Interim Update for February 28, 2020

Marlene Update

Marlene continues to improve -- I saw her on Sunday afternoon, and she looked good as was in good spirits. She had a new heart assist device installed this week, and the medical folks have been keeping a close eye on her progress in ICU. She's expected to leave ICU today, but will likely remain at Riverside for a few more days. She will be staying with Doug and Peggy in Lewis Center where she will continue to get her mojo back. The Worship Committee has secured a commitment from Chris M. to play on the last four Sundays of March, after which we will have a better idea if Marlene will be up to playing Palm Sunday, Easter, and beyond.

March Newsletter Published

The March newsletter is always a bit more of a challenge to get out on time, as February is such a short month, which gives us up to three extra days to get the job done. We had only two this year, as this is leap year, and February has 29 days. Hard copies will be available for pickup immediately. Otherwise, we encourage you to view and read the newsletter online. It has been linked on the St. John's Facebook page, and sent to your email inbox. Or, you can read your copy right now, here. One of the articles this month is regarding flower orders for Easter Sunday. We have added an online form for members to use to indicate what and how many flowers to order, who to memorialize or honor, and a link to the St. John's online giving portal to facilitate the payment.

Youth Gathering Fundraising Meeting

A group of St. John's youth and parents met Wednesday evening before Ash Wednesday to discuss some possibilities for fund raising for the 2021 ELCA Youth Gathering in Minneapolis. A meeting of parents and youth in grades 7-11 (those eligible to attend the Gathering) indicated at least ten youth as interested in attending. The cost for attending will include expenses for Gathering program, hotel room transportation, meals, and incidentals like t-shirts for group members. The group planned their first fundraiser following worship on March 29. Youth families will prepare a head and eat casserole and pies to sell following the service. The casseroles will sell for $20 each, and the pies for $10 each. They are hoping for a sell-out.

Ash Wednesday worship

Ash Wednesday worship went well, in spite of the horrible weather which led to a snow day for area schools on Thursday, including Bellevue and the St. John's Preschool

Midweek Lenten Worship

2020 Theme: “The Lord’s Prayer - What does this mean?”
Our midweek Lenten worship will follow the same format that we used last year: A soup supper will be served at 6:00 pm, and worship and discussion around the supper table will follow at 6:30 pm. Because the Huron Valley Quilting Guild uses the Fellowship Hall on the first Wednesday, the suppers on March 4 and April 1 will be in the Lounge. On March 11, 18 and 25, we will meet in the Fellowship Hall. Our theme this year will be The Lord’s Prayer, with Luther’s Small Catechism providing the format for our weekly themes, listed below:

March 4 “Christ Puts the Words in Our Mouths” The Introduction and the Doxology

March 11 “Praying For Our Father” The First and Second Petitions

March 18 “Victory is Certain” The Third Petition

March 25 “Every Day a Gift” The Fourth and Fifth Petitions

April 1 “Deliverance” The Sixth and Seventh Petitions

Reports submitted

Couple of important reports submitted. Submitted my Rostered Leader Report to the bishop this week. We report on such things as our accomplishments in the past year, what are hopes for the coming year are, what resources we need, and we also report our previous and current year compensation. Kristen submitted the congregational parochial report. I summarized the membership gains and losses, and average attendance. Shsun reported out the financial information on income and expenses. these are the statistics that appear in the trend report that is available for each ELCA congregation and is accessible on the ELCA website.

Thursday a quiet day

Thursday was a quiet day, as preschool is canceled, and I was pretty much the only one in the building for much of the day..

Visits

Several hospital visits this week. Deb C., Vanessa's mom, was in ICU, she's now in a regular room, and will continue her recovery at Twilight Gardens in Norwalk. Florence O. Is at Bellevue Hospital, but hopes to return home again soon. Add these people to your prayer list.

Interim Update for February 21, 2020

A Week of Learning, Fellowship, and Winter Play

I had a very good continuing education experience in Winter Park from February 9 through 14. Drs. Craig Koeseter and Kathryn Schifferdecker, who both are professors at Luther Seminary, provided insights on the gospel readings for Lent from Johnn gospel, and key Old Testament stories in morning and evening sessions. Worship planned and led by group participants was both inspiring and on the mark. I volunteered to bring the opening devotion on Monday morning. The skiing was unparalleled during a week that dropped about a foot of fresh snow on the mountain over the weekend that we arrived, and A ski area that provides over a hundred and sixty runs with 3000 feet of vertical elevation. I have posted some photos here, which are from the 2018 and 2019 events.

Main Event outing big success

Last Sunday evening, over 60 members and friends from St. John's gathered at The Main Event in Avon for several hours of fun that this facility delivers: bowling, video and arcade games, shuffleboard, billiards, and a high ropes course with a zipline, just to name a few. We were served pizza and a soft drink from 6:00 - 6:30 in our own private reserved room. Thanks to Heather who put it all together for us. Might just become an every February President's Day weekend event!

Annual Meeting Sunday

Congregational Annual report meeting is Sunday after worship. Kristen printed out the report books on Thursday afternoon. Pick up up before or after worship, and join us for this important meeting. Fellowship Committee will be serving refreshments.

Chase piano finds new home

The old Chase upright piano that has been in the choir room for x amount of years has found a new home. The new owners picked it up late Thursday afternoon.

Marlene (and others) Update

I talked to Marlene on the phone on Thursday, and she sounded good. She is hoping to leave the hospital by the end of the weekend, and will spend some recuperative time at her son Doug's home in Lewis Center. Her surgery on Tuesday evening was successful and much less invasive than originally feared. Paul and Jan have things covered for Marlene for the next two Sundays, but we are aware that Marlene may not be strong enough to return to the bench in two weeks. Worship Committee will be working on some contingency plans. As I reported at Council on Tuesday, we have several other members that need extra prayers: Bob Wagner, who has been moved to memory care ate The Willows, Paul Sutter, who is hospitalized with pneumonia following a hip injury, and Betty Norman, who has been spending more time sleeping in her room at The Willows.

Temple Talks for Preschool

Temple Talks for our SJCP kids happen once a month, and Linda and I switch off leading those. This was my month to lead, so met with kids and teachers in the chapel on Wednesday morning and afternoon, and Thursday morning. It's an enjoyable time, and helps make connections with the kids who are now more likely to greet me in the hallways because I am a familiar face that they can connect with a name and function.

Thursday Bible Study in transition

Our Thursday Bible Study completed the video course See Through the Scriptures by Dr. Harry Wendy this week. It's been an excellent Genesis to Revelation overview of the message of scripture, and most importantly, how the Old Testament story sets the stage for the New Testament story of Jesus. It's in DVD format, so if any of you want to view the course, you can certainly borrow the DVD. There are eight sessions, ranging in length from 35-45 minutes each, and I could also provide a book to follow along with. Next Thursday, we will switch gears and begin Bp. Daniel's 2020 Bible Study on the Book of Acts. Sunday Bible study is still on hiatus until spring, exact date not yet determined.

March Newsletter items needed

February is a short month (longer this year because of leap year!), and that means March newsletter items are due. Get them to Kristen early next week.

Ash Wednesday

Lent begins Wednesday, February 26, with Ash Wednesday worship. So get your ash in church that day -- service begins at 7:00 pm. Choir rehearsal will follow.

Lenten Suppers and Worship

Our Lenten program will generally be the same as last year -- supper at 6:00 pm followed by worship around the supper tables. The First and last suppers will be set up in the lounge because of the quilters in the fellowship hall. Choir rehearsal will follow the service.

Thank you Note from Theoprobe Scholarship Recipient

We received a very nice thank you note from Vera McEwen, one of two attendees who benefited from the Theoprobe scholarship that St. John's voted to provide last year. Vera preached for us during one of our worship times, and she was phoenomenal! She is awaiting call to be a redevelopment pastor in Washington state. I scanned Vera's message, and you can see and read it here.

Congregational Report

I have completed the parochial report of membership additions and deletions, and weekly attendance for the Congregational Report that is sent (actually completed online) to ELCA Churchwide office. Shaun will fill in the financial information on giving and expenses that is a part of this report. Kristen will submit the form early next week.

Links for you

• Bishop Eaton February LIving Lutheran message
• ELCA Worship News for February
• NWOS eNews for February 21
• Seeds Monthly for February
• Bishop Daniel's weekly email
• Welcome to Synod Staff, Pastor Sarah Schaff!

Interim Update for February 7, 2020

Preschool Open House

St. John's Preschool held their annual open house on Sunday from noon until 2pm for new and returning kids and families. Staff and board members were on hand to welcome guests and show them around. Four more months of Year 41, and then it will be on to year 42 of St. John's Christian Preschool. Kudos and thanks to all who make this such an excellent ministry at St. John's.

The Day the Music Died

Monday was the 61st anniversary of the airplane crash near Clear Lake, Iowa which killed Buddy Holly, Ritchie Valens and J.P. "the Big Bopper" Richardson, following a concert at the Surf Ballroom. I remember some of the publicity surrounding the 20th anniversary of the tragedy in 1979, as I was serving my internship at St. James Lutheran Church in Mason City, IA, a few miles to the east of Clear Lake.

Visitation

Visited Carol H., who is now home and doing amazingly well, considering everything. She continues to receive therapy, and hopes to get back to church soon. Emma K. stays in touch on a regular basis -- thank you Emma K.! Have stayed in phone contact with Karen W., who had knee replacement on Monday. Discharged the next day, she is now doing outpatient thereapy, and is doing amazing well four days post op. Keep Karen and Dale in your prayers! (And remember, now you can do directly to Wilson's Ramblings on our new web Newsletter format delivered by email, and also viewable online here.

Minneapolis 2021, here we come!

On Wednesday evening, a group of parents and youth gathered to talk about the possibility of attending the 2021 ELCA Youth Gathering, June 29 - July 3 in Minneapolis. We watched a couple of videos that describe what happens at the gathering, and by the time the meeting was over, we had tentative agreement from about ten youth who expressed a strong interest in attending. Registration opens on September 21 of this year, and is open to all who will be completing grades 8-12 in the spring of 2021. That includes all youth currently in grades 7-11. A group of parents have agreed to serve on a committee to plan and lead a series of fundraisers, planning to meet on Wednesday, February 26 prior to Ash Wednesday worship. The cost to attend the gathering will be approximately $1,100 per person, including two adult leaders. To learn more about the gathering, you can go here.

Snow Day!

Thursday was a snow day for Bellevue, which means no preschool either. However, Prayer Group met, as did Worship Committee. One of the main topics in that meeting was Lenten suppers and services. These will be held March 4, 11, 18, 25, and April 1. Since two of the services are on the first Wednesday, our supper and service will have to be set up in the Lounge, where we only had to do one service there last year. I am still considering what to use for a theme for the Lenten series of services.

Planning for Richard Hills concert continues

Paul continues work on the details surrounding the Richard Hills organ concert on May 17. He and Kristen worked this week on preparing a flyer that will be posted around the community. Contributions from supporting community groups have started to come in. Next step is to get our new website up and running.

New website coming

Paul gave me contact info for Osh, who is working on our behalf to reestablish our web presence and get a web site up and running. I have not made this connection yet, but hope to when I return from Colorado.

Some links for you

• Bishop Daniel's weekly message
• Synod eNews February 7
• Assembly Registration Open! Who will be our voting members? We are allowed two adult one youth or young adult under 30.