesday, we have our dinner worship and Evangelism. I also can’t forget it is my wife’s birthday. Thursday, I have worship services at Hawthorne Inn and Manor Court. The third week of every month is always busy.
If you haven’t come to the Dinner Worship on Wednesday, please feel free to do so. Each worship service stands alone so if you have not attended one but would like to, come and join us. All are welcome.
Cross-marked, Spirits-sealed, Forever!
Pastor Tom
630-334-1771
Readings for the weekend of Mar 18th & 19th - 4th Weekend of Lent
1 Samuel 16:1-13 Psalm 23 Ephesians 5:8-14 John 9:1-41
March 6th, 2023
“By this everyone will know that you are my disciples”
John 13:35
Proclaim the Gospel
Grow in Love
Serve One Another
St. Johns’ Mission Statement
Dear Sisters and Brothers in Christ,
I hope you are finding your Lenten journey meaningful this year. I am not sure if I have mentioned it in a letter but we are joining many churches in our Synod during Lent following a series that they have put together called Unfinished – Discovering God’s Call in the Not Yet. I am not sure what I was more excited about; sharing this series with you or walking with other churches in our Synod during this time. Two weeks ago, we talked about values. Last weekend we talked about openness. How open are we to something new? Nicodemus was thrown for a loop when he came during the night to seek Jesus. I wonder what I would have done? Would I have walked away shaking my head holding onto tightly to what I knew? Or like Nicodemus, would I keep coming back seeking more, staying curious? It definitely has been a growing edge for me during my time here at St. John’s. I try to remain curious especially to those who don’t think like me. Being curious does not mean you have to agree with them. It means that you listen and try to understand why they believe the way they do. It is not easy sometimes.
We had our first Wednesday, Lenten supper on March 1st. The one thing nice about these services is they are new every week. If you did not attend the first one, please consider attending this Wednesday the 8th. Remember, it starts at 5:30 p.m. Dinner will be served.
Last Saturday, I attended the Congregational Resource Event (CRE). Over 240 people gathered from our Synod. It included not only pastors, but many lay members of different churches. There were many workshops that you were able to pick and choose from. I went to a constitution workshop and a diakonia workshop. The event also included worship which was amazing with that many people. I hope next year, some of you will come with me.
We have two more weeks for Quarter Wars. As of Thursday, March 2, the males were winning by approximately nine dollars. But rumors are flying that one female put roughly twenty dollars of quarters in their jug. It might be time for the males to step up again. Let’s remember the big picture – this is all good. We will be loving our neighbor in the laundromat. But, it will be fun having bragging rights. We still need volunteers for Saturday, March 18th. Can you and your spouse/family/friend do an hour shift? If you can, please sign up in the Narthex.
Sorry about the short notice. Rabbit Trail will be doing a book study, starting Monday, March 13th at 7:00. It will be on Zoom. All are welcome. The book is titled, Higher Conflict by Amanda Ripley. The book explores the difference between good conflict and bad (high) conflict and ways we can avoid or negotiate ourselves out of bad (high) conflicts. You do not have to be part of the Rabbit Trail group or even a member of St. John’s. When we say all are welcome, we mean ALL are welcome.
Important Dates:
March 11th - Don’t forget to turn your clocks forward at night.
March 13th – Book Study begins on Rabbit Trail (Zoom).
March 18th - 9:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. laundromat 1900-1936 St. Vincent St in LaSalle
March 25th – Blood Drive from 9:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. in the parking lot.
We also have our usual meetings throughout the month. You can find them in the church calendar sent to you through the Messenger.
Cross-marked, Spirits-sealed, Forever!
Pastor Tom
630-334-1771
Readings for the weekend of Mar 4th & 5th - 2nd Weekend of Lent
Exodus 17:1-7 Psalm. 95 Romans 5:1-11 John 4:5-42
April 24th, 2023
“By this everyone will know that you are my disciples”
John 13:35
Proclaim the Gospel
Grow in Love
Serve One Another
St. Johns’ Mission Statement
Dear Sisters and Brothers in Christ,
A huge thank you to Stacy Newell for leading the worship service this weekend. Another huge thank you goes out to Jan Morse for preaching for me on Saturday and Sunday. What a blessing it is for a Pastor to be able to take a little time off and know that worship is in excellent hands. I can’t help but smile and reflect that this very thing was probably the one major factor that led me to ministry. It was a Pastor, opening up their pulpit, to allow me to find my gift and then practice this gift. I also firmly believe that this church helped Jeff & Lori find their gift which has led them to ministry also. It is God’s gift – Spirit led, but it was people and churches which helped harness this gift. I hope I never stand in the way of someone using their gift from God, whatever it may be.
The reason I was gone was I participated in the 150-year anniversary of Settlement Lutheran Church in Gowen, Michigan. This is the church where I did my internship. It was fun seeing and talking to people that I haven’t seen for a long time. There was an open house on Saturday and then a worship service on Sunday. The bishop from Michigan led the service.
It was a very busy and long night for the Church Council last Tuesday. An assortment of items were covered. I am going to let our council president, David Kromphardt, discuss most of them. One of the things I would like to mention is we have two new board members. Karen Sohl will finish the term for Jeff Whalen. Don Anderson will finish the term for Wally Antas. The way our constitution reads is that new members must be voted in by the church congregation. However, if you are replacing existing members, they only have to be approved by the Church Council. This is the reason why we didn’t come before the congregation for a vote.
Our cabinets that are usually stocked with food for the Blessing Box are almost empty. We have seen a tremendous increase in need for the items. I think we have been doing so many things that we have forgotten this important ministry. This ministry comes from the people of St. John’s. We do not receive any grants or subsidies. It is based entirely on the generosity of us. If you can, please consider donating supplies so we can restock the pantry. Soon, the refrigerator is going to be added. Items like yogurt, cheese sticks and individual Budding meat packets will then be needed.
An important date coming up is Saturday, May 20th. Potlucks are coming back to St. John’s. We will be only having one service that weekend. It will also be an excellent opportunity for Saturday people to mingle with Sunday people. Chicken and desserts will be provided. What you need to do is bring something to pass. It will start immediately after Saturday’s service. It might be a great time to bring someone who has been missing from church for a while. Our goal is to do this every three months or so and flip the days we do them on. Next time we will have brunch on Sunday sometime in the summer. We will let you know the date.
Another important date is Sunday, May 7th. Our Affirmation of Baptism students will be confirmed during this service. Most of us remember when we were confirmed and how important the congregation was to our faith development along with our continued development. One of the highlights of people who come back to the church is to look through the pictures of our previous confirmation students. Most of you have had children confirmed in this church. Some of you were confirmed here also. Let’s come and help celebrate this important event in one’s faith journey.
Cross-marked, Spirits-sealed, Forever!
Pastor Tom
630-334-1771
Readings for the weekend of April 22nd & 23rd - 4th Weekend of Easter
Acts 2: 42-47 Psalm 23 1 Peter 2:19-25 John 10:1-10
April 17th, 2023
“By this everyone will know that you are my disciples”
John 13:35
Proclaim the Gospel
Grow in Love
Serve One Another
St. Johns’ Mission Statement
Dear Sisters and Brothers in Christ,
I hope you had fun at the Spring Fling Breakfast. I have no idea what the final numbers were but it seemed like there were plenty of people present. Thank you for everyone who had a part in making this happen. There were so many people working and I hope you all will take an opportunity to say thank you to someone in the next couple of weeks. I am pretty sure those who were working had a fun time but it is also special when someone recognizes your efforts. A special thank you goes out to Eric Miller for running the omelet bar. I know a lot of people enjoyed this new addition.
A very young man asked me a question as he was walking out of church on Sunday. He asked me how the pancakes were? I said they were great. He told me that he made them. His dad poured them but he made them. Needless to say, he was beaming.
However, however, however, I know it is a nice time to talk to friends and share a meal, but it is also a great time for evangelism. There should never be someone or some family ever sitting alone. Never. Bring your group and ask if you can sit with them. Introduce yourself and your friends. See where they are from. Etc., etc., etc. I have been to many of these things and either sat alone or sat with my wife. And you know what? Because of this, I would rarely go back. Keep your eyes open for new people. We need to do a better job of this.
I would like to have another 1st Communion class for those who are younger than fourth grade in May. It will be 2-one-hour age-appropriate lessons. If interested, please let me know. I will try to accommodate your schedule. After completing these 2-one-hour sessions, then we can decide what works best for you and your family when to celebrate their 1st Communion.
A busy week this week with Church Council on Tuesday and Evangelism on Wednesday. Monday we will be working on the Constitution along with our Book Study. Wednesday we will be having the Affirmation of Baptism. Do you know they will be confirmed on May 7th. Thursday, I meet at night with the other pastors in our conference. It is your typical third week of the month.
Cross-marked, Spirit-sealed, Forever!
Pastor Tom
630-334-1771
Readings for the weekend of April 22nd & 23rd - 3rd Weekend of Easter
Acts 2:14a, 36-41 Psalm 116:1-4, 12-19 1 Peter 1:17-23 Luke 24:13-35
April 10th, 2023
“By this everyone will know that you are my disciples”
John 13:35
Proclaim the Gospel
Grow in Love
Serve One Another
St. Johns’ Mission Statement
Dear Sisters and Brothers in Christ,
Happy Easter to all.
Remember, you are resurrection people.
Children of God!
(It has to make a difference.)
Cross-marked, Spirit-sealed, Forever!
Pastor Tom
630-334-1771
Readings for the weekend of April 15 & 16th - 2nd Weekend of Easter
Acts 2:14a, 22-32 Psalm 16 1 Peter 1:3-9 5:8-14 John 20:19-31
Instead of a picture, I want to share a message that was sent to me after the Maundy Thursday service.
I just wanted to tell you how beautiful I thought the service was last night.
Back parking lot almost filled when I pulled in.
Church pews so full.
Such a moving Last Supper program.
All the family members at the Altar with their young boys.
Silence leaving the church.
I can only imagine all the work that went into all of this.
Do you know that this simple text made my day. That is the beauty of a compliment or encouragement. They are life-giving. This person was right. So many people worked very hard throughout the week to make Holy Week meaningful for all who attended. I received my high. Could you please take a moment to write a text/note or call someone who you saw or heard this Holy Week working for you. I know that they would appreciate it.
April 3rd, 2023
“By this everyone will know that you are my disciples”
John 13:35
Proclaim the Gospel
Grow in Love
Serve One Another
St. Johns’ Mission Statement
Dear Sisters and Brothers in Christ,
We are now entering the holiest of weeks in our church calendar. It actually started yesterday when we celebrated both Palm and Passion Weekend. I hope your Lenten journey has prepared you for this week. Your church staff has worked really hard to make this week meaningful for you. We are hoping that the Spirit stirs your heart during our upcoming worship services. Schedule is below.
What does the Resurrection mean to you? Last week we read Jesus saying to Martha, “I am the resurrection and the life.” Jesus doesn’t stay in the tomb. Finally, death has been overcome. But let’s not forget the word “and.” Jesus is also the “life.” Believing in Jesus has to mean something, especially in the way we live. Martin Luther said we were 100% sinner and 100% saint. But he also believed that we can get better. Not perfect in any way but we can get better with the Holy Spirit’s help. Have you seen evidence of this improvement in your walk this year? The sin that once held you so tight now has loosen/lost its grip on you. I hope so. As a coach, I always told my athletes to remember today. After a week of training, if they don’t remember that day, how do you know if you improved? I think the same can be true for our spiritual life. If you don’t remember today, how do you know your walk is closer to God tomorrow.
However, you have to develop habits to improve. What is the Holy Spirit prompting you to do? Get into the word? Pray? Read devotions? Maybe a Bible Study? If you need help establishing a habit, let me know. I would love to help.
I already invited two groups of people for the Living Last Supper on Maundy Thursday. I have a third invitation waiting to be texted. I think it is a perfect opportunity to invite people to our church to see this performance. Please think about using it as an evangelistic tool. Not many have seen the Living Last Supper, especially with the inclusion of three women. Please come join us and bring a friend.
Patty & I decided to go to the laundromat after church last Sunday. We are still trying to figure out what the best time is to go. Well, it is not Sunday afternoon. But something very cool happened there. We paid for a few families to do their wash. A man noticed what we were doing. After he was finished with his laundry he came over and gave us a gift and his left-over quarters. How cool is that? Trying to do God’s work and God’s work comes bouncing back to us.
Get out and vote on Tuesday. Again, our church is a polling place but instead of using the classrooms, they will be using Fellowship Hall. They will see how this works. I think one of the reasons they switched is not only ease of access but they will also be able to “control” the environment. Sometimes, the classroom gets really warm. In Fellowship Hall, they can always turn on the air conditioner. Experts talk about how in these smaller local elections, your vote has more of an influence. Do your research and get out and vote.
Don’t forget our Pancake Breakfast is coming up on April 16th from 8:00 a.m. – 10:00 a.m. The volunteer board has been hit pretty hard. Thank you. There are still a few items. One of them is body wash for the Veterans Home. It is something that they requested. They asked for these items specifically. I hope you can help us out with this.
Holy Week Schedule
Maundy Thursday, April 6th, at 6:30 p.m.
Good Friday, April 7th, at 6:30 p.m.
Saturday Vigil, April 8th, at 5:30 p.m.
Easter Sunday, April 9th, at 10:15 a.m.
Cross-marked, Spirit-sealed, Forever!
Pastor Tom
630-334-1771
Readings for the Holy Week:
Maundy Thursday: Psalm 22
Good Friday: John 18:1-19:42
Easter Vigil: Genesis 1-2:4a Exodus 14:10-31; 15:20-21 Isaiah 55:1-11
Romans 6:3-11 John 20:1-18
Easter: Acts 10:34-43 (Msg) Psalm 118 Colossians 3
May 29, 2023
“By this everyone will know that you are my disciples”
John 13:35
Proclaim the Gospel
Grow in Love
Serve One Another
St. Johns’ Mission Statement
Dear Sisters and Brothers in Christ,
I hope you enjoyed your Memorial Day Weekend. I pray that we always remember those who serve our country so bravely.
It is the first time I am able to talk about the Potluck we had on May 20th. I know it was a busy weekend for many. Members shared with me that they were out of town for a variety of reasons. However, I think those who were there had a great time. They certainly did not go home hungry. In true potluck fashion, there was so much food, and it was so good. Thank you to all who brought something. It reminded me a little of the heavenly banquet we are promised during end-times. There will be an abundance. There was on Saturday.
The other thing I noticed is there was no one sitting by themselves. I think the fewest we had at an eight-person table was six. Nice job St. John’s. Keep it up. We will continue to have these potlucks/cookouts throughout the year. We will all have plenty of opportunities to show hospitality.
It didn’t stop with food. Many of us stayed to play bingo after the meal. Kay Raineri brought all the supplies for a heck of a lot of fun. Prizes were given out to the winners. Both Beckett and Caroline Kays had the hot cards. We were glad when they left for bedtime. J
Speaking of Beckett, he will be receiving his 1st Communion on Sunday, June 4th. Hopefully, you will come to share this special day for him and his family.
A lot of new things are happening, sort of appropriate during Pentecost. It is a time when the Holy Spirit breathes new life. Pentecost didn’t happen a long time ago. Well, yes it did, but it is one of many Pentecost we have and continue to have in our lifetimes. God is still breathing.
One of the changes you saw last week; our Council President, Dave Kromphardt, wrote the letter for the week. He has graciously accepted the responsibility to do this after every council meeting. The plan is to give you a little recap of what was talked about during the council meeting. It is always nice to bring another perspective and I think Dave writing the letter does that. Well done Dave.
Starting this weekend, communion will look a little different. First of all, you will now be given a choice between grape juice and wine. However, you do need to reverse your thought process. The grape juice now will be light in color while the wine will be dark in color. You will also find the juice in the center of the tray, while the wine will be bordering the outside. Communion cups always have grape juice.
I also forget to mention, we have gluten free wafers for anyone who needs them. Just let me know so I don’t hand you a regular wafer.
You will also see a new communion set-up. The blessing of the meal will occur at the small table in front of the altar. The reason being, I am having more trouble with my legs. It is getting more difficult to stand. Some weekends are better than others so we decided to change it to accommodate me.
I want to make sure you are clear on this. Ever since I have been here I have had a great relationship with Altar Guild. Linda Hoelter would come into my office many times and we would talk about setup. Karen Sohl has continued with this tradition. I am so blessed with this situation, especially when I talk to my other colleagues.
I do listen to Linda and Karen. But many times, they ask me my opinion. The things that happen during communion usually come from me. If you have issues, you need to talk to me, not them. They are just doing what we have discussed. They have to put up with me, which is hard enough. Please don’t add to their burdens. Go to the source, which is me and I will try to explain the reasoning behind what we are doing.
You may see some different things at the Parsonage. First of all, Council approved a carport for the driveway. The City of Peru granted a variance. Work should start in three-five weeks.
You may also see a couple young men coming and going at the parsonage. We are hosting two Pistol Shrimp players for the summer. I expect them to be here sometime before or after this letter has been sent out. One of them might be in for a little culture shock. He is from Hawaii. Chances are Patty and I are going to a few more Pistol Shrimp games this summer.
Next weekend is Holy Trinity Weekend. Needless to say, other non-Christian traditions do not celebrate this weekend. The word Trinity is made up. Not once does it appear in the Bible. However, so many times, in the Old Testament and New Testament, we see God the Father, God the Son and God the Holy Spirit in action. I hope you join us for this celebration of the Trinity.
Cross-marked, Spirit-sealed. Forever!
Pastor Tom
630-334-1771
Readings for the weekend of June 3rd & 4th – Holy Trinity Weekend
Genesis 1:1-2:4a Psalm 8 2 Corinthians 13:11-13 Matthew 28:16-20
The Rustout Syndrome by Richard Leider and Steve Buchhoz
“There is a silent killer that stalks America. It is called ‘rustout’ and it is far more deadly and scary than burnout. Sure, burnout can wear down your body, but rustout can wipe out your soul and your spirit.”
“Rustout is the slow death that follows when we stop making the choices that keep life alive. It’s the feeling of numbness that comes from always taking the safe way, never accepting new challenges, continually surrendering to the day-to-day routine. Rustout means we are no longer growing, but at best, are simply maintaining. It implies that we have traded the sensation of life for the security of a paycheck…Rustout is the opposite of burnout. Burnout is overdoing. Rustout is under being.”
May 22, 2023
Good morning! This letter comes from Council President Dave Kromphardt. Pastor Tom has asked me to share about Council and congregation activity and decisions each month after our meetings. I will try to be brief, but a lot is happening! Please speak with a Council member if you ever have questions or ideas.
WORSHIP TIME CHANGE! SUNDAY WORSHIP CHANGES TO 9 AM NEXT SUNDAY, MAY 28
We approved the annual request to provide materials for refugees for Lutheran World Relief. These are basics for people displaced from their homes. The items of this ministry will be gathered as in the past and will be sent with all the wonderful quilts of that ministry.
We also received a presentation from the Abigail Ministry in Mendota and are working on a way to provide items for new mothers later this year.
Last month the Council voted to have outdoor services on the last Sunday morning of June, July, and August- and to make them special events. The first will be on June 25 at 9 am and you will hear more as we get closer. But, make plans now to attend brunch afterward hosted by the Church Council. Do you have ideas to go along with it? Fun for children of all ages? Please share with a Council Member or stop by the church office with your idea and commitment to help.
The strong winds recently provided a unique blessing to us, a twelve-foot tall tree trunk asking to be carved. It is on the southeast part of our property adjacent to the south parking lot. We are grateful to the City of Peru for quickly removing the fallen portions. Three wood carvers have been approached regarding carving a cross from the trunk, a Christian witness for the entire community to see. I’ve been asked if people can contribute to this special project- absolutely! More will be shared as this project proceeds.
Returning to in-person worship has also brought the return of roles to assist with each worship service. Ushers, Altar Guild, Greeters, Acolyte, and Technology are all ministries each weekend. Everyone is invited to be a part of one or more of these ministries. How to get more information? Put your contact information on a Worship Ministry paper on the signup table near the narthex water fountain. Or call the Church Office and let Eloide know what you are interested in. You will be contacted back to answer your questions.
Reports were given from the Committees. There is a lot occurring, and this letter would be even longer if the details are shown here. Watch the weekly Bulletin for information.
Finally, our congregation’s greatest strength is our faith. The second is our bond with others in our congregation family. COVID has been very hard on individuals and families, and frequently has made life more challenging. Please take time to reach out to each other, especially if you haven’t seen someone for awhile, and see how they are doing. We are all part of the Body of Christ- His hands and feet on earth.
May 15, 2023
“By this everyone will know that you are my disciples”
John 13:35
Proclaim the Gospel
Grow in Love
Serve One Another
St. Johns’ Mission Statement
Dear Sisters and Brothers in Christ,
LAST REMINDER: Saturday, May 20 is a One-Service Only Weekend. After worship service on Saturday, we would like the church to attend a Pot-Luck dinner. So, make sure if you are able, to bring a dish to pass. If you can’t or forget, please come anyway. Our goal is to socialize and have great fellowship together. After dinner, Bingo will be played. Very important: There will be no service on Sunday.
Another thing to put on your calendar. Starting Sunday, May 28th, we will be beginning our Summer Schedule. This means that Sunday service will start at 9:00 a.m. We will still be indoors. As mentioned before, the council decided to have outdoor services the last Sunday of the month, starting in June. Sunday, May 28th will be an all-age worship service but it will be indoors. Please don’t forget that we start at 9:00 a.m.
The weekend of May 27th and 28th is the weekend of Pentecost. It is the time when the Holy Spirit abides in the disciples and those who will later come to believe the proclamation of the Good News. Abiding is really the major difference. The Holy Spirit has been present at the beginning of creation. In Genesis we read that the Spirit was hovering over the waters. Throughout the Old Testament, we see and hear the Holy Spirit at work. But the difference? The Holy Spirit never really stayed, it was there for a time and then left. Everything changes at Pentecost. The Holy Spirit now takes up residence in every believer. That is true for new believers in the 1st Century. This is true for the new believers today. And this, my friends, changes everything! We now have God living inside of us – helping us along the way. Through the Holy Spirit, we are able to love God, the Father and Jesus his Son. Martin Luther says without the Holy Spirit there is no way we would love God on our own. Spirit-sealed. Forever! Praise God!
Traditionally, Pentecost is a good day to wear red. Would you join me in doing so?
Thursday, May 18th, the church celebrates the Ascension of our Lord. Our readings from John have been preparing the disciples, as well as us, for this moment. We hear Jesus telling his disciples that he has to leave to prepare rooms for them. And he also mentions the promise of his Father to another Advocate. A tremendous sadness will fall over the disciples. Even with the promise of the Holy Spirit, they will no longer see their friend, Jesus. Have you ever been there? Even with a promise of being able to do “greater things,” it still is sad. Maybe it is a good day to hold whatever sadness we are going through.. Better things are promised but today, but don’t be afraid to grieve for a while. If you don’t have anything to grieve about, maybe call a friend who is hurting and remind them that they are not alone.
This week is going to be a very strange week. First of all, Eloide is going on vacation for the whole week. Please, let us honor her time away. I promise I will not text her with any “emergencies.” So, be aware, things might look a little different.
This week, I will also be participating in the Festival of Homiletics. I think it is put on by Luther College in Minnesota. It is a time where speakers/ministers meet and preach on all sorts of things, mostly on Biblical passages. My internet connection is not the greatest at church so I will mostly be at home during this time. If you need me, please text or come over. The event is recorded so I can always go back to it. Just want to give you a heads up. The church will be quiet for this week.
However, that doesn’t mean that church is cancelled. Meetings will still occur. Speaking of which, the Church Council meets Tuesday at 6:30 p.m.
Evangelism is meeting on Wednesday at 6:30 p.m. The quilting ladies will still be there on Tuesday and Wednesday. Church life will continue.
Some of you noticed that the tree in the front parking lot came down. We now have about a ten-foot trunk standing. I believe our neighbor across the street came up with the idea about maybe carving something into the trunk. What a great idea. It reminds me of what God continues to do. God takes a bad event and makes it good. We are looking into it. It will be something that we will discuss at council.
This week, we will be adding the refrigerator to the blessing box. Besides all the normal stuff, would you please add yogurt, cheese sticks and Budding lunch meat to your list of items for the blessing box. Thank you.
Some of you may notice two young men hanging out at the parsonage this summer. With council approval, we decided to host two Pistol Shrimp players during their summer season.
Finally, below is part of an article I found about welcoming people in church. Notice, according to the author, we all play a part in this. What do you think about this passage below? Would St. Johns be a welcoming church according to this woman? Are we missing anything? If we are, could you help?
Cross-marked, Spirits-sealed. Forever!
Pastor Tom
630-334-1771
Readings for the weekend of May 18th - Ascension of Our Lord
Acts 1:1-11 Psalm 47 Ephesians 1:15-23 Luke 24:44-53
Readings for the weekend of May 20th - 7 Weekend of Easter
Acts 1:6-14 Psalm 68:1-10, 32-35 1 Peter 4:12-14; 5:6-11 John 17:1-11
THE SEARCH FOR A CHURCH by Kathryn Haueisen (Living Lutheran)
This is an article written by Kathryn Hauesisen who actually was looking for a church. As one who was searching for a church, she highlighted these main points:
1 Good signage throughout the building is important. Visit a church building you've never been in and see how easy or difficult it is to find your way around.
2 Make worship times, location and church contact information the first thing web visitors see. Include links to staff and programs. Ditto for Facebook information. Make it easy to find the names, include a brief bio for each staff member and provide a way to get more information. Visit other church websites for good and not-so-good examples.
3 Train spotters to take turns looking for folks they don't recognize. Should the unrecognized person be new, the spotter can accompany them to the fellowship time. Nothing says "I don't belong here" like standing alone with a cup of coffee in a room full of people chatting with each other.
4 Preach and teach once in a while about our collective calling to welcome the stranger. We're taught as toddlers to be leery of strangers, so it takes intentional effort to counter that message with tips for how to relate to new people appropriately. Sometimes strangers are angels traveling incognito. These days churches need good security measures, but we also must encourage people to socialize. That's the only way to turn a stranger into a new friend.
5 Don't point out visitors by making them stand. A generic "We're glad you're here" is good, but too much unsolicited attention can be threatening. A visitor gift is a nice touch, but people actually talking with guests makes a bigger impression.
6 Ask open-ended questions but don't pry. We have no way of knowing how this new person mustered the courage to enter the building. Saying things such as "Hi, my name is ...,. "I don't think I’ve had a chance to meet you" or "Can I answer any questions for you?" invites conversation without pressuring someone to disclose more than they would like.
May 8, 2023
“By this everyone will know that you are my disciples”
John 13:35
Proclaim the Gospel
Grow in Love
Serve One Another
St. Johns’ Mission Statement
Dear Sisters and Brothers in Christ,
I hope you found Confirmation Sunday very exciting. The church was packed, noisy excitement in the narthex, and we added one new picture to our confirmation photos. It is so cool to hear these young men and women publicly proclaim their love of God. Congratulations to Leah Ricci, Chaz Thrasher, Mallory VanDuzer, Madisyn Korter and Brandon Lamps. Your church is very proud of you.
It was good to see Lori & Jeff Whalen back at St. John’s even for one day. They are doing great work as SAM’s (Synodical Authorized Ministers) at Trinity and First Lutheran. Your church is proud of you also.
ANOTHER REMINDER: Saturday, May 20 is One-Service Only Weekend. After worship service on Saturday, we would like the church to attend a Pot-Luck dinner. So, make sure if you are able, to bring a dish to pass. If you can’t or forget, please come anyway. Our goal is to socialize and have great fellowship together. After dinner, Bingo will be played. Very important: There will be no service on Sunday.
Calling all you who are interested in helping with the garden this year. Major planting will occur on the 15th of this month. Please call Linda Walter about time. She has notified people who either helped last year or have notified her this year that they want to be part of this ministry. It is never too late to join. She is also going to plan a weekly schedule for watering for those who are interested. Please let her know.
Thank you to all who participated in the Blood Drive on Saturday. It is another great ministry of this church.
A little bad news. We lost one of our very big trees in the storm, Sunday night. I wonder what stories it would tell, about our church and neighborhood.
I saw the below quote in the Living Lutheran magazine. Have you ever felt this way about church? You are in good company. This came from the article written by our National Bishop, Elizabeth Eaton. Really, should we be surprised? The one entrusted to lead the church spiritually is a sinner, Pastor Tom. The ones whom you voted to represent you at council are all sinners. Do you have problems with members of your family? The church is made up of families. I am always amazed by people inside and outside of church who are surprised that church may have issues. Oh, by the way, all of you reading this letter are sinners too. We all are in such need of a Savior. Praise be to God that he sent His only Son to save us. Alleluia!
Cross-marked, Spirit-sealed, Forever!
Pastor Tom
630-334-1771
Readings for the weekend of May 13th & 14th - 6th Weekend of Easter
Acts 17:22-31 Psalm 66:8-20 1 Peter 3:13-22 John 14:15-21
Excerpt from National Bishop of the ELCA Elizabeth Eaton letter, May/June 2023.
Part of the essay by 20th-Century Roman Catholic brother Carlo Carretto: “How baffling you are, oh Church, and yet I love you! How you made me suffer, and yet how much I owe you! I would like you destroyed, and yet, I need your presence. You have given me so much scandal and yet you have made me understand what sanctity is. I have seen nothing in the world devoted to obscurity, more compromised , more false, and yet I have touched nothing more pure, more generous, more beautiful. How often I wanted to shut the doors of my soul in your face, and how often I have prayed to die in the safety of your arms.”
“That pretty much sums up the beautiful, maddening, sublime, and broken reality of the church and its people,” said Bishop Eaton.
May 1, 2023
“By this everyone will know that you are my disciples”
John 13:35
Proclaim the Gospel
Grow in Love
Serve One Another
St. Johns’ Mission Statement
Dear Sisters and Brothers in Christ,
I think I am going to start with dates to remember. Please mark these on your calendar.
- Saturday, May 6th is the Blood Drive from 9:00 a.m. – 12:00 p.m. Please sign up with Eloide.
- Sunday, May 7th is Confirmation Sunday
- Saturday, May 20 is One-Service Only. After worship service on Saturday, we would like the members to attend a Pot-Luck dinner. Our goal is to socialize and have great fellowship together. After dinner, Bingo will be played. Very important: There will be no service on Sunday.
If you missed last Sunday’s service, Dave Kromphardt, our President of the Church Council, stated that we will be having outdoor service again but only on the last Sunday of every month. I know he said the 4th Sunday, but it is the last Sunday of each month. This will also be our all-age worship service so it will blend nicely outside.
It certainly doesn’t feel like it today but we need to start thinking about planting our garden this year. Linda Walter will give a call/email to everyone who expressed interest last year or on Stewardship Sunday. Seeds have already been started, thanks to the 3rd grade Sunday school class. We are still probably a couple of weeks away but at least it is not a couple of months. Yeah!
I want to thank Brandon and Madisyn for a great job reading this weekend. I also want to thank Monica for helping me lead service on Sunday. I have been thinking a little bit, why not have assistant leaders on other weekends? The red ELW has delegated spots for assistant lay leaders. In the past, I have done them all. It certainly does not have to be that way. Does anyone want to help? Send me a text/email or let Eloide know. We will see if we can make it work.
What a reflective weekend. Patty & I went to Cedar Rapids and watched Samantha Whalen get married to Noah. Mom & Dad were beaming (Lori & Jeff). It was a beautiful ceremony. But back in my mind I also realized that we had to get home to officiate the funeral of Maikel Green (Judy’s husband). So again, it was one of those weekends of mixed emotions. Sort of like life. I think of the Transfiguration of Jesus. What a mountain-top experience that must have been. But when it was over, Jesus climbed down the mountain into a mess. He had to step in because his disciples could not heal a boy. I guess this is what humanity is all about. We need to celebrate the highs because the lows are going to come. Someone once told me that if you are not in a hardship, you soon will be in one.
It reminds me of Psalm 46. The first verse is “God is our refuge and strength, an ever-present help in trouble.” Yes, I believe God is in our joys. God wants us to have joys. To live life abundantly. Not after our death but here and now. But when we have our lows, which we will have, I think it is important to remember that God is right there with us also. God is waiting to be our “ever-present help in trouble.”
Cross-marked, Spirit-sealed, Forever!
Pastor Tom
630-334-1771
Readings for the weekend of May 3rd & 4th - 5th Weekend of Easter
Acts 7:55-60 Psalm 31:1-5, 15-16 1 Peter 2:2-10 John 14:1-14