from pastor’s desk - stjohnsem.org informer.pdf · the informer page 3 ushers saturday, june 1:...
TRANSCRIPT
In this issue:
Pastor’s Letter 1
Director’s Cut/Vicar’s Letter 2
Serving the Lord This Month
& Membership Report
3
Church News 4-6
Youth News 6
VBS 7
Cristo Rey News 8
Financial Secretary 9
Treasurer Report 10
Calendar 11
Special points of interest:
Letters from the Pastor,
CEL Director, & Vicar.
June Birthdays.
Fun Summer Events
Your 2013 VBS Forms!
St. John’s Lutheran Church of East Moline, IL June 2013 Volume 55, Issue 10
One of the difficulties I have encountered in serving the people I love is in being asked to officiate at funerals for those I may have never met; people who in many cases had made a clear choice to live apart from Christ and His Church. In many respects it is like offering military rites to one who never served or was dishonorably discharged for desertion. My dilemma is that people expect to hear at a funeral that everyone, especially their loved one, is going to heaven. But Jesus made it clear that most people will not be going to Heaven: “..for the gate is wide and the way is easy that leads to destruction, and those who enter by it are many. For the gate is narrow and the way is hard that leads to life, and those who find it are few.” Contrary to wishful thinking, the biblical truth is that Hell will be much more densely populated than Heaven. Most people do not want to think about Hell and many reject its existence altogether. It is so much easier to think about heaven and to believe that everyone is going there. Believe me, I do not want to believe in Hell, but I have no choice. Scripture is too clear on the subject. If I let what I want, or what others want, become the basis for my faith then I am no longer a servant of Christ, but of myself or of others. A couple of years ago a book entitled, Heaven Is For Real became a best seller. I doubt, however, that a companion edition, Hell Is For Real , would have equal success. But, Hell is for real, and it is terrible beyond comprehension. Drawing from what Jesus says, Luther wrote of the fate of those who would not listen to the voice of God in this life:
Because they do not want to hear God, they must do without Him. Instead, they must eternally be the devil’s own in hell, suffer all anguish, pain, trouble, and misery, burn forever, nor have one little drop of water to refresh themselves for a moment. And no light besides, not a ray of it. Nor will they possess as much as a thread; but they will be bereft of both God and all His grace and gifts, which the blessed will enjoy. In additions, they will e bereft of all they once had on earth. [SL 8, 1191]
Again, I wish that I did not have to believe in Hell. I wish I knew nothing about it because it breaks my heart, as it should yours. But the reality of it is one of the things that drives me to my knees in prayer for you. I hope that it will also move all of us to reach out to everyone who lives a Christ-less life. It is up to us to snatch them from the fires by showing them that Jesus is “the narrow way...”, “the Way, the Truth and the Life...” and “the only name under heaven given by which we must be saved.” We cannot put off sharing the Gospel with our loved ones under the false hope that everyone, especially the people we love, are going to heaven. We must not give into Satan’s lie that it is somehow unloving to talk to people about the wide and easy road that is leading them to destruction. There are only two destinations after death: Heaven or Hell. Both are real and both last forever. The most loving thing we can do is to speak to our family and friends, now, about these two ways and their ultimate destinations. And when it comes to your own life and the path that you are traveling, do not believe Satan’s other lie. You know the one where he tries to convince you that there is no hurry, you can jump on the narrow path tomorrow, and there will always be time to cozy up to Jesus. Instead, God says, “Now is the day of salvation!” and “Choose for yourselves this day whom you will serve.” By the working of the Holy Spirit be among the few who find the narrow way that leads to eternal life and to Heaven. Hell is for real, but thank God so is Heaven, and that is where you are going by grace through faith in Christ. Please, make it my privilege to officiate at your funeral as someone I know by their faithfulness and who lived in communion with Christ and His Church. Give me the opportunity to tell how you walked the hard, narrow way that leads to eternal life. Make it possible for me to offer you Christian Funeral Rites that declare you to truly be among the few, the humble, the saints of God. In Christ’s love,
From Pastor’s Desk:
Page 2 June 2013
A C.E.L. Production
BIRDIES FOR CHARITY We will be participating in the birdies for charity
program this year. There will be pledge pamphlets on the library counter with
an envelope to put your pledge in . Please have all your pledges turned in by July
12th so I can mail them. If you have any questions, contact Morgan DeBlieck
(792-0755).
Enrolling: Please tell families about St. John’s Lutheran CEL. We are still en-
rolling for next year and offer a 3’s class, 4’s class, and Pre-K class. Spaces are
filling up fast! It helps us to share our faith with the new students and their
families.
THE TEACHERS AND I WOULD LIKE TO WISH EVERYONE A SAFE AND HAPPY SUMMER!!!
From the Vicar
This month in history we remember some of the most amazing heroes ever to live. On June 6th the world re-
members D-Day, the day which Allied Forces began their invasion of the European Mainland to overthrow the Axis
Forces in World War II. Without the brave sacrifices of soldiers to stand up to evil and declare that truth and justice
should stand who invaded the coast of France on that day — and the days that followed — who knows what kind of
world we would be living in today.
In the month of June there are another set of soldiers that we remember too. 1,616 years and six days before the
invasion of Normandy a group of almost three hundred men came together to stamp out evil, stand up to falsehood, and
declare with one heart and mind that truth and justice should stand. It was the year 325 and the place was Nicaea, in
modern-day Turkey. Heresy and evil had flooded the Christian Church so that many people had lost their hope and no
longer believed in Jesus as the true Son of God, begotten of God from eternity.
Now this may seem like a small matter, but it is anything but that! If Jesus was not God from all eternity, what
hope does anyone have for salvation? St. Paul stated that all humans are in a similar situation, “All have sinned and fall
short of the glory of God.” King David likewise spoke, “Behold, I was brought forth in iniquity, and in sin did my
mother conceive me. “ If Jesus had not been God from all eternity, then Jesus would have been born a sinful man. If
Jesus was born sinful then his death on the cross would not have been sufficient for all people. If Jesus’ death on the
cross was annulled then what would become of our faith? Everything hinges on confessing the truth about who Jesus is!
In response to this heresy and false doctrine, only a few bishops of the Church stood up for the truth. So many
had been led astray. Truth was being persecuted. However, these few men, 300 in all, were willing to stand up to evil for
the sake of all. These bishops of Churches throughout the world created a lasting document to declare for all time the
truth about our salvation — that Jesus was indeed God and our salvation was secure in him.
Now this is not a lost document—we still use this document today— it is the Nicene Creed. Without the sacri-
fice of a few good men 1,688 years ago truth, justice, and salvation might not be known today. So let us not forget the
sacrifice of a few good men who were willing to give up even their lives so that we can have the assurance and confi-
dence of our salvation. And also, let us confess with that same confidence that which we have learned from the words of
the Nicene Creed so that for at least another 1,688 years people may know about the salvation won by our Lord and Sav-
ior Jesus Christ!
Vicar Holman
Page 3 The Informer
Ushers
Saturday, June 1: Bill Johnson, Bill Byles,
George Fellows & Duane Becker
Sunday, June 2: Brian Kern, Larry Hipple, Rebekah Weber, Glen McMillan, Dennis
Hurley, Devon Hurley & Kevin Verschoore.
Saturday, June 8: Bill Johnson, Bill Byles,
George Fellows & Duane Becker
Sunday, June 9: Brian Kern, Larry Hipple, Rebekah Weber, Glen McMillan, Dennis
Hurley, Devon Hurley & Kevin Verschoore.
Saturday, June 15: Bill Johnson, Bill By-
les, George Fellows & Duane Becker
Sunday, June 16: Brian Kern, Larry Hipple, Rebekah Weber, Glen McMillan, Dennis Hurley, Devon Hurley & Kevin Ver-
schoore.
Saturday, June 22: Bill Johnson, Bill By-
les, George Fellows & Duane Becker
Sunday, June 23: Brian Kern, Larry Hipple, Rebekah Weber, Glen McMillan, Dennis Hurley, Devon Hurley & Kevin Ver-
schoore.
Saturday, June 29: Bill Johnson, Bill Byles,
George Fellows & Duane Becker
Sunday, June 30:Brian Kern, Larry Hipple, Rebekah Weber, Glen McMillan, Dennis
Hurley, Devon Hurley & Kevin Verschoore.
Greeters
1 - 6:30: George & Marlene Fellows & Re-
becca Johnson
2 - 9:00: Bill & Donna Green & Bali Guerrero
8 - 6:30: Fred & Patty Krack & Joanne Wil-
son
9 - 9:00: Dennis & Devon Hurley & Sandy
Young
15 - 6:30:Helen Heiland, Margaret Murphy &
LouAnn DeRammelaere
16 - 9:00: Betty Withrow & Tom & Beth
Stimes
22 - 6:30: Betty & Jeff Streeter & Joanne
Wilson
23 - 9:00: Bill & Donna Green & Dorothy
Tribbett
29 - 6:30:David & Candace Sountris &
LouAnn DeRammelaere
30 - 9:00: Dennis & Devon Hurley &
Norma Grotelueschen
Fellowship Callers
June 2: Kevin Verschoore & Bali Guerrero
June 9: Bill & Doris Park
June 16: Gene & Libby Dreier
June 23: Ralph & Norma Grote-lueschen
June 30:
Acolytes
June 1: Carl Blaser
June 2: Hannah Rossmiller
June 8: Ronnie Wilson
June 9: Peyton Mattly
June 15: Collin Antolik
June 16: Owen Hawkins
June 22: James Hinman
June 23: Tyler Belan
June 29: Sam Nelson
June 30: Zachary Antolik
Serving the Lord This Month:
Altar Guild
Lou Ann DeRammelaere Ruby Pancrazio
Helen Carter
DATE THIS YEAR LAST YEAR SUN. SCHOOL RECEIVED
4/28/13 227 244 23 $5,652
5/5/13 269 242 37 $7,932
5/12/13 259 274 22 $5,648
5/19/13 311 225 9 $6,258
5/26/13 217 215 Memorial day $4,041
34% Average monthly attendance at St. John’s April simply giving $1,510
Weekly Attendance & Offerings
Membership Report
Death
Vern Brockrogge Galesburg, IL 4/8/13
Address change
Lori Smith
325 2nd Street
#305
Silvis, IL 61282
Address Change Alice Heller Heartland Health Care 833 16th Avenue #200 Moline, IL 61265
Page 4 June 2013
Church News
Birthdays
June 2 – Orene Antolik & Virginia Tipsword
June 4– Howard Williams & Joyce Puck
June 7 –Alice Gingry & Valerie McDonald
June 8 – Rhea Oakes
June 9– Joy Fauser & Jim Homann June 11 – Owen Mattly & Joel Duffy
June 13 – Duane Becker & Mary Vallee
June 14 – Kristen Antolik & Dolores Olson
June 16 – Kelsey Anderson & Adam McMillin
June 18 – Easton Antolik, Molly Rogers, & Lora Vallee
June 19 – Rachael Evans, Sylvia Fauser, & Samuel Nelson
June 21 – Carrie Homann
June 23 – Kevin Verschoore
June 25 – Matt Hawkins & Peg Heitzman
June 27 – Derek Duffy & Jeff Streeter
June 28 – Tim Chellew, Jacob Stimes, & Erin Williams
June 29 – Murphy Hill
Dear Members of St. John’s Lutheran Church,
With great joy I accept my assignment to serve and to learn as your Vicar during the 2013-2014 school year. My fiancée
and I are very excited to meet all of you and to get to know you in the future. As an expression of my gratitude, I would like to tell
you more about Rachel and myself.
For most of my life I lived in Gresham, OR, with my family. My father serves as a pastor there. When I was in high school I
developed an interest in theology. I also discovered my love for teaching while serving as a camp counselor and while teaching a
fifth grade class for a high school project. By the end of my senior year I decided to become a paster. I earned my bachelor’s degree
at Concordia University Wisconsin. I majored in Theological Languages. Then, I immediately began my seminary studies at Concor-
dia Seminary in St. Louis.
I began dating Rachel in college. Our families have been friends for a long time. Her father is also a pastor. He served in the
Northwest, but then got a call to Oklahoma. Rachel and I got to know each other at Higher Things conferences, family vacations, and
over phone and Skype conversations. Rachel is finishing up her last year at East Central University in Ada, OK. She studied art edu-
cation and will be student teaching during the first half of my vicarage. Our wedding will be August 3rd and shortly after we will
move to East Moline. Rachel eagerly anticipates our year spent with you and sends her greetings.
I really enjoy hiking and camping, reading, watching movies, and learning new card and board games. In college I learned
to ballroom dance, thought I have not danced much since college. I love teaching and working with youth. I worked as a camp coun-
selor while in high school, have taught confirmations, led youth groups, and was a summer vicar last year at Camp Io-Dis-E-Ca,
which is in Iowa District East.
I’m sure we will get to know each other well in the upcoming year. I can’t wait to experience new things and to learn from
Pastor Umbarger and all of my brothers and sisters in St. John’s! Thank you so much for giving Rachel and me this opportunity to
grow. See you in a few months!
In Christ, our resurrected Lord,
Alexander J. Lange
From Vicar Lange
Page 5 The Informer
Sunday Morning Coffee & Donuts
June 2, 9, 16, 23 & 30 -
All Available
Church News
Stewardship
In the month of June we celebrate Father’s Day. For those of us who are blessed to be raised by a kind and loving Christian father, Father’s Day is very special. Men sometimes take too much pride in their physical and emotional strength and act like macho men who have to be in complete control of every situation. I was blessed to be raised by a Christian father who, I like to say, was strong enough to be gentle. He didn’t have to force his will or way on anyone else, especially his children. He was confident enough to be himself and offer us the love and support of a father. The proper response to a father like that is love and joyful obedience. God, our heavenly Father, is the best example of someone who is strong enough to be gentle. He made all things. He knows all things. He is almighty, as we con-fess in the Apostles’ Creed. If it weren’t for the fact that God invites us to call Him “Father” and come to Him as dear children come to their dear fathers, we would cringe in fear. God is pure and holy. He is perfect. He cannot tolerate sin. And we know all too well that we are sinners. But He does not destroy us as sinners, but rather loves us in an extravagant and generous way, so much so that He sent His only-begotten Son to be our Savior from the power of sin, death and the devil and open for us the door to everlasting life. What a God! What a Father! A number of years ago in our church body we used a stewardship education approach called “His Love—Our Response.” This effort was designed to help us appre-ciate and reflect upon the amazing love of our Father and what our appropriate response should be. It was a good emphasis. It was thoroughly grounded in the grace [undeserved love] of God in
Jesus. In our greatest time of need, God came to our rescue and did for us what we could never do for ourselves. He could have destroyed us because of our sin but, instead, He redeemed us by the precious blood of His Son, and through the power of the Holy Spirit made us into chil-dren of our Heavenly Father. What amazing grace! Our proper response is one of stewardship, the free and joyous management of all of life and life’s resources for His purposes. By nature we do not love uncon-ditionally. By nature we do not give generously. But by the power of the Holy Spirit we are no longer controlled by our sinful natures. We are renewed daily to be God’s children in ac-tion—His stewards who remember that God is the rightful Owner of all things and we are stewards or managers of that which He has entrusted to us. When our stewardship is a love response we experience great joy. We don’t give generously of our time, talents and treasure be-cause we “have to,” but because we have the privilege of “getting to.” “Christian stewardship is the free and joyous activity of the child of God and God’s family, the church, in managing all of life and life’s resources for God’s pur-poses.”
Pancake & Sausage Breakfast June 29th - 7:30-9:30 AM
$5.00 - children under 10 are free
The men of St. John’s will be hosting a pancake and
sausage breakfast to raise funds for members of the East
Moline Police Department who will be attending the 9/11
Memorial ride from
Ground Zero to
Boston. These
donations will benefit
the families of fallen
officers. Let’s show
our support for those
who offer their
sacrificial service.
Page 6 June 2013
Church News
High School Graduates
Matthew Dosch-Moline High School Murphy Hill-UTHS Taryn Kosche-Rock Island High School Dalton Krumwiede-UTHS Kasey Lockett-UTHS Jacob Stimes-Geneseo High School Rebekah Weber-Oikos Academy
Friday, June 7, 7:00am- 10:00 pm- Great Oaks Rope Course
Saturday, June 15, 6:00pm - 10:00pm- MORP at Church
Night at the Ballpark
The 20th annual Thrivent Night at the Ballpark will be TUESDAY, JUNE 11th. The tickets will be $4.00. As in previous years, the proceeds from this event will go to support the Quad City area Special Olympics.
There will be pre-game activities starting at 6:30 p.m. including an opportunity to win a 42” flat-screen HD television for anyone donating non-perishable food items to the River Bend Foodbank, a Parade of Athletes, a presentation by the QC Skydive Team, and a flyover honoring the country’s military. Stay after the game for fireworks!
This is a great night to take in a game between the River Bandits and the Kane County Cougars; see thousands of your Lutheran family, friends, and
neighbors; and help support the Special Olympics.
Tickets are available at our church office, Thrivent offices, or your local Hy-Vee customer
Church Picnic Matzen’s Lake July 14th
Please mark your calendar and plan to attend our 18th annual church picnic at
Matzen’s Lake on Sunday, July 14th. There will be a worship service at 10:30, a
brief Sunday School lesson after the service, and a potluck picnic around noon.
The usual worship services will be held at the church on the picnic weekend:
Saturday at 6:30 p.m. and Sunday at 9:00 a.m. There will be no Sunday School
or Bible classes at the church.
Take a dish to pass for the picnic buffet, your own meat to grill, if desired, and
your own table service and beverage.
There are many things to do including swimming, canoeing, paddle boating, sun-
ning, fishing, and visiting. Life preservers are provided and must be worn.
A freewill offering will be taken at the picnic to be given to the Matzen family who
do not charge us to use their beautiful recreational facility.
RAIN OR SHINE, there will be
a worship service at 10:30 and
a picnic, so PLEASE JOIN YOUR LOVING CHRISTIAN FAMILY
FOR A DAY OF WORSHIP, FOOD,
FUN, AND FELLOWSHIP!!!
LWML
St. John's LWML will meet June 27th at 6:30
p.m. Devotions will be given by Ramona
Oltmann, and the program will be a Bible
study: Peace is Like A River.
Hostesses are LaVera Bull and Lee Cope-
land. All women of the congregation are
invited.
Church News
Page 7 The Informer
MARK YOUR CALENDARS!
VBS is Coming!
June 17th - 21st
9am-11:30am
Get ready for a mountaintop experience! At this year’s VBS, children will gather their
gear and set out on an expedition to learn about our on true God. Shout it from the peak’s sum-
mit-with Him, it’s possible to scale any “mountain” that’s ahead.
If you have questions or would like to volunteer (we have a few volunteer spots to fill and would like extra helpers)
contact [email protected] or [email protected]
VBS
Some supplies needed for snacks:
Mini pretzels-two bags
One box of raisins
Two bags of mini marshmallows
One box of Cheerios
Two boxes of graham crackers
Two bags of pretzel sticks
Call Marsha Boarts at 792-2467 or leave in office.
CPR classes will be offered June 11th and June 15th from 10:00AM to 12:00PM. The
classes will be held in the Keyl room and conducted by Judy Dugan our Parish Nurse.
CPR Class
Page 8 June 2013
Cristo Rey Newsletter
Iglesia Evangélica Luterana Cristo Rey Christ the King Lutheran Church
1301-19th Street, East Moline, IL 61244 E-mail: [email protected] (309) 755-4757
Rev. Pablo Domínguez MAY 2013
Cristo Rey Lutheran Church cordially invited the volunteers at the church and Hispanic Council members to celebrate Cinco de May (fifth of May) with a deli-cious meal consisting of a variety of authentic Mexican foods. We expressed our thanks for the continued support of the Hispanic Ministry in the Quad Cit-ies, namely Cristo Rey. It was a grand Cinco de Mayo celebration as the Lord blessed the event.
The Youth Group from Our Savior, Bettendorf, Iowa cam to Cristo Rey on Thursday, April 11 to share Bible stories and Christian songs with the children who come with their parents to take English classes. Children and Youth had a great time!
Pastor Dominguez was nominated at East Moline Correctional enter as 2013 Volunteer of the Year and I received a plaque in an even with the other volunteers on April 30th.
We continue having meetings with the goal of starting a Latino ministry at Beardstown, IL. This time, Rev. Ruben Dominguez, who is Pablo’s brother, came as a representative for the Hispanic Ministries of Synod. He represented Rev. Carlos Hernandez who is the head of this ministry. At this meeting were Rev. Joel Cluver, CID Mis-sion Executive, Rev. Douglas Evenson, pastor of St. John’s Beardstown, Rev. Pable Domingues, CID Missionary-At-Large and various enthusiastic supporters such as Dr. Alan Wildt and his family and our Liaisons Coordinator, Mrs. Maria Gui-josa. We are planning to celebrate Mother’s Day on May 11 with the possibility of having our first devotional and Bible study in this town.
We continue to thank God for your faithful prayers and loving support of this Hispanic ministry!
Be assure that our Almighty God is at work at Cristo Rey!
Page 9 The Informer
Financial Secretary’s Report
Page 10 June 2013
Treasurer’s Report
WORSHIP SERVICES: Saturday — 6:30 p.m.
Sunday— 9:00 a.m.
SUNDAY SCHOOL & BIBLE CLASS: Sunday — 10:15 a.m.
Worship Times
St. John’s in Summer Sun.
1450-30th Avenue
East Moline, IL 61244
Tel: 309-792-0755
Fax: 309-792-0776
E-mail: [email protected]
St. John’s
Lutheran Church
of East Moline,
Walking in the Light of Christ!
We’re On the Web!! www.stjohnsem.org
JUST A REMINDER
BEGINNING MAY 31ST :
Monday –Thursday 8:30 a.m.-3:30 p.m.
Closed for Lunch from 12 noon—1 p.m.
Summer Office Hours