Church News

Church Council Highlights

The following are some highlights from the December 17, 2020 Church Council meeting.
  • The Council approved the Proposed 2021 Budget as recommended by the Finance Team.
  • The remaining funds from the Task Force projects for 2020 will be used to purchase Kindle Fire tablets to provide worship service recordings to shut-ins, and monetary donations will be made to the LaSalle Veterans Home and the Mendota Area Christian Food Pantry.
  • The annual meeting of the congregation will take place on Sunday, January 24th on Zoom beginning at 10:45am.  It will be run similar to the congregational meeting held to call Pastor Ken.
  •  Last year’s 8th grade confirmands will be confirmed on Pentecost Sunday, May 31st.
  • The Council approved the membership of Linda Buettner and   Pastor Ken & Yvonne Gibson.

Finance Report Year To Date thru November 2020:
Budgeted Income $323,281      Actual Income $280,953
Budgeted Expense $333,580   Actual Expense $293,027

We are grateful for your continued financial support, through your offerings in person, through the mail, and through automatic giving.  We are blessed to have such a faithful St. John’s family.
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Thank you to everyone who helped with Christmas preparations at St. John’s.  Our worship services were filled with beauty and inspiration.  As a congregation, we also touched the lives of many, many people beyond our walls by our gifts to Heritage Health through the “Angel Tree” project, and our other outreach ministries.
 
Pastor Ken & Yvonne and the entire St. John’s staff gives thanks to all of you for the cards, gifts and Christmas blessings so generously poured out during this holiday season!  We appreciate you and pray for God’s leadership and guidance for a wonderful new year of ministry together!

St. John's Prayer Chain Ministry

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The prayer chain has been very active these last several months and we are grateful for all of you who participate and offer your prayer support to those going through difficult times.  If anyone else would like to join the prayer chain, please contact the church office.  The prayer chain is conducted primarily through group text messages with a few members receiving information by a phone call.

Crossroads Counseling Center

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We are pleased to be able to provide professional behavioral health counseling services for members of our congregation and for the entire Mendota area through our relationship with Allied Counseling Group of LaSalle.
 
Thanks to the generosity of St. John’s, the services provided at Crossroads are affordable to everyone.  Financial assistance is available for those who qualify.
 
Appointments can be made by calling the Allied Counseling office at 815-224-4522 and asking for the Mendota site.  Ms. Pamela Wolf, LCPC - Licensed Clinical Professional Counselor, serves at our Crossroads Center.

75th + Birthday

Jan. 1     Steve Dancey
Jan. 4     Shirley Pierson
Jan. 5     Betty Lou Radefeld
Jan. 12   Catherine Radtke
               Robert Wilhelm
 Jan. 13  Joanne Miller
 Jan. 14  Ron Reger
             ~ Updated Address ~

Haleigh Wendel has completed Navy boot camp and is now undergoing further training toward becoming a Cryptologic Technician (CTR).  She would love to hear from you!  Her new mailing address is:
          Wendel, Haleigh, E.
          440 Roberts Avenue
          PMB #1939
          Pensacola, FL  32511

Fabric Face Masks Donated

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We say “Thank You!” to Myrintha Morton for generously making and donating 30 fabric face masks for us to have available for any of our members who might need one.  Throughout this covid-19 crisis, she has made over 300 face masks!  What a great outreach to our community!  If anyone else would like to donate fabric face masks, you are welcome to bring them to the church office.

Did You Order a Poinsettia for Christmas?

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If you ordered a poinsettia to help decorate the sanctuary for Christmas, you may take one home with you after worship on January 3rd or you can stop in the church office during office hours.

Special Items of Interest:

  • Please contact the church office when you or a family member are hospitalized.  Because of privacy laws, the hospital will not contact us.
  • For the safety of our precious children, and for the security of our members, guests, volunteers, staff, and church property, notice is given that the premises are video-monitored.
  • Find us on Facebook! Search for "St. John's Lutheran Church" and join our page. It's an easy way to stay up-to-date on the happenings here at church.
  • Due to a lack of use and a small number of volunteers, we are not offering a staffed nursery during Sunday morning worship at this time.  However, parents with infants or small children are welcome to use the Nursery or the Cry Room (near the Women’s restroom in the narthex) during Sunday services.  TV monitors are provided in both locations so you may view the service.  Please ask an usher for assistance.
Cemetery Plots are available for purchase.  Please see Susan in the church office if you would like more information.
The Christ In Our Home daily devotional booklets for January, February, and March 2021 are available in the narthex and the church office. 
 
We have regular print and large print copies for you to choose from.

Winter Weather Information

When the snow and ice arrive this winter, please remember that the standard rule for canceling worship services is for you to stay safe!  If either ice or snow would endanger your drive or entrance to the church, please stay home and join us virtually!  Let safety be your guide.

2021 Offering Envelopes are Here!

Offering envelopes for 2021 have arrived and are available for you to pick up in the Fellowship Hall following worship on Sunday mornings.  If you are not attending in-person worship, feel free to stop in the office during the week and we will get them to you. 
 
If you cannot pick yours up or make arrangements for a friend or family member to deliver them to you, please call the office and we will put them in the mail.