Connections E-Newsletter - June 16, 2022 |
|
St. John’s Congregational Meeting
(Annual Ministry Plan/Board Elections/Call)
June 26, 2022 @ 12:15pm in the Church Sanctuary
|
|
As a member of St. John’s, your Leadership Board (LB) is inviting you to join us at 12:15pm on Sunday, June 26 for a Congregational Meeting (right after the late service in the Church Sanctuary).
This meeting will cover four primary areas:
1) The St. John’s 2022-2023 Ministry Plan will be presented for adoption with highlighted goals and objectives under each of the congregation approved Ends Policies. More information will be presented and handed out to you at the meeting.
2) Three candidates will be brought to you for election to your LB (Lisa St. Peter, Dan Rudolf, and Jim Gunville). Lisa currently serves on the LB and this would be a renewal term for her. Dan and Jim would be entering first terms. Please look for bios to come on Lisa, Dan, and Jim.
3) St. John’s ECC continues to grow! The St. John’s Leadership Board has approved the recommendation made by Pastor Jeff Hesse and Nicole Janisse (ECC Administrator) to call Mrs. Melissa Ploetz as a Commissioned Minister of the Gospel – Teacher. See Melissa's bio below. Please pray for Melissa and her husband (Wyatt) as she seeks to carry out the Lord’s work among all of us. Melissa would be the 5th called worker to join our team for the coming year. Wow! The Lord continues to pour His blessing upon St. John’s with amazing theologically trained teachers. These teachers join parents (and all of us) in the work of teaching children as citizens, students, and disciples of Jesus!
4) Other congregational updates.
|
|
Melissa Ploetz grew up in Plymouth, Wisconsin and attended St. John’s Lutheran in Plymouth for all of her elementary and middle school years. She then went on to attend Sheboygan Area Lutheran High School. After graduating, Melissa attended Concordia University - Wisconsin where she majored in Lutheran Elementary Education with a minor in Science. Melissa graduated from Concordia in 2016. Melissa then received her Master’s Degree in Educational Leadership in 2020 from Cardinal Stritch University.
Upon graduation, Melissa worked for one year at Atonement Lutheran School in Milwaukee before accepting a new position to teach 4th grade at St. Paul’s in West Allis, Wisconsin. Prior to starting that new job, Melissa got married to her husband, Wyatt. The two resided in Milwaukee for the first three years of their marriage.
In July, Melissa and Wyatt moved to West Bend and then welcomed their first child, Maci Violet Ploetz, in September. Maci has attended daycare at St. John’s (ECC) since January.
In her free time, Melissa enjoys spending time with her family, being outside, reading, coaching, and watching all Wisconsin sports teams play.
Melissa has been blessed to attend Lutheran schools throughout her entire childhood and is excited to also raise her daughter in that same way, sharing the faith with her each and every day.
|
|
|
|
Our time together on June 26 is really important work in God’s Kingdom (and your faith home) where the Lord has placed you! Please mark your calendars to come and join us in this work as we seek to be Better Together in Christ.
Peace & Blessings in Christ,
St. John’s Leadership Board & Pastoral Team
|
|
Enjoy Outdoor Worship at Faith Haven |
|
St. John’s will again be hosting outdoor worship services at Faith Haven this summer. This monthly worship opportunity grew in popularity last summer, and we are again thankful to gather and worship outdoors and on a beautiful property that God has provided to St. John’s. Services will be hosted on the 4th Saturday of June, July, and August at 6pm. Save the dates and come enjoy the beauty of God’s Creations and worship Him as Creator.
Faith Haven Worship Schedule:
• June 25th at 6:00pm
• July 23rd at 6:00pm
• August 27th at 6:00pm
After the service concludes on June 25, we will be celebrating the gift of Faith Haven and God’s provision in a specific way. By God’s grace and the resources He has raised up through His people, we have paid off the mortgage for the Faith Haven property. Please join us on June 25 to hear a few testimonies from those who serve on the Faith Haven committee and steward the property, about the past, present, and future of Faith Haven. Following these testimonies, we will give thanks to the Lord with prayer and continue in fellowship with a mortgage burning and S'mores. It will be a fun and blessed evening for all who gather.
|
|
New Social Ministry: Empty Nesters |
|
Members and friends of St. John’s are invited to be part of our newest social ministry: Empty Nesters. If you are 50 years old or more and would enjoy fellowship time with others who share a love for Jesus, please join us.
We are starting with a potluck on Sunday, July 10 in the fellowship hall following the last worship service. We will eat together and share ideas about future events and activities.
Let us know if you plan to attend by emailing Joanie or Roy Peterson at revroypeterson@gmail.com or call 262-442-4102.
|
|
St. John's 2022 Women's Retreat |
|
Ladies, how many of you hate traveling because of the work it takes to prepare yourself to leave? If you’re like me, someone taught you that before you can leave the house—even just for a weekend—all the laundry needs to be done and put away, the house swept/vacuumed/mopped/ dusted, trash taken out (even if the garbage bin isn’t full!), sheets changed and beds made, and every bathroom cleaned. And then there’s the issue of making sure your kids are taken care of and/or ensuring someone comes over to feed and walk the dog or scoop the cat litter or feed the fish, etc. We don’t have to look very hard to find something that makes going away for a weekend more inconvenient than it’s worth. I am just as guilty of this as anyone else.
Have you ever read The Message translation of Psalm 46:10? This is the verse we know as “Be still.” The Message translation says, “Step out of the traffic!” How are you going to be still, to clear enough clutter from your mind to soak in the Word and promises of God? Step out of the traffic! Get away from the distractions and the grind of daily life for 48 hours and just be. Be in God’s Word. Be in prayer and praise. Be in the presence of other women who love you and want to support and encourage you.
Hebrews 10:25 calls us to “not give up meeting together as some are in the habit of doing.” In verse 39 we're reminded that "we are not of those who shrink back and are destroyed, but of those who have faith and preserve their souls." We’re called to be in “Courageous Relationships” with God and one another. But as burdens and tasks build up it is easy to isolate or at least hide part of ourselves. The woman at the well was also pretty good at hiding. She went to the well at a time of day when she was sure to be alone. But Jesus met her there and had a conversation that changed everything. We will look closely at that interaction and talk about how God meets us where we are at and gives us the courage to be vulnerable. We will also practice some fruitful conversation skills that will equip us for mentoring relationships in our homes and in the broader community.
|
|
So step out of the traffic! Come away with your sisters in Christ to beautiful Green Lake, Wisconsin. Come and be blessed as we meet together, pray together, laugh together, and simply learn to “be” together. “Together” can’t happen without you there, so set aside September 23-25 and be sure to register by July 17 (this is the date the venue requests that we release any rooms that haven’t been spoken for). This retreat is for you and your friends and family, members of St. John’s or not. There is a special discount for young women in high school through age 21, and scholarship opportunities for those who need it. Don’t let finances keep you from experiencing what the Lord has to offer you that weekend. Don’t let the busyness of the world we live in keep you from experiencing the blessings God has to offer you at this weekend away.
If you have any questions or concerns, please reach out to me and I would love to have a conversation with you. You can email me at rmorton@stjohnswestbend.org or call 262-334-4901, etc. 327. You can also catch me between services in the Gathering Space or talk to any of the ladies helping hand out brochures.
I hope to see you at Green Lake in September. Remember to register by July 17!
Blessings,
Rachel Morton
|
|
Connecting, Caring, and Sharing in Christ |
|
Save a Life: Donate Blood on July 7 |
|
What: St. John's West Bend Blood Drive
When: Thursday, July 7 from 1:00 - 6:00 PM
Where: Gathering Space at St. John's
or Call 877-232-4376
Donate and receive a limited-edition Versiti t-shirt, while supplies last.
Thank you from the Versiti Blood Center of Wisconsin!
|
|
VBS is Coming Soon! Sign Up Today or Volunteer. |
|
Families! Children ages 3 years old (and potty trained) through 5th grade are welcome to participate in St. John's Annual Vacation Bible School. The theme this year is Monumental: Celebrating God’s Greatness. Join us as we go off-road for a monumental adventure through the colorful canyons and sunbaked trails of the southwest. Through the opening skits, songs, bible verses, bible stories, crafts, games, and even snacks, we explore God’s awesomeness and the kids form a rock-solid faith for the road ahead. Bring a friend and join us!
PLEASE NOTE WHEN REGISTERING: ACTIVE offers a subscription for their services to individuals, which has a cost of $89.95. This will probably be a pop up after clicking submit on the initial payment. Please pay attention to your screen or you may select the opt in and be charged that fee, which is NOT a fee for St. John's VBS. The cost for VBS is $35. If you use the discount code, the cost is $25 per child.
|
|
Calling All VBS Volunteers! |
|
It’s that time of year again when we need strong, amazing, sweet, sassy, loud, quiet, Jesus-loving volunteers. Do any of those descriptive words describe you? We know at least one of them did, so jump on board and join the team of VBS Volunteers. We are gearing up for another week of fantastic fun this summer (July 18-22).
Volunteers meet in the School Gym by 8:30 a.m. every morning during the week of VBS so that you are ready to welcome your crews or jump to the station you will be helping at. By 12:30 p.m., you are typically finished serving for the day.
If you have any questions, please contact me, Desiree Titus, at dtitus@stjohnswestbend.org and I would be more than happy to answer any of your questions.
|
|
We are reading our second book: A Bend in the Stars by Rachel Barenbaum. Sign up below for our August 8th meeting. Tell a friend!
|
|
It's Good to be Together in the Lord |
|
The next Baptism Class is Monday, June 20 at 6:30 pm in the church nursery. The class is led by Doug and Mel Raddemann. This course is for anyone looking to be baptized themselves or for any parent who would like his or her child baptized at St. John's. The class introduces what we believe and confess about the amazing gift that baptism is for individuals and families.
Please RSVP to the church office if you plan on attending at
|
|
All of the ministries at St. John's continue to monitor the COVID-19 pandemic as we seek to faithfully carry out our mission. Regarding in-person worship, we would like to remind you of the following protocols:
- Masks continue to be welcomed and encouraged during worship
- The balcony continues to be reserved for mask wearers only at all worship services.
- You are free to greet one another in whatever manner you feel most comfortable-Shaking hands, waving, or a simple kind "Hello!" are all ways to acknowledge your brothers and sisters in Christ.
- The offering will continue to be collected via the box in the narthex or via the St. John's app.
- Worship will continue to be livestreamed on all of our platforms and archived on our Youtube page for those who would prefer to worship at home during this time.
Please continue to pray for an end to this pandemic and for all affected!
|
|
Discipleship in as Many Places as Possible. |
|
Faithful Disciples • Academic Excellence • Christian Leaders |
|
Location: St. John's Lutheran School 899 South 6th Avenue, West Bend, WI 53095
Date: June 20 - 24, 2022
Time & Cost: 9:00 AM to 3:30 PM | $245 (before discount)
Extended Day Hours Available: 7:30 AM to 5:30 PM | Additional $80
Camp Director: Marcia Milam
Camp Invention is for children entering grades 1st-6th. Secure your child's spot today!
|
|
Contact the office to learn how to join the Living Word Luther High School family.
|
Contact the Enrollment Office to learn how to join the CUW family.
|
Do you feel God's Calling to Become a
Pastor or Deaconess?
|
|
Reach in Prayer • St. John's App • Daily Devotions |
|
5th Avenue Closure: St. John's Traffic & Parking Plan |
|
Decorah and Hawthorn Road Closures:
Both of these streets will close periodically due to 5th Avenue construction. Please watch for detour signs posted by the City of West Bend.
5th Avenue Closure:
Beginning on or about March 28, 5th Avenue to the east of the St. John’s campus will be closed. As such, we will have to make multiple adjustments to our traffic flow, parking, and our car line drop off and pick up for St. John’s School.
Sunday Morning Worship
All four entrances/exits to and from 5th Avenue will be closed. In order to facilitate traffic flow, two turnarounds will be marked off so that traffic can exit the parking lot easily with our angled parking. (See #1 on the map above.)
To help with this challenge, the parking lot lines will be repainted in the coming week and there will be parking attendants to help facilitate traffic for the first few weeks.
Worshippers who are willing and able are encouraged to park on 6th Avenue or Spring Street to ease traffic flow in the parking lot.
Early Childhood Center Drop off and Pick Up
The drop off and pick up process will remain the same. After dropping off your child, please use the designated turnarounds and exit back onto 6th Avenue.
School Drop Off and Pick Up
We will now be utilizing 6th Avenue directly to the west of the School & ECC building for all car line drop off and pick up. Buses will load and unload on 6th Avenue next to the ECC (See #2 on the map above).
Car line will drop off and pick up directly in front of the school gym on 6th Avenue coming from the south. Those picking up children from St. John’s School should line up on 6th Avenue coming from the south next to SonShine Community Park, and, if necessary, on Hawthorn Drive.
Signage will be utilized to designate loading and unloading zones.
Final Notes
The city is unable to pinpoint an exact completion date due to the variables that exist with any robust re-construction project (weather, etc.). However, based upon what the city has shared with us, we should plan for this to take approximately 7 months, which is a completion date of approximately October 15.
This will certainly be a change to our normal operating procedure and people will need time to adjust. Two things will help the entire St. John’s community during this time. First, slow down and pay attention to your surroundings as things will be more congested. Second, if there is ever a time to show a little bit of extra grace to our fellow members of our community, this is the time.
|
|
For a Digital Copy of the Connections Booklet, Click Here.
|
|
Saturday
6:00 PM Traditional
Sunday
8:00 AM Traditional
9:25 Discipleship Hour (On Hold)
11:00 AM Contemporary
|
|
809 South 6th Ave
West Bend, WI 53095
Church Office: 262-334-4901
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
