Enjoying Fellowship Through Ministry

TeaParty

We have several active small groups, and are eager to create more


  • Youth Ministry

    Bibles for Third Graders

    Each fall, we help parents fulfill the vows they took at their children's baptisms by giving them Bibles to give to their children.

    High Schoolers

    St. John's is blessed with gifted and dedicated teens, many of whom are active in a variety of ways within and beyond the congregation.

    We're thankful for our Youth Ministry Team of Scott Reid, Cindy Thompson, Pastor Paul. And we're thankful for parents who encourage their teens to get involved; and for church members who notice, care about, get to know, pray for, and encourage the young people in your lives-wherever they may be.

    Breakfast Club

    We meet on Sunday mornings for food, fellowship, and study. Get there before the donut eaters!

    Service

    We planted a corn patch a couple of summers with the proceeds going to world hunger causes. Our commitment to tithe our gifts and fund raisers-as in giving away 10%- along with the full proceeds from selling sweet corn, has allowed us to give $600 to our ELCA World Hunger Appeal, and another $600 to help our sister parish, Ulong'a, in Tanzania with food and school tuition needs. We're thankful we can be a blessing!

    Trips

    In 2006, eight of us attended the ELCA Youth Gathering in San Antonio with 36,000 other Lutherans! We received very generous financial support from one of our members-to defray these costs and free us to do some service projects.

    In 2007, we took two mission trips: one, over spring break to Chicago; the other, in July to Crossways Pine Lake Camp where we helped build a cabin (which gifts from our St. John's Sharing God's Blessings Appeal) are helping to pay for!

    Our BIG dream for 2009 is to consider a Mission Trip to Tanzania! We're going to explore a visit to our missionaries, Dr. Steve & Bethany Friberg.

  • Women Ministry

    There are currently two women's groups that meet regularly at St. John's:

    • Naomi Circle (the 3rd Monday of each month at 1:00 pm)
    • Ruth Circle (the 2nd Monday of each month at 6:30 pm)

    During the year, these two circles along with other women of St. John's have participated in the following projects:

    • Making quilts for Lutheran World Relief
    • Selling fair-trade chocolate bars to help the cocoa farmers in Ghana
    • Packaging Health Kits for Lutheran World Relief
    • Facilitating the "Giving Tree" (which enables the congregation to purchase Christmas presents for families through Lutheran Social Services and All People's Church)
    • Organizing bake sales
    • Providing food and service for various potlucks, funeral and wedding luncheons
    • Sponsoring a Thankoffering Service with offerings going to women's ministries of the ELCA
    • Offering study and fellowship to women within each circle

    We look forward to continuing our various ministries here at St. John's and welcoming other women into opportunities for fellowship and service. All women are welcome to attend either of these two groups!

  • Motorheads Ministry

    One of our more unusual "laying on of hands" ministries is our automotive ministry-one of those ways to get greasy for God! We receive donated vehicles, perform necessary repairs, and get them into the hands of people who need reliable transportation. Often, a decent running vehicle is the difference between having a job and being unemployed.

    WE HAVE A GREAT NEED FOR USED VEHICLES, ESPECIALLY MID-SIZE OR ECONOMY CARS, AND MINIVANS. We'd prefer 1995 and newer vehicles, but will consider all. Vehicles in need of minor to moderate repairs are fine.

    We meet many Monday evenings, but not as regularly as we wish. If you'd like to do some "laying on of hands" or even just learn more about cars and car care, check in with one of us. We'd love to include teens from inside and outside the church, especially over summer. We're glad to give advice on repairing, buying, or selling cars. And, if you're getting a newer vehicle, consider donating your current one. If you are able to itemize deductions, you can count as a contribution either the fair market value (if we give the car to someone) OR the amount we get for the vehicle (should we sell it.)

    And remember, "everyone auto know Jesus"!
    Gary, Jim, Chad, Bill, Pastor Paul

  • Ministry Partners

    Sharing God’s Blessings Capital Campaign” is on ongoing stewardship effort to strengthen our giving to pay off our building loan, and to support four of our ministry partners with an annual gift.

    Crossways Camping Ministries

    All People's Lutheran Church in Milwaukee

    ELCA Missionaries in Tanzania

    Ulong’a Parish in Tanzania