Church News

Church Council Highlights

The following are some highlights from the October 17, 2019 Church Council meeting.

• First Communion instruction will be held in November for students in 2nd grade (and any older students who have not already received instruction).  Details will be sent to those families soon.
  
• Stewardship Commitment Sunday will be held on Sunday, November 10th.  There will be no Chapel worship on Saturday evening.
• Christmas Eve worship services will be held at 5pm and 10pm. 
  

Finance Report Year To Date thru September 2019:
Budgeted Regular Offerings $240,374
Actual Regular Offerings $230,250

Budgeted Income $256,355
Actual Income $264,117

Budgeted Expense $281,633
Actual Expense $224,545

November Scriptures
for Worship

November 3: All Saints Sunday
Daniel 7:1-3, 15-18 Human kings and kingdoms rise and fall, but God’s kingdom remains.
Ephesians 1:11-23 The faithful live in hope of living in Christ forever.
Luke 6:20-31 Luke’s Beatitudes promise victory for the faithful and woe for the powerful.

November 10: Twenty-Second Sunday of Pentecost
Job 19:23-27 Despite terrible losses, Job clings to the hope of divine redemption.
1 Thess. 2:1-5, 13-17 Paul reassures the church during a time of confusion and conflict.
Luke 20:27-38 Jesus teaches that all are alive in God.

November 17: Twenty-Third Sunday of Pentecost
Malachi 4:1-2 The “day of the Lord” means destruction of evil and vindication of God’s people.
2 Thess. 3:6-13 Faithful disciples must share the burdens of life.
Luke 21:5-19 The end of all things holds no terror for God’s faithful.

November 24: Christ the King Sunday
Jeremiah 23:1-6 The true shepherd/king of God’s people will comfort and vindicate them.
Colossians 1:11-20 This hymn of praise celebrates the eternal reign of God’s Son.
Luke 23:33-43 Even at the point of his own death, Jesus welcomes a sinner to Paradise.

A Thank You
from Gabrielle Brown

I would like to thank everyone for the cards and letters I received while I was at Basic Training in South Carolina. The thoughts, prayers, and encouragement helped me stay positive throughout the training.  Every time I received a piece of mail I had to do 5 push-ups.  One day I received 5 pieces of mail and I had to do 25 push-ups!  I graduated from Basic Training with a top score! 
 
Thank you again,
Gabrielle Brown
 
Gabrielle’s current address is:
PV2 Brown, Gabrielle
D-CO AGBN
2305 Magruder Ave.
Ft. Jackson, SC  29207

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Crossroads Counseling Center

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.

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75th + Birthday

Oct. 31    Jan Schuster
Nov. 4     June Pollex
Nov. 6    Charles Betz
Nov. 8    Phyllis Hitchins
Nov. 9     Joyce Hoelzer
Nov. 12  Marilyn Schaller
Nov. 14  Robert Meinhardt
Nov. 15  Ruth Wedemeyer
Nov. 22  Dorothy Ladenburger
Nov. 27  Donna Hasse
                 Barbara Zinke
Nov. 29  Betty Dufour

Happy Anniversary!

Bradley & Kora Jones
November 27th — 15 years

Reminder:  November 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.  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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Cemetery Plots are available for purchase.  Please see Susan in the church office if you would like more information.

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.
  

It’s that time of year to order Poinsettias to decorate the church during the Christmas Season.  The cost is $10.00 and orders must be received in the church office by December 2nd.  Order forms are available in the weekly worship bulletins.

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Join us on Sunday, November 10th
for "Commitment Sunday"

At this service we will celebrate God’s generosity and indicate how we will generously share our gifts in response to God’s grace.  Time, Talent & Giving forms have been mailed to homes.  Everyone Confirmation age and older are invited to fill out a Time & Talent form.  Please bring your completed forms with you to worship on November 10th.  Additional forms are available in the church office. 
 
The office uses these forms to schedule all of our worship volunteers.  Even if you are a regular volunteer, please fill out the form so we don’t overlook anyone.
 
Please note — there will be no Chapel worship on Saturday, November 9th.

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2019 Quilt In-Gathering
for Lutheran World Relief

A BIG Thank You to all who have supported our mission work for Lutheran World Relief (LWR).  139 quilts and 120 school kits have been completed this year.  Thank you to our quilters for donating your time and talents; to those who donated fabric and school supplies; to the Rebecca Circle for donating school bags; and to those who helped pack the quilts and kits.  Your continued support of our mission work is greatly appreciated.  Everyone working together makes for a successful outcome.  God’s work, our hands.
 
The Mission Quilting group meets in the Fellowship Hall on the 4th Tuesday of each month at 9am.  All are welcome to join us as we continue our year-round work of assembling quilts.

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St. John's Scholarship Fund Recipients

Scholarships in the amount of $12,000 were awarded to several young church members.  Congratulations to:

Peyton Baird (St. Francis University), Katie Beetz (St. Ambrose University), Grace Brandner (IVCC), Lukas Brandner (University of Iowa), Gabrielle Brown (Illinois State University), Natalie Landgraf (Western Illinois University), Gabrielle Peasley (Illinois State University), Abby Phalen (Augustana University), Cameron Schumacher (Bradley University), Gillian Sutton (St. Ambrose University), MiKayla Wilhelm (Southern Illinois University—Edwardsville), Katherine Wohrley (Northern Illinois University), and Melissa Wohrley (North Central College).

Our college students are also asked to please share an updated college residence address.  Addresses can be emailed to the office or sent via text/email to Karen Goy at (815) 228-2391.

Thrivent Financial Members

Please make sure that you have designated St. John’s as the recipient for your Choice Dollars.  Also, remember that you are eligible to receive two grants of $250 each year.  We have been blessed to be able to use these grants for Vacation Bible School, many youth events and activities, and Outreach activities.  If you are interested in applying for a grant to be used for St. John’s ministries, please contact Karen Goy.  She would be happy to help write the grant as well as the follow up report.  Thank you in advance!

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