St. John's Lutheran Church and School
The Mission
The Journal of St. John's Reaching Farther
June 6 - 12, 2020
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The Holy Trinity
Saturday, June 6, 2020 at 5:05 PM
Sunday, June 7, 2020 at 9:30 AM
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"A Conversation With The Triune God
"
Preacher:
Pastor Mark Stapleton
Worship Leader: Pastor Ben Roberts
Old Testament Reading: Genesis 1:1 - 2:4a
Second Reading: Hebrews 4:13-16
Holy Gospel: Matthew 28:16-20
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The feast of the Holy Trinity is about the one true God who has revealed Himself in three persons, Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. But the feast is not about God alone. As the Trinity, He is, of course, never alone even in Himself. But also in His creation, even the pinnacle of His work, man, is not to be alone. Male and female He created them. But even greater than this relationship is man’s relationship with God. Created “in His image,” we are never to be alone but find our identity in fellowship with God. Without Him, we are incomplete. The image of God means to possess God’s righteousness. The “righteousness” of God means everything working together like God intended. That includes a relationship with Him. Though we lost that righteousness by our sin, choosing to be alone without God, God still took into Himself our very human nature in the person of the Son of God, Jesus. By His innocent life and His substitutionary suffering and death, all who repent and are baptized into Him are restored in righteousness. With Christ and in Him, we, too, are crowned in glory and honor. All praise to God, Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, now and forever.
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NEW SERMON SERIES STARTS JUNE 14, 2020
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This Is The Kingdom: God’s Ways Revealed in the Stories Jesus Tells
“And he told them many things in parables…” A “parable” is a story that Jesus tells to “make a comparison”, to show on the surface the deep riches of the reign of God. When Jesus tells stories, it is not just to make a point. It is to point to the hidden but altogether true reality that breaks forth in Him. These are some of the most beloved passages in the Bible, and for good reason: the reality they reveal impacts our daily lives as disciples of Jesus Christ. In this series, we will focus on these wonderful and challenging stories that Jesus tells, as we discover the “kingdom” of Jesus that is at work among us and through us.
- 6/14/2020: Matthew 13:1-9, 18-23 (The Sower and the Seed)
- 6/21 (Father’s Day): Mark 4:21-29 (The Growing Seed)
- 6/28: Matthew 13:24-30, 36-43 (The Wheat and the Weeds)
- 7/5: Matthew 13:31-35 (The Mustard Seed and the Yeast)
- 7/12 Matthew 13:44-46 (The Hidden Treasure and the Pearl of Great Price)
- 7/19: Matthew 13:47-52 (The Net of Many Fish)
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Livestream Worship Started on Sunday, May 24, 2020
For the past 10 weeks at St. John's, we have pre-recorded the elements of our Worship Services and provided a link to view the services on-line using our YouTube page. As we are all very much looking forward to having in-person Worship Services again we are preparing for this joyous moment in advance. Livestreaming will allow people that might not be comfortable coming to church right away to be able to experience the same wonderful celebration together from their home. In addition to being a blessing for our homebound members, livestreaming provides potential guests another “front door” they can worship with us before coming through our doors. Please tune in to our Livestream this Sunday!
PLEASE NOTE: All Worship Services will be available on our New YouTube Web Page shortly after they are Livestreamed.
Livestreaming
refers to the online
streaming
of media simultaneously recorded and broadcast in real time.
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505 Worship Service
Saturday, June 6, 2020 at 5:05 PM
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The 505 Worship Service
The 505 Contemporary Worship Service is in need of volunteers to join several Worship Teams that will provide a meaningful worship experience on Saturday's at 5:05 p.m. The 505 will be offered weekly beginning on Saturday, May 30, 2020. We are in need of the following volunteers:
- Vocalists
- Guitarists
- Bass Players
- Keyboard Players
- Percussionists
- Instrumentalists
- Audio-Visual
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Additional Volunteers needed for the:
“AUDIO VISUAL TEAM”
With our Worship Services being Livestreamed this brings the need for MANY more volunteers to make this happen. We need three people at each Worship Service. Please, consider volunteering when you can to help us out with this very important ministry.
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Missed a sermon from a past Worship Service?
Catch up by listening to the audio here:
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PRAYER REQUEST ONLINE
We have added an option on our church web site to submit a prayer request. Your prayer will be shared with members of the congregation that receive our "Weekly Prayer Chain" e-mail that is sent out by Constant Contact.
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CONNECT
...with our Graduates
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Congratulations to our St. John's Lutheran Church 2020 Graduates and Friends! We are proud of you all! God's Blessings on your future plans
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St. John's School 8th Grade Graduates
Alex Carrillo
Brian Dahlstrand
Jordyn Krezel
Mateo Magana
Jason Neill
Maddy Nichols
Lealani Presa
Jacob Raschke
Greta Sandman
David Weber
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Honoring Mrs. Liz Willig
Liz Willig, our upper grade Physical Education teacher at St. John’s, is retiring at the end of this school year. These are certainly not the circumstances under which anyone imagined this would happen, but nonetheless, we want to honor her for her years of service at St. John’s.
Liz graduated from Wheaton College in 1979, earning her Bachelor’s Degree in Physical Education. After a year of teaching, she married her husband, Phil. Liz then returned to school to earn her Physical Therapist Assistant certificate and worked for fifteen years as a part-time P.T. assistant while raising Natalie and Zack, their two children.
Mrs. Willig felt God’s calling to St. John’s when a P.E. position opened up for the fall of 1997. She was hired by then principal, Fred Behnke, and began teaching K-8
th
grade P.E. as well as coaching the Track & Field Team at St. John’s. Liz also began teaching Beginning and Advanced Bread Baking classes during those years as another extra-curricular opportunity for our students.
Seven years ago, Liz agreed to teach Physical Education only to 5
th
-8
th
graders. She also volunteered to lead the Adult Volunteer Library Team as well as the Student Library Club for 6
th
-8
th
graders. Liz continued teaching her Bread Baking classes and added intramural volleyball as well as So Kids, Sew to her list of activities.
Liz and Phil live in La Grange Park and have been members at St. John’s since 1998. Liz and her entire family have been truly blessed during her years of service at S. John’s. She hopes to continue a relationship with St. John’s school in a different capacity. As Liz retires this June, she will be able to spend more time with her husband, granddaughter, grown children and elderly parents. She also wants to remain active by playing pickle ball and tennis, gardening, quilting and baking.
May God bless your retirement, Mrs. Willig! Well done, good and faithful servant.
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LOOKING FOR OUR NEW CHURCH OFFICE ADMINISTRATOR!
Due to t
he coronavirus pandemic and stay-at-home order, you may not know that our Church Office Administrator, Renei Suarez, had her last day on April 17
th
. She has since moved to South Carolina with her family after her husband accepted a job offer there. We greatly appreciate her contribution to the ministry of St. John’s! She will be missed!
St. John’s Lutheran Church in La Grange, IL is now looking for our new Church Office Administrator. Job description with overview, duties and qualifications is attached
"HERE"
. Please send cover letter, resume and references to Pastor Ben Roberts at
b.roberts@sjlagrange.com
or by mail to: St. John’s Lutheran Church and School, 505 S. Park Road, La Grange, IL, 60525.
Being understanding of the economic hardship this pandemic has caused for many people, serious inquiries only. We are looking for an individual who will invest in the mission and ministry of St. John’s for the long-term. Upon hire, job duties will be adjusted based on current governmental policies from shelter-in-place orders.
Thank you!
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CONNECT
...in Bible Study
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Pastor Ben's Online Bible Study
Since our stay-at-home order has been extended, Pastor Ben will be having an online Bible Study using the online Zoom application! This study will be on the book of Galatians. This letter from St. Paul to the churches in Galatia is a full-throated defense of the Gospel of grace in Jesus Christ, apart from works...both before AND after our salvation in Him. It is a call to freedom in the work of Jesus for us and not to be enslaved by anything the departs from this Gospel. Grace, freedom, righteousness, the Law, the Gospel...all in this letter!
We will be digging into a portion of the text of Galatians each week, gaining truth and insights from Pastor Ben, discussing these with one another and applying God's Word to our lives of faith. A time of prayer will conclude our time together. All you need is your Bible and, if desired, something to take notes. Each session will last about 45 minutes to an hour. Just God's Word and God's people growing in His grace!
Below is the link to this Zoom meeting. Feel free to look at the Zoom website for information on how it works:
https://www.zoom.us/
Contact Pastor Ben at
b.roberts@sjlagrange.com
for more information and/or if you need help with Zoom.
Topic:
Pastor Ben's Galatians Bible Study
Time:
Began on April 30, 2020 at 4:00 PM
- Every week on Thursdays until Jun 11, 2020.
Upcoming Dates
: May 14; May 21; May 28; June 4; June 11 at 4:00 PM.
Join Zoom Meeting:
Meeting ID:
735 0511 6653
Password:
2XmbF1
Call by phone
: (312) 626-6799
Calendar Reminders
: Download and import the following iCalendar (.ics) files to your calendar system by clicking “
HERE
”.
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Additional Online Bible Study Opportunities
Since our stay-at-home order has been extended, we have enlarged our online Bible Study using the online Zoom application. Several people have volunteered to host groups, these five groups are noted below. The starting dates for these groups will be next week.
MARI'S GROUP:
Mari Smith will host a Zoom meeting on Tuesdays at 2:30 pm. The topic is: Weaving the Bible into Daily Life - a group for needleworkers (knitters, crocheters, weavers, quilters, sewers, embroiderers and others crafting in the fiber arts...) discussing the fiber arts mentioned in the Bible, the spirituality of creating, and how to share the good news with others (possibly through our art and work). If you are interested or have questions, please contact Mari Smith at
mssmith468@gmail.com or by phone at 847-913-3485.
TOM'S GROUP
:
Tom Braun (president of the congregation): will host a Zoom meeting on Thursdays at 7:00 pm. The topic will be the book of Daniel. This six week study will focus on the integrity of Daniel’s life and how it relates to us in 2020. Study guide materials will be provided to you by Tom. If you are interested or have questions, please contact Tom Braun at
tjbraun54@gmail.com
NANCY and GARY'S GROUP
: Nancy and Gary Mayor: The Mayor’s will host a Zoom meeting on Thursdays at 7:00 pm. The topic is “The Wired Word”, a current event topical study that varies week to week. Each week there are several Bible passages referenced for discussion. If you are interested or have questions, please contact Nancy Mayor at:
nancy.mayor@gmail.com
TOM and VICKI'S GROUP
: Tom and Vicki Wykert: The Wykert’s will host a Zoom meeting on Mondays at 4:30. The topic will be an Online Being Challenge by Zach Zehnder, an extension of the Red Letter Challenge. If you are interested or have questions, please contact Tom Wykert at:
t.wykert@sjlagrange.com
PASTOR BEN'S GROUP
:
Pastor Ben: Pastor Ben has already started a Zoom meeting on the Galatians. Additional information is available in this issue of the "Mission". This Bible study meeting will meet on Thursdays at 4:00 pm. All you will need is a Bible! If you are interested or have questions, please contact Pastor Ben at:
b.roberts@sjlagrange.com
Topic:
Pastor Ben's Galatians Bible Study
Time:
Began on April 30, 2020 at 4:00 PM
- Every week on Thursdays until Jun 11, 2020.
- May 14; May 21; May 28; June 4; June 11 at 4:00 PM.
Join Zoom Meeting:
Meeting ID:
735 0511 6653
Password:
2XmbF1
Call by phone
: (312) 626-6799
Calendar Reminders
: Download and import the following iCalendar (.ics) files to your calendar system by clicking “
HERE
”.
PASTOR MARK and KRISTEN'S GROUP
: Pastor Mark: Mark and Kristen will host a Zoom meeting on Wednesdays at 7:00 pm. The topic will be examining several Bible stories, starting with the resurrection and the Bible stories that follow (Thomas, Jesus appearing to the disciples, etc.). This will be a 6-7 week study guide, materials will be provided to you by Pastor Mark. If you are interested, please contact Pastor Mark at:
mstapleton1@comcast.net
REBECCA'S GROUP
: Rebecca Schiltz: Rebecca will host a Zoom meeting on Saturdays at 9:30 am. This class will be studying the continuation of Zack Sanders Red Letter Challenge called “ Being".
If you are interested, please contact Rebecca Schiltz at:
schiltz4@sbcglobal.net
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E-SUNDAY SCHOOL AT ST. JOHN'S
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THE HOLY SPIRIT VISITS PETER AND HIS FRIENDS!
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Jerusalem is buzzing with excitement. Everyone has gathered for the Pentecost celebration, and Jesus' followers are talking about a
rushing
wind, fire, and something called the Holy Spirit. What is the meaning of this? It allsounds very strange. The Roman soldiers guarding the city are curious. Let's find out what Peter says about the amazing events of this day.
Lesson materials will be emailed to all Sunday School and Wednesday Bible School families. If you do not receive your package, contact Dalyne Shinneman at
dalyne.shinneman@gmail.com
or call 630-772-1688.
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SHARE
...with Your Service
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Brothers and Sisters in Christ!
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
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
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
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ST. JOHN'S MEALS TO-GO
Monday, June 8, 2020 from 3:00 - 4:00 PM
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: SUMMER BBQ! Burgers, Hotdogs, Brats and Chicken. We will also have a limited supply of face masks available.
Pick up in the St. John's Parking Lot Monday, June 8th from 3:00 - 4:00 PM. 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 at
k.pece@sjlagrange.com or
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.
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St. John's will be hosting a blood drive on
Wednesday June 24th from 3:00 - 7:00 PM
There is no substitute for the lifesaving gift of blood. It is precious. It is perishable. And the need for it is vital. The need for blood donations increases during the summer months, so please consider a blood donation today.
You may sign up for donation directly through Versity's link which is:
to schedule your preferred donation time! PLEASE NOTE: you will be required to create a log in and password account to make a reservation.
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A reminder that if you are unable to get to the grocery store, please email Dave Thomas @
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.
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These are difficult financial times not only for our members but also for all churches across the nation. As many people are working from home these days, please consider making a SJLG
Gift2
donation by giving a portion of your weekly gas savings to SJLG. Or, as you may have curtailed family brunches after Sunday services, please consider these savings as well. Other savings might include dry cleaning, auto maintenance/car washes, haircuts and restaurants/entertainment. These dollars will add up quickly and help the church tremendously. Most importantly, we understand these are tough financial times for everyone, so by all means,
please only consider giving as you may be able
. As our offerings are needed more so than ever, your consideration is greatly appreciated.
Thank you,
The Board of Stewardship
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SAVE THE DATE: JULY 27 – JULY 31
9:00 a.m. to 11:30 a.m.
VACATION BIBLE SCHOOL - "TIME LAB - DISCOVERING JESUS"
ST. JOHN’S LUTHERAN CHURCH AND SCHOOL
505 S Park Road (47th and Brainard), La Grange, IL 60525
We invite you to register your children on our
Please feel free to contact Dalyne Shinneman at
630-772-1688, or
about our Vacation Bible School program.
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Click on the TRIP logo above for more information on
how to
donate gift cards to families in need during COVID-19
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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.
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Click on the TRIP logo above for more information!
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Whether you are starting your summer seasonal shopping or shopping for an all-important graduate or Father’s Day – start with TRIP cards. Click on the TRIP logo above for summer order dates.
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St. John's Boon Supply Fundraiser is here through June 15!
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.
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Saturday Worship
505 Contemporary Worship Service
Sunday Worship
Traditional Worship Service
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Church Office
Office: (708) 354-1690 x210
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