Dear Members and Friends of St. John,

 

This is my last e-mail “Thoughts from the Pastor” for a few weeks.  Next week I will be involved in Kaleidoscope, a Christian youth camp for high school Alaskan Youth in our denomination. K-Scope is being held at Meier Lake Camp in Wasilla, July 20-25.   The following week I will take the visiting leaders fishing.  (It’s tough, but someone has to do it!)

 

This year between 30 and 34 youth are registered (between 16-19 from St. John), the most I have seen attend since I began helping to lead these camps in 1993.  I have told folks that I have seen high school youth attend National Youth Gatherings with 25,000 – 30,000 people and grow in faith.  However, I have seen the same young people attend K-Scope and have a deeper and more lasting faith experience even than a National Youth Gathering.

 

Psalm 119 discusses growth in faith for our young people.  The second stanza of this Psalm says the following about youth growing in faith:

9 How can a young man keep his way pure? By living according to your word.

10 I seek you with all my heart; do not let me stray from your commands.

11 I have hidden your word in my heart that I might not sin against you.

12 Praise be to you, O LORD; teach me your decrees.

13 With my lips I recount all the laws that come from your mouth.

14 I rejoice in following your statutes as one rejoices in great riches.

15 I meditate on your precepts and consider your ways.

16 I delight in your decrees; I will not neglect your word.

 

Our young people face a virtual assault on their faith on a regular basis.  So, my prayer for K-Scope this year is that through this camp God leads our young men and young women to

• meditate on God’s Word and precepts (v. 15),
• delight in God’s Word and decrees (v. 16),
• hide God’s Word in their hearts (v. 11), and
• live according to the Word of God (v. 9).

 

I pray that you will join me in praying for these young people and this camp.

 

A Fellow Child of God,

Pastor Jonathan

++++++++

 

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.

+++

 

 

IN AUGUST WE BEGIN A SERMON SERIES based on requests from congregational members.  The following topics will be examined based on God’s Word during the month of August.

            August 3           “When God’s Response to Prayer is (heavy) Silence”

            August 10         “Earth Stewardship”    

            August 17         “Similarities between Christian and Native Worship”

            August 24         “The Difference between Worship and Evangelism”

            August 10         “Meditation and Rest with God”

 

ADULT MEMBER CLASS – Two new adult information and membership classes are being held at St. John in my office.  One class is being held on Sunday mornings between worship services.  This class that starts at 9:30 a.m. The other class is being held on Tuesday evenings (except during K-scope) at 7:00 p.m.  These classes will examine basic teaching of the Christian faith from Scripture as a way for Christians to grow, and for new people to enter God’s family at St. John.  While we are still receiving members from our last class, but we have requests for a new class.  Feel free to attend and grow with us!

 

COLLECTION FOR OUR MILITARY PERSONEL IN HARM’S WAY.  In the past we have collected items that our service people need and sent them to members and friends serving in Iraq and in Afghanistan.  At the current time we again have members and friends serving in war zones overseas.

• Member Eric Hermon, a West Point graduate, is serving in Iraq at this time.  You probably know Eric’s parents and grandparents. 
• Eric’s sister, Member Katie Hermon, another West Point graduate is serving in Afghanistan at this time.  You might remember Katie singing at one of our Christmas services a couple of years ago. 
• Luke Falkenburg is Fred Voight’s nephew, and he is serving in Iraq.

 

I am asking the people of St. John to begin collecting items that we can send to these members and friends serving us overseas.  There are some items that are difficult to get when serving overseas.  In addition, this lets them know they are not forgotten, and that we thank them for their service.  Below is a list of items you can start to bring to church to send overseas.  Thank you for helping in this effort, again.

            - Chap stick

            - Baby powder

            - Baby Wipes

            - Phone Cards

            - Hard Candy (individually wrapped)

            - Beef Jerky

            - Crystal Light Individual Drink Packets

            - Note cards with envelopes

            - Playing cards

            - Mechanical Pencils

            - hand held video games

            - Cushioned absorbent socks.

A box is in the back of the church to collect these items so we can send them to those serving us.