St. John Lutheran Church October 2018________________________________________________________________________

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

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

________________________________________________________________________

Genesis Bible Study with PastorThis month we are exploring Genesis verse by verse. We normally meet on the 1st and 3rd Tuesdays at 9:30 a.m. or 7:00 p.m. in classroom 1 or the Fellowship Hall. Our first meeting in October will meet on Tuesday, October 2 at 7:00 p.m. and Wednesday October 3 at 9:30 a.m. All are welcome. Bring your Bible.

October 2 at 7:00 p.m. or October 3 at 9:30 a.m.: Genesis 1-2: CreationOctober 16: Genesis 3: The Fall

Remembering Who We AreIn 2016 our Church went through the process of defining our core values. I hope the process has helped us grow, especially in talking to others about who we are as a Church. We also intended these values to guide our lives as a congregation and as individuals. But it has been a while. So as a reminder, here they are:

Biblical: We believe the Bible to be the revelation of God. It is the Word of God and it brings us Christ. We take it seriously. We submit to its authority. We read, study, and give it prominence in worship. It is inspired, inerrant, and life-changing.

Confessional: We have a clear statement of what we believe and hold to it. We are creedal Christians holding especially to the historic creeds, the Small Catechism, and the Lutheran Confessions. We value God’s Word above all. You don’t have to wonder about what we believe.

Liturgical: We value the Third Commandment, remembering the Sabbath Day and keeping it holy. We worship weekly and we use our historic Lutheran liturgy, which is full of God’s Word. We value the Sacraments. We gather to receive. We worship the way that we do, not because it is old-fashioned, but because it is faithful.

Missional: God has purposes for His baptized people. His Word speaks to our behaviors, habits, and vocations. God calls us to a new life. He gives us His life as our own. And He sends us out into our families and communities as His representatives. We talk about Jesus and we invite people to join us for our services.

I hope these values are important to you. And I hope you can see the ways that they have begun to define us as a congregation. As you talk about our Church and as you invite others to find their place in our fellowship, use these values to guide your conversation. Our community could use the firm foundation that we have at St. John in Jesus Christ. So let’s speak about Him to our friends and family. And let’s speak of our congregation as a biblical, confessional, liturgical, and missional Church.

In His Grace,Pastor

Sunday Services in October

October 7: LWML SundayOctober 14: Mission Festival SundayOctober 21: 22nd Sunday after PentecostOctober 28: Reformation Day

Higher ThingsMark your calendars for our Summer Higher Things Youth Conference, July 16-19, 2019 at Concordia University Wisconsin. This is for confirmed young people. Registration forms will be available very soon in the Fellowship Hall. $100 will hold your registration. Talk to Pastor if you have any questions.

Operation Christmas ChildThis year for our Mission Festival Project, we are participating as a congregation in Operation Christmas Child. This is a chance for our congregation to share the Gospel and help children across the world with a Christmas gift to meet their basic needs. Boxes and brochures are now available for you to pick up. $9 covers shipping for each box. Our goal is to fill 200 boxes. Everything is due at Church by November 4. Get all of your questions answered on Mission Festival Sunday, October 14.

The Fellowship Club

The Fellowship Club will be collecting wrapped toys for hospitalized U of I children for Christmas. The gifts must be labeled for “boy” or “girl” and age range. Please place your gifts near the office by December 7th.

Deaconess TrainingEmily Pool has started her studies in the Deaconess Program at Concordia Theological Seminary. We have the opportunity to support her preparation for full-time Church work with our gifts to the scholarship fund. Mark your offering envelope "scholarship fund" if you would like to help.

Reformation Movie Night We are showing The Luther Movie in celebration of the 501st anniversary of the Reformation. This is the dramatic version of Luther’s life starring Joseph Fiennes and Sir Peter Ustinov. Join us on Reformation Sunday, October 28 at 5:00 p.m. in the Fellowship Hall. Bring your favorite chair. Snacks and drinks are provided.

Thanksgiving Food DriveBeginning October 20, we will be receiving Thanksgiving food items in the hallways by classroom 1 to give to families connected with our congregation who are in need. Please bring canned fruits and vegetables, stuffing, instant mashed potatoes, boxed desserts, etc. We are hoping to put together 10 baskets. Let the office know if you would like to receive a basket. This drive is sponsored by the Board of Evangelism.

Thanksgiving Potluck Mark your calendars for our Church Potluck Thanksgiving Meal Sunday, November 11 after Late Service (approximately 11:30). The Board of Evangelism will be preparing turkey, gravy, and drinks. We ask that you bring a dish or two to share including mashed potatoes, stuffing, salads, rolls, desserts, etc. We look forward to celebrating our thankfulness to God who gives us all good things.

From the desk of KURT FLATHERS, Director of the Board of Elders:

Reformation 501You look at the title above and you would think this is the name of a college course on world religions.  But it is not. We celebrate this October 31st the five hundred and first anniversary of Martin Luther nailing the 95 theses to the church door at Wittenberg.  And, in classic Luther style, we should ask, what does this mean? It means a lot. Luther saw the problems and was concerned.  He saw the church making money selling indulgences to get people out of sins and death in hell and able to grant them access to heaven.  He saw the church getting away from the scriptures and only going by what the pope stated. He saw a real mess. But he did not want to start a new religion, he wanted to debate the things that the church was doing.  Whether it be pro or con, he wanted to take a stand in what the Word spoke. We too, need to do the same. We need to look at things in the way the Word states it. And by the Word, I mean Christ. The Word became flesh and dwelt among us.  Some believed, and others did not take His words to heart. He died that we might live, and lives that death may die.

We need to be in the Word.  Did you know, on Sunday mornings we are in the Word all the time.  The liturgy is the Word of God, spoken, read, chanted, meditated on, and inwardly digested.  We speak the Introit which is a Psalm, we hear and Old Testament reading, an Epistle lesson from one of the Apostles, and a Gospel reading of Jesus’ Words and actions.  Pastor preaches on one of the readings and we sing the liturgy from various text of scripture. On Communion Sundays, we inwardly Digest the Word who gave his flesh and blood for us to eat and drink in this Holy Sacrament.  

Luther wanted the church to be able to understand the Word, so he translated it for all to hear, understand and read.  We need to do it more and more. Not just on Sunday morning. Every day is a day to be in God’s Word. Also, every Lord’s day, be in the Divine Service.  Here we have a free gift of grace in Jesus Christ our Lord. We are justified before God by Christ. Let Christ be shown by all you do and say, let your life reflect His life.  We cannot buy our way into heaven. We only follow the infallible Word of God, who dwelt among us, redeemed us, and is coming to take us to be with him forever. Read, mark, learn, and inwardly digest the Word!  Celebrate the Reformation. Reform your ways and be in God’s House and in the Word. Grace to you and peace.

Fellowship Club Potluck

St. John Fellowship Club will meet on Tuesday, October 3, 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.

Mary Martha

The Mary Martha meeting will be Tuesday, October 9 at 7:00 p.m. in the fellowship hall. Pastor Pool will lead the Bible study. The 2019 altar duties sign-up sheets will be available. Debby Gosnell and Barb Ried will serve as hostesses. All ladies are invited to attend.

Ladies Aid

Ladies Aid will meet in the fellowship hall on Friday, October 5 at 1:30 p.m.

HospitalizationPlease 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.

Youth Catechesis

Youth Catechesis meets every Wednesday at 7:00 p.m. Youth Catechesis will meet every Wednesday September – April, except when the public school schedules vacation or closes school because of bad weather. We will not be meeting on Wednesday, October 31.

Adult ChoirThe Adult Choir practices every Wednesday at 7:30 p.m. Consider joining us for regular weekly practices, where we will be learning new hymns and taking a stab at chanting the Psalms for Sunday Service.

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.

Check It Out In Our Church Library

What Luther Says (an Anthology)

This set of 3 volumes contain no less than 5,100 quotations on more than 200 subjects from absolution to zeal. You will find some really good advice and information on how to deal with everyday concerns such as anger, fear and death. Even though Luther’s books may be big and scary, there is no need to read the entire book. Just enjoy the parts that hold your interest.

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.

Facebook

Did you know the Church has a Facebook page? You can like us

on Facebook at St. John Lutheran Church, Clinton.

Altar FlowersThe new 2019 altar flower sign-up sheet is on the bulletin board in the narthex. 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.

Hy-Vee and Clinton Floral both 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.

Clinton Lutheran HourRadio Broadcast

The Clinton Lutheran Hour has been coming into people’s homes, through KROS Radio broadcasts, since 1950.

For those who are shut-ins or are unable to come to church, this is a wonderful way to hear God’s word, through Pastor Pool, and be a part of the worship service.

The Radio Mission League sponsors these broadcasts each Sunday morning at 9:30 a.m. on KROS 1340 AM or 105.9 FM. Donations made from St. John congregation make this possible.

Would you like to assure the continuance of these broadcasts with a donation? A broadcast may be sponsored for a specific Sunday for $35.00 by contacting Janice Wheelock, 321-4536.

Darlene Paysen and Paul Wenzel record our services each week, Jeff Niebuhr is our announcer, Janice Wheelock schedules the broadcasts, and Sharon Brown is the treasurer.

The Sunday School classes began on September 2.

Our Sunday School and Bible Classes meet on Sunday mornings at 9:00 a.m.

Following is a list of the rooms, teachers, and grades meeting for Sunday School and Bible Class:

Room 1 – Kurt Flathers, Adult Bible StudyRoom 2 – Ross Eberhart, high school & collegeMother’s Room – Sallie Pool, grades 6-8Room 4 – Janice Wheelock & Jackie Kammerer, grades 3-5Room 5 – Sarah Flathers, grades 1-2Room 9 – Sheryl Jindrich, preschool & kindergartenNursery – Lucas Krueger, Parents of Young Kids

Church Fellowship Hall – Pastor Pool’s Bible Study

Sunday School & Bible Classes

October Birthdays & Anniversaries

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

Happy Birthday to: Howard Vogel, who will be 86 on October 2. Ronald McGauvran, who will be 85 on October 4.Kathleen Lorenzen, who will be 82 on October 24.Ben Tietjens who will be 80 on October 26.

Happy Anniversary to:David & Jane Hayes, 30th Wedding Anniversary on Oct. 15. Steve & Teresa Kinsey, 40th Wedding Anniversary on Oct. 21.Ethan & Holly Johnson, 1st Wedding Anniversary on Oct. 22. Jason & Kris Whalen, 10th Wedding Anniversary on Oct. 25.

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 CallsPastor 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 OCTOBER

Early Late

Elders: Jim Schnitzmeyer Elders: Tom Hardersen Dave Reynolds James McHugh

Ushers: Daniel Stewart Ushers: Pete Sirna Matthew Stewart Dale Schroeder Donivan Sirna Stephen VanVuren Parker Sirna Kevin Montgomery

Nursery Attendants (Late) Acolyte Schedule7 – Tara Sirna 7-Early-Sam Reynolds14 – Jennifer Kammerer 7- Late- Elder21 – Margie Mueller28 – Kristi LaShelle 14-Early- Carver Lange

14-Late- Hunter HolesingerRecording 7 – Paul Wenzel 21-Early-Nolan Lange14 – Darlene Paysen 21-Late- Elder21 – Darlene Paysen28 – Darlene Paysen 28-Early-Drew Steiner

28-Late- Elijah Mueller

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