News & Recent Updates

         

Events Upcoming

 


Holy Week Schedule

  • Palm Sunday Worship Service with Communion March 24 at 9:00 am Children will sing in church as part of the Palm Sunday Service. We will meet downstairs and be part of the processional.
  • Maundy Thursday Worship Service with Communion March 28 at 7:00 pm
  • Good Friday Tenebrae Worship Service March 29 at 7:00 pm
  • Easter Sunrise Worship with Communion March 31 at 6:30 am
  • Easter Worship with Communion March 31 at 9:00 am

Easter breakfast between sunrise service and 9am service. Food provided includes: pancakes, eggs, ham, biscuits and gravy, cinnamon rolls. There will be 2 sign-up sheets in the Narthex. One sheet for side dishes, fruit, and pastries and the second sheet for volunteer shift work 6:00 - 8:00am for set-up and serving and 8:00 - 10:00am for serving and clean-up. Any donations and time volunteered is greatly appreciated. (Sponsored by volunteers— LYF youth will make pancakes.) Freewill donations will be sent to Bryan Bell Fund.


LYF Sponsored "Roadside Cleanup"

March 28, 2024 - LYF SPONSORED ROADSIDE CLEANUP is scheduled for Sunday, April 14, following worship, weather permitting. All help is welcomed and appreciated!


Easter Lilies

March 18, 2024 - All members of St. John are invited to bring their Easter lilies to adorn our altar on Easter Sunday, March 31. You can bring them to church during the week prior to Easter.


Vacation Bible School - Save the Date!

March 18, 2024 - Save the Date! Vacation Bible School will be July 21-25 from 5:00 p.m. to 7:45 p.m. We’re excited to announce our theme: “Celebrate the Savior”! (See VBS 2024 to register...)


Brian Bell Jr. Fundraiser

March 1, 2024 - We will be holding a Pulled Pork Dinner and Silent Auction on Sunday, April 21, 10:30-1:30 at Kramer Hall for little Bryan Bell. We are asking the congregation to help by providing desserts for the dinner and items for the silent auction. Auction items can be left in the meeting room upstairs at any time. Thank you so much for your support of little Bryan. (See flyer...)


Easter Egg Hunt Planned

February 25, 2024 - Easter will be here before we know it! We are planning the children’s Easter Egg Hunt on Saturday, March 23rd at 10:00 a.m. Youth meet at 8:30 to set up. The youth are also seeking candy donations by Sunday, March 17th. Candy should fit into standard plastic Easter eggs. Thank you for any help offered to make this a joyous adventure for the kids!


Lutheran Witness Subscription Renewal

February 25, 2024 - Renewal time is here again for the Lutheran Witness. If you wish to renew your subscription or add a new subscription the cost is an annual fee of $20.65. You may leave your check in the offering plate made payable to the church. If you wish to cancel your subscription please let the church secretary know. The sign-up deadline is March 17.


Playground Update

February 8, 2024 - Thank you all for the t-shirt and sweatshirt orders! We are making progress on our playground. Your support is needed to help fund this project. There is a box in the narthex for free will donations as well as a chart on the bulletin board to show the progress on this special project. Thank you for your support for the youth at St. John.


150th Anniversary Update

March 1, 2024 - The Anniversary Committee continues to pray for those events in 2024. We will be dedicating 2024 to the celebration of St. John’s 150th anniversary during worship on Sunday, January 7th. A chili and cinnamon roll luncheon will be served following worship. Everyone is welcome. Additional information and details will be posted on a regualar basis as we move closer to the anniversary date.

We further need people willing to take and share pictures of all the events we have planned to celebrate St John’s 150th Anniversary. Please contact Glen Louch if you can help with this request. Current updates can be found here.


150th Anniversary Suggestion Box

August 10, 2023 - As we now work forward to our celebration year of our 150th Anniversary, we ask for suggestions. In the narthex is a suggestion box. We are asking for suggestions in connection to the following: (The Latest Announcement Flyer...)

  1. Please submit names for a guest speaker;
  2. Our theme is "The Lord's Faithfulness continues through all generations". We encourage your ideas on how to celebrate each of the generations;
  3. Ideas for displays, food, etc. are also welcome. The suggestion box will be in the narthex through Sunday, Sept 3.

Main Street Living Update

March 1, 2024 - “Main Street Living” is a liturgical worship service broadcasting a different local pastor each Sunday morning. It airs along with the classic Lutheran Hour program, “This is the Life”. Both can be viewed on KLKN Channel 8 (Lincoln) & WOWT Channel 6.2 (Omaha). Visit www.mainstreetliving.com/lincoln to view current and past episodes.

  • March 3, 10:30 a.m...Rev. Jeff Bloom, pastor at Immanuel Lutheran Church in Lincoln, presents a message titled ”What Did You See?”. This sermon is based on Exodus 20:1-17.
  • March 10, 10:30 a.m...Rev. Adam Moline, pastor at Good Shepherd Lutheran Church in Lincoln, presents a message titled ”Grace not Works”. This sermon is based on Galatians 4:21-31.
  • March 17, 10:30 a.m...Rev. Kenneth Hessel, pastor at Our Redeemer Lutheran Church in Springfield, presents a message titled ”New Covenant”. This sermon is based on Jeremiah 31:31-34.
  • March 24, 10:30 a.m...Rev. Jesse Baker, pastor at Zion Lutheran Church in Hardwick,SD presents a message titled ”Locked Away”. This sermon is based on Zechariah 9:9-12.
  • March 31, 10:30 a.m...Rev. Steven Turner, president of Iowa District West, presents an Easter message titled ”Jesus lives! What does this mean?“. This sermon is based on Mark 16:1-8.   

Bible Donations

If having an extra copy of a Bible in your possession that you wish to find a new home in which to share God's Word with others, lease bring your old (and not being used due to its replacement) Bibles and Christian books to be sent overseas for mission work. A tote is located in the entry way for this purpose. For more information, visit lovepackages.org.


Scholarship Fund

A scholarship is available for any St. John member/student who will be attending a Synodical college and plans to enter fulltime church work find that new funds are available. A Scholarship application with relative information is available from the church office. Those wanting additional information are directed to Pastor Toensing.


Mission Field in Our own Back Yard

There remains a variety of ways in which members of the St. John congregation can join with other local community members to assist those who are struggling with basic necessities and provide God's comforting Word along with those creature comforts that are often lived without. Here are but a few ongoing efforts you may wish to be involved:

  • Food Collections continue with your donations to a local food pantry who will distribute this to a needy, hungry people in our area. The collection box is located in the church narthex.
  • Orphan Grain Train or People's City Mission contributions can be made at any time; either with contributions of clothing left within the back door of the church, or monetary gifts so indicated; separated from other giving.
  • Mite Boxes - Lutheran Women in Mission remind members to use those Mite Boxes you received back in October on LWML Sunday. If you would like a box of your own, please contact any member of the LWML to obtain one. This is a very easy way to lend a helping hand throughout the year.