Ministries
Whether it's providing a meal to a child in our community or sending quilts to refugees in a faraway country, reaching out to help others is a big part of St. John's Lutheran Church.
Fall Festival
On the first Saturday of November, the church is filled with crafts, quilts, and baked goods for the annual Fall Festival. Swedish rye bread, ostkaka, and a variety of pies are traditional favorites as well as ham balls for lunch.
There was not a Fall Festival this year due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Quilters
Every Tuesday, the quilters gather at the church to do what they do best...make quilts. Some of the quilts are sold at the Fall Festival, but many more are given to people of need. Last year the quilters gave:
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12 quilts to flood victims
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14 quilts to the Shenandoah Food Pantry
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1 quilt to confirmation student
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1 quilt for Cancer Research
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18 quilts to selected families in Essex that were delivered by the Essex Fire Department.
2020 Advent Project
The Shared Ministry council decided at their October meeting that the Advent project would again be supporting the area Food Pantries. Fremont Lutheran supports both the Shenandoah and Red Oak food pantry, while St. Johns supports the Shenandoah Food Pantry. Both churches will be collecting items for a Christmas meal for area families.
Instead of assigning items and collecting each week during Advent,
it was decided to have items divided into 4 suggestions. This gives you the option of purchasing some of the suggested items or if you wish, you can fill an entire box with all the items suggested.
All food pantries appreciate everything we do for them, and this year a Christmas meal could have significant impact on families.
Suggestion #1
Items for green bean casserole
2 cans green beans
1 can cream of mushroom soup
1 can French fried onions
Suggestion # 2
Stuffing Mix
Instant Mashed Potatoes
Gravy (jar or packet)
Suggestion #3
Fruit or Vegetable juice
Hot Chocolate Mix
Coffee/Tea bags/Christmas napkins
Suggestion #4
Peaches, Pineapple, Fruit Cocktail
or mandarin oranges.
(to go with the boxes of JELL-O)
Brownie Mix, Cookie Mix or Muffin Mix
Cash donations will also be accepted.
Outreach
We will once again sponsor a drive to collect warm caps and gloves or mittens for our Essex school. This drive will run during the month of December. Since church services will not be held until mid-December at the earliest, if you would like to have your donation picked up, please call Janet Walker at 379-3234.