THE MESSENGER
THE MESSENGER
May 2020
St. John’s Lutheran Church at Stone Bank
W334 N6990 Stone Bank Rd.
Stone Bank, Wisconsin
Phone: (262) 966-2034
Website:
FROM THE PASTOR:
Did God Send COVID-19?
You may have read this thought on the internet or Facebook, or seen it buried between the lines of your favorite devotional booklet. You may have even secretly considered it yourself, because let’s face it—during a time that is so disorienting, so riddled with change and dis-ease, it feels weirdly reassuring to be able to say: God sent this pandemic—to teach humanity a lesson about the need to slow down and be less busy, or to teach humanity to stop abusing the environment, which seems to be the only part of our planet thriving these days, or maybe God sent the pandemic to punish us for persecuting Christians in some parts of the world, or for allowing legal abortions in other parts, or for our persistent neglect of the poor pretty much world-wide.
If God sent COVID-19, then even though it looks and feels bad, it must actually be good, right? Because God is good, so whatever God sends must be good too or at least for our good. And if God sent COVID-19 to teach a lesson or to punish us, then the way to fix it is a lot easier than finding a vaccine; the way to make it go away is obviously to learn the lesson, or repent for whatever sins God is mad about. If God sent COVID-19, we are still in control.
Of course we know this can’t be right. I hope we all know this can’t be right. As of today over 59,000 people from the United States alone have died from this virus, and over 200,000 globally. These may be just numbers to us, but they are not numbers to those who have lost husbands, wives, moms or dads, grandparents or best friends. They are not numbers to the ones who have died alone in Intensive Care Units surrounded only by machines and bleeping monitors while their families in order to stay safe must wait and grieve from a distance.
Our God does not slaughter thousands of people to teach a lesson. And if our God were out to punish humanity for its sins, we would have been obliterated as a species long ago. “If you O Lord should mark iniquities,” sings the Psalmist of #130, “Lord, who could stand?”
God loves the world. And God hates death. She hates death so much he sent his/her only Son to die for our sins, so that through Christ all of us could be offered life everlasting.
Our God hates death, and in Christ keeps vigil at the bedside of all who suffer, and weeps for every person who dies, even as Jesus wept at Lazarus’s grave.
We live in a broken world, broken by the arrogance of humanity which from the beginning turned its back on God. Natural disasters, heart-break and loneliness, death, and yes pandemics are the inevitable consequences of life apart from God. The truth is we are not in control.
But our Loving Creator God is in control and we are in God’s hands, now and always. We can have faith that God will see us through this hard time, no matter what happens. So let’s sing with the Psalmist: “O Israel (and all people of God), hope in the Lord! For with the Lord there is steadfast love, and with him is great power to redeem.” Let the church say, AMEN.
Blessings to you all in the name of the Risen Christ!
Pastor Karen
FROM THE HOLMAN’S:
April 21, 2020
For some time now, I have been using Skype over the internet to work with the Waja translation team in the time between our visits to Nigeria. The quality of that connection together with intermittent electricity on their end presents challenges to our communication. Unfortunately, the team has now fallen behind in meeting its goals, so I have resorted to scheduling more work sessions via Skype to help them get caught up.
Today they informed me that the first cases of COVID-19 have been found in the Waja area in Nigeria. People have been told to stay home and practice social distancing (which goes against the norms of social interaction). In the past, when the two Waja translators and I would check their translation by Skype, they would come together in their office, located in the district church building.
Both Pastor Habila and Pastor Danladi have computers with Skype and modems for a phone network connection. However, Pastor Danladi cannot remember his Skype password! Pray for wisdom about the best way to work together, and for the internet and phone network connections to be good.
Also, please pray for the people of Nigeria and Ghana in particular, and Africa in general. The coronavirus could have a devastating effect there.
Thank you for your prayers! We pray that you also are safe and well, and that you’re keeping connected with your brothers and sisters in Christ, family, and friends.
Yours in Christ,
Mary
Mary and Tom Holman
Contact us:
Mailing Address: 7611 36th Ave. North #215, New Hope, MN 55427
Phones: Mary: 262-497-4085 Tom: 651-726-4581
E-mail addresses: Tom_Holman@ Mary_Holman@
*Members of Wycliffe Bible Translators, Box 628200, Orlando, FL 32862, 1-800-Wycliffe. Visit our Wycliffe Page: partner/Holmans
Associate Members of Lutheran Bible Translators, PO Box 789, Concordia, MO 64020, 1-800-532-4253. Visit our LBT Page:
To give by check, please include a separate note stating: “Preference for the Wycliffe/LBT ministry of Tom and Mary Holman”
PAYROLL PROTECTION PROGRAM
Payroll protection program (PPP) - Most of you have probably heard of the PPP, it is a loan program from the Small Business Association (SBA) to help small businesses keep their personnel employed during the shutdown of the coronavirus. This program is available to not-for-profit entities like churches. Our benefits provider, Portico, had released a video on the program and encouraged congregations to apply for it. The council met, via conference call, and discussed the program and whether we should apply for the monies. Pastor Karen had talked with other congregations and found that they had already applied. After discussion, the council unanimously approved the motion to apply for the program. The discussion centered on our financial position and the uncertainty of what the future brings. The next day we submitted our application through our bank, First Bank, who is a preferred SBA lender. The application is for $13,000 and we have been put in the queue. As you may know, the first round of this funding was quickly exhausted and we do not know if we will actually see any funding. If we do receive the funding, it has an interest rate of 1% and needs to be paid back within 2 years.
MT. MERU COFFEE
If you need coffee, you can order from Mt. Meru online with free shipping. Just go to to order regular and decaf, flavored and unflavored coffee.
CHURCH OFFERINGS
Thank you to all of you who have continued to send in their offerings. At last count our offerings were only slightly lower than they were during regular times. How wonderful! This means that St. John’s can maintain its financially strong position - paying its bills and staff salaries, so when we gather again, we will be ready to go!
EASY WAY TO CONTRIBUTE TO ST. JOHN’S
As we work on trying to make it more convenient for everyone to contribute to St. John’s, especially our members that are lucky enough to spend a few months in a warmer climate, I would encourage you to set up St. John’s in your financial institution’s Bill Pay. It is easy to set up St. John’s as a recurring payment from your account.
In most Bill Pay products you just have to enter the name, address and sometimes phone number of who you are trying to pay. I entered the amount and had the choice of making it a recurring payment, either weekly or monthly. The check then comes to the Church. If you have any questions about using recurring Bill Pay from your financial institution, your banker should be able to help.
FUNERAL PLANNING GUIDES
Funeral Planning guides are available on the table near the lower entrance, for anyone wishing to have one.
The Lord has written the promise of the Resurrection
not in books alone, but in every leaf of SPRINGTIME
____________
HOME PRAYER TIME
Home Prayer Time is a wonderful way to center your day in the love of the Lord. If you’d like to receive Pastor Karen’s weekly spiritual thought and Bible passage for reflection, call or e-mail her.
PASTOR KAREN’S SERMONS
You can view Pastor’s weekly sermons on Facebook by going to st.johns.stonebank. Check it out weekly for inspirational thoughts.
Don’t miss them!
ALUMINUM CAN COLLECTION
Aluminum cans are being collected for cemetery expenses. Donations can be brought to the church. Please bring BEVERAGE CANS ONLY. Thank You.
ASSISTING MINISTERS
May 3, 2020 May 17, 2020
Ushers: Nancy Barr Ushers:
Renee Novobielski
Lector: Vera Novobielski Lector: Susan Boeding
Comm. Servers: Renee and Vera Novobielski Comm. Servers: Susan Boeding, Anita Olson
May 10, 2020 May 24, 2020
Ushers: Judy Runt Ushers:
Debbie Runt
Lector: Judy Runt Lector:
Comm. Servers: Deb Runt, Cheryl Talatzko Comm. Servers:
May 31, 2020
Ushers:
Lector: Megan Rollefson
Comm. Server: Megan Rollefson
MAY ALTAR CARE
Nancy Barr
Marlene Lucht
MAY BIRTHDAYS AND ANNIVERSARIES
1 - Madalynne Cook
3 -Azaela Walker
4 - Jill Vento
5 - Amy and Dennis Larsen Anniversary
6 - Nancy and David Olson - Anniversary
7 - Liz Yorke
9 - Marlene Lucht
11 - Debbie Kretschmer
15 - Robert Risch
21 - Shirley Seeley
23 - Benjamin Weiss
26 - Hal Wagnon
27 - Marcy & Eric Weiss Anniversary (20 Years)
30 - Shirley and Oscar Kraft (50 years)
WEEKLY LESSONS
May 3, 2020
Acts 7:55-60
Psalm 31:1-5, 15-16
1 Peter 2:2-10
John 14:1-14
May 10, 2020
Acts 2:42-47
Psalm 23
1 Peter 2:19-25
John 10:1-10
May 17, 2020
Acts 17:22-31
Psalm 66:8-20
1 Peter 3:13-22
John 14:15-21
May 24, 2020
Acts 1:6-14
Psalm 68:1-10, 32-35
1 Peter 4:12-14; 5:6-11
John 17:1-11
May 31, 2020
Acts 2:1-21
Psalm 130
Romans 8:14-17, 22-27
John 7:37-39
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