Notes from Your St. John Council Meeting

August 9, 2022, Council Meeting

•           National Night Out showed more community involvement than in the past. The Lord blessed our participation. We feel he has opened up avenues for us to connect with our neighbors in this joint effort. We thank the Lord for this successful venture.
•           Gifts to support our Hispanic outreach ministry have been offered from three of our sister congregations: Bethel, Menasha, Wisconsin; St. Paul, Tomah, Wisconsin, and Crown of Life, West St. Paul. This is in response to our WELS mission board making this ministry a mission outreach effort with Synod support. Funding of this ministry will be an ongoing effort that we must pay attention to.
•      In coordination with our District President, Pr. Dennis Klatt, we are working on providing Pr. Otto with the help he’ll need to be able to dedicate sufficient time to Hispanic outreach. There are possible future candidates to serve us in a part-time call as planned, but in the meantime, we need to address this issue as it stands. We have Pastor Aaron Robinson, an MLC professor, who will preach once a month for at least the fall semester; we also have Pr. David Huebner from St. Croix who will help with preaching. Other help will be provided with visitation ministry and teaching Bible classes. Everyone is encouraged to seek ways to support our pastoral ministry.
•      You will see samples of St. John (English) and San Juan (Spanish) T-shirts in the narthex. These are available for purchase in your size for $20. We want to wear these T’s at Fiesta Latina on Sept. 10.
•       Jim Rindal has volunteered and has been appointed to fill the unexpired term of Tony Wimmer on the Elmhurst Cemetery Board until elections can be held. Other positions that have been left vacant since Tony went home to Jesus are the congregation vice-president and head of the Evangelism Team. The head of the Education Committee position is also vacant.
•     Online giving is being investigated. We will want to know what interest there is on the part of our membership.
•  We are in the process of replacing (several) of the failing 20-year-old appliances in the parsonage.
•   Security camera and digital sign projects are moving forward.

Printed summary reports from Pastor and the Trustees (maintenance) are also available on the table in the narthex. Talk to one of your council members or Pastor Otto with questions and comments.

·       Jeff Abrahamson, Chairman

·       Alan Salchow, Secretary

·       Mike Tholl, Trustees

·       Jim Connolly, treasurer

·       Tom Koepsell, elder

·       Jim Julian, Chrisitan Life