St. John's Youth News
"Growing Together in our Faith as we Serve Others"
Youth Events Postponed and/or Canceled Due to Corona Virus Concerns
Confirmation has been postponed until a later date. Hopefully it will take place on a beautiful Sunday morning this Fall. Please keep our Confirmation students in your prayers during this uncertain time — Connor Bailey, Paul Bailey, Jace Baird, Cindy Bumgarner, Macy Hartt, and Haden Shakespeare.
Confirmation Camp at Lutherdale has been canceled. We are so disappointed that seven of our 7th graders — Ava Beetz, Ella Coss, Lauren Holland, Kennedy Knaff, Dessa Komitas, Ella Martin, and Jillian Younger — won’t be able to experience all that Lutherdale has to offer this summer. We hope that each of them will be able to participate next year.
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Vacation Bible School has been canceled. We thank our VBS coordinators, Valerie Kreiser and Deb Rose, for the work that they had put into planning this fun week of faith-building for our younger children. We’re looking forward to next summer!
The High School Mission Trip to Gatlinburg has been canceled. We hope to complete some service projects in our community this summer once the stay-at-home order has been lifted. In the meantime, we ask you to please keep our Mission Trip Team in your prayers — Bailey Baird, Sammi Katschke, Abby Kunz, Matt Miller, Tim Miller, Alayna Nosalik, Isabella Tolentino, Cole Zimmerman, Garret Zinke, and Gracie Zinke.
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Congratulations to our College and High School Graduates!
Lukas Brandner graduated from the University of Iowa with a B.S. in Biomedical Engineering and a minor in Business Administration. In June, he will begin working at Epic Healthcare Systems in Madison, WI. They create software applications for hospitals/healthcare systems and own over half of the electronic health records in the U.S.
Gillian Sutton graduated from St. Ambrose University with a Bachelors of Science in Exercise Science and minors in Biology and Philosophy. Gillian will be attending St. Ambrose University’s Doctorate of Physical Therapy program starting this Fall.
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Cameron Schumacher graduated from Bradley
University with a Bachelor of Science in Psychology. She will be attending Bradley in the Fall to pursue her Master of Arts degree in Mental Health Counseling. Her future goal is to become an Addictions Counselor.
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The Adventures of Flat Jesus as We Shelter in Place
We recently invited all of our Sunday School students to have a little fun with "Flat Jesus" as we all continue to shelter in place. If you would like to participate, just click on the link below, and send pictures of your adventures to laura@stjohnsmendota.org. We will share them on our Facebook page and on this site.
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Well Done, Team St. Louis!
Thank You for doing God's work with your hands!
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!
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!
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
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.
2011 Cass Lake, MN Mission Trip Team - Don, Travis, Mark, Amy, Cady, Devan, Paige, Jared, Laurie, Grif, Karen and Marcus.
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2018 Team Benton Harbor had a great time at Silver Beach
2017 Red Lake Team enjoyed a beautiful sunset!
2016 Cincinnati Mission Trip Team onsite with YouthWorks!
2015 St. Louis Mission Trip Team
onsite with YouthWorks at Kossuth Church of God in Christ
We work hard and we play hard! A day of fun on the beach at Dauphin Island, AL.
Our Benton Harbor Mission Trip team with the beloved Mama Wilder.
We LOVED serving the community of Cass Lake!
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