4/1/09

Dear St. John Members and Friends,



Psalm 121 says twice that God “watches over” us. But do you ever wonder about that ‘watching?’ When life is tough have you wondered, “Is God really watching over me?” When you face illness, when our country goes through crises, do you wonder if God is really watching?



Next week at St. John we serve and enjoy our traditional Passover Meal before our Maundy Thursday communion worship as part of our Holy Week worship schedule. (The meal is held at 6:00 p.m. on Thursday, April 9.) Do you remember what happened in the Passover?

* The Israelites had been slaves in Egypt for 400 years.
* When the blood of the Passover lamb was put on the lintels of
the door frames of the Israelites, the Angel of Death “passed over”
their homes. But in the homes of the Egyptians the first born of every living thing died.
* The Israelites were not only saved from death, they escaped from
Egypt for the Promised Land of Canaan.



Do you know what God has done for us in Jesus?

* We are all slaves to sin. Jesus says at the end of John 8:34,
“everyone who sins is a slave to sin.”
* Jesus is not only the Son of God, He is also the Lamb of God.
In John 1:29 John the Baptist says, "Look, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world!”
* By the blood of Jesus in His suffering and His death on the
cross we are cleansed from our sin and saved from death. 1 John 1:7 says, “the blood of Jesus, his Son, purifies us from all sin.”
* By the death and resurrection of Jesus we are saved for the
Promised Land of Heaven. Among the many verses that tell us of our new home are the words of Jesus in John 14:2-3, 2 In my Father's house are many rooms; if it were not so, I would have told you. I am going there to prepare a place for you. 3 And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come back and take you to be with me that you also may be where I am.



These historic events are not a coincidence! God has a plan for saving us in Jesus. The Passover occurred about 1500 years before Jesus’
crucifixion. Yet, God was communicating His salvation plan to His people in the actions of history 1500 years before Jesus’ death and resurrection. In other words, God does know what is happening in the world, and God is in control of all things for purpose of saving people through faith in Jesus.



Yes God is watching over us, even when we go through the trials of life.



Another child of God who needs “watching over”,

Pastor Jonathan



P.S. If you have not yet signed up to attend the Passover meal, please do so in worship this Wednesday or Sunday, or please call the church office at 745-3338 to sign up.



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ABOUT ‘THOUGHTS FROM THE PASTOR’ - I am sending these e-mail messages,
hopefully weekly, to all St. John members and friends whose e-mails I have. (I am always adding new names of friends and members – in case you are just receiving this e-mail for the first time.) However, if you don’t want to receive this e-mail, please let me know, and I’ll gladly leave your name off my list for this message. . . Or, if you know someone who would like to receive one of these e-mails, please send me their e-mail address.





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WOULD YOU LIKE TO JOIN OUR CHRISTIAN CONGREGATION? Pastor Rockey will teach a one day class, “An Overview of Biblical Teaching,” this Saturday, April 4, from 9;00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. Lunch and babysitting will be provided.

Those who have been attending this class on Sunday mornings can fill in and make up classes they may have missed. Also, if someone wants to join St. John, this summary of Biblical teaching is one way to do so.



A NEW SUNDAY BIBLE CLASS (starting this Sunday??) “THE PRESENT FUTURE – SIX TOUGH QUESTIONS FOR THE CHURCH” by Reggie McNeal will be the next Bible Class taught by Pastor Rockey on Sunday mornings in the area outside the kitchen.

This video series looks at the change in our society and possible church responses.

However, this class was supposed to be delivered last Friday, but has not yet arrived. Perhaps it is stuck in the volcano mail backup! If it arrives we start this Sunday!



HOLY WEEK WORSHIP AND SERVICE OPPORTUNITIES!
C MAUNDY THURSDAY, April 9, we celebrate our Lord’s love in
instituting the Lord’s Supper with a Passover meal at 6:00 p.m. in the Fellowship Hall, and a Communion Worship service at 7:30 in the sanctuary. On this night 7th Grade Confirmation Students have an opportunity to take the Lord’s Supper for the first time.

Cost for the meal is $9.00 for adults, and $5.00 for children. This meal is always a highlight in our worship of the Lord! We HOPE to have special music. Plan to attend! Please help us with this meal by signing up:

· Attendance - Please sign up on the sign up sheet on table in
the Narthex to let us know you are attending. This helps in preparation of the food.

· Helping with the meal - Please sign up if you can help with one
of the 7 or 8 jobs that go with offering this meal such as set up, take down, preparing different foods, etc.



C A GOOD FRIDAY SERVICE is held on Friday, April 10. This
somber worship service gives God’s people an opportunity to remember the greatest sacrifice, the greatest act of love ever shown. God gave His Son to die for our sins. For many years St. John Youth have led this worship and done an excellent job of sharing Jesus’ sacrifice and their faith. Worship is at 7:30 p.m.



C THREE EASTER SERVICES WILL BE HELD on Easter morning, April
12. The traditional Sunrise service is held at 7:00 p.m. with traditional Easter hymns. Both traditional and contemporary music will be offered at 9:00 and 11:00 a.m.



C EASTER BREAKFAST will be offered from 8:00 a.m. to 10:00 a.m.
on Easter Sunday morning.

The men of St. John traditionally prepare and serve this meal. A free will offering will be received. You could help us with this traditional Easter celebration in one of two ways.

· Hot Cross Buns - Bring some hot cross buns (or other pastry)
that you have prepared or bought. If you plan to bring these please sign up on the sign up sheet on the table in the narthex.

· Helping with the Meal - If you are a man of any age and you can
help set up, cook, or serve please sign up on the sign up sheet on the table in the narthex to let us know how you can help.



IF YOU WISH TO DONATE EASTER LILIES for our Easter Worship, please bring them to the church during the week of April 5, for Easter morning, April 12. The lilies will be kept in an office until Easter Morning. Please place your name on the bottom of the lily.



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A GATHERING OF OUR CHRISTIAN FAMILY – Twenty – five people showed up at the Rockey’s on Sunday March 29 for “A Gathering of Our Christian Family.” We enjoyed Sunday dinner, and discussed God’s work at St.
John.

Next month we will try to combine the groups of Pete Probasco and Lee Koss in a Friday or Saturday evening Gathering, perhaps
a barbeque. In order to provide spiritual care, our elders have
divided our congregational membership into ten groups, one group for each Elder. Hopefully these gatherings will help us get to know each other as God’s people, and help us to be united in doing the Lord’s work.

Please check the bulletin board in the back of the church to see who your elder is. Also, if you can’t find your name let us know. Mistakes are made in compiling these lists.



SEEKING A SERVANT HEART FOR OUR CHURCH KITCHEN – We are in need of a servant who could regularly check our kitchen and keep it organized.

As our Trustees and staff have discussed the much use that our kitchen receives it has become evident that we need one person to help us keep our kitchen in order.

If you are willing to help St. John in this servant role, please call Pastor Rockey at 745-3338, 841-4066, or 746-5131, or Administrative Assistant Judy Stahancyk at church at 745-3338. Pastor Rockey will discuss the hopes for this servant opportunity.



NEW BIBLES FOR WORSHIP – We will be buying new Bibles for our sanctuary in the coming months.

Our current Bibles are over 15 years old, and the majority of our Bibles show their wear. The council approved the purchase of new Bibles. The Large Print NIV Bible we currently have, which we will be purchasing again, cost $8.72 a piece, or $139.52 a case. Our hope is to buy about 150 new Bibles for the sanctuary, and use many of the sanctuary Bibles in Bible Classes.

A sign up sheet will be placed on the table in the narthex where you can sign up to donate Bibles. You may place your offerings for this project in the offering plate with “Bibles” written in the memo.

Thanks to those who have donated the first 139 Bibles!



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DID YOU KNOW THAT MUCH INFORMATION ABOUT ST. JOHN is available on our church website? The link is: http://www.st-john-lutheran.org
<http://www.st-john-lutheran.org/>