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ST. JOHN’S HERALD Newsletter | January 2017

Pastor’s Paragraphs “Listen to this prayer of mine, God; pay attention to what I’m asking. Answer me—you’re famous for your answers!” Psalm 143:1

Happy New Year. It is difficult to believe in just a few days, we will be ushering in 2017. One of the things I will be doing on January 1st is looking at my prayer journal for 2016. I began this habit in my internship, when a member told us of how every January 1st, she would look back at her previous year journal and see how many prayers God had answered through the years.

This habit came out of her wondering if God really answered prayers. She said she felt like she was always asking the same prayers. When she did the prayer journal and the reflection on the 1st, she was able to see how many prayers God had answered throughout the previous year. This practice has been a helpful practice for me as well. I am always reminded of how faithful our God really is and how he does keep his promises to care for us and be with us always.

What about you? What are your traditions for January 1st? How do you welcome the New Year, while also giving thanks for the previous year?

I am inviting us as a faith community to keep a prayer journal as we move into the New Year. During this past year, it is amazing to see how many prayers that God has answered in our faith community. To see a person only walking with a cane, who had asked for

In this issue…

Pastor’s Paragraphs ….…… 1-2

Men in Mission ……………… 2

Notes from the Organ Bench Martha Requard….…..……. 3-4

Lunch with Lesley……….…… 6

Thank You Notes…….……..…9

Sunday School Update….… 10

Photos……………..…..… 10-11

Schedules

Ushers………………………… 2

Acolytes..…………….……….. 4

Lectors, Donut Schedule…… 5

Monthly Calendar……….……8

Special December days

Birthdays, wedding anniversaries, and baptismal anniversaries……………..… 7

St. John’s Lutheran Church8808 Harford RoadParkville, MD 21234

410-665-1234stjohnsparkville.org

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restoration of health, I know God answers prayers. For a person whose health was failing and a cure was not possible, for God to call that person to eternal life, I have seen God answer prayers. Over and over in 2016 there have been many prayers lifted and many prayers answered.

As we begin 2017 as a faith community, we have many prayers. We ask God to guide us as we move into God’s preferred and promised future. We ask God to give us wisdom on how to use our God given resources. We ask God to guide us as we reach out to our neighbor to do God’s work, with our hands.

What are your prayers for St. John’s in 2017? Feel free to use the prayer door as our prayer journal. Write your prayers and when you see God answer those prayers, write a prayer of thanksgiving for God’s answer. I am confident that when we look in 2018 at the prayers of our faith community in 2017, we will be able to say, “Our God is an awesome God.”

My prayer for us as we begin 2017 is “Stay wide-awake in prayer. Most of all, love each other as if your life depended on it.” (1 Peter 4:7)

God’s blessings and my prayers,Pastor Lesley

Men in Mission Update

The Men-in-Mission meetings will start in 2017 on Tuesday, January 3rd at 7:00 p.m. in the Youth Room.

We will meet for breakfast on Saturday, January 7th at 9:00a.m. in the FellowshipHall.

In December, we made deliveries of clothes to the Baltimore Rescue Mission and Karis House. We installed shelves in our closet in the Parlor, contributed to Christmas presents for needy Parkville children and donated to a person in need in memory of Bill Klein.

Have a safe, happy and blessed New Year!

Keith Duerling

8:15 Jim Morrow, Larry Conley, Chris Johnson, Jeannette and Milt Dutcher

11:00Terri Meekins, Clair Miller

January Ushers

Don't forget to pick up your

offering evelopes on the counter by

the Gathering Area

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Notes from the Organ Bench Before we end the Christmas season, I want to thank all of the singers and ringers, young and old, who gave so much of their time and talents to make our Christmas services special with their music. Thank you to all of the children and parents for their commitment to the Children’s Pageant. Oh, those little angels! To see Christmas through the eyes of children is the best gift of all. Thank you! And, on behalf of the congregation, a special thank you to the members of the Adult Choir and Debbie, Julie, Gina, Janine and Corinne, and the St. John’s youth who added their voices for the Christmas Cantata. I received many wonderful comments on your presentation.

Happy New Year! Have you heard the joke- How many Lutherans does it take to change a light bulb? Change? I am SOOO Lutheran. I do not like change and I admit it. But, I accept the fact that change is necessary. Seasons change, we change as we age. Change is part of life and if there is a purpose, change is good.

I used to sit in church and go through the service by rote. Then I began playing the organ. I can’t tell you how nervous it made me, and still does when I sub at another church for Saturday worship. I had to pay attention to the order of service to make sure the service flowed nicely. Ask an assisting minister or reader. They will tell you that to be an active participant they need to pay attention. I’m sure that lately you have noticed that our confession, opening dialogue and offertory prayer are different every week. Personally, I enjoy having different responses that reflect my setting or world. But, change for the sake of change is not necessarily productive.

I can accept change if I understand the reason. In November, Pastor Lesley, Bonnie Spellman, Sharon Carletti and I traveled to PA to attend a two day conference sponsored by the ELCA. The purpose of the workshops was to look at how Lutherans worship and how to make worship more meaningful. We looked at all aspects and settings for worship.

In one session we looked at the guide for worship provided in the hymnal. (Actually the hymn section of the hymnal is quite small compared to the other resources in the book.) It was interesting to see how many things in worship are optional. You MAY do a gathering hymn, a hymn of praise, different readings. But you WILL sing the psalms. It actually says that! What a shock!

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Date 8:15 am 11:00 am

1/1 One Service Sunday at 10:00 am - Noah Jones

1/8 Ryan Cummings (C) Molly Cummings

Michael Rash (C) Kate Schwartz-Mitchell Julianna Johnson

1/15 Mara Wolfe (C) Abbie Coffman

Katie Neal (C) Jennifer Holland Nate Grisez

1/22 Andrea Nufea (C) Sophia Shull

Joshua Hills (C) Garrett Morgan Ava Mueller

1/29 Kayla Tilton (C) Giavanna Tilton

Hayden Evans (C) Sarah Flagle Marissa Evans

Acolyte Schedule

If you are unable to keep your scheduled time, please use the Acolyte List to find a replacement. Contact Rachel Hills at 410-592-3587 with any schedule changes as soon as possible. Thank you!

I can’t tell you how many discussions over the years have been held about this issue. To sing or not to sing, that was the question! I admit, singing the psalms is uncomfortable, but singing them is the way they were meant to be done. According to Webster’s Dictionary, Psalms is defined as “a book of the Bible composed of 150 songs, hymns, or prayers.” That means that David either prayed or sang his psalms. And the ELW guide says that we WILL sing the psalms.

So, beginning in Epiphany (the season of awakening and light) we will begin singing the psalms at the 11:00 service. Most Sundays rather than the congregation singing alternate verses to a repeated melody, a soloist or the choir will sing the verses and the congregation will respond with a repeated phrase. (In the same style as the repeated answer that you give to a child who is trying to avoid bedtime.) The melodies of the psalms reflect the mood of individual psalms to give more meaning. Let’s see how we do.

Worship is a community experience in addition to a personal one. Being involved in worship gives it new meaning. I am hoping that you take this opportunity to think about taking a personal role in worship- as an usher, reader, communion assistant, worship assistant, singer of the psalms, member of one of the choirs, either singing or ringing. Wake up and see worship in a new light. Whatever you choose, keep

Making a Joyful Noise!

Martha Requard Director of Music

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Date 8:15 am 11:00 am

1/8 L Jim MorrowCA Jim M. & Kathleen Wiles

L Bonnie SpellmanCA Bonnie S. & Sue Addison

1/15 L Dave Ermer CA Karen Ermer & Karen Merrey

L Ed Ford CA Ed F. & Nancy Ford

1/22 L Keith Duerling CA Keith D. & Lisa Duerling

L Donna Nicholson CA Sharon Carletti & Judy Jasinski

1/29 L Charles BenderCA Charles B. & Shiela Bender

L Amanda PorteraCA Amanda P. & Tony Jasinski

Lector & Communion Assistant Schedule

If you cannot serve on your designated date, contact Sheila Bender (410 592-3084). The Office will send out your readings by email. Call the church office (410-665-1234) if you do not receive it. *Communion Assistant who did not lector - you commune the Pastor and the Assisting Minister at the conclusion of communion. This schedule is posted monthly on the bulletin board in the Vestry where you robe.

Thank you,Sheila BenderLector/Communion Assistant Coordinator

Date

January 8 January 15 January 22

Barbara Mueller Maureen Vogtman Barb Gray Mary Gude

January 29 February 5 February 12

Candi & Chad Votta Linda & Randi Burkhardt

Upcoming Donut Schedule

Attention: All Ministry Team Leaders!Please complete your 2016 Annual Report and email it to Tony J at polishfossil29@verizon.net by January 31, 2017. Our goal is to have the Annual Report available for distribution by February 19, 2017. Thanks for helping us meet our goal and thank you for all the mission and ministry that your teams do.

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Come join us Sundays around 12:15 pm to 1:15 pm Jan 8, 15, 29, Feb 12, 19 and 26 in the fellowship hall

for a book discussion Chasing Francis: A Pilgrim’s Tale

By Ian Morgan Chan

What happens when the pastor of a mega church loses his faith?

Pastor Chase Falson has lost his faith in God, the Bible, evangelical Christianity, and his super-sized megachurch. When he falls apart, the church elders tell him to go away: as far away as possible. Join Chase

on his life-changing journey to Italy where, with a curious group of Franciscan friars, he struggles to resolve his crisis of faith by retracing the footsteps of Francis of Assisi, a saint whose simple way of loving Jesus changed the history of the world. Read this riveting story and

then begin your own life-changing journey through the pilgrim’s guide included in this powerful novel.

Hidden in the past lies the future of the church.

When his elders tell him to take some time away from his church, broken Pastor Chase Falson crosses the Atlantic to Italy to visit his uncle, a Franciscan priest. There he is I

introduced to the revolutionary teachings of Saint Francis of Assisi and finds an old, but new way of following Jesus that heals and inspires. Chase Falson’s spiritual discontent mirrors the feelings of a growing number of Christians who walk out of church asking, Is

this all there is? They are weary of celebrity pastors, empty calorie teaching, and worship services where the emphasis is more on Lights, Camera, Action than on Father, Son, and Holy Spirit while the deepest questions of life remain unaddressed in a meaningful way.

Bestselling Author Ian Morgan Cron masterfully weaves lessons from the life of Saint Francis into the story of Chase Falson to explore the life of a saint who 800 years ago

breathed new life into disillusioned Christians and a Church on the brink of collapse. Chasing Francis is a hopeful and moving story with profound implications for

those who yearn for a more vital relationship with God and the world.

We will journey through the pilgrim's guide included in the book.

You can purchase the book at https://www.amazon.com/Chasing-Francis-Ian-Morgan-Cron/dp/0310336694

for $9.75 Email Pastor Lesley at pastorlesley@stjohnsparkville.org

to let her know to expect you.

Lunch with Lesley

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January Birthdays

1/1 Madison Sprucebank 1/4 Izabella Uhlman 1/4 Lilyanna Uhlman 1/5 Taylor Kraus 1/5 Colin Miller 1/5 Giavanna Tilton

1/5 Kayla Tilton 1/1 Katherine Barnes 1/1 Jacob Ermer 1/15 Riley Baker 1/17 George Toner 1/18 Nathan Perzan

1/19 Evan Snapp 1/21 Brynlee Stinchcomb 1/25 Amanda Bender 1/25 Henry Ermer 1/26 Bennett Kamp

January Baptismal Anniversaries

January Wedding Anniversaries

1/1 Jana Leonard 1/1 Nicholas Schwab 1/2 Robert Berner 1/3 Barbara Pohlman 1/4 Katherine Baile 1/4 Christina Buckless 1/4 Emma Gerber 1/4 Hannah Houston 1/5 Henry Ermer 1/5 Douglas Weeks 1/6 Ruth Meyers 1/6 Leah Miller 1/6 Duke Swinder 1/7 Philip Ermer 1/7 Lesley Radius 1/8 Elizabeth Batton 1/8 Helen Lenz 1/8 Scott Shindel 1/9 Shelby Kirby 1/9 Andrew Klinedinst 1/1 Olivia Calise 1/1 Timothy Dunn 1/11 Scott Dougherty 1/13 Linda Watts 1/14 Nicholas Billman 1/14 Sharon Carletti 1/14 Paul Huber 1/14 Christian Wood 1/15 Katherine Davidson

1/15 Earl Hedges 1/16 William Ford 1/17 Mackenzie Ford 1/18 Scott Miller 1/18 Janine Stevens 1/19 Michael Flagle 1/20 Ed Ford 1/20 Dorothy Smith (96th!) 1/21 Arthur Pulket 1/21 Vernon Reid 1/21 Lilyanna Uhlman 1/21 Jennie Votta 1/22 Dennis Buckless 1/23 Sheila Bender 1/24 Rachel Hills 1/24 Keri Magness 1/24 Barbara Wright 1/25 Deborah Miller 1/25 Paige Morgan 1/25 Kevin Platt 1/26 William Carroll (80th!) 1/26 Ryan Haacke 1/26 Raymond Miller 1/27 Nicole Testudine 1/28 Yoon Mee Chong 1/28 Linda Houston 1/28 Jerome Mead (93rd!) 1/29 Maleyna Klinedinst 1/29 Gina McCall

1/29 Linda Wiley 1/31 Stephanie Fitch 1/31 David Fitch, Sr. 1/31 Tammy Heyl

1/5/1990 Jeff & Vicky Ring 1/8/1977 Maureen & David Vogtman

1/12/1974 Frank & Janet Curnoles 1/23/1987 Vernon & Elaine Reid

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Black – normal; Red – special Worship; Purple – special events; Green – outside St. John’s events; Blue – outside groups; Brown – St. Ursula events; Pink – Pastor’s events; Maroon – Preschool events

Monthly Calendar

Sunday Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Friday Saturday1 New Years Day

10a One Service Sunday (Lessons & Carols) No Sunday School

2 10:00 Bible Study SB 5:00 Impact DUI SB 6:30 AA FH (office closed) Preschool closed

3 7-8:15a AASB 10-11:30 Pericope 7p Men in Mission YR 7:00 AA Group FH 7:30 ALANON ChEd

4 9:30-1:30 Busy Bees SB 12:00 Young at Heart FH 6-9:00 pm Choirs MR 6:00p Bible Study SB 6:30-8:30 AA Outreach FH

5 7-8:15a AASB 10a Bible Study SB 8-9p AA FH

6 Epiphany of Our

Lord Pastor Lesley (off) 6-9 pm Sewing Guild SB

10-3:30 Confirmation

FH, YR, MR

88:15 & 11 Worship 9:30 SS/AF 9:45 Handbells MR 12:15 Lunch with Lesley FH 12:30 Lunch Bunch

9 10:00 Bible Study SB 5:00 Impact DUI SB 6:30 AA FH

10 7-8:15 AA -SB 10-11:30 Pericope 7:00 Trinity Cir SB 7p Men in Mission YR 7:00 AA Group FH 7:30 ALANON ChEd

11 9:30-1:30 Busy Bees SB 6-9:00 pm Choirs MR 6:00p Bible Study SB 6:30-8:30 AA Outreach FH

12 7-8:15a AASB 7:00 Exec MR 8-9p AA FH

13 Pastor Lesley (off)

Youth Quake

14

Youth Quake

15 HealingSunday 8:15 & 11 Worship 9:30 SS/AF 9:45 Handbells MR 12:15 Lunch with Lesley FH

NEWSLETTER ARTICLES DUE Youth Quake

16 ML King Day (office closed) 10:00 Bible Study SB 5:00 Impact DUI SB 6:30 AA FH Preschool closed

17 7-8:15a AASB 10-11:30 Pericope

12:00 Ascension Cir SB 7p Men in

Mission YR 7p Altar Guild SB 7:00 AA Group FH 7:30 ALANON ChEd

189:30-1:30 Busy Bees SB 6:00 Tech Mtg -Tech ofc 6-9:00 pm Choirs MR 6:00p Bible Study SB 6:30-8:30 AA Outreach FH

19 7-8:15a AA SB

10a Bible Study SB

7:00 Council SB 8-9p AA FH

20Pastor Lesley (off)

10:30-1p AARP Mtg FH

Road Trip

Road Trip

228:15 & 11 Worship 9:30 SS/AF 9:45 Handbells MR Road Trip

23 10:00 Bible Study SB 5:00 Impact DUI SB 6:30 AA FH

24 7-8:15a AASB 10-11:30 Pericope 7p Men in Mission YR 7:00 AA Group FH 7:30 ALANON ChEd

259:30-1:30 Busy Bees SB 6-9:00 pm Choirs MR 6:00p Bible Study SB 6:30-8:30 AA Outreach FH

26 7-8:15a AASB 10a Bible Study SB 6:30p Reformation 500 Task Force Mtg. MR 8-9p AA FH

27Pastor Lesley (off)

28

29 8:15 & 11 Worship 9:30 SS/AF 9:45 Handbells MR 12:15 Lunch with Lesley FH

Catholic Schools Week

30 10:00 Bible Study SB 5:00 Impact DUI SB 6:30 AA FH

Pastor Lesley-Vac

317-8:15a AA SB 10-11:30 Pericope 7p Men in Mission YR 7:00 AA Group FH 7:30 ALANON ChEd Pastor Lesley-Vac

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It's that time of year again where I am overwhelmed by the outpouring of cards, treats & gifts from the many kind people of St. John's. It means so much to me that you take time out of your busy schedules to think of me in very special ways. I feel very blessed to know all of you.

Thanks again,Carol Erpenstein

To: The People of St. John's,Thank you for including us in the ministry of providing care packages for college students. College life is very stressful and receiving a gift from the church during this time was very unexpected but appreciated. Thank you for always including us in your youth activities and events. We always have a blast.

Megan and Sarah Erpenstein

Many, many THANK YOU's go to everyone who participated in making this year's Christmas Bazaar a huge success. The combined efforts of volunteers, cooks, vendors, crafters, and patrons brought into St. John's more than $6,900.00 to be used for various church projects and needs. Judy Jasinski once again, was an outstanding leader, keeping the Bazaar Committee on it's "toes" and overseeing everything, even as she was making, boxing, and selling St. John's famous candy. Congratulations go to Peggy Guion, the winner of the beautiful apple blossom floral print quilt. She was a visitor to the Bazaar who bought only one ticket.

If you have some spare time and would like to be a part of our Annual Christmas Bazaar, call Judy at 410-529-7536 or the church office at 410-665-1234. It's a lot of fun, the meetings are short and you will end the day with a good feeling of a "job" well done.

The St. John's Christmas Bazaar Committee

Thank you for all of your cards, wishes & prayers during the death of Roland Randall.

Love,Virginia Randall & Bett Murphy

Thank you to Doug Meekins (Fund Raising Task Force) and Mike McDonough (Cost Saving Task Force) who have accepted a leadership role in each of these task forces. These task forces will be under the leadership of Stewart Graf, Council Liaison for Stewardship. People have already stepped up and said they are willing to help on these task forces. Thank you for your generous hearts. I would invite all of you to pray about how God is calling us to have the resources to continue to be about God's mission and ministry. I hope when you are asked to help, you will say, "Here I am Lord. Send Me." Stay tuned for further information about upcoming opportunities to help.

A special thank you to the Social Concern MinistryTeam. This year they not only were able to fill 152 shoes boxes with goodies, we also adopted many families that needed a little extra help this Christmas. Thank you to them for coordinating all the efforts and thank you to St. John's for your generosity. Each week you make sure there is enough food to feed the kids we have adopted for the "Food for Thought Program" and you stepped up to make sure all the kids that we were asked to help had a great Christmas. Thank you for understanding that God has blessed us to be a blessing to others.

Pastor Lesley

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Lunch Bunch The Wednesday Lunch Bunch will be taking some time off during the winter months. We hope to resume in April. If Wednesday is an inconvenient day and another day would be better, please let us know. Call Carolyn at 410-686-0063 or Helen at 410-665-2056.

Sunday School News We will be collecting pasta and spaghetti sauce during January. These will be donated to the food pantry that the church supports. Thank you for your generosity!

Thank you, Rachel Hills

HELP! We are looking for two adults, over 18, who would staff the nursery on Sunday mornings from 10:45 am until the end of 11:00 am worship service. If you know of anyone who might be able to help, please let Rachel Hills rm_hills@yahoo.com know. We are offering a weekly stipend of $15 per person. Until we are able to find the staff, the nursery will be available for parents to use, but we will not have it staffed. Thanks for understanding and thanks for helping us find people to staff the nursery so we might be able to offer this service to our parents.

Breakfast with Santa was a hit. Lots of people had good food and many, many kids got to see Santa. Thanks to the Youth Group and their Adult Leaders for a fun and great time.

Thank you to all who made the Salvation Army tree a success. All 75 angels were adopted and given gifts!

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Ministries at Towson University…

Thank you to all who made this year's collection for Community Action Network Shoeboxes such a success. We were able to collect enough items to fill 152 shoeboxes. A special thank you to all who assembles the boxes, including members of the Ravens Roost 82. What a wonderful way to show God's love for all the world.

Shoebox Project