St. John Lutheran Church June 2017________________________________________________________________________

Church Office: 563-242-5588Pastor Dan Pool: 321-6757, home

e-mail: dpool@stjohn-clinton-ia.orgWeb Site: www.stjohn-clinton-ia.org

________________________________________________________________________

Pastor Pool’s Sunday Bible Study

The Augsburg ConfessionThis year we celebrate the 500th

Anniversary of the Reformation. Beginning on Sunday, June 11, to get us ready for the Reformation celebration, we are studying the great Augsburg Confession. This document was the key text to explain the faith and practice of the Lutheran Reformation. Copies of the Augsburg Confession will be available for you to keep. This class is highly

recommended for those who would like to get to know our Church and theology, but the whole congregation is encouraged to attend! Sundays at 9:00 a.m. in the Fellowship Hall.

June 4: Special Guest Rev. Steven JacobsenJune 11: The Bible and Theological TopicsJune 18: God and Original SinJune 25: The Son of God and Justification

The Large CatechismThe Third Article

The Holy Spirit is the most misunderstood member of the Trinity. It is important to understand what the Scriptures say about Him. He is not a force, He is a person. He is a member of the Godhead. And Luther summarizes His work as sanctification.

In The Small Catechism, Luther says this, “I believe that I cannot by my own reason or strength believe in Jesus Christ, my Lord, or come to Him; but the Holy Spirit has called me by the Gospel, enlightened me with His gifts, sanctified and kept me in the true faith.”

So the Holy Spirit brings us into the faith. The Holy Spirit keeps us in the faith. And He does this work through His Church, and the things that go on in the Church. He breathes life into the ordinary things we experience in the Divine Service. Luther expands upon this in The Large Catechism:

Neither you nor I could ever know anything about Christ, or believe on Him, and have Him for our Lord, unless it were offered to us and granted to our hearts by the Holy Spirit through the preaching of the Gospel. The work of redemption is done and accomplished. Christ has acquired and gained the treasure for us by His suffering, death, resurrection, and so on. But if the work remained concealed so that no one knew about it, then it would be useless and lost. So that this treasure might not stay buried, but be received and enjoyed, God has caused the Word to go forth and be proclaimed. In the Word He has the Holy Spirit bring this treasure home and make it our own. Therefore, sanctifying is just bringing us to Christ so we receive this good, which we could not get ourselves.

So don’t look for the work of the Holy Spirit in your feelings. He isn’t going to give you secret messages about what you are supposed to do. Look for Him where He has promised to be found, in the Word of God and in the Sacraments.

As we enter the Pentecost season. We are reminded of the Spirit’s work among us in the Word. His work doesn’t bring confusion or chaos, sentimentalism or sensationalism. Instead, He brings love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control.

A Blessed Pentecost Season to you!

Pastor

Do you shop at Amazon.com?

AmazonSmile will make a donation to St. John each time you make a purchase. Go to smile.amazon.com/ch/42-6005460 to register your account. After registering your Amazon account, start each purchase at smile.amazon.com.

Facebook

Did you know the Church has a Facebook page? You can like us on Facebook at St. John Lutheran Church, Clinton.

Summer Services

Our Summer Wednesday Services begin June 7. Join us each Wednesday in June, July, and August at 7:00 p.m. The summer theme is "After the Darkness, Light" from John's Gospel and Job 17:12. Holy Communion will be served the first Wednesday of each month. Elders are asked to sign-up in the fellowship hall to assist.

Higher Things

We have 11 youth and 4 adults going to the Higher Things Youth Conference, July 25-28 in Valparaiso, IN. We are excited for all that we will learn this summer! Your financial help is still welcome. Thrivent Choice dollars directed to St. John Lutheran Church are helping us. If you are interested in one of our Higher

Things St. John t-shirts, a limited number will be available for $15 in June. By the way, it says, in Latin, our summer service theme, “After the Darkness, Light.” On the back it says, “St. John Lutheran Church, Clinton, Iowa”.

Adam Barkley

We are pleased to announce that Adam Barkley, will be ordained and installed as Pastor of Luther Memorial Lutheran Church in Sheboygan, WI on Saturday, June 17 at 10:00 a.m. Adam will be our guest here at St. John on Sunday, June 11.

Lutheran Family Day at AdventurelandJune 21 - Gates Open @ 10:00 A.M.

Make June 21 a family day at Adventureland Amusement Park near Des Moines, Iowa. There’s no pre-registeration necessary. Just make sure you buy your tickets at the Group Gate at the entrance to the park. Entry passes are $26 per person and must be paid for in cash. No credit cards will be processed at the Group Gate. The gates open at 10:00 a.m.

Thank you to the Sunday School teachers and staff who shared their time and abilities with the students during the past school year. We appreciate all that you have done:

Ross Eberhart, Sarah Flathers, Sheryl Jindrich, Jackie Kammerer, Shania Mussmann, Sallie Pool, Tara Sirna, Angie Stewart, Moriah Stewart, and Janice Wheelock.

Summer Sunday School

Beginning in June, we will have Children’s Summer Sunday School only on the first Sunday of each month (June 4, July 2, and August 6). We will be watching a special video series on the life of Jesus, with popcorn and prayers. On the other Sundays, we will not have children’s classes. Both adult classes

will continue to meet. Teens and kids are welcome to attend with parents.

Check It Out In Our Church Library

Without This RingBy Donna Pyle

Divorce affects every aspect of your life. But no matter where you are in that journey, you don’t have to walk it alone. This book is a road map to healing. It includes testimonies from dozens of others who share their confessions of struggle, anger, and grief for the purpose of helping you find your way toward forgiveness and letting go. Also included are pastoral wisdom and professional counselors’ tools to direct you to Christ, our ultimate healer.

2 New Veggie Tales DVDs

Captain LarrybeardStories about sharing and caring

Maclarry and the Stinky Cheese BattleA lesson in getting along with others

2 New Adult DVDs

(donated by Wesley Melchin)

Profiles Beyond the SpotlightThe Intersection of Church & State

Fellowship Club Potluck

St. John Fellowship Club will meet on Tuesday, June 6 at 6:00 p.m. for a potluck supper at the church. Please bring food to share. The beverages and table service will be furnished. Everyone is welcome to attend.

Ladies Evening Bible Study

Ladies Evening Bible Study will meet on June 6 and 20 at 7:00 p.m. in at the church. All women are welcome!

Ladies Aid

The Ladies Aid noon luncheon on Friday, June 2 will be a catered potato bar with a salad and dessert for a cost of $10.  Please RSVP to Claudia at 563-259-0901 by May 30.  There will be "dirty bingo" so bring a white elephant gift to exchange.

Mary Martha

Mary Martha Society will meet in the fellowship hall on Tuesday, June 13 at 7:00 p.m. Pastor Pool will be leading the Bible Study. Hostesses are Marilyn Stuedemann and Millie Wilke. All ladies are invited to join us.

Help Needed!!

The Quilting Bee is looking for volunteers to help tie quilts for Lutheran World Relief. No sewing skills are required! Join us on Thursday, June 15 at 9:00 a.m. in the fellowship hall to help with this worthwhile cause.

Vacation Bible School

Vacation Bible School will be July 17-21, 2017. Our theme this year is “Mighty Fortress.” 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!

Things you never hear in church…1. Hey! It’s my turn to sit in the front pew.2. I was so enthralled, I never noticed the sermon

ran 25 minutes long.3. Personally, I find witnessing much more

enjoyable than golf.4. I’ve decided to give our church the $500 a month

I used to send to the TV evangelists.5. I volunteer to be the permanent teacher for the

junior high Sunday school class.6. I love it when we sing hymns I’ve never heard

before.7. Since we’re all here, let’s start the service early.8. Pastor, we’d like to send you to a Bible seminar

in the Bahamas.9. Nothing inspires me and strengthens my

commitment like our annual stewardship campaign.

10. I couldn’t find space to park outside. Praise God!

Installation of Officers and Board Members

The installation of new and returning Officers and Board Members will take place on Sunday, June 25. You may attend either service. Pastor will call all of you forward together. Thanks for your care of our congregation, and its ministry and service.

Save the Date

The St. John Church Picnic is August 27 this year. We look forward to seeing you there!

Altar Flowers

Flowers may be placed on the altar on any Sunday except during Lent. This may be done in memory of someone, commemorating a birthday or anniversary, or as a service of love. The sign-up sheet is on the bulletin board in the narthex.

Hy-Vee, Flowers on 5th, and Clinton Floral have keys to St. John so if you are ordering flowers from them they should be able to pick up the vase liners and deliver the flowers when it is convenient for them. If you would like to use a different florist, you may stop by the church office the week before you are signed up for flowers and pick up a church key and the vase liners for the florist. Please ask the florist to leave the church key in the sacristy when they deliver the flowers.

Please contact the church office, 242-5588, by Thursday at Noon with your altar flower bulletin announcement, the florist who will be delivering the flowers, and whether or not you would like to keep the altar flowers after service or have them delivered to the sick or shut-in members of the congregation.

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.

Preschool Registration

The preschool is accepting students for the 2017/2018 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 from 8:50 a.m. – 12:45 p.m. to be more accommodating to parents and to provide more for our students. Tuition will be $120.00 per month for 1st year students and will be free for 2nd year students who have completed one full year in our program. Contact the church office, 242-5588, for more information or enrollment forms.

June Birthdays & Anniversaries

C O N G R A T U L A T I O N S!

Happy Birthday to:

Millie Wilke, who will be 81 on June 2.Doris Jacobsen, who will be 88 on June 3. Lois Specht, who will be 86 on June 4.Russ Henningsen, who will be 82 on June 16.Donna Licht, who will be 83 on June 25.Alice Stuedemann, who will be 85 on June 26.

Happy Anniversary to:

Stephen & Bonnie Ugarph, 1st Wedding Anniversary on June 4.Shawn & Kristi Kuhse, 10th Wedding Anniversary on June 16.Corbyn & Molly Mellinger, 1st Wedding Anniversary on June 18.

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 now 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 JUNE

Early

Elders: Jim Schnitzmeyer Kurt Flathers

Ushers: Jay Mueller Brian Wall Calvin Lange Wesley Melchin

Nursery Attendants (Late)

4 – Sandy Bovis &Moriah Stewart

11 – Natalie & Molly Jackson

18 – Jennifer Kammerer

25 – Sheryl Jindrich

Recording

4 – Paul Wenzel11– Darlene Paysen18– Paul Wenzel25 – Darlene Paysen

Late

Elders: David Becker Tom Hardersen

Ushers: Bryce Petersen Randy Housenga Harlan Dell Kevin Dell

Acolyte Schedule

4-Early – Elder4-Late – Kaleb Bovis

11-Early – William Schemers11-Late – Elder

18-Early – Elder18-Late – Elder

25-Early – Maya Murtha25-Late – Elder

NEWSLETTER DEADLINE: JUNE 20If you would like to put any information in the newsletter, contact Angie Stewart, and get her the information by June 20.