St. John Lutheran Church
Seek the lost, Nurture the Faithful, Show Compassion
Shine in the Light of Christ
Current News
How beautiful upon the mountains are the feet of him who brings good news, who publishes peace, who brings good news of happiness, who publishes salvation, who says to Zion, “Your God reigns.” Isaiah 52:7
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Devotion:
The Word of the Gospel Bestows the Righteousness of Christ and Brings Forth Faith
The good Seed, which is “the Son of Man,” Jesus Himself (Matthew 13:37), brings forth a harvest of faith and bears good fruits in “the sons of the kingdom” (Matthew 13:38). Whatever is sown apart from His Word is of the devil, who plants the weeds of unbelief and sin, even among the people of God. Thankfully, the Lord is patient and He does not uproot the weeds, lest the plants also be destroyed. He lets “both grow together until the harvest” (Matthew 13:30), while He continues to preach repentance and forgiveness of sins. Thus, He preserves His Church in righteousness, because He alone is “the King of Israel and his Redeemer” (Isaiah 44:6). Since all things are in His gracious care and keeping, “fear not, nor be afraid” (Isaiah 44:8). For “the creation waits with eager longing for the revealing of the sons of God” (Romans 8:19), and in this hope we also wait with patience. Though we do not yet see it, “the Spirit helps us in our weakness” (Romans 8:26) and, in truth, “the sufferings of this present time are not worth comparing with the glory that is to be revealed to us” (Romans 8:18).
Prayer List Requests: If you would like to submit a prayer request, please contact the Church Secretary at 580-353-0556 or email at churchsecretary@stjohnlawton.com. What a friend we have in Jesus...take it to the Lord in Prayer. Church members may find prayer request names after signing in {"log in"} and navigating to this link under the Membership Directory Web Page.
Life Quotes: “Each of us amounts to more than assorted cells, isolated fluids, and random spasms. Human means in every case a character, with an emerging identity, disclosing a history, developing toward an intended destiny. Every life is a story.”
Life Thoughts In The Church Year: The devil sowed his evil seed of suffering and death into the world by convincing Adam and Eve to doubt and disobey God’s Word (Matthew 13:39). The sons of the evil one (Matthew 13:38) would convince us that we could avoid the sufferings of this present time (Romans 8:18) by embracing death through abortion, suicide, and euthanasia. But, God, who is our Rock (Isaiah 44:8), promises us true redemption from suffering through the blood of Christ, in whom we are adopted as God’s children and have the promise of the resurrection of our bodies (Romans 8:23).
The flowers on the altar are given to the glory of God by Hannelore Brownfield in honor of her and Connie Douglas’ birthdays. We wish God’s richest blessings on Hannelore and Connie.
Altar Flowers: If you would like to place flowers on the altar for an Anniversary, Birthday, Memorial or other special occasion, please remember to sign up on the “Flower Chart.” Please sign your name and the special occasion. The cost is $75.00 for both arrangements. It is permissible to have more than one person sign up for a Sunday and split the cost. You can also call the office at 580 353-0556 and Sandra will sign you up. Please make note that if you sign up for flowers they will be seasonal flowers unless you have a special request you have to let Betty Aliff or Sandra know a WEEK IN ADVANCE. You can either use the envelope or the QR code in the box by the flower chart to cover the cost. There is only a few weekends left August2 and 30 and September 6.
As part of our care for one another, the church is seeking donations of gently used medical equipment (walkers, wheelchairs, canes, bedside commodes, shower chairs, etc.). These items help us support those recovering from illness or injury. If you are able to donate or have questions, please contact Sandra or Pastor. Your kindness is a blessing to many.
Congregational Survey: Pastor Qualifications Our Call Committee is inviting every member of St. John's Lutheran Church to share their thoughts on the qualities and qualifications most important in our next pastor. Your voice matters as we discern God’s direction for our church family. Surveys may be completed in church on July 25 & 26 or through an email link that will be sent out soon. If you prefer a paper copy, extra hard copies will be available on the credenza in the Narthex and in the church office. Please return all surveys by August 9. Thank you for taking part in this important step in our church’s future.
Book Club - Greetings from Book Club! We will be on summer break for July, so we have two books to read during break: The Jackal's Mistress by Chris Bojalian and The Calamity Club by Kathryn Stockett. We chose these books to help celebrate the 250th Anniversary of the signing of the Declaration of Independence since each is set in different time periods of American history. BONUS: read 1776 by David McCullough to be eligible for a special prize!
Community Action Needs Your Input! Community Action is conducting a survey to better understand the needs of individuals and families in our community. Your feedback is important and will help identify priorities, improve services, and guide future programs that benefit our area. Please take a few moments to complete the Community Needs Survey. Every response makes a difference and helps Community Action serve our neighbors more effectively. To participate scan the QR code or go to www.cddcok.org. Thank you for your help.
Happy 99th Birthday, Richard Matthys! We extend our heartfelt birthday wishes to Richard Matthys as he celebrated his 99th birthday! Richard's life is a wonderful testament to God's grace, faithfulness, and blessings through the years. We thank God for the many ways he has touched the lives of family, friends, and our church community. Please join us in wishing Richard a very happy birthday and in praying that God continues to bless him with joy, peace, good health, and His abiding presence.
The quarterly Board meeting will be held at 6 p.m. on Thursday, July 23rd in the Bible Study room.
Join Us for Movie Night at St. John! On July 26 at 7:00 pm, we will be viewing the movie "A Great Awakening". As the American Colonies teeter on the edge of collapse, Rev George Whitefield ignites the First Great Awakening, stirring hearts with his thundering message of liberty in Christ. In a remarkable twist in history, one of Whitefield's closest allies becomes Benjamin Franklin-printer, promoter, and future founding father. Together, their unlikely friendship helps shape a nation. As the fate of the colonies hangs in the balance, Franklin discovers that true freedom isn't just written into law, it must be awakened within the hearts of the people.
Come all, family, friends, and guest. Free admission with an ice cream and sundaes, popcorn and soda!
Remembering Our Saints
Click here for our In Memoriam page
Please note for security reasons if you come into the church from the north door or the kitchen and there are people in the office please make them feel safe and announce yourself.
Announcements! In order to ensure that announcements are included in the weekly bulletin please have them into the office by Thursday at 1 p.m. Click below to submit an announcement. We want to help you get the word out. Our office hours are Monday – Friday 9 a.m. till 3 p.m. with an hour lunch from 11:30 p.m. to 12:30 p.m.
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SUNDAY SCHOOL NEWS:
Please join us for Sunday School from 9:30 a.m. - 10:30 a.m. Whether your child is new to St. John or has been attending for years, we offer a nurturing environment where they can explore God's Word in age-appropriate ways. Our dedicated teachers are passionate about helping children understand Biblical truths and apply them to everyday life. We can't wait to grow together in faith!
Our June lessons will focus on David and Psalms. We will be practicing watching the animated movie David, drawing comic strips about our favorite part of his life, and making a joyful noise unto the Lord as we learn different psalms in song. This week's Memory Verse is: The Lord is my shepherd I shall not want. He maketh me to lie down in green pastures: He leadeth me beside the still waters. Psalm 23:1-2
Can You Help Us With Our Sunday School Bulletin Board? Would you be willing to share a time when God has been at work in your life? If so, please write or type your story and place it in the box marked "God at Work" on the credenza. Our plan is to create a bulletin board documenting God's great love for us. Thank you in advance!
You can access the pictorial directory on-line by Logging into your account in top right corner. Navigate to >ABOUT US >MEMBERSHIP DIRECTORY. Call or see Jonathan Mackay, 808-343-0291, if you are not able to login with your account.
Concordia Resource Program. Did you know Concordia has a wonderful resource program that you can sign up for and get great benefits. You can get free shipping with qualifying orders, discounts and member-exclusive offers. There is a order form on the credenza in front of the office with lots of offers. Sign-up at cph.org/resource-program.
Please don’t forget, we are always collecting pull tabs and aluminum cans. The funds from our efforts aid various outreach programs.
The LWML Mission for the month of July is the Pregnancy Resource Center. We are excited to support this important ministry that provides care, guidance, and resources to women and families in need. The top four items currently needed are:
• Baby diapers (all sizes)
• Baby wipes
• Infant clothing (new or gently used)
• Baby formula
Donations may be given in the form of these items or as monetary contributions. Cash or checks are welcome—please make checks payable as directed by the church. Thank you for your generosity and for helping us share Christ’s love through this mission!
The Lutheran Hour can be heard every Sunday at 9:00 a.m. on K-LAW 101.3 FM. You can also download The Lutheran Hour app for free and listen anytime, anywhere. Find it on the Apple app store, the Amazon Kindle Fire and on Google Play. Or simply listen on your desktop, tablet or smartphone at www.lutheranhour.org.
Did you know you can email your Board of Directors? Their email addresses are listed on the Membership Directory page, dedicated to St John Members only. To do so, Login in the top right corner of stjohnlawton.com and navigate to "> About Us > Membership Directory". If you have issues with login or need to submit for one, please call Jonathan Mackay at 808-343-0291.
Giving opportunities. St. John Lutheran now has several ways to give your offerings. You can select GIVE on the top menu bar or down below at the bottom right of each page on this website. Of course, you can still use your envelopes.
Internet Church Calendar: If you are having issues seeing the whole month calendar on your phone, we suggest you rotate your phone to the "Landscape" position, i.e. sideways. Then you will be able to see the whole month. Click here to access the Church Calendar
