Praise and thanksgiving are themes for November. God blesses us with people who help shape our lives and our faith in Jesus Christ. He blesses us with all that we need to support this body and life. He offers an eternal home where He will bring eternal joys. God makes us to bear fruit that His kingdom may grow.  Praise is the appropriate response to God generosity!

The Thanksgiving service: will be held Wednesday, November 25th, at 7:00pm. Make an offering of praise and thanks with God’s people, that His truth may continued to be proclaimed!

 

Let Us Pray!  You may start our prayer chain by contacting Virginia Snodgrass (765-3368) or Gayle Grimm (765-3607).  We will pray and ask others to pray with us. The Bible commands: “Pray without ceasing.” (I Thess. 5:17)

 

Evening Worship will be Saturday, November 21st at 6:05 pm. We will have communion using the Communion Service from the Lutheran Hymnal (LSB 3).  All are welcome to come and to worship, especially if Sunday morning must be a workday.

 

We Have Electronic Earphones, which amplify directly from our sound system. If you need assistance with one, please ask an usher. 

 

Deaf Ministry Sunday  is November 8th.

 

Special offerings: November is Bible Month and Human Care month. There will be three separate door collections on Sunday in November. On the 8th, we will have a door offering for Lutheran World Relief, to  provide aid around the world for those stricken by disasters. On the 22nd and 25th, we will take up a food collection for the Alma Food Bank. Needed are canned goods, especially baby food. On the 29th, there will be a presentation by the Gideons International; we may help them purchase and provide Bibles to school children, to motels, and to prisons.

 

Advent Devotions will be offered by St. John to prepare for Christ’s coming. There will some on the usher’s table, and you may access others online @: www.adventdevotions.net

 

Three Seasons Music Concert: The choirs and bells from area churches will present a concert for Thanksgiving, Advent and Christmas on December 6. Watch the bulletin for more details.

 

140th Anniversary!  In 2010, we will celebrate the founding of St. John, back in 1870, with four separate events. On every fifth Sunday, (which also are designated debt reduction Sundays), we will have a guest preacher and a celebration meal. In January, former vicar Matthew Christensen will join us. Former pastors are being invited for May and August. In October, Rev. Irwin Goehring is scheduled to preach to us. God has blessed us with truth, love and purpose for many years!

 

LWML News -  118 comforters, 12 sewing kits and 87# of soap were taken to Topeka and loaded on the semi to be delivered to Lutheran World Relief. Thank you to all who contributed bars of soap and to those who have donated material, used sheets and blankets to be used for making the comforters. The Zone LWML Fall Workshop was held here on October 17th, an ingathering was held for the YWCA Battered Women’s Task Force and over 400 items were donated for the use. We will be distributing cheer plates on November 23 to our members at the Manor and others in our community. If you would like to donate cookies, fruit or other snacks for these plates, please have your items to the church by 9am on the 23rd. We will again be offering poinsettias for sale in November, see the order form in this newsletter. Profits will be given towards debt reduction for out church. Our next meeting will be held on the 3rd Friday of November (20th) because of Thanksgiving. We would live to have you join us in celebrating all the wonderful blessings our great God has bestowed upon us.

 

Thrivent Annual Meeting: November 1st at 5pm, this will be our annual meeting and election of chapter leaders at St. John; please mark your calendars.

 

A Fish Fry: will be held at Trinity Lutheran Church in McFarland on Saturday, November 7th. Serving time will be 4:30-7:00pm. Hope to see you there.

 

Benefit: For Larry and Karen Brakenhoff

Chili Cook Off and Apple Recipe Contest, November 8, 2009 at St. Paul’s Lutheran Church, Alta Vista. Judging time is at 12:30. Bring a pot of your favorite chili and / or apple dessert. There will be soup for those who just want to come and eat too.  Prizes will be awarded.  Come and join us for a fun time while helping the Brakenhoff’s with medical expenses.  FREE WILL DONATION Sponsored by: Thrivent Financial for Lutherans. Information 785-499-5289

 

A Bell Choir / Concert will be held at First Lutheran, 1234 SW Fairlawn, on Saturday, November 21st. St John’s Bell Choirs will join four other Lutheran Bell Choirs from Topeka, under the direction of Jane Anderson. A mass concert for the public will be held at 3:00pm in the Parish Hall (south entrance). The Lutheran Fine Arts Council of Topeka sponsors this event.

 

2009 Kansas District LWML Christian Life Retreat: Inspiration, Motivation and Enthusiasm collide when Joyologist, Annetta Dellinger is with your group! Spend a few minutes with The Joy Lady, whose PHD means Perky Happy Disciple, and you will discover why Annetta has a reputation as a ‘trail blazer’ for JOY’. As an international speaker for more than 20 years and the author of 26 books, she infuses her audiences with encouragement and endless hope. Her listeners are immersed in practical relationships with Jesus Christ. At Wichita Airport Hilton Executive Conference Center, November 13-14, 2098 Airport Road, 1-800-247-4458.  Contact Church office for registration form.

 

Green and Gold Days: Concordia Seminary is pleased to announce a visitation event for college students thinking about becoming pastors or deaconesses: Green and Gold Days. Throughout the year, Concordia Seminary will host three one-day events for these college students. January, 8th & March 19th.Each Green and Gold Day will provide a quick opportunity for college men and women to come and see all the Seminary offers. They will interact with current students, attend classes, worship in chapel, and speak with members of the faculty. To end the day, Concordia Seminary will treat participants to a dinner reception.

 

Your Invitation to Oberammergau Passion Play   Pastor Tom and Miriam Krause of Overland Park, KS invite you to join them on their “Passion Play And Reformation Sites Tour” September 4-13, 2010. Imagine Tours and Travel will host visits to Luther sites of Wittenburg, Augsburg and Worms - plus stops in Munich, Nurnberg and a Rhine River cruise. Our trip ends with the Oberammergau Passion Play. Basic cost is $3995 from Kansas City and includes great accommodations, transportation, and two meals daily! Additional costs for taxes and tips. For a detailed brochure or more information, contact the Krauses at 913-906-9976, or thomas.krause@att.net. (For details see www.ittworld.net.)

 

Extra Greeting Cards: In case you miss out on ordering from the St. John students. Cards will be available around mid, November. They will be in the card container at the west entrance. The cost of cards has gone up to $6.00. Thank you for your support.

 

Are You Interested in taking a trip to the Mediterranean? “12 Days Walk in the Footsteps of Paul” Visiting Greece & Turkey with Optional Rome Extension on February 1-12, 2010 / or March 1-12, 2010, contact the office for more information

 

Lutheran Fine Arts Council of Topeka 2009-2010 Calendar of Events:

Bell Choir Workshop & Concert-Jane Anderson – director-Saturday, Nov. 21-First Lutheran Church, 1234 SW Fairlawn Rd., Workshop 9am - 2pm, Mass Choir Concert - 3:00pm

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Grandview College Choir- March 20 & 21-Trinity Lutheran Church 725 SW Buchanan

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Wartburg College Players-April 27 - Prince of Peace Lutheran Church , 3625 SW Wanamaker Rd, April 28 - Topeka Lutheran School, 701 SW Roosevelt

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

One in Hymn-Hymnfest at Faith Lutheran Church, 1716 SW Gage Blvd.  Sunday, May 2     2:00-4:30pm

 

Orphan Grain Train - with worldwide humanitarian aid and disaster relief supplies

John 14:18 - "I will not leave you as orphans, I will come to you."

     A recent National Convention of the Orphan Grain Train was held at Norfolk, Nebraska with the 345 attendees.  The speakers told of recovery efforts in Greensburg-Kansas, the Katrina disaster area and Hurricane Ike in the Houston gulf coast area.  Thanks you's were given to OGT for much assistance to these disaster areas.  Put the 3rd weekend of Sept. 2010 on you calendar to attend one of these conventions.

    In the year 2008, 147 semi-loads and containers were shipped with another 50 smaller units delivering aid (see chart inside the north basement entrance).  In this past August, 4 overseas shipments went to Armenia, Cambodia, Kyrgyzstan and items from the Lutheran Laymen's League to Nicaragua that included Bibles, Medical equipment and supplies, clothing, bicycles, sewing machine and disinfectants.  There were 16 domestic shipments that included backpacks-bedding-blankets and Bibles, clothes -shoes, toys, desks, school supplies household items - stove, microwave and refrigerator.

   Since the first of this calendar year, the Kansas Division OGT has sent to the national warehouse in Norfolk; 53 hospital beds, 15 walkers, 74 pieces of medical equipment and 67 boxes of medical supplies, 6 pieces of optometry equipment, 532 pieces of new underwear and socks, 565 lbs of unsorted clothes and blankets, 2,500 boxes of sorted clothes, 815 boxes of new clothes and backpacks. 330 quilts, 200 sleeping bags and small denim lap quilts, 2,500 insulin syringes, 52 arm chair desks and 50 bicycles.

Thank you for your support to help meet shipping costs.  The OGT web site is; www.ogt.org where you can find 6 articles written about OGT by the Norfolk Daily News.     OGT - Kansas, % Bud Heisterman, Box L26, Luddell, Kansas 67744 or OGT, P.O/ Box 1466, Norfolk, NB 68702.

 

Concordia University, Nebraska’s annual Christmas at Concordia will fill audiences with joy on December 5 & 6. Come hear more than 250 students musicians as they share the good news of Christmas with music from across the ages. Three concerts, Saturday at 3pm and Sunday at 3 and 7pm, will be held at St. John Lutheran Church in Seward. Free tickets are required and are available online at www.cune.edu/CaCpayment or by calling 800-535-5494, ext. 7408.