| Come worship with us at 9:30. Join us in person or or watch our livestream Sunday morning on our YouTube channel , or view the service on the YouTube channel on Monday. Pastor Rachel Mithelman will be preaching on John 17:1-11. Here is a devotion from God Pause: As I begin this new day, O God, my thoughts are about Jesus. His coming into the world was a gift of love, a sign that God loved everyone and wanted what is best for us. Jesus did not have an easy life—tempted, betrayed, mocked, beaten, put to death on a cross. All of this was done by people he loved. How was Jesus able to walk such a difficult road? Two things seem clear to me. First, in his times of testing he went off by himself to pray. He sought God’s guidance. He prayed for the strength to do God’s will. Second, he leaned on God to be his comfort and strength. He trusted in God completely. He trusted God even when the situation seemed hopeless as they were pounding the spikes in his flesh on the cross. “I will not leave you desolate. I will come to you” (John 14:18, RSV) Upcoming Worship Helpers May 21, 9:30 am Greeters/ Ushers: Tim and Jacque Mohs Reader: Troy Gwinner Sound/ Screen/ Streaming: Wayne Martens Videographer: Lisa Vossekuil Musician: Georgine Bellamy Counters: Lisa Vossekuil and Kim Patience Communion Bread: Debi Martens Communion Server: Bonnie Fenimore and Debi Martens Acolytes: Ellie Michelson Sunday Bible Study: Bible Study will meet at 10:45 a.m. following morning worship in the front most classroom near the church office. During the class, we invite questions, comments, and connections, as we expand upon the readings from the worship service. Larger Bulletins & Kids Bags: The ushers will have large print bulletins available. St. Paul has kids’ bags to engage your child during church. They are hanging on hooks by the entry doors or see the ushers. |
Principal Golf Classic. We will be passing around extra baskets this upcoming Sunday morning to collect donations for the Principal golf classic. The monies collected will be going to Lutheran Services of Iowa and matched by an anonymous donor. The Trust Fund is donating $500.00 to this worthy cause.
Capital Campaign Worship June 11. Join us for a special worship service of thanksgiving for all God’s creation with Pastor Jon Olson during which we will kick off our Capital Campaign Phase 2. The goals of this campaign are to praise God for all that He has provided us and to commit to paying off the remaining $70,000 in church debt. It is a small amount and we are a mighty congregation! With God’s help and in all that we do, we shall be good stewards of our time, our energy, and our finances.
Pastoring St. Paul – Next Steps. We have scheduled pastors for pulpit supply in May, June, and July as we await our next interim pastor. They are pastors who have been here before and that we trust in our relationships with each other and with God. Please welcome them to our pulpit and our fellowship time
Pastoral care has also been established for your needs. Please contact Traci, office manager, at 515-462-4270, or Ann Bartelt, council president at 515-418-3565, should you need support from a pastor. Pastor Jodi Hinrichs of Peace Lutheran in Earlham and Pastor Tania Schramm of Grace Lutheran in Adel will be our primary contacts through May. Pastor Kathleen will also be available starting in June.
Church Directory Sign Up. Remember when you filled out an information sheet for our membership directory? Now you can have access to our online directory, Servant Keeper, that provides contact information of our members. Servant Keeper is a valuable tool for connecting with each other and is secure to our constituents. It is password protected for each individual and for access to the complete directory. The information of families and individuals is only what you provide and allow to be seen. We will be available to sign you up for an account. Email Lisa Vossekuil if you would like an account at finances@stpaullutheranchurch.net.
Call Committee Activity. The Call Committee began our work in January of this year. Since then we have met 8 times and logged over 37 hours in online training. We have learned about the different parts of the work needed to complete the Call Process. In addition to doing research, we created several surveys and hosted a World Cafe, collecting lots of helpful information from the members of St Paul about what’s most important to you. We’re happy to tell you we are nearly finished writing the Ministry Site Profile (MSP), a fourteen page document that the Bishop’s Office requires from congregation’s in transition. If you would like to read a portion of the document in which we describe St Paul’s giftedness, click this link. The next step in this process, after we submit the MSP, is waiting. It might be 2 months, 3 months or more before we receive names of candidates from the Bishop’s representative. Once those names are received we will invite candidates for an interview. The names of the candidates and the interviews are confidential. The last step in our work is to recommend a candidate for call to the Congregational Council. The Call Committee’s responsibilities end with the installation of the new pastor.
Please remember to pray for the Congregational Council and the Call Committee as we do the work of discernment during this time of transition.
VBS. Vacation Bible School will be held July 10-13 for children entering grades 1-6 in the 2023-2024 school year. This year’s theme is Uncovering the truth of who God is and who we are. Hours are 9:00 to 2:00; snacks and lunch will be provided. Please register online on our website or download the registration form. Children from the community are welcome! Helpers with the children and in the kitchen are needed. Please contact Amanda Turnquist, coordinator, anturnquist_316@hotmail.com or 319-491-4052.
Book Study. Join us starting Saturday, May 6 at 9:00 at the church to begin a study of Dynamics For Living by Charles Fillmore. People everywhere on earth are now realizing as never before that the well-being of this world rests with its inhabitants. It is no longer a religious dogma or a philosophical theory that the destiny of the race is in the hands of man. Our Bible plainly teaches that God implanted in man executive ability to carry out all the creative plans of the Great Architect. The great and most important issue before the people today is the development of man’s spiritual mind and through it, unity with God. Religion and all that it implies in prayer and recognition of God in idea and manifestation is the one and only way out of the chaos in which we find ourselves. We must therefore begin at once to develop this unity with the Father mind by incorporating divine ideas into all that we think and speak. Join us Saturday, receive a book, and dig in together! Please contact Darrell Vossekuil with questions: (920) 295-2036 or darrellvossekuil@gmail.com
Lutheran Study Bibles. There are extra Lutheran Study Bibles for sale at $36.00 each if anyone is interested in purchasing one.
Youth Committee: The newly formed Luther League, Grades 5th through 12th, will have opportunities to grow together as a group, have some fun, and share memories made together. Suggestions and questions may be addressed to Clarice Blanchard and Ted Leonard. Please watch for future youth events.
| Senior Center Volunteers. Volunteers are needed to deliver meals for the Senior Center. It takes approximately 45 minutes and the schedule is flexible. To assist with this or learn more, please call 515.462.1334. Thank you. Matura Food Pantry: Our offering to the Matura Food Pantry is blessed the first Sunday of each month. Help us fill the shopping cart will non-perishable food, diapers, and even pet food. Checks made out to Matura Madison County or cash are also accepted. St. Paul’s Trust Fund: The Trust Fund committee, elected by the congregation, supports mission projects ranging from national and international disaster relief, congregants’ mission trips, and camping scholarships for youth and children. Please contact Chair Dick Anderson with any questions or suggestions for mission support at REAND0508@aol.com Furniture Ministry: St. Paul collects and gives home goods, furniture, and appliances to those in need. Contact Lisa Vossekuil (920-979-0304 or levossekuil@gmail.com) about any donations. Monetary gifts are also appreciated for our storage units. The Furniture Ministry needs able bodies to help with picking up and delivering furniture on a Saturday morning (usually 9;00 – 10:00 a.m.). Willing workers should contact Lisa (levossekuil@gmail.com) or Jim N.(jnelson91@q.com) to let them know availability. Pool of Siloam: Pool of Siloam is St. Paul’s local benevolence program that provides monetary support for those in need of such things as gas money or car repair, rent or mortgage assistance, and utility bills. In partnership with local agencies (CRISP, Matura, and Crisis Intervention), we annually serve over 100 individuals, including children. All giving to the Pool of Siloam is matched by an anonymous donor. Offerings to this program can be indicated on your giving envelope or online giving form. LifeServe Blood Drive: St. Paul hosts the community LifeServe Blood Drive every fourth Tuesday of the month. We are known for our home-baked goods and appreciate your donations of cookies and bars. Please bring them to the church by noon the day of the drive. May 30, 2023 is the next scheduled blood drive. Call for Cookies. Cookies are always needed for Sunday morning services and the monthly blood drive. They can be store bought or home-made. |
| Tom Knapp Memorial Service. Services for Tom Knapp will be held Saturday, June 3, at 11:00 at St. Paul. Visitation at the church will be one hour prior to the service. Burial in the Winterset Cemetery will follow, and a luncheon will be served at the church. Our deepest sympathy to Marty and Tom’s family. Mailboxes. Members who previously did not have a mailbox, there is now one with your name on it! The names are not in exact alphabetical order, but your box should be in close vicinity to where your name would fall. Please see Lisa Vossekuil or Cheryl Young if you cannot find yours or if we inadvertently missed you. (The mailboxes will be totally redone after we have the Servant Keeper sign-ups) Member Photo Directory. St. Paul’s family photo directory is now posted on our website, stpaullutheranchurch.net. Find it under the About tab and enjoy! We will be able to add photos as they become available. If you are new to St. Paul or missed including your photo, please contact Cheryl Young or the church office. 35th Annual Women’s Convention and Gathering Southeastern Iowa Women of the ELCA. Convention and Gathering will be held on June 9 and 10th, 2023 at Stoney Creek Hotel Des Moines – Johnston. Make your reservations by calling (515) 334-9000. Group code for reservation is 2306LUTHERAN. Rate is $130 per night. Final date to make reservations under the block rate is Tuesday, May 9, 2023. Registration deadline is Friday, May 19, 2023. Registration fees are $80 for 2 days or $65 for 1 day. There is a printable version on the website at 2023SWORegistration.jpg (seiasynod.org) Synod Revival. A one-day event presented by the Southeaster Iowa Synod, ELCA designed to nourish and connect people to each other and to reimagine our relationships in and with the church. This event is free of charge and intended to be a joyful fun gathering for all ages full of inspiration, worship, and prayer. Bring your friends, neighbors, family, or anyone and watch what God does! Saturday, may 20th. Grand View University, Des Moines 10:00 AM – 3:00 PM. Learn more at synodrevival.org St. Paul Choir. will sing at service on May 21st with the song Find us Faithful after Prayer of the Day. We are always looking for new members, and all singers are welcome to join at anytime. Choir practice starts in September and goes through May on Wednesday evenings at 7:10pm. Contact Sue Hansen or any Sunday musicians with questions. Prayer Chain: St. Paul has a group dedicated to the power of prayer. If you have a prayer request for the Prayer Chain, please share it with Twila Seibert (515-462-1505) or Ann Bartelt (annbartelt0204@gmail.com) or the church office. Member Information Update. Are you a new member or need to update your information? Please take a few minutes to complete the online form or pick up a paper copy at the usher table and turn it in to the office. Free Sunshine! If you would like to help mow the church lawn this season, and get your dose of Vitamin D, please use Sign Up Genius to sign up at https://www.signupgenius.com/ Thank you! Got Time? Got Talent? We Want You! We have a variety of opportunities available where you can showcase an existing talent or pursue an interest you have. Do you have finance or organizational skills, like to show your concern for others, can teach others, or know your way around building maintenance? All of these skills can be put to use on various St. Paul committees that need our time and talent. So, if you want to give back to our church, please contact the office and we’ll help find a way you can make a difference! Upcoming Worship Helpers May 28, 9:30 am Greeters/ Ushers: Dick and Mary Anderson Reader: Steve Dick Sound/ Screen/ Streaming: Lisa Vossekuil Videographer: Cheryl Young Musician: Clarice Blanchard Counters: Lisa Vossekuil and Jen Acton Communion Server: Wayne and Debi Martens Communion Bread: Debi Martens Acolytes: Payton Charlet Worship Service Helpers/Volunteers Needed! If you are able and willing, we need your help in returning our 9:30 service to “normalcy.” It’s important that all of the positions be filled. Worship team members Debi Martens is available for any “training” you may want. 3 Easy ways to sign up: Use SignUpGenius! It’s easy to access at this link and will even send you a reminder of your commitment. Volunteer Kiosk: We have clipboards on the kiosks in the entryway for you to sign. Call the Church office at 515-462-4270. |
Church office phone: (515) 462-4270
Church office email: Office@stpaullutheranchurch.net
Pastor Kathleen Wohlers: : (608) 387-5015