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  5/19/09

Dear St. John Members and Friends,



In worship I Sunday I received prayer requests for seven different individuals or families that are traveling. We were asked to pray

- the Allens on their way to their grandson’s graduation,

- the Rockeys attending Pastor’s graduation and the burial of Alice
Tobin,

- the Walters spending their honeymoon in Ireland.

- John and Lorna Lotz traveling to see John’s mother in Norway,

- Fred Voight going to visit his homestead in Slana,

- a friend of the Kastars going to Portland for medical treatment,
and

- Kathy Summers returning from caring for her mom in Houston.

That doesn’t include others traveling including

- members of the Nufer family who were traveling at the time of
worship,

- our Administrative Assistant Judy Stahancyk who was returning from
a trip for training in St. Louis.

- the Mirandas traveling to Seattle for medical treatment,

- the Osterkamps who head to Missouri this Saturday,

- nor many others whom I’ve been told are traveling.

What a list of travelers! Guess what? Summer has arrived in Alaska with all the travel and outdoor activities that summer brings.

While traveling can be tiring, many people are traveling away from home and work in order to rest. Rest is important in God’s plan for His children. (The word “rest” is used 269 times in Scripture according to my computer program.)

* We are told that God rested on the seventh day after creation,
Genesis 1
* God gives us a Sabbath so we can rest, Exodus 20:8-10
* Psalm 62 beautifully reminds us 2 times that “My soul finds rest
in God alone.”
* In Mark 6 Jesus instructed his disciples about rest. Then,
because so many people were coming and going that they did not even have a chance to eat, he said to them, "Come with me by yourselves to a quiet place and get some rest."

You may notice the underlining in the Bible verses above. We all need rest. God created us that way, and even has a commandment for our rest.
But rest is ultimately found in God, in His grace, His forgiveness, His love, and the eternal rest of heaven. So, this summer when you travel and get away, don’t leave our Lord behind. Take him with you to visit family, as you camp, as you travel.

“My soul finds rest in God alone.”

A child of God wearied by life’s demands, and renewed by our Loving Lord,

Pastor Jonathan

P.S. While traveling, I will get to visit with two people we have been praying for. Kathy and Tim and I will see Melanie and Kristin Kopperud, and we’ll visit with the Dittmers. Please give thanks to our Lord for healing, and continue praying for continued healing for Kristin Kopperud and Cherie Dittmer.

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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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COMMUNITY PICNIC – For the last 3 years St. John has held a picnic and INVITED THE COMMUNITY. This year the picnic will be held on Saturday, June 13 right after the Colony Days parade.

However, the budget for the Evangelism Board has been taxed by our mass mailings. Costs have increased. So, in order to stay in budget our picnic will be an “Ice Cream Social” rather than a feast of hamburgers and hot dogs. (This is a last minute change decided by Pastor Rockey and the Evangelism Board chairman based on our May 17 Council Meeting.) However, there are still some items where we need help.

We are marching in the parade. We need:

- CHILDREN ON BIKES.

- ADULTS WHO CAN WALK WITH THE CHILDREN. (Adults will hand out
invitations to the Ice Cream Social).

- We need donations of ice cream and people to serve.

WE HAVE OVER 50 St. John T-Shirts and Sweat shirts left.
Everyone marching in the parade will receive one free (until they are gone)!

Sign up sheets will be on the back table. Please plan now to help us reach out to the community.

“THE PRESENT FUTURE – SIX TOUGH QUESTIONS FOR THE CHURCH” by Reggie McNeal is the Bible Class now being 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. This week May 24, we look at the fourth new reality, ‘Apostolic Leadership.”


I WILL BE OUT OF TOWN much of the next 3 weeks for graduation, a Workers’ Conference, And Alaska Mission for Christ VBS in Kenia. This will be my last “Thoughts From the Pastor” until June 16. Our schedule looks like this.

* May 20-26 or 27 - Jonathan’s doctoral graduation in St. Louis
(May 22) and Alice’s burial in Memphis, May 26.
* May 27-29 – Alaska Workers’ Conference in Homer.
* June 1 – 5 – St. John Members help lead an Alaska Mission for
Christ Vacation Bible School in Kenai.

I will be in worship on Sunday, June 7.