St. John's Youth

St. John's Youth News
"Growing Together in our Faith as we Serve Others"

Thank You, Sunday School Teachers!

Our Sunday School teachers & staff will be installed during worship on Rally Day, September 12th.

We thank these dedicated adults for volunteering to join our Sunday School team and lead our children on their faith journey — Sarah Coss, Melissa Doll, Linda Erlenborn, Lynette Piller (Kindergarten/1st/2nd); Melissa Nosalik, Dawn Kendall (3rd/4th); Charnelle Fara, Ronnie Bailey (5th/6th); Pastor Ken Gibson (Confirmation 7th/8th); adult volunteers (High School); James Younger (Music); Kora Jones, Valerie Kreiser (substitute teachers); Aimee Holland (Soul Sisters); and Laurie Zimmerman, Susan Garner (Office Support). We also thank our Educational Ministry Team of Charnelle Fara, Melvette Jones, Sandi Maas, and Melissa Nosalik for all of their work in preparing for this Sunday School year.

Bibles to be Given to our
3rd & 4th Grade Students

When babies and young children are baptized, the parents, the sponsors, and all of us as God’s people who surround that newly baptized child make promises. One of those promises is that we will “place in their hands the Holy Scriptures.” That is what we will be doing on September 12th – placing the Holy Scriptures in the hands of our children.

Each year, St. John’s presents the 3rd grade class with Bibles that are appropriate for their age. Since we were unable to do this for our students last year, we will be presenting our 3rd AND 4th graders with Bibles this year. This year’s group includes Lila Coss, Taylor Erlenborn, Chloe Klein, Cooper Klein, Christopher Komitas, Emmalynn Lijewski, Kayne Phillips, Hunter Piller, Brooklyn Shakespeare, Raelynn Sundberg, Ally Tillman, and Jaxson Zimmerlein. We hope that each child will bring their Bible to Sunday School each week, and spend some time reading and learning at home, too.

Sky Ranch Mission Trip Team

Thank you to everyone who supported the Sky Ranch Mission Trip Team! We also say "thank you!" to the incredible team of high school students and chaperones who represented our St. John's family so well throughout the trip to and from Colorado.

Pastor Ken Gibson, Bob, Yvonne Gibson, Ella Martin, Ella Coss, Gracie Zinke, Bailey Baird, Samantha Katschke, Jillian Younger, Alayna Nosalik, Garret Zinke, Matt Miller, James Younger, and Mike Anderson

St. John's Youth Volunteer at OSF Community Garden

Our Junior High and High School youth along with some adult friends helped care for the Community Garden at OSF St. Paul Medical Center the week of July 18th. On two different mornings, we weeded and tore out beds that were done and replanted beans in their spot. We also harvested, washed, and bagged 43 pounds of assorted peppers, summer squash, zucchini, beets, and green beans. Food grown and harvested from the garden is first offered to the hospital’s kitchen to be used in providing fresh vegetable meal options to patients. Remaining produce is donated weekly to the Mendota Area Christian Food Pantry and/or the Body and Soul Food Pantry run by the Baptist church. What a fun way to be together while helping to feed those in need!!

Operation: St. John's Cares!!

On August 3rd, we had a masked & gloved crew safely meet in our courtyard (while social distancing) to put "Operation: St. John's Cares!!" into action. Lots of care packages were assembled for the residents and the staff of Heritage Health. Thank you to Gracie, Garrett, Cole, Karen, Aimee, and Sophie for your work. A HUGE THANK YOU!! goes to everyone who donated items to our effort. We couldn't have done it without all of the very generous support we received from you! We delivered 25+ cases of water, snacks, treats, and candy for staff, and gift bags for residents that consisted of magazines, adult coloring books, colored pencils, puzzle books, pens, and a craft. Please keep the residents and staff of Heritage in your prayers.

All I Ever Needed To Know I Learned While At Confirmation Camp
by Karen Goy, Youth Director

Karen, Haden, Jace, Garret, and Gracie

Last week I was blessed to accompany four of our youth to confirmation camp… and can I be honest that I wasn’t feeling the “camp vibe” when I left. God is in the business of transformation and that was what our theme was all about. Our bible studies focused on how a community is transformed as they experience and then extend His inclusion, compassion, forgiveness, justice, and generosity. It was amazing to witness first-hand the transformation of the community of strangers that was at camp throughout the week as we spent time, prayed, ate, laughed, studied, enjoyed, and adventured together. Being in community over time and in a setting outside the normal routine indeed had transforming power. Not only did my mindset change very quickly, but I saw/heard the kids thoughts, mindset, actions, and words transform into an amazing community that was definitely different than the one that arrived on Sunday night. There is power in spending time in community – transforming power. There is power in hearing again and again about God’s compassion, forgiveness, generosity, inclusion, and justice – a message very different than those messages we are daily bombarded with. It is empowering to extend and live inclusion, compassion, generosity, forgiveness, and justice that happens in that community time too… and from there, think of all the other communities we are a part of that can in turn be transformed!!

We have an amazing opportunity to spend time in such a community right here at St. John’s! I’m grateful for the blessed reminder of the transformation that can happen in us, for us, and through us as we make the choice to leave our “typical” routine to also participate more fully in the community here. Thank you, St. John’s, for the opportunity you made for the five us to go to confirmation camp. What a generous and supportive community you are!

Thank You, St. John’s Family!

Your encouragement and support of the “Textathon” we held last month helped us pray for cancer patients, share information about free services available to patients, be part of a great community cause (Relay For Life March To A Million) and to raise over $6,000! The day was a memorable example of how we are to be Christ in the world!

Team Pictures from previous High School Mission Trips

2019 St. Louis, MO Mission Trip Team - Karen, Susan, Sophie, Samantha, Aaron, Bailey, Cole, Gracie, Garret, Andrew, Katherine, Ted, Hannah, Don and Alayna

2018 Benton Harbor, MI Mission Trip Team - Natalie, Tammy, Gabrielle, Grace, Gabbi, Maya, Bailey, Sophie, Sammi, Amy, Matthew, Mitch, Troy, Cole, Gavin, Ted and Logan

2017 Red Lake, MN Mission Trip Team - Maria, Natalie, Brent, Grace, Matthew, Gabrielle, Gavin, Gillian, Cole, Cameron, Aaron, Gabbi and Sammye

2016 Cincinnati, OH Mission Trip Team - Maria, Gavin, Jacquelynn, Haleigh, Gillian, Cameron, Natalie, Dave, Grace, Aaron and Roberta.

2015 St. Louis, MO Mission Trip Team - Mary, Jared, Grace, Brock, Natalie, Gillian, Mark, Cameron, Amy, Jacquelynn, Brady, Karen, Don, Maria and Joey

2014 Bayou La Batre, AL Mission Trip Team - Maria, Paige, Grace, Emily, Cameron, Gillian, Jacquelynn, Brady, Amy, Lukas, Jared, Joey, Mark, Brock and Barry

2013 Benton Harbon, MI Mission Trip Team - Jared, Mark, Erik, Brock, Brady, Gillian, Amy, Cameron and Jacquelynn (not pictured: Maria, Alice and Curt)

2012 Eastern Shore of Virginia Mission Trip Team with YouthWorks staff members and Jeff, Amy, Marcus, Mark, Jared, Brock, Paige S., Paige H., Brady and Maria.