| 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 Tony Nester will be preaching on John 14:1-14 Here is a devotion from God Pause: The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy. I came that they may have life, and have it abundantly, proclaims Jesus. Jesus is not naïve about people or the thieving ways of the world and the many voices that we people listen to. But the contrast Jesus proclaims is the difference between that which gives life and that which takes life away. Jesus leads us in doing the opposite of what a thief does. He spoke of sharing food and water, loving one’s neighbor, welcoming strangers, caring for the sick, the poor, and the outcasts of the world, being stewards of the earth—all as integral to spiritual life. In the crazy paradox of God’s ways, the abundant life we seek comes by losing our own lives in service for others. In following the shepherd’s voice the kingdom of God is already here, God with us and God in us, in this life. Upcoming Worship Helpers May 7, 9:30 am Greeters/ Ushers: Rich and Genelle Thompson Reader: Amanda Turnquist Sound/ Screen/ Streaming: Wayne Martens Videographer: Needed Musician: Clarice Blanchard Counters: Lisa Vossekuil and Wayne Martens Communion Bread: Debi Martens Communion Server: Amanda Turnquist and Debi Martens Acolytes: Blake Acton Graduate Recognition. Join us Sunday, May 7, to honor our graduates and bless them with quilts made by our Comforter Quilters. Graduates are Elise Aasen, Bailey Acton, Kael Blanchard, Addie Burkett, Avary Darling, Sean Dole, Halle Hoefing, Elise Petsche, Megan Riley, and James Snow. Church Directory Sign Up May 7. St. Paul has an online membership directory called Servant Keeper. It 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 directory 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 Sunday, May 7, from 8:30-9:15 and 10:45-11:30. Come early, stay after worship, grab some coffee and sign up! 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. |
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)
Upcoming 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
Pastoring St. Paul – Next Steps. Pastor Kathleen’s last Sunday is April 23. We are extremely grateful for her time with us. 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.
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 May 7. St. Paul has an online membership directory called Servant Keeper. It 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 directory 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 Sunday, May 7, from 8:30-9:15 and 10:45-11:30. Come early, stay after worship, grab some coffee and sign up!
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.
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.
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.
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.
| 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. |
| Darvin Olson Services. Our sympathies to the family of Darvin Olson, who passed away April 21, 2023. Visitation will be held Monday, May 8, beginning at 10:30 a.m. at the Caldwell Parrish Funeral Home, Winterset Chapel. The memorial service will begin at 11:30 am. followed by a graveside service at Iowa Veterans Cemetery, Adel. 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. 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. The choir has begun its new season with rehearsals at 7:10pm Wednesday evenings. We are always looking for new members, and all singers are welcome. We hope to see you there! 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, give Jacque a call at 515-468-1899, and she’ll help find a way you can make a difference! Upcoming Worship Helpers May 14, 9:30 am Greeters/ Ushers: Dave Kauzlarich and Fred Young Reader: Cheryl Young Sound/ Screen/ Streaming: Needed Videographer: Needed Musician: Georgine Bellamy Counters: Lisa Vossekuil and Dean Bartelt Communion Bread: Needed Communion Server: Needed Acolytes: Logan Moeller 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