St. John's Youth News
"Growing Together in our Faith as we Serve Others"
Good News!
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St. John's Scholarships
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A date HAS BEEN SET for the Confirmation our 2019-2020 Confirmands: Connor Bailey, Paul Bailey, Jace Baird, Cindy Bumgarner, and Haden Shakespeare. Our church council approved Pentecost Sunday, May 23rd for Confirmation of last year's class. More information will be shared with those students and their families as the date approaches.
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St. John’s has a Scholarship program to help the youth of our congregation finance their education at a school of higher learning. College Scholarship Applications are now available in the church office and on the Information Booth. A .pdf of the scholarship application can be found below. If you would like an application emailed to you, please contact the church office. Completed forms must be returned to the office no later than April 15, 2021.
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First Communion for Our Second Graders
Pastor Ken will offer First Communion instruction for our current second graders (and any older students who haven’t already received communion) on Saturday, March 20, 2021. The students and a parent will be invited to meet in the Fellowship Hall at 10:30am where they will learn about communion, make the bread to be used for their First Communion, and share a meal together. First Communion will take place during worship on Palm Sunday, March 28th at 9am.
Confirmation Classes Continue
Confirmation classes for our 7th and 8th grade students continue to meet weekly on Sunday mornings at 10am. We will follow the lead of Mendota elementary school district #289 — if school is meeting in-person, our Confirmation classes will also be held in-person with class offered virtually on Zoom for any students who may be quarantined or who are remote-learners. Masks will be required and social distancing will be practiced. If district #289 classes are being conducted only via remote-learning, we will hold class on Zoom only. An email containing the login information will be sent to all confirmation students and families on Thursday prior to class.
Worship Notes for Confirmation Class
We hope you have been participating in our Sunday morning worship services, whether in person or via Facebook. Don’t forget to turn in your Worship Notes each week at Confirmation class. If you are a remote-learner or are quarantined, you can mail (or email) them to the church office. Because our worship services are all available on Facebook, you should be able to watch it at some point during the week if you are unable to watch it live on Sunday mornings. If you need the Worship Notes form re-sent to you, just call or email the church office. Extra copies are also available during Confirmation class. Though we have consistently received Worship Notes from a few students, we are missing a substantial amount. Please complete your notes and turn them in asap. Thanks!
Confirmation Camp at Lutherdale
Seven young people from our congregation are looking forward to a week at Confirmation Camp at Lutherdale Bible Camp this summer!! Ella Coss, Dessa Komitas, Ella Martin, Gracie Politsch, Meredith Politsch, Joshua Shakespeare, and Jillian Younger will be travelling to Elkhorn, Wisconsin the week of June 20th to 25th along with Pastor Ken (and Bob).
Details will be coming out in the May newsletter on how you might support them as they spend an awesome week at camp!
Details will be coming out in the May newsletter on how you might support them as they spend an awesome week at camp!
Mission Trip to Sky Ranch
High School & 8th grade students who are planning to participate in the mission trip to Sky Ranch Lutheran Camp in Colorado are reminded to turn their $50 deposit in to the church office by Monday, March 1st. If you need financial assistance for the deposit, please speak to Pastor Ken in private. Scholarship arrangements are available.
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.
Youth Volunteer at the OSF Community Garden
“Share your food with the hungry, and give shelter to the homeless.
Give clothes to those who need them, and do not hide from relatives
who need your help.” (Isaiah 58:7)
Give clothes to those who need them, and do not hide from relatives
who need your help.” (Isaiah 58:7)
Our Junior High and High School youth were invited by the volunteer coordinator at OSF St. Paul Medical Center to help “man” the hospital’s Community Garden the week of July 20th to 25th. On two different mornings, we worked to harvest 103 pounds of produce (WOW!), plant new crops of green beans and weed the beds. 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!!
What a fun way to be together while helping to feed those in need!!
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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