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!
May 2025 Friendship Circle News
Meeting Date: Wednesday, May 21at 1:30 p.m. in Memorial Hall
Hymn: "Be Still My Soul" LSB 752
Devotion: Guaranteed! led by Paula Moege
Roll Call: Name a safety tip for your faith
Bible Study: Life "Out of Control"
LWML MISSION GRANT FOCUS FOR APRIL 2025: – St. Paul’s Lutheran School, Cullman, AL - $50,000
This school has served the church and the Cullman community since 1887, and the current building was built in 1951. St. Paul’s is one of two Lutheran elementary schools in northern Alabama.
This school has served the church and the Cullman community since 1887, and the current building was built in 1951. St. Paul’s is one of two Lutheran elementary schools in northern Alabama.Their building has been through multiple tornadoes. So there are safety concerns, replacement windows, emergency doors, and updated HVAC technology that need to be addressed. "Unless the Lord builds the house, those who build it labor in vain. Unless the Lord watches over the city, the watchman stays awake in vain. Behold, children are a heritage from the Lord, the fruit of the womb a reward." (Ps. 127:1, 3).
HEIT’S POINT CAMP: Summer camp counselors are needed. Applications are being accepted to be a counselor. Camp starts the last week of May and wraps up the first week of August. If you are a Lutheran youth ages 18-24, who love Jesus, the outdoors, and kids, please prayerfully consider sharing your faith this summer. Do something that will last eternally. Call Janine at 620-795-2008 or go to NLOMA.org and apply.
LUNCH BUNCH will not meet in May.
BOOK STUDY: The group continues and invites others to join them at 7:00 p.m. on April 10th and 24th.
JUBELLATION: JuBellation will not practice during May but will offer summer practices to be announced at a later time to prepare music for the fall and Christmas season.
VOICES FOR GOD: The choir will sing May 11th but will not have regular practices during the summer. We will continue to sing on the fourth Sunday during June and July, but they will be songs that we have done in the past.
MIDLAND CARE CELEBRATION WALK: Join the 29th annual celebration walk at Midland Care on May 9, 2025 starting at 6:00 p.m. Take an evening walk through the campus illuminated by 2,000 luminaries at dusk. Join in celebrating loved ones with activities like a butterfly release, leaving messages with sidewalk chalk, and a special reading of the names. You may request a luminary be placed on the grounds before the evening ceremony by placing an order at www.midlandcare.org/25Walk.
Bring your own lawn chairs and enjoy a variety of entertainment while children have fun with face painting, games, and memorial activities. Food trucks will be available offering a diverse selection of treats. For more information, contact Midland Care at the above website or call 785-232-2044.
CARING NEIGHBORS CANCER FUND: This fund was established in 2015 by a group of local community members whose goal is to financially assist people living in Pottawatomie and Wabaunsee counties who are currently receiving treatment for cancer. The committee’s purpose is to help defray some expenses for patients not covered by health insurance, such as insurance deductibles, airfare, lodging, and food.
Money is generated through donations, memorials, and fundraising events. The fund is a 501(c)3 with no administrative costs since the committee is an all-volunteer team. The criteria for assistance are to be currently receiving cancer treatments and living in Pottawatomie and Wabaunsee counties. There is a simple application form that needs to be filled out with two committee members present. The names of those who receive assistance are kept in the strictest confidence. For more information, or to request assistance, you may contact either Chris Day at 785-456-5325 or Donna Goehring at 785-458-9205.
FROM THE STEWARDSHIP BOARD:
You may have noticed that the Stewardship Board is including a ‘Year-to-Date’ update in the bulletin in the middle of each month. This is one way that the board is making the financial position of the congregation more transparent. We would like to provide just a bit more explanation.
The April 13 bulletin included the following information reflecting the first quarter:
Budgeted income $115,425
Budgeted income $115,425 Budgeted expenses $166,824
Budgeted expenses $166,824 Non-budgeted income $50,533
Non-budgeted income $50,533 Cash flow ($866)
Cash flow ($866) Perhaps different wording would have been clearer.
Budgeted income ($115,425) includes regular donations (envelopes and plate cash) and school tuition along with special donations to the general budget such as debt reduction, fees for building use,
reimbursements, etc.
Budgeted expenses ($166,824) include payments that have been made to cover the ongoing activities of the church and school including salaries, insurance and other benefits, payroll taxes, maintenance, supplies, utilities, etc. Based on these numbers, income to the general budget was only about 70% of budgeted expenses resulting in a deficit of $51,399. This is not a sustainable trajectory.
Non-budgeted income ($50,533) is also known as ‘Restricted funds’ or ‘Designated funds’ because these monies have a distinct purpose and cannot be used at the discretion of the congregation to support the general budget. The category includes special offerings and memorials. Special offerings include door offerings (such as monies for disaster relief, benevolence fund, church worker debt reduction, etc.) or special projects such as capital improvements. Money from each special offerings is directed to a distinct cause and is sent (as a non-budgeted expense) to that cause as soon as possible. Memorials, typically, are directed by families for special items or projects such as anticipated improvements to the audio and video systems in the sanctuary. (Approved projects are listed on page 11 of the St. John Annual Report.) Memorial funds are held by the church, but are not available for general use. Through the first quarter, the church received $47,807 in memorials and $4,904 in special offerings summing to $50,533 in non-budgeted income that is
restricted from the general budget.
If one compares the total receipts to total expenditures for the first quarter, the net cash flow appears to be a deficit of less than $1,000. However, this calculation includes contributions to restricted funds. For the general budget calculation, our balance for the first quarter is a deficit of more than $51,000. We pray that our contributions to support the work of our church will soon meet goals that were
established to support ministry in Wabaunsee county and beyond as outlined in the annual budget.
From the Parish Nurse…
LOVING THE GODLY WAY
"We love because He first loved us." 1 John 4:19 (ESV). What is love and how do we show it? Psychologist, Dr. Gary Chapman, described The 5 Love Languages *(2005). He primarily focused on relationships within a marriage and family, but his concepts may be applied to a larger audience.
Basically, individuals prefer to receive love in one of the 5 following ways.
1. Words of Affirmation - appreciating supportive, positive statements.
2. Acts of Service - Cherishing thoughtful acts of kindness.
3. Receiving Gifts - Getting an unexpected gift from someone who's thinking of your.
4. Quality Time - Spending meaningful time with someone.
5. Physical Touch - Enjoying a touch or embrace.
If we can understand what our spouse, child, or friend appreciates, we’ll be better prepared to meet their emotional needs.
Jesus shared the 5 love languages in his ministry.
1. Words of Affirmation – Seeing the crowds. .He opened His mouth. .Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God. Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called sons of God. .Blessed are you when others revile you. .and utter all kinds of evil against you falsely on my account. Rejoice and be glad for your reward is great in Heaven. Matthew 5:1-11 (ESV).
2. Acts of Service - He laid aside His outer garments, and taking a towel, tied it around His waist. The He poured water into a basin and began to wash the disciples' feet and to wipe them with the towel that was wrapped around Him. John 13:4-5 (ESV).
3. Receiving Gifts - On the 3rd day there was a wedding at Cana. .When the wine ran out, the mother of Jesus said to Him, "They have no wine. ." Jesus said to the servants, "Fill the jaars with water. .Now draw some out and take it to the master of the feast. ." When the master of the feast tasted the water, now become wine. ." you have kept the good wine until now. John 2:1-11 (ESV).
4. Quality time - With many such parables, He spoke the word to them, as they were able to hear it. He did not speak to them without a parable, but privately to His own disciples He explained everything. Mark 4:33-34 (ESV).
5. Physical Touch - Then children were brought to Him that He might lay hands on them and pray. The disciples rebuked the people, but Jesus said, "Let the little children come to Me and do not hinder them, for to such belongs the kingdom of Heaven." And He laid hands on them and went away. Matthew 19:13- 15 (ESV).
Living in a fallen world has many challenges. Chapman’s 5 Love Languages may help. The first step is to take his free test to determine your love language (www.5lovelanguages.com). Each family member can take the test too.
I learned that my primary love language is “Acts of Affirmation” while my husband’s is “Physical Touch.” One granddaughter need “Quality Time” while the other responds with simple “Words of Affirmation.” The insight helps me to be a more loving wife and grandmother. During this challenging time when right is wrong and wrong is right, may we focus on Jesus. May His love shine brightly through us. Amen.
A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another: just as I have loved you. . . By this all people will know that you are My disciples, if you have love for one another. John 13:34 (ESV).
Jennie E. Johnson, RN-BC, PhD
Parish Nurse
Christ Our Redeemer Lutheran Church
Sandpoint, Idaho 8336 USA
ask@jenniejohnson.com
*Reference: Gary Chapman, The 5 Love Languages: The Secret to Love that Lasts (2005).
HEALTH CHECK: The Parish Nurse will be available after the service on May 11th to check blood pressures and address any health-related concerns. This is a free service and available for anyone.
In This Month's
St. John Witness
MAY WITNESS
Miscellaneous News
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