The April 2024 monthly Vine is available on our website.
To keep up-to-date with what is happening at St. John’s, CLICK HERE .
Maundy Thursday
March 28, 2024
7:00 PM
Please CLICK HERE to download the service notes.
As We Gather
When we gather to celebrate the Lord’s Supper, we are celebrating our unity in Christ. Though we are many, we are one as we partake of the body and blood of the one Christ. Paul called his readers in Corinth to “discern the body,” to perceive the oneness of the community, instead of the contention and division that marked their gatherings. As we commemorate the Last Supper of our Lord and the gift of the Lord’s Supper, we rejoice that in Christ, despite our diversity and differences, we are one.
The service concludes with the “stripping of the altar,” the removal of all items and ornamentation from the chancel, representing the humbling and persecution of Christ after His arrest.
The following young people will be making their first communion. We rejoice with them and their families at this occasion:
Amaya Kawachi, Ari Knutson, Kennley Price, Kiley Reach, Will Smith
We will be celebrating Holy Communion at this service.
Live-stream and in-person worship begin at 7:00 PM. Please CLICK HERE to download the link to the live-stream itself.
We will be streaming on our Facebook Page as well: CLICK HERE
Good Friday Tenebrae Service
March 29, 2024
7:00 PM
Please CLICK HERE to download the service notes.
As We Gather
We celebrate victory in defeat, life in death, innocence in condemnation. We celebrate the great exchange, that He who knew no sin became sin for us, so that in Him we might become the righteousness of God (2 Corinthians 5:21). On the cross, the condemnation of One becomes acquittal for all, apparent defeat for One became victory for all, and the brutal death of One became the entrance to eternal life for all who trust in Him. This is the good tragedy we celebrate today.
The service includes the reading of the Passion as part of the Tenebrae, the Service of Shadows. The sanctuary will gradually grow darker as candles are extinguished and lights are dimmed. This is to represent the extinguishing of the life of the Son of God, our Savior. May God bless our meditation this evening as He draws us to the cross.
Live-stream and in-person worship begin at 7:00 PM. Please CLICK HERE to download the link to the live-stream itself.
We will be streaming on our Facebook Page as well: CLICK HERE
Easter Vigil
March 30, 2024
8:00 PM
Please CLICK HERE to download the service notes.
As We Gather
The Vigil of Easter is a special service designed to remember our Lord’s resurrection. Moving from darkness to light, we remember that Jesus is our Light, we recall the mighty acts of God, and we pause to remember our Baptism. We do all this in the context of the greatest event in history: The Resurrection of Jesus Christ.
Live-stream and in-person worship begin at 8:00 PM. Please CLICK HERE to download the link to the live-stream itself.
We will be streaming on our Facebook Page as well: CLICK HERE
Easter Sunday – The Resurrection of Our Lord
“Go Tell Peter”
March 31, 2024
8:30 AM & 10:30 AM
Please CLICK HERE to download the service notes for 8:30 AM (not live-streamed).
Please CLICK HERE to download the service notes for 10:30 AM.
As We Gather
Resurrection means new life. Resurrection means hope. Resurrection means that death doesn’t have the last word. But resurrection also means forgiveness for those who have fallen. The Easter angel wanted to make sure that Peter got the message – Peter, who had denied His Lord a few hours before.
But that’s not all. Today we will hear words of Easter truth from St. Paul, the one who persecuted the church and killed Christians. And we will speak the words of one of David’s Psalms – David who had committed adultery and murder.
The resurrection means forgiveness, new life, and hope, not just for them, but also for you and me. May the Risen Lord’s mercy and grace bless all of us as we worship this morning!
We will be celebrating Holy Communion at both services.
The 8:30 AM service will only be in-person – it will NOT be live-streamed.
Live-stream and in-person worship begins at 10:30 AM. Please CLICK HERE to download the link to the live-stream itself.
We will be streaming on our Facebook Page as well: CLICK HERE
Holy Week at St. John’s
Holy Week commemorates the culminating week in the life of Jesus, and the events at the heart of the salvation through faith in Him. For more information on the services, click here.
- Maundy Thursday (March 28, 7:00 PM) is a commemoration of Jesus’ “Last Supper.” We will also be celebrating the First Communion of those who have been preparing to be welcomed to the Lord’s Supper.
- Good Friday (March 29, 7:00 PM) marks the day that Jesus was crucified. Our evening service (7:00 PM) is a Tenebrae Service, a service of gradually darkening the sanctuary.
- Easter Vigil (March 30, 8:00 PM) is the first celebration of the resurrection. Weather permitting, we begin in the Faith Chapel with the Service of Light.
- On Easter Sunday (March 31), we celebrate the resurrection of Jesus. The 8:30 AM service in the sanctuary is led with traditional hymns and the choir. The 10:30 AM service, also in the sanctuary, is led by the worship band.
- Easter Breakfast Our annual Easter breakfast, put on by St. John’s Youth, will be in the Parish Hall from 9:00 – 10:30 AM.
- Easter Egg Hunt The Easter egg hunt for the children will begin at approximately 10:00 am.
Children’s Ministry:
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Where did all the eggs go?! Please join us for our annual Easter Egg Hunt at 10am on Easter Sunday!
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VBS – It’s time to SCUBA! The VBS date is set, June 17-20. Sign ups are open and volunteers are needed. Please go check out our website to see if there is a role for you.
- Children’s Church Leaders… We are blessed to have so many young kids with us each Sunday, but we are running low on Children’s Church leaders. If you are looking for a place to serve here at St. John’s I ask you to consider working in Children’s Church. It’s an awesome way for the kids to hear the good news of Jesus delivered in a way suitable for them to understand and hold on to. Please get in contact with Kevin Mathison if you have any questions about getting involved. We would love to have you join the team!
Confirmation:
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Confirmation Sunday is approaching quickly! On May 5th our confirmands will confirm their faith and share their Faith Statements with y’all. Please join me in praying for all of our students and families as we near the end of our Confirmation year.
High School:
- Please take a moment to fill out these two surveys regarding our High School Ministry. Student Survey & Parent Survey.
NOTE: Sunday Bible Classes will not be meeting this Sunday, Easter Sunday. We will resume on April 7.
There are two opportunities for growth on Sunday mornings. Pastor Mike is leading “Foundations” in Room 10 (see below). Joel Wahlers is leading a study on the Gospel of Mark in Room 8 (see below). The Gospel of Mark In this study, Joel Wahlers is making use of a Right Now Video course led by author and speaker Francis Chan. Tracing the steps of Jesus and the Twelve through Israel, Francis explores the major themes of the Gospel of Mark, and asks: Are we willing to take this journey to embrace discipleship? Foundations: An Overview of the Christian Faith Pastor Mike is leading a nine-session overview of the basic teachings of the Christian Faith. This study in basic Christianity will cover all the essential teachings, how they fit together into one compelling story, and what they mean for our lives today.
Pastor Mike’s Bookshelf
The Resurrection of the Son of God
By N.T. Wright
As we prepare to celebrate the resurrection of our Lord, I want to share with you a recommendation for a book that has become the definitive study of the historicity of Jesus’ bodily resurrection. I have to point out, though, that this is a massive scholarly tome that might not appeal to all because of the depths to which the author goes in presenting his case, and the sheer length of the book (over 800 pages).
Wright approaches the topic as an historian, seeking to account for the well-documented rise of the very early universal belief in the bodily resurrection of Jesus by the early Christians. In doing this, he explores the beliefs of the contemporary Jewish context, as well as beliefs of the Greeks and Romans among whom the news of the resurrection of Jesus spread. Through it all, Wright explores nearly every explanation for the rise of the belief in the bodily resurrection, and finds them all untenable with one exception. That one exception is that Jesus actually, physically rose from dead.
In writing this book, Wright, as one of the foremost New Testament scholars today, interacts with nearly every theory that has been advanced by skeptics to explain the facts that are accepted by nearly all: That the tomb was empty and that certain early Christians truly believed that they encountered the risen Jesus, including former unbelievers James and Paul. He also explores every viable explanation for why the New Testament authors wrote what they did about the resurrection and its meaning. He pays particular attention to the notion, common among skeptics, that the early church, when speaking of resurrection, really referred to a spiritual ascension, and not a bodily, physical resurrection. He thoroughly debunks this idea as unsupported by the facts.
I have read of numerous skeptics whose views were changed by this book, sometimes expressing shock that they had never encountered this information before. One notable skeptic, historian and journalist Molly Worthen, spoke about the role of this book in her conversion in a podcast with Collin Hansen of the Gospel Coalition. https://www.thegospelcoalition.org/podcasts/gospelbound/happened-molly-worthen/
It actually took me multiple months to finish this book. Because of the density of the information, I found I could only read 10-15 pages at a sitting. But I’m very glad for having persevered. I’m going to hang on to my copy but if you would like to borrow it, let me know.
For a less imposing work on the historicity of the resurrection, I suggest “The Case for the Resurrection of Jesus” by Gary Habermas and Michael Licona, or Gary Habermas’ website, which has links to many videos: https://www.garyhabermas.com/
For previous recommendations CLICK HERE
Mission India Partnership
We are thankful to the Lord for the privilege that we have to partner with Mission India for the spread of the kingdom and the changing of lives in India. We will soon be making our decision regarding our partnership with Mission India for the coming year. Namely, how many Literacy projects, Children’s Bible Club projects and Church planters we will sponsor in the coming year. We will make that choice based on the balance in the “Mission India Fund” on May 6. If you would like to support out partnership financially, please mark your offering for Mission India. You can do this with a physical check or online.
Memorial Service for Bonnie Wilson
Friday, April 5 at 1:00 PM.
Board of Directors Nominations
The Board of Directors is receiving Board nominations for the 2024-2025 fiscal year. There are nine members of the Board of Directors. Five of these positions are up for election this year. Board members serve for a two-year term and can serve a maximum of three consecutive terms.
If you are interested in nominating someone (or yourself) for the Board of Directors, please click on this link to download information about qualifications and responsibilities. Also included is a nomination form to be completed and returned to the church office, John Van Hofwegen, or Pastor Mike
There will be a Board Information Forum on Thursday, April 11 at 7:00 in the Library for those who are interested in being nominated for the board. This forum is a mandatory part of the nomination process. Those who are interested in being nominated need to attend. This forum is also open to anyone who just wants to learn more about the governance polity of St. John’s, and how the Board works.
Nomination Forms are available in the E-vine, in the church office, or by coming to the forum. These forms are to be returned to Board Chair John Van Hofwegan, or Pastor Mike Schmid by May 15.
Endowment Fund Disbursement Application Process
The purpose of the St. John’s Endowment Fund is to receive, to manage and to distribute funding to support and implement the mission and vision of St. John’s Lutheran Church. A the end of December, the value of the fund was approximately $1.33 million. Please refer to the Endowment Fund By-Laws for a complete description of what the funds may be used for, and how they are managed: Endowment Fund By-Laws
Each year up to 5% of the value of the fund is available for disbursement to support the ministry. For some of the funds that make up the overall fund, the disbursements have defined purposes (tuition assistance, etc.) The Endowment Fund Committee is receiving applications for 2024 2025 disbursements from the “SJL Ministries” portion of the endowment fund. This year there is approximately $36,000 available to be disbursed from this fund. If you have an idea for a ministry disbursement and would like to submit an application, please click on this link to download an application: Endowment Fund Application. The deadline for applications is April 1, 2024. Please send or drop off applications to the church office. The Endowment Fund Committee will then review all applications and make recommendations to the Board of Directors.
Dine and Donate
Join us on Tuesday, April 9th at Mary’s Pizza Shack! Mary’s serves homemade pizzas, pastas, sandwiches, salads & soups — perfect for the whole family! Mary’s will donate 20% of Dine-in, Take-Out & Delivery orders, all day to our SJLS Dance Team. Don’t have time to stay? Mary’s will donate 20% of gift card purchases that day. CLICK HERE for flyer.
Fellowship at St. John’s Survey
We are planning to offer a variety of fellowship opportunities this coming year. If you didn’t fill out the blue paper survey in church, please click the link below to fill out this form and indicate which events are of interest to you, as well as which ones you would like to help make happen. Thanks for taking the time to help us plan fellowship events! CLICK HERE for the link.
Worship Tech Overhaul
“Faith Comes From Hearing”
We’ve heard your feedback and understand that one of the biggest challenges you and our visitors face when attending worship in person or watching the livestream is participating in the service because it’s difficult to see or hear God’s Word, the lessons, and the beautiful music that’s raised up to God in praise. With these concerns in mind, we’re doing a complete and total overhaul of the audio and visual technology in the St. John’s sanctuary and Faith Chapel. We’re working to create an experience that is free of distractions, allowing our members, visitors, students, and families to focus on the most import element of any gathering held at St. John’s: God’s Word. If you would like to help support this mission, we ask that you do so through your offerings. There are three ways you can give:
- In person using your offering envelope
- By clicking: Donate to St. John’s Lutheran (https://bit.ly/DonatetoStJohnsLutheran)
- By using the Vanco Mobile app
We ask that you notate your donation with “Faith Comes From Hearing” or “Worship Tech Overhaul” to ensure it is applied to this project.
Women’s Bible Study
We have concluded the book of Ephesians and will be starting the book of 1 Peter on April 8th. We are taking this short break in order to concentrate on this important season of Easter. We are changing things up a bit when we resume in April as Elaine Zimmerman will facilitate some of the teaching moments! Please consider joining us each Monday, starting April 8th at 10:00 AM, in our sanctuary! Have a blessed Easter! Romans 5:8 “But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us…” Judi Rock (707)738-6707
Men’s Saturday Morning Bible Study
The Men’s Saturday Morning Bible Study is currently studying the Gospel of Luke. Join us for fellowship at 7:30 AM and Bible Study from 8-9 AM.
New Email Addresses for the Church
Please make a note that we are changing the email addresses for the church. Please use the following email addresses for correspondence.
- Church Office: churchoffice@stjohnsnapa.org
- Pastor Mike: pastormike@stjohnsnapa.org
- Kevin Mathison: kevin@stjohnsnapa.org
- Tim Kramer: tkramer@stjohnsnapa.org
What is different? The domain “stjohnsnapa.org” instead of “stjohnslutheran.net.” We are moving away from the “stjohnslutheran.net” so that all emails, church and school, will be “stjohnsnapa.org.” The old emails will remain active for a time to make sure we don’t miss anything, but please update your address books accordingly.
Coffee Ministry Needs Help
Do you enjoy the coffee hour after church? Would you like to be part of this ministry? We are looking for additional people to join us! Join a team or get some friends and make a team. Three or four people are ideal. On the job training will be provided.
Responsibilities are: • arriving prior to service to set up • providing refreshments – may be baked or purchased • making coffee • setting up serving tables and seating • serving the refreshments • clean up
We appreciate the people who help set up and put away tables and chairs and those who contribute refreshments. This is a welcoming time of fellowship for both members and visitors. Any questions or willingness to serve – please contact Susan or Bill Clark or the church office.
Biblical Counseling at St John’s?
The Biblical Counseling Center of Napa Valley
The Biblical Counseling Center of Napa Valley is a ministry to the families of St. John’s Lutheran Church and all Christians in the greater Napa area. Our center began some 25 years ago to offer strength and direction to those Christians suffering through trials and tribulations using the promises and hope the Bible offers to those who trust Jesus as their Lord and Savior. To learn more, CLICK HERE. If you, or someone you know, is struggling with life’s stressors, please consider giving us a call at 707-738-5306. (We are a free ministry to all).
Right Now Media
Right now media is an online resource providing Christian videos for all ages: Children’s resource, Bible Studies, lectures and more. As a congregation, we have subscribed to Right Now Media, so access is free for all in our St. John’s family. If you haven’t already signed up for Right Now Media, CLICK HERE.
Napa State Hospital Christmas Donation THANK YOU!
CLICK HERE to view list of requested items.
As a Thrivent member, you are eligible for two Thrivent Action Teams per year. Thrivent Action Teams are a great way to make a positive impact in your community. Thrivent offers all the resources you need to get started, including up to $250 in seed money. Your team below provide the passion that brings your project to life. Here are some ideas on how you can help us here at St. John’s…
- Youth Events, VBS, Mission Farm, Large Print Ministry and LCC K9 Comfort Dog Ministry
Please call the church office if you are inspired to help with projects like these above and much more. Christy Kramer will be happy to help you apply for your Action Team Card.
CLICK HERE for instructions. CLICK HERE for more information.
Do you wish to receive the E-Vine by text?
Signing up is simple. Just text “sjlctext” to 855-906-0515. When an e-vine is sent out, you will receive a text with a link which will take you to the current e-vine. If you currently receive the e-vine by email, you will continue to receive it that way as well, unless you request for it to stop.
Where do I find sermons and services that I missed?
You can find previous sermons in three places. The full services are available on the YouTube channel.
- YouTube Channel:
- https://www.youtube.com/user/stjohnsnapaca/live
- There are playlists for sermons, Sunday Services, Wednesday Night Worship and teaching on Matthew
- RightNow Media Channel
- https://www.rightnowmedia.org/CustomLibrary/41667
- Scroll down to find recommendations as well as sermon and Gospel of Matthew lessons
- Website
- https://stjohnslutheran.net/sermons-2/
- The sermons are arranged by worship series
Ongoing News and Information
LCC K9 Comfort Dog Info… 
Scrip Info: What is Scrip?… 
Social Media at St. John’s… 
Mission India…
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