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!
In This Month's
St. John Witness
JULY WITNESS
Spiritual Growth
REMEMBER THE SABBATH DAY! We are tempted to skip time with God as our schedules fill up with “special times and celebrations.” God requires faithfulness in all things, so even away from home, worship with God’s people! His Word reveals His grace, and provide that grace to us, so that we may share His boundless love to a world bound by sin.
SUNDAY ADULT BIBLE CLASS is reading the book of Acts. Jim MacGregor is leading this study to share how the early Christians dealt with difficulties in being the church when things did not proceed as expected. Join us as we grow in wisdom for bringing the Gospel to the world in our community.
REV. MATTHEW C. HARRISON was elected as president of the LCMS for a sixth term of office. Voting began six weeks prior to the convention via Internet balloting provided by YesElections. The 5,478 pastoral and lay voters validly registered by the congregations and parishes of the Synod served as the voters for the election. In the third round of voting, a total of 5,038 votes were cast, being 92.0% of the electorate.
The results were tallied and reported:
Rev. Matthew Harrison with 2,524 votes (50.1%);
Rev. Joel Biermann received 2,414 votes (47.9%);
Rev. Benjamin Ball received 100 votes (2.0%).
The 69th Regular Convention of the LCMS, “Christ Is Risen Indeed,” will be July 18–23 in Phoenix. Pastor Grimm is our circuit’s pastoral delegate. Clint Grames (Clark’s Creek) is our lay delegate. Bruce Schultz also serves as an advisory delegate from the Kansas District Board of Directors.;
THE QUILT IN MEMORIAL HALL has Bicentennial blocks made by Pauline Stauffer; was assembled by Charla Hess; quilted by our Friendship Circle Quilters; and displayed in this semi-quincentennial year.
THE ANNUAL WORSHIP CONFERENCE will be Saturday, August 29, at St. John’s Topeka from 8:30-3:30. Come for continuing education and conversation for pastors, church musicians, and congregation members interested in the song and worship of the Church.
The keynote speaker for this year’s conference is Rev. Timothy Frank, who is the associate pastor and Kantor at St. Paul’s LC in Council Bluffs, Iowa. Pastor Frank received a bachelor’s degree in church music from Bethany Lutheran College in Mankato, MN in 2007. In 2011 he graduated from Concordia Theological Seminary in Fort Wayne, IN and began as pastor of a triple parish in Iowa. He completed a master’s degree in church music from Concordia University Wisconsin in 2014. Pastor Frank serves as Kantor at St. Paul’s and teacher at St. Paul’s Music Conservatory since 2016. He has been a resource director for David’s Harp. The $40.00 registration will include lunch. The day will end with Vespers and an organ recital from Luther’s Duetsche Messe. A summary of the keynote presentations will be on their website (https://stjohnlcmstopeka.org/worship/worship-conference), Breakaway presentations will also be listed there by August 1.
To register for the conference, please fill out the form at: https://forms.gle/PrBvhTxoV6CWfSxs8
Please complete your registration by August 26.
GIFTS OF LOVE: LEAVING A LEGACY Do you have a plan to distribute God’s gifts when you live? Or when you die? We shall conduct a Gifts of Love workshop on October 4. Carol Von Soostern from the LWML (with the LCMS Foundation) will explain opportunities and provide guidance on how to share the gifts God has given to you.
BOOK STUDY: “Mere Christianity” by C.S. Lewis is the book for study which begins this month.
LUTHERAN WOMEN IN MISION
LUTHERAN WOMEN IN MISION The heart represents the love and giving nature of the members; the drop symbolizes the blood of Christ and a tear of compassion. The cross proudly shows the purpose behind efforts of the LWML.
JULY 2026 FRIENDSHIP CIRCLE NEWS
Meeting Date: Wednesday, July 15th at 1:30 p.m.
Hymn: “Be Still My Soul” LSB 771
“Be Still My Soul” LSB 771Devotion: “Gifts” – Joyce Diehl
“Gifts” – Joyce DiehlRoll Call: Name a Bible verse on grace.
Name a Bible verse on grace.Bible Study: “Freedom in Christ” – Linda Orton
“Freedom in Christ” – Linda OrtonBusiness: LWML Sunday bulletins
LWML Sunday bulletins At our June Friendship Circle meeting, the devotion acknowledged that while we hope for sweet morsels of happiness, sometimes we receive bitter nuggets of pain and suffering instead. These things work together for our good and His purpose. We can trust God's care over all the details of our lives, even when things are not so sweet.
The Bible study, "Bittersweet," from "Living a Chocolate Life," showed us many verses that encourage us to cry out to God and to cling to Him in our sufferings and trials. We were also reminded in Isaiah and Jeremiah that God's thoughts are not our thoughts and that God has plans for our welfare and not for evil, to give us a future and a hope. Through our trials and suffering, our faith grows stronger. God transforms us and then makes us stronger than we were before. We are confirmed and established in Him. Our sweetness is restored.
Due to a lack of interest, there will be no more evening LWML meetings.
TEENS FOR CHRIST will celebrate “Christmas in July” by collecting donated items and monetary donations for our Operation Christmas Child Box project. A donation box will be placed outside the church office for the month of July. Monetary donations can be given to Kim Diehl or any TFC member.
Sunday, July 12th Teens for Christ will host the coffee social following worship. A free will donation will be collected for the Operation Christmas Child box project to buy needed items or to pay for shipping. LUTHERAN WOMEN’S MISSIONARY LEAGUE
Proclaim Christ; Support Missions;
Equip Women with everything good;
Do His will to serve others.
MISSION QUILTS: The Friendship Circle hosts quilt tying twice a month in the basement of Memorial Hall, usually on the first and third Monday of the month between 9:00 am and 11:00am. They tie quilt tops, batting, and backing together to make quilts for missions. We eagerly invite others to join in our community of service workers, and we are very willing to teach the skills needed to tie the quilts. No experience is necessary. We also invite volunteers to sew quilt tops for this service project. There are two cabinets full of fabric scraps that can be sewn together to make scrappy quilt tops and tied by the group. We have been blessed with some Thrivent Action gift cards that were used to buy batting and other supplies to complete these mission quilts. Junior Confirmands and their mentors recently joined in the crafting of the quilts and quickly learned the skills to complete two quilts. As the saying goes, many hands make light work! After the quilts have been blessed, they are given to those in need, such as disaster victims and the Orphan Grain Train. Volunteers Jr. High-ages and up are welcome to join in this mission service activity.
There is a quilt hanging in Memorial Hall which has been pieced and tied by Pauline Stauffer. It even has a bit of applique. The blocks represent items related to the United States.
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Teens for Christ
TEENS FOR CHRIST will celebrate “Christmas in July” by collecting donated items and monetary donations for our Operation Christmas Child Box project. A donation box will be placed outside the church office for the month of July. Monetary donations can be given to Kim Diehl or any TFC member.
Sunday, July 12th Teens for Christ will host the coffee social following worship. A free will donation will be collected for the Operation Christmas Child box project to buy needed items or to pay for shipping.
Suggested ideas that will fit in a shoe box for 2-14-year-old boys and girls (no liquids, glass, war toys, or food items please):pencils and pencil sharpeners, crayons, colored pencils, pencil bags, glue sticks, erasers, tooth brushes, small combs/brushes, hair ties, wash cloths, water bottles, flashlights with extra batteries, deflated soccer ball with pump, small dolls/Barbies, small stuffed toys, travel sewing kits, small tool sets, small toy cars, coloring books, yoyos, jump ropes, t-shirts, small craft projects, travel size games, string bags, and travel plates and utensils.
Date Bible Text Theme Hymns Order of Worship
7/5/26 1 peter 3:1-18 A Proper Answer 966 - 749 - 830 - 594 - 644 - 750 - 965 DS 1, p 151
7/12 Romans 6:3-11 Vacation Preacher 707 - 562 - 941 - 605 - 662 Matins, P. 219
7/19 Mark 8:1-9 Rev. Larry Boye 809 - ??? - 611 - 618 - 561 - 805 DS 3, p. 184
7/26 Jeremiah 23:16-29 Speak God's Work 588 - 578 - 745 - 583 - 924 (VfGod) P and P, p. 260
