E-Vine March 3, 2017

This Week’s Memory Verse

As the time approached for Him to be taken up to heaven, Jesus resolutely set out for Jerusalem. ~Luke 9:51

As We Gather

This year we mark the 500^th anniversary of the Reformation. We will be celebrating throughout the year this historic anniversary as well as what it means for us today.  We celebrate the key teachings of the reformation – Grace Alone, Faith Alone, Scripture Alone – as we seek to follow Christ faithfully as individuals  and as a congregation.

Our Sunday Worship Series this Lent is entitled “Lent: Personal Reformation.”  We will look at the central teachings that were at the heart of the Reformation.  But we will look at them not just in terms of the changes that they brought 500 years ago, or even the importance of these teachings for the church today.  Lent, with its call to repentant reflection on the cross, is always a call to reformation and change.  We will instead see in these central truths a call to personal reformation.  How is God calling us to reform our hearts and lives this Lent?

Sunday, we focus on the gospel itself.  We are saved by grace, a free gift, through faith in Christ, who died and rose for us.  But am I really trusting in this gift?  Or am I trusting in a righteousness of works?  Where do I need to apply the peace of Christ’s gospel in my life?  Where is Christ calling me to a personal reformation?

• First Reading Isaiah 55:1-7
• Psalm Psalm 103:1-12
• Second Reading Ephesians 2:1-10
• Holy Gospel John 3:14-21

• Lent Wednesday Service –  Our Lent Midweek services this year will focus on the life of the reformer, Martin Luther.  But it is not merely a history lesson.  We will see in the story of his life important lessons for us today about finding peace in the gospel, about trusting in Christ alone, and about following him faithfully and boldly.  This week’s service will focus on young Luther’s search for peace with God.  Where do we find peace with God?  (The service will be in the Parish Hall and will be preceded by a light soup supper.)

• WASC Accreditation:  Next year, our current WASC (Western Association of Schools and Colleges) and NLSA (National Lutheran School Accreditation) is up for renewal.  We have already started the process of doing a very in-depth self-study of our school and programs.  We are currently assembling some Focus Groups who will work on specific sections of this self-study composed of teachers, parents, church members, and board members.  If you are asked to serve, please be willing.  We want broad involvement.  If you specifically would like to be involved in some way, contact Joel Wahlers. We hope to have a visit by an accreditation visiting committee sometime in March or April of 2018.

• Divine Call Accepted – Our eighth grade teacher & athletic director, Jonathan Heinemann, has accepted a Call to serve as principal at Bella Vista Christian Academy in Tracy, California.  Mr. Heinemann has been at St. John’s since 2010.  Please keep him and his family in your prayers as they make this transition in their ministry! Below is a letter from his family to the congregation:
  

  Dear St. John’s Lutheran Community,

  My wife, Mel, and I came here seven years ago the day after we got back from our honeymoon and didn’t know anyone. It is hard to express the magnitude of love and care that God blessed us with in all of you. You have opened your homes to us, laughed with us, cried with us, and maybe even shared a few glasses of wine with us; most importantly we prayed and worshipped our all knowing, all powerful, God together. The thought of leaving St. John’s is what has kept us here; we know we have a great community of support and love. We welcomed our first child, Warren, here and had looked forward to watching him grow up in the church and school where everyone could keep a close eye on him. St. John’s has been the place we proudly called our home.

  All of this said, we know and trust that God’s blessings for our family will not stop now, but that He will continue to provide for us in ways we could not expect. Moving to Tracy to be the new principal there comes with many excitements and challenges, but we are confident that this is God’s plan for us right now. Please continue to pray for us during this time of transition and uncertainty as we once again move to a place where we have no immediate family. Our prayer is that God will again bless us through His people, in the same way He blesses the current staff and community of Napa through His people at St. John’s.

  God has given us much to be thankful for, and today we wanted to express our thankfulness to the congregation and community of people at St. John’s. This is a special place that God will continue to use in order to spread the love, hope, and grace we find in Jesus Christ.

  God’s richest blessings,

  Jonathan, Mel, & Warren Heinemann

• Online:  Are you on Facebook?  Twitter?  Follow and Friend St. Johns!  @sjlcnapa

• Church Website Under Construction: Thank you for your patience as the church website is undergoing some much needed maintenance.

• 2017 Church Directory:  Please contact the church office ASAP with the address, phone number, and email address that you would like published in the 2017 church directory.  If we don’t hear from you, then we will use your info from the 2016 directory.

• As You Are Worship…  Our next AYA event will be Saturday, March 4^th from 5:00-6:00 pm in the gym.  Worship with the youth band will take place from 5:00-5:30 pm while the 2^nd and 4^th grade classes will be sharing their voices with us during fellowship time from 5:30-6:00 pm.

• Mark your calendars!   VBS will be JUNE 19-23, 2017  9:00am till 12:00 Noon

• Communion Learning Event:  Instruction for preparing to receive Holy Communion for sixth, seventh, and eighth graders with their parents will be held on three Monday evenings, March 13, 20, and 27, 2017 from 7:00 – 9:00 PM.  A letter and registration form was sent out to those in the 6^th – 8^th grades who have not yet participated in this learning event.  If you did not receive this letter, please contact Pastor Mark so that one can be sent to you.  First Communion will be on Maundy Thursday, April 13^th in the 7:00 PM service.

• Ministry Opportunity:   St. John’s participates in The Table ministry (based at First Presbyterian Church, 1333 Third St in Napa) by cooking/serving a meal every month on the 2nd Friday.  Next Friday (3/10/17) is St. John’s service opportunity and we invite you to join us. If you would like to help, please sign up for a shift (or multiple shifts) by clicking here! We thank you for your service.  Your time and your talents are greatly appreciated. Blessings,The Table Team

• Recycle your Household Batteries at SJL: St. John’s Lutheran is working with Napa Recycling on collecting and disposing of any household batteries you may have; AAA, AA, C, D & 9 volt batteries. We will not accept automotive or drill batteries, only standard household batteries. Containers are available in the school office, church office and room 10.  Now you no longer need to question what to do with these batteries.  Bring them to one of our locations mentioned above, drop them in the container, and we will do the rest! Thank you for supporting our efforts in keeping our landfills clean.

• Children’s Church Teachers: Kelsey Uffmann & Jenny Gass

• Built on the Rock Construction in Full Swing.  Setup for Sunday worship in the Parish Hall is on Saturday evenings at 6:00 PM.  We have set up an online tool for signing up to help.  Please contact Kathy Fitzgerald at kathyfitzgerald@sbcglobal.net to add your name to the list.

• Built on the Rock Update:  Through February 26^th, $168,457 has been offered for “Built on the Rock,” the Earthquake Repair and Seismic Upgrade.  We need $17,543 more to reach the goal of $186,000.

• St. John’s Facilities Online Calendar:  Looking for a room for a meeting or event?  You can now view this calendar online.  Go to https://teamup.com/ks059311afd6a21c57   If you would like to book a room/location on campus for an event/meeting, please contact Christy Kramer at the church office to be added to the calendar.  Please note:  You may only use the facility if you have pre-reserved your requested room/location with Christy Kramer.        

• Mission India:  Please keep this year’s Mission India Literacy trainers in your prayers.  To support this ministry financially, please make out your check to St. John’s.  You can use the designated offering envelopes or write on your check that it is for Mission India.  For more information about our partnership with Mission India and the opportunity to change lives and draw them to Christ, see www.missionindia.org.

• Aaron Comfort Dog… New team members are always welcome!  Come join us and observe how this amazing ministry works.  Please contact Tim or Christy Kramer if you would like to “shadow” during one of our events!

• Aaron Comfort Dog Contact Info:  If you would like to request a visit from Aaron, please contact Tim or Christy Kramer @ 255-0119.  For an update on his activities, please check out his Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter pages at AaronComfortDog, as well as his website: NapaValleyComfortDogs.org

• Campus Security:  Please remember to check that doors are properly closed and locked as you leave the room you are using.  Thanks for helping us take care of our campus.

• Abide Daily Devotion: How do I let Scripture guide my prayer life?  How can I let Jesus direct what I pray for each day?  The Abide Devotion, written by Pastor Mike, is a daily devotion designed to address these concerns.   You can click here for more information and to subscribe to receive the devotion in your email.