The Messenger January-February 2018

A Publication of St. John's Evangelical Lutheran Church Mahone Bay, Nova Scotia www.stjohnsmahonebay.ca

Church Office: Phone - (902) 624-9660 Email – stjohnsmahonebay@gmail.com Pastor Adam: Phone - (902) 212-0439 Email - adamgsnook@gmail.com

When the song of the angels is stilled, when the star in the sky is gone, when the kings and princes are home, when the shepherds are back with their

flocks, the work of Christmas begins: to find the lost, to heal the broken, to feed the hungry, to release the prisoner, to rebuild the nations, to

bring peace among the people, to make music in the heart. (Howard Thurman)

Well, the candles have been extinguished. The hymns have been sung. The readings have been read. The story has unfolded. The food has been eaten. The decorations have been stored. And the local radio stations have returned to their regularly scheduled programming. Now what? I mean, what are we supposed to do now? Now that Christmas has given way to a new year? The answer...is that we get to work. (And not just shoveling snow, either!) As Howard Thurman says in his quote which poignantly surfaces each January - when all the hustle and bustle of Christmas has drawn to its wintery conclusion...it is now that the work of Christmas begins. It is now that we, God's people, are sent out to bear the very light we have proclaimed has come into the world. It is now that we are sent to find the lost, to heal the

broken, to feed the hungry, to release the prisoner, to rebuild the nations, to bring peace among people, and to make music in the heart. And so let me ask you: will you resolve to labor in the work of Christmas? Will you include a commitment to the gospel in your list of New Year's Resolutions? Because the work that we have been called to do isn't the work of one...or two...or three people. It isn't limited to pastors, or bishops, or council members. This work, Christmas work, Gospel work - is all of our work. The good news is that we can accomplish far more together, than we ever could accomplish apart. Perhaps this year you might consider lending your hands to help with our children's and youth ministry programs? Maybe you would consider sharing your voice in our choir or readers ministry. Perhaps you would be willing to offer your gifts of leadership to our congregational council? Maybe it's the gift of art...or instrumentation...or financial expertise. Perhaps you might like to help distribute communion to those who are homebound, or in nursing homes. Maybe...just maybe...your talents and gifts may lead to new ministries we haven't even considered yet. May this year be filled with opportunities to continue the work of Christmas as we bear our Saviour's redeeming light to all the world. Happy New Year! I look forward to continuing in our life together!

Pastor Adam

+2018 Congregational Annual Meeting The Annual General Meeting will be held on Sunday, February 4th at 1 pm. Please submit your reports as soon as possible.

+ Week of Prayer of Christian Unity Each January, we pause to give thanks and pray for unity amongst Christian communities! Please plan to join us for a 1/2 hour noontime service followed by lunch at each of the Christian churches in Mahone Bay. Whether you can attend one or all of these services, we welcome you. Please see the January Calendar for the schedule of services.

+ Winter Storm Policy Our cancellation policy states that in the event of inclement weather, the chairpersons of council in consultation with Pastor Adam, will make a determination by 9:30am. An announcement will be made on CKBW, on our Facebook page, and on our Answering Machine.

+ Offering Envelopes Offering Envelopes are now available for 2018. If you do not currently receive envelopes, but would like to, please speak with Jane Winchcombe or contact the church office.

+ Gift Card Fundraiser Anyone interested in buying gift cards is asked to see Sandra Hill or Ethel Joudrey before February 25, 2018. Gift cards will be available for pick-up on Sunday, March 4. Thank you for your continued support of this program.

+ Lent The season of Lent begins on February 14 with our Ash Wednesday Service at 7 pm. Midweek Services will be held on Wednesday evenings at 7 pm throughout the Lenten Season.

+ Coffee Break We will gather for a Coffee Break on Wednesday, February 7 at 10:30am at the Biscuit Eater Cafe. A Coffee Break is an informal time to gather for fellowship and refreshment. Consider joining us as we take over the cafe.

+ Council Nominees Anyone wishing to serve on council is asked to please speak with Pastor Adam ASAP.

+ Mid-Week Lenten Worship Our Mid-Week Lenten worship series will begin on Wednesday, February 21 at 7pm and continues for 5 weeks. Please plan to join us for this time of sacred lessons, favourite hymns, and peaceful worship. All are welcome.

+ Joy Journal Birthday greetings are extended to the following in the months of January and February; Jan. 1 Ruth Wawin, Jan. 4 Emma Lohnes Jan. 7 Jane Kristenson, Burleigh Ernst, Arnold Fralick Jan. 11 Pr. David Maginley Jan. 13 Donna Naugler Jan. 15 Justin Barkhouse Jan. 19 Christopher Barry Jan. 22 Rachel Whynot Jan. 23 Kevin Swinimer Jan. 24 Valreta Langille Jan. 25 Larry Eisnor Jan. 28 James Bowles Jan. 30 Beverly Eisnor, Juliet Wamboldt Jan. 31 Ruby Bowles, Colleen Joudrey , Alex Roy Feb. 1 Lynn Slack Feb. 2 Evelyn Knickle, Sheila Barkhouse Feb. 5 Isen Norman Feb. 11 Kaylee Temple Feb. 13 Michelle Temple Feb. 14 Katherine Kelley Feb. 18 Roxanne Martin, Jane Winchcombe Feb. 19 Jean Crossland Feb. 20 Vicky Hirtle Feb. 21 Lydia Brake Feb. 23 Myrtle Andrews Feb. 26 David Eisnor Feb. 28 Nevaeh Corkum Anniversary Wishes are extended to the following couple in the month of February: Feb. 7 Judy & Joseph Verge

St. John's Evangelical Lutheran Church

MAHONE BAY

GROCERY CARD FUNDRAISING PROGRAM

(Includes Sobeys, Lawtons, Sobeys Gas and Foodland) (Includes Superstore, Independant and NoFrills)

Participate in the Grocery Card Fundraising Program and benefit the work of St. John's Evangelical Lutheran

Church with every dollar you spend on your regular, everyday grocery purchases. Purchase the cards at face-

value and the church receives as much as 5% of your purchase depending on the total volume purchased

through the program. Every purchase, in any amount, adds to the total volume.

For example, if your family spends $500 per month on groceries, you could be adding $25 to the church

without adding to your personal expenses just by purchasing grocery cards through this program - WIN, WIN!

The cards are not redeemable for cash, have no service fees, have no expiry dates and operate on a declining

balance basis. Cards are available in $50, $100 and $200 denominations.

Please note: Purchase of grocery cards via this program are not considered charitable donations to the church.

St. John's Ev. Lutheran Church is not responsible for lost or stolen cards

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Name ________________________________________________ Phone Number ______________________

Address __________________________________________________________________________________

Email Address _____________________________________________________________________________

Order Details:

_______ x $50 Grocery Cards _______ x $50 Grocery Cards

_______ x $100 Grocery Cards _______ x $100 Grocery Cards

_______ x $200 Grocery Cards _______ x $200 Grocery Cards

TOTAL ORDER $ _______________

Submit cheque (payable to St. John's Lutheran Church) together with order form to Ethel Joudrey or Sandra Hill no later than Saturday, February 24. Delivery of Grocery cards is scheduled for Sunday, March 4, 2018.

St. John’s Evangelical Lutheran Church + January 2018

Sunday Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Friday Saturday

1

2 9am-2pm – Office

3 2pm - Funeral (Treva Rhuland)

4 9am-2pm – Office

5 9am-2pm – Office

6

Epiphany

7

Epiphany Sunday 11am – Worship (Service of the Word) 11am - Sunday School

8

9 9am - 2pm - Office

10

11 9am-2pm – Office 6:45pm - Choir 8pm - Handbells

12 9am-2pm – Office

13

14

2nd after Epiphany 11am - Worship (Communion) 11am - Sunday School

15

16 9am-2pm – Office 7pm - Council (MB)

17

18 9am-2pm – Office 6:45pm - Choir 8pm - Handbells

19 9am-2pm – Office

20

21

3rd after Epiphany 11am - Worship (Morning Prayer) 11am - Sunday School 12 noon – Fellowship Hour

22 12pm - Week Of Prayer (Baptist)

23 9am-2pm – Office 12pm - Week Of Prayer (Pentecostal)

24 2:30pm - Mahone Nursing Worship 12pm - Week Of Prayer (Anglican)

25 9am-2pm – Office 6:45pm - Choir 8pm - Handbells 12pm - Week Of Prayer (Lutheran)

26 9am-2pm – Office 12pm - Week Of Prayer (United)

27

28

4th after Epiphany 11am – Worship (Communion) 11am - Sunday School

29 30 9am-2pm – Office

31

Praise the Lord! I will give thanks to the Lord with my whole heart, In the company of the upright, in the congregation.

Great are the works of the Lord, studied by all who delight in them. Psalm 111:1 Epiphany 4

St. John’s Evangelical Lutheran Church + February 2018

Sunday Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Friday Saturday

Additions to the calendar will be printed in the bulletin.

An updated calendar can be viewed on our church website. Announcements for the March 2018 calendar are due

to the church office by February 16, 2018.

1 9am-2pm – Office 10am - Clergy Mtg. 6:45pm - Choir 8pm - Thurs. Handbells

2

9am-2pm – Office 4pm - 3CF

3

4

Epiphany 5 11am – Worship (Service of the Word) 11am - Sunday School 12pm - Pot-Luck 1pm - Annual Meeting

5

6 9am-2pm – Office

7 10:30am - Coffee Break @ Biscuit Eater

8 9am-2pm – Office 6:45pm - Choir 8pm - Thurs. Handbells

9 9am-2pm – Office

10

11

Transfiguration 11am – Worship (Communion) 11am - Sunday School

12

13 9am - 2pm - Office

14

Ash Wednesday 7pm - Worship

15 9am-2pm – Office 6:45pm - Choir 8pm - Thurs. Handbells

16 9am-2pm – Office

17

18

Lent 1 11am - Worship (Morning Prayer) 11am - Sunday School

19

20 9am-2pm – Office

21 7pm - Mid-Week Lent

22 9am-2pm – Office 6:45pm - Choir 8pm - Thurs. Handbells

23 9am-2pm – Office

24

25

Lent 2 11am – Worship (Communion) 11am - Sunday School

26

27 9am-2pm – Office

28 2:30pm - Mahone Nursing Worship 3pm - Interchurch Council (United) 7pm - Mid-Week Lent

Return to the Lord, your God, For he is gracious and merciful,

slow to anger, and abounding in steadfast love! Joel 2:13b Ash Wenesday

Clergy Retreat - Pastor Adam Away