Church News

Church Council Highlights

The following are some highlights from the March 16, 2023 meeting of our Church Council:
  • The Worship Team shared information regarding upcoming Holy Week services — Maundy Thursday 6:30pm, Good Friday 6:30pm, Easter Vigil 6:30pm, Easter Sunrise 6am, and Easter Sunday 9am with an Easter Egg Hunt to follow worship.  They also reported that Vicar Anthony’s “after church Bible study” has been very successful.
  • First Communion will be held during worship on Palm Sunday with instruction the day before.
  • Youth Huddle reported that Lunch in the Park is set for Friday, July 21st.
  • A Call Committee has been appointed by Council.  The Call Committee includes Charlie Betz, Sarah Coss, Sue Florschuetz, Karen Goy, Mike Maas, Lisa Martin, Nick Piller, Garret Zinke, and Council reps Melissa Doll and Tony Troyer.
  • The Property Team reported that the project manager for stained glass window repair will be here for a walk-through on Monday, March 20th.  Work will get started right away.  They also reported that the boiler is now repaired with a new part being installed.
  • The Council appointed Dennis Bieser to a 3-year term on the Scholarship Committee.
  • There was discussion about changing the days/times for Council meetings in May through August to   Sunday at 10:15am.  This will allow one of the Council members to be able to attend.
  • The Council approved joining the Mendota Area Chamber of Commerce.
  • The next All Teams Meeting is scheduled for Thursday, April 13, 2023 at 6pm.  Dinner will be served as part of the meeting.

Finance Report Year To Date thru February 2023:
Budgeted Income $53,896        Actual Income $60,130
Budgeted Expense $53,175      Actual Expense $48,981

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.
 
The next Council meeting will be held on Thursday, April  20th.

Stained Glass Window
Repair Update

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Representatives from Willet Hauser, the company    repairing our stained glass windows, arrived and began work on our windows on March 21st.  They expect to complete the job in two to two and a half weeks, hopefully wrapping everything up right before Easter!

We have collected $38,000 toward the $60,000 total needed.  Donations toward the repair work continue to be accepted.  Checks can be written to St. John’s with “stained glass” in the memo.  We thank you for your support of this necessary maintenance project.

Virtual Worship Information

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Get connected with us! We invite you to "like" and follow our new Facebook page, "St. John's Lutheran Church, Mendota, IL." We also stream our Sunday morning worship on our YouTube page. Simply go to www.youtube.com and search for STJ LUTHERAN MENDOTA.  You do not need to subscribe to YouTube or our channel in order to watch the worship services. We have also added a "button" to the first page of our website that will take you right to our YouTube page, as well as in the Worship tab.

Of course, we invite everyone to join us in person for worship on Sunday mornings at 9am. 

75th + Birthday

Mar. 31  Geraldine Fisher
             Melanie Schroeder

April 1    Darlene Meisel
April 6    Sandy Mosier
April 7    Albert Schrader
April 10  Patricia Schrader
April 11  Fran Pinter
April 14  Duane Fassig
April 15  Sandra Eich
April 19  Herb Champlin
April 29  Linda Buettner

Happy Milestone and 50+ Anniversary Wishes!

Carl & Susan Ambler
April 3rd — 30 years

Tom & Joanne Maloy
April 4th — 59 years

Richard & Leslie Althaus
April 19th — 59 years

Raymond & Linda Karstens
April 20th — 54 years
       Updated Addresses for
         our Military Members

Gabrielle Brown has deployed to Kuwait. Mail can be sent to:
SPC Gabrielle Brown
149th MCB
Apo, AE 09366

Kianne (Brown) Jones is stationed in Washington. Mail can be sent to:
Kianne (Brown) Jones
921 115th Street
Apt. 0203 CTE
Tacoma, WA 98445

Haleigh Wendel is stationed in Hawaii. Mail can be sent to:
Haleigh E. Wendel
1175 Oklahoma Dr.
Unit #46
JBPHH, HI 96860

Special Items of Interest:

  • If you want Vicar Anthony to know when you or a family member are hospitalized, please contact the church office.  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.

Adopt-A-Highway is
Hitting the Road Once Again!

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We are returning to our commitment to clean up two miles of roadside along Route 251.  This is the perfect service opportunity for our Confirmation students, High schoolers, and adults!  We can only have 10 people participate out on the highway, but if more people show up on the designated days, we'll clean up other areas, like around the church.  Stay tuned for more details including dates & times.

Quilting News!

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The St. John's Quilting group will meet on Tuesday, April 25th at 9am.

The Quilting Ladies have replenished the walker bag basket 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.  They have also been able to assemble some Quilt Top Kits.  If you would like to sew at home, the Kits are now available at the Information Booth and the Church office.

If you have cotton fabric or sheets that need a new home, we would be more than happy to be that new home!  You can drop them off in the church office during regular hours.

Thank  you for your continuing support of our projects for Lutheran World Relief.

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.
The Christ In Our Home daily devotional booklets for April, May, and June are available in the narthex and the church office.

Small Group Option for Adults
on Sunday Mornings

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The Wired Word group will meet in the Luther Lounge following worship on Sunday mornings. This group for both men and women is led by Mitch Mays and effectively applies the Bible to stories taken from the headlines of the day. We hope you will plan to join us!