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!
March 2026 Friendship Circle News
Meeting Date: Wednesday, March 18th at 1:30p.m. in Memorial Hall
Hymn: "On Eagles Wings" LSB 727
Devotion: "Satisfied" - Ruth Wille
Roll Call: Name a fruit of the Spirit you want to grow this year
Bible Study: Living a Chocolate Life "Satisfaction" Ruth Wille (Chapter 3)
Business: Spring Event April 5
Confirmation Reception/Dinner
Kansas District LWML Confention - April 17-19
Service Activity: Confirmation Gifts
Noisy Sunday: March 29
At our Friendship Circle meeting in February, we enjoyed a Devotion, "A Chocolate Map," and a Bible Study, "Living a Chocolate Life." We were encouraged by the reminder that God's Word is the perfect map for life and that we are not on our own! The Bible study gave us some tips on sharing the Good News with others. And we enjoyed a couple of pieces of Russell Stover chocolate!! The service activity was a Mite Box collection.
The next LWML meeting is March 18th at 1:30 p.m. in the fellowship hall. The hymn is "On Eagles' Wings." The Devotion is "Satisfied" and the Bible study is "Satisfaction." For Roll Call, we will name a fruit of the Spirit that we would like to grow this year. We will be discussing the Confirmation Reception/Dinner and the Kansas District LWML Convention, scheduled for April 17-19 in Manhattan.
March 29th is Noisy Sunday! Bring your coins and make some noise!
Our next evening LWML Meeting will be in April - watch for the date!
2026 LWML KANSAS DISTRICT CONVENTION:
You did not choose me, but I chose you and appointed you that you should go and bear fruit and that your fruit should abide, so that whatever you ask the Father in my name, he may give it to you.
(John 15:16)
The 41st Biennial Convention of the Kansas District Lutheran Women’s Missionary League will be held April 17-19, 2026 at the Hilton Garden Inn Manhattan, Kansas. All Ladies are invited to attend! The Kansas Sonshine Convention Registration issue can be picked up outside the church office for details and Registration Form. If you have any questions please contact Gayle Grimm. We look forward to painting Manhattan LWML Purple!
LUNCH BUNCH will meet at Friendly Cooker in Wamego on Sunday, March 8th at 11:00 am. Please sign up a week ahead so we can let the restaurant prepare for our group (at their request). Mark your calendars for lunch bunch at Pizza Ranch on McCall Road in Manhattan on April 12th.
THE BOOK STUDY GROUP will meet at Bruce and Kathy Schultz's home on Thursday, March 12th and at Elaine Becker's home on March 26th at 7 p.m. We will be reviewing chapters 5 and 6 on the 12th and chapters 7 and 8 on the 26th in the book, "Faithful, Hopeful, and Bold" by R. Lee Hagan.
THRIVENT MEMBERS: Thrivent membership has a benefit, Thrivent Action Team Card, which helps with projects within the church, school, and community! Each member receives 2 -$250 debit cards that are applied for to assist in activities to benefit the church, school, and people of the community. It is seed money to assist with a fundraiser, educational event or service activity that will be taking place. St. John Thrivent members are asked to please let the church office or school office know if you have this benefit and are willing to allow groups to apply for assistance when needed to use your Action Team Card for an activity. If you have any questions concerning the Action Team Card, please contact your Thrivent Representative, Gayle Grimm or Elaine Becker. Thank you!
VOICES FOR GOD: We have selected seven songs for the spring and summer seasons. “O Sacred Head Now Wounded” is our Good Friday selection. If you know someone who would sing our Lent and Easter songs, please invite them to join us.
JUBELLATION practices are Wednesday evenings from 6:00-6:45 p. m. during the Lenten season.
KANSANS FOR LIFE will resume First Friday Prayer Gatherings in March 2026. As we look ahead, we invite you to continue lifting babies, their mothers, and families impacted by abortion in prayer -- both in your personal prayer time and alongside your church prayer teams. Thank you for standing with us in this essential work.
YOUR TIME IN GOD’S WORD: You can guide your time with the latest Apps from Concordia Publishing House. The “In Prayer” app is simple with a user- friendly layout. You can access devotions, organize the content, and purchase a variety of in-app resources such as “Portals of Prayer.” Annual subscriptions start at $9.00 per year. The Lutheran Study Bible app has just added an audio feature with clear, human narration of the full ESV Bible. Other features include complete Bible text with Lutheran study notes, over 200 articles, maps, and book introductions, cross-references and linked articles, and more. The annual subscription rate is $9.99 or $2.99 per month.
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 as it 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 Desk
of your District Representative, Mary Hume
Dear Servants of our Lord,
Spring is coming, according to the calendar. We are anxious to see the crocuses and tulips peek through the ground. Spring also is a symbol of hope after hardship, renewal and fresh beginnings, healing after loss or weariness and life returning where things once seemed still and barren. Spring also points to the resurrection and new life. It echoes the promise of God that death does not have the final word and He brings life out of what appears lifeless (Isaiah 43:19). Spring is coming, a promise that change is underway, the days are getting longer and new life is on the horizon. It is not just a seasonal change but it is a reminder that God keeps His promises, bringing life out of death. Praise to God as we go through the Lenten season and into Easter, and His resurrection.
Accept one another, just as Christ accepted you. Romans 15:7
Parish Nursing, A Collaboration for Care
When six Parish Nurses from the United States felt that God had called them to go to Ethiopia, on the medical mission trip, each of us tried – at least briefly – to talk ourselves out of going. We prayed, weighed the challenges, and wondered if we were truly meant to go. Yet, one by one, every obstacle was removed and every detail fell into place. It became clear: God was leading the way.
Because of your generous support, I was able to be a part of a three-day Parish Nurse training for 47 Ethiopian nurses and three physicians. The purpose was to expand their understanding of whole-person care—serving not only the body and mind, but also the spirit. Parish Nursing integrates faith and health, equipping caregivers to share Christ’s compassion alongside clinical care.
The response was inspiring. Nearly all the trainees—most of them men—arrived with the enthusiastic backing of their church leaders. They embraced the vision of bringing physical care into their congregations and communities, where medical resources are scarce and nurses often serve as the primary caregivers. At the conclusion of the training, the 47 nurses and 3 doctors received certificates and parish nurse pins in a joyful celebration of their new roles.
Our teaching team was led by Dr. Marcy Schnorr, educational consultant and international liaison for the Parish Nurse Council, along with a dedicated faculty that included nurses, district representatives, and a Lutheran Church Charities liaison. Together, we shared practical models of parish nursing ministry and how those can be adapted to serve the Ethiopian communities. The parish nurses who presented concerning this ministry were: Dr. Schnorr, Sylvia Baker and Jean Mau of the Northern Illinois District, Doyle Bosque, Eastern District, Dianne Weber of the Southern District, and Mary Hume, the Kansas District. Deaconess Dianna Bonfield of the Lutheran Church Charities served as the liaison with the Northern Illinois Parish Nurse Network.
Our journey began in Addis Ababa, where we were welcomed with warm hospitality and wonderful Ethiopian cuisine. We met with leaders from Master Builder Center (MBC), founded in 2008 by Rev. Dr. Tilahun Mendedo to address critical needs across Ethiopia. One of their key outreach efforts, “Feeding His Lambs,” helps integrate vulnerable children into supportive family structures.
Before the training began, we visited historic regions including Axum, Gondar, and Lalibela, walking among ancient churches carved from rock and sites related to the reign to the Queen of Sheba. Preparations were underway for Christmas celebrations based on the Ethiopian calendar, with thousands of pilgrims traveling long distances on foot join in worship.
We then traveled to Hosanna, the site of our training. The long, rugged bus ride revealed sweeping landscapes filled with livestock and wildlife—and gave us a glimpse into daily rural life. In Hosanna we met synod presidents from across southern Ethiopia—synods are similar to our church districts—representing 184 congregations and more than 400,000 members. In areas where there may be only one doctor for every 10,000 people, nurses carry enormous responsibility. The addition of parish nurse training strengthens their ability to care holistically and share the hope of Christ alongside traditional medical treatment.
Each training day began with music—an essential and joyful part of Ethiopian culture. The parish nurses’ discussions included: introducing the concept of parish nursing, the basic models, roles of the parish nurse, spiritual care, grief care, managing chronic illnesses, care of the person with cancer, importance of oral care, responding to disasters, caring for women and children, and self-care and worker wellness. The students were so willing to learn the different components and had many questions and comments.
On Sunday, we attended a worship service which lasted more than two hours, filled with passionate singing from a choir of over 100 voices. Some church members walked for two hours just to attend, and still the church overflowed. We do not know what the message was (it was delivered in the Ethiopian language) but we know it was about Jesus. The little children were so cute, at the close of the service, they had cellphone cameras and were taking our pictures.
Following the training, we visited a local hospital and a prison clinic, where staff worked faithfully under extremely difficult conditions. The medical supplies in each facility were limited and so the medical supplies which we took will help provide care. They were distributed to the University Hospital in Hosanna, a prison clinic, and a rural clinic in the Dara region—one of which previously had only a blood pressure cuff, a stethoscope, and a few bandages. The gratitude we encountered was deeply moving.
At the prison, we were observers and saw how Jesus works through their care receivers. 337 prisoners were seen for various reasons; 160 received counseling along with medical attention and prayers; 12 persons received Jesus as their Savior as they were referred to the prison Chaplain for baptism. We also visited several synods, where the presidents and pastors welcomed us with great kindness, meals, and meaningful gifts, including hand-crafted stoles unique to each synod. We saw creative ministry in action—such as a four-story building project designed to generate rental income to support church work. Everywhere we went, leaders expressed strong encouragement for the Parish Nurse Ministry.
A milestone moment was the appointment of Tadelech Loha—a nurse and deaconess—as the first Director of the MBC Ethiopia Parish Nurse Program. She will continue to train others and expand the ministry across Ethiopia.
Throughout the trip, we witnessed material poverty—but also extraordinary spiritual richness, joy, and resilience. Our gifts of medical supplies and prayers traveled thousands of miles and are now touching lives we may never meet this side of heaven—strengthening both physical and spiritual care.
As Sylvia Baker wrote in her summary of the mission trip: when it was asked in Isaish 6:8, “Whom shall I send?” and You answered, “Send me!” by your donations and prayers which have made a difference to so many! May God continue to bless our efforts in the mission field! I will continue to accept medical supplies and take them to our national Parish Nurse Conference in May.
March is “Save your Vision” Month
Vision changes are common with aging. At first, you may only need glasses to see things up close, or you may have trouble telling the difference between certain colors, but eye problems can become more serious, impairing your ability to drive a car safely, keeping you from reading a book and increasing your risk of falling. Here are some things you need to know about eye disease in your senior years.
Age-related eye disease basics
Serious eye problems that often affect seniors include macular degeneration, glaucoma and cataracts. These eye diseases are among the leading causes of low vision and blindness in adults, and the risk of getting them goes up with age. Eye diseases often don't cause symptoms in the early stages. By the time vision loss is notice, it often cannot be reversed. This is why getting regular checkups from an eye healthcare provider is a must. A comprehensive eye exam can detect eye disease in its early stages before vision loss occurs. This exam should include dilating your pupils (the black center of your eyes) so that the inside of your eyes can be checked for signs of disease. Your healthcare provider will tell you how often you need this eye exam, based on your age, health and risk of developing eye problems.
While the chance of eye disease increases with age, know that vision loss doesn't have to be a normal part of aging. Keeping up with eye exams can help your eye healthcare provider spot signs of eye disease in its early stages before your vision is affected.
Additional information: https://nei.nih.gov/healthyeyes/aging_eye
In This Month's
St. John Witness
MARCH WITNESS
Miscellaneous News
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