February 2013 - St. John's Lutheran Church of East Moline, IL

February 2013 St. John’s Lutheran Church of East Moline, IL Volume 55, Issue 6
Special points of interest:
Letters from the Pastor,
Vicar, and CEL Director.
February Birthdays.
All the latest news from
inside the church walls
about the groups of your
interest.
In this issue:
Pastor’s Letter 1
Director’s Cut/
Vicar’s Letter
Serving the Lord This
Month
Church News 4-5
Coloring Page 6
Financial Secretary’s Report 7
Treasurer Report 8
Calendar 9
2
3
From Pastor’s Desk:
“And Jesus, full of the Holy Spirit,
returned from the Jordan and was led
by the Spirit in the wilderness for forty
days, being tempted by the devil. And
he ate nothing during those days. And
when they were ended, he was hun-
gry.... And when the devil had ended
every temptation, he departed from
him until an opportune time. And Je-
sus returned in the power of the Spirit
to Galilee, and a report about him
went out through all the surrounding
country.” (Luke 4:1-2, 13-14)
14)
Why Lent? Why forty-days? Why self-denial
or fasting?
The answers to these questions are made
evident in the temptation of Jesus that followed
His baptism. Through the 40 days of temptation
our Lord was Spirit filled and led to deny himself
to the point of great hunger. He took up God’s
Word as a weapon to defend against and gain
victory over Satan. And then He returned again
in the power of the Holy Spirit so that a report
went out about Him through the surrounding
country.
In its wisdom the Early Church used the time
of Lent especially for the preparation of those
who would cross over from death to life through
Holy Baptism during the Easter Vigil. During this
time they underwent intense instruction in God’s
Word, so that they may be fully armed to do
battle against the demonic forces they would
face. During those 40 days they would consider
all that Christ suffered for them and all their
sinfulness which made His suffering and death
necessary. They would be questioned regarding
their sins and admit to the unholy desires that
continued to trouble them. During this time of
repentance they would be Spirit-led to deny
themselves and to turn away from the desires of
their flesh and the ways of their unbelieving past.
At the conclusion of this time of devotion to God’s
Word, self-denial, and repentance they would be
baptized. At their baptism they would put on a
new white robe, indicating that they were clothed
with Christ and His righteousness. The last thing
that would happen was an annointing with
perfumed oil, as a little Christ. With this beautiful
fragrance, symbolizing their anointing with the
Holy Spirit, they would go to the waiting
congregation to celebrate the resurrection and
then out to the whole world as a living report of
what God had done for them and was doing
through them.
My prayer for you this Lent is that you will walk
with Christ and with the saints of old for these 40
days as you prepare for the celebration of your
own Passover from death to life by sharing in the
resurrection of Jesus through Holy Baptism. Use
this time to contemplate Christ’s suffering for you
and your own sin as the reason for that suffering.
Devote yourself to God’s Word so that you may
be fully equipped to share in Christ’s victory over
sin, death and the power of the devil. Repent and
deny yourself to be renewed in your baptism, to
put on Christ and to become a beautiful fragrance
in the congregation and in the world as a positive
report of the Holy Spirit’s work.
This year join your fellow saints as we consider
Jesus’ names of wondrous love. Our services,
being led by various pastors of the Rock Island
circuit, will be held at Noon and 6:30pm every
Wednesday beginning February 13 th with a meal
preceding each evening service.
Tempted Yet Victorious In Christ,
I Timothy 4:13-16

February 2013
Page 2
A C.E.L. Production
Valentine’s Day is a special time for our little ones as they delight in the treats and play silly games, but it is also the best time to share
the love God has for us with others. We are getting closer to the season of spring which means this school year is going by way too fast! We have
so many exciting activities this month that include our special Valentine’s parties and a dance, a trip to the QC Botanical Center, a visit from a local
dental hygienist, and new ways to fundraise through scrapbooking & eating out at Buffalo Wild Wings!
You and your family are cordially invited to our Valentine’s Dance on February 8 th from 6:30pm-8:00pm. Enjoy some refreshments and a
night of dancing! Don’t forget to get a picture by our great photographer! You are also invited to our Scrapbooking and Card-Making Crop (CEL
Fundraiser) on February 23 rd ! See the insert in your bulletin and posters around the building for more information. Don’t forget to register soon!
*ENROLLMENT HAS BEGUN FOR THE 2013-2014 SCHOOL YEAR! Call Morgan for more information and/or schedule a tour!
Upcoming Events:
Valentine’s Dance 8th 6:30-8pm
Valentine’s Parties 13th & 14th
NO SCHOOL18th & 19th
St. John’s Buffalo Wild Wings Day—Feb 18th ALL DAY
Vision & Hearing Screening 20th &21 st
Scrapbooking & Card-Making Crop 23 rd 9am-11pm
“God shows his love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.” ~Romans 5:8
In Christ,
Morgan DeBlieck
Brothers and Sisters in Christ,
When was the last time you shared your faith with someone
who wasn’t a Christian? I have found that people all too often consider
themselves inadequately prepared to share their Christian faith with the
world around them. When asked why people don’t talk about the things
which they believe you hear the excuses:
“I am too busy to share my faith with other people.”
“I don’t know anyone I can talk to about my faith.”
“I don’t have enough of a command of the Scriptures to talk
about what being a Christian means.”
“I don’t want to be confrontational with people who disagree
with me about faith.”
“Sharing faith and growing the church is something that Pastors
and Church Workers are called to do; I don’t need to do
that since that is their job.”
Perhaps when you have been asked to consider this task you
too have used some of these excuses. Where we would make excuses
for why we don’t share our faith St. Peter tells us that we ought to think
differently, “[You are] a holy nation, a people for his own possession,
that you may proclaim the excellencies of him who called you out of
darkness into his marvelous light” (1 Peter 2:9). In this passage Peter
reminds believers first who they are; he says, “You are a holy nation.”
God has redeemed you and made you to become holy in spite of your
From Vicar
sinfulness. And these words are for you too; as a Christian you already
are a holy nation. And yet, while being a holy nation has a lot of perks,
that is not the end of the road.
St. Peter continues with the purpose of being a holy nation,
“So that you may proclaim the excellencies of him who called you out of
darkness into his marvelous light.” Now proclaiming the excellencies of
the God who has redeemed you doesn’t have to be big and gaudy experience:
most of us have not had a big conversion experience. Proclaiming
your faith can be something as simple as just having a conversation
or living as a Christian in the world by the way you act publicly.
It can be scary to do something that you’ve never intentionally
done before, especially in a world that is becoming more hostile to
Christians. Therefore, I, as a vicar, want to encourage and help you
consider how to share your faith in what you say and do, as well as how
you act. It is for this reason and purpose that in the past few months I
have set up “office hours” at Panera in Moline. I want to help you consider
how to both live your faith actively and talk to people about it wherever
you may be. So as a holy nation called to share the excellencies of
Him who called you out of darkness into his marvelous light come and
visit me on Mondays between 7:30 and 9:30 AM or Thursdays between
3:30 and 5:30 PM so that together we might learn how to share our faith
and likewise encourage each other to be a light to a world darkened by
sin.
In Christ,
Vicar Holman

The Informer
Page 3
Serving the Lord This Month:
Ushers
February 2: Bill Byles, Norm Antolik &
Fred Bonow
February 3:Kevin Verschoore, Hank
VanDamme, Dennis Hurley, Keith Verschoore
, Jeff Belan & Alex Verschoore
February 9:Bill Byles, Norm Antolik &
Fred Bonow
February 10:Kevin Verschoore, Hank
VanDamme, Dennis Hurley, Keith Verschoore
, Jeff Belan & Alex Verschoore
February 16:Bill Byles, Norm Antolik
& Fred Bonow
February 17:Kevin Verschoore, Hank
VanDamme, Dennis Hurley, Keith Verschoore
, Jeff Belan & Alex Verschoore
February 23:Bill Byles, Norm Antolik
& Fred Bonow
February 24:Kevin Verschoore, Hank
VanDamme, Dennis Hurley, Keith Verschoore
, Jeff Belan & Alex Verschoore
ASH WEDNESDAY SERVICES
Noon Service: Esther Cashion,
Dennis Hurley, and Jim Stonehouse
Evening Service: Kevin Verschoore,
Vern Sletten, Tanner McAnally, Keith
Verschoore & Alex Verschoore
LENT SERVICES
Noon Services: Esther Cashion
Evening Services: Kevin Verschoore,
Keith Verschoore, Vern Sletten, and
Hank Van Damme
Greeters
February 2: Bill & Becky Johnson & Gail
Massey
February 3: Margie & Dennis Schaefer &
Dorothy Tribbett
February 9: Fred & Patty Krack & LouAnn
DeRammelaere
February 10: Marsha Boarts & Dennis
Boarts & Dorothy Tribbett
February 16: George & Marlene Fellows &
Gail Massey
February 17:Joy Fauser, Darlene Dopson
& Beth Stimes
February 23:Carole Krouth, Bill Byles &
Joanne Wilson
February 24:Joy Fauser, Lynn Suess &
Dorothy Tribbett
Fellowship Callers
February 2 & 3:
February 9 & 10:
February 16 & 17:
February 23 & 24:
Altar Guild
Ramona Oltmann & Elaine Newman
Thank you for
your service!!
“But I say to you, Love your enemies
and pray for those who persecute you,
so that you may be sons of your Father
who is in heaven. For he makes his
sun rise on the evil and on the good,
and sends rain on the just and on the
unjust. You therefore must be perfect,
as your heavenly Father is perfect.
(Matt. 5:44-45, 48)
Acolytes
February 2:Karly Borkgren
February 3:Nathanael Weber
February 9:James Hinman
February 10:Alyssa McAnally
February 13:Caleb Engebrecht
February 16:Colin Antolik
February 17:Zachary Antolik
February 20:Hannah Rossmiller
February 23:Ronnie Wilson
February 24:Madison Streeter
February 27:Heather Hartvigsen
Eternal Candle
Feb. 26—Available
Flower Chart
No Openings
Sunday Morning
Coffee & Donuts
All Available

February 2013
Birthdays
February 1: Leah Weber & Stacie
Greene
February 3: Elliot Dyer & Brian Overmire
February 4: Chad Gosa, Aaron
Homann, Devon Hurley, Carole
Krouth, Ryan MacDonald & K. D. Williams
February 5: Lois Deal & Steven
VanRycke
February 6: Shari Hess, Doris Park, &
Sydney Wuelgert
February 7: Margo Blaser, Diana
Caldwell, Cynthia Christopher
February 8: Ralph Grotelueschen,
Larry Ripka, Tyler Rusk
February 9: Karen Linnenkamp &
Membership Report
Death
Robert Shaw on December 20, 2012
Funeral December 24, 2012
Loretta Nielsen
Church News
February 10: Marcella Anderson, Jeremy
Kern & Cora Whipple
February 12: Lucille Perley
February 14: Sam Kupresin, Alyssa
McAnally, & Alyssa Whitmire
February 15: Nile Pena, & Alena
Rossmiller
February 16: Ethan Sountris
Page 4
February 17: Barbara Veskauf
February 18: Betty Streeter
February 19: Macey Patterson
February 21: Patty Krack & Virginia
Lackey
February 22: Sandy Beuster, Zachery
Chellew, Charlotte Geis, Brian Nielsen,
& Isaac Stone
February 24: Ryan Dosch
February 25: Taryn Kosche
February 26: Jamie Cruse & Caleb
Engebrecht
February 27: Fred Krack
February 28: Larry Oltmann & Dennis
Schaefer
Weekly Attendance & Offerings
DATE THIS YEAR LAST YEAR SUN. SCHOOL RECEIVED
12/30/12 217 191 NO S.S. $5,945
12/31/112 110 (New Years) 191 NO S.S. $1,562
1/6/13 254 267 14 $6,261
1/13/12 184 240 31 $4,596
1/20/13 239 240 24 $7,994
Simply giving Dec. 2012 $1,860 Average monthly attendance of St. John’s Membership 28%
Lenten Schedule
Names Of Wondrous Love
February 13th / Noon & 6:30 pm - Mid-week 1: Jesus (22:39-46) - Pastor Umbarger
February 20th / Noon & 6:30 pm - Mid-week 2: The Truth (John 18:37, 38) - Vicar Holman
February 27th / Noon & 6:30 pm - Mid-week 3: Christ Crucified (John 19:16-18) - Pastor Wright
March 6th / Noon & 6:30 pm - Mid-week 4: The Way (Luke 23:39-43) - Pastor Umbarger
March 13th / Noon & 6:30 pm - Mid-week 5: King (John 18:33-37) - Pastor Gallo
March 20th / Noon & 6:30 pm - Mid-week 6: Immanuel (John 18:3-12) - Vicar DeBlieck

The Informer
Page 5
Church News
LWML
St. John's LWML will meet on February
28th at 6:30 p.m. Hostesses will be Susan
Bowman and Ramona Oltmann. Devotions
will be given by Libby Dreier. The program
will be given by Vicar Holman. He will share his
"life story" and how he came to enter the Seminary. Come
and share an enjoyable evening with your sisters in Christ.
Youth News
Friday, February 8th at 7:00pm- CYF & LYF Mallards game!!
Tickets are $9
Saturday , February 23rd from 7:00pm - 11:00pm- CYF &
LYF Skate City Laser Tag. $10 unlimited laser tag, treats provided;
bring extra money for drinks.
Wednesday, February 25th from 5:30pm - 6:30pm—CYF
Come before confirmation to have dinner with your fellow classmates.
Stewardship Notes
February is the month when “Valentine’s Day” is
celebrated and thus a month in which we think of
“love.” A few short weeks ago we celebrated Christmas—the
occasion that marked God’s great love
gift to the world, His only-begotten Son. Jesus
came into our world as a servant and took upon
Himself our human flesh and form, as well as our
sin, guilt and shame, and then offered His life as
the perfect sacrifice for our sins and the sins of the
whole world. This act of sacrificial love caused the
hymn writer to pen these words: “What wondrous
love is this, O my soul, O my soul! What wondrous
love is this, O my soul! What wondrous love is this
that caused the Lord of bliss to bear the dreadful
curse for my soul, for my soul, to bear the dreadful
curse for my soul!” (LSB, 543).
The truth is that the love of Jesus is far more wondrous
than we can ever describe or imagine, much
less imitate and practice. The best that we can do
is respond to that wondrous love with our free and
joyous stewardship. True Christian stewardship is
not something that we do because of laws, rules
and commands. True Christian stewardship is always
a response to the love of God for us. The
Ladies Aid
St. John's Ladies Aid will meet February 7 at 1:00
p.m. Ann Engebrecht will be the leader. Hostesses will
be Gloria Burke and Ramona Oltmann. Devotions will be
given by Ramona Oltmann. Come join your Christian
sisters in fellowship.
Year-end Statements
2012 year-end statements are now available to be
picked up in the Concourse. Please take yours, along
with your 2013 offering envelopes. (Don’t forget to throw
away your 2012 envelopes).
Bible Studies
Sunday’s at 10:15 AM:
Wednesday’s 10:00 AM:
Thursday’s 9:00 AM:
Saturday’s 8:00 AM:
Bible 101 & Galatians
Job
Minor Prophets
Men Discovering Truth
Apostle John said it so well: “We love because He
first loved us.”
So, during this month of February when
“Valentine’s Day” reminds us of human love, we do
well to pause and reflect on the divine love of Jesus.
By the power and presence of the Holy Spirit
we are equipped to show our love through deeds
and words that support and encourage.
Christian stewardship is the free and joyous activity
of the child of God and God’s family, the church, in
managing all of life and life’s resources for God’s
purposes. Let your love show in your giving of time,
talent and financial resources to God’s glory and
the expansion of His kingdom.

The Informer
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The Informer
Page 7
Financial Secretary’s Report

February 2013
Page 8
Treasurer’s Report

1450-30th Avenue
East Moline, IL 61244
St. John’s
Lutheran Church
of East Moline,
Tel: 309-792-0755
Fax: 309-792-0776
E-mail: stjohnsem@sbcglobal.net
Walking in the Light of Christ!
We’re On the Web!!
www.stjohnsem.org
Worship Times
WORSHIP SERVICES: Saturday — 6:30 p.m.
Sunday— 9:00 a.m.
Wednesday— Noon & 6:30 p.m. (Lent)
SUNDAY SCHOOL & BIBLE CLASS: Sunday — 10:15 a.m.
St. John’s in Winter Snow