February 26, 2024

The ministries of St. John’s do not operate like a business with quarterly expectations and annual analysis, though we do have an Annual Meeting. Instead, what we do begins and ends as needed, year in-year out. Two current things bear this out.

The first is the replacement of the sixty plus year old wiring in the sanctuary, complete with temporary moving of the pews. The volunteer turnout on Saturday the 17^th and 24^th was incredible! The right side pew removal took less than an hour. The electricians are diligent and not only were the right side pews restored on the 24^th but the left side pews were removed a week ahead of plan. The electricians are returning ahead of schedule on the 26^th to finish the other side. Included with this project is the replacement of lighting with LED bulbs and tubes which are much more energy efficient and run cooler and longer. In addition, a panel for switches and dimmers was installed rather than using the breakers as before, a safer alternative. The only delay is a need to obtain different connections for the lights at the front of the church. This will not need any pew removal and the parts are expected in early March.

The second is the renovation of the church organ to fix sound volume and expression issues. The problems were assessed mid-2023 and a plan developed, then a funding request was established to pay for it outside of the regular budget. The funding has been completed thanks to the generosity of many members and several memorials. The repair company, our new tuner,  has been engaged and the work should be done shortly after Easter.

Both of these projects are part of our ongoing ministry. They follow a large boiler and piping replacement project. When the weather warms, work will be performed on the roofing around the Tower. Such is the nature of our Lutheran Christian community. It is our job as stewards to make decisions and plans to maintain our facility as well as our ministries.

Our Annual Meeting resulted in new members of our Church Council. At the Council Meeting on Tuesday, February 20 we welcomed Linda Parsons, Sarah Cutter, and returning member Karen Sohl, and also Linda Hoelter who was appointed by the Council to complete the remaining two years of Sandy Baumgartner’s term. Council elections resulted in Dave Kromphardt (me) as President, Alice Mueller as Vice President, and Don Anderson as Secretary. Jacob Adams begins his third year as Treasurer. Please pray for wisdom in our church governance.

The Ministry Committees did not stop at year end, either. The Pancake Breakfast of the Children’s Spiritual Life and Education Committee is set for Sunday morning, April 7. Requests for donations of food and supplies will soon be appearing in the narthex. Sausage making for the Youth Spiritual Life and Education Committee will be occurring in later April this year. There was a great reintroduction last year and we hope for more orders and more volunteers for the fun event. The proceeds are building funds to assist families with youth service projects and Synod Youth Gatherings.

Don Anderson said the list of major projects for Building and Grounds is running out, a pleasant problem. Besides the roofing fix, flooring replacement in the parsonage is also on the list, plus a variety of smaller projects. The turnout for the pew moving shows a great willingness of members to help. In addition, Finance, Endowment, and Personnel Committees have projects in the works. These are mostly behind the scenes but important ministries.

Worship and Music continues to work to enhance our Worship experiences. Evangelism now includes Fellowship and Social Ministry based on the consolidation included in our amended Constitution. There is always a lot of important work to do! The Stewardship Committee focuses its efforts from September to the end of the year and is seeking new members as several have retired at the end of 2023.

All in the St. John’s community are asked to consider if serving on one or more of these ministries is a good use of the gifts God gave them. There is always a need for extra energy and new ideas everywhere in our church. Please give it prayerful consideration, regardless of your age or mobility. Much can be done from home, and experience and knowledge have a great value!

Dave Kromphardt

Church Council President

February 19, 2024

“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,

The first round of construction is done and it was … sort of easy.  Thank you to all who volunteered to help.  I know a few of you started early.  I rolled in about 8:45 a.m. thinking I was early and they were already taking out pews.  As you walk in, the whole right side of pews are gone.  They are being stored in the Fellowship Hall.  Next week, our task is to put them back.  That probably will take a little longer (Having to line things up).  We had lunch ready to go but it turned into a brunch.  Again, thank you for all those who helped.  We will continue to need your help as the project moves forward.

Sunday, we installed the Church Council members.  They will help guide the church in 2024.  Continue to keep them in your prayers.  Please, ask them questions.  Make comments to them.  But also encourage them.  They are your representatives.  You voted for them.  Keep them all in your prayers. 

Speaking of Church Council, our next meeting is Tuesday, February 20^th at 6:30 p.m. All are invited.

The fourth graders are beginning their communion training.  They will receive communion on Maundy Thursday.  I was able to talk to them on Sunday.  My big take away was that you never stop learning, especially when it comes to communion.  We pretty much do communion at every worship service we have (unless I am not present).  Communion is a big deal.  It is where we come to the table and to be nourished for whatever we need.  Forgiveness…you bet; Strength … absolutely; Closeness with God … I am not sure how you can get any closer, but it sure feels like it.  And yes, it is a foretaste of our banquet we will have in heaven,  It is a big deal.

Wednesday is going to be a busy day at our church.  The Bishop and the Synod Staff are going to conduct business at our church.  At about noon, they will break for lunch.  During lunch, the staff, including the Bishop, would like to visit with all of you.  Bring your own lunch and come share a meal with them.  If you have any questions, make sure you bring them also.  I am sure they would try to answer them if they can.

We also have our first Wednesday Lenten service on February 21^st.  Make sure you remember that it is at 5:30 p.m.  Dinner will be served.  We will be discussing the promises of God through the characters in the book of Genesis.  All are welcome.  I have the first dinner.

Evangelism will meet at 6:30 p.m.

Schedule for construction:

Church                        Lighting Company                  Task

                                    Lighting work – week of Feb 19

Feb 24                                                                         Replace pews

Mar 2                          Week of Mar 4(Work)            Remove pews on other side and store in Fellowship Hall

Mar 9                                                                          Replace pews

Don’t ever forget, God calls you beloved.

Pastor Tom

630-334-1771

pandtredig@gmail.com

Readings for the February 24t & 25^th   - 2^nd  Weekend of Lent

Genesis 17:1-7, 15-16             Psalm 22:23-31           Romans 4:13-25                      Mark 8:31-38

Worship News

            This is a new section.  The Music and Worship Committee thought it would be a good idea if I could communicate with you some of the thoughts that go into producing the worship service. I thought I would share some of them here in this section.  If you have any further questions, please feel free to contact me with your thoughts.

            I want to talk about three items found in the worship service for Lent:

1)      The new opening song- Open Me by Shawn McDonald.  Most of the time, our opening song is usually one line from a hymn.  Usually, the opening song is selected by Music & Worship.  This time, Pastor Tom selected this song.  I felt it is a very appropriate song for Lent.  As always, we will sing only the first verse of this song for our opening.  Most of you probably have not heard this song.  That’s okay.  My hope is we will get better as we sing this song during Lent.  After Lent, we will be selecting a new opening song yet to be determined.

2)      The Apostle’s Creed – we will be using this Creed for the Lenten season.  The two main Creeds are used at different times of the year.  The Apostle’s Creed is used for Lent.  Some of you had problems with the Creed that we said during Epiphany.  Again, that was Pastor Tom’s choice.  I heard this Creed for the first time during the Southern Conference Pastor’s meeting.  Many of my fellow Pastors were moved by it.  I was hoping that you would be moved by it also.  For some, that was not the case.  That will happen.  The same can be said for songs, prayers, sermons, etc.

3)      Lent is supposed to be a reflective time, a time of repentance.  I preached about repentance last weekend.  The whole worship service is geared for this.  Music will be in the minor key.  Alleluias get put away.  Acclamations and items we pray in church are not as peppy.  All of these selections have been selected by Music & Worship to heighten your awareness of this season of Lent. However, as we walk on this Lenten journey together, we have our eyes on Easter.  And a new liturgical season will begin. 

February 12, 2024

“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 standing in for me this past weekend.  My sister-in-law’s birthday was last Saturday.  I wrestled with the idea of going and then I thought, she may not have too many birthdays left.  Some of you know that this is Patty’s younger sister.  She had breast cancer before, but it recently came back.  It came back in an area that they can’t do much for.  She is on special treatment.  The good news is her last scan compared to  her previous one shows no additional growth.  That is good news.  Thank you for your prayers.

How cool was that?  A baptism!  We haven’t had one of those in a long time.  Becs Marie Rick was baptized during the Sunday service.  Very precious.  There were also many children at the service. I had so many people comment on how great it was to hear the noisiness in the church. 

I am not sure about you, but I needed a baptism.  We have had way too many funerals lately.  Even though they are very much connected, we have been definitely skewed to one side.  Yeah, Becs Marie!

Our Wednesday Lenten services are February 21^st and 28^th, March 6^th , 13^th &  20^th .  We will be exploring God’s promises using the book of Genesis. They will be held in Fellowship Hall at 5:30 p.m.  There is a great deal of discussion within groups.  Dinner will be served.  All are welcome.

Next Sunday we will be installing all of our Church Council members.  The “we” I am talking about is you, the congregation.  These ten members and the Pastor are charged to help lead St. John’s Lutheran Church.  They are the ones that represent you.  It will be good to install and bless them all in their call.  Hope you can attend.

Next Saturday we will also be starting our work in the church. Following is our tentative schedule for our lighting replacement in the sanctuary. Remember, we are doing most of the labor. Thank you to those who volunteered.

Church                        Lighting Company                  Task

Feb 17                         Week of Feb 19(Work)           Remove pews on one side and store in Fellowship Hall

Feb 24                                                                         Replace pews

Mar 2                          Week of Mar 4(Work)            Remove pews on other side and store in Fellowship Hall

Mar 9                                                                          Replace pews

Again, I ask you to embrace and have fun with the construction.  The church is going to look different.  You probably are going to have to sit in different places.  Hopefully you will be open to a new perspective.

Ash Wednesday Schedule:

-          7:00 a.m. to 8:30 a.m. Drive by ashes in the main parking lot.  Drive up to the entrance door and I will meet you.

-          12:00 p.m. in the Liefeld lounge

-          6:30 p.m. in the church sanctuary

Don’t ever forget: God calls you beloved.

Pastor Tom

630-334-1771

pandtredig@gmail.com

Readings for Ash Wednesday, February 14^th

Genesis 12:1-4            Psalm 25:1-7               Galatians 3:15-18        Luke 22:14-23

Readings for the weekend of February 17^th & 18^th   – 1^st Weekend of Lent

Genesis 9:8-17            Psalm 25:1-10             1 Peter 3:18-22            Mark 1:9-15

February 5, 2024

“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,

Hang on to your liturgical hats. I mentioned during church that things are going to change within the next three weeks.  Last weekend, we celebrated the last weekend of Epiphany.  Next weekend, we will celebrate the Transfiguration.  After that, comes Lent. You will notice some changes in the liturgy because the seasons are changing.  Heads up for everyone. 

I am so happy to inform you all that we are planning on having a baptism next Sunday, February 11.  In our Lutheran faith baptisms and funerals are closely related.  Baptism is our saving act.  Even though we may think we are choosing God, make no mistake, God has chosen us.  But in our baptism, we connect with Jesus because in our baptism, we are baptized into Christ’s death.  BUT we are also baptized into Christ’s resurrection, those our saving acts. 

Lately, however, we have been skewed to the funeral side.  Way too many funerals.  I am sad to report that Paul Baker’s daughter-in-law, Ali Baker’s grandmother Linda, passed away last week.  Please join me by extending your sympathies to Ali’s (Korsan) family.

However, next Sunday, we will be baptizing Sloane Rick’s little sister Becs during our service.  Becs will join her big sister, both being baptized at St. Johns.  I am so excited.  I told the family that I think our church needs a baptism.  I know I need a baptism.  I hope you will come and celebrate this milestone in Becs’ life.

Some of you are aware of some of the tasks I have included in my schedule.  I am teaching a Bible Study at the YMCA in Peru every Tuesday at 12:00.  All are invited.  We are starting a book study on Isaiah.

I am also one of the Spiritual Directors for the Via de Cristo weekend on April 11- 14.  We have many men and women who have gone to this weekend.  They probably can do a better job of explaining the Via de Cristo weekend than I, but I will try to maybe peak your interest. 

It is really a weekend to grow in love and faith in Jesus Christ.  I think one of the strengths of this program is you grow not individually but in community.  There will be more than forty people growing alongside with you.

It is a pretty intense weekend.  It starts Thursday evening and literally goes through Sunday evening.  You learn together, eat together and pray together.  Even though you are in a large group, you will also be at a table of six or so.  After this weekend, they might become your friends for life. 

You may worry that it is some indoctrination program.  I went on a weekend last year to check it out.  You are not indoctrinated at all.  It reminds me of some Chemistry workshops I took during the summer.  I attended one at Illinois Wesleyan for a week.  Most of our morning-afternoon-night was taken up learning Chemistry.  Some of you might think… but it was great.  I learned so much.

I think that is what will happen during this weekend.  You learn so much.  And it also prepares you to take leadership roles at the church you are attending.  It is NOT a club.  There is NO secret handshake.  What the leaders of this group want you to do is to take what you learned and bring it back to your church.  This Pastor is very appreciative of those members who have come back and now help out St. Johns in so many ways.

Are you interested?  It is not too late.  Come talk to me.  There is some paperwork to fill out on both sides.

Two items you have seen before.  I want to make sure you have the dates and the times correct.

February 14^th is Ash Wednesday (I also heard this date is special for another occasion).  We will have drive-by ashes available from 7:00-8:30 a.m. at the parking lot to the main entrance.  There will be a service at 12:00 p.m. in the lounge.  Finally, we will have our nightly service at 6:30 p.m.  Please plan on stopping by to start our season of lent.

We will also have Wednesday Lenten services.  They will be held in Fellowship Hall at 5:30 p.m.  They will also be very similar to what we did last year.  We will eat dinner together while we discuss Biblical passages.  Everyone is invited.  I will take care of the food for the first week.

The new item: Thank you all who have volunteered to help with our lighting.  Here is the tentative plan:

Church                        Lighting Company                  Task

Feb 17                         Week of Feb 19(Work)           Remove pews on one side and store in Fellowship Hall

Feb 24                                                                         Replace pews

Mar 3                          Week of Mar 4(Work)            Remove pews on other side and store in Fellowship Hall

Mar 9                                                                          Replace pews

I ask the whole church to embrace this time of construction.  The church will look different during this time.  At one time, you will have to sit on the other side that you normally sit on.  It will give you another perspective.  Don Anderson has done a great deal of work organizing this.  Paul Baker was able to get a lot of the electrical pieces at a very reduced cost.  We are saving a ton of money by doing some of the labor ourselves. We also received a grant from the Anne Baker Foundation that covers most of the cost.  Talking about being good stewards.  Nice job St. Johns.  Way to step up.

Don’t ever forget: God calls you beloved.

Pastor Tom

630-334-1771

pandtredig@gmail.com

Readings for the weekend of February 10^th& 11^th   – Transfiguration

2 Kings 2:1-12            Psalm 50:1-6               2 Corinthians 4:3-6                 Mark 9:2-9

March 25, 2024

Previous letters have emphasized the work of Church Committees and the leadership of people in getting tasks done. This letter is deliberately not like that. The things mentioned in this letter involve groups or all of us. 2024 will probably be an “All of Us” year. It has been a joy to see so many people step forward already, and I hope this spirit of working as one will continue throughout the year.

At the Church Council meeting Tuesday, there were several discussions about involving members who have stepped back from in person involvement. Council members were asked to go through the Church Directory and identify every one they knew. From that list they were asked to identify folks they have not seen in church or at a church event recently. The conversation shifted into what we, as a congregation, can do to either help folks become engaged again at St. John’s or perhaps at another church. One thing that was pointed out is the large number of members who are homebound, and that many members of the congregation assist in visiting and ministering to them.

 We also had a conversation about how best to welcome prospective members into our church family. In both conversations, many good ideas were presented from the entire Council. These will be ongoing discussions at Council, in many of our Church committees, and with the congregation as a whole. This is our Christian community!

Steps are being taken to update our church website, in particular, to be able to quickly inform someone who clicks on the Home page about who, what, and where we are, and how to join us for worship. Pastor Tom attended the Congregation Resourcing Event on Saturday the 16^th and came back with very useful information. Typically, if someone doesn’t gain access in three seconds they move on. Also, pictures slow down loading time significantly. The update will address those two challenges in addition to mapping our ministries once people stay at our website.

The lighting project is complete, mostly! Thank you to the many members, male and female, who helped make this project a success and ahead of schedule. We now have safer and brighter lighting in our sanctuary. All the work originally contracted has been done, but in the process a few dimly lit spots were identified. No final plans to fix them have been made. More will be shared when a solution is figured out.

The church organ renovation is almost here! The company is awaiting the parts and expects them shortly. Thank you to everyone who made a special commitment to enable this project. Now the biggest challenge- how do we celebrate this restoration?!

Finally, a course of action to repair the roof and the electrical work around the Tower has been finalized. This project was included in the church budget this year. This is a warm weather project (if it gets warm).

Dave Kromphardt

Church Council President

March 18, 2024

“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 have one more Wednesday Lenten service at 5:30 p.m. and then we move from Lent to Holy Week.  How did your Lenten journey go?  Was it different from the many weeks before? I certainly hope so.  Our weekend services throughout Lent were different.  I am not sure if anyone who was visiting us would come back.  The music is a little slower. The responses were also.  But Lent is this way in our faith tradition.  It is a time for reflection and opening ourselves to the Holy Spirit to clean house.  We ask the Holy Spirit to remove anything that is hindering our walk with God.  I know our opening song Open Me by Shawn McDonald may not have been your favorite, but it is a great reminder during Lent and all other seasons for us to open ourselves up to God. 

Holy Week starts next weekend.  The schedule is below.  Next weekend is the Palm and Passion worship service.  To me, it feels like a Jekyll and Hide type of service.  We start out with Jesus’ triumphant entry into Jerusalem and end with Jesus on the cross.  It really tugs on my emotions. Sort of a mountain top and then valley experience.  I have talked about why we do this in previous letters.  This is what the National Church wants and I get the reasoning.  The National Church would like everyone to hear at least two stories during the year.  Jesus’ birth story and Jesus’ passion story.  Not everyone is able to come on Good Friday, so you receive it  a week before.

I went to the Congregational Resource Event last Saturday.  We had a very dynamic speaker who talked about Evangelism.  He recognizes the word scares many Lutherans, but it is all about knowing your story.  How many of us know our story on how God brought us to faith?  Who were the important people who did this in your faith journey? Could you share with someone why you follow Jesus Christ?  A lot of questions.  Evangelism is not about making Lutherans. It is about sharing Christ with others.  It is about sharing your story. 

Blood drive is next Saturday from 9:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m.  Please sign up with Eloide.

Pancake breakfast is April 7^th. The chalkboard has been destroyed in true St. John’s fashion.  Thank you.  By the end of Sunday service, the board is now clean.  Thank you.   Tickets are $5 for adults and $2 for children and you can purchase them from Missy.  

Holy Week Schedule:

            Palm/Passion Weekend – normal times for Saturday and Sunday service

            Maundy Thursday, March 28^th at 6:30 p.m.

            Good Friday, March 29^th at 6:30 p.m.

            Easter Vigil, March 30 at 5:30 p.m.

            Easter, March 31^st, at 10:15 a.m.

Why don’t you invite someone to any of these services.  Let the church tell their story.

Don’t ever forget, God calls you beloved.

Pastor Tom

630-334-1771

pandtredig@gmail.com

Readings for the March 23^rd & 24^th   - Palm/Passion Weekend

Mark 11:1-11              Mark 14:10-15:47

Worship News

1)      On a different note, some of you might be wondering where I get my material for worship service?  Most of it comes from Sunday and Seasons. Most Lutheran service comes from this book. I also look at the Red Book.  If you look in the front, you will see ten settings.  Each one of them is different.  Picking appropriate settings is one of the things Music and Worship does during our meetings, besides selecting songs.  We take a look at what would be an appropriate setting for the season we are in.  The lectionary gives us the readings for the weekend.  I also look at Pastor’s Workshop, which is an online site for additional ideas.  The dialog at the beginning of our worship service usually comes from this.

2)      The next question is where do I get my material for my sermons.  A lot of prayer goes into it.  So, I would say the Holy Spirit (Just like all of us, I hope I am in tune with what the Spirit is telling me).  I also use Working Preachers, which is an online site.  Here, not only do they have current commentaries, but they also have ones used in the past. This site also includes a podcast where three Biblical Scholars discuss the readings for the week.  My favorite scholar on the podcast is Matthew Skinner.  I seem to connect a little more with what he is saying. The New Interpreter’s Bible Commentary is also a source I use. Then, I try to tie in my life experiences, which I hope are appropriate.  I usually get most of my research work done by Monday and then allow the Spirit to direct me. My goal is to finish my sermon by the end of Wednesday, but Eloide will tell you this doesn’t always happen.

March 11, 2024

“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,

“Today is the day the Lord has made, let us rejoice and be glad in it.”  I am really having trouble doing this today (Sunday).  Springing forward is not my favorite day.  As a teacher, Monday morning was a rough one for everybody.  As a Pastor, it seems everything is rushed.  My routine is thrown off.  It is dark again when we wake up.  Not a fan. 

But maybe, I tell myself it is good to have things shaken up in your life now and. then.  I know I like to settle into things. Maybe it is good to have my routine messed up a little.  All I know is that God is never shaken.  Hebrews 13:8 says, “Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever (NIV).  Malachi 3:6 reads, “I the Lord do not change…” (NIV). Even though this week will feel off for some of us, we worship a God who is constant.  Amen to that.

How cool was Sunday.  We had a baptism.  Scratch that.  We had two baptisms, Zoey and Ava.  Two more children of God, sealed with the Holy Spirit.  To be honest it was a first for me.  One, I have never baptized anyone who wasn’t a baby.  Second, I have never baptized more than one person.  There are so many reasons I love a baptism.  One of them is, we are now ALL responsible for their Christian growth.  Unless you were quiet when I turned and. ask the congregation will you help Zoey and Ava grow in their Christian faith, you now, each one of us, are responsible in their Christian journey.  Please take your promise seriously.  Ask yourself, how am I going to help.  It might be just bathing them in prayer. They say that it takes a whole village to raise a child, well it takes a whole church to raise someone in the Christian faith. 

Holy Week is quickly coming upon us.  The schedule is below.  Palm/Passion Sunday starts March 24^th.  The reason it is called Palm/Passion Sunday is because the National Church wants you to experience not only Palm Sunday, but also the Passion of Christ.  I am not sure when it started but the main reason it was combined is people were not coming to the Good Friday service as much as they had in the past.  The National Church wants everyone to hear the story of Christ dying on the cross.  It is so huge for our Christian faith. It is one of those passages you need to hear every year.  That is why the church has put them both together on this weekend.

It will be helpful to think of Maundy Thursday through Easter as one continuous service.  There are so many moving parts for each one.  For instance, Maundy Thursday, we have hand washing, the Living Last Supper, two students making their first communion, and finally, the stripping of the altar.  And it keeps on going all the way to Easter. 

Thank you to all those who brought something for the Blessing Box.  If you were like me, I totally forgot.  I have asked that we keep the table up for the week.  So, if you did forget, you can drop items off anytime during the week.  This ministry is 24/7, 365 days a year.  Unfortunately, the need continues to grow. 

Pancake breakfast is April 7^th. The chalkboard has been rolled out for the first time this year.  Tickets are $5 for adults and $2 for children.  That is quite a deal.  One of the reasons we can keep it this way is the chalkboard.  We ask you, if you can, to select items on the board, purchase them at the store, and then bring them to church.  Not only is this a great fellowship activity, but the money collected goes to our Sunday school.  Remember when they were baptized, we said yes to them also.  It is a great way to help our children continue to grow in their Christian faith.

Ok, I really don’t know what I am talking about, but, the connectors for the lights on the arch in front of the church have come in.  The electricians are going to come for a couple of days this week and put up the rest of the lighting.  Then it will be another job we can cross off the list.  Thank you to all those who helped.  You all are awesome.

Holy Week Schedule:

            Maundy Thursday, March 28^th at 6:30 p.m.

            Good Friday, March 29^th at 6:30 p.m.

            Easter Vigil, March 30 at 5:30 p.m.

            Easter, March 31^st, at 10:15 a.m.

One observation I made this weekend.  After the worship service on Sunday, the Schencks had a nice little spread for everyone to enjoy in Fellowship Hall.  It was really nice for them to do this.  I came in late and I noticed one family sitting by themselves.  They were leaving when I entered.  This can’t happen.  I know it is nice to catch up with friends, but part of this time is to make new friends.  If this happened to Patty and I, we would not be coming back.  We’ve been having a number of new people coming into church lately.  We all need to work on making them feel welcome.  Say hello.  Introduce yourself to them.  If you are sitting in Fellowship Hall ask them to come over, or better yet, go over and sit with them.  I hope we will see this couple next week.  It will give us another opportunity to make them feel welcome.

Don’t ever forget, God calls you beloved.

Pastor Tom

630-334-1771

pandtredig@gmail.com

Readings for the March 16^th  & 17^th    - 5^th  Weekend of Lent

Jeremiah 31:31-34                  Psalm 51:1-12             Hebrews 5:5-10           John 12: 20-33

Worship News

Couple of thoughts:

1)      AED Training - Thank you for those who took the time not only to watch the video, but also actually took the time to go over to the machine and look to see how it was works.  The Church Council spent money on this and the more we can get trained on it, the better.  It was great to see the people from Sylvan Learning there on Sunday.  The Council may kick around the idea that anyone using our building should have training on the AED

2)      The question is should this have been done during worship time? There was a lot of thought going into this decision.  We wanted to get the most people trained on the AED as possible.  In reality, if we had a training session on Saturday at 10:00 a.m. how many people would come?  We wanted to get the most people trained on the machine.  I actually was willing to give up my sermon time to get this done.  Doing it the way we did was, I felt, was the best of both worlds. 

March 4, 2024

A Word from Bishop Stacie Fidlar

The Lord IS with you!

And I have the privilege of hearing your stories of how God is at work among you and the living Christ walking with you. This insert, to be sent out 4 times a year, is an opportunity to share some of those stories. It will help us “walk together” as a synod, as the body of Christ throughout Northern Illinois.  

Our theme together as a synod this year is Open God’s Story. It calls us back to God’s story of redemption and reconciliation, love and hope, and challenges us all to recognize the ways God’s story intersects with our own stories. Who do you identify with in the Biblical story? How do the stories of the Bible open your eyes to how God is at work? How does the power of Christ’s story live in your life?

As we gather at the CRE on March 16, Pastor Miguel Gomez-Acosta will join us. He brings a challenge to us to not only know God’s story AND our own stories of faith – but to learn how to share them. When you Open God’s Story in your life, how has it shaped you? And how do you share that story with others?

I read a phrase recently that is sticking in my mind – liquid time. Our world is changing so rapidly that time feels fluid. Nothing ever quite settles under our feet before we have to figure out our next steps. God’s story has seen such times before in history; that’s why knowing it and our place in it is so important. With all the shifts around us, we always know this: we are marked with the cross of Christ forever. Nothing changes that. We are part of a love that does not let us go, that pursues us, seeks us, and reminds us constantly in the swirls of chaos that we ARE beloved.

How do you live and share that story?

Open God’s Story

Throughout the year the Northern Illinois Synod will be diving deep into scripture as we reflect on how we open God’s story. Take a moment to read through Genesis 12:1-4, as you read through it you are invited to ponder the following questions:

V - What values are present in this story?

O - Where are there invitations to openness in this story?

C - What voices, literal and metaphorical, are calling in this story?

A - Where is attention invested in this story?

R - What regrets are present in this story?

E - How is God’s presence experienced in this story?

What does this mean for your life?

Mission Moment

Bwana asifiwe! (Praise the Lord!)

Bishop Stacie Fidlar, along with two others, traveled to Tanzania for the consecration of Bishop Godson Abel Mollel, Bishop of the North Central Diocese of Tanzania.

While Bishop Fidlar was in Tanzania, they had the chance to not only meet with local leaders who are opening God’s story in their communities but also spent time in various ministries that congregations in the Northern Illinois Synod have supported over the years. One of the highlights of the trip was visiting the now-finished School of Nursing that the Northern Illinois Synod helped to build with generous gifts. The newly completed nursing school has expanded to include Social Work classes to meet a growing need. As Bishop noted in her trip recap, “It is an amazing thing to see this dream come to reality.”

You are invited to pray for Bishop Abel, for the leaders of the North Central Diocese of Tanzania, and for the nursing school. Your partnership and gifts have strengthened our relationship with the North Central Diocese of Tanzania and we are excited to continue to grow into our partnership as we walk together, loving Christ, and loving all for the sake of the world.  

April 8, 2024

“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 had a chance to step away last week and go on an adventure with my wife.  After visiting my daughter in St. Louis, we drove around the southern portion of the state of Illinois. I am not going to bore you with details and vacation pictures, but it was fun to drive around with my wife.  We don’t usually spend time driving.

Remember vacation pictures.  Now you can take pictures on your phone, send them to your computer or the Cloud and have them forever.  I remember as a child, my dad would pull out the screen, which was very cumbersome, and the slide projector, and we would sit there and relive those moments, sometimes with friends or relatives, who sat there politely but were probably bored out of their minds.  And of course, there were always a few slides that were upside down.

Do you also remember cameras that actually had film in them? After we took the 12, 24 or 36 pictures in the roll, we would put them in an envelope (for me it was Clark Labs) and we would wait for a week or two to get our pictures back.  About half of them were not worth keeping.  Sometimes the pictures ended up in scrap books and these books ended up in the closet gathering dust.  Now, you take multiple pictures of the same scene with your phone, decide which one is best and delete the others with a finger.  We can print them out on our printer, or in my case, send them to Walgreens and I get them back within an hour.  Could you ever imagine this would happen?

So much has changed in our lives.  Things we saw in the Dick Tracy cartoons are actually real. Someone imagined talking into your watch and low and behold, you can to this now.  What’s next…Star Trek? 

I was trying to clean up my computer last week (Oh the fun I have while on vacation), and I came across the Ministry Site Profile which St. John’s put together to attract a Rostered Minister in 2018-2019.  St. John’s congregation elected a committee to work on this profile.  This is not easy work.  I know some of the work that this committee did to make sure everyone had a voice when putting this document together.  When asked, “What is your congregation really excited about right now,” the committee that was representing St; John’s wrote,

“The congregation is eager to try new things and is willing to work with a new pastor to make our church a family built on the love God has given us. There has been a fresh spirit of family and friendship and members have displayed a bold investment in each other. There is also a resurgence in the congregation and a renewed effort to engage youth.”

I am going to let this sit for a while.  I have been here for about four and a half years.  I am wondering if I am doing my part to foster our church family to be built on the love of God. I am also wondering if St. John’s would answer this question differently right now?  I hope all of us would take some time and reflect on this statement.

What a great turnout for the Spring Breakfast.  Eggs, omelets, pancakes, sausage and all sorts of fruit – oh my.  Everything was delicious.  Thank you to all who participated in this event.  A special shout out to all those who worked to make this event happen.  Great job Missy and all your helpers.

I will be gone Thursday through Sunday this week.  I  wrote in a letter previously that I am one of the Spiritual Directors of the Via de Cristo weekend.  The weekend is this week.  I ask for your prayers that I am able to fulfill my role as Spiritual Director.  I will be leading worship as well as discussions throughout the weekend.  I am also doing a couple of talks on Grace.  More importantly, I make myself available for anyone who needs help in their spiritual journey.  If anyone at St. John’s needs pastoral care, please call Paul Baker at 815-488-2097

God calls each one of you by name.  How awesome is that?

Pastor Tom

630-334-1771

pandtredig@gmail.com

Readings for the April 13^th & 14^th

Worship News

1)      Some of you might be wondering where I get my material for worship service?  Most of it comes from Sunday and Seasons. Most Lutheran service comes from this book. I also look at the Red Book.  If you look in the front, you will see ten settings.  Each one of them is different.  Picking appropriate settings is one of the things Music and Worship does during our meetings, besides selecting songs.  We take a look at what would be an appropriate setting for the season we are in.  The lectionary gives us the readings for the weekend.  I also look at Pastor’s Workshop, which is an online site for additional ideas.  The dialog at the beginning of our worship service usually comes from this.

2)      The next question is where do I get my material for my sermons?  A lot of prayer goes into it.  So, I would say the Holy Spirit (Just like all of us, I hope I am in tune with what the Spirit is telling me).  I also use Working Preachers, which is an online site.  Here, not only do they have current commentaries, but they also have ones used in the past. This site also includes a podcast where three Biblical Scholars discuss the readings for the week.  My favorite scholar on the podcast is Matthew Skinner.  I seem to connect a little more with what he is saying. The New Interpreter’s Bible Commentary is also a source I use. Then, I try to tie in my life experiences, which I hope are appropriate.  I usually get most of my research work done by Monday and then allow the Spirit to direct me. My goal is to finish my sermon by the end of Wednesday, but Eloide will tell you this doesn’t always happen.