A message from The pastor

St. John Journey

September 2016

The Church

Presiding Bishop Elizabeth Eaton explains in four points who the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America is:

(last month I shared all four, now I plan to explain more in depth each one)

We are a Church:

We need to reclaim the fact that we are a Church. We are not the American Red Cross,

the Rotary Club, Lion’s Club etc. We are a community that is centralized on/in Jesus

Christ, a group of people who have been transformed by the Word of God. We are in

the world but we are yet apart from the world. We have Jesus. We need to be church, a

community gathered.

I have been a member of the Rotary Club. I have been a member of the Lion’s Club. I have been a member of

the Boy Scouts of America. All of the service clubs in which I belonged were just that: service clubs. We met

usually once a month, with Rotary it was weekly. We had a meal and a program and planned and implement-

ed various programs to help the community. We collected coats and food, we collected eye glasses and hear-

ing aids. We had parties and events in people’s homes. We gathered around projects and the values of the

club.

The church is in many ways the same as each of these clubs, except for one thing. We have Jesus. We are a

community gathered around the central belief that we have a Savior and that Savior is Jesus. We are a com-

munity. We are a family. We are held together by the Holy Spirit. Our belief in Jesus is our central theme,

this is our common bond. Unlike the Boy Scouts, Rotary Club, etc. which gathers around goals and themes of

service, we serve, but it is out of our response to the gift that God has given us through Jesus.

So the question is: Are we “volunteers for Christ” and as time is available we give back, or are we “called”

into service by the Holy Spirit and gathered into a community that gathers around the Holy Eucharist meal re-

membering that we are forgiven, we are promised Everlasting Life. We are called into the community which

is: CHURCH (the hands, feet, heart of Christ.)

Peace,

Pastor Scott

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Page 2 St . John Journey

St. John Choir Rehearsals

Wednesday Sept. 7th “Back-to-Choir Night”

5:30-6:30PM BBQ dinner in Fellowship Hall

6:30PM Combined Choirs Rehearsal

We will run through the Christmas Cantata on this night.

Come at 5:30 (or whenever you can get here) for dinner.

Rehearsal will begin at 6:30—bring a friend!

Starting Sept. 14th Regular Rehearsals will be held:

6PM 11:00 Choir 7PM 8:45 Choir

We start our new year of assembling quilts for those in need on Tuesday, Sept. 6th from

9:30AM to noon. We welcome new helpers. You don’t need to be able to sew or stand the

whole time. We tie the quilts sitting down, and take a snack break mid-morning.

Come out and enjoy this fellowship time with other women from St. John!

Tuesday Afternoon Bible Study.

Tuesday afternoon Bible Study will resume September 6th

at 1:00PM. Bring a bag lunch at noon if you want—

several of us gather for lunch and fellowship prior to Bible Study.

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ST. JOHN SEPTEMBER BIRTHDAYS

Sept. 2nd—Jean Greer

Sept. 3rd—Doris Vaught

Sept. 14th—Larry Fuller

Sept. 14th—Bill Phillips

Sept. 25th—Amber Tran

Sept. 26th—Mary Rorick

Sept. 27th—Herb Proffitt

Sept. 29th—Marty Dunn

If we missed your September birthday, please let the church office know.

St . John Journey Page 3

Sunday School begins September 11th

In the year of the election of a President of the United States, there is a

lot of discussion of the role of government in our lives. What does the

church say? What is the role of government according to the Evangelical

Lutheran Church in America? This will be a time of learning and re-

searching how we might react during this political season. The class will

begin on Sunday, September 11 and will end on October 23. We will

meet at 10:00 am each Sunday morning in the Fellowship Hall.

ST. JOHN SERVES @FOOD PANTRY SEPT. 25-30

Come out and help during St. John’s week of service at the Food Pantry.

Bagging takes place on Sunday Sept. 25th (time to be determined).

Distribution is on Monday and Friday, Sept. 26th and 30th, from 9:30AM-

1PM and Tuesday, Sept. 27th, from 4:30-7PM. Two people are needed to

run the desk, and several more are needed in the grocery area. Sign up

sheet will be on the bulletin board in mid September.

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BREWING THEOLOGY, MONDAY SEPTEMBER 19TH, 6PM

Come out to Wolf Hills Brewery on Monday September 19th at 6PM for an hour

or so of interesting conversation, fellowship, and refreshments. Weather permit-

ting we will be outside at the picnic tables.

St . John Journey Page 4

THANK YOU FROM YOUTH MISSIONS MINISTRY

Dear Pastor Homesley,

On behalf of our Youth Missions Ministry, I would like to thank you for opening St. John’s doors to

us for our Saturday night stopover on our way to Appalachia Service Project. It is unusual for us to ask the

same church two years in a row, but we are glad that St. John was there to welcome us when our attempts to

contact other churches in the area failed.

Bill Spencer was especially welcoming and a great resource for shopping and fireworks in the area,

We enjoyed worshipping with your St. John family at the 8:45AM service.

We are sorry to have missed you on July 2-3, 2016, and hope you had a wonderful vacation with

your family in the Midwest.

Thank you and the people of St. John for your hospitality.

Yours in Christ,

Laura Snyder

ASP Coordinator

St. John’s Lutheran

Summit, NJ

THANK YOU FROM HMLRC

Dear St. John,

Thank you all for your recent support check. HMLRC is blessed to be supported by the churches of the

Highlands Conference, and we wish to express our heartfelt appreciation.

Blessings,

Chris

5

Stewardship

Lectionary Readings for the Month

Sept. 4

Deuteronomy 30:15-

20

Philemon 1-21

Luke 14:25-33

Sept. 18 Amos 8:4-7

1 Timothy 2:1-7

Luke 16:1-13

Sept. 25 Amos 6:1a,4-7

1 Timothy 6:6-19

Luke 16:19-31

If you cannot serve on your scheduled day, please make arrangements with another

person and call the office to let the secretary know.

St. John Journey

Sept. 11

Exodus 32:7-14

1 Timothy 1:12-17

Luke 15:1-10

Page 5

Sept. 4 Sept. 11 Sept. 18 Sept. 25

Assistant

Minister no Ray Whitner Steve Kluttz Steve Kluttz

Lector 8:45

Usher worship

Altar Guild today Louise

Sansing

Carole Ann

Rosen Jean Harley

8:45AM service

11:00AM service

Sept. 4

10:30AM Sept. 11 Sept. 18 Sept. 25

Assistant

Minister Ken Croghan Sid Vaught Edie Hiltebeitel Ed Davis

Lector Helen French David Bonham John Gifford Bill Spencer

Acolyte Chris Dixon Sharon Meacham Chris Dixon Sharon

Meacham

Reception The Murphys The Bonhams Joan Shaver Joanna Wolfe

Counters David Bonham

Parker Keen

Jim Kroll

Tammie Kroll

Gary Halverson

Helen French

David Bonham

Parker Keen

Ushers The Lovetts The Krolls The Honakers The Giffords

Altar Guild Helen French Edie Hiltebeitel Carol Halverson Helen Findley

6

St. John Backpack Ministry

This school year we are sponsoring Abingdon High School with 6 backpacks and E. B. Stanley Middle School

with 9 each week. These bags are filled with food items on a 4-week rotation. The only people who know the

identity of the students that receive these bags are the guidance counselors at each school.

There are many ways to help.

A student can be sponsored by an individual.

Donations can be made monetarily or through the purchase of food items.

We need someone to deliver the bags of food to the schools.

Food not donated needs to be purchased with the monetary donations.

The food supplies need to be sorted.

The following is a list of items and quantities needed for one month for 15 students

Thank you for your support of this wonderful Ministry.

Qty. Item Qty. Item

30 Apple sauce-single serve 15 Noodle cup

15 Cereal-individual boxes 75 Oatmeal-individual packs

45 Cereal bars 15 Peanut butter

30 Crackers-sleeve 15 Pork-n-beans

30 Crackers-snack pack of 6 15 Powdered milk packs

15 Fruit snacks 45 Raisins-individual packs

45 Fruit cup-individual 15 Ramen noodles

30 Granola bars 15 Ravioli/spaghetti/meatballs

15 Jelly 15 Soup

120 Juice drinks (capri sun) 30 Toaster pastry pack (pop tarts)

15 Macaroni and cheese 15 Tuna

15 Meat-canned (vienna sausage, chicken)

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A NEW IDEA: Supper Clubs

Supper Clubs are a wonderful way for congregation members to get to know each other in a very

intentional way. The supper club process is as follows. Four

couples, or combinations of members usually no more that 8

total agree to participate in the supper club. The plan is to

meet for dinner one time per month until all the people in

the group have hosted a supper at their home. The host

family will provide the main dish and the other families will

bring a dish to share, i.e. fruit, vegetable, salad or dessert. A

normal rotation of four couples takes a total of four

months. If you are interested please sign up on the bulletin board in the entry way. If you have

any questions please talk with Pastor Scott. We will start if and when we get enough for a club.

SEPTEMBER WORSHIP AND SUNDAY SCHOOL AND MISC.

September 4th—ONE WORSHIP SERVICE @10:30AM

Sept. 11th—New Member Sunday and New SS Classes start on Sunday, Sept. 11th, we will welcome new

members at both the 8:45 and 11:00 Worship times.

At 10:00 AM Pastor Scott will lead a timely SS class about the role of government in our lives. What does

the church say? What is the role of government according to the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America?

This will be a time of learning and researching how we might react during this political season. This series

will continue through October 23rd.

Robin Homesley will be teaching a Sign Language Class beginning also on September 11 during the Sunday

School Hour. This will be a fun way to learn to sign.

If you have taken “time off” during the summer and been away from St. John, this is an excellent time to

“begin again”. Looking forward to seeing you all then!!

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St. John Journey

SUNDAY MONDAY TUESDAY WEDNESDAY THURSDAY FRIDAY SATURDAY

1 2

3

4 Pentecost 16

10:30 AM Worship

5

Labor Day

Church

office

closed

7 5:30PM Back to Choir dinner 6:30 Com-bined Re-hearsal

8

9 10

11 Pentecost 17

8:45AM Worship

10:00AM SS

11:00 AM Worship

12

7:00PM

Evangelism

13 9:30AM Quilting 1:00PM Bible Study

14 6:00PM 11:00 choir 7:00PM 8:45 choir

15 7:00PM Council

16 17

18 Pentecost 18

8:45AM Worship

10:00AM SS

11:00 AM Worship

19

6:00PM

Brewing

Theology

20 9:30AM Quilting 1:00PM Bible Study

21 6:00PM 11:00 choir 7:00PM 8:45 choir

22

23

24

25 Pentecost 19

8:45AM Worship

10:00AM SS

11:00 AM Worship

Food Pantry Bagging

26

9:30AM-

1PM

Food Pan-

try

27 9:30AM Quilting 1:00PM Bible Study 4:30-7PM

Food

Pantry

286:00PM 11:00 choir 7:00PM 8:45 choir

29 30

9:30AM-

1PM

Food

Pantry

September2016

6 9:30AM Quilting 1:00PM Bible Study

Page 8

9

St. John Lutheran Church

807 E. Main St.

Phone: 276-628-6215

E-mail:

stjohnlutheran@embarqmail.com

http://www.stjohnabingdon.org

We are a community of believers, gathered by the Spirit, washed in Baptism, marked with the cross of Christ, nourished by Word and Sacrament, called to respond to God's gifts of grace, and set apart as disciples of Jesus Christ for a life of learning, witness, and service.

St. John Lutheran Church

807 E. Main St.

Abingdon, VA 24210

Address Service Requested

Staff

G. Scott Homesley

pastorscott@stjohnabingdon.comcastbiz.net

Home Phone: 276-739-7740

Cell Phone: 276-525-5801

Joan Shaver, Parish Secretary

stjohnlutheran@stjohnabingdon.comcastbiz.net

Office hours 9-12 Tuesday-Friday

Wrenda Fuller, Music Director

wrendafuller@gmail.com

Cheryl Carrico Bill Spencer Robin Homesley

Jill Morris Josh Wellenhoffer Parker Keen

Carla Proffitt Sandy Davis Brenda Murphy

Linda Brumleve, Financial Secretary

Steve Kluttz, Treasurer

St. John Lutheran is a congregation of the Virginia Synod

of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America.

The Rev. Elizabeth Eaton, Presiding Bishop, ELCA

The Rev. James Mauney, Bishop, Virginia Synod

Phone: 276-628-6215

E-mail:

stjohnlutheran@stjohnabingdon.comcastbiz.

net

http://www.stjohnabingdon.org