Thursday, April 28, 2022

SCLA Gala and other Upcoming Events

 The Gala is Saturday!

The "Spring in Paris" Gala is on Saturday, April 30. Ticket sales are closed, but even if you're not coming to the in-person event, anyone can bid on silent auction items online! Live auction items are only up for bid at the event. View items here, and don't forget to Sign In on the top right of the page. Making an account allows you to Watch items you're interested in, share them with friends, and receive auction updates. Join the fundraising from your phone!

The silent auction is open on Saturday from 10:00a-7:15p.

Mary Poppins Jr.

The middle school will present the musical Mary Poppins Jr. on Thursday, May 12 after the 7:00 p.m. band concert and Friday, May 13 at 1:30 p.m. in the auditorium. Tickets are limited to middle school families and association band families until Friday, April 29. After that, the public may reserve seats here.


Upcoming Events:

Spring in Paris Gala
Saturday, April 30
Silent Auction opens for all 10:00a-7:15p

Ric Gibson Retirement Celebration
Sunday, May 1
2:00 p.m.
Didn't RSVP? Join on the live stream!

Middle School Band Concert, Musical, and Art Show
Thursday, May 12
7:00 p.m.

Middle School Musical
Friday, May 13
1:30 p.m.

Night of Jazz
Friday, May 20
8:00 p.m.



Worship with us!

                     


                                Please join us for worship this Third Sunday of Easter, May 1, 2022, at 8:30 am.
         Pastor Al's message is on Acts 9:1-19. 
       Fellowship in the link following worship.
   Stay for Bible Study at 9:45 am.
 Everyone is welcome!

Note from Pastor Al

 Convinced? 

But Saul, still breathing threats and murder against the disciples of the Lord, went to the high priest 2 and asked him for letters to the synagogues at Damascus, so that if he found any belonging to the Way, men or women, he might bring them bound to Jerusalem. (Acts 9:1-2)


How do we convince someone of the truth of the Risen Jesus?

Easy answer: we don’t; that is in the realm of God the Holy Spirit and the Word of God. Let’s observe how Saul went from a villain to a Christ follower. He was a very strong believer in the Old Testament text while at the same time persecuting and trying to kill off New Testament Jesus followers. What changed Saul?


The followers of Jesus were convinced of the resurrection of Jesus; they had seen the risen Christ.  They were “convinced” of the core of Christianity. Remember, this is the message on which we elaborated last Sunday: Jesus lived for us,  Jesus died for us, Jesus rose from the grave for us and Jesus reigns in heaven for us. How do these convinced believers pass on their convictions and their faith? Is it a logical argument that will convince Saul? That might be a good start but it won’t convince Saul to become a true follower in the Christian faith.


What will take Saul or anyone from a staunch opposition of Christianity to a fully assenting agreement? What is it that brings any person over the line of skepticism to faith. Saul needs to meet Jesus.


Now as he went on his way, he approached Damascus, and suddenly a light from heaven shone around him. 4 And falling to the ground, he heard a voice saying to him, “Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting me?” 5 And he said, “Who are you, Lord?” And he said, “I am Jesus, whom you are persecuting. 6 But rise and enter the city, and you will be told what you are to do.” 7 The men who were traveling with him stood speechless, hearing the voice but seeing no one. 8 Saul rose from the ground, and although his eyes were opened, he saw nothing. So they led him by the hand and brought him into Damascus. 9 And for three days he was without sight, and neither ate nor drank. (Acts 9:3-9)


What would change Saul? Saul was on a mission to extinguish the believers. He believed this was the right thing to do. If Saul was going to be changed, God would have to do it. Many of us find ourselves wrestling in a world that is like Saul. Our culture is not finding safety in the arms of Jesus. The love of the Savior and His sacrifice has not surfaced in our neighborhoods. What will change their minds and hearts?

Saul was met by God - God’s approach is to speak directly with Saul. Heaven made an appearance because Saul had a paradigm of how life should be and God needed to [severely] adjust Saul’s understanding. Heaven shows up. Saul thought he was in the right until heaven’s light shown on him. 


Several other points come out of the text: “Saul, Saul” (Acts 9:4). Jesus calls on Saul with a phrase that describes personal knowledge and interest in Saul. God loves Saul! That’s what the repetition of his name means. But the question, “why are you persecuting me?” (Acts 9:4), is meant to open up Saul’s worldview. He is confronted with a truly blinding light and now, in his darkness, must examine his own motives and intent. Saul comes face to face with the reality that he was fighting in the wrong direction. Saul has to examine the sad truth that he has been fighting against God. 


God would have us each grasp these two truths about ourselves: We are loved by God and yet have offended God - we fight against God. Paul needed to see where he was fighting against God and so do we. It can’t be overlooked; this light shining from heaven and speaking to Saul would have shaken him to the very core. But he listened and he cried out, “Who are you, Lord?” (Acts 9:5).


And now Saul begins a journey of transformation. He will continue to be blind for three more days. Three days of darkness where his last vision was of this bright light. “Saul rose from the ground, and although his eyes were opened, he saw nothing. So they led him by the hand and brought him into Damascus. 9 And for three days he was without sight, and neither ate nor drank” (Acts 9:8-9). For three days Saul would reflect on the reason heaven confronted him.


Saul eventually becomes one of the greatest evangelists the world has ever known. In order to step into that role, he needed to see what was wrong and broken in him. Those three days and the bright light from heaven got this whole process started. 


God has done the same thing for us. The Bright light of His Word has pierced through our dark hearts and has illuminated us with the light of Christ, our Lord. Let us take some time right now to thank our God for shining his truth into our lives so that we could be Jesus’ witnesses.


Blessings to you in the name of the risen Christ!


Tuesday, April 26, 2022

Worship Link - April 24, 2022

If you were unable to worship in person at St. John on Sunday, 
you may go to the link below for Pastor Al's message.

 Worship Link-April 24, 2022

Thursday, April 21, 2022

Worship with Us

Please join us for worship this Second Sunday of Easter, April 24, 2022, at 8:30 am.
Pastor Al's message is on Acts 18:1-17. 
Fellowship in the link following worship.
Stay for Bible Study at 9:45 am.
Everyone is welcome!

 

Note from Pastor Al

 We destroy arguments and every lofty opinion raised against the knowledge of God, and take every thought captive to obey Christ, (2 Corinthians 10:5)

How are you persuaded? What leads you to a certain decision? Why is it that you decide to cut your grass instead of letting it go two weeks? What leads us to certain beliefs and understanding of life?


Have you ever thought about decision-making as a type of battle? This verse from 2 Corinthians 10 uses military language to help us assess what it is that we experience every day: a battle. Arguments rise up to dissuade or convince us of a certain action. Lofty opinions, those wielded by convincing sources and credible personas have the ability to lead us to God or away from God.


Paul, in writing to the Corinthians, suggests a simple battle plan: “take every thought captive [so as] to obey Christ” (2 Corinthians 10:5).


How does this work?


Fear and anxiety are some very prevalent challenges to the security Christ would have us experience. Jesus said, “I have said these things to you, that in me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation. But take heart; I have overcome the world.” (John 16:33).


When fears and anxious thoughts rise in our mind, we have a battle in which the weapons involve our thoughts. Trouble, rumors of wars, chance of economic collapse, concern for epidemics or pandemic and unsafe conditions in our community could easily lead us to panic or fear. Jesus directs our thoughts in this way (and recognize that this is a wrestling match in our minds): troubles will come BUT I have already won the battle for your eternity (Paraphrase of John 16:33). 


We are to take thoughts of fear and confront them with the truth of Jesus’ conquering Kingship; He wins. He is powerful. He knows all and has an eternal connection to us because of the blood that He shed for us. He already paid for our lives with His blood. How much more will He continue to watch over every event, every virus, every infidel for our good! 


We are able to “take heart” by wrestling down negative and pessimistic thoughts about our future - Jesus has overcome!  


Let the blood that Jesus spilled, fill you with a recognition of His commitment to you. Let the life He now lives, as King of the Universe, watching over His family, the church, lead you to a life of battle-hardened trust! “But take heart; I have overcome the world.” (John 16:33).


Blessings to you in Christ!



Tuesday, April 19, 2022

LWMS Spring Rally

 

LWMS St. Croix Circuit Spring Rally
Saturday, April 23rd, 2022
Redeemer Lutheran Church
200 N. Adams St.
St. Croix Falls, WI
Registration Begins at 9:00 am

Thursday, April 14, 2022

RSVP to Free Financial Seminar

 

"Navigating Market Volatility"
-Free Financial Seminar

Wednesday, April 20
SCLA Choir Room

Check-In: 5:45-6:00
Food and Social Time: 6:00-6:30
Seminar: 6:30-7:30
Optional time for Questions: 7:30-8:00

Presented by SCLA alumni Nathan and Andy Tiarks of Tiarks Financial.

Boxed sandwich meals provided by alumni-owned Blue Ox Sandwich Factory.

Are you concerned about the most recent drops in the stock market? Are you worried about how the war between Russia and Ukraine could continue to impact your investments? Before making any rash decisions, we encourage you to attend this in-person seminar hosted in St. Croix’s newly renovated Choir Room! Hear Nathan and Andy talk about topics like:

  • What’s Causing Market Volatility Today
  • How It’s Impacting Investors
  • What Investment Ideas May Help

Easter Dinner Invitation

 St. John members have been invited to join our friends from Immanuel Hmong for
Easter Dinner at 1:00 pm, Sunday, April 17th.

Tuesday, April 12, 2022

SCLA Gala Ticket Sales Ends April 15, 2022

 


Get your gala tickets now! Registration ends April 15.
Don't miss out!

Worship Link-April 10, 2022

If you were unable to worship in person at St. John on Sunday, 
you may go to the link below for Pastor Al's message.

 Worship Link-April 10, 2022

He Is Risen - Resurrection Day Celebration


Please join us at St. John for our Resurrection Day Celebration,
Sunday, April 17th at 8:30 am.
Share with us Easter Breakfast that will be served at 9:30 am.

Friday, April 8, 2022

Good Newsletter - April 2022

 

What’s so important about Jesus dying and rising from the dead?

 “I don’t want to die. I want to live.”

 A man I had known for about 25 minutes said these words to me as we were flying over the Caribbean Sea between Puerto Rico and Antigua. We were in the middle of a horrific lightning storm. Ten seconds before he said this, our airplane had lost all power and began to dip rather suddenly towards the deep blue expanse of water beneath us. Thankfully, the airplane regained power after only a few agonizing seconds, and we quickly climbed back to our cruising altitude.

 “Death scares me,” he went on, “because I know nothing about it. I only know how to live.”

 Choosing between something you know nothing about and something you know quite a bit about is a pretty easy decision. Most everyone feels more confident with what they are familiar with. That’s why this gentleman was not the first person to express himself in this way. He most certainly will not be the last. Who can feel more confident about dying than living since we only know about life and not death?

 Jesus had never died either. But as he hung on his cross, he knew it was coming. In fact, he had told his followers the day before that “it was for this reason (dying) that he came to this hour” (John 12:27).

Jesus chose death, and he did so with you in mind. Jesus chose death to prove to you that those who follow him have no reason to be afraid of death.

 If the pilot of our airplane had guaranteed the passengers before that flight that we would land safely, that he had flown through worse storms and made it, that the backup generators on the plane would keep any power outage from harming us, we would have been much more confident despite the storm.

 Jesus makes a much greater guarantee when he tells us we don’t have to be afraid of death. And he proved it by living after he died. The dead body of Jesus was placed in a grave on Friday evening, but he rose from the dead three days later.

When you follow Jesus, death’s scare is taken away. The living Jesus gives you the confidence that your grave will be empty, just like his was. He tells all his disciples, “Because I live, you also will live” (John 14:19).

 Jesus’ death and resurrection are important because it guarantees for his believers that they too will rise from the dead and live forever!

Upcoming Events at St John
Worship Service:  Sunday at 8:30 AM
Adult Bible Study:  Sunday at 9:45 AM
Good Friday service at 6:30 PM
Easter Sunday service at 8:30, breakfast at 9:30 AM
Visit our website at stjohnev.net
Call us at 651-771-6406

Holy Week Schedule


 April 10 -   Palm  Sunday  8:30 am - at St. John   

April 14 - Maundy Thursday - at Mt. Olive 5:30 pm, Service and  Passover (Seder)  Meal

April 15 - Good Friday - at St. John - 6:30 pm

April 17 - Resurrection Day service at St. John - 8:30 am, Breakfast - 9:30 am,

Mt. Olive - 10:00 am


 

Pastor's Note - John 19:30


Jesus says, “It is finished!” 

Not sure how much you dive into the whole machine of March madness. One particular game this year, between Duke and University of North Carolina, was replete with confirmation that these were two equally matched teams. The contest was undecided down to the final seconds of game; clearly it is not over until it is over. UNC and Duke were in a relentless battle to take the lead muscling back and forth at least a dozen times in the final minutes. Would Duke win? Now UNC is on top! Who will rise to claim victory? This insecurity raises blood pressures and causes coaches, players and fans extreme amounts of anxiety.  UNC won in the end but with every player and every fan not sure until that final moment. 


Golgatha was the stage of an even more epic contest between God and darkness. From every human angle, it appeared as if darkness had stolen the day. This hill of death had the pretense of defeat. Jesus comes to this point, physically exhausted and emotionally riddled with jeers and taunts; with divine superiority his human frame crumbles yet accomplishes everything necessary and He delivers the winning goal: “it is finished!”  And Jesus comes out the winner - but so do we.


Jesus’ condition - completely spent

This looked like defeat, but it had to. It had to be a display of severed flesh and loss of blood. This mountain and the cross itself had to be riddled with the dreadful contortion of His limbs. Wounds covered His entire body, some penetrated deep into His bones! In places the skin flapped open to the atrocious wounds created by the Roman machine of justice and corporal punishment. Wrongs must be punished; but whose wrongs?


This is the necessary payment for disobedience. This is the justice for our crimes. This is the severity of pain for thoughtless insurrections, false narratives and tyrannical movements. This bloodshed was mandatory because of human indifference, hate speech, ad hominems, and faulty logic. His precious blood was shed from multiple wounds inflicting horrific pain - because of me. 


Can you say that (“because of me”) and believe it? Can you see the requisite payment which was demanded of your flesh - but covered by His transaction of death?


His Precious Blood was shed as a fountain for our relief. As God, still powerful and omnipotent, He surrendered His sacred humanity to the Father, and all was accomplished for the eternal destiny of the human race.


This was not the final word of someone who was backed into a corner, subjected to horrible mutilation and overcome - powerless to act. One of Jesus’ own actions in the Garden of Gethsemane proves that this was well within His pay grade to avoid. This was something which Jesus had the ability to ignore or turn away from or extinguish all together. But He went into this horrific killing, subjected Himself to human failures and proceeded as guilty under the wrath of God.


These were the final words of our Savior, declaring that He has reached the summit, He has ascended to heaven with full payment for our debt. He went, on that insane day, to the very throne of God, the judgment seat of God, and handed over the remittance for all injustices ever thrown into the face of the holy God. 


“It is finished” declares to God and to us that the bill is paid in full!



Jesus’ words - the challenge

It is Finished!” We understand that Jesus says, “I have fulfilled what is required, in order to give them life!” It is finished!


As sad as His death is, His words speak something else. They speak beyond sorrow and sadness to a point of victory, and even joy. Now, in His maxim, is the declaration of extinguished guilt and concealed shame - forever removed. His words confirm in us the truth that bitter division from the source of Life is over.


But can my heart accept this truth? Watch for your pride to rise up, even a little, and declare that there must be something added to His finished work. The challenge of “It is finished” is that it is far to beautiful to be easily believed. It is beyond belief. 


Here Jesus say this to your fretting soul: “It is finished!”

I want you to know that there is nothing left for you to complete. I want you to know that there are no hitches, hurdles or obstacles to your salvation - it is finished. It is available for your enjoyment. It is complete and ready. But I also want you to know that your heart will wrestle against this fact; it will doubt this truth. Your human spirit is driven to accomplish but in this realm of God’s justice, you will see something you cannot accomplish and could never accomplish. Your heart needs to know.


Your heart will fight against belief. Because nothing is free in this world. Nothing is given to you without a cost or the pull of pennies and dimes from your own pocket. There is no real free lunch. There’s always a catch. 


Not with the gospel. Not with this good news. “It is finished,” may be one of the hardest sentences to believe because of our human pride, our human drive for accomplishment, our human understanding of how things get done. To the most successful this will be, at times, difficult to grasp.


To those who have failed it will become such an unbelievable beauty, such an unbelievable opportunity. What did the thief on the cross think of Jesus’ promise that eternity was now his? Paradise was opened to every criminal who would ever believe Jesus’ words - he now resides in eternal joy, in Paradise. Unwarranted and unearned yet freely given. My human heart needs to know that this is accomplished.


Be at peace - all was accomplished for you. “It is finished!”



Tuesday, April 5, 2022

Worship Link - April 3, 2022

If you were unable to worship in person at St. John on Sunday, 
you may go to the link below for Pastor's message.

Worship Link-April 3, 2022 

Lenten Service - It is Finished!

 


Please join us at St. John for our Midweek Lenten Service, Wednesday, April 6, 2022.

Pastor Al's message will be from John 19:30 - "It is Finished." 

 Supper will be served starting at 5:15 pm. 


SCLA - Free Financial Seminar

 

"Navigating Market Volatility"
-Free Financial Seminar

Wednesday, April 20
SCLA Choir Room

Check-In: 5:45-6:00
Food and Social Time: 6:00-6:30
Seminar: 6:30-7:30
Optional time for Questions: 7:30-8:00

Presented by SCLA alumni Nathan and Andy Tiarks of Tiarks Financial.

Boxed sandwich meals provided by alumni-owned Blue Ox Sandwich Factory.

Are you concerned about the most recent drops in the stock market? Are you worried about how the war between Russia and Ukraine could continue to impact your investments? Before making any rash decisions, we encourage you to attend this in-person seminar hosted in St. Croix’s newly renovated Choir Room! Hear Nathan and Andy talk about topics like:

  • What’s Causing Market Volatility Today
  • How It’s Impacting Investors
  • What Investment Ideas May Help

Friday, April 1, 2022

Mt. Olive will host Passover Meal

 
Mt. Olive will host a Passover ("Seder") Meal on Maundy Thursday, April 14th.
 
This religious meal gives the storyline for the Israelites’ Exodus from slavery and it parallels the Satanic slavery from which our Messiah rescued us. It is filled with foods that help us remember the meanings of the Passover, and has relevance as Christians who believe in the promise of the Messiah realized in Jesus. 

There will be a light dinner served alongside the symbolic Seder meal. A suggested donation of $10 will help support meal preparations. 

We need volunteers to help with set up, clean up, and food preparation/contribution!
Please click on the link below to RSVP and to sign up as a volunteer by April 10th. 

Easter Breakfast

 

        Please join us at St. John for Easter Breakfast.
Breakfast will be served following our 8:30 am Easter Worship Service. 
If you are able to help with serving or set-up please contact 
Tony Wimmer at 612-306-5329. 
There is a sign-up sheet in the narthex if you are able to provide hard-boiled eggs, 
and/or coffee cake or bars. Thank you.