Special Events – Feb., March and April

In addition to our regular worship schedule:

February

Sunday, February 5, 9 am – Sunday School children sing;

Sunday, February 5, After Worship – Souper Bowl of Caring Kick-off: Soup, sandwiches, and light refreshments to start this campaign off with the right spirit.

Friday, February 10, 6 pm  – Church Potluck; 7 pm Concert by Captive Free for the whole family; 8:30pm to 11 pm games with the band for youth (6th-12th grade)

Saturday, February 11, 1-3:30 pm -  Hunger Mission Project hosted at St. John’s;

Saturday, February 11, 5 pm Captive Free leads worship

Sunday, February 12, 9 am Captive Free leads worship; 10:15 am Captive Free at Learning Hour

Wednesday, February 22,  7 p.m. – Ash Wednesday worship

Saturday, February 25 and Sunday, Feb. 26 – Godparenting Weekend

Wednesday, February 29 – 5:30 p.m. Lenten Meal; Small Group Meetings at 6; 7 p.m. Lenten Service -Come for part or all

Confirmation Youth: Meal at 6, Small Group 6:20, Worship 7 p.m.

March

Wednesdays March 7, 14, 21, 28 -  . Lenten Meal; Small Group Meetings at 6; 7 p.m. Lenten Service -Come for part or all

Confirmation Youth: Meal at 6, Small Group 6:20, Worship 7 p.m.

Saturday, March 31 – Celebration of Palms and Passion Story

April

Sunday, April 1 – Celebration of Palms and Passion Story

Thursday, April 5, 7 p.m.  – Maundy Thursday worship and First Communion for 5th Grade students

Friday, April 6, Noon – Good Friday Ecumenical Worship Service at Oak Grove Church

Saturday, April 7 – Day long prayer vigil – no Saturday worship

Sunday, April 8, 6:30, 9 and 10:30 a.m. – Easter Sunday Service

Sunday, April 8, 7:30-9 a.m.  – Easter Breakfast

Captive Free and Kids Against Hunger

CAPTIVE FREE AND KIDS AGAINST HUNGER

February 10-12, 2012, at St. John’s will be a weekend unlike any we’ve had before, filled with music and mission service! On Friday February 10, at 6 p.m., we will have a church-wide potluck. At 7:00pm, the band Captive Free will present a concert  here at St. John’s. Captive Free is a group of outstanding young adult musicians touring all over the Great Lakes region. Based out of St. Paul, MN, and hosted by an organization called Youth Encounter, Captive Free brings high energy, awesome music, loads of fun, and a great message. After the concert, from 8:30pm to 11:00 pm, youth 6th through 12th grade are invited to join in games and hang out with the band.

On Saturday, from 1-3:30, Captive Free will lead us in an on-site mission project called Kids Against Hunger. The mission of Kids Against Hunger, a
humanitarian food-aid organization, is to significantly reduce the number of hungry children in the USA and to feed starving children throughout the world. Captive Free will show us how to package a highly nutritious, vitamin-fortified soy-rice casserole to be distributed to starving children and their families in over 60 countries. The contents of each meal cost $0.25, and we’ll package 6000 meals! Mission volunteers (limit of 50 individuals) will help to cover the cost of the meals we package, as will the whole congregation.

Captive Free will also lead us in worship on Saturday, 5:00pm and Sunday, 9:00am. An adult education hour on Sunday at 10:15am will be a time to learn more about Captive Free, Kids Against Hunger, and global hunger.

Souper Bowl of Caring

With the big game on February 5, five local congregations – including St. John’s – are “kicking off” a month of caring for our
Evansville neighbors. Beginning February 5th, Congregational United Church of Christ, United Methodist Church, Oak Grove Church,
Cooksville Lutheran Church, and St. John’s Lutheran Church are leading the charge in caring for the needs of all people in our community.

Here at St. John’s on the first Sunday of February, we’ll enjoy soup, sandwiches, and light refreshments to start this campaign off with the
right spirit. That of friendship, camaraderie, and community.

At each church location, non-perishable food items and personal hygiene products will be collected throughout the month of February.
Bring your donations with you on your way to worship, or as you drive by St. John’s during office hours. We’ll pile up the food and see how
generous we can be! At the end of the month each congregation will weigh in. Let’s step up to the challenge.This competition has only
winners – the people of Evansville.

At least as much as we like football, we take care of those experiencing lean times. Please be generous as we collect food for our neighbors in
need. Let’s step up for our Evansville friends and score big for our community.

Feb. and March LWR Mission Project: Personal Care Kits

Our collection of soap for Lutheran World Relief (LWR) continues. LWR accepts new bars of soap in their original
wrapping. All bar sizes are accepted, though bath-size bars (4 to 5 oz.) are highly preferred. Please place in the tubs on
the table in the fellowship hall. We hope to collect one bar of soap per family (over 400 bars!).

In the months of February and March we’re preparing Personal Care Kits for LWR. Help St. John’s send these vitals kits to
people in underprivileged countries.

The following items are needed for each kit:
• One light or medium weight bath-size towel, dark color recommended
• Two bath-size bar of soap (4-5 oz), any brand, in its original wrapping.
• One adult toothbrush, in original wrapping preferred.
• One comb, wide tooth preferred, remove packaging.
• One metal nail file, or nail clippers with file attached, unwrap package. (no emery boards)
Wrap all these items in the towel, tie securely with ribbons or yarn, and bring them to the LWR table in the fellowship hall. Thanks for extending your hands and resources for the sake of others.

Lenten Meals

Our community meals during the season of Lent begin on Wednesday, February 29, and continue through March
28. We serve supper from 5:30 – 6:30pm, with worship at 7:00pm. A suggested donation is $4 for adults and $3
for kindergarten through 8th grade. (Under school age children eat free.) Please mark your calendar and plan to join your
church family in the fellowship hall for a delicious family meal.

If you or your group would be willing to serve a supper meal, we have March 7 and March 14 available. Please call the church office to
offer your time and skills. How good it is to break bread together and to join in fellowship in the name of the Lord.

40 Days with the Lord’s Prayer

Beginning on Ash Wednesday (February 22 this year), the 40 days of Lent follow Jesus on his journey to the cross on Good Friday (April 6) through Easter (April 8). As we walk with Jesus on this road, we also walk with one another.

For Lent 2012 you’re invited to journey with other St. John’s people in a small group using the daily readings of “Lenten Journey: 40 Days with the Lord’s Prayer.” Small groups will meet at 6:00pm on six Wednesdays during Lent, February 29 through April 4. (This gives
us time to eat at the Lenten meal at 5:30pm if we choose, and be ready for worship at 7:00pm.) “40 Days with the Lord’s Prayer” has 2-page daily readings, and each week we’ll discuss what we’ve read and share our insights. Contact the church office or sign up on the bulletin board in the narthex (gathering area). The cost of the book is $8, payable upon receipt. Those who cannot attend the small group meetings are still invited to read the book with us.

“Lenten Journey: 40 Days with the Lord’s Prayer” is authored by Henry F. French, a retired Lutheran pastor and professor. This daily devotion is a 40 day journey with Jesus. In fourteen short lines the Lord’s Prayer contains the heart and soul of Jesus’ teaching. It’s a prayer most of us know by heart, and all of us can nestle it deeper into our souls. If you are interested in what God wants for you and what God wants from you, then you can do no better than spend forty days with this profound prayer.

Consider reading the book with us, as well as joining in for an opportunity to grow and journey with a small group!

First Communion for 5th Grade Students

On four upcoming Sunday mornings, fifth graders, parents, and adult learners will meet together to better understand what Holy Communion is all about. Jesus himself started the practice of this holy meal and told us to eat it, too. The fifth grade is a wonderful time to discuss its meaning and to begin receiving the bread and wine.

Parents and fifth graders – mark your calendars. First Communion sessions will meet at 10:15 am, after Sunday morning worship, on March
11, March 18, March 25, and April 1. We’ll start in the sanctuary. All fifth graders receiving this instruction are invited to receive Holy
Communion for the first time as a group at worship on Maundy Thursday, April 5, at 7 pm. Maundy Thursday is the day each year
when we celebrate Jesus sharing the Lord’s Supper with his disciples. So it’s appropriate that our fifth graders come to the table for the first time on this day. Holy Communion is a gift of God that strengthens our faith and nourishes our Spirits.

Godparenting Weekend, February 25 and 26

Very often when a person is baptized, sponsors (or godparents) stand up and pledge their support for the faith life of the one being baptized. It’s a beautif ul connection of faith that some of us have known. Godparents commit to modeling a godly life and praying for the one baptized. In worship February 25 and 26, we’ll help keep those promises by praying for anyone who ever called us “godparent”. And we’ll also pray for those we called our godparent. If you’re able, come for worship alongside your godparent or godchild that weekend.

Vacation Bible School Aug. 6-12, 2012: Mark your Calendars

Sky
Vacation Bible School – 2012
Everything Is Possible With God
Mark 10:27

Mark your calendar and plan your vacations around August 6-10, 2012. You won’t want to miss this! Kids connect with God and grow stronger in their faith as they discover that everything is possible when you trust God! Sky is fun for kids and adults! From the games, grins, and sciencyfun gizmos, to the amazing music with a blend of new worship songs and classic hymns – everyone flies high at Sky!

Program Director Vonnie Hatlen is looking for volunteers to help with the easy-to-lead lessons. Areas that need help are Wild Blue Bible Adventures, Imagination Station, All-Star Games, and Sky High Movie & Missions. Preschool was such a successful area last year. Needed for this year is a Preschool Director along with Bible Adventures & Missions, games, Chadder’s Theater, and Craft and Play.

Our Mission Project again this year will be mosquito nets to fight malaria in Africa. Kids will learn about Operation Kid-to-Kid during Sky High Movie & Missions each day.

Our amazing VBS Director, Vonnie Hatlen, is  revving up this exciting adventure and hoping to put excitement into all of you. She will be calling all of our former workers, but would like to hear from anyone else who would be interested in this adventure with God. It is truly any amazing ride. Call Vonnie Hatlen at 882-4707 or 751-6143. Thank you.

THE 2011 BAZAAR REPORT

With all receipts counted and all expenses dispersed, the Annual Holiday Bazaar held on Saturday, November 19, 2011, reports an official total of $11,531! What a show of hard work, community effort, and generosity!

Word has it, that’s the highest net total we’ve had to date. Every year builds on the great foundation of the previous years. This dollar amount is a win for so many reasons. The sense of accomplishment and community at St. John’s is strengthened. Funds for new windows on the south side of the building (facing the parking lot) are ready to allow replacement of aging windows. And new this year, 10% of proceeds – $1153 – will be put to work by health organizations to help end malaria in Africa. Awesome! We’re building community, taking care of our resources, and helping others in need. This sounds a lot like the Christian life, and we’re living it together. Way to go, St. John’s!

To learn more about the ELCA Malaria Campaign (our national church organization fighting malaria and receiving our 10% gift), visit
www.elca.org/malaria.

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