2024: The Year of Rest
Memory Verse: Hebrews 4:9
“So then, a sabbath rest still remains for the people of God.”
Welcome to 2024: The Year of Rest. Our focus in 2024, is to receive and to practice God’s sacred gift of rest.
Worship Hours: Sunday Worship is at 10:30 am.
Live Stream Worship: St. John's live streams its worship each week. You DO NOT have to be a member of Facebook or join in order to watch the service. Thank you to those who keep working to improve our online worship.
Council asks the congregation to pray in these stressful times to remember that we are ALL God's children and that we treat one another accordingly, with respect and understanding.
Let us pledge to be people of peace as we pray together: "O God, where hearts are fearful and constricted, grant courage and hope. Where anxiety is infectious and widening, grant peace and reassurance. Where distrust twists our thinking, grant healing and illumination. All these things we ask in the name of Jesus Christ, our Savior and Lord. Amen." (ELW, p. 76, edited)
Scripture and Prayer: We will meet at Parkvue Community at 12:00 noon on November 6, 2024.
Adult Study with Lynn resumes on Sunday, September 15th at 9:15 am in the Upper Room. We will be looking at the life of Abraham. All are welcome to join the upcoming study.
Ladies you are invited: The Eastern Conference Women’s Fall Retreat will be held on Saturday, October 5, 2024 at St. John Lutheran Church, 209 Southwest St. Bellevue OH. Registration and coffee hour starts at 9:00 am. Program begins at 9:30 am to 1:00 pm. Take a few hours out of your busy schedule for a time of prayer, devotion, fellowship, craft, and growing in God’s word. Cost: $10.00 paid at the door which includes coffee hour and lunch. RSVP by September 29th to St. John, Bellevue, 419-483-5422 or St.johnsofficesec@gmail.com.
Blessing of our pets: The in-person pet blessing will take place on Saturday, October 19th at Parkvue Place by the back pond. Service from 1:00 to 1:15 pm and drop in blessings until 2:00 pm. Rain location in the chapel.
Beginning in October, Sunday School will be the second Sunday of the month.
October 13th at 9:00 AM will be Sunday School for all ages. We will focus on the Reformation and dreaming. Please let Pastor Stacy or Dawn Schlessman know if you will be there so she knows how many items to prepare.
November 10th at 9:30 will be Sunday School for ALL youth. We will learn about Holy Communion, taste the bread, tell stories, and go a little deeper into our understanding of this sacrament.
November 17th will be the first play practice for the Christmas program, which will be on December 15th in the barn. Please let Pastor Stacy know if your child/neighbor/grandchild/family member of any kind would like a role!
Endowment Grant Applications are being accepted: Please contact a member of the endowment team and they will be glad to mail you an application. The requests need to be presented to the Endowment committee no later than October 7, 2024. You can mail the application back to the church, put your request in the endowment mailbox in the basement or present it to any member of the committee. The committee members are John Miller, Ted Call, Jeff Justi, Bob Stacy, Colleen Girard, Ron Zorn, Pastor Stacy. If you have any questions, please see a member of the endowment committee.
The Endowment Team will hold its quarterly meeting in mid to late October, at which time all grant applications that have been presented will be reviewed and voted on. Those that are approved will be sent to the Finance Team for additional review and approval.
Reformation is approaching on October 31st. So why do we celebrate the Reformation? What is it that sets us Lutherans apart? Join us as we Make Sense of Martin Luther! It's a seven week series, beginning October 15th at 11 AM at St John's (we will not meet the week of Thanksgiving). There is a book that goes with the series, so please let Pastor Stacy or Sandy know by September 21st if you would like a copy. Anyone is welcome in this group.
Book Club: Book Discussion will meet on Tuesday, November 12th at 10:00 am. We will discuss chapters 3 and 4.
We need your help! We still need readers, ushers, and communion assistants most weeks!