God is with us! When I look at your heavens, the work of your fingers, the moon and the stars that you have established; what are human beings that you are mindful of them, mortals that you care for them? (Ps. 8:3-4) Think with me for a moment about the immensity of God, the Father, […]
Thanksgiving Every Day O give thanks to the LORD, for he is good, for his steadfast love endures forever. O give thanks to the God of gods, for his steadfast love endures forever. O give thanks to the Lord of lords, for his steadfast love endures forever; who alone does great wonders, for his steadfast […]
St. John Lutheran Church Community Need His master said to him, ‘Well done, good and trustworthy slave; you have been trustworthy in a few things, I will put you in charge of many things; enter into the joy of your master.’ (Mt. 25:21) So you also, when you have done all that you were ordered […]
St. John Lutheran Church Study From Faith Practices, Faith Lives by Dr. Martha Stortz In the ancient church, most new Christians were adult converts to Christianity. They went through a process of initiation into the faith which involved study of Scripture, instruction in various forms of prayer, and explanation of the symbols and actions of […]
St John Lutheran Church Worship As long as weekly worship attendance is just one other thing of equal (or lessor) value among the myriad of things to do, worship attendance will continue to decline. You know the options even on Sunday morning. Movies and TV have far better visual effects. The superior production values of […]
What is Natural Church Development? NCD is a different way of thinking about growth Natural Church Development (NCD) is a set of principles – a way of thinking about church growth. Growth should be about quality (health) and not just quantity (numbers). In fact NCD suggests that quality should take priority over quantity in church […]
St. John Lutheran Church Making real the Kingdom of God This article begins with the Natural Church Development survey taken approximately one year ago. The results of that survey provide guidance for the Congregation Council in its planning and objectives, and suggested that at this time the congregation should concentrate on a clear and compelling […]
Happy Easter! Do you not know that all of us who have been baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into his death? Therefore we have been buried with him by baptism into death, so that, just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, so we too might walk in […]
Teach! Mentor! Make Disciples! Now the eleven disciples went to Galilee, to the mountain to which Jesus had directed them. When they saw him, they worshiped him; but some doubted. And Jesus came and said to them, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Go therefore and make disciples of […]
Together in Faith As part of Saint John Lutheran Church’s children, youth, and family ministries, the educational opportunities of Together in Faith will be led by Pastor Bond. Together in Faith is— —A time for parents and children from age three to grade five to share an educational hour two or three times a year. […]