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