St. Stephen’s Weekly News: Week of January 19, 2020

Welcome Visitors If you are visiting today, we welcome you in our Risen and Living Savior, Jesus!

• Please let us know you worshiped with us by signing our guest book in the entryway or a Care Card in your pew and drop it in the offering basket.
• If visiting, please don’t feel obligated to give an offering. St. Stephen’s members express thankfulness to God through their voluntary offerings which then support the congregation’s work.
• Introduce yourself to a Pastor, and worship with us again!

Holy Communion will be offered next week in all services. You may register by card at any time.

Funeral Johanna Kraft was called home to heaven on January 15, 2020, age 94.  Funeral service will be Thursday, January 23, at noon at the Koepsell Murray funeral home.  Dawn Wehner was called to heaven on January 16, 2020, age 81.  Funeral services pending.

Radio Service: 9:30am on AM 1430 WBEV
Sunday, January 12, 2020
Sermon: Come, See, Go, Tell
Hymns: 130, 340, 134, 350
Sunday, January 26, 2020
Sermon: Jesus’ Unhappy Homecoming
Hymns: 24, 347, 353, 47

2019 Contribution Statements are available in the entry of the church.  No need to sign up this year, all statements have been printed and are available.  If you are unable to locate yours, please call or email the church office at office@saintstephen.org or 920-885-3309.

Bible Studies

• Women’s Bible Study Group meets on Wednesday nights at 6pm. Copies of the study are available in the church entry and at study time. All women of the congregation are welcome.
• Men’s Bible Study will be tonight at 6:30pm in the room above the office. All men of the congregation are welcome.
• Winter Bible Study “Our Journey through the Gospel of John”. This study will be an overview of the book of John. The beloved disciple’s goal in writing his gospel was to show us who Jesus truly is. We will meet Mondays at 7:00pm and Wednesdays at 11:00am.  All are welcome!

Kindergarten Round Up:  St. Stephen’s will be hosting Kindergarten Round Up February 10^th  from 6pm-7pm  It is a short meeting allowing parents the opportunity to get inside our classroom, meet the teacher and get to know other possible parents and students.  We will have a short presentation on how the kindergarten enrollment process works and what our school has to offer.   If you have a child ready for Kindergarten this upcoming 2020-2021 school year, feel free to stop by and collect some information, meet some friendly folks and maybe enjoy a cookie or two.

Do You Have a Home-Bound Family Member? Our pastors are not always made aware of members who are home-bound due to health issues. They have a schedule for visiting such members with God’s Word and Communion. Please let the church office know if you have such a family member whose faith would benefit from such visits.

Annual Voters’ Meeting has been set for Sunday, January 26^th, at 1:15pm.  The annual report of congregation activity for 2019 will be reviewed, and elections will take place for congregation boards.  All men 18 years and older are urged to take part in this leadership activity of our congregation.  Every member is welcome to attend and listen.

Nominees for Elections (alphabetically)

Church Council (3 to be elected; * = incumbent)

Curt Lehman, Roger Leland*, Joel Scott, Duane Swenson, —, —

Board of Education (2 to be elected)

David Sager, Jacob Schultz, —, —

Board of Property Maintenance (1 to be elected)

James Szopinski, —

Care Cards The Ladies Aid Society, at its January meeting, voted unanimously to continue the “Care Card” program.

To our St. Stephen’s family members who are:

• Preparing for a future in the Ministry,
• Serving in a branch of the Military, stationed here or abroad,
• Attending a college, university or trade school away from home

A monetary gift will be sent and a card of encouragement from our congregation to let them know we are thinking of them and praying for them.

If you have a member of your family who is away, we would like to include them in our mailing.  Please call Anna Gensmer, office manager of St. Stephen’s church, at 920-885-3309 with your child’s name and address.

We will be collecting monetary gifts from the congregation on Thursday, Jan. 23 and Sunday, Jan. 26.

The mailing is being planned for the second week in February.

PTS Thank you Dear Church members, Greetings in Jesus name! On behalf of the PTS, we want to take this opportunity to thank each and every one of you for the recent teamwork and support we received for our cleaning day! It was a major success and the Lord blessed our day. Thank you and God bless you in all that you do.

Call Acknowledgement   Dear members of St. Stephen’s

I am writing this letter to acknowledge the call that was placed before me as the Kindergarten teacher starting next year. The bible passage from Romans 8:28 comes to mind when I think of the two years I have taught here so far. Romans 8:28 says, “And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose.”

Many of you may or may not know that along with my elementary degree I hold an Early Childhood degree as well.  Most of my years teaching have been in Early Childhood Education.  I enjoyed teaching the upper grade children last year and the 4th grade this year.  I know God put those opportunities before me for a reason and I have been humbled by those opportunities. I look forward to teaching God’s littlest lambs here at St. Stephen’s.  I ask for continued prayers for me and my family as I transition this summer into the Kindergarten position. Psalm 37:5, “Commit your way to the Lord; trust in him and he will do this.”

In His Service,   Mrs. Erin Krebs

Our Response to God’s Grace in Christ:

Participation:

Thursday, January 9               99

Sunday, January 12:  56 + 102 + 110 = 268

Calendar: 

Sunday, January 19 – Ushers C

7:30, 9:00, 10:30 am – Worship

9:00am – Sunday School

9:30am – Radio Service, WBEV 1430

Monday, January 20 – Martin Luther King Jr. Day

6:00pm – Church Council

7:00pm – Bible Class

Tuesday, January 21

6:30pm – PTS Meeting

Wednesday, January 22

11:00am – Bible Class

1:45pm – Hillside Manor Service

3:30pm – Parent-Teacher Conferences

3:30pm – Public School Catechism

6:00pm – Bible Study 4 Women

6:30pm – Elders

7:15pm – Handbells

Thursday, January 23 – Ushers C

11:00am – Bible Information Class

3:30pm – Parent-Teacher Conferences

6:30pm – Communion Worship

7:30pm – Bible Information Class

7:30pm – Senior Chior

Friday, January 24 – Parent-Teacher Conferences -No School

Sunday, January 26 – Holy Communion (CC) – Ushers D

7:30, 9:00, 10:30 am – Communion Worship

9:00am – Sunday School

9:30am – Radio Service, WBEV 1430

1:15pm – Annual Voters Meeting

6:30pm – Men’s Bible Class