St. John's Lutheran Church and School
The Mission
The Journal of St. John's Reaching Farther
Week of September 22, 2019
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Fifteenth Sunday After Pentecost
Saturday, September 21, 2019 - 5:05 p.m.
Sunday, September 22, 2019 - 8:00 & 10:45 a.m.
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"Enough ... As A Parent"
Preacher: Rev. Ben Roberts
Worship Leader: Pastor Mark Stapleton
Old Testament Reading: Psalm 127:1-5
Epistle: Ephesians 6:1-4
Holy Gospel: Luke 2:41-52
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“Children are a heritage from the Lord”, the psalmist declares. Bur raising this “heritage” has become an all-consuming activity for many parents. And more often than not, it not only is about how well your children are doing (at school, in sports, at home, etc.), but also about how well
you are doing as a parent. We all want our kids to “go further” and our parenting becomes all about being
enough for them to reach new heights. But at what cost? As we continue our series, “Enough”, we will explore how we have turned child-rearing into an opportunity to be “enough”…and an opportunity for crushing failure, disappointment and resentment between parent and child. How does the love of a Father…our
Heavenly Father…change the way we raise our children? How does being a “child of God”, being “enough” in the sight of our Lord, inform the way we look at and raise our own “heritage from the Lord”?
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God's Grace For You When You Aren't
(September 8th - October 20)
Humanity’s pursuit of righteousness…of “enoughness”…has taken a turn. Rather than seeking it “at church”, they seek it out in their everyday lives of work, love, parenting, leisure and politics. But just like any other religions of “do this and that will be enough”, we discover a trail of frustrations, failures and exhaustion because we
aren’t enough. But God is. And His grace to us in Jesus is more than enough to say “Enough!” to our endless climbing of ladders that we’ll never reach the top of. In this series, we’ll explore some of those areas of our lives where we end up feeling like we are never enough. Instead, the grace of Jesus makes us ENOUGH!
9/29: Enough…On The Job
10/6: Enough…As You “Rest”
10/13: Enough…When Everything’s Politics
10/20: Enough…For Your “Transformation”
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Come join our “Kick-Off” service on Saturday, September 21
st at 5:05 p.m.!
Every 1
st and 3
rd Saturday of the month at 5:05 p.m.
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Holy Baptism of Jonathan Everett Maxwell
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We welcome this new member of the body of Christ, Jonathan Everett Maxwell during our 10:45 a.m. Worship Service this Sunday. Before Jonathan’s baptism, his parents, Katie & Cliff Maxwell, responded to these questions in preparation for this day:
1) Why are you getting your child baptized?
We recognize the importance of God's gift of baptism, and that through baptism Jonathan will become a forgiven child of God. Additionally, it is our desire that Jonathan grows up knowing Christ and is supported by fellow Christians, including his baptismal sponsors and the congregation.
2) Why at St. John's Lutheran Church?
We are members of St. John's and would like our children to be raised in the church so that they can continue to learn about Jesus and grow in their faith.
3) What does baptism mean to you and your family?
Through baptism, we recognize that we are able to be called children of God through the forgiveness that Christ has offered through His death. Baptism means that our sins have been washed away, we are cleansed through forgiveness, and we are able to enter God's kingdom as His children.
4) What kind of support do you hope to get from St. John's?
We hope to continue to develop relationships and a sense of community with fellow members of St. John's who will help support us in our walk of faith with the Lord.
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It’s time once again for St. John’s Youth Confirmation! This time of instruction and spiritual growth is a one year, hybrid (online and in person) program for youth 7
th-12
th grade. If you want your youth to get confirmed at St. John's in May 2020, contact Pastor Ben as soon as possible as
b.roberts@sjlagrange.com or
708-354-1690 by September 22, 2019.
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Sunday Morning Adult Bible Study
"More Than the Message"
Leader: Pastor Ben Roberts
Sunday, September 22, 2019, 9:30 a.m., Heritage Room
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High School Youth Bible Study
"Book of Daniel"
Leader: Pastor Mark Stapleton
Sunday, September 22, 2019, 9:30 a.m., Heritage Room
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Sunday School at St. John's
Sunday, September 22, 2019 at 9:30 a.m.
Second Floor Music Room
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Sunday Morning Parenting Bible Study
Raising kids is tough…but God has a plan!
Sunday, September 22, 2019 at 9:30 a.m.,The Nursery
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Tuesday Morning Women's Bible Study
Leader: Lynn Kahl
Tuesday, September 24th at 10:30 a.m., Heritage Room
The Women's Bible Study is reading "Sip, Savor and Drink: Receive God's Overflowing Gifts". Please join us Tuesday mornings for Bible study, prayer, fellowship and prayers.
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St. John's Wednesday Bible School
Wednesday, September 25, 4:00 - 5:00 p.m.
Choir Room, Second Floor
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St. John’s Wednesday afternoon Bible School starts this week from 4:00 p.m. to 5:00 p.m. Bible lessons, stories, songs, skits, games, and crafts, offered for children Age 4 through 5th Grade. Registration will be free, and we are welcoming all children of our congregation, families who attended our summer Vacation Bible School, and our surrounding community. Following the Bible School hour, children who are interested in participating in a youth choir will rehearse from 5:00 p.m. to 5:30 p.m. We are planning for the choir to sing in selected worship services and a children's Christmas program.
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Early Risers Bible Study
Thursday, September 26th at 6:15 a.m.
Heritage Room
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Men's Weekly Bible Study
Thursday, September 26th at 7:00 p.m.
Heritage Room
We are beginning a study of the book of Genesis, following Warren Wiersbe’s “Be Basic: Believing the Simple Truth of God’s Word,” the first of three books he wrote on the topic. If you have any questions, please contact Jon Fredrickson at
jon_fredrickson@yahoo.com
.
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St. John’s Concert Series – SAVE THE DATES!
Mark your calendar for the following two upcoming concert events:
- Acoustic Concert on Sunday, October 27, 2019 at 4:00 PM. Concert will feature Adam Roth on guitar, and Gerik Fon-Revutzky on bassoon. Music by Pujol, Albaugh, Bach, Ponce, and some modern popular tunes.
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- Annual Christmas Concert on Sunday, December 8, 2019 at 6:30 p.m. More information to come.
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Want to know more about the faith and practice of St. John’s?
Get connected! St. John’s offers a free, online 12 session course in Christianity called
“God Connects” from Lutheran Hour Ministries. This course has short videos, discussion guides and opportunities for online questions and comments for Pastor Ben to answer and respond. Because it is online, you can go at your own pace and finish whenever you want!
To access this course, sign-up on your Greeting Card located on your Worship bulletin. Take this opportunity to get connected with God and His Son, Jesus!
(
Note:
Those who are new to the faith and practice of St. John’s and the Lutheran Church-Missouri Synod, are required to complete this course before attending St. John’s CONNECT Class for joining the community of St. John’s.)
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ANNUAL FALL BARBEQUE
Saturday, September 21 at 3:00 p.m.
Chad & Rebecca Hemminger's Home
The Hemmingers would like to invite all church families to the annual fall barbeque at their house! Bring a side dish to share!
This year they are asking all families to bring a donated item for the Women's Care Center in La Grange. Please RSVP to Rebecca at 630-660-3602.
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Fall Griefshare Session
Tuesday, September 24 from 1-2:30 p.m.
Heritage Room
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Workbooks will be available. All are welcome! Marnie Smith and Bev O'Connor are the facilitators, with Sharon Broz assisting. For more information call or e-mail Marnie at (630-440-6542) or E-mail:
marnie_rev@comcast.net
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Lutheran Women in Mission
Tuesday, September 24, 7:00 p.m.
Heritage Room
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We will be having our upcoming meeting for Lutheran Women in Mission at 7:00 p.m. on Tuesday, September 24 in the St. John's Heritage Room. All women, from high school age and older are welcome to attend. This organization has been an amazing outreach for Jesus through the United States and all around the world, for over 75 years. We hope that you can join us!
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Concordia Seminary Recruitment Visit
Gospel of Mark and Illinois Itinerary
You are invited to meet with Rev. Bill Wrede, Director of Admission at Concordia Seminary, to discuss seminary education and the path to becoming a pastor or deaconess. Please contact Rev. Wrede at 314.505.7221 or wredew@csl.edu to schedule an appointment. Walk-ins are also welcome.
Concordia University Chicago
7400 Augusta Street
River Forest, IL 60305
708.209.3470
Wednesday, September 25
8:00 am to 4:00 pm in the Koehneke Community Center
5:00 pm Dinner Alumni Room
6:30 pm Chapel
Thursday, September 26th
8:00 am to 1:00 pm in the Koehneke Community Center
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Ladies Fall Brunch: Live Free
TICKETS NOW ON SALE
Sunday, October 19, 10:00 a.m.-2:00 p.m.
You are invited to a lovely afternoon with all your favorites:
Girlfriends, Breakfast Buffet, and featured Speaker and Author, Kendra Smiley.
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SHARE
...with Your Service
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Mission Cafe Sunday Morning Coffee Hour hosts are needed! This is a great way to volunteer for a short period of time to enjoy fellowship and meet new people. It is not difficult... making the coffee is easy and you can provide breakfast pastries if you would like, but not necessary.
Please see attached link and consider hosting!
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Our church is participating in the
DIAPER DERBY for families served by Caring Network (formerly CareNet Pregnancy Services of DuPage). As a church, we will be collecting diapers, wipes, and gift cards to WalMart. Please bring in supplies by October 1st and leave them in the metal bucket labeled
DIAPER DERBY. Supplies benefit Caring Network's baby bank programs, providing material goods, parenting classes, and spiritual support to new parents in need.
Our Mission Cafe monetary donation for September will benefit the La Grange Area Food pantry. We will be working with St. John's 3rd Grade Eagles in Action project for the month. Thank you for your contributions!!!!
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3
rd
Grade Eagles in Action 2019
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3rd Grade is on a mission, with the help of God, to help hungry children and families in our community and the world. Throughout the school year, 3rd grade will purchase items using money collected from our chapel offerings in August and September to help the LaGrange Area Food Pantry. These items are non-food items like toothpaste, shampoo, soap, deodorant, toilet paper. (There is also a collection bin located in the church narthex all year if you would like to donate items. The Food Pantry is always in need of cereal, pasta, and canned goods.) We will keep you posted on the items we purchase each month by the school office door. In addition, we will be packing meals at Feed My Starving Children later in September to help children in the world who are desperate for healthy food supplemented with vitamins, veggies, soy, rice, and prayers to help them grow. Thank you for helping us serve God with your offerings!
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Food Pantry Item for the Month of September: Shampoo
(Donations can be dropped off in the Church Narthex near the Connection Center.)
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The Crop Walk will be on October 27, 2019.
Watch for more information coming in the future!
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Beds Plus needs volunteers! Your time will make a difference in the lives of people dealing with homelessness in your community.
Sign up directly on their website: www.beds-plus.org or contact breitbarth@beds-plus.org, 708-354-0858 ext. 137.
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Cossitt Clothing Sale
A community tradition for nearly 40 years.
Saturday, September 28, 8:00 a.m. - 1:00 p.m.
Cossitt Elementary School, La Grange, IL
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Join us as we celebrate the "Gift of Story"
Featuring guest speaker Katie Schuermann
Sunday, September 29, 4:00 p.m.
St. Paul's Lutheran Church, Brookfield
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All are welcome to attend. Please RSVP to Karine Otten at karineotten@gmail.com or call 708-334-7710. Sponsored by St. Paul's LWML. See link for more information.
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17th Annual Fall Benefit "Takin' it to the Streets"
Banquet & Music by Fabulous FabTones
Friday, October 4, 6:30 p.m.
Capri Banquets, Countryside, IL
RSVP at interfaithcommunitypartners@gmail.com or 708-354-9328
See link for more information
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Seminar and a Snack Series
"Remarkable Remembrances"
Thursday, September 26, 2019
10:00 a.m-11:00 a.m.
Learn from the experts at Hitzeman Funeral Home as they share the various options available to commemorate your or your loved one's life. Cost: Free! RSVP : Registratino Required, contact Renata Vitali at rvitali@agingcareconnections.org or 708-603-2277.
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Seniors Lunch N More
Lunch, Fellowship and Entertainment
Wednesday, October 8th, 2019
11:15 a.m.- Bible Study
12:00 p.m.- Banquet & Entertainment
Aging Care Connections and Hope Lutheran Church invite guests to join them for a Senior Lunch. A nutritious meal provided by Salerno's Pizzeria and Sports Bar. Performance by Kim Frankovelgia. Call Aging Care Connections at 708-354-1323 to reserve a spot.
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September is here! Time to start shopping for cooler weather clothing to get ready for fall! If you just plan on dining out or treating yourself, take time to evaluate your shopping needs and order your TRIP cards! If you are hosting or attending any fall gatherings start your shopping with TRIP cards. There are many choices to ...
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Click on the TRIP logo above for more information!
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St. John's Lutheran School Parent Forum
Monday, October 7, 7:00-8:00 p.m.
Heritage Room
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All parents invited! Join us for an hour of conversation, dessert, and a glass of wine as we unpack some current parenting topics. Please note - No childcare will be provided. Please contact k.pece@sjlagrange.com for more information.
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There are two Board positions that went unfilled at the elections in November. These are two very important positions and need be filled.
The first position is for the Congregation Secretary, expires December 2020. Main duty is to take the official minutes of the monthly Council meetings and the periodic Congregation meetings.
The second position is for a Chairperson of the Board of Stewardship, expires December 2021. Among the duties is to designate on an annual basis the recipient organizations of the funds collected each week for different charitable organizations, establish a talents data base, and assist the nominating committee with information to get the correct person on the correct Board potion.
As Christians we are asked to donate our time, talents and treasures. If you choose to fill either of these positions you will go far in fulfilling the time and talent as asked.
Please prayfully consider one of these positions. If you have any questions, or want to volunteer either call Tom Braun at 708-207-3720 or email at
tjbraun54@gmail.com.
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Weekly Report from Board of Finance
Weekly Statics on Congregational Giving to St. John's Lutheran Church & School
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Anyone wishing further information on Congregational giving or the Church’s overall financial situation is invited to contact either Marty Haugen, Chair, Board of Finance, or Jeff Baker, Congregational Treasurer, through the Church office,
churchoffice@sjlagrange.com
or (708) 354-1690 x210.
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Volunteer Opportunity at St. John’s Cemetery
A volunteer with a pick-up truck or larger SUV is needed on an occasional basis to transport trash from St. John’s Cemetery on south La Grange Road in Hodgkins to the dumpsters in the church parking lot. The trash will be bagged in oversized heavy-duty construction-grade plastic bags, but these bags may become punctured and leak liquids from flower vases or unfinished beverage containers during transport. Every effort will be made to remove liquids before the bags are filled. If you are willing to help the cemetery in this way, please contact Jeff Baker at (708) 446-9567 (cell).
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Weekly Worship Attendance
September 15, 2019: 156
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Sunday Worship Schedule
Worship Service 8:00 a.m.
Education 9:25 - 10:25 a.m.
Worship Service 10:45 a.m.
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Church Office
Office: (708) 354-1690 x210
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