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From Pastor's Desk: - St. John's Lutheran Church

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September 2009 <strong>St</strong>. John’s <strong>Lutheran</strong> <strong>Church</strong> of East Moline, IL Volume 52, Issue 1<br />

Special points of interest:<br />

Letters from the Pastor &<br />

DCE.<br />

August Birthdays.<br />

A New Senior Saint.<br />

Information of 30th<br />

Anniversary Celebration<br />

for the CEL.<br />

In this issue:<br />

Pastor’s Letter 1<br />

Director’s Cut 2<br />

Serving the Lord This Month 3<br />

<strong>Church</strong> News 4-6<br />

Children, Youth, & Family 7<br />

Senior Saint 8<br />

Treasure’s Report 9<br />

Financial Secretary 10<br />

Calendar 11<br />

<strong>From</strong> Pastor’s <strong>Desk</strong>:<br />

“So then, brothers, stand firm and hold to the<br />

teachings we passed on to you, whether by word<br />

of mouth or by letter.” (2 Thessalonians 2:16)<br />

The importance of the apostle’s admonition to the<br />

<strong>Church</strong> to hold onto the teachings passed on to us is<br />

clearly demonstrated in what occurred in the recent<br />

convention of the (Evangelical <strong>Lutheran</strong>) <strong>Church</strong> of<br />

America, when in various decisions they proved<br />

themselves to no longer be <strong>Lutheran</strong> or people of<br />

the Bible. While many of the resolutions they<br />

adopted point to this, perhaps the most flagrant<br />

would be their “Social <strong>St</strong>atement on Human<br />

Sexuality” and their follow-up decision to allow<br />

practicing homosexuals to serve as pastors.<br />

The dangers of setting aside the Scriptures as<br />

the inspired, inerrant Word of God and only source<br />

and norm for the <strong>Church</strong>’s teaching and practice has<br />

manifested itself in many ways in the ELCA. It has<br />

led to the ordination of women to the pastoral office,<br />

the endorsement of abortion, open communion,<br />

entering into full fellowship with those who deny<br />

justification by grace through faith in Christ, and now<br />

yet another attempt to call good evil and evil good.<br />

Some of the opponents to the ―Social <strong>St</strong>atement<br />

on Human Sexuality‖ at the ELCA convention<br />

recognized what was happening. Curtis Sorbo, a<br />

delegate from North Dakota, said, "We are asked to<br />

affirm a description of sexuality based on a reality<br />

that's shaped not by Scripture but by today's<br />

culture."<br />

Sadly, Mr. Sorbo, along with others who wanted<br />

to follow God’s Word, were in the minority. Twothirds<br />

of the delegates chose to adopt the statement<br />

that rejected God’s revealed will for human sexuality<br />

and marriage and redefined them in ways that were<br />

more in line with the contemporary ideology of our<br />

godless society.<br />

The bishop of the ELCA said that the statements<br />

drafters agreed that differing views on the subject of<br />

homosexuality and same-sex marriages could be<br />

accommodated because they were issues that were<br />

―not central to our faith.‖ I ask, though, when sin is<br />

no longer sin that needs forgiven through the cross<br />

of Jesus, doesn’t that become central to our faith<br />

There is no teaching set forth by God in His Word<br />

that is so unimportant that we are given liberty to<br />

ignore or reject it. As our ever relevant <strong>Lutheran</strong><br />

Confessions note:<br />

"For these controversies are not merely<br />

misunderstandings or semantic arguments,<br />

where someone might think that one group had<br />

not sufficiently grasped what the other group<br />

was trying to say or that the tensions were based<br />

upon only a few specific words of relatively little<br />

consequence. Rather, these controversies deal<br />

with important and significant matters, and they<br />

are of such a nature that the positions of the<br />

erring party neither could nor should be tolerated<br />

in the church of God, much less be excused or<br />

defended… Therefore, necessity demands<br />

explanation of these disputed articles on the<br />

basis of God’s Word and reliable writings, so that<br />

those with a proper Christian understanding<br />

could recognize which position regarding the<br />

points under dispute is in accord with God’s<br />

Word and the Christian Augsburg Confession<br />

and which is not, and so that Christians of good<br />

will, who are concerned about the truth, might<br />

protect and guard themselves from the errors<br />

and corruptions that have appeared among us."<br />

I have written these things to you, the Lord’s flock<br />

under my charge, not so that we may selfrighteously<br />

condemn the erring of the ELCA, but to<br />

warn you. Many of the arguments used to commit<br />

apostasy in the ELCA are being offered in our own<br />

synod by those who would have us follow the same<br />

path. Many within our own congregation hold<br />

opinions that are not in agreement with Holy<br />

Scripture, and most do not allow God’s Word to have<br />

absolute authority over them, nor do they give it<br />

enough attention to shape their lives.<br />

So then, brothers and sisters, as a slave of Christ<br />

and His servant for your sake I encourage you to<br />

stand firm and hold to the teachings we passed on to<br />

you.<br />

Peace in Christ,<br />

Pastor Umbarger


September 2009<br />

Page 2<br />

A C.E.L. Production<br />

My friends and family in Christ—<br />

It is hard for me to believe that I am starting my 3rd year here at <strong>St</strong>. John’s. I remember walking in the<br />

doors the second day here to a staff meeting. I couldn’t believe that I was going to be ―in charge‖ of a preschool. I<br />

definitely have made my share of mistakes a long the way and I know that I have grown in big ways. I look<br />

forward to a new year full of new adventures and new growth as well.<br />

I would like to welcome back our dedicated teachers of the Center for Early Learning. We have Wendy<br />

MacDonald teaching the four year olds Mondays, Wednesdays, Fridays and three year olds<br />

on Tuesdays and Thursdays. Aiding her for both classes is Renee Tysma. As I type this we<br />

are looking for a Pre-Kindergarten teacher. I am pleased to announce that Judy Turek will be<br />

joining us again this year to teach three year olds on Tuesdays and Thursdays. To help her<br />

this year we moved Sylvia Fauser over to her room. In the office, we have recently hired Gail<br />

Massey as the CEL Secretary. We have been very blessed with our faculty members this<br />

year and they look forward to sharing God’s word and His love with all the children in their charge.<br />

Together, with the teachers, we have been working very hard getting things in order and the classrooms<br />

set up for the children to come. We are very excited and are looking forward to having a wonderful, successful<br />

year.<br />

The teachers and I would like to thank the Board of Education for their hard work and preparation for this<br />

school year. It seems that each year there is more and more to do and we are looking for that last couple kids to<br />

fill in our openings and the Lord always provides. The board is so patient and understanding and I am so grateful<br />

for them.<br />

In Him—<br />

Shannon <<br />

We also need your pictures of the school!!!


The Informer<br />

Page 3<br />

Serving the Lord This Month:<br />

Ushers<br />

Saturday, September 5: Larry<br />

Versluis, Norm Antolik, Vern Sletten, &<br />

Fred Bonow<br />

Sunday, September 6: Bill Park, Glen<br />

McMillin, Dave Pratt, Tim Chellew,<br />

Bob Kohn, Brian Kern, & Larry Hipple<br />

Saturday, September 12: Larry<br />

Versluis, Norm Antolik, Vern Sletten, &<br />

Fred Bonow<br />

Sunday, September 13: Bill Park,<br />

Glen McMillin, Dave Pratt, Tim<br />

Chellew, Bob Kohn, Brian Kern, &<br />

Larry Hipple<br />

Saturday, September 19: Larry<br />

Versluis, Norm Antolik, Vern Sletten, &<br />

Fred Bonow<br />

Sunday, September 20: Bill Park,<br />

Glen McMillin, Dave Pratt, Tim<br />

Chellew, Bob Kohn, Brian Kern, Larry<br />

Hipple, & JoAnne Wilson<br />

Saturday, September 26: Larry<br />

Versluis, Norm Antolik, Vern Sletten, &<br />

Fred Bonow<br />

Sunday, September 27: Bill Park,<br />

Glen McMillin, Dave Pratt, Tim<br />

Chellew, Bob Kohn, Brian Kern, &<br />

Larry Hipple<br />

Greeters<br />

5 - 6:30–Nancy Bonow &<br />

Margaret Murphy<br />

6– 9:00– Dennis & Marsha Boarts<br />

12– 6:30–Nancy Bonow &<br />

Margaret Murphy<br />

13– 9:00– Dennis & Marsha Boarts<br />

19– 6:30– Nancy Bonow &<br />

Joyce Hoffman<br />

20--9:00– Candace Sountris & Chloe<br />

Hewitt<br />

26– 6:30– Nancy Bonow &<br />

Joyce Hoffman<br />

27– 9:00– Lee Copeland & Judy<br />

Hardesty<br />

Fellowship Callers<br />

5 & 6 - Bill & Doris Park<br />

12 & 13 – Judy Knudsen & Betty<br />

Withrow<br />

19 & 20– Joy Fauser & JoAnne Wilson<br />

26 & 27– Ralph & Norma Grotelueschen<br />

Eternal Candle<br />

September 6, 13, & 20— Available<br />

October—Full<br />

November 8— Available<br />

December 13 & 20—Available<br />

Flower Chart<br />

September 6 & 20—Available<br />

October 25—Available<br />

November 1—Available<br />

December—Full<br />

Acolytes<br />

September 5: Elizabeth Antolik<br />

September 6: Lindsey Ransom<br />

September 12: Molly Rogers<br />

September 13: Ryan Blaser<br />

September 19: Adam Lack<br />

September 20: Cody Rossmiller<br />

September 26: Tanner Rusk<br />

September 27: Keith Verschoore<br />

Altar Guild<br />

Gloria Burke Ramona Oltmann<br />

Elaine Newman<br />

Sunday Morning<br />

Coffee & Donuts<br />

6—Available<br />

13— Available<br />

20— Available<br />

27— Available<br />

Joy & Comfort<br />

Ralph and Norma Grotelueschen have a<br />

new grandson, Joshua Michael Kroll,<br />

born August 3, 2009 weighing 7 pounds 7<br />

ounces. Proud Parents are David and<br />

Renee Kroll who reside in Georgia.<br />

Thank you for your service!!<br />

A word of Christian comfort to the family<br />

and friends of Ruth Buck upon her death<br />

on August 6.


September 2009<br />

Page 4<br />

<strong>Church</strong> News<br />

Birthday’s<br />

September 1 – Janaan Hanson, John<br />

Honeycutt, Amber McMillin, Amber Orey,<br />

& Matthew Wasinger<br />

September 2 – William Seidlitz<br />

September 3– Adam Lack, <strong>St</strong>eve La-<br />

Croix, & Alyssa Shelton<br />

September 5– Rebecca Kays<br />

September 6 – Erica Burnett & Matthew<br />

Dosch<br />

September 7– Cassidy Denys, Hillary<br />

Ekin, & Pamela Fisher<br />

September 8– Judy Hardesty, Sheena<br />

Johnson, & Alexandra Miller<br />

September 9– Robyn Cothron<br />

September 10– Dorothy Tribbett<br />

September 11– Christopher Heller,<br />

Rebecca Koenig, Cheryl MacDougall, &<br />

Keith Schnabel<br />

September 12– Adela Foster, Nolan<br />

Girard, & Marilyn Kupresin<br />

September 13– Jim Beswick & Kaitlyn<br />

McMillin<br />

September 14– Mary Engebrecht, Owen<br />

Hawkins, & James Vandierendonck<br />

September 15– Martha Merritt<br />

September 16– LuAnn VanDierendonck<br />

& Judith Versluis<br />

September 17– Judith DeGraeve<br />

September 18– Sharon Kirklin<br />

September 21– Karen Schmidt & Gary<br />

VanDeWoestyne<br />

Spetember 22– Hilary Denys & Devin<br />

VanRycke<br />

September 23– James Ruggles<br />

September 24– Craig Hart & Helen<br />

Heiland<br />

September 25– Lindsay Crane, Brian<br />

Hart, Thomas Hart, <strong>St</strong>even Lackey, &<br />

Ryan Sager<br />

September 26– Victoria Hanna<br />

September 27– Mark Bressler, Ty<br />

Chaffee, & Tara Hawkins<br />

September 28– Tammy Cady<br />

September 29—Kristy Anderson, Mary<br />

Arnold, Susan Busch, & Carlie Schofield<br />

September 30—<br />

John McMillin,<br />

Lori Smith, Dawn<br />

<strong>St</strong>reeter, & Robert<br />

VandeWiele<br />

Weekly Attendance & Offerings<br />

DATE THIS YEAR LAST YEAR SUN. SCHOOL RECEIVED<br />

7/26/09 249 258 none $5,234.00<br />

8/2/09 246 239 12 $7,757.00<br />

8/9/09 228 198 15 $6,022.00<br />

8/16/09 231 239 16 $3,906.00<br />

June Simply Giving Totals $1,957.00<br />

Secretary Applications<br />

Receptionist/Clreical position will be opening in the church<br />

office the end of September. Cora Whipple will serve as<br />

the Lead Secretary when Joanne retires. The new position<br />

will be 20-24 hours (we can be flexible), with pay beginning<br />

at minimum wage. If possible, we would like to train<br />

someone during the month of September. Questions<br />

Interest Please contact the church office for a job<br />

description and application.<br />

Food Pantry<br />

Many of you know that our food pantry is now serving<br />

more and more people with our economy the way that it is.<br />

This causes our supplies to run lower and lower and our<br />

funding to continue to deplete. Please consider donating<br />

non perishable food items: boxes of food, canned food,<br />

mac n cheese, cereal, veggies, etc. to our food pantry to<br />

help them restock the shelves. All your help is much appreciated<br />

by our volunteers and those who need food!


The Informer<br />

Page 5<br />

<strong>Church</strong> News<br />

Golf Outing<br />

Notes from the Balcony<br />

The <strong>St</strong>. John’s family golf<br />

tournament will be Sunday,<br />

September 13 th , with the<br />

first tee times starting at<br />

2:30 pm. This is intended<br />

as a family event and<br />

prizes have been organized<br />

for youth through senior<br />

citizens and men and ladies.<br />

Last year we had 32<br />

prizes to recognize and<br />

enhance the fun for this<br />

event.<br />

We will be playing 9 holes<br />

best ball for 4 person<br />

teams. Youth, women, and<br />

Senior citizens may use the forward tees. Green fees are<br />

$12.00, cart fees are $6.50 if you do not care to walk, and picnic<br />

fees are $5.00 with kids 12 and under eating free. For<br />

safety purposes, children will only be allowed to drive a cart if<br />

they are less then 14 years old and have a parent at their side<br />

on the cart seat.<br />

Signup is on the stand in the hallway leading to the narthex and<br />

on the library counter. You may sign up your 4 person team or<br />

just sign-up on the golf tournament announcement and we will<br />

establish teams for you.<br />

We will welcome non-golfers to attend the picnic which should<br />

start about 5:30 pm.<br />

Let’s make this an un-FORE-gettable day.<br />

Membership Report<br />

CHANGE OF ADDRESS:<br />

Bradley Hayes<br />

Kelly Hayes<br />

4713 8 th <strong>St</strong>reet 1152 Oak Drive<br />

East Moline, IL 61244 Colona, IL 61241<br />

792-5236<br />

Toni Helman<br />

Katy (Kays) Bruss<br />

3316 S. Hampton Dr. 426 Carter Road<br />

Bettendorf, IA 52722 Clarksville, TN 37042<br />

Jeff Burke<br />

Mr. & Mrs. Matthew Giertz<br />

2740 E. 53 rd <strong>St</strong>reet 20 Pick Avenue<br />

Davenport, Iowa 52806 Fort Levenworth, KS 66027<br />

Rebecca Kays<br />

Michelle & Dalton Krumweide<br />

3547 West 73 rd Place 508 38 Avenue<br />

Chicago, IL 60629 East Moline, IL 61244<br />

It’s time for the ringing and singing to<br />

begin! All our groups welcome new<br />

members, so please come to join the<br />

veterans.<br />

Jane Hipple (755 2784) has already begun with the Heavenly<br />

Ringers, but that does not mean that you can’t start now.<br />

With the exception of Labor Day, they meet in the balcony on<br />

Mondays at 6:30 pm.<br />

Christine Engebrecht (787 5928) leads the younger groups<br />

with Kids of the Kingdom singing; they rehearse one<br />

Wednesday a month from 5-6 pm in the Music Room at the<br />

south end of the education wing.<br />

The Cherub Chimers are under her direction in the same<br />

room every Wednesday from 6-6:30 pm. The chimes are a<br />

great introduction to ringing handbells.<br />

These rehearsals begin on September 9.<br />

The Choir is directed by Lucille Perley (764 9079) and meets<br />

in the balcony on Wednesdays from 6:30-7:45 pm. It is a<br />

mixed group of voices, and members ages are from 8 th<br />

grade to ……….<br />

All our groups enjoy leading the congregation in worship of<br />

our Lord. Plan to join us this year; it will be wonderful practice<br />

for when we get to Heaven!<br />

ADULT BAPTISM<br />

Todd Miller – June 20th<br />

ADULT CONFIRMAND<br />

Naomi Lincoln, Josh<br />

Shatteman, & Todd Miller<br />

JR. CONFIRMATION<br />

Ryan Blaser, Zachery Chellew, Lindsey Ransom, Keith Verschoore<br />

TRANSFER IN<br />

Margo Blaser and Carl Blazer* from Zion <strong>Lutheran</strong>, Taylor Ridge, IL<br />

Linda Hazen from Immanuel <strong>Lutheran</strong>, Rock Island, IL<br />

TRANSFER OUT<br />

Shannon Cady to Hope <strong>Lutheran</strong>, Shawnee, KS<br />

Marci Oltmann to Grace <strong>Lutheran</strong>, Sandy, UT<br />

MARRIAGE<br />

Lyndsie VanDeWoestyne to Michael Kerr – June 20 th<br />

Bryan Dennis and Amy Descamps – July 18 th<br />

RELEASE PER HER REQUEST:<br />

*signifies baptized child<br />

Julie Hagg<br />

6255 Beechtree Dr.<br />

Unit 4307<br />

West Des Moines, IA 50266-8627


September 2009<br />

Page 6<br />

<strong>Church</strong> News<br />

American Guild of Organists<br />

The local chapter of American Guild of Organists will have their<br />

opening recital of the season here at <strong>St</strong>. <strong>John's</strong> on Sunday afternoon<br />

(2 pm) September 13. You will enjoy hearing local organists<br />

playing many styles of Praise to the Lord the Almighty and Amazing<br />

Grace, and you can join in singing these hymns, also.<br />

<strong>St</strong>ewardship Article<br />

In September we observe Labor Day, a legal holiday in honor of labor.<br />

The Bible deals with labor in a variety of ways. In Genesis 2:15 we<br />

read that “The Lord God took the man and put him into the Garden<br />

of Eden to work it and take care of it.” (NIV) It was part of<br />

God’s plan of creation to make human beings for work and provide<br />

work for them.<br />

Work is important for us. It is important enough that we often answer<br />

questions like who or what we are by referring to our work. We may<br />

answer in a number of different ways like I’m a teacher, or a plumber,<br />

or a carpenter, or an office manager, or a business owner, or a pastor,<br />

or a doctor, or one of many other vocations. No wonder people get<br />

depressed when they are without jobs and meaningful work to do.<br />

Much of our self esteem is tied in closely with our work.<br />

As God’s redeemed stewards we recognize that God has entrusted to<br />

us many things to manage and work with according to His will and<br />

plan. To not be willing to work and still expect to receive good things<br />

is like stealing. Ephesians 4:28 says, “He who has been stealing<br />

must steal no longer, but must work, doing something useful<br />

with his own hands, that he may have something to share with<br />

those in need.” (NIV)<br />

Honest labor provides us with a sense of fulfillment and provides for<br />

our own needs and something extra to share with others who are in<br />

need. The book of Ecclesiastes includes a number of passages like<br />

2:24; 3:12-13; 22; 5:18-20 that encourage us to find joy in our work.<br />

Work is a blessing from God and He gives us the time, talent and<br />

resources to do our work in a way that honors God and blesses others<br />

as well as ourselves. The words of Hebrews 13:20-21 affirm this<br />

truth: “May the God of peace, who through the blood of the eternal<br />

covenant brought back from the dead our Lord Jesus, that<br />

great Shepherd of the sheep, equip you with everything good for<br />

doing his will, and may he work in us what is pleasing to him,<br />

through Jesus Christ, to whom be glory for ever and ever.<br />

Amen.” (NIV)<br />

So this September as many things like vacations are over and new<br />

things start up again—school, mission and ministry efforts in our congregations<br />

as well as other September activities—let’s remember that<br />

with the power of the Holy Spirit we can live and work as God’s redeemed<br />

stewards who freely and joyfully manage all of life and life’s<br />

resources for His purposes. May we always be encouraged to give<br />

our very best when it comes to our financial gifts of love, our use of<br />

time and talents, and our willing service at home, in the workplace, in<br />

our communities and in our congregations.<br />

LWML<br />

The Ladies of <strong>St</strong>.John’s <strong>Lutheran</strong>, East Moline, will be hosting<br />

the Rock Island Zone Fall Rally on Tuesday, September 22,<br />

2009. Registration and coffee will begin at 8:15 a.m. and the<br />

Rally will begin at 9:00 a.m. Lunch is included in the $8.00 registration<br />

fee.<br />

The Rally theme is ―...where does my help come from‖<br />

Psalm 121:1b. Our Rally speaker is Mr. Garry Wolff who was<br />

assigned to the LCMS Board for Missions as an Education Missionary<br />

to Papua New Guinea. Now retired, he lives in the Altamont<br />

area working as a general contractor/carpenter.<br />

This year, a District-wide Ingathering of home made tote<br />

bags will be taken for women being released from the Lincoln<br />

Correctional Center to carry their personal belongings. If you<br />

are interested in making a Tote bag, the instructions will be on<br />

the library table.<br />

If you are planning to attend, please give your registration fee<br />

of $8.00 (checks payable to <strong>St</strong>. John’s LWML) to Lee Copeland,<br />

1319-30th Ave., East Moline, IL 61244. Registration Deadline is<br />

September 15th.<br />

Please plan to attend and bring along a friend. With your<br />

help, they may become an active member in LWML.<br />

Because of the Zone Fall Rally there will be no regular LWML<br />

meeting in the month of September.<br />

Library News<br />

The computerized library catalog (LibraryThing) is<br />

now available for use, although much work remains<br />

to bring it up to date. More than 900 books have<br />

been entered into the database, but at least that<br />

many more need to be added. We hope to complete this project<br />

in the next few months.<br />

You may access the database from your home computer or from<br />

the computer in the library. No password is needed. <strong>From</strong> the<br />

home page of the church website (www.stjohnsem.org), click on<br />

Our Library Catalogue. The main library catalog will appear. If<br />

you are using the computer in the library, from the home page<br />

click on ―L‖ at the left of the screen to access the main catalog.<br />

<strong>From</strong> the main catalog use the search key at right to find a specific<br />

book under author, title, subject, or series. For the location<br />

of the book in our library click on the detail page symbol (to left<br />

of green cross) and scroll down to the Dewey classification number.<br />

The book should be on the shelf at that location. Use the<br />

Tag tab to find all books in our library on a specific subject,<br />

genre, or series.<br />

If you have any questions regarding the use of the catalog, or<br />

any questions about locating books in the library, please contact<br />

Judy Belan (755-3815).


September 2009<br />

Page 7<br />

Children, Youth & Family News<br />

CHILDREN, YOUTH & ADULTS<br />

COME TO RALLY DAY!!<br />

Sunday School<br />

RALLY DAY is almost here!!! Rally Day marks the beginning of<br />

the year for Sunday School. It is the time to recognize and<br />

RALLY DAY<br />

honor both those who teach and those who learn—children,<br />

youth, and adults. It provides a unique opportunity to acknowledge<br />

the partnership of parents and teachers and all those who<br />

study the Word; a day for our congregation to celebrate our ministry of Christian education.<br />

SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 6<br />

After worship on the 6th join us for a Rally Day Assembly in the gym, complete with fun songs and<br />

cheers. After we spend some time in the classrooms with your teachers, we will head back to the gym<br />

for team games and lunch!<br />

Sunday, September 13— 11:30-<br />

12:30—Fast Food Buffet & Bible<br />

Fun!!<br />

Wednesday, September 30—7:30-8:30<br />

p.m.— Post Confirmation Fellowship (PCF)<br />

bring $2.00 and a drink to share!!<br />

Friday, September 4—FFF—7-10:30<br />

Bring a snack and a drink to share!<br />

Sunday, September 27th—Youth<br />

Group—11:30-1 p.m.—Activity TBA!!<br />

We need the addresses of college students in order to publish a list of our members attending college. We will be sending the informer to<br />

these students as well so they know what is happening here at <strong>St</strong>. John’s. Please return the form below to Shannon by September 20th.<br />

ST. JOHN’S COLLEGE STUDENTS<br />

Name of <strong>St</strong>udent:<br />

Year in College:<br />

Field of Specialization:<br />

Name & Location of College:<br />

Your Address at the College:<br />

ZIP CODE:


The Informer<br />

Page 8<br />

Senior Saint of August<br />

On November 8,<br />

1922, Milan, Missouri<br />

was the birthplace of<br />

Margaret Frances<br />

Glidewell, the youngest<br />

of eleven children – five<br />

boys and six girls. Living<br />

on a farm she stayed<br />

busy cooking, cleaning,<br />

milking cows, carrying<br />

firewood into the house<br />

for the cook stove and<br />

wood stove, which kept<br />

MARGARET MURPHY the house and family<br />

warm. She also shelled<br />

corn for chicken feed and various nuts from trees in the<br />

meadows and pastureland for the family to eat. Tending<br />

the large garden was also one of the chores to be done<br />

on the 270-acre farm. During the Depression years, this<br />

farm kept them alive and well.<br />

In first grade she walked a mile and a half<br />

through fields to a country school. Her dad thinking the<br />

cows might hurt the children, he received permission for<br />

them to attend school in the town of Milan. This was a<br />

3½ mile walk each way every day until a bus was<br />

furnished in her senior year. After graduation, she took<br />

various college courses.<br />

She tells of her father reading the Bible to his<br />

family every day and attending church in a schoolhouse<br />

during the summer months, when different preachers<br />

would take turns. There were no churches to attend in<br />

the winters.<br />

With this background you can understand<br />

her vitality for living. She still goes three times a week to<br />

an exercise class in the pool at the YMCA. Her love for<br />

Christ comes out when she talks of her family and life in<br />

general.<br />

After World War II she worked in a veterans’<br />

service office. One day in 1947 James Murphy, an<br />

honorably discharged Army fellow, asked his sister if<br />

there were any single girls left to date. His sister<br />

suggested Margaret Glidewell, who worked on the<br />

second floor of the courthouse. He ventured over and<br />

called her from the first floor and asked her for a date.<br />

When she found out it was the same boy that rode the<br />

school bus in her earlier days and two years younger,<br />

she wanted to make sure what he looked like. He came<br />

up to her office, and with light in her eyes she tells of this<br />

tall, handsome man walking in. They dated and were<br />

married August 17, 1949 in Trenton, Missouri and<br />

together, they raised six children.<br />

They were on their way home from a friend’s<br />

house in Illinois and stopped in Moline to fill out job<br />

applications resulting in Jim working at Alcoa. They<br />

bought a small house in Carbon Cliff and went to a<br />

Methodist church nearby once in a while. Her next door<br />

neighbor was Erwin and Mildred Zempel (former<br />

members of <strong>St</strong>. John’s). They invited Margaret and Jim<br />

a couple times to Pastor Janssen’s class but they said<br />

no. The third time the Zempels asked, they went and<br />

kept going. In 1967 Margaret, Jim and all six children<br />

were baptized. The next day, Margaret and Jim were<br />

confirmed. Since then Margaret is active in LWML,<br />

Ladies’ Aid, brings food to functions, and helps clean the<br />

church kitchen. She and Jim built their dream house in<br />

Moline, where she currently lives.<br />

After Jim retired, they spent 21 winters in<br />

Hawaii. They have 16 grandchildren, and 10 greatgrandchildren.<br />

Jim passed away November 11, 2006<br />

from Lung Disease and is sorely missed.<br />

Their children: George lives in Prospect<br />

Heights, IL, Gregory in Rock Island, Deborah in<br />

Elmhurst, IL, Travis in Shorewood, Minnesota and<br />

Monica in Moline. Their daughter, Pamela died<br />

suddenly from a brain aneurysm when she was only 44<br />

years old.<br />

An example of Margaret’s trust in our Lord:<br />

When Monica and Travis were 10 and 12 years old, they<br />

contacted Nephritis, a disease of the kidneys. A child<br />

about the same age in the congregation had this<br />

disease and was undergoing serious and painful<br />

treatment. She later died. Alarmed she prayed that<br />

God would make her children well again but with every<br />

trip to the doctor, Travis and Monica were getting worse.<br />

One day she was sitting in the living room and looking at<br />

their pictures. She remembered all the good days she<br />

had with them and decided to change her prayers. She<br />

knelt and thanked her Lord for the days she had been<br />

given with her children and left it in His hands. The next<br />

time they went to the specialist, he told them he didn’t<br />

understand but they were getting better and the deadly<br />

disease disappeared. Her faith increased and to this<br />

day, she thanks God for everything. Margaret’s belief in<br />

God is strong and you can see and feel that strength<br />

when you’re in her presence. Thank you, Margaret, for<br />

an uplifting afternoon!


The Informer<br />

Page 9<br />

Treasure’s Report


September 2009<br />

Page 10<br />

Financial Secretary’s Report


1450-30th Avenue<br />

East Moline, IL 61244<br />

<strong>St</strong>. John’s<br />

<strong>Lutheran</strong> <strong>Church</strong><br />

of East Moline,<br />

Tel: 309-792-0755<br />

Fax: 309-792-0776<br />

E-mail: stjohnsem@sbcglobal.net<br />

Walking in the Light of Christ!<br />

We’re On the Web!!<br />

www.stjohnsem.org<br />

Office Hours<br />

NORMAL OFFICE HOURS RESUME FOLLOWING LABOR DAY:<br />

8:30-4:30 MONDAY –THURSDAY<br />

8:30-12:00 FRIDAY (PRESCHOOL OFFICE ONLY)<br />

PLEASE NOTE THERE IS A 1 HOUR LUNCH ALLOTMENT FROM<br />

12 NOON– 1 P.M. DAILY<br />

Worship Times<br />

WORSHIP SERVICES: Saturday — 6:30 p.m.<br />

Sunday— 9:00 a.m.<br />

SUNDAY SCHOOL & BIBLE CLASS: Sunday — 10:15 a.m.<br />

<strong>St</strong>. John’s in Summer Sun..

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