St. John Lutheran Church May 2019________________________________________________________________________

Church Office: 563-242-5588Pastor Daniel Pool: 321-6757, homee-mail: dpool@stjohn-clinton-ia.orgWeb Site: www.stjohn-clinton-ia.org

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Confirmation Day – May 5

On Sunday, May 5, at the 10:15 a.m. service, two young adults of St. John will be received into communicant membership of the congregation. Those to be confirmed this year are: Aaron Becker and Sam Reynolds.

Genesis Bible Study with Pastor

Our Tuesday Bible study is exploring Genesis verse by verse. We normally meet on the 1st and 3rd Tuesdays. This month we will not meet on Tuesday, May 7 because Pastor will be at the IDE Pastors’ Conference. Our study is

at 9:30 a.m. or 7:00 p.m. in classroom 1. New people are always welcome, so please join us! Bring your Bible.

May 21: Genesis 29-32: Jacob Wrestles with God

The Formula of Concord: The Righteousness of Faith before GodWe are looking at short excerpts from the Formula of Concord in our newsletter articles this year. The Formula is helpful for us to stay grounded in sound theology. God’s Word matters. And theology is just coming to a right understanding of what God has revealed about Christ, the world, humanity, and life.

The Formula can get a little technical. This article stemmed from a debate over whether the righteousness that is credited to us from Christ by faith is from the divine or human nature of Christ. The Reformers said that this righteousness is from the whole Christ—human and divine.

Of all the things we want to get right, it is our eternal standing before God. We take seriously the guilt of original sin and actual sin. For us to be right with God, the solution must be divine. Only God can restore us to Himself. If we are to stand righteous on judgment day, Christ Himself must supply the righteousness. Notice in this article that God does everything for us to be right before Him.

Faith alone receives the righteousness of Christ. But faith needs to be rightly defined. It does not just believe that God exists. Faith is not just confessing the story of Jesus is true. Faith is good theology mixed with absolute trust. We want from God what Christ accomplished in His life death and resurrection.

We believe, teach, and confess that our righteousness before God is that God forgives us our sins out of pure grace, without any work, merit, or worthiness of ours preceding, present, or following, that He presents and imputes to us the righteousness of Christ's obedience, on account of which righteousness we are received into grace by God, and regarded as righteous.

We believe, teach, and confess that faith alone is the means and instrument whereby we lay hold of Christ, and thus in Christ of that righteousness which avails before God, for whose sake this faith is imputed to us for righteousness, Rom. 4:5.

We believe, teach, and confess that this faith is not a bare knowledge of the history of Christ, but such a gift of God by which we come to the right knowledge of Christ as our Redeemer

in the Word of the Gospel, and trust in Him that for the sake of His obedience alone we have, by grace, the forgiveness of sins, are regarded as holy and righteous before God the Father, and eternally saved.

Pick up a copy of The Formula of Concord. May it help you with sound theology and may you find salvation in Christ alone, by grace alone, through faith alone!

Pastor

Pastor Pool’s Sunday Bible StudyThe Gospel of Mark

In April, we will begin a new study on the Gospel of Mark. The focus of this study will be knowing Jesus in light of the Word of

God. This class meets Sundays at 9:00 a.m. in the Fellowship Hall. No previous Bible study experience is necessary and it is always fine to sit and listen.

May 5: Mark 1:9-20: Jesus Begins His MinistryMay 12: Mark 1:21-34: Healing and DeliveranceMay 19: Mark 1:35-45: A Man with LeprosyMay 26: Mark 2:1-12: The Paralytic

Movie NightThe Board of Evangelism will be hosting a movie night Sunday, May 19 at 5:00 p.m. in the Fellowship Hall. We will be watching The Voyage of the Dawn Treader. Pizza will be served during intermission. Bring your own comfortable chair if you would like!

Ascension Service

This year’s joint Ascension service with Immanuel Lutheran will be held in Charlotte on Thursday, May 30 at 7:00 p.m. All St. John members are encouraged to attend. Refreshments and fellowship follow the service.

Higher Things

We have 9 youth and 4 adults going to the Higher Things Youth conference this summer at Concordia Wisconsin. We are excited to have so many go! But we could use your help. The cost per person is $375 plus travel and adult expenses. Would you consider giving a gift to help our young people? Thrivent Choice dollars directed to St. John Lutheran Church are also helping us. Direct those choice dollars today.

Summer Wednesday ServicesMark your calendar for Wednesday services in June, July and August on Wednesdays at 7:00 p.m.

Summer Sunday SchoolBeginning in June, we will have Children’s Summer Sunday

School only on the first Sunday of each month. We will be watching a special video

series with popcorn and prayers. On the other Sundays, we will not have

Children’s classes. The Adult classes will continue to meet. Teens and kids

are welcome to attend with parents.

Check It Out In Our Church Library

One Light Still Shines by Marie Monville

On October 2, 2006, Marie Monville’s husband entered an Amish schoolhouse in Lancaster County Pennsylvania, and shot ten young girls, killing five of them, before turning the gun on himself. The event shocked the nation and left many staggering under the weight of such tragedy and evil. Marie was overwhelmed. What she never anticipated was a tangible encounter with God reaching into her circumstances, rewriting all she believed about herself, her faith, and God’s ability to forge beauty out of life’s ashes.

Sermons in the Library

If you have missed a Sunday or two of church, you will find past copies of Pastor’s sermons on the checkout table in the library. Please help yourself.

Library MeetingThere will be a Library meeting on Tuesday, May 21 at 9:30 a.m.

Youth CatechesisWednesday, May 1, 7-8:30 p.m. will be the last class of the year. Questioning is being held in private this year with Catechumen, parents, elder, and Pastor.

Board of Elders

The Board of Elders will meet on Monday, May 6 at 7:30 p.m.

Board of Trustees

The Board of Trustees will meet on Monday, May 13 at 6:00 p.m.

Board of Stewardship

The Board of Stewardship will meet on Monday, May 20 at 6:00 p.m.

Board of Education

The Board of Education will meet on Monday, May 20 at 7:00 p.m.

Board of Evangelism

The Board of Evangelism will meet on Tuesday, May 21 at 6:00 p.m.

Voters’ Assembly

Our Voters’ Assembly will meet on Tuesday, May 28 at 7:30 p.m. due to Memorial Day on Monday, May 27. All are invited to the Voters’ Assembly. Come and get involved in the work of the Church.

Board Meetings

Ladies AidLadies Aid will meet in the Fellowship Hall on Friday, May 3 at 1:30 p.m. Pastor Pool will be leading the Bible study. Helen Niebuhr and Dawn Adamiec will be our hostesses. All ladies are welcome to attend.

Mary Martha In place of their May meeting the Mary Martha ladies will attend the Grace Camp Women’s Retreat and Salad Luncheon on Thursday, May 9 either from 12-3 or 6-9 p.m. The cost is $10 per person. All ladies are invited. For reservations call Carol Stuedemann at 563-243-4762 by May 5.

Quilting BeeThe Quilting Bee will meet on Thursday, May 16 at 9:00 a.m. in the Fellowship Hall. All ladies interested in helping sew and tie quilts for Lutheran World Relief are invited to attend.

Grace Camp Annual Spring Retreat

Grace Camp Board would like to invite you to our annual Spring Retreat on Thursday, May 9, 2019 at the Andrew Centerat Grace Camp. The retreat will be offered at an afternoon session from 12-3 and also in the evening from 6-9 p.m. Each session will begin with a salad meal and devotions.

Reservations may be made by calling Maribeth at 563-357-0780 by May 6, indicating which session you plan to attend. The registration fee for the retreat is $10 per person.

Preschool NewsThe preschool is now accepting students for the 2019/2020 school year. We will continue to have a multi-age classroom setting with 3 year olds attending 3 days per week and older children attending 5 days per week. Our hours of operation are 8:50 a.m. – 12:45 p.m. Tuition will be $135.00 per month for 1st

year 3-day students, $165.00 per month for 1st year 5-day students, and will be free for 2nd year returning students. Contact the church office, 242-5588, for more information or enrollment forms.

Congratulations St. John Preschool!

We are pleased to inform you that the Southeast Iowa Regional STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math) Advisory Board of the Iowa Governor’s STEM Advisory Council has awarded us a STEM Scale-Up Program for Light and Shadow. This award includes materials and training for both Mrs. Sperry and Mrs. Andresen. The board reviewed more than 120 applications for materials so we feel very blessed to have received this award.  This program provides:  • A kit that includes a large floor screen and small table screen, a variety of light sources (LED work lights, Maglites, light boards, etc.) and a variety of materials (translucent, opaque, and transparent) to interact with light and shadow• Wooden storage cart for Light & Shadow materials• Print resources for learning about the science of light and shadow, and how to set up a light and shadow center in a classroom• Two days of professional development with one hour of University of Northern Iowa graduate credit.• $120 for each day (sub pay or stipend).

We look forward to the training we will receive and the opportunities this award will provide our students.

Clinton Area Let’s Live Healthy Grant

Our preschool also recently applied for and received a $300 grant from the Clinton Area Let’s Live Healthy Initiative. We received the grant for registering at the 5-2-1-0 site and completing a self-assessment in the NAPSACC (Nutrition and Physical Activity Self –Assessment for Child Care) Program. The money is to be used for items relating to healthy eating (books, posters, gardening, cups/thermos for water) or physical activity. Iowa has created Healthy Choices Count! It’s a health-focused movement for kids that’s under the nationally recognized program, 5-2-1-0 which stands for 5 servings of fruits and vegetables, 2 hours or less of screen time, 1 hour or more of physical activity, and 0 sugary drinks-more water!

You’re Invited!

The preschool end-of-year program will be held Wednesday, May 29th at 11:30 a.m. in the sanctuary.  The children will share songs, rhymes, and a Bible verse they have learned this year with family and friends.  The program will be followed by a potluck picnic luncheon to be held in the Pavilion or in the Fellowship Hall depending on the weather.  

Scrip FundraiserThrough Scrip, we raise money for our everyday preschool expenses in places we already shop. Scrip permits us to buy prepaid cards for places like Walmart, Jewel, Amazon, gas stations, and restaurants. These

organizations then make donations to us. The typical donation can vary from 2-16%. This means no extra money out of pocket and yet we can still raise funds. Order forms are available in the Fellowship Hall or Church office. Ask your Board of Education members if you have any questions. Our next Scrip order is due

May 5. Cards will be available for pick-up by May 12. We will put your cards in your box in the narthex.

Food Pantry Collection - May 5

Donations of nonperishable food items, paper, and soap products may be brought to the Fellowship Hall on Sunday, May 6 for the food pantry collection at the Victory Center. These items will be distributed to the unemployed of the community.

Vacation Bible School

Please mark your June calendars for Vacation Bible School which will be held the week of June 24-28, 2019. Our theme this year is “Miraculous Mission.” VBS is for children 4 years old or enrolled in St. John Sunday School or Preschool through those entering grade 7. Older children and adults are welcome to volunteer as helpers. Mark your calendars and plan on joining us for another exciting adventure.

Church Office Closed – May 27 Please note that the St. John Church Office will be closed on Monday, May 27 for Memorial Day.

Service At The AlvernoPastor will be hosting an afternoon Church Service at the Alverno on the second Sunday of each month, beginning Sunday, May 12 at 1:30 p.m. Please let your family members, who reside there, know.

Hospitalization

Please be sure to mention St. John Lutheran Church if you are admitted at Mercy Medical Center, Clinton. Your pastor wants to visit you when you’re hospitalized, but the only sure way for him to know is for you or a family member to call the church office, 242-5588. If you

would like pastor to visit, but not have your name announced on Sunday, your request will be honored.

May Birthdays & AnniversariesC O N G R A T U L A T I O N S !

Happy Birthday to: Jerry Edwards, who will be 81 on May 10Donald Schwartz, who will be 91 on May 11.Darlene Omann, who will be 89 on May 13. Alice Kopf, who will be 96 on May 19. Gene Siefken, who will be 87 on May 28.

Happy Anniversary to:Robert & Kristi Balk, 10th wedding anniversary on May 9.Brandon & Sarah Dopson, 5th wedding anniversary on May 10.Mark & Alisse Thomas, 5th wedding anniversary on May 17.Brian & Kaitlyn Kostka, 1st wedding anniversary on May 30.

We list birthdays 80 and above and anniversaries for year one and every five years thereafter unless we receive a request not to do so.

Private Communion Calls

Pastor Pool makes his visits to those in nursing homes throughout the month. Those at home who would like to receive a communion visit are asked to call Pastor at the Church Office, 242-5588, to schedule a convenient time.

THOSE WHO SERVE IN MAY

Early

Elders: Jim Schnitzmeyer Bill Ross

Ushers: Brent Pladna Gary Lueders Jon Meyermann Craig Miller

Nursery Attendants (Late)5 – Tara Sirna

12 – Heather Becker

19– Barb Bialas

26 – Sandy Bovis

Recording 5 – Darlene Paysen12– Darlene Paysen19 – Darlene Paysen26 – Darlene Paysen

Late

Elders: Troy Bialas Kurt F. / Dave R.

Ushers: Wayne Becker Keith Doucette Kevin Cheney

Acolyte Schedule5-Early – Nolan Lange5-Late – Elijah Mueller

12-Early – Elder12-Late – Hunter Holesinger

19-Early – Elder19-Late – Drew Steiner

26-Early – Carver Lange26-Late – Elder

NEWSLETTER DEADLINE: MAY 20If you would like to put any information in the newsletter, contact Camil Dell, and get her the information by May 20.