AS WE GATHER
(This section is placed at the beginning of our bulletin to use as a pre-service meditation)
When God called Moses to tell Pharaoh to let His people go, Moses had an identity crisis. He was aware of his inability to take on the great task. But eventually he trusted in God, the great I am, who was about to keep the promise He had made to the patriarchs. The Early Church was beset with conflicting teachings in the decades after Jesus’ ascension. But Paul reminded the faithful that God had chosen them to be saved. As they awaited Jesus’ return, he urged them to rely on God for the comfort and hope they needed. We, too, by ourselves are helpless, dead in sin, but, as Jesus told His detractors, God is not God of the dead, but of the living, and we shall live with Him forever.
Seek His guidance as to how to use His gifts of time, money, and energy.
THIS WEEK’S NOTES
BUILDING HEALTHY FAMILIES – “Children are a gift from the Lord, offspring a reward from Him” (Psalm 127:3).” For over 118 years, LFS has connected children to parents through adoption, and now serves families in a multitude of other ways. In thanksgiving to God for an important person He has put in your life, celebrate the blessing of family with us this Thanksgiving by making a gift in their honor or memory. Your gift will honor them, and help us serve a child, teen, or family in need this year. Text GIVE to (515) 212-7585 to receive a link to complete your donation. We thank God for your partnership and generosity! Lutheran Family Service is Iowa’s only Recognized Service Organization (RSO) by the LCMS for pregnancy support, adoption services, family wellness, mental health, and marriage counseling, This is a message from Lutheran Family Service (712) 276-9000; 4301 Sergeant Rd, Ste 203 Sioux City, IA 51106.
COFFEE HOUR UPDATE – When you are called by Barb Walters (Parish Relations Committee), you will be given the choice to make something or have Parish Relations purchase donuts at the bakery for you. While we appreciate it if you could also serve it, you’re also given the choice to serve it yourself or have Parish Relations serve it for you (a member of Parish Relations will be “on duty” each weekend to help). We still appreciate your generous financial donations which make it possible for us to purchase donuts when needed. And as always after Coffee Hour everyone is invited to stay for the Bible Studies led by Pastor Lesemann and Vernon Winterhof. Sincerely, Parish Relations Committee J
FAITHBUILDERS meets at 10:15 am on Sunday mornings. This Sunday, the students will learn about Paul & Silas in prison (Acts 16 :16-30).
THIS IS THE WEEKEND! The St. John Pancake Supper will be served on Sunday evening, November 10th from 5:00 – 7:00 pm. Be sure your family enjoys this time of fellowship along with a complete meal. Invite your friends and neighbors, too. It’s a real deal as we are still serving for $5.00 a person with children 5 & under free! Thank you to those who have volunteered to help. A reminder: it always looks great when those who are working wear their St. John polo shirts.
OFF DAYS – Celeste will be taking Monday, November 11th and 18th off in the afternoon.
YOUTH GROUP HANGOUTS: The High School youth are invited to hangout and recharge each week. It will be a time to chill and relax with fellowship, funship and Christship. Nothing planned. Only a time to get recharged. We’ll let the spirit move us. It will be every Wednesday this fall in the youth room at 7:00 pm. Questions, please talk to Jerry Johnson or Brooke Groat.
NEW POINTS TO PONDER
2020 OFFERING ENVELOPES are available. Please pick yours up. If you see a box of envelopes for someone who is not able to attend regularly, please consider taking it to them – a friendly visit will brighten their day! If you know of someone who did not receive envelopes, but would use them, please have them contact Celeste and I will get a box ready for them.
FALL BANQUET – You are invited to The Bridge of Storm Lake’s Annual Fall Banquet on Saturday, November 16th at 6:00 pm on the BVU campus. This event is an important way for the organization to share updates regarding its mission and future plans. For over 9 years, the Bridge has strived to live out the Gospel and make a positive difference in the Storm Lake community. This year’s banquet features personal testimonies from the TreeHouse program. TreeHouse, geared toward high school and middle school students, is a new ministry model being implemented at the Bridge. The event will also feature a raffle for a year’s supply of Endless Sea Coffee, a $250 HyVee shopping spree, and fun weekend get-aways! To learn more, purchase raffle tickets, purchase tickets for the banquet, or to sponsor a table at the banquet, visit www.thebridgeofstormlake.com, stop by the office at 529 Seneca St, or call us at 712-213-0195.
PREVIOUS POINTS OF INTEREST
DONATIONS NEEDED - The Mary & Martha group along with the Ladies Aid of St. John’s are collecting food and other items for Upper Des Moines food pantry here in Storm Lake! If you would like to donate, some of the items they are in need of are:
- Cereal/Oatmeal (any kind and size)
- Pasta (any kind)
- Spaghetti sauce
- Pancake mixes/syrup
- Canned vegetables
- Peanut butter/Jelly
- Personal hygiene items (body wash, shampoo, deodorant)
- Laundry soap
- Paper products (paper towels, toilet paper)
There will be containers by the front entryway to put your donations into! Some of the items collected will be used to create the Harvest Display in a few weeks. THANKS FOR YOUR HELP and SUPPORT!!! We will be collecting through Thanksgiving weekend!!!
MUSIC NOTES - The St. John Choir has some additional voices this fall and has exciting plans for the Advent/Christmas season. Rehearsal has begun on a cantata to be presented the weekend of December 7-8. If you would like to join the group in this endeavor, the group invites you to rehearse with them on Wednesday evenings at 7 p.m.
Children’s Christmas Eve Service: This year the children will lead the congregation in sharing the good news of Christmas with Psalm 46 and Luke 2.
Joy: Fully Christmas - Real. Present. God.
Christmas is real because Jesus is Real.
Jesus is Present. More important than presents.
Christmas is the real presence of God.
Christmas Eve Service Practice Information: We will soon begin working on the St. John Christmas Eve service which will be led by all the children (Preschool to High School), plus the St. John choir. This years’ service will be entitled Joy: Fully Christmas - Real. Present. God. We will start practicing on Nov. 24th, so be sure to watch for the practice schedule. All the St. John children (Preschool to High School) will be leading this year’s Christmas Eve service on Tuesday, December 24th at 6:00pm. Please fill out the participation form that is available on the table in the narthex and return it by NOVEMBER 10 or ASAP to the office or Sunday School to let us know if your family will be available. Attendance is important for a good program. Please make every effort to have your children attend during Faithbuilders on Sundays for practice. If you would like to donate time, treasures and talent to the service, please contact Jerry Johnson 712-732-2775 or johnson@bvu.edu.
(This section is placed at the beginning of our bulletin to use as a pre-service meditation)
When God called Moses to tell Pharaoh to let His people go, Moses had an identity crisis. He was aware of his inability to take on the great task. But eventually he trusted in God, the great I am, who was about to keep the promise He had made to the patriarchs. The Early Church was beset with conflicting teachings in the decades after Jesus’ ascension. But Paul reminded the faithful that God had chosen them to be saved. As they awaited Jesus’ return, he urged them to rely on God for the comfort and hope they needed. We, too, by ourselves are helpless, dead in sin, but, as Jesus told His detractors, God is not God of the dead, but of the living, and we shall live with Him forever.
Seek His guidance as to how to use His gifts of time, money, and energy.
THIS WEEK’S NOTES
BUILDING HEALTHY FAMILIES – “Children are a gift from the Lord, offspring a reward from Him” (Psalm 127:3).” For over 118 years, LFS has connected children to parents through adoption, and now serves families in a multitude of other ways. In thanksgiving to God for an important person He has put in your life, celebrate the blessing of family with us this Thanksgiving by making a gift in their honor or memory. Your gift will honor them, and help us serve a child, teen, or family in need this year. Text GIVE to (515) 212-7585 to receive a link to complete your donation. We thank God for your partnership and generosity! Lutheran Family Service is Iowa’s only Recognized Service Organization (RSO) by the LCMS for pregnancy support, adoption services, family wellness, mental health, and marriage counseling, This is a message from Lutheran Family Service (712) 276-9000; 4301 Sergeant Rd, Ste 203 Sioux City, IA 51106.
COFFEE HOUR UPDATE – When you are called by Barb Walters (Parish Relations Committee), you will be given the choice to make something or have Parish Relations purchase donuts at the bakery for you. While we appreciate it if you could also serve it, you’re also given the choice to serve it yourself or have Parish Relations serve it for you (a member of Parish Relations will be “on duty” each weekend to help). We still appreciate your generous financial donations which make it possible for us to purchase donuts when needed. And as always after Coffee Hour everyone is invited to stay for the Bible Studies led by Pastor Lesemann and Vernon Winterhof. Sincerely, Parish Relations Committee J
FAITHBUILDERS meets at 10:15 am on Sunday mornings. This Sunday, the students will learn about Paul & Silas in prison (Acts 16 :16-30).
THIS IS THE WEEKEND! The St. John Pancake Supper will be served on Sunday evening, November 10th from 5:00 – 7:00 pm. Be sure your family enjoys this time of fellowship along with a complete meal. Invite your friends and neighbors, too. It’s a real deal as we are still serving for $5.00 a person with children 5 & under free! Thank you to those who have volunteered to help. A reminder: it always looks great when those who are working wear their St. John polo shirts.
OFF DAYS – Celeste will be taking Monday, November 11th and 18th off in the afternoon.
YOUTH GROUP HANGOUTS: The High School youth are invited to hangout and recharge each week. It will be a time to chill and relax with fellowship, funship and Christship. Nothing planned. Only a time to get recharged. We’ll let the spirit move us. It will be every Wednesday this fall in the youth room at 7:00 pm. Questions, please talk to Jerry Johnson or Brooke Groat.
NEW POINTS TO PONDER
2020 OFFERING ENVELOPES are available. Please pick yours up. If you see a box of envelopes for someone who is not able to attend regularly, please consider taking it to them – a friendly visit will brighten their day! If you know of someone who did not receive envelopes, but would use them, please have them contact Celeste and I will get a box ready for them.
FALL BANQUET – You are invited to The Bridge of Storm Lake’s Annual Fall Banquet on Saturday, November 16th at 6:00 pm on the BVU campus. This event is an important way for the organization to share updates regarding its mission and future plans. For over 9 years, the Bridge has strived to live out the Gospel and make a positive difference in the Storm Lake community. This year’s banquet features personal testimonies from the TreeHouse program. TreeHouse, geared toward high school and middle school students, is a new ministry model being implemented at the Bridge. The event will also feature a raffle for a year’s supply of Endless Sea Coffee, a $250 HyVee shopping spree, and fun weekend get-aways! To learn more, purchase raffle tickets, purchase tickets for the banquet, or to sponsor a table at the banquet, visit www.thebridgeofstormlake.com, stop by the office at 529 Seneca St, or call us at 712-213-0195.
PREVIOUS POINTS OF INTEREST
DONATIONS NEEDED - The Mary & Martha group along with the Ladies Aid of St. John’s are collecting food and other items for Upper Des Moines food pantry here in Storm Lake! If you would like to donate, some of the items they are in need of are:
- Cereal/Oatmeal (any kind and size)
- Pasta (any kind)
- Spaghetti sauce
- Pancake mixes/syrup
- Canned vegetables
- Peanut butter/Jelly
- Personal hygiene items (body wash, shampoo, deodorant)
- Laundry soap
- Paper products (paper towels, toilet paper)
There will be containers by the front entryway to put your donations into! Some of the items collected will be used to create the Harvest Display in a few weeks. THANKS FOR YOUR HELP and SUPPORT!!! We will be collecting through Thanksgiving weekend!!!
MUSIC NOTES - The St. John Choir has some additional voices this fall and has exciting plans for the Advent/Christmas season. Rehearsal has begun on a cantata to be presented the weekend of December 7-8. If you would like to join the group in this endeavor, the group invites you to rehearse with them on Wednesday evenings at 7 p.m.
Children’s Christmas Eve Service: This year the children will lead the congregation in sharing the good news of Christmas with Psalm 46 and Luke 2.
Joy: Fully Christmas - Real. Present. God.
Christmas is real because Jesus is Real.
Jesus is Present. More important than presents.
Christmas is the real presence of God.
Christmas Eve Service Practice Information: We will soon begin working on the St. John Christmas Eve service which will be led by all the children (Preschool to High School), plus the St. John choir. This years’ service will be entitled Joy: Fully Christmas - Real. Present. God. We will start practicing on Nov. 24th, so be sure to watch for the practice schedule. All the St. John children (Preschool to High School) will be leading this year’s Christmas Eve service on Tuesday, December 24th at 6:00pm. Please fill out the participation form that is available on the table in the narthex and return it by NOVEMBER 10 or ASAP to the office or Sunday School to let us know if your family will be available. Attendance is important for a good program. Please make every effort to have your children attend during Faithbuilders on Sundays for practice. If you would like to donate time, treasures and talent to the service, please contact Jerry Johnson 712-732-2775 or johnson@bvu.edu.
