Interim Update for October 30, 2020

St. John's Membership Update

Heather has put together a Google Form for St. John's members to provide information about in-person and online worship participation, plans to attend the Annual Meeting on November 22, and and contact information updates. You can find the form HERE. Please take a minute or two to view, complete, and submit the form. Thanks! I'll be posting this also in the next couple Weekend Updates.

ELCA World Hunger Leadership Gathering

The ELCA World Hunger team is looking forward to welcoming you to theELCA World Hunger Leadership Gathering, January 20-23, 2021. The ELCA World Hunger Leadership Gathering brings together the national network of ELCA World Hunger leaders, congregations, and ministry partners every 18 months for a time of networking, idea sharing, and planning for our shared work. For more information, you can go HERE. Would anyone be interested in attending this web-based event, and getting St. John's more involved in an intentional way in addressing world hunger?

Daylight Savings Time ends

I'm sure you're getting plenty of reminders about this twice-a-year routing of changing the clocks at 2am. Yeah, we all set our alarms for 2 to change the clock, right? Just remember the four-word reminder of what to do: spring ahead, fall back. An extra hour of sleep this weekend. Will make up for the lost hour back in March.x

Stewardship Program

The Stewardship Team met on Thursday at 11:30 to process third mailing for our Stewardship Program, which you should have received in the the mail by now. If you, you can also view it HERE. Next week, we will be mailing out "Intent cards," which will give you an opportunity to indicate your intent for giving in 2021. I hope you're follwoing the bulletin inserts and the exhortation in our theme to "Live Generously." Our next Zoom meeting with GSB Fundraising is next Thursday at 11:30 am.

Confirmation - Apostles' Creed Article 2

After youth gathered outside around our 6:30 starting time, I gathered words from them to plug into a Holloween Mad Lib. We decided to go inside for our lesson time - warmer and less windy. We began our look at the Second Aricle of the Apostles' Creed and its meaning"

I believe in Jesus Christ, God’s only Son, our Lord,
who was conceived by the Holy Spirit,
born of the virgin Mary,
suffered under Pontius Pilate,
was crucified, died, and was buried;
he descended to the dead.
On the third day he rose again;
he ascended into heaven,
he is seated at the right hand of the Father,
and he will come to judge the living and the dead.

What does this mean?

I believe that Jesus Christ, true God, son of the Father from eternity, and true man, born of the virgin Mary, is my Lord. At great cost he has saved and redeemed me, a lost and condemned person. He has freed me from sin, death, and the power of the devil, not with silver or gold, but with his holy and precious blood and his innocent suffering and death. All this he has done that I may be his own, live under him in his kingdom, and serve him in everlasting righteousness, innocence, and blessedness, just as he is risen from the dead and lives and rules eternally. This is most certainly true.

To my readers who endured Lutheran Confirmation classes, does this sound familiar? Hope it does! It's all good stuff.

A visit from Calla

On Thursday morning, St. John's was visited by Calla Gilson, a member of Synod Staff. Calla is Lead Coordinator for the Discipleship Initiative of synod, which seeks to help congregations reach out in new ways in ministry to their communities. The occasion of Calla's visit was to drop off a funding request for the Mission Endowment Committee. The request was to help fund a synod project called Imagining Renewal Microgrant. Calla emailed me back in June, which I posted in my June 26 Update. You can read that email HERE, and that should give you a better idea of why she is requesting funding from the St. John's Mission Endowment Fund.

Calla's home congregation is Trinity in Wauseon, and she recently returned from a year of service in the ELCA Young Adults in Global Mission Program, spending her year in the West Bank of Israel. We shared stories of our experiences in following the footsteps of Jesus. She was baptized by Pastor Scott Silcox, who is a son of St. Peter in Norwalk, whose parents and rest of his family I knew well.

ELCA Stewardnet

You can read the latest issue of this ELCA Stewardship resource HERE.

Calendar of Events

Here are some things that are happening in our Synod. take a look HERE. You may find something that will interest or inspire you.

Bishop Daniel's Weekly Email

You can read it HERE.

Sunday is All Saints

Just a reminder that Sunday is All Saints Day. We will light a candle for each congregation member who has died since last All Saints. Those who would like a loved one nameswho has died since last All Saints can can submit his or her name to me via email HERE, or for those attending in-person worship, give name to Heather when you arrive in the lobby.

Update on Carol Hildebrandt

We received word that Carol has returned home from the hospital, and is now under hospice care. Keep her and her family in your prayers, and she certainly would appreciate cards and messages. You can send them to her at 1885 C.R 302, Bellevue, OH 44811.

Interim Update for October 23, 2020

Stewardship Program Update

The Stewardship Team (Linda, Aleta and Emma K.) continue to work hard to bring you our annual Stewardship campaign. You should have received the lates mailing, which included another letter by me, with two Sunday bulletin inserts content on the back side. You can also view and read that letter HERE. There will be several more mailings in the program, including the sending out of "Intent Cards" the first week of November. Please read, engange, and respond to these materials, and keep on Living Generously!

CCLI License Added

Council approved at their meeting Tuesday night to purchase a CCLI License, which will enable our worship musicians to choose a wider range of music for singing duruing Sunday worship. We had previously purchased a license from OneLicense, which covers most of the hymns in ELW not in the public domain. CCLI covers most songs in Worship and Praise, as well as countess other contemporary worship songs. This license will also enable me to display words to songs that I use during confirmation, as well as other possible worship services. The cost of the CCLI license (annual) is $167.

Healthy Congregations Leadership Series

Today (Friday was the second of eight monthly meetings in what the Healthy Congregations organization calls the Leadership Series. On one Friday a month, we gather via Zoom for lectures and other didactic content, take a break for lunch, and spend the afternoon in a small group as we share "genograms," or charts of our family history, and apply Bowen System Theory to our family history and experiences. This helps us better understand family dynamics, and by association, the dynamics that come to play in the larger family that is a congregation. It's interesting, challenging, and in the end, I think, helpful.

Thursday Morning Live!

Thursday Morning Live! (Zoom Bible study) continues its study of the Book of Acts, a study written by Bishop Daniel. This weeks lesson included the conversion of Saul, and his transformation from being a persecutor of Christians into the first Christian missionary who brought the gospel to "the ends of the earth."

Transitional Leaders Zoom

Synod Transitional Leaders (interims, call process facilitators, vice-pastors, anyone who is currently leading a synod congregation in transition

Confirmation - First Article of the Apostles' Creed

While last week we did a general introduction of the Apostles' Creed, including the meaning and purpose of creeds, and the concept of the Triune God which is inherent in the creed, this week's focus was on the First Article: * believe in God the Father Almight, maker of heaven and earth.* With the weather still cooperating, we met again outside in the parking lot, and after a brief game of four square, I divided Luther's explanation of the First Article into seven sentences, which youth wrote with chalk into 7 parking spaces. Those/that sentences/explantion were/was as follows:

• What we believe God is up to in the First Article:
  1. I believe that God has created me and all that exists.
  2. He has given and still preserves to me my body and soul with all their powers.
  3. He provides me with food and clothing, home and family, daily work, and all I need from day to day.
  4. God also protects me in time of danger and guards me from every evil.
• What we believe is the reason that God does all these things.
  5. All this he does out of fatherly and divine goodness and mercy, though I do not deserve it.
• What we believe our response to what God has done and continues to do for us:
  6. Therefore I surely ought to thank and praise, serve and obey him.
• What we believe about the truth of all this:
  7. This is most certainly true.

We than talked about the meaning, importance and application of each these sentences.

Jan, tell us it isn't true!

Jan LaBonte submitted a letter of resignation from her position as choir director at St. John's to the Worship Committee at their October meeting, and was announced to Council on Thursday night. Jan begin her position 24 years ago, and has served faithfully and extremely well. She indicated in her letter that, with the choir on hiatus because of the pandemic, that now is a s good a time as any to make this move. It has been a privilege to work with Jan -- in addition to leading the choir, she has assisted in the choosing of hymns for Sunday and special services, not always an easy task. Jan, we thank you for your faithful service!!

Preschool Scrip

One of the Preschool's regular fundraisers has been the sale of "Scrip," which are gift cards sold by local, regional and national retailers. Participating organizations receive anywhere from 2.5% to 16% of the value of the cards sold. Here are the guidelines for purchasing and using Scrip:

• Make checks payable to St. John’s Christian Preschool.
• Check or money orders only, do not enclose cash.
• Orders are placed on the 3rd Wednesday of each month.
• We will contact you when your order arrives the following week.
• If you have any questions, please call Liana Miller 419-656-4997.

To purchase Scrip, all you have to do is complete the order and submit with your payment to Linda Lilly at the Preschool office. You can view and download the order form HERE.

Next Sunday is All Saints

Just a reminder that next Sunday is All Saints Day. We will light a candle for each congregation member who has died since last All Saints. Those persons are:

• Charley Baum
• Marlene Buck
• Ellen Dubbert
• Bernice Ferry
• Donald Koser
• Kenneth Linder
• Florence Owens
• Harley Polley
• Clara Recktenwald
• Marabelle Smith
• Caleb Stockmaster
• Richard Sutter
• Robert Wagner

Those who would like a loved one nameswho has died since last All Saints can can submit his or her name to me via email HERE, or for those attending in-person worship, give to Heather when you arrive in the lobby. Those persons will also be named and a candle lit in their memory.

Links for you

• ELCA Worship
• Seeds Monthly

Interim Update for October 16

"Live Generously" Stewardship Program kicks off Sunday

Thursday was a busy day for the the Stewardship Team. We met at 11:30 am for the fourth of six Zoom meetings with Jennie Wolf, our consultant from GSB Fundraising, the firm that is providing us direction and content for our Stewardship program this year.

After the Zoom meeting, Aleta, Linda and Emma K. stayed to process the first mailing of our program which went out with Thursday's mail, so you may have received that in today's mail. If you didn't and want a preview, you can view a copy HERE. A copy of members' giving statement to date was included with this letter.

You will see that our theme this year is "Live Generously." We stole this from Thrivent, as it is their trademark for their Action Grants (more about that below). Our graphic is a bit different, a red heart with the words "Live Generously" written inside the heart.

The program will include a second letter the first Sunday in November, which will include an "Intent Card." This has been called a "Commitment Card" in the past, but this year we will refer to it as "Intent Card," as it indicates what we "intend" to give the ministry of St. John's in 2021.

Also in the program are six weekly bulletin inserts, beginning this weekend, each focusing on a particular aspect of stewardship. We are also hoping to have a brief temple talk or "Outcome story" for each of the six Sundays of the program. Outcome Stories offer more than information. They are inspirational, and speak of the impact that a congregation's ministry has on people, or how their congregation has "made a difference" for them.

Another way to put this to ask and answer the question, "Where and how have you experienced God active in your life recently?" Would you be willing to tell an Outcome Story on a coming Sunday morning? Listen to Mike Ward, another of the GSB consultants speak about "Outcome Stories. Click here to hear Mike talk about Outcome Stories.

This program also challenges us as leaders to be the first declare our intent. I increased the percentage of my giving in 2020 over 2019 by half a percent. I'd be willing to do it again.

To help cover the cost of our Stewardship Program, we are doing two things. The $300 cost for GSB Fundraising is being covered by a $100 gift from me with a challenge for Council to match that times 2. Not sure where we are with that, but you can still do your part -- mark your gift "Generosity Program." I applied for and received a Thrivent Action Grant, which provides $250 for a fundraising or service activity. The $250, applied to a Visa Card, has been used to purchase postage for our program mailings.

Zoom Audio Only will continue

I indicated in my October 2 update that I would discontinue the audio only Zoom call. I have decided to resume that service with those who indicate an interest, and make it by phone only. So far, one has joined on a regular basis, and another has expressed interest.

Add CCLI License

Our musicians for this weekend (Evelyn and Cindy) wanted to do a song that was covered by CCLI license. Since we only have OneLicense, they had to change their plans. I would like for us to also purchase a CCLI license so that Evelyn and Cindy have greater latitude in the hymns they select. I will also be able to use it for displaying words to the songs I play for catechism with PowerPoint. The annual license fee is $137. I have not purchased the OneLicense streaming license that we had talked about, and don't intend to.

Bishop's Fall Meetings

I attended the first of the Bishop's Fall Meetings on Zoom that I have been advertising here for the past several weeks. It was an informative and inspirational hour with Bishop Daniel and Synod Staff. There are two more opportunities to participate -- Thursday, October 29 at 7:30 pm, and Thursday November 5 at 9:00 pm. I will send out the Zoom invite info the day before so you can participate if you so desire.

Mission Endowment Fund Application

The Mission Endowment Fund committee will be reviewing requests for disbursement of interest earned on the fund in 2020. If you have a request, please fill out the form found on the table in the Narthex or church office and return it to the church office or any committee member. Decisions will be made the first of November for approval at the church council meeting and the Congregational meeting in November. You can also view and download the request form here.

Spaghetti Dinner

St. John's Preschool is offering a Spaghetti Dinner fundraiser on November 15 from 11 am until 1 pm. You can view a flyer with more information HERE.

Council Meeting

Don't forget that Council meets next Tuesday at 7:00 pm. I'll send out the Zoom invite info the day of. Watch for it if you plan to attend that way. Otherwise, masks for in-person meeting in Fellowship Hall.

Links for You

• ELCA Advocacy Connections for October
• New Beginnings newsletter from Trinity Seminary

Interim Update for October 9, 2020

Bishop's Zoom

Our Zoom meetings with Bishop Daniel and NWOS staff are now being held twice a month on the first and third Tuesdays of the month at 4:00 pm. At our meeting on Tuesday, Bishop Daniel spoke of "Stages of Disaster" that have been identified as communities respond to traumatic, life-disrupting events that affect communities, regions, and nations, the current pandemic being a case in point. These stages are roughly similar to the stages of dying identified by Dr. Elisabeth Kubler-Ross, e.g. denial, bargaining, acceptance, etc. The stages of disaster include:

• Pre-Disaster This includes the warnings which are often present giving communities time to prepare
• Impact The disaster itself.
• Heroism Stories of rescues, individuals going above and beyond the call of duty. ICU medical staff working long hours to care for Covid-19 patients, putting themselves at risk for infection is a good example.
• Community Cohesion Communities put aside differences and work together to address the needs created by the disaster.
• Disillusionment This word speaks for itself. We could say that this is the stage that we are currently in. Sometimes lasts up to one year anniversary of disaster.
• Reconstruction The creation of a new beginning. Usually starts beyond the first anniversary of the disaster.

Knowing these stages can help us, as leaders, as community members, to better navigate these difficult times.

The synod office always sends us follow up emails with links to the recording of the meeting, as well as resources, both mentioned in the meeting and otherwise of interest. You can view that email HERE. Some resources in that email you may want to check out include:

• Daily Bread Grants
• Prayer Walking Guide
• Participatory Asset Mapping
• Listening Audit

Parking Lot Confirmation

The weather was great for another outdoor confirmation session on Wednesday. We played some Four Square, after which we began our study of the Apostles' Creed. Our learning goals for this lesson are to:

• Discover how God becomes known to us
• Understand that God chooses to be revealed to us in order than we might believe
• Consider things in our own lives that discourage faith and those that help us believe

We talked about the difference between trying to discover God on our own, or allowing God to reveal God's self to us. We will explore in more detail in this Catechism Unit how God reveals God's self to us as Father, Son and Holy Spirit.

Thursday Morning Live!

Our Thursday morning Bible Study met at the regularly scheduled time of 10:00 to continue our study of the Book of Acts, prepared by Bishop Daniel. We had a new member join us this week by phone. Yes, you can do that. Zoom invites are sent out each week, usually late Wednesday evening or Thursday morning.

Worship and Music notes

The Worship and Music team met Thursday morning in Fellowship Hall following Thursday Morning Live. The team reviewed how worship is going in its various forms (YouTube, in-person, drive-thru Holy Communion), and discussed some future plans, which include:

• All Saints Sunday. This is the day we normally name and light a candle for those who have died during the previous All Saints Sunday. This year, I'd like to include a brief paragraph of each person, as we have not been able to have fully public funeral services for any since the pandemic discouraged large indoor gatherings.
• Advent Services -- we will not do Advent services this year. I will use those Wednesday evenings for additional Confirmation sessions.
• Christmas Worship. What will this look like this year? We started discussing this, and will continue to do so at our November meeting.

Preschool Spaghetti Dinner

St. John's Preschool is sponsoring a carry-out Spaghetti Dinner fundraiser on Sunday, November 15, from 11:00 am - 1:00 pm. $10.

Nominating Committee

The Nomination Committee will be meeting to find candidates for the following positions:

• Property, 3-year term
• Education and Youth, 3-year term
• Fellowship, 3-year term
• Worship and Music, 3-year term
• Stewardship, 3-year term
• Secretary, one year term
• Vice-President, one year term

Some of those currently serving on committees are eligible to run for a second term. President and Treasurer will also be on the ballot, although Marc Lovins has agreed to run for President, and Shaun Smith for Treasurer.

Bishop's Fall Gatherings

Over the years, the Bishop's Fall Gatherings have been times for the Bishop to connect with congregations and members around the synod. There have usually been at least five regional gatherings on a Tuesday or Thursday evening in the weeks of October. The meetings feature worship and a special message from the bishop, including an introduction to the them for the coming year. Last fall we gathered at Faith in Fremont as we learned about the 2020 theme, "The Year of Mission."

Because of the pandemic, the Fall Gatherings will be on Zoom, and there will be several different dates and times. You will fin a complete schedule of the meetings along with the Zoom meeting invite info HERE. I encourage you to pick a date and time, and put it on your calendar.

Interim Update for October 2, 2020

Erf Weller Wedding

The wedding for Nick and Brittany is this weekend, with a 6pm rehearsal today (Friday) and wedding service at 2:30 pm on Saturday. Paul will be the organist. All service attendees will be required to be wear a mask and register their name and phone number upon entering the church building. Prayers and congratulations for Nick and Brittany, and to grandma Minetta!

Stewardship Program

The Stewardship Team (Linda, Aleta, Emma K.) and I met on Thursday to review our program timeline and elements of our program, including bulletin inserts, newsletter articles and Intent cards. Our theme this year is "Live Generously," which we are borrowing from Thrivent Insurance. I have applied for a Thrivent Action Grant which, if approved, will help to cover the costs of our Stewardship Campaign, one of the primary costs being postage. All mailings will be sent via first class postage.

Part of our meeting on Thursday was joining the third Zoom meeting of our "Beginning a Culture of Generosity" program brought to us by GSB Fundraising. Jennie, the GSB consultant leading our Zoom meetings, emphasizes the importance of telling two kinds of stories - Outcome Stories and Generosity Stories. Outcome Stories tells how you have seen God working through the ministry of St. John's, either for yourself or for someone else. Generosity stories tell a personal experience of generosity -- for example, I would tell a story about how, when I was growing up, my mom and dad took ten percent of their paychecks and deposited it a special bank account from which they gave to our congregation and for other charitable causes.

Do you have some Outcome Stories or some Generosity Stories to tell? We will need them to include in some of out mailings and communications with the congregation as we move forward with this program. Our schedule looks like this:

• October 15 - Introductory Letter
• October 18 - Bulletin Insert 1
• October 25 - Bulletin Insert 2
• November 1 - Bulletin Insert 3
• November 6 - Letter # 2 with Intent Cards
• November 8 - Bulletin Insert 4
• November 15 - Bulletin Insert 5 - Sunday to receive Intent Cards
• November 22 - Bulletin Insert 6 - Progress Report on Intent Cards

Bishop's Fall Gatherings

Over the years, the Bishop's Fall Gatherings have been times for the Bishop to connect with congregations and members around the synod. There have usually been at least five regional gatherings on a Tuesday or Thursday evening in the weeks of October. The meetings feature worship and a special message from the bishop, including an introduction to the them for the coming year. Last fall we gathered at Faith in Fremont as we learned about the 2020 theme, "The Year of Mission."

Because of the pandemic, the Fall Gatherings will be on Zoom, and there will be several different dates and times. You will find a complete schedule of the meetings along with the Zoom meeting invite info HERE. I encourage you to pick a date and time, and put it on your calendar.

Links for You

• Global Links - news and information about the ELCA's global outreach.
• ELCA Hunger Grants - The ELCA provides $500 matching grants for congregations engaged in feeding ministries

Audio Only Zoom worship will be discontinued

I tried doing an audio only broadcast of the 10:00 in-person worship for four weeks, but it just isn't working out. Only one participant, and Sunday there were none. Also necessitates the purchase of a streaming license for the music. Also difficult to make sure meeting was joined, my phone microphone wasn't muted. Will send out notice with Saturday's Weekend Update.

Thursday Morning Live!

We finished the second lesson, and will start the third lesson next week. You're welcome to join us! Email invite goes out early Thursday morning.

Confirmation reviews Bible timeline

Our confirmation lesson was a review of the 39 and 27 books of the Old and New Testaments, and a review of the Bible timeline from Genesis to Resurrection

Looking Ahead

• Tuesday - appointment with Cleora B. for Holy Communion (outdoors at assisted living center in Tiffin)
• Tuesday -NWOS Leaders Zoom meeting with Bishop Daniel
• Wednesday -- Confirmation -- we'll start our study of the Apostles' Creed
• Thursday - 10:00 am - Thursday Morning Live! Study of Acts
• Thursday 11:15 am - Worship and Music Committee
• Friday 11:00 am - Interim Ministry Network Zoom support group
• Sunday, November 22 - Annual Elections/Budget meeting - following 10:00 worship -- Zoom option to attend