ST. JOHN LUTHERAN CHURCH
(The Lutheran Church - Missouri Synod)
Alma, Kansas
A family united by faith in Christ gathering around God's Word and Sacraments.
To reach out in Christ-like concern and Christ-borne love to each other and to those without Christ!
Bible Study is a foundation for Growth!
Current Bible Study Classes being held.
Sunday Mornings @ 8:30AM
- Pastor Grimm's class is focusing on the Gospel of Mark.They read a portion of this Gospel every week, ask and answer questions based on this Bible text and pray for each other. His class is held in the gymnasium.
- "The New Beginnings" Bible class uses Lutheran Hour MInistries Video Bible Sutdies and is led by Don Frank in Memorial Hall.
- Rev. Jim Mayes instructs a class in the Church Sanctuary over various books of the bible
- Parent's Bible Study is held on the 4th Sunday of month in the Music Room.
Sunday Evenings @ 7:00pm & Thursday Mornings @ 9:30AM
- These Bible Classes study various books of the Bible using the LifeLight Study Materials. Topics typically last for 9 weeks and then a new subject is started. Both classes meet in Memorial Hall.
Tuesday Mornings @ 6:15AM at Frank's Plumbing
- The Weekly Readings are studied.
Other instructional classes can be held upon request.
LWML Friendship Circle - Lutheran Women's Missionary League
President: Mary Reed Spencer
Motto: "Serve the Lord with gladness" Psalm 100
- The mission of the LWML is to assist each woman of the Lutheran Church - Missouri Synod in affirming her relationship with the Triune God so that she is equipped to use her gifts in ministry to the people of the world.
The Friendship Circle studies God's Word together, supports outreach events, serves meals for the congregation, identifies and promotes opportunities for Christian growth, and completes various projects throughout the year.
LWML meets monthly on the 4th Friday at 1:30PM.
Voices For God Choir - Choir Director: Paula Moege
The Choir performs occasionally during Church Services and occasionally at concerts throughout the year.
Practices on Tuesday evenings at 7:00PM
Teens for Christ Youth Group - Youth Leaders - Randy and Jennifer Meseke
Our Youth Ministry is where teens can grow in faith, and express their joy in living with other Christians. They meet monthly for planning service events and fellowship outings which take place regularly.
They meet on the 2nd Sunday of each month after the worship service at approximately 11:00AM
Bell Choir:
The Hand Bell Choir performs occasionally during Church Services and at concerts throughout the year.
JuBellation: Directed by Kathy Schultz
Practices on Wednesday evenings at 7:00PM
Worship Services & Sunday School
- Worship Services are held on Sunday mornings at 9:30am. We use the Lutheran Service Book for a traditional service.
- Communion is offered on the 1st and 3rd Sundays of the month, as well as during Holy events.
- One Communion Worship Service a month is held on Saturday evenings at 6:05pm. It is held on the Saturday evening prior to the 3rd Sunday of the month.
- Sunday School is held at 8:30am on Sunday mornings. Kindergarten through High School youth are welcome, as well as Adults. All meet in the school gym for a brief hymn & prayer before splitting into the various classes. (For Adult Bible Studies, see the Bible Study box below.)
- A Chapel service is held on Wednesday mornings at 8:40am during the school year. This is open to the public.
Missions and Prayers
Together in Mission (TIM)
In September 2015, St. John Lutheran Church entered into partnership with Together in Mission to support Rev. Mark Moss. We are contributing $6000 for his first year of misionary work in Western Africa. This is in addition to the Guinea Partnership, which the District has with that region of the world.
Rev. Moss has served as a translator in Siere Leone, a Chaplain in the US Army and now as a missionary in a Muslim part of the World. The message of Jesus Christ is needed in all places.
Pray for their safety, for the spread of the Gospel and for our hearts to reach out to others needing the Savior.
Guinea Partnership
The Kansas District entered into a "Gospel Outreach Mission Partnership" with LCMS World Mission in 1997 to provide support for God's work in Guinea. The objectives of this partnership were to:
- Spread the Gospel among the refugees in Guinea and native Guineans.
- Plant a "four-self" church in Guinea (self-supporting, self-propagating, self-determining, self-theologizing) and provide for the training of native church leaders.
- Provide the people of the Kansas District with informational and inspirational reports of the mission work in Guinea.
- Involve personally and directly the members of the Kansas District in God's mission.
- Encourage and support the missionaries and national workers in Guinea.
- Encourage a growing relationship between Guinean missionaries and key people in the Kansas District.
In order to support the proclamation of the Gospel in Guinea, the Kansas District agreed to provide: prayer, emotional and spiritual support for the work among the Liberian refugees in Guinea and the native Guineans; funds each year to support the mission effort; and assistance in recruiting and encouraging additional volunteer and career missionaries.
Auxiliary Organizations
Altar Guild - Chairwoman: Ruth Messer
The Altar Guild of St. John Lutheran Church joyfully serves the Lord and this congregation by making sure that the chancel and sacristy are in readiness for all regular and special services.
Lutheran Parent-Teacher League - LPTL
President: Erin Debler
The parents and teachers of St. John Lutheran School use their God given talents to provide a foundation in Jesus Christ for our children.
They meet on a quarterly basis during the school year.
Mission of the Congregation
The mission of St. John Lutheran Church, a family united in faith in Christ Jesus who gathers around the Word and the Sacraments, is to reach out in Christ-like concern and Christ-borne love in ministry to each other and to those without Christ.
Therefore the objectives of this congregation shall be:
- To nurture the active discipleship of each of her members by conducting public divine worship services; offering the Sacrament of the Lord’s Supper frequently; giving instruction in God’s Word at her day school, at small and large group Bible classes, at Sunday School, and in her youth groups; and encouraging her members to study their Bibles privately and to have a family altar.
- To reach out to the unchurched and hurting people in the community through personal witness, organized evangelistic programs, Adult Confirmation instruction, educational ministries, and benevolent works.
- To bring new members into Christ’s sheepfold and God’s family by the Sacrament of Holy Baptism.
- To assimilate new members into her ministries.
- To cooperate with the agencies of the District and Synod in carrying out the District-wide and world- wide mission of the church.
- To do all things to the glory of God in conformity with His word and the confessional writings of Article III of this Constitution.
What We Believe
Lutherans believe the Bible is God's Word and emphasize that people are saved from sin, death, and the power of the devil by grace (a free gift) through faith in Jesus Christ (given to people through the Gospel, that is, through the message:
Jesus, God's Son, has paid for all the sins
of sinners like you and me.)
[See Ephesians 2:3-10]
After God works this miracle to change our hearts and our lives, we understand God's plan is for us to love others unselfishly, and to serve our neighbors with God's love, just as he first loved us.
[Ephesians 4:32 and 5:11]