~ Important News! ~
"In-person" worship in the Sanctuary continues!
We also offer online worship each Sunday morning at 9am via Facebook Live.
Dancing Into May ... Tanz in den Mai
As we head into May and the Spring season of the year, I am recalling a spring tradition that I first remember celebrating as a young boy while living with my Aunt and Uncle in rural Iowa. It was May Day. I had never heard of May Day, yet my cousins and I were instructed to make May baskets for someone you were sweet on. I remember that I made a May Day basket for Katie Davis, the farm girl who lived up the road. Boy, did my cousins give me a raze about that basket. In truth, they still do. LOL! But my Aunt took us around to the different homes and we dropped off these May baskets full of candies and such. It was a different tradition to me, but one I really sort of liked. It surely does not hurt to tell someone you like them at any age.
I later came to realize that the tradition of May Day has its roots in Europe and if you have ever been to Germany and toured there, you may have seen the May Poles found often in the village center. With a little research and some Wikipedia assistance we come to understand: {that in rural regions of Germany, especially the Harz Mountains, Walpurgisnacht celebrations of pagan origin are traditionally held on the night before May Day, including bonfires and then wrapping of a Maibaum (maypole). Young people often use this opportunity to party, while the day itself is used by many families to get some fresh air. Motto: “Tanz in den Mai” (“Dance into May”).} (source Wikipedia) I like this image of dancing into May and with our roots at St. John’s being German, let us do just that. Let us dance into May together. Maybe at some point we should all gather in the courtyard on the Eve of May Day and celebrate all that we have going on in the church in the spring. Maybe even take a moment to tell someone that you like them as a sister and/or a brother in Christ, and that it is a joy to share in their lives. If nothing else, we should be dancing as we come to work our way through the Covid-19 pandemic and our survival through it all. Our life together continues and our mission as a church goes forth. Now that is worth a dance. Let me simply share with you all that we have going on in this wonderful month of May. It is going to be a great month. We will welcome new members on May 2nd, and I believe that will be eight persons that we will welcome into our life together. This is worth a dance. On May 16th we will recognize our 2021 graduates, and they are certainly worth a dance. On May 23rd we will celebrate Pentecost Sunday highlighted with the Rite of Confirmation service for last year’s confirmation students. I know they will be dancing and so shall we in celebration with their saying yes to the baptismal gift. So “Tanz in den Mai” everyone! We most definitely have much to dance about. Oh, and by the way, God loves you and so do I! Happy May Day! ~Pastor Ken Gibson Join Pastor Ken for Daily Devotions
We hope you are joining Pastor Ken for daily devotions, Monday through Thursday mornings at 8am on St. John’s Facebook page. It’s a nice way to start your day!
Pastoral Care
If you find yourself in need of pastoral care or you or a family member are hospitalized, please contact the church office and we will put you in touch with Pastor Ken Gibson. Remember that because of privacy laws, the hospitals do not contact us when you or a family member are admitted.
Help Yourself...
The Quilting Ladies have replenished the “Walker Bags” in the narthex. If you know of someone who would enjoy a bag, or if you would like one, please feel free to take one.
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Online Giving to St. John's
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| 2021_miles_into_smiles_info_sheet.pdf |
Changes to "Virtual Worship"
beginning in May
Due to ongoing glitches and difficulties with Zoom, Council has decided to no longer offer worship via Zoom. Virtual Worship will continue to be available on Facebook Live. You are able to watch the worship services via Facebook Live even if you don’t have a Facebook account yourself. Using your web browser, search for St. John’s Lutheran Church Facebook page. Once you find us, simply scroll past any invitations to create a Facebook page and you’ll see the Facebook Live video. Also, we will soon resume posting worship services to our YouTube channel and our website.
Church Office Hours
The church office is open Monday through Thursday beginning at 8:30am.
The church office is CLOSED on Fridays and this is also Pastor Ken’s day off. In case of an emergency, you can reach Pastor Ken at (815) 861-9554.
The church office is CLOSED on Fridays and this is also Pastor Ken’s day off. In case of an emergency, you can reach Pastor Ken at (815) 861-9554.