News
Blessing of the Backpacks will take place at both services on Sunday, August 21. Bring your backpacks and receive a blessing for the upcoming school year!
S.W.A.T. (Spiritual Warfare Action Team), a Christ-centered youth group for all area teens, will have a Back to School Bash potluck picnic from 5:30-7:30 p.m. Sunday, August 14 at Oppold Marina, Sterling. Bring your fishing pole for fishing; paddleboat rentals and volleyball will also be available. All area high school youth and their families are invited, with a special welcome to this year’s freshman class!
Lemonade, hamburgers, hot dogs, buns and condiments will be provided. Please bring your own table service and lawn chairs. Freshman and sophomore families should bring salads and sides to share. Junior and senior families should bring desserts to share.
The S.W.A.T. volunteer leader is Brenda Sisson. RSVPs are appreciated: (815) 716-3158.
Good morning everyone!
What a great day we had last week as the Intern Committee provided us with a wonderful good-bye breakfast for Intern Rita and her family.
Can you believe that this Sunday is Intern Rita’s last day with us? We will be having a blessing for Intern Rita and her family at each service Sunday. Let’s send her off with a hearty thanks to God for our year together and prayers for her continued faith journey.
Readings for Sunday include:
Isaiah 44:6-8
Psalm 86:11-17
Romans 8:12-25
Matthew 13:24-30, 36-43
Summer blessings to you!
Grace and peace,
Pastor Mark
Good afternoon one and all!
Summer blessings to you and your loved ones!
This Sunday we will worship with Immanuel, Rock Falls and St. Paul Sterling at Veterans Park in Rock Falls. It is located near the intersection of 5th Avenue and 5th Street. Since it is out doors, please come dressed for the occasion. Also THERE IS NO SEATING IN THE PARK! PLEASE BRING A LAWN CHAIR TO SIT ON. In addition, bring your favorite coffee cup and we’ll fill it up after worship. There will be lots of goodies too!
Worship time 8:30 A.M.
There is just one service on Sunday. There will be no worship at St. John’s on Sunday, June 26th!
The readings are as follows:
Jeremiah 28:5-9
Romans 6:12-23
Psalm 89:1-4,15-18
Matthew 10:40-42
It is a joy to worship outdoors right in the midst of God’s creation. I look forward to seeing you there on Sunday as we rejoice in the Lord’s day!
Grace and peace,
Pastor Mark
Good afternoon one and all!
Such a splendid day as God has ever given us!
Please hold in your prayers the Northern Illinois Synod as assembly takes place on June 17th-18th at Augustana College in Rock Island. We have a nice group going from St. John’s. Look forward to hearing from our participants upon our return. This is a really powerful and exciting event each year as many faithful Lutherans gather to share ministry, ordain new candidates, and carry out the business of the Synod in many and various ways.
We have word from former Intern and soon to be Pastor Ted and family. They have sent us a brief video sharing the news of both Ted’s ordination and his first call. Kind of neat to see it come together. We will share that video at the beginning of worship each service on Sunday.
Sunday readings are as follows:
Genesis 1:1-2:4a
Psalm 8
2 Corinthians 13:11-13
Matthew 28:16-20
The sermon is titled: “Come Join the Dance of the Trinity”
I look forward to your presence in God’s house on Sunday!
Grace and peace,
Pastor Mark
Vacation Bible School is set for 5:30 to 8 p.m. Sunday, June 12 through Thursday, June 16. Supper will be served at 5:30 each evening. The theme is PandaMania — Where God Is Wild About You! Register now at https://www.groupvbspro.com/vbs/ez/StJohns2011VBS.
Caregiver luncheons are scheduled for noon to 1 p.m. April 27 and May 25. This lunch-hour fellowship is for those who provide care to others.
High School/Adult Movie Night is set for Friday, May 13 from 7-9 p.m. Bring a snack to share and watch “Radio,” the story of a high school coach and the developmentally challenged man he took under his wing. The film stars Cuba Gooding Jr. and Ed Harris.
Where would we be without our musicians? Imagine for a moment walking into a silent church. We begin our service with spoken liturgy only. There’s no opening hymn to get things moving. After the Prayer of the Day, we move immediately to the readings. There is no “special music” or sung Psalmody. The sermon is read, followed by several minutes of silence. The offering is taken in silence, and communion is distributed with just the sounds of the congregation shuffling down the aisle and back up again. In place of a sending hymn, we sit in silence again. There is a blessing, but no postlude to send us triumphantly on our way. We thank God for the blessing of music, and to show our musicians how appreciated they are by the congregation, the council will sponsor a Music Appreciation Dinner from noon to 2 p.m. on May 22 All organists, choir members, song leaders, soloists, bell choir members and youth choir members will be honored for their musical service to the church.
Seminary, college, high school and eighth-grade graduates will be recognized on Graduation Sunday, May 22, during the 8:15 and 10:45 services. Please give your congratulations to Interns Ted Carnahan and Eder Weber, Theresa Augsburger, Katie Adell, Andrew Miller, Grace Steinke, Sloane Wolfe, Isaac Kinnicutt, Nathan Stahr, Shawn Wolfe, Lizzy Cui, Cassidy Brushaber, Erica Kleckler, Austin Kepler, Hannah Lutz, Nicole Tupper, Emily Grim, Alexey Wolfe, Jessica Allen, Treaven Barron, Aubree Schmitt and Johanna Collins.
