Join new and old friends from St. John’s on an adventure to LOMC to experience the ministry of Peder Eide. This annual event is great fun and full of faith. Download more information and check out the links. We are looking for at least one female adult to attend.

Registration Form

Pictures from last year

Peder’s Website

Wonder “why we do what we do” in traditional worship? Interested in helping to lead worship? Looking for a way to serve at St. John’s? Become an acolyte for the 9:15am Traditional worship services! Acolytes light candles, process the cross, collect offering…and more!

Wednesday, September 22 (No Thrive that evening) from 5:30-6:30pm for any interested St. John’s 4th through 8th graders. Meet in the new upper balcony for pizza and training, led by Pr. Elyse.

Questions or to sign up,  Click Here

Fortunately, most kids seem to enjoy the Thrive program and make some very good (if not close) friends over the time they are in Thrive.  We more often hear examples of how kids made friendships with people they wouldn’t have in school (because of different interests typically).  Occassionally (usually toward the end of the school year) we have a parent or two tell us their son or daughter doesn’t seem to connect very well with their Thrive small group.  Parents might hear from their child things like:

• “I don’t like my Thrive Group.”
• “I don’t feel like I have anything in common with my group.”

The result of these statements in some cases ends with the child not coming to Thrive very often or perhaps not at all.   What can be done?  We want our children to love coming to church.  We want them to grow in their faith and we want them to have especially meaningful relationships with other kids and adults at church.  Here are some tips for all families with 6-8th graders in our Thrive program.

1. Don’t stop coming or better said- ATTEND!  The biggest mistake is to start coming less and less.  Coming less makes it easy to lose connections with the small group – not strengthen it.  Often we can look at attendance patterns of kids who say they didn’t connect with their Thrive group and 90% of the time their attendance was poor from the very beginning.  You simply cannot know, and have others know you, if you aren’t present.
2. Find out more from your child.  Don’t be a parent who gives in and abandons hope.  Sit down and find some alone time to ask your child why they feel the way they do.  If attendance isn’t the issue for your child what is going on?  Ask them to describe the people in their group, how does small group time go, or what they like about their Guides.  Sometimes the issue isn’t directly Thrive at all.  Often family situations (divorce, sickness, moves, etc.) can cause kids to complain about Thrive (or sports/school/other activities, etc.) as an excuse to bring up issues that bother them.  The worst thing a kid can do if they are going through problems is to push away from people who might be able to help.  We believe Thrive can be a part of helping kids in times of difficulty.  As a parent you can very often solve issues by just talking with your child and giving encouragement.  Of course we encourage all parents to check-in with their child about Thrive often, weekly if possible.  Your interest in Thrive shows it’s important to you and should be to your child.
3. Talk to your child’s Guide(s).  Occassionally a parent will tell us YEARS later their child had problems in Thrive.  Don’t wait for goodness sake.  You want the best for your child – your child’s Guide wants the best for them too.  A short “heads-up” to a Guide can help them to notice issues in the group.  If you are able to narrow down the issue with your child share it with the Guide(s).  A well-informed Guide can make sure the conversations are more inclusive and open.  Not sharing concerns with Guides is not a help to anyone. 
4. Show an interest in your child’s group.  Consider inviting the group over to your house for a movie night or (if you are really brave) a sleep-over.  Find some way to open the doors to showing your child how important it is to make and keep friendships (yes, and even with others who aren’t like you).  Friendships can be very tough in junior high/middle school and going out of our way to show hospitality to friends can be a great way to connect.  This also gives you as a parent the chance to better get to know Guides and the kids in the group.
5. Pray.  Pray for your child’s small group – from the Guide(s) to the youth.  God wants to hear our needs so bring your concerns to Him.  Encourage your child to be praying as well!
6. Realize no group is perfect.  Although we want everyone in a group to be best friends and be excited about each others’ interests and character… this rarely happens.  Small groups are indeed a great place to practice loving and respecting others even when it’s difficult, or we simply don’t want to get along.  Sounds like a family doesn’t it?
7. Your church staff is here to help.  Cheryl Park and Rob Gieraltowski are also here in addition to Thrive Guides to help figure things out.  Feel free to ask questions and discuss concerns about Thrive with them.

Click any picture for a larger version.

Click any picture for a larger version!

DVDs are available outside Mr. Rob’s office door!  Find your name and take home your copy.  Show your family, your friends, your dog or your neighbor!

August 12, 2010

To the Congregation of St. John’s Lutheran Church:

I have been privileged to serve this marvelous congregation over the past fifteen years as your Senior Pastor.

We have been through many challenges and successes during those years, and now is the time to begin planning for the future pastoral leadership transition which must occur.

I have set my anticipated date of retirement to be June 30, 2011. Thankfully, my recent medical situation has stabilized and I am back “at work.” During the coming months, I will continue to serve the congregation as Senior Pastor, as the well-planned and thought-out process of handing over the leadership responsibilities to a new Senior Pastor are developed and brought into reality. The Bishop’s office has been involved and will continue to be consulted as the process continues.

In anticipation of the need for important strategic planning for this significant transition in the leadership at St. John’s, I have been in conversation with members of our Personnel Committee and Executive Committee as well as our Congregation Council, in order to initiate a process of making these leadership changes to be as smooth and as carefully planned as possible.

At the E.L.C.A. Senior Pastor’s Conference in May, 2010, I was privileged to be in contact with an excellent consulting firm that specializes in pastoral transitions in large congregations. J. Russell Crabtree and his associate, Carolyn Weese, have assisted significant congregations throughout the country in the transition process with excellent results. That same goal is one that I have for St. John’s Lutheran Church, as well.

My goal for this early announcement is to maintain the significant momentum we have achieved in our most recent A Church Alive! building project, to sustain vital ministries that are part of this congregation, as well as to continue to improve other opportunities for ministry that will evolve this year.

My hope and prayer is that St. John’s will continue to be a vibrant and exciting place of ministry in the years ahead, as it has been in the past. A carefully planned leadership transition process is absolutely vital to this goal!

Thank you for your continued prayers and support for all of our staff. As always, the direction of the Holy Spirit in the coming months remains at the core of our life together, as we seek God’s guidance during this time of transition. Our mission remains the same, Invite and connect people to God and one another through Christ’s love.

Your brother in Christ,

Knight W. Wells, Senior Pastor
St. John’s Lutheran Church

Sunday, August 22 – Jr. High Room
Returning Guides:  4:00-5:00pm
New Guides: 5:00-6:30pm

We’ll have a great time catching up, getting to know one another, and preparing hearts and minds for our 6-8th graders.  We still could use one or two more Guides for especially 6th and 7th grade groups if you know of anyone interested. 

Contact Cheryl or more information.

Traditional Worship: 8:00am and 9:15am
Community of Joy Worship: 9:15am and 10:30am
Saturday Evening Service: 5:00pm

The new service times start Sunday, September 5 (weekend after Festival of Faith) and Fall Sunday programming starts the following week on Rally Sunday, September 12, 2010.

Fall Sunday Programs

Jr. High will again offer two different programs on Sunday mornings starting September 12. At 9:15am, iWORD meets on the first and second Sundays for some awesome study of God’s Word. No homework! Just read ahead a chapter or two and be willing to listen and discuss. Last year’s group had a GREAT time and we know you’ll love it. Genesis returns to the new 10:30am hour with more music, videos, scripture and more. Of course, BOTH meet in the NEW Jr. High Room!

Thrive Returns Aug. 25

Thrive returns this month for our Kickoff on Wednesday, August 25. Parents AND student should attend and everyone should bring their Bibles (yes everyone). The Thrive Kickoff starts at 6:45pm in the Parish Life Center and will end at 8:00pm (a little earlier than the usual 8:30pm). See you there!!!

CLICK HERE to see the gallery.