There will be a special congregational meeting to approve the new St. John Constitution and Bylaws March 3, at 10:15 a.m. Until then, you can review the old and new documents using the links below. Questions can be sent to office@stjohncharlescity.com to be passed on to the appropriate person, Pastor Leeper or our new council president, Kim Watkins.

Current documents: Constitution 2006-2012 ... Bylaws 2012

Documents for review: Constitution 2024 ... Bylaws update 2024

In answer to some questions, the St. John Constitution has changes primarily mandated by the ELCA and required to be in local church constitutions. Many changes are to do with how Pastors and Deacons are designated now, Minister of Word and Service (deacon) and Minster of Word and Sacrament (pastor). This affects many paragraphs. There are also clarifications in Church affiliation with the ELCA, property, membership, rostered ministers, disability of a minister, issuing a call or termination of the same and a new Indemnification section. We deleted some sections that were not required and moved them (Congregational meetings, Officers, Council, Committees and Organizations) to our Bylaws to greater reflect how our church functions.

The Bylaws have been updated to express how things are actually done at St. John today such as electronic meetings and email voting, if necessary, by a board in lieu of meeting in person. Covid necessitated some changes. We deleted, combined and created some boards. There is also clarification of board and officer duties.

After the new Constitution and Bylaws are ratified they will be sent to the synod for review and approval.

Kim Watkins, Council President

Click the above video link to be transferred to the Sunday Service, February 25 at 9 a.m. to watch the live stream service, or it can be watched later.

Click on this link for the Wednesday Lenten Service.

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Sunday 9 a.m. Worship Service

Sunday School 10:05 a.m.

March 1 Game night 1st thru 6th grade

March 3 Special Congregational Meeting to vote on Constitution and Bylaws

March 6 Do Day Quilters with Prayer Shawl Ministry

March 20 Griefshare

March 21 6 pm All A-Board Meeting of all church boards

******** Do day Quilters

******** Newsletter deadline

March 24 Palm Sunday

March 28 Maundy Thursday

March 29 Good Friday

March 30 Easter Egg hunt (we need some volunteer help, contact office)

March 31 Easter Sunday

Call the church office to donate for the Easter Lilies by March 25th.

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After School Program Needs Your Help

We need adult and youth volunteers to help

with snacks, crafts and games on Wednesdays from 3:15 to 5 p.m.

If you're interested contact Pastor Russ Leeper, Sarah Kendall or the church office.

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New Church Office Hours

M-F 9 a.m.-12 p.m. and 1-3p.m.

Sunday Bulletin

Requests for adding information into the Sunday Bulletin need to be in the Secretary’s Office no later than Wednesday at 9 am.

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Please keep the following in prayer.

Prayers and condolences to the family and friends of Marilu Wohlers upon her passing.

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Pray for all serving in the military and their families:

Kaleb Bilharz, Mackenzy Bilharz,Tanner Evans, Kaylie Fox, Hannah Fox, Kim Hall, Ben Hauser, Daniel Jacobs, Cameron Kakac, Drew Roethler and Robson Shankland.

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1. ALL BOARD MEETING WILL BE MARCH 21 AT 6PM IN PARISH HALL. All Boards will meet at one time and then share with the group their upcoming plans. Please let Kim or office know by email if you will be attending or not.

2. Mission trip to Kansas City will be June 16-22. This is open to 7th thru 12 grade students. There is a sign up sheet by the youth office along with information sheet. Deadline to sign up will be April 1st. 

Any questions contact Kim at 330-5441.

After Worship Social Time



Coffee & a treat are served in the Parish Hall or outside each Sunday! If you would like to volunteer to bring the treats let Toni know in the office.

What you choose to bring for a treat is entirely up to you! Quantity: Three dozen treats

Coffee & napkins are provided by St. John.

**Special note: We do need people to sign up for bringing treats. There is a sign up sheet by the narthex door.

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Altar Flower & Radio Sign-up 2024: If you would like to sign up to sponsor the Altar flowers &/or the radio broadcast contact Toni in the office at 641-228-3397. We will continue to have flowers as they are on the online service & the radio broadcast reaches many of our at home congregation!

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As precautionary steps for safety and security, we would like to ask all attendees and visitors of St John, to make sure you are locking your vehicles anytime you are inside the church.

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The Do Day Quilters and Prayer Shawl Ministry are going to combine forces on March 6 to have a time of “Doing”, conversation, coffee and a treat. The quilters start at 9 a.m. and the knitters/crocheters at 9:30 a.m. in the basement area near the kitchen. We would like to introduce you to the quilter’s mission and to show the knitters/crocheters where to get the free yarn, where the prayer shawls are stored and how to check a new one in or a finished one out to take to someone in need.  The lift makes it so much easier to get to the basement and it will be a good time for some conversation with someone new or someone you maybe haven’t seen for a while. The quilters work until around 11:15 and stop for coffee and catching up.  Come join us and see if the quilting or knitting is something you would like to do. 

The quilters meet the 1^st and 3^rd Wednesdays of the month from 9:00 a.m.-noon. The knitters will start at 9:30-11:30 a.m. but you can come and go as you wish. Prayer shawls can be knit, crocheted or quilted. Patterns are available. If you need a prayer shawl, lap robe or blanket for someone, they are in the chapel in a closet and can be checked out in a binder so we know who will receive it.

Contact Janet Petefish at petefishj@mchsi.com for questions. 

Mid-Week Lenten Services 2024

“Wandering Heart”

Worship service is at 5:30 p.m.

We will explore the life and faith of Jesus’ disciple, Peter. In him, we see a person who is both steadfast and unsteady, a dear friend and a betrayer, a follower and a wanderer. In Peter, we often see ourselves. By following Peter’s journey, we watch the story of Jesus unfold through the eyes of a very normal human trying to figure it all out—just like us. 

Wednesday Night Lenten Schedule February 14th-March 20th

3:15-5:00 Afterschool Program

4:30-4:50 Kids Choir K-6th grade

4:30-5:30 Supper in Parish hall

5:00-5:20 Tone Chime Choir

5:30 Lenten Worship

6:00 Trinity Choir

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Coats for Kids still in need

St. John has requests for coats all year long. We are currently in need of boys and girls coats size 7 through 12, gloves and mittens of all sizes and larger size hats. Donations can be dropped off at the office. Monetary donations can be made out to Coats for Kids.

This year commemorates 100 years since our church building was built to serve our congregation. Because this is a historic year, it seems appropriate that we mark it with something that we haven’t done for a while. A Harvest Dinner like we used to have would be a nice celebration and to make it different than the 150^th celebration, I think we need to cater the main course, but bring back the pies and salads. I would like a craft, garden, and bake sale, too. I remember the jams and jellies and other harvest goodies that were also sold at this.

It all takes planning and work, so I am asking that if you have an interest in any part of this to contact me about what interests you and to attend a short planning meeting, to be announced. Since the dinner would mainly be catered, it will be a lot simpler than the huge cooking endeavor we used to have (although delicious) so time that you have to put in would be minimal. If you have ideas for this, I would love your input, like should we have some entertainment? I will also check with our various Boards to enlist some help.  

Janet Petefish petefishj@mchsi.com

Note change in supper time during Lent

Wednesday Night Suppers 4:30-5:30 p.m.

February 28: Vegetable Soup, Pulled Roast Beef Sandwiches & Applesauce

Cost: $5.00 for adults

Children through 12^th grade

free thanks to

Kans for Kids

(Menu subject to change)

Wednesday Night Suppers Help Needed

in the Kitchen during the months of March and April.

To volunteer contact Shirley Holm or Sandie Quade.

FROM ST. JOHN’S KITCHEN…

As you know, the St. John kitchen has been busy in recent months. It has become very apparent that our list of contact names for assistance in providing and preparing food and working in the kitchen is very outdated. We would like to update our information. 

In the coming weeks/months, it is our hope that all congregational households will be contacted. This is the information we will be seeking:

1.     Would you be willing to contribute food for an event scheduled at the church, i.e. funerals or a special event planned at the church? 

2.     Would you be willing to help in the kitchen with these events?

3.     Is there a time of the year that works better for you, i.e. not available in the winter months, or would prefer a specific month or time of the year to be contacted.

We will also be requesting information specific to your mailing address(es), telephone, and e-mail addresses. This information will be shared with the church office to update those records as well.

Three things to remember:

1.     If you are more than a 1-member household, this is an opportunity for everyone to offer their help. The kitchen appreciates the gentlemen who have come in to offer help. We would also like to encourage the young adults in your homes to join us if they would like. The kitchen is not just for women!! 

2.     It is OK to say “no”. 

3.     Be patient with us! We will do our best to contact every household. We will do our best to get your name on only one volunteer’s list! We will do our best to get your name on a list! Again, information has not been updated in a long time – we hope to remedy that.

Our kitchen is where I see “God’s love in action” all the time. Please consider joining us. If you have any questions, please feel free to contact me. My telephone number is 641 228-6927 and my email address is ctrygma@gmail.com. 

Kathy Crooks

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Blessing Box

Donations are always needed for the Blessing Box! Items should be weather appropriate, nonperishable food and personal items. You can put your items in the Blessing Box outside the East door or bring to the office.

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Scholarship Applications:  

Those students attending a Lutheran college who would like to receive an EPIC grant must notify the church by May 1^st.

St. John scholarship applications for non-Lutheran colleges can be emailed to you and should be emailed to the office by May 1^st.

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St. John Christian Preschool would like to remind everyone that we sell Kwik Star gift cards. Please stop in the church preschool if you are interested in purchasing a gift card. The preschool receives 5% of the gift card’s face value. Please contact Whitney or Toni if you are interested.

St John Christian Preschool

Can you believe it is that time already?! We are gearing up for our 2024 Fall Registration here at St. John Christian Preschool and we would like to thank you for choosing SJCP for your little one's earliest educational experiences. Children who will be 3 on or before September 15, 2024 and all children 4 and 5 years old are welcome. Scholarships are available starting in July. A minimum registration fee of $30 is due at time of registration.

Please call 228-7274 or email us at wfranke@stjohncharlescity.com for more information.

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click below for the

February Good Newsletter

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To get to the church website, click at the top of this page on the St. John Evangelical Lutheran Church logo.

You can pick up the Sunday bulletin as well as the Taking Faith Home reading sheets on the website.

https://www.facebook.com/stjohncc will get you to the Facebook page

Our intern, Beth Hurt's email beth@stjohncharlescity.com

Email address you can use to get a message to the church office  office@stjohncharlescity.com

Other emails are available on the website.

To call the church (641)228-3397

Editor: Janet Petefish