Friday, March 26 Announcements: Palm Sunday Worship, Holy Week Schedule, & so much more!

Good morning. Here are the Friday announcements!

1. Please join us as we worship this week, March 28, 9:30 am.  You are also welcome to watch the service livestreamed at 9:30 a.m. each Sunday on our YouTube channel found at this link:
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCXGS1lerfFbq3qHAywQcofQ
 
For the health and safety of all those attending in-house worship we ask those attending to adhere to our COVID safety guidelines that include:

  • ·      Wearing a mask while on church property
  • ·      Maintaining 6ft distance from people outside your household
  • ·      Greeting each other with a wave or similar distanced sign of welcome

Pastor Ioan will be delivering a message based on Isaiah 50:4-9a. Below is a devotion based on that Scripture: 

I am a teacher and it is easy to fall into the trap of thinking that my job is to tell people things they do not know. But I find my best days in the classroom are the ones where I not only teach but when I am being taught. This happens when students wrestle with an idea and this sparks new insights for the entire class, including me. Those are the times when real learning is taking place.

In our reading from Isaiah, the prophet speaks in verse 4 of God’s servants as ones who “listen as those who are taught.” In other words, these words underline that we don’t have all the answers— sometimes we simply need to be good listeners to be taught. That is good advice for hearing the Word of God in the Bible. And it also applies to our relationships and the importance of real listening rather than constantly doling out our opinions and supposed good advice. – Mark Tranvik

2. We invite you to come celebrate Easter Week with St Paul Lutheran Church. As we gather to honor Christ’s triumphal entry to Jerusalem on Palm Sunday, we will meet on the lawn and have a procession into the church. Pick up your palms as you arrive and join in our Palm Sunday celebration at 9:30 AM March 28. April 1st takes us to Maundy Thursday and the gathering for the Last Supper. Join us Thursday evening at 7:00PM for a traditional Communion service as we ready ourselves for Christ’s journey to the cross. After the Maundy Thursday service, the Prayer Vigil will start spanning the hours between Maundy Thursday service and Good Friday during the time of trial for our Savior. (We have 13 time slots left to fill.) You may do your hour of prayer in the chapel or at home. If in the chapel, please follow the safety protocols. Contact the person following you when you have completed your hour. Please sign up by following this link. 
https://www.signupgenius.com/go/60B0B48AFAF22A6FF2-2021
Join us on Good Friday, April 2,  7:00 p.m. at St. Paul. This will be a joint worship with Presbyterians.

Easter Sunday April 4! He is Risen indeed! Come gather for sunrise service at 7:30 AM in the sanctuary to celebrate our Risen Lord! After our indoor service, we’ll enjoy an egg hunt for the ‘children‘ of God.Our second service at 9:30, will be held outside on the lawn. Feel free to bring chairs or blankets to our celebration! Following the service, another egg hunt will be held for the children.

3. Sunday Bible Study: In Person or on Zoom – Bible Study meets at 10:30 a.m. following Sunday morning worship. During the class, Pastor Ioan invites questions, comments, and connections, as he expands upon the readings from the worship service. Join us either in-person, safely seated in the sanctuary, OR via zoom on which you can fully participate, using the link below. 

To access Zoom on Sundays at 10:30 a.m. click the link below and enter the required Meeting ID number and the Passcode. Or call by phone the below number and then follow the prompts to dial the required Meeting ID number and the Passcode number.
 
Zoom Sunday Bible Study Link: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/89973259796?pwd=ODNtTTlCZjd2ZHNyUHNRS1oyV0hYQT09
Meeting ID: 899 7325 9796
Passcode: 1120
 
Dial-In by Phone:
+1 312 626 6799
Meeting ID: 899 7325 9796
Passcode: 1120

4. Virtual Sunday School –  Sunday, March 28, 8 am on our YouTube channel –  Call the kids over and have a short time for worship dedicated to our preschool to early/middle elementary age kids.

5. Upcoming Worship Helpers: Sunday, March 28, 9:30 am. – Greeter/Usher: Jason and Nicole Darling; Reader: Jim Nelson; Sound: Barb Kellogg; Videographer: Debi Martens; Musician: Georgine Bellamy; Singer: Pat Nelson; Council Leader: Jacque Mohs; Counters: Dan Nielsen, Steve Dick.
Upcoming Worship Helpers: Maundy Thursday, April 1, 7:00 pm. – Greeter/Usher: Dave & Sheila Stewart; Reader: Debi Martens; Sound: NEEDED; Videographer: NEEDED; Musician: NEEDED; Singer: NEEDED; Council Leader: NEEDED; Communion Servers: Dick Anderson, NEEDED.
Upcoming Worship Helpers: Good Friday, April 2, 7:00 pm. – Greeter/Usher:NEEDED; Reader: NEEDED; Sound: NEEDED; Videographer: NEEDED; Musician: NEEDED; Singer: NEEDED; Council Leader: NEEDED.
Upcoming Worship Helpers: Easter Sunday, 7:30 am (Sanctuary) – Greeter/Usher: Dan & Lonna Nielsen; Reader: Ann Bartelt; Sound: Jacque Mohs; Videographer: NEEDED; Musician: NEEDED; Singer: NEEDED; Council Leader: NEEDED; Counters: Dan Nielsen, Steve Dick. 9:30 am (Outdoors) Greeter/Usher: NEEDED; Reader: NEEDED; Sound: NEEDED; Videographer: NEEDED; Musician: NEEDED; Singer: NEEDED; Council Leader: NEEDED; Counters: NEEDED.

6. Worship Service Helpers Needed! If you are able and willing to help witih our 9:30 worship or any of our Holy Week services, please use Sign-Up Genius! It’s easy to access and will even send you a reminder of your commitment. https://www.signupgenius.com/go/60b0b48afaf22a6ff2-stpaul. You will be of big assistance to those who desire to worship in-person as we follow our safety protocols. Thank you for your service. (You can also call the church office to sign up 462-4270.)

7.  Easter is coming up soon! We love to have the church property looking its best. Our annual spring clean-up day will be Saturday March 27; beginning at 9:00.  We would love to have many helpers and it won’t take long. Gloves, rakes, and shovels are all useful.  With the weather forecast unfavorable for Friday night, we will wait a week and do our planned yard clean-up date for the following Saturday, April 3. Thank you!

8. Easter Lilies  – We have four Easter lilies left for purchase. 5-bloom Easter Lilies are $20/lily. Deadline to order is Monday, March 29 and you will have recognition in the bulletin on Easter who you are honoring or remembering with your gift. The lilies will be delivered to the church and you are free to pick them up after  Easter services and plant them or give them away.  Please sign up today at the following link: https://www.signupgenius.com/go/60b0b48afaf22a6ff2-easter
Your check may be placed in the locked box outside the office or turned into the office. Sign up today!

9. Thank you for all the well-wishes, cards and prayers. I was blessed with too many to thank personally! Special thanks to Clarice, Lonna, and Georgine for their special care. – Twila Seibert

10.  VBS August 9th-12th: St. Paul is inviting Riverside Bible camp to lead Vacation Bible School for us on Aug. 9-12. The theme will be Brand New, based upon the scripture from Romans 6:4. “Just as Christ was raised from the dead through the glory of the Father, we too may live a new life.” There will also be a preschool portion in addition to the elementary age program.  Both youth and adult volunteers from the church will be needed.  Sheila Stewart and Pastor Ioan are actively search for a VBS coordinator to work with the camp staff and our volunteers, so if you feel so gifted or called to help our kids have a good summer experience in this way please call Sheila or Pastor Ioan.  

11. Pastor Ioan is available for one-one-one conversation and in-home communion. Please feel free to reach out to him. pastorioan@stpaullutheranchurch.net or 515-419-5224. 

Church office phone: 515-462-4270

Church office email: Office@stpaullutheranchurch.net

Pastor Ioan Ittu: 515-419-5224

Pastor Ioan email: Pastorioan@stpaullutheranchurch.net