From the Congregation President,
Welcome to 2021! As we begin a new year, we continue to deal with the COVID-19 pandemic. The St. John Church Council has been discussing the pandemic at each month’s council meeting since last March, deliberating our next steps, monitoring the numbers in Floyd County and the 7- and 14-day rolling positivity averages, and if there is a post-holidays surge in January before reaching a decision on reopening. At this month’s meeting, the Council recommended starting in-person services again on January 31. That could be adjusted depending upon what happens in the next weeks. We have been trying to balance reopening for in-person church activities with keeping everyone safe. Our hope is that vaccinations will keep moving forward and offer additional protection for those most susceptible to the virus. We know that we have members who are very hesitant to return to in-person activities and we have members who are very eager to return to in-person activities. Our thinking through all of this has been to make sure we open safely so our members will be comfortable returning to in-person services. 

It hasn’t been easy to strike a balance between being overly cautious and not cautious enough. The St. John annual meeting has typically been held in January when the congregation approves the 2021 ministry support plan, new board members, and conducts other church business. Due to the current state of the pandemic, we are postponing the annual meeting until it is safe for us to meet as a congregation and allow as many members as possible to participate. The St. John Church Council has reviewed and approved the 2021 ministry support plan and new board members in the interim, pending final congregational approval at the annual meeting. The annual report is being prepared and should be available soon.

We ask for your understanding and your prayers—prayers not only for our church staff and Council but for our congregation members (especially those who are most vulnerable to the virus and to the effects of the on-going isolation being caused by the virus) and our community. Please let me know if you have any concerns or comments.

In Person Worship…
St. John will resume in-person worship on Sunday, January 31st at 9:00 a.m. Reservations will NOT be required. Masks & distancing will be required. On entering a Deacon will sign you in for attendance & contact tracing purposes.

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To get to this week's church service please click on the image above or use this link: St. John Worship

To get the bulletin and Taking Faith Home information click on the St. John banner at the very top of the e-Skinny.
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The Prayer Blanket and Shawl Ministry is in need of your help.
Pastor Anita would like to take a prayer shawl, lap robe or blanket to our people in nursing homes and shut-ins. We need more than we have. If you have made some this winter but have just not brought them to church, now would be the time. If you would like to make some fleece ones, click on the image and there are instructions on how to do that. Of course you can do a tied blanket if you wish, or knit, crochet or sew one in some other form, but the instructions will give you a good idea how previous ones have been made. We could also use some funds to help purchase the fleece needed for this ministry.


The January Good Newsletter is available through this link:


or you can go to the church and pick up a physical copy in the church mailbox in the afternoon or go to the church website and access it online.

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Though the St. John building is closed to the public, you can call the office with any questions or concerns from 8:00 a.m. – 12:00 p.m. & 1:00 p.m. – 4:00 p.m., otherwise leave a voicemail for Kathy. You can also reach her by emailing khoeft@stjohncharlescity.com. 

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Thank you to all of you that have been mailing in your offerings. Your 2021 envelopes can be picked up at the church by contacting the office.

To keep up with your offerings: they can be mailed to St. John at 200 S. Main St, Charles City, IA 50616
or to sign up for Simply Giving, click on this link for a printable form:

On the St. John Website is a Digital Simply Giving tab which will allow you to manage your electronic giving from home! You can decide how much you would like to give, the frequency and which fund you would like your donation to go to.

You can use this option to set up your giving on a weekly, monthly or yearly plan. But it is also convenient if you want to use it for one-time transactions to give to specific funds, events, or memorials for instance. You can give through your personal accounts or credit cards. Just remember that if you use your credit card, unless you specifically indicate the service charge be taken from your account, St. John will be assessed that charge.
This means of giving has seen some activity and we are really excited to be able to give you this option. Please keep in mind electronic giving as you plan your budgeting needs. At http://www.stjohncharlescity.org/, you will find Digital Simply Giving on the blue menu bar at the top of the page; that is your link to electronic convenience!

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To get to the church website, click at the top of this page on the St. John Evangelical Lutheran Church logo.

https://www.facebook.com/stjohncc will get you to the Facebook page

An email address you can use to get a message to the church khoeft@stjohncharlescity.com
Other emails are available on the website.

To call the church (641)228-3397
Altar Flower & Radio Sign-up: If you would like to sign up to sponsor the Altar flowers &/or the radio broadcast contact Kathy in the office at 641-228-3397! We will continue to have flowers as they are on the online service & the radio broadcast reaches many of our at home congregation!
Three ways for Worship & Communion February 7th

During in-person worship we will be celebrating communion. For those watching online the all-in-one communion cups St. John uses can be picked up to use at home. Your own bread & wine/juice can also be used.

“Drive Through Communion”
On February 7th between 10:00 a.m. & 12:00 p.m. we will have “Drive Through Communion. We will ask that you enter the parking lot at the top. You will proceed down to the canopy where you will be handed a disposable communion cup with wafer. Next you will proceed to the pastor to partake of communion. Gluten free cups will be available.


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Cookies & Cocoa!
The St. John Youth board
will be offering homemade cookies & cocoa
February 7th during the Drive through Communion
to those who would like to have a treat!


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SHARE THE LOVE DRIVE-THRU MEAL
SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 14, 2021
Beginning 11 a.m. – Until food is gone
ALL ARE WELCOME/FREE WILL DONATION
MENU: Lasagna, Breadstick, Scotcharoos Bar
Catered by: U2BBQ
ST. JOHN LUTHERAN CHURCH PARKING LOT
200 S. Main St. Charles City, IA
 
FOR HOME DELIVERY CALL: 641-228-3397
(Please call by Friday, noon, February 12, 2021



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