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St. John Lutheran Church Newsletter
16 Great Rd., Sudbury, Ma 01776 978-443-8350
www.stjohnsudburyma.org
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Sharing Our Blessings Through Service | |
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From the Pastor
New Creation
God is always doing something new.
If I had to sum up scripture, I think that’s what I’d say right now. This doesn’t mean God’s fickle, or that God doesn’t continue caring about us. It means that — just like life — God is always creating now. Now is always new.
It’s hard in part for us to deal with this because we aren’t necessarily creating now, now just kind of happens. We breathe in, we breathe out. What was now when we started is now then, and soon is now now as we exhale. The difference between creating and experiencing time is part of what makes reading scripture and interpreting God so challenging.
One way the Bible deals with this is by offering names for God. I Am What I Am or I Will Be What I Will Be is the one God provides to Moses. Even when God spoke the Name to Moses, we couldn’t settle on just one name because God’s nature is to be dynamic.
One of my favorite names for God I’ve encountered is Ultimate Reality. I like this because it does away with time and space altogether, and describes God as the ultimate expression of what is real. Other seeming realities cease in the face of the One Who is Real. This may be a little disconcerting, but I think it’s important because of the narrative of what Ultimate Reality desires — relationship with what is being made real too.
This is what faith is to my way of thinking. It’s not so much a context for understanding, or for figuring things out. Faith is the way we engage with Ultimate Reality. Truth is freedom because truth is real. Love is power because loving sacrifice is real. Sharing is caring because the world changes around us in real ways — okay, maybe that’s getting a little silly, but you see where this is going.
A question of our faith as a congregation is, “how do we live together in a way that makes our experience of God most real?”.
We’re baptized, and that’s our core identity.
We worship, and that’s our core vocation.
Outside of worship, what do you think is the most important one thing we can do as a congregation?
What could we do to make you feel that you’re part of something real enough to tap into the Ultimate Reality of God?
I’d be eager to hear your thoughts.
Grace & Peace,
Pastor Eric Wolf
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Events and Opportunities at St. John | | |
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Congratulations and blessings for Pastor Eric Wolf, who recently celebrated the 15th anniversary of his ordination!
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Girl Scout Sunday - March 10th
St. John will once again be celebrating Girl Scout Sunday on Sunday, March 10. Girl Scouts past and present will assist with worship and connect their faith with the Girl Scout Promise.
““The motivating force in Girl Scouting is spiritual.” - Preamble, Constitution of Girl Scouts of the USA.
Girl Scout Sunday celebrates the powerful ties between Girl Scouting and faith. Girl Scouts are encouraged to connect their faith to the Girl Scout Law and earn the religious recognitions of their faith. Let’s honor the Girl Scouts and adult volunteers who give their time and talents in service of others!”
- Girl Scouts Celebrate Faith, girlscouts.org/faith
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It’s time to sign up for Easter flowers!
The sanctuary looks and smells so lovely on Easter morning thanks to these special offerings. As always, you may designate whether you want to dedicate your flowers in memory or in honor of a loved one.
The cost for the flowers this year will be $15.00 per plant. You are welcome to take them home and plant the bulbs in your home garden after Easter! Please make a note on your payment “Easter Flowers.”
- You may complete your sponsorship by using the special blue envelopes in the pews and place it in the offering plate. Please indicate how many plants and include your dedication as well.
- You may also complete the bottom portion of this announcement, attach a check, and leave it in Tracy’s mailbox.
Please be sure to provide your family name as well on your dedication. The deadline is March 26th.
In honor of: ______________________________
In memory of:______________________________
Given by:__________________________________ Phone________________
Please print clearly.
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Outreach Update and Opportunities | |
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Maynard Food Pantry Needs Volunteers
The Maynard Food Pantry is in need of volunteers to assist in two different areas:
Stocking shelves at the Maynard Food Pantry for two hours every third week. The work can be done anytime from Tuesday to Sunday on the scheduled week, according to the volunteer’s personal schedule.
Picking up bread and pastries at Sudbury Farms, Sudbury Crossing/Rte.20 once every fourth Sunday (alternating with three other volunteers), bringing the product back to the Maynard Food Pantry. The volunteer must be able to be at Sudbury Farms between 8 AM (when they open and 8:30 AM.
If you would like to receive additional information on these two positions or would like to volunteer, please contact Mary Brannelly at mjtbrannelly@comcast.net
Guest Table Community Dinner – 353 Great Road, Stow
Guest Table is a community dinner that takes place on the second Friday of each month at First Parish Church of Stow & Acton (FPC). It will begin at 5:30 PM, with doors opening at 5 PM. All are welcome!
There is no charge for dinner, but donations are gratefully accepted. FPC is a nut free location.
This program is supported in part by grants from the Stow Community Chest, Nashoba Vally Rotary, and the Acton-Boxborough United Way. Guest Table is also grateful for the consistent support it receives from the Stow Council on Aging and the Stow Food Pantry (which is supported by Outreach Ministry).
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T-MOBILE funding for REFUGEES, IMMIGRANTS, ASYLUM-SEEKERS
The Lutheran Church has a long tradition of supporting people globally displaced by war, oppression, famine, life-threatening circumstances and climate change. We at St. John support three Lutheran organizations and a local asylum group.
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Adopt a Devotional Book for McLean Hospital
All of the devotional books for McLean Hospital have been 'adopted'! We hope the books will be a source of peace and healing. Thank you to everyone who signed up to purchase books for patients at McLean. If you had the devotionals sent to your home, please drop them off in the designated box in the lounge area so that we can get them into patients' hands. Your generous hearts are touching others. Thank you!
—Michal Mueller
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Join the Outdoor Church Lunch Brigade!
Did you know that on the 4th Saturday of every month a team of folks from Sudbury churches work together with Cambridge’s Outdoor Church to provide 120 bagged lunches for street-dependent folks in Cambridge?
Anyone can join the group that makes simple sandwiches (pb&j, turkey & cheese, ham & cheese—no condiments) at home and then drops off the sandwiches or fruit or chips or bagged cookies at church. The items are then assembled into lunches and delivered to street-dependent folks in the places they congregate: at the Harvard Square chess tables, church steps, and bus stops & park benches in Central Square—to name a few. You can contribute as frequently as it works in your busy schedule.
If you would like to be part of this important ministry, please contact Michelle Rose at mrose@stjohnsudbury.org so that you can be added to the monthly e-mail sign up list.
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Youth and Family Ministries | |
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CONFIRMATION CONNECTION
Confirmation class during this program year has been focused on what it means to be Lutheran. We have discussed Lutheran history and Luther’s thoughts on the Ten Commandments, the Apostle’s Creed, and the Lord’s Prayer as well as the sacraments of Baptism and Communion.
In February, we expanded our study to what it means to be Christian. We explored Orthodoxy and Roman Catholicism and found commonalities and differences between them and our Lutheran faith. We recognized the shared history and foundation. Like our drawings, they started with common pieces and evolved differently as various ideas developed and spread. Can you find the parts that all 5 pictures began with?
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Souper Bowl of Caring BRIDGE Challenged Attendees with Hunger Problems and Football Trivia
On Sunday, February 11th, while the Kansas City Chiefs and the San Francisco 49ers were getting ready to face off in Super Bowl LVIII, folks of all ages gathered in Heritage Hall for our Souper Bowl of Caring BRIDGE (Building Relationships In-between Different Generations & Experiences) event.
After the kids helped complete our Souper Bowl of Caring Super Bowl Squares grid, we spent some time exploring why we participate in the Souper Bowl of Caring every year. The answer: because there continue to be people who are food insecure everywhere. Some of us were amazed to discover that Earth actually produces enough food to fill the bellies of everyone on Earth. The problem is getting the food to all those who need it.
So, we played a game to help us understand this conundrum. At each table, everyone received a football cup with treats inside: raisins, crackers, and candy. Some only had 4 raisins and 2 crackers. Others had a big handful of raisins and a sleeve of crackers as well as several pieces of candy. The challenge was how to share the food at each table so that everyone got the food they needed. Unsurprisingly, each table had its own approach. One table had everyone selecting the treats they liked best. Another table put everything into the center and rotated through the table participants so that everyone had an equal number of raisins, crackers, and candy. Lots of good ideas!
Later, the Football Trivia competition kicked off! We tested our knowledge of local teams before moving on to Super Bowl questions. Some were surprised to learn that in spite of Americans consuming 1.4 billion chicken wings on Super Bowl Sunday, the food most eaten on Super Bowl Sunday is pizza. Another question that had folks scratching their heads addressed the weight of the Lombardi Trophy. It is just 7 pounds!
Of course, the biggest winners were the attendees as we were able to build stronger relationships with the members of our St John family!
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Sharing Spring Joy with the Maynard Backpack Project
In Sunday School on February 25th, we shared our talents and our treasures by stuffing spring goody bags for the kids who participate in the Maynard Backpack Project. Each rainbow-striped bag included a magnet to decorate, a bouncy super ball, a fish pop-up, a Rice Krispy treat, a Nutri Grain bar, a top to spin, Starbursts, and Tootsie Pops.
When we began working with the Maynard Backpack Project over five years ago, we would assemble goody bags for about 30 elementary-aged students. The program has ballooned since then. The Maynard Backpack Project now prepares weekend backpacks of food for more than 80 students between the elementary and middle schools. When I marveled over how many students they were helping, the program director, Kerry Bernard, shared that Maynard’s most recent statistics showed almost 25% of Maynard’s families are struggling to make ends meet. St John’s Outreach Ministry provides regular support to this program, and we provide extra goody bags through the Youth and Family Ministry a couple times per year.
If you would like to provide assistance to this wonderful community program, click here for their Amazon Wish List.
Thank you to everyone who helped stuff the goody bags!
—Michelle Rose
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Celebrating a Special Birthday
We are happy to recognize a special birthday for George Fryklund, a long-standing member of St. John for more than 30 years. George celebrated his 85th birthday in late February.
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Seniors Potluck Lunch
Tuesday, March 19, 2024 at noon
St. John Heritage Hall
Please join us for our March Seniors potluck lunch as we gather together to share the blessings of food and fellowship.
We would like to have some people bring salads or main dishes to balance out our usual good supply of desserts.
Please contact Royce Fuller at royceaf11@gmail.com, to let us know you are coming and what you plan to bring. Beverages will be provided!
Sign up deadline is Friday, March 15.
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Chancel, Altar, and Sacristy
To learn more about the Chancel, Altar, and Sacristy, click below for article.
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COFFEE HOUR HELP NEEDED!
Please consider signing up to host coffee hour. We are always in need of goodies and people who are willing to make coffee. It would be a huge help to have a few new faces providing this much enjoyed fellowship! The sign up is on the rolling white board with the worship assistant sign-up, or you may call the church office (978-443-8350). Contact Carol Leighton for more information.
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WORSHIP ASSISTANTS NEEDED!
An important and meaningful way to serve our church is by assisting with the weekly service. You can sign up on the board outside Heritage Hall.
If you would like to be on the email distribution list for requests for signups, please let the office know at office@stjohnsudbury.org. By joining this list, you will have access to the online signup as well!
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Weekly/Monthly Opportunities | |
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Knitting Group
Come join the fun with or without sewing on the first and third Wednesday of the month. See Jenn’s amazing cross stitch, Ellen’s wonderful fairies she is making for the Sudbury Garden Club tour, Val’s wool sweater, Carol’s adorable baby sweater, and Amy’s Crazy Quilt. Contact Valerie Ripley with any questions.
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Seniors Monthly
Pot Luck Lunches
Watch the weekly news for upcoming dates!
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Seniors on the Go book club
Meet Tuesdays at 11 am via Zoom. Watch the weekly news for details each week.
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Seniorcise
We are exercising in Heritage Hall on Mondays and Wednesdays from 10-11:15 AM. Exercises include stretching, strength-building, and balancing. And everything centers around using a chair! Join the group for a workout—and for fun
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ZOOM Meeting to Discuss Race, Racism, and Antiracism.
Our group meets the second and fourth Thursdays of the month at 4:00 PM for informal, unstructured discussion about books, ideas, and experiences touching on race, racism, and antiracism. Please join us!
Any questions, contact Jan Nielsen at jrnielsen@charter.net or 978-549-3044.
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Nightingale Vocal Esemble
Our choir director, Ben Perry, invites you to the next event with his Boston-Based professional ensemble, Nightingale Vocal Ensemble. Celebrate Nightingale's 5th season by enjoying musical compositions, food, drink, and a preview of the upcoming 2024-2025 season. Support the group via our silent auction and other offerings throughout the evening!
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Together: Called, Sent, Serving
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Giving to St. John
Giving to St. John can be done online, mail, or in person.
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You can go to the St. John website: https://www.stjohnsudburyma.org and click on Give in the upper right hand corner of the screen. This will take you to our giving platform, Tithely, where you can make an account and set up recurring donations or make a one time gift.
- You can mail in your donation to 16 Great Rd, Sudbury, MA 01776.
- You can pass in your donation during the passing of the offering plate during service or bring it into the office during office hours (978-443-8350).
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Church Directory Update
The office is working on printing an updated church directory. If you have updates to your directory information, here is what to do:
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Send any changes of e-mail addresses, street addresses or phone numbers to office@stjohnsudbury.org. Feel free to send an updated photo as well! If you do not have a digital photo, you may mail or drop one to the church office. They will be scanned and returned to you.
- If you do not use email, you may call or mail any changes to Tracy at the church office.
- Questions? Please feel free to contact Tracy at the church office.
If you are not listed in the directory and would like to be added, contact Tracy and she will get your profile set up. She can also get you connected to the online directory!
The on-line directory is always current and remains up to date.
There will be printed copies of the directory available for pick-up in the church office once updated.
Thanks for your help in keeping your information current.
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Church Communications
For all church calendar events, Zoom requests, weekly announcements, or newsletter articles, please forward them to Tracy at office@stjohnsudbury.org. The deadline for all weekly announcements is Tuesdays by noon. The deadline for monthly newsletter articles is last day of each month. To view previous newsletters, click here.
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Church Event Set-ups
If you have a church event listed on the calendar that requires a set-up or a task for our Sexton, George, you may now email that request to sexton@stjohnsudbury.org. George will also continue to check is mailbox for those who prefer to leave a note. Please be reminded that George works Mon-Wed-Fri 10-2 p.m.,and will review these requests during his work hours. Please be sure your request gives George the appropriate time to fulfill your request. Thank you!
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Church Calendar
If you have an event or church meeting to add to the church calendar, please submit your request to office@stjohnsudbury.org, or call the office with your request so we can keep the church calendar up-to-date!
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Friendly Reminder on Email/Text Scams
Always be alert to email and text SCAMS targeting churches. If you ever receive an unexpected email or text message from Pastor Eric or any of the church staff regarding donations (e.g. gift cards, financial contributions, or purchases), please do not reply, open attachments, or click on links. Instead, contact the church office immediately.
There are many other scams to be aware of as well. Honest organizations won’t call, email, or text to ask for your personal information, like your Social Security, bank account, or credit card numbers. If you get an email or text message from a company you do business with and you think it’s real, it’s still best not to click on any links. Instead, contact them using a website you know is trustworthy. Or look up their phone number. Don’t call a number they gave you or the number from your caller ID. Scammers want you to act before you have time to think. If you’re on the phone, they might tell you not to hang up so you can’t check out their story. For more helpful information on avoiding scams visit: consumer.ftc.gov/scams
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Connect with St. John on Social Media! | | | | |
