CONNECT ...in Worship
Fifth Sunday in Lent
Sunday, March 29th, 2020
"Red Letter Challenge: Giving"

Preacher: Pastor Ben Roberts
Worship Leader: Pastor Mark Stapleton

Old Testament: Malachi 3:6-12
Epistle: 2Corinthians 8:1-9
Holy Gospel: Mark 12:41-44
Jesus spent more time teaching about money than anything else. Why? Because “you cannot serve God and money”. (Matthew 6:24) Yet, so often we end up putting our trust in our money and resources as the “source” of life. Let’s face it, we have a hard time dealing with our finances because of our sin. When the plate is passed, how often do we “pass” on giving? But that’s when Jesus points a widow who gives two small coins…all that she has…for an offering. She literally gave “all that she had” because she trusted that she already had and would have everything from the Lord. As we continue our series “Red Letter Challenge”, we see just how challenging it can be to be giving. But when we trust that Jesus gave up everything in order to give us everything, we can freely, cheerfully and sacrificially give of our finances…indeed, “all that we have”! 
PLEASE VISIT OUR CHURCH WEBSITE FOR UPDATED LINKS
TO ALL OF OUR WORSHIP SERVICES AT ST. JOHN'S

No 505 Worship on Saturday, April 4
Next 505 Worship is on Saturday, April 18 AT 5:05 p.m.
Missed a sermon from a past Worship Service?
Catch up by listening to the audio here:
Midweek Lenten Worship Services
February 26—April 1
 
Theme: Life Together
Life Together: Who Am I?
Life Together: I Can’t Believe in a God who Would…
Life Together: I Need This…and This…and This…

Holy Week Services
Maundy Thursday, April 9
12:00 Noon & 7:00 p.m.
 
Good Friday, April 10
12:00 Noon & 7:00 p.m.
 
Easter Sunday, April 12
Festival Services
8:00 & 10:45 a.m.
2020 St. John's Lenten Devotional
"Red Letters Invitation and Challenge in the Words of Jesus"
The 2020 Lenten Devotional is available by clicking the button below and on the Church Website.
Easter Sunday Breakfast
Sunday, April 12th at 9:00 A.M.
School Gymnasium
SHARE ...with Your Service
Brothers and Sisters in Christ,

I hope that everyone is staying inside and feeling healthy. Please remember to check in on your friends and family members!

As you know, in an attempt to control the spread of COVID-19, we have suspended our in-person worship services. As of Wednesday night, our services are now online. Please go to the Church’s website (www.sjlagrange.com) and Facebook page (www.facebook.com/sjlagrange/).

Since these services are now online, we are prayerfully asking that you continue making your usual offerings and contributions. During this time, we will continue to pay our staff. We also have other recurring expenses that require payment: utilities, interest on our loan, lease payments on our equipment and cleaning service to name a few. In order to reduce some expenses, we have canceled our normal cleaning, but we will need to have the building deep cleaned before we resume school and in-person worship services. We have also reduced the temperature in the building while it is mostly unoccupied.

Offerings and contributions can be sent by mail (505 South Park Road, La Grange, IL 60525) or by dropping off a check at the church. If no one is in the church or school, just drop the check in the mailbox on the west side of the building, to the left of the doors as you face them. Secure contributions can also be made electronically using Vanco. This is a very easy system to set up! You can use this link: www.vancopayments.com/login" www.vancopayments.com/login to set up your account. Or you can visit our website:


You can set up the amount and frequency of your payment and it can be stopped once we begin in-person Worship services again.

We know that the shut-down of the economy is affecting many people. We are asking only those people who are employed and can afford to make donations to continue their offerings and contributions. We do not want to put any additional pressure on anybody in an already stressful time. “Each one must give as he has decided in his heart, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver.” (2 Corinthians 9:7)

If you have any questions on this, feel free to contact either Pastor Ben, Pastor Mark or anyone listed below.

God bless everyone. Continue to pray and we will be back worshiping our Lord together face to face!
 
Thomas Braun
President
 
Adam Fuller
Treasurer
 
Marty Haugen
Chairperson Board of Finance
mph9773@gmail.com
St. John's Meals TO-GO!
 
During these difficult and uncertain times, everyone has different needs and various schedules.  
 
A small care team at St. John's is working together to make meals for anyone who would like one.
 
In this time of caution, we are committed to providing a safe environment while cooking these meals and are taking extra precaution and sanitary measures. 
 
Meal Choices this week will be as follows: Chili, Baked Lemon Chicken, Parmesan Crusted Chicken, and Sloppy Joe.
 
Pick up in the St. John's Parking Lot this Sunday, March 29th from 1-3PM.  Prayer Partners will be available (using social distancing).
  
If you are not able to pick up and need to make alternate arrangements or delivery please contact Katie Pece. k.pece@sjlagrange.com
630-247-8516
 
There is a sign up genius to sign up for meals on a first come first serve basis. Please forward this message, or pick up a meal for a loved one that may not be able to get out.
If you are unable to get to the grocery store, please email Dave Thomas at southbranch0604@gmail.com (or, if emailing is not an option, call Dave’s mobile at (312)576-9421. Given our state’s shelter-in-place situation, one of our members will do their very best to shop for you SAFELY if a detailed grocery list is provided. Members who are willing and able to shop for you will wear gloves and masks when shopping and will only purchase packaged goods (e.g., only fruits and vegetables that are wrapped.) Groceries can be delivered to your home and a receipt can be provided so you can reimburse with cash or check upon delivery (we will try to phone you in advance). In your email or phone call to Dave, please provide your email address, mobile and/or home phone number and home address. Be as specific as possible in your item descriptions and let us know one store where, ideally, you would like us to shop.    
Did you know there are close to 150 families in District 105 school system alone that are in need of food for their families? Let’s help by supporting their Food Pantry. If you have items in your home pantry that can be donated, SJLG will have designated days & times when bags/boxes of groceries can be dropped off at the church parking lot. If you are able, please consider putting together a donation from the following list:

Cereal
Pasta/Mac and Cheese
Spaghetti Sauce
Fruit Cups
Soups
String Cheese
Breakfast Bars (Granola/Nutrigrain/etc)
Goldfish and other crackers

Please check all expiration dates on any canned foods.

Drop-off Days & Times at the St. John’s parking lot are below. We will have volunteers outside ready for you to pull up, open your trunk and “grab-and-go”.
Marci from D105 Food Pantry will take it from there!

Saturday, March 28: Noon – 2:00pm
Monday, March 30: Noon – 2:00pm
Thursday, April 2 nd : Noon – 2:00pm
Dear Members of St. John's and St. John's School Families,

We are all aware of what is going on around us as COVID-19 has affected areas around us whether locally, nationally and globally. Our focus during this time of lent is how we can be challenged by Jesus' words through our Red Letter Challenge. This particular theme could not have come at a better time as we are dealing with our current events. As you may have heard, our country is facing a blood supply shortage during this crisis and we have a great opportunity to "serve" others by donating blood. Our challenge is to make sure we have 20-40 volunteers before the American Red Cross will schedule a date. They practice safe social distancing and adhere to the guidelines set forth to us all by the CDC in regards to social distancing and cleanliness. We have created a sign up genius so that we can see if people are interested in helping out and then we would send you the date shortly thereafter. We hope to have the date set within 2 weeks. 

If you would like to help out, please go to the sign up genius attached. We will need your phone number and email. 

Thank you,

Rebecca Schiltz and Katie Pece
The Lutheran Women's Missionary League is an amazing Christian outreach, in support of the Missouri Synod Lutheran Church, throughout America and also all around the world! Our St.John's church is a supporter of this mission work. Last year, in 2019, we donated $3,318.14 to the current projects. Thank you to all who have donated! But, since the current 2 year projects actually add up to more than $2,000,000.00, I would like to encourage you to donate even more.

In the theme of the "mustard seed", which Jesus talks about in Matthew 13:31-32, I wrote a song, and I would like to share its wordswith you : "When you plant a seed, a tiny little seed, it is very, very, very, very small indeed! In the soil with the sun and water, though, God can help that little seed grow. The seed grows up to become a tree, much, much bigger than you and me. In the branches high, where the leaves are green, nesting birds can soon be seen! A tiny little seed becomes a tree! What a miracle this must be! So it is with our faith, if we have just a bit, God can accomplish a lot with it! "

I would like to encourage our congregation to donate even more to this marvelous ministry, by using your church envelope, or by using a Mite Box that can be picked up on the table in the church narthex, and then put into the large Mite Box when your small box is full. This will be a wonderful help to the LWML Christian outreach. Thank you!
 
Sincerely, Pamella Christensen, LWML president.   
STAY CONNECTED
David Thomas is inviting you to a scheduled Zoom meeting!
Topic: "Believers in Back Yards, Basements (& Beyond) Getting Beer"
Time: Mar 28, 2020 05:00 PM Central Time (US and Canada)

Join friends nationwide for fellowship over a beer & bring a funny/positive story to share..."What lemonade have you made or witnessed? Where has God shown up in your life or others during this crisis? We look forward to seeing you tomorrow!

Join Zoom Meeting
Meeting ID: 893 969 161
E-SUNDAY SCHOOL AT ST. JOHN'S
A MIRACULOUS LUNCH FOR 5,000 PEOPLE!
We're traveling to Galilee this week to see how Jesus feeds a giant crowd of more than 5,000 people with just five loaves of bread
and two small fish. It's an amazing story!
 
The e-mail lesson, including some fun puzzles and an exciting adventure story, will be sent to all Sunday School and Wednesday Bible School children automatically. For anyone not receiving these materials, please send an email to dalyne.shinneman@gmail.com or call 630.772.1688.
UPCOMING EVENTS
VBS! Save the Date!
Vacation Bible School is scheduled for Monday, July 27 - Friday, July 31
SCHOOL OFFICE
Click on the TRIP logo above for more information!
Donate gift cards to families in need during COVID-19
Purchase gift cards through our school’s fundraiser for essential goods such as groceries, gas, restaurants, and cleaning supplies, to donate to those in our community.

As COVID-19 widens and families are impacted by hardships related to closed schools, limited access to childcare, work limitations, and more, we have a unique opportunity to help support our community and families.
St. John's Boon Supply Fundraiser is here! 

Here is your chance to support St. John's by purchasing attractive,
durable and fun bags and items that will give back to St. John's School.
Please visit boonsupply.com/57322 to shop online store. Have fun shopping!!!
St. John's Annual Plant Sale
Friday, May 8 and Saturday, May 9

Many helpers are needed! There are time slots for a variety of jobs from 6:30 am - 5:00 pm on Friday, and from 8:00 am - 11:00 am on Saturday. Please sign up via the button below:

Saturday Schedule (online)
505 Worship Service 5:05 p.m.
(505 on the 1st and 3rd Saturday)
(No Worship on Saturday, April 4)
 
Sunday Schedule (online)
Traditional Worship Service 8:00 a.m.
Traditional Worship Service 10:45 a.m.
Church Office
Office: (708) 354-1690 x210
r.suarez@sjlagrange.com