Church News

Lent 2019 -- Information and Important Dates

Please mark these upcoming dates on your calendar and watch for more information in the April Eagle newsletter and the weekly bulletin announcements:  Ash Wednesday Worship — March 6th at 6:30pm; Midweek Lenten Worship Services — each Wednesday at 6:30pm; Midweek Lenten Meals — Wednesdays in the Fellowship Hall, beginning March 13th from 5:30pm to 6:15pm.  We still needs groups to provide the meals on March 27th and April 3rd.  Please call the church office to sign-up.  

Church Council Highlights

The following are some highlights from the February 21, 2019 Church Council meeting.
 

• Approved the Finance Report to change the name of the fund from “Contingency Fund Budget Deficit” to “Contingency Fund Operational Deficit”;
  
• Approved the request from the quilting ladies to hold a Silent Auction of quilts during the Fat Tuesday Pancake Supper;
  
• The Council was pleased to receive Rev. Harold Grafe as Interim Visitation Pastor.  He will be in office one day a week, will lead midweek Lenten services, and worship one Sunday each month.  Pastor Presley will continue leading Saturday worship and will be available for emergencies;
  
• Approved Ash Wednesday service at 6:30pm, midweek Lenten services at 6:30pm, Maundy Thursday and Good Friday services at 7pm.
  

Finance Report Year To Date thru January 2019:
Budgeted Income $31,923    Actual Income $30,346
Budgeted Expense $30,417  Actual Expense $19,064
Behind Budget on Regular Offerings by -$1,404

Our newly-elected Church Council met recently and made the following appointments:

Steve Florschuetz          President, Stewardship
Ken Ladenburger           Vice President, Call Committee, Benevolence
Carol Wheeler                Treasurer, Finance
Melissa Nosalik              Secretary, Educational Ministry
Ed Bock                          Property
Dorothy Brandner           Youth Huddle, Memorial
Gary Duttlinger               Property
Bill Garthe                      Property
Nancy Holland               Scholarship, Food Service
Dawn Kendall                Youth Huddle
Roberta Wendel             Youth Huddle, Memorial

We thank all of them for their service to our church family.

Thrivent Financial Members

Please be sure that you have designated St. John’s Lutheran Church, Mendota for your 2019 Choice Dollars before the end of March. 
 
In 2018, we received $2,519.00 through the Thrivent Choice Dollars Program.  We thank you for choosing St. John’s!
 
Also, don’t forget that Thrivent provides promotional resources and up to $250 in seed money to jump-start a fundraiser, educational event or service project.  Members are eligible for up to two Thrivent Action Team grants per year.

Men's Lenten Dinner

The 61st Annual Men’s Lenten Dinner will be held at First Methodist Church at 6pm on Thursday, March 28th.  Men of all ages are welcome to come and enjoy a great meal and a pie auction, fun and fellowship.
 
If you are planning to attend the Men’s Lenten Dinner, please sign up on the sheet on the Information Booth or on the sheet in the Narthex.  Please also indicate if you are willing to contribute a homemade pie for the pie auction.
 
St. John’s will also be responsible for providing volunteers to assist with set-up, serving, or clean-up after the meal.  Details will be shared as the date approaches.

Crossroads Counseling Center

Over one year ago, Allied Counseling Group of LaSalle became our new providers.  We are pleased to be able to provide professional behavioral health counseling services for members of our congregation and for the entire Mendota area.
 
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.

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75th + Birthday

Mar. 1     Gladys Brantner
Mar. 4     William Simonton
Mar. 6     Thomas Truckenbrod
Mar. 10   Roger Anderson
Mar. 12   JoAnn Kidd
               Marlene Simonton
Mar. 16   Joan DeWeerth
Mar. 17   Marienne Daniels
Mar. 20   Geraldine Sauer
Mar. 28   Marlin Hoelzer
               Carol Kerchner
Mar. 31   Melanie Schroeder

Reminder:  March 26th is Mission Quilt Day.  You are invited to join St. John’s quilting group on the fourth Tuesday of each month beginning at 9am.  Our next work day is Tuesday, March 26th.  You do not need to know how to quilt or sew in order to help create these beautiful and versatile quilts.  If you are unable to attend the work day, you may take a Quilt Top Kit (found in the Information Booth) home with you and return it when you are finished.

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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.

An Update from
Our Seminarian, Maria Bonine...

By the grace of God and through the generous prayers and support from St. John’s I am over half way through my seminary journey!  I am also almost half way through my year of internship. Each day I marvel at where God is leading me and I am ever so grateful for the people I have met along the way. Being a tristate traveler has had its ups and downs; with my primary residence and family in Mendota, my official coursework in Dubuque, Iowa and now internship in Evansville, Wisconsin. I have learned that home is where your heart is and in my case my heart is stretched between three states.  I am still on target to complete my theological studies in May of 2020 with hopes of having a first call shortly thereafter. 
 
I trust that the road ahead will be illuminated brightly as God continues to provide me and my family with the strength and courage needed for each day. Your continued prayers and support are also a guiding light for me and my family. Thank you for your care and compassion in raising up a future leader in the church and for your faithfulness in providing the encouragement and financial resources that allow me to faithfully continue in my call to ministry of word and sacrament. God’s blessings to you all in 2019. I hold you in my prayers, trusting that God is at work in and through you all each day.
 
In Christ, Maria Bonine,

Mail for Maria can be addressed to:
Vicar Maria Bonine
St. John’s Lutheran Church
312 South Third Street
Evansville, WI  53536

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On Saturday, October 20th, over 100 people gathered in our Fellowship Hall to pack 52,000 meals for Kids Against Hunger.  We learned that these meals will be headed to Florida for those impacted by Hurricane Michael.  Thank you to everyone who helped with set up, packing, and clean up.  Your hard work is very much appreciated!