June 2014 - St. John Lutheran Church Joliet

Sharing the Love of Christ
The Messenger June 2014, Vol. 6, Issue 6
Monday’s Musings
Redeeming Work
. . . let each of you lead the life that the Lord has assigned, to which God called you.
- 1 Corinthians 7:17
Probably most of you know that my work at St. John is the beginning of my second career. When I went to
seminary, I was still working in my own Landscape Architecture consulting business. I went into this work
because of my love for nature – especially the land, water, plants, and the native ecosystems that connect
them all. Most people have some interest, gift, or talent for the work they pursue. That’s what draws them
in; they enjoy the subject or skills they learn as they increase in knowledge and experience, and gain a
sense of satisfaction from it.
But I went through years of dissatisfaction with my work. At first, when considering new jobs, I was caught
in a Catch-22: I couldn’t get the work I wanted without experience, and I couldn’t get the experience
without the job I wanted! I began to feel an ethical dilemma, since the ample work that paid well was not
sensitive to the environment that drew me to it in the first place.
When I say that I was drawn into my first career, what that means in church language is that I felt a calling.
A calling may or may not be a desire for doing work in the church or as a missionary. It may mean working
in the home or volunteering in the community. A calling is fulfilled where your desires meet the needs of the
world. And God is in that! Although I had different language for it at the time, I felt a call to my first career
as much as I felt a call to my second one (as well as a calling to work in the home with my family at the
same time).
In March I went to a workshop called Redeeming Work that was on the subject of doing and being what God
calls us to. One thing I found helpful was a viewpoint of the Puritans. They believed all people have three
areas of calling:
Highest calling: To Christ (to be reconciled to God through the Holy Spirit)
Common calling: To love thy neighbor (following Christ’s commands and mandates)
Specific calling: This is unique and not shared by others. (You may be called to be married or single, a
parent or not, a teacher or fire-fighter, in specific places with specific people)
What I appreciate is, it’s not a hierarchy, because we are always fulfilling all three at the same time. We
can’t do one without the others. There’s no Catch-22 when you love God and serve your neighbor while
following your unique calling to be with the people you love in the work that you do.
So, whatever you do, do everything for the glory of God.
Rethink possible!
- 1 Corinthians 10:31
- Pastor Robin
January
ImportantDates
DatestotoRemember
Remember:
6/4
6/8
6/8
6/8
6/8-6/12
6/15
Mission Trip pre-trip mandatory meeting
Pentecost
Semi-annual Congregational Meeting
Last day for Fair Trade Coffee
Kidz Camp
Turkey Talk begins
6/21
6/22-6/27
7/4
7/5
7/12-7/19
Mobile Food Pantry sponsored by Leeco
Steel
Campfirmation
Office closed for Fourth of July
Food Pantry Closed
H.S. Mission Trip to Waterloo, IA
2
“And so with
the sunshine
and the great
bursts of
leaves
growing on
the trees,
just as things
grow in fast
movies, I had
that familiar
conviction
that life was
beginning
over again
with the
summer.”
~F. Scott Fitzgerald
In May, Glenn Smith and Pastor Jen talked about their experience
of scheduling time in ways that honored the important things God
gives to each of us. Since it’s the time of the year when we make
summer plans, we have the opportunity to think and pray about
how we want to spend our time this summer. Everything we have
comes from God: our time, our money, our talents. What we do
with these things is important—it teaches our hearts what to love.
Important things take a little planning and intention, and will most likely need us to say
“no” to something so we can say “yes” to something important. Scheduling time for
important things takes practice and patience. But in doing so, you will find your schedule
is more fulfilling. It’s what Jesus means when he says he came to give us “Abundant Life.”
Ready to take the plunge? Looking for ways to teach your heart what’s important? Below
we have a few suggestions you can try this summer. We’ll share more next month.
• Refill your spiritual cup:
• Share highs and lows with
make time to worship
your family on a regular
regularly during the summer. basis.
• Send a card to a person
who is shut-in at home. You
can find the list of people
and addresses in our
Narthex.
• Say a prayer before every
meal. Thank God for the
food you eat, the people
who grow the food, the
people who prepare and
harvest the food.
• While you are standing in
line, say a prayer for the
people in front of you. They
probably need it.
• Create a mini-devotional
time every day. Need a book
to help you? Check one out
in the St. John library. Want
a 30 second online
resource? Sign up for “God
Pause” at http://
www.luthersem.edu/
• For $1550, give meals to
250 families by sponsoring a
Mobile Food Pantry or
asking your employer to
• Share a meal with your
sponsor one, inviting your co
family or friends. Make it a
-workers to join you in
time without disruptions from
volunteering. Best. Thing.
electronics.
Ever.
• Take that body God gave
you for a walk, a jog, or a
bike ride.
• Better yet, do it outside,
and notice God’s amazing
creation.
• Pay it forward and give a
kid a week of faith-growing.
• Better still, every once in a Sponsor a kid for KidzCamp
while, take a bag with you to ($10), Mission Trip ($350),
pick up garbage that’s lying or Campfirmation ($175).
around.
Better yet: all three events!
• Read the Bible, every day,
a little at a time. Don’t know
where to start? Try one of
the gospels (Matthew, Mark,
Luke, or John).
• God made the creatures,
too. Take the time to give
your dog a belly rub, or play
with your cat. Say a prayer
of thanks for our pets, who
show us unconditional love
and ask very little of us.
• Take care of God’s
creation: eat your meals on
real plates at your backyard
barbeque, reducing waste in • If you can, call your
our landfills.
parents and thank them for
their love when you were a
• Grow some of your own
teenager. They probably
food. Or, buy from your
didn’t know what they were
Farmer’s Market.
doing, and did the best they
• Every night before bed, list
could. Most likely, you didn’t
three things you feel grateful • Instead of throwing your
tell them that when you were
for that happened during the old electronics in a landfill,
bring them to our electronics young. Now is a good time.
day.
th
recycling event July 18-19 .
• If you are a parent, tell your
• Become the generous
Details can be found in this
children you love them. Look
person you always hoped to newsletter.
them in the eye and tell
be: pledge to increase your
them your love is forever
giving (or start your giving)
and always. It will be
to St. John by increasing
awkward for them and
your giving $5/week during
beautiful.
the summer months. Set up
automated debit to get you
started.
AN ARCHAEOLOGICAL AND BIBLICAL TOUR OF
TURKEY (ASIA MINOR)
Sundays



l June 15th - July 6th l 9:45 a.m. - 10:45 a.m.
See the remains of cities that Paul visited in Asia Minor (present-day Turkey),
as well as some of the cities described in Revelation 2 and 3.
Marvel at the most unusual land formations, home of cave cities inhabited by
early Christians (4th-6th centuries) in Cappadocia (central Turkey).
View magnificent Byzantine and Ottoman buildings - palaces, churches,
mosques - in Byzantium/Constantinople (present-day Istanbul).
In May 2013, Trenton Ferro joined a study tour sponsored by the Lutheran
School of Theology at Chicago. He will share pictures of the various sites visited
on this tour while relating the importance of these sites to the development of the
New Testament and the early Christian Church.
SUMMER MOVIE NIGHTS
Wednesdays 6-8:30 pm
Come sit in the A/C on a hot summer evening. Stay for some
conversation. Popcorn provided!
June 25: The Monuments Men, rated PG-13
Based on the true story of an unlikely World War II platoon
tasked with rescuing art from Nazi thieves behind enemy
lines. With the German army under orders to destroy
everything as the Reich fell, these seven museum directors, curators, and art historians
discover what they would give their life for – and why.
July 16: Heaven is for Real, rated PG (if available)
Based on the true story of a boy who claims to have visited Heaven during a near death
experience. Colton recounts the details of his amazing journey with childlike innocence
and speaks matter-of-factly about things that happened before his birth, things he couldn't
possibly know. His family is then challenged to examine the meaning from this remarkable
event.
August 13: Noah, rated PG-13
In a world ravaged by human sin, Noah is given a divine mission: to build an Ark to save
creation from the coming flood. This ancient story from the book of Genesis is shared by
Jews, Muslims, and Christians, but it’s not the children’s Bible version!
NOAH: A Movie Review
Writer/director Darren Aronofsky’s film Noah is an imaginative
and thought-provoking interpretation of the story of Noah and
the flood (Genesis 6-9). It’s a biblical epic such as we have
not seen before, with an action-packed story line and
stunning visual effects, including a beautiful computer-generated vision of the animals
coming to the ark. It’s also an intimate drama about a good man, his wife and family, and
the challenges they face trying to do right by each other. And it’s a quest film in which the
characters ask the big questions: Where is the Creator? What does God want from me?
The last part of the film is an example of the process of midrash, a kind of reading between
the lines of a story, filling in the gaps in the textual teachings by imagining additional
developments in the narrative. On the ark, given the choice between life and death, Noah
chooses life. Through this change of heart, the story moves from one about judgment to
one about mercy (PG-13-violence disturbing images, brief suggestive content).
3
4
3F 4 Tornado
166-200 mph
three-second
wind gusts
Devastating
Damage:
Whole frame
houses,
wellconstructed
houses, and
whole frame
houses
completely
leveled; cars
thrown and
small missiles
generated.
Source:wunderground.com
Disaster Relief: A First-Hand Look
On May 9th I met a group of fellow St. John
members in Washington, IL, for the
tornado disaster cleanup. This was my
first mission trip and was the most
humbling experience of my life.
Our group was assigned a few houses
over the course of three days. Much of the
work involved being on our knees and
picking up tiny pieces of glass along with
debris pickup. I have never seen so much
devastation in my life. Belongings were
scattered, and all that remained of some
properties was a door frame or a brick
fireplace.
My most memorable house was one with
the garage boarded up with the words “We
are blown away by everyone’s kindness &
generosity” spray-painted on it.
Saturday we were brought to a farm field a
few miles from where the tornado touched
down to help with debris pickup. Our
group walked the uneven cornfield with
corn stalks half in place. We carried
buckets and picked up anything with nails
or debris that could puncture farm
equipment tires. We emptied our buckets
on a flat trailer as we filled them. Once we
came to the end (which seemed like miles)
we hopped on the trailer pulled by the John
Deere tractor and rode to the beginning of
the corn field. From there we emptied the
flat bed trailer in a big pile and moved on to
the next section of corn field. Among the
debris picked up was a 1952 Maryland
license plate and rumor has it another
group found a $50 bill and returned it to
Bethany Lutheran Church. Many large
pieces of shingles and mangled pieces of
gutters that we picked up were too big for
our buckets. We even found a child’s
stuffed snake in the field.
Through this experience I met some really
cool people from St. John and shaped
lifelong friendships.
I am planning to go back to Washington,
IL, this summer. There is much more work
to be done, and the opportunity to help
other people has shaped my desire to do
more mission trips.
Heather Basham
See more pictures, ask questions and
hear
more
stories
from
the
Washington experience on June 1st
and June 8th. Between Sunday
services one of the team members
will be at the Welcome Center with
photos on display.
Heather Basham, Karen Becker, Nicole Hartigan, Mark Lenz, Steve Meister, Sharon and Ray Stukel
(below), Kim and Bill Jensen, Robin Caldwell (not pictured).
5
Mobile Food Pantry June 21st
sponsored by Leeco Steel
If you’re not soaking up the sun on a
tropical beach somewhere, join us for
a few hours at the next Mobile Food
Pantry Event on June 21st sponsored
by Leeco Steel. We are expecting
between 250-300 families and many hands make for light work.
Please help us to feed our hungry neighbors.
Stamp Out Hunger Program benefits Food Pantry
St. John Lutheran Church Food Pantry participated in the 2014
Stamp Out Hunger Food Drive sponsored by the postal letter
carriers. Chuck Cortese hauled about 1,000 pounds of food
from the post office on McDounagh Street to our pantry.
Thanks to all who left food on their doorsteps and to Chuck for
making sure all the food was delivered to St. John!
Westminster-Presbyterian Church donates $800 to Food Pantry!
On Monday, May 19th, Westminster-Presbyterian Church on Larkin
sponsored a one-man play entitled The Cotton Patch Gospel. While Phil
Kaufmann is on stage playing all of the roles of all of the characters, his wife
Pam works the audio/visual components. Together they put on a show that
is hilariously funny and deeply meaningful. The two act musical was written
by Tom Key and Russell Treyz , with music and lyrics by Harry Chapin. This
was Kaufmann’s 97th performance of the show and 100% of the donations
go to fight hunger, $102,150 to date to be exact.
The May 19th performance at Westminster-Presbyterian received $800
in donations from the audience. The Presbyterian Women matched
those donations 100%! Many thanks to Pastor Matt Robinson and
Marlene Jones who coordinated this event. A big shout out to all of the
St. John members who came out to support the show as well.
If you missed it, keep your eyes on the list of fall events at St. John and
you just may get your chance...
Target employees volunteer at Food Panty
On Friday, May 9th, nine volunteers from Target’s Group Office in Broadview, IL came by
to clean our food pantry! They moved all of the food, cleaned, disinfected,
sanitized, and put all of the food back. In addition to that, they brought
ALL of the requested cleaning supplies! Many thanks to Tricia Carson and
her awesome crew. We are so grateful for your work in helping us feed
our hungry neighbors.
In case you didn’t know, the
Target across the street from St.
John sends over a few volunteers
every fourth Wednesday of the
month to help unload our NIFB
truck. Thank you to Chris Graef,
the Human Resources Executive
Team Leader, who coordinates
that with Gretchen Wilson.
“Thank
you for
allowing
us to
serve in
our
community”
–Tricia Carson
Target Group 192
Director Assistant.
6
Thrivent Social Security Event
Daybreak
St. John volunteers will prepare a dinner
for the homeless on Thursday, June 5th.
Please sign up on the board in the
Narthex to bring food for our team to
make. Thanks!
Fair Trade Coffee
Fair Trade Coffee will be sold Sunday,
June 8th between services. Take the
opportunity to stock up on your favorite
flavors before summer. Fair Trade will
be taking the months of July and August
off and will return again monthly in
September. Have a great summer!
MOPS
MOPS members enjoyed a special tea for
their last meeting of the school year. Join
us when Mothers of Preschoolers starts
back up in September on the 2nd & 4th
Fridays of the month from 9:30-11:30 a.m.
When it comes to navigating the Social
Security landscape, the choices can be
overwhelming. And even just one mistake
can be costly for the rest of your life. Find
out how to sort through the red tape and
options to help ensure the choices you
make are right for you on June 17th.
Tuesday, June 17th
6:00 Registration
6:30 Light Dinner and Presentation
Yorkville Public Library
902 Game Farm Road
Homebound Communion
The Homebound Communion Ministry
meets next on June 29 at 9:45 a.m.
Photo Directory
The Photo directory will be available
during the weekend of May 31/June 1. If
you took a photo, then you are eligible for
a directory. Directories will have your
name on them. Please pick them
up at the display in the Narthex so that we
may be able to distribute them effectively.
Thank you for your participation and for
your patience during this stretch of the
directory process.
The Green Team is proud to announce
THIRD ANNUAL ELECTRONICS RECYLING EVENT
On July 19th and 20th, St. John will hold its Third Annual Electronics
Recycling event. Times will be published in the July Messenger and
in the weekly worship bulletins.
Items may be dropped off at church during the two-day collection.
Vintage Tech, a very reputable local recycling company, will pick
them up on Monday and recycle the materials. The following will be
accepted: PCs and laptops. keyboards and mice, CD ROMs and zip
drives, CDs, DVDs, and floppy disks, electric cords, cables, and
Christmas lights, fax machines, telephones and answering machines, power tools,
microwave ovens, VCRs and laser disc players, vacuum cleaners, coffee makers
(please leave the glass caraffe at home or recycle it), and hair dryers and curling irons.
Vintage Tech recycles the metals in these items in an environmentally-safe way. Many of
the recovered metals can be re-used. What can’t be recycled into other
products is disposed of properly.
7
Transformation happens on mission trips, and we are excited to announce Repair: Be a
Story of Transformation, our 2014 high school mission trip.
Looking to
donate?
20 students are registered.
There is still room for you!
Final Deadline is June 4th.
Visit the
Our mission trip participants will become stories of transformation, as they change lives of
those they serve, literally. And they'll be challenged to think beyond the mission week to
dream big about being a story of transformation for the long haul back home and
everywhere they go. Sign up today at stjohnjoliet.org.
tool ladder
Our youth will experience "Repair" in unforgettable ways. We'll help repair homes. We'll
look at stories of transformation from the Bible. And we'll dig into our own stories of how
Jesus is transforming us, right now.
Don't miss this opportunity for your child to do meaningful work. All of the information is on
line at stjohnb2b.org.
in the
HIGH SCHOOL MISSION TRIP
FOR YOUTH CURRENTLY IN 9TH GRADE - 20 YEARS OLD
July 12 - 19, 2014; Waterloo, IA
$25 non-refundable deposit due at sign-up time
$325 balance due by June 4th**
June 4th - Mission Trip Mandatory Pre-trip Meeting, 7 p.m.
Each participant must have one parent attend.
** Payment plans available. See registration form or Pastor Jen
Workcamps are weeklong mission trips where youth groups will work hard repairing homes for
people in need, while experiencing the amazing power of community to accomplish God’s work.
Workcamps are high-energy, action-packed, powerful, and life-changing. The camps are big,
sometimes with 450 youth participating, creating lots of energy and excitement throughout the entire
week. Young people come together to serve individuals and communities while building strong, longlasting relationships with their friends and youth leaders. In six short days, hundreds of students from
youth groups across the country repair and transform homes—and strengthen and transform their
own faith.
Congregation members: you can help our youth by praying for them,
choosing an item off of the tool ladder to donate, or by donating to the
scholarship fund. See Pastor Jen for more information.
Narthex
and select
an item to
donate.
8
God is with us,
so...trust God.
God gives us
what we need,
so...trust God.
Kidz Camp 2014
June 8th - June 12th
5:45 - 8:15 p.m.
Ages 4 - 12
Mark your calendars for Sunday, June 8th through
Thursday, June 12th for Kidz Camp at St. John. Invite
your school friends and neighbors to join you for five nights of music, crafts, snacks,
games, and stories. Register on-line today at stjohnjoliet.org.
SAY YES!
You can make a difference.
Come join our Wilderness Escape as we learn straight from Moses – our Bible hero.
Discover what it was like to live in our Israelite Camp through crafts, treats and games.
Journey with Moses for Bible Story Time.
Learn what our mission event will be this summer!
Be a Kidz Camp Volunteer!
God gives us
strength,
If you are between the ages of 13 and 93, please prayerfully consider volunteering to help
with Kidz Camp. We need a few more volunteers to help and a few more Crew Leaders.
The only requirement is to share your love of Jesus.
For more information contact the church office or Cyndi Jepsen at
Cyndi.jepsen@gmail.com or 815-954-0703 or Pastor Robin at 815-439-2320.
so...trust God.
Wilderness Escape:
Where God Guides and Provides
God saves us,
so...trust God.
God guides us,
so...trust God.
For this Holy Land Adventure, we are
creating an Israelite camp like God’s
people may have stayed in while in the
wilderness after escaping slavery in Egypt.
To help make the atmosphere fun and
engaging, and to re-create such exciting
miracles as the parting of the Red Sea, we
are requesting your help in gathering the
following items (on loan or as a donation).
 blue sheets
 brown tarps
 blue blankets
 blue tablecloths
 throw rugs
 baskets of all sizes and shapes
 throw pillows
 footprint rubber stamps
 black or dark colored rubber
stamp pads
 palm trees
If you would like your items returned,
please write your first and last name on
them and drop them into a collection bin in
the Narthex.
We also need donations of the following
items which cannot be returned to you:
 XL - XXXL plain t-shirts (new or gently
used)
 Solid colored or white bed sheets (flat
or fitted)
 100 twelve-inch round latex balloons
(shades of blue)
Other needs will be displayed in the
Narthex in May. Thank you for supporting
this children’s ministry!!
9
Kidz Camp Cares: Coins for Clean Water
At Kidz Camp this year our coin collection donations will bring
clean water to desert places. Help the kids rake it in by putting
your donation in the watering can or the offering plate. Watch
the BIG GULP! Outside the sanctuary fill up with clean water
with every $10 collected. Note: Write “Kidzcamp ELCA Water”
in the memo line or on the envelope.
Large, durable water jugs are the primary way
people transport water in remote areas of Africa and
Asia. A good set of lightweight water jugs ensures that
trips to fetch water are kept to a minimum and that
clean, safe water can be stored and used for all daily
needs like drinking, cooking and washing.
“Pure
water
is the
world’s
1 Water jug: $2
When safe drinking water just isn’t available - especially
after natural disasters or emergencies - water
purification tablets do the trick. Just one tablet is
enough to transform one gallon of contaminated
water into clean drinking water to keep children and
families safe from water-borne illnesses like cholera and
typhoid.
70 Water tablets: $50
Clean water is one of the most powerful ways to make
change in the world. With each working well, or
spring box, as many as 500 families gain access to
clean, safe drinking water. Imagine the impact! Entire
families have safe water to drink. Sanitation improves.
Everyone is healthier and stronger. And best of all,
women and children who once spent several hours each
day fetching water can reallocate their time to school,
work and family.
One water well: $2,500
One share of a water well: $250
first
and
foremost
medicine.”
~Slovakian Proverb
10
Baskets of
Promise
Health Care
Kits
Don’t Forget!
June 1st: Kidz Camp Preview!
Get an exclusive sneak peek of Kidz
Camp which runs June 8th - 12th,
5:45 p.m. - 8:15 p.m.! On June 1st
preview some songs, make a craft, meet
new Bible characters, and play some fun
games. You’ll be ready for Wilderness
Escape: Where God Guides and
Provides! It’ll be a Holy Land Adventure!
You can also complete a last-minute
registration form and purchase a music
CD if you like. Your local friends are
invited too! For more information on Kidz
Camp, please see page eight.
Confirmation
Baskets
of
Promise!
Throughout
Lent,
we
collected personal care kit
items to send to families
around
the
world.
Confirmands
assembled 233 personal care kits for
Lutheran World Relief. THANK YOU for
your loving support of this program. We
are especially thankful to Julie Osif’s
employer, State Farm Insurance on
Jefferson, for the many generous
donations.
It’s a blessing to see
community involvement in our ministry
work.
Campfirmation
And.....they're off! Please pray for
our youth as they attend a weeklong
camp titled Campfirmation at
Augustana College June 22nd - June
27th (and for Pastor Holmer and
Pastor Jen as they join the group!)
Faith-building and team-building are
the pillars of this camp. Stay tuned
to our July newsletter as we report
back on their eventful week.
Mission Trip 2014
How you can be a part of our trip to
Waterloo, IA?
It’s just about mission trip time. If you are
racking your brain trying to figure out how
how to be here and yet a part of the trip
too, here are some suggestions:
 Financially
 $350 will sponsor one youth.
 Check out our Tool Ladder for other
monetary suggestions.
 Donations
 Tools: We are currently
inventorying our equipment.
Check the Tool Ladder and
see what we need this year!
 Prayer and Encouragement
 The twenty youth and seven
adults who have signed up
(at the time of the newsletter
deadline) appreciate your
prayers and words of
encouragement.
Save the Date: July 26th - 27th
Mission Trip participants will share what
they experienced and learned during our
worship time together.
Sunday School:
Summertime Jesus
Jesus said, “And remember, I am with
you always, to the end of the age.”
Matthew 27:20
Even though you won’t
be coming to Sunday
School
every
week
during
the
summer,
Jesus will be with you
wherever you go: the
park,
the
dentist,
camping,
baseball
games, McDonald’s –
wherever you go!
Check out our Facebook page: St John
Lutheran Church - Joliet, IL to see where
Jesus is this summer and upload your
own pictures of Jesus where you are at.
11
Welcome to the final edition
of Vicki and Michael's fantastical learning adventures in
Peace Corps Cambodia!
You've learned about the
Peace Corps, our role as
teacher trainers, Cambodian
cuisine, spiritual life in Cambodia, and the ugliness of
the Khmer Rouge. Please
enjoy this last edition which
highlights some of the quirks
of our Cambodian life.
You know you're in Cambodia when...
grass at the school with a
sickle.
 the most popular game
among the schoolchildren is
the shoe game, in which you
flip your flip flops on a slick
surface and try to knock
away other players’ shoes.
 cows get to class before
the students.
ON THE ROAD
 a family of four packed
onto a 50 cc motorbike
means there's still room for
one more.
 new cars and motorbikes
have to navigate around the
water buffalo walking down
the middle of the road.
 it seems obvious that a
motorbike can carry more
glass cabinets than a car
due to the lack of a roof.
 you can walk to your
house, school, restaurant, or
Buddhist temple during the
dry season, but you must
take a boat in the rainy season.
 34 people and their luggage in an 18-seat van slow
down to ask the next person
waiting on the side of the
road if she or he is going
their way.
AROUND TOWN
 national origin, age and
salary are the first questions
a new acquaintance asks
you.
 pasty winter pale skin is
considered shockingly beautiful.
 wedding and funeral music blares from neighbors'
houses around town starting
at 4 a.m.
 two-day weddings seem
a bit on the chintzy side.
 you have to duck walking
ABOUT FOOD
through the market because
 no dish is considered
you are over 5'6” tall.
complete without adding prahok – pungent, fermented
AT SCHOOL
 all the students in a class fish paste.
stand up when the teacher  there are at least three
enters the classroom and different words for rice – unwon't sit down until the cooked rice, cooked rice,
and rice plants.
teacher invites them.
 there is a three-hour  asking if you've eaten
rice yet is more common
lunch break.
 students sweep and than asking how you are.
clean the classroom before  all five rice flavors –
sweet, sour, salty, bitter, and
studying.
 students devote Thurs- chalky – are considered
equally delicious.
day afternoon to cutting the

fried tarantulas, larvae,
and crickets are standard
snacks for long car or bus
trips.
 your local market has a
choice of five kinds of bananas and three kinds of mangoes.
ABOUT THE PEOPLE
 the toughest person on
your block is an elderly
grandma with a shaved
head.
 Starbucks shirts are the
reigning fashion, though the
nearest actual Starbucks
location is in another country.
 you
don't
know
someone's
name
even
though you've known them
for years, since the proper
way to address your peers is
by referring to them as older/
younger brother/sister.
 kids are literally swimming in the road during rainy
season.
 clothes are optional if
you're age seven or under.
 throngs of kids yell hello,
smile, and wave at you until
you look at them; then they
shyly scatter and run away.
 "turning on the AC" actually means lifting your shirt
over your belly to expose
your midriff in hopes that you
may feel a slight breeze on
this 100° day.
You can see for yourself
when you come and visit
Cambodia, the Kingdom of
Wonder!
Our thanks to Michael and
Vicki for sharing their experiences with us, and to Diane
Balke for faithfully getting
the articles to us each
month.
“Then
followed
that
beautiful
season...
Summer...
filled was
the air with
a dreamy
and
magical
light; and
the
landscape
lay as if
new
created in
all the
freshness
of
childhood.”
~Henry Wadsworth
Longfellow
12
Gift
of
Life
When this project kicked off
in the beginning of the May,
our initial goal was $2500.
The Memorial Committee
surprised the team with an
extremely generous and
kind $1679.40 donation on
top of the $1000 given by
Thrivent Financial. We also
received $100 from the
Lenten dinners, a matching
donation
from
a
congregation member, and
additional donations from
more
congregation
members the first two weeks
of the campaign. Through
you, God blessed us with
more than we had asked for.
Your gifts of life make a
difference.
What's next? We sent an
application to the American
Red Cross to become an
authorized provider.
This
certification allows us to
train lay responders in both The
Connection
Team
CPR and AED.
would like to thank the
Memorial Committee and
Thrivent Financial for their
generous support in bringing
forth the majority of the
funds needed to obtain our
new AED and training
materials. We would also
like to thank Margaret
Holzrichter
for
her
Thus far, staff members, leadership in providing a
ministry leaders, and some generous matching fund as
others have learned how to a jumpstart for others to
use the AED. If you are follow.
interested in learning how to
use it too, please join us in Finally, we would like to
the Choir Room on June thank everyone who so
22nd. We will offer our first generously gave during our
official CPR/AED class for May campaign. We are
lay responder certification in extremely humbled by the
the
fall
on
Saturday, caring and support of our
September 6th.
congregation in responding
to this special project of
keeping our Christian family
prepared in times of need.
Dorcas Circle Summer Schedule
Dorcas members are eagerly looking forward to their June 5, 2014, meeting and a trip
to the Greenfields in Geneva, IL. Helen Meints has made the June meeting an annual
affair in her home. What a joyous occasion! Food, devotions and a lot of
conversation. We will meet at St. John on June 5th, promptly at 9:30 a.m. to
designate drivers and pool riders.
On May 2nd, members of Dorcas Circle attended the 50 th
Anniversary Celebration of Lutheran Bible Translators at the
Hilton Hotel in Lisle, Illinois. We shared a table with
Jonathan and Nancy Burmeister. We had the privilege to
hear guest speaker Rt. Rev. Dr. Paul Kofi Fynn, President of the Lutheran Church of
Ghana, address the crowd. LBT has completed translating both the Old and New
Testaments in 19 countries. They held a parade of flags and persons dressed in
native garb for each of the 19 countries. The Burmeisters took part by representing
the Anyi in Ivory Coast. Everyone was “alive” with brilliant color. It was a sight to see!
The Burmeisters will be visiting St. John Sunday Church School in the fall of this year.
We hope to have a date for the children in the July issue of The Messenger. Jonathan
and Nancy Burmeister are very grateful for the many Sunday morning prayers and
support given to “our” shared ministry in Bible translation by St. John Sunday Church
School. “You are truly making God’s word accessible to people in the language of
their hearts,” said Jonathan.
Gladdies Meyerhoff
Dorcas Circle
13
ST. JOHN LUTHERAN CHURCH
COUNCIL MINUTES
APRIL 15, 2014
The meeting was called to order by Debbie
Kogelman at 7:00 p.m.
Present: Pastor Holmer, Pastor Beamsley, Pastor
Caldwell, Jim Harmon, Brent Rimmke, Debbie
Kogelman, Chris Markwell, Bill Bromer, Jeff Engel
and Nicole Covault; Absent: David Jepsen and
Penny Collins; Guest: Terry Kaiser
Nicole Covault led the devotion.
The agenda and minutes were approved. (Rimmke/
Covault).
The Financial Secretary Report was received & the
Treasurer/Finance Report was approved (Bromer/
Beamsley).
Church attendance for March was reviewed.
Committee Highlights
1. Highlights were included in the packets from/
about Property, VBS, Connections Team, Food
Pantry, and Quilting. The new form is working out
well and helpful in reporting committees activities.
2. Motion to give Coffee Hour proceeds (received
$33, approved for $50) from when youth served on
March 2nd to support the youth mission trip.
Approved. (Beamsley/Rimmke).
Topic Question (How do we measure growth in a
congregation?) Council discussed.
Old Business
Congregation's Future/Task Force/Council
Retreat – tabled, for reminder only.
Walk-in Cooler/Freezer Task Force – A) Task
force needed to sketch out layout and secure grants
and bids. Grant will get us within $7,000 of amount
needed to complete. B) Need to include bid for full
a/c in Karen Johnson Hall. Other sources of
finances will be investigated. Motion to start the
process approved (Harmon/Bromer).
Anniversary Party Planners – tabled, to be
determined
I.T. Audit – need of better WiFi and available
throughout the building (i.e. Food Pantry
computers)
Nominating Committee – Several candidates were
suggested, follow up discussions to be completed.
Synod Assembly Delegates – Currently have one
delegate. Need a total of 4.
New Business
Celebrations – Baby Grace.
Facility Requests – approved (Rimmke, Caldwell)
Pastor Holmer’s Report
Members showing their heart dealing with many
deaths in congregation-truly love for each other,
mobile food pantry makes us feel good and sad at
same time, Lent, St. John full of life, good
relationships, appreciation for calling, looking
forward to vacation.
Pastor Caldwell’s Report
Westminster Presbyterian Church brought kids to
our food pantry, now offered to donate to it
regularly. Cotton Patch Gospel performance at
WPC, May 19. Free will offering will all go to fight
hunger (50% to our food pantry). Someone from our
food pantry to speak at intermission. VBS/food
pantry reports in packet. Food pantry usage up
18% over 2013. Washington, IL, adult mission trip.
Pastor Beamsley’s Report
Celebrated First Communion with 29 participants,
Lutheran Youth Choir International to speak to
youth and families after Easter, noted growing
conflicts with sports and other activities on Sunday
mornings, 9th grade mystery dinner, confirmation
papers, AED, Financial Peace University had 13
families involved for a 9 week course-resulting in
$50,000 debt reduction and over 50 credit cards cut
up, MOPS & Fun Fair, health kits, & Faith Talk May
17-18.
Vice President Kogelman’s Report
Noted attendance.
Sunday,
June 8th
Semi-Annual
Congregational
Meeting
9:45 a.m.
The meeting adjourned with the Lord’s Prayer at
8:48 p.m.
The next meeting will be May 20, 2014 at 7:00 p.m.
Sanctuary
Devotions and refreshments by the pastors.
Respectfully Submitted,
Glenn Smith
See you
there
14
Happy June Days
1 Birthday: Brian Bishop, Claudine Bormet, Don Clark, Nick Darwish, Erica Egger, Haylie Forrest, Thearthur Scott,
Jennifer Tarnowski; Anniversary: Ed & Shirley Harbeck, Brian & Michelle Kehrer, Jason & Lisa Mandac
2 Birthday: Jean Fitzer, Julie George, Mary Ludemann, Nancy Mariotti, Connor Nash, Kyle Nash, Mark Odenthal,
Yvonne Welsh, Lori Wilbert; Anniversary: Gerald & Tari Heintz, Don & Helen Meints, Mike & Nancy Rathbun,
Kurt & Candy Ulbricht
3 Birthday: Jean Darche, Barb Perignon, Bernice Wessel; Anniversary: Randy & Diana Donnelly,
Jerry & Jackie Simpson
4 Birthday: Linda Evans, Alyssa Heriaud, Bob Holtz, Rod Seaney; Anniversary: Jim & Diane Barnes,
Tom & April Carlson, Marvin & Joan Hoff, Charles & Cynthia Lab
5 Birthday: Samantha Carter, Carlin Cook, Bob Fitzer, Tom Richter; Anniversary: Tim & Elise Matkowich
6 Birthday: Katy Arteese, Miki Bollinger, David Chitkowski, Samuel Dachman, Matt Olvera;
Anniversary: Mike & Jeanine Fuller, Rod & Melissa Salazar
7 Birthday: Jay Forkel, Natalie Hopper, Makayla Murray, Jeffrey Osif; Anniversary: Justin & Anne Paquette
8 Birthday: Brooke Furman, Michael Sowa, PJ Stealy; Anniversary: Kurt & Dawn MacGregor, Jim & Marta Simmons,
Steve & Mary Jo Volkening, Doug & Karen Watkins
9 Birthday: Jim Meridieth, Frank Summer; Anniversary: Robb & Rebecca McAdam
10 Birthday: Frank Arteese, Magen Wielgus, Gabriella Incaudo, Brian Knabel, Jordan Blackman, Alex McDonald,
Aubrie Russell, Brooke VaBales; Anniversary: Rich & Kristin Beintum, Stephen & Tessie Heath
11 Birthday: Heather Basham, Tristen Garbis, Phil Spung; Anniversary: Alan & Georgene Eckman
12 Birthday: Brian Bahr, Max Benedict, Ralph Buse, Debbie Carpenter, Ron Covert, Preston Duke, Kevin Egly,
Kelsey Graefen, Stephanie Lab, Zoe Linko, Payton Mandac, Nick Mores, Mandy Smith;
Anniversary: Chris & Jen Beamsley, Stan & Karen Bobek, Mike & Debra Murphy, Steve & Phyllis Norder,
Greg & Cheryl Pierce, Matt & Jennifer Thomas
13 Birthday: Robin Caldwell, Guy Gell, Ed Harbeck, Andrew Jepsen, Jonathan Meehan, Kenn Mikos, Karen Norem,
Josh Randolph, Nancy Sanchez, Jarod Sparacio, Danielle Thayer
14 Birthday: Mark Collins, Canyon Covert, Tyler Czoschke, Rodney Drury, Robb McAdam;
Anniversary: Ketut & Christine Kardadi, Matthew & Chari Lehan
15 Birthday: Susan Hines, Brian Hornberger, Hope Kaczmarek, Katie McAdam, Amy Stevens;
Anniversary: Kelly & Micki Bishop,
16 Birthday: Haddie Binns, Lanham Hebert, Nathaniel Janulis, Max Mandac, Krysta Pahr, Taylor Schwass;
Anniversary: Don & Barb Koskiewicz, Ken & Erica Swanson
17 Birthday: Mike Markwell; Anniversary: Tony & Anita Freehauf, John & Nancy York, Karen & Ryan Murphy
18 Birthday: Christina Dorval, Kevin Dorval, Greg Linko
19 Birthday: Dana Allen, Jeremy Dutton, Lee Goodenough, Joan Hoff, Melanie Runkle;
Anniversary: Jim & Michelle Eklund, Joe & Rene´ Norris
20 Birthday: Logan Boburka, David Egly, Grace Egly, Brian Evans, Kurt MacGregor, Eileen Mikos, Joe Russ, Zachary
Warren; Anniversary: Keith & Chris Markwell, Dan & Jennifer Radtke, Tim & Carrie Torkelson
21 Birthday: Bruce Hawkins, Taylor Joyner, Timothy Nelson, Jennifer Spencer, Candi Ulbricht;
Anniversary: Keith & Annette Eichorst, Aaron & Aurelia Leonhardt, Patrick & Stacy Larisey
22 Birthday: Grace Aincham, Kirsten Anderson, Sue Talarico; Anniversary: Charles & Sandy Breivogel, John & Kim
Neville
23 Birthday: Thomas Bornhoeft, Terra Dietz, Vincent Russ; Anniversary: Chris & Teri Jones, Bob & Linda Krakora
24 Birthday: Judy Coope, Jillian Beintum, Megan Beintum; Anniversary: Greg & Kim Duffy, John & Rhonda Gierich
25 Birthday: Brett Dutton, Julia Gray, Emily Martens
26 Birthday: Charles Breivogel, Jamison Gossen, Kara Gossen, Alex MacGregor, Steve Strepek, Dee Szyszka;
Anniversary: Jim & Dianne Harmon, Nick & Eva Mores
27 Birthday: Dawn MacGregor, Cheryl Pierce; Anniversary: Michael & Jill Doyle, Ken & Diane Gierich, Jim & Sue
Talarico
28 Birthday: Lee Day, Leonard Jones
29 Birthday: Linda Koerner, Karen Morris; Anniversary: Jeff & Angie Loch
30 Birthday: Dante Davila, Tim Hay, Mark Johnson, Courtney Kohler, Eva Liss; Anniversary: Dan & Colleen Preboy,
Dan & Audrey Jones
June 20, 1782 - The U.S. Congress officially adopted the Great Seal of
the United States of America.
Announcements
15
We Welcome through the Sacrament of Holy Baptism:
Nora Emerson Boburka, daughter of Grant & Lauren Boburka
Peter Benjamin Ingelson, son of Ben Ingelson and Rakel Evenson
Logan Xavier Perignon, son of Kurt and Michele Perignon
Colton Wayne Miller, son of Robert & Crystal Miller
Congratulations Newlyweds:
Samantha Wegner & Ernesto Esparza, Jr.
Brandi Strickland & Brian Bouton
Illness/Recovery:
Sue Aegerter, Kelsey Aincham, Pat Bambule, Harriet Batterman, Kelly Batterman, Kent Batterman, Brad Beaudry,
Arlene Branz, Cody Carter, Dave Egly, Anita Freehauf, Ed Harbeck, Mae Ruth Hodgdon, Fred & Margaraet
Holzrichter, Ardie & Bob Holtz, Mary Johnson, Sylvi Jones, Joe Klint, Barb Koskiewicz, Carol Maeder, Jacob
Mannoja, Joe Miller, Marla Miller, Claire Paquette, Wilkie Parrish, Shirley Roeing, Ellie Roloff, Joe Scaglione,
Phyllis Snure, Al Stadelmeier, LeAnn Turner
Hospitalization/Surgery/Accident/Testing:
Samantha Fregeau, Joyce Frieh, Jason Halford, Dana Oades, Ron Oades, Grace Mikos
Prayer Concern:
Brenna Wilcox
Our Sympathies To:
Wilma Smith
mourning the death of her grandson, Adam Smith
Peter Mannoja and family
mourning the death of his aunt, Marja Kolehmainen
Claudia & Bryan Smoljo
mourning the death of her uncle, Otto Juergens
Memorials
In memory of Kathy Ammer
by Charlene Bailey
In memory of Arlene Havelka
by Dee Gossen
In memory of David Meyerhoff
by Sharon Sullivan, Glenn & Lynne Smith, Dee Gossen
In memory of Steve Young
by Connie Young, Greg & JoAnn Walega
In memory of Don Fox
by Dick & Sheila Seaberg, Sharon Sullivan, Glenn & Lynne Smith, Lee & Barb Perignon, Len & Sylvi Jones,
Bob & Vicki Makowka, Don & Barb Koskiewicz, Tony & Anita Freehauf, Jim & Sue Talarico, Ken & Arlene Hansen,
Pat Bambule, Betty & Phil Block, Lawrence & Janet Van Loon, Errol & Jeanne Zimmerman, Dave & Debi Dahl,
George, Peggy & Terry Burke, Fox Brothers LLC Devonshire, Kurt & Candi Ulbricht, Dave & Karen Egly,
William & Shirley Avery, Dennis Tonelli, Theresa Koch, William & Linda Bromer, Greg & Darlene Conrad,
Carol Stonitsch-Tudor, Donald & Marjorie Picha, Elwynne & Joan Welsh, Ernest & Janet Falk, Carolyn & James Troha,
Mary Jane Whiteside, Jo Anne Ireland, Donald & Carol Schirmer, Lori Alberico, Wilbur & Litta Hansen, Darlene Fagan,
Joseph & Delores Glenn, Jerry & Kathleen Whiteley, Stephen & Tessie Heath, Don & Helen Meints,
Joseph & Sandra Schutter, Charles & Cynthia Robinson, Joyce & Wendy Lindstrom, Frederick & Carol Beacham,
Lothar & Barbara Perignon, William & Alicia Bever, Mark & Cindy Fahey, Fred Propper, Roger & Carolyn Wyss,
George & Judy Coope, Joseph & Bonnie Eigenheer, Kurt & Dawn MacGregor, Kathryn Nelson, Charlotte Lenz,
Chuck & Rosalie Jordan, Roger & Irene Younghusband, William D. Greenham Associates, Edwin & Leona Meyer,
Raymond & Cynthia Holden, Mike & Jeanine Fuller, Bernadine McMahel, Wilkie & Carol Parrish, Donald Cox,
Wilfred & M. Shirley Stukel, Linda Koerner, Phyllis Snure, Wilma Smith, Wilma Vaksdal, Delores & David Hallerberg,
Richard & Virginia Helfrich, Gil & Linda Jones, Paul & Tricia Hamiti (Nabby’s), Lawrence & Sharon Larkins,
Robert Costello, Robert & Patricia Hornberger, Steven & Phyllis Norder, Michael & Lorraine Ryan, Joyce Ebben,
Joseph & Kay Klint, Ed & Joyce Burke, Frank & Karen Norem, Ed & Shirley Harbeck
Non-Profit Organization
U.S. Postage
PAID
Permit No. 235
Joliet, IL 60435
St. John Lutheran Church
2650 Plainfield Road
Joliet, IL 60435-1163
Ph: 815-439-2320
Fax: 815-439-0575
www.stjohnjoliet.org
stjohn2650@gmail.com
Requested In-Home Date: 5/30/14
Return Service Requested
Staff:
Pastor Peter Holmer
Pastor Jennifer Beamsley
Pastor Robin Caldwell
June, 2014
Lisa Marshall, Church Administrator
Pam Kornaus, Program Administrator
Dawn MacGregor, Food Pantry Director
Ellen Goodwin, Praise Team and Youth Choir Director
Tori Hicks, Senior Choir Director
Sarah Wernli, Handbell Choir Director
Worship with Us:
Saturday evening 5:30 p.m.
Sunday traditional service 8:30 a.m.
Sunday School 9:45 a.m.
Sunday contemporary service 11 a.m.
ComEd rates to spike starting June 1st
“ComEd customers will soon see a sharp increase in their bills. The utility company will raise rates by 38 percent
starting June 1st. The Illinois Commerce Commission says the increase includes the cost of electricity, reservation
fees and transmission costs. Just last month, ComEd requested another $275 million rate increase to go into effect in
January 2015. It would raise the average monthly bill from $68 to about $83.”
Read more at: http://wgntv.com/2014/05/08/comed-rates-to-spike-june-1st/#ixzz32VIpEL3t
This actual article taken from WGN’s May 8th local news report will be upon us in just
days. If you want to save some money on your electric bill and help the church save
money on theirs as well, read on. To help keep the church’s electricity bill as low as
possible, St. John signed up with Ambit Energy to help lower the cost.
When any St. John member signs up, Ambit Energy guarantees a 3% savings to you and sends the church a monthly
check for each household that has signed up. The sign up is simple just follow the instructions below or call the church
office for further info.
1. Have your gas and electric bills in front of you and log onto: www.stjohnjoliet.joinambit.com.
2. Starting with your zip code, follow the directions, and continue on.
3. Fill out all of the information, print the terms of agreement, and hit send.
4. Next is an information verification. Call 800.506.3151 or wait for an Ambit representative to call you.
5. Sit back and start saving on your utility bills and know that St. John benefits from your sign up.