Lent 2019 Lutheran Life

A PUBLICATION OF ST. JOHN’S LUTHERAN CHURCH

LUTHERAN LIFE

IN THIS ISSUE ...

Transition Update ………………………………... page 4-5 Faith Formation ……………………………………… page 8 Lenten Happenings ………..……. beginning on page 10 Birthdays ……………………………………………... page 15 LENT 2019

LUTHERAN LIFE

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OME HOLY SPIRIT, lead the way.

As we begin the ancient season of lent, let us enter the desert with Jesus and let the spirit lead us.

Want to know where the spirit leads: take time this Lent to feast on ways to listen to God, to celebrate our relationships, to explore new and renewed ways to connect with Jesus, and to intentionally listen for the voice, look for the hands and heart of Jesus. Lent is a time for us to look into things that keep us(fasting) from hearing our Lord, that keep us from seeing Jesus among us, that distance us from Jesus.

Transition is an uncertain time, pastoral change begs lots of questions. This Lent focus on feasting, feasting on that which opens your hearts and mind to the spirit of the lord among us. Lent is a gift, a gift that affords us time to give thanks and celebrate Jesus among us.

Lent is a time to rediscover the Jesus we never knew.

Joshua 1:9 reminds us to be strong and courageous, to not be afraid for God is with us. As we enter the desert, God is with us. As we journey through pastoral vacancy God is with us. Open your heart and soul to the Christ among you .

Recall the blessings the ministry, the high points in your faith life and the life of your church- collect words and tokens of that speak of God with you- place them in a special bowl‌and then share

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the stories that encompass those tokens. Share the faith story, listen to others faith stories and in so doing my prayer is that the spirit will lead you into a deeper commitment to the gospel and renewed connection to being the heart and soul of Jesus. And before long the spirit makes known to us just where he is leading us. Lent-it is a tribute of our openness to connect with Jesus, and to be led by the spirit.

I will be attending a clergy clinic in Charlotte March 1113, then I will begin my ministry with you on March 15. I look forward to being among you and hearing your stories of how God has blessed you and the ministry at St John’s.

Pastor Vargo, her daughter Felicity and her husband Jim

LUTHERAN LIFE

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hroughout our recent transition, the entire St. John’s church family was invited to take one step up. Day to day, week to week, you have made a difference again and again. Here some examples to celebrate: * Training and nurturing new youth worship leaders * Adding streaming to our Sunday morning worship experience * Dropping off cookies for the office staff * Welcoming Interim Pastor Jean Vargo and her family with exceptional hospitality * Engaging in Faith Formation conversations * Worshiping consistently and passionately * Sharing meals with those who are recovering from recent surgeries * Caring tenderly for those who mourn * Inviting friends to worship and serve alongside you * Volunteering to facilitate Adult Faith Formation when that important detail fell through the crack on Pastor Amy’s watch … OOPS!! * Hosting team meetings in your homes * Agreeing to serve on the Transition Team * Asking, “How can I help?” with incredible regularity * Showing up when it might be easier to stay at home or make other plans * Seeing a need and simply taking care of it without any fanfare * Attending new expressions of ministry such as Intercessory Prayer Group or the Respectful Dialogue Book Group * Stepping into new leadership roles * Supporting Pastor Amy with intentional leadership while Pastor John finished his sabbatical * Being present, whether participating in extra meetings and caring well for others * Updating the website and promoting St. John’s through social media * Finding tender expressions of care such as a hand on a shoulder or a hug * Providing transportation for those who are unable to drive Faithfully done, St. John’s family, FAITHFULLY DONE!

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TRANSITION

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he question on the lips of many St. John’s members is “So, what’s next?” Allow us to offer some highlights and make some introductions.

First, we look forward to welcome Pastor Jean Vargo and her family, Jim and Felicity, in mid-March.

Pastor Jean brings a wealth of experience as a seasoned interim, and her family is looking forward to both investing at St. John’s and visiting the newest member of their family, Charlotte Grace, daughter of Pastor Jean and Jim’s daughter, Vitality, and her husband, John, who live in Marietta, GA. Second, allow us to introduce our Transition Team, pictured on page 5: Mary, Cole, Jim Friedrich, Sarah Griswold, Debby Jones, Sam Pressley, Clarence Scott (Church Council Liaison), and Ethan Zinser (Youth Council Liaison). Their first endeavors as a team include welcoming the Vargo family, helping build a fence to corral their goats, coordinating dinners for the Vargos during their first few weeks in Knoxville, and facilitating small group meetings in which Pastor Jean can become acquainted with the St. John’s family.

Third, the congregation will work with Transition Team to put together Ministry Site Profile, the official document that communicates the specifics of life and ministry at St. John’s. We will be looking at the following broad areas: > Who We Are … demographics, Plan of Ministry specifics, community trends, ministry programs, and significant partnerships > Our Vision for Mission … ministry site characteristics, purpose, giftedness, and mission > Leadership Needs … top five ministry needs, gifts for ministry, expectations, and resources The resulting document will be shared with the bishop of the Southeastern Synod and then passed along to the ELCA where it will be available for consideration as the St. John’s family moves toward forming a Call Team and interviewing pastoral candidates.

Thanks for your prayerful support of both the Vargo family and the Transition Team. If you additional questions, please contact Church Council President Lauren Kimzey at lauren.kimzey@gmail.com or Church Council Vice President Scott Krogmann at scottkrogs@gmail.com.

Listen to sermons you’ve missed ONLINE at www.sjlcknox.org

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LUTHERAN LIFE LIFE LUTHERAN

Meet the members of our Transition Team.

Clarence Scott

Debbie Jones

Sarah Griswold

Ethan Zinser

Sam Pressley

Richard and Jeannine Machalk

Greg Reichart & Greg Kidwell

Brent & Monica Wilson Camille & Maggie

Mary Cole

Jim Friedrich

C. Shane Webb

Bill Cathcart

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LENTEN OVERVIEW “Jesus, full of the Holy Spirit, returned from the Jordan and was led by the Spirit in the wilderness, where for forty days he was tempted by the devil” (Luke 4:1-2a).

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hus begins our first Gospel selection of Lent, a forty day season of following Jesus, led by the Spirit, in the wilderness of life, of our hearts, of our relationships with each other and with God, and it’s a time of being tempted — enticed away from God and from good — and, as such, a time of opportunity, to turn away from temptation, toward God, toward love and loving relationship. It’s a time of learning, at a deeper level, to trust God. One help with that, offered in our Gospel, is the opportunity to notice that it’s God, the Spirit, who leads Jesus into the wilderness.

So often, when we find ourselves in the wilderness, the wild place, the uncertain place of life, we feel it as something gone wrong, when it’s actually a characteristic part of something going right. If you think of the 1937 Disney film, Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs — however problematic it may be on gender, race, and body type — Snow begins the story in danger, a princess in a castle but whose life is threatened by an evil stepmother who sees herself as threatened

by Snow and seeks to kill her. Snow flees, and this is where the wilderness comes in.

She runs alone through the dark forest, accidentally frightening bats who take flight and frighten her. It’s not something wrong with her that she finds herself lost and frightened. It’s simply the beginning of her journey to find a broader circle of support, an alternative, chosen family, one that chooses her. For Snow, it’s seven small men with very human characteristics (Sleepy, Sneezy, Grumpy, etc.) and a strong work ethic (“Hi ho,” etc.).

I mention this extra-biblical text to draw attention to a repeated figure in scripture, as

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well as in most hero’s journeys.* For the sake of something good, we step out of the familiar, and part of the journey is dealing with the unfamiliar, the difficult, and the ways it churns up opportunities to choose good — love, community, and helping one another — or evil. We step down from a position of leadership, we step into a new role of loving service, we find ourselves in a new school, a new town, a new set of relationships, or we find ourselves in the same place but a different role, and there’s an element of wilderness to it. We’re outside the old order, moving toward but not yet in a new way of loving and serving.

Lent is a time of engaging wisdom teaching in worship, often in the form of stories, about exactly this kind of transition. How do we move from the old to the new, in a way that grows our love and trust in God, in each other, and in ourselves? What are the obstacles? What wisdom is available, on how to overcome them? Jesus rejects three temptations the first Sunday in Lent (March 10), clarifies his mission the second Sunday (March 17), presses us toward hope the third Sunday (March 24), and on through the six weeks of Lent to Easter, we learn more and more about how to trust God and grow in faith through the wilderness.

It’s all part of a good process, God leading us from the past to God’s future, and the whole time, God is present. Jesus, and we with him, are “led by the Spirit in the wilderness.” The unfamiliarity — the discomfort, the temptation, and the opportunity to resist temptation, to return to love and grow in trust — are all part of the good process of following where God’s Spirit leads. *For more on this, see Joseph Campell’s Hero With a Thousand Faces (New World Library, Third edition, 2008), or The Power of Myth (Anchor Press, 2011), an interview of Joseph Campbell by Bill Moyers.

LENTEN and HOLY WEEK WORSHIP

Special Services of Lent Ash Wednesday (March 6) Ash Wednesday marks the beginning of Lent, as we are marked with the cross of Christ and remember we are dust, and to dust we shall return. It’s a tender and beautiful thing, to remember we are not God, and we are not nothing, we are God’s creation, made from dust and filled with God’s own breath. We will have two services in our sanctuary, at noon and 6:30pm. The evening service will follow a light supper at 5:30.

Wednesday Evening Worship (March 13, 20, 27, April 3 & 10) Every Wednesday evening during Lent, we have a special opportunity to gather for a simple meal in our Fellowship Hall at 5:30 (provided by TLC, Tender Loving Cooking), followed by worship in our candlelit sanctuary at 6:30. We will use a sung version of Evening Prayer, For the Good of All: A Service of Evensong, with music written by Pastor John, accompanied by piano, organ, cello, and flute. It’s a wonderful way to draw close to God and each other, sharing food, prayer, and song.

Holy Week and Easter Palm Sunday (April 14, 9:00 & 11:00am) Palm Sunday is a service of sharp contrasts. It begins with pomp and circumstance, the choir (and children at our second service) processing behind the cross, with banners and a Holy Spirit kite and palm fronds waving), in remembrance of Jesus riding into Jerusalem to a royal welcome, as the people shouted, “Hosanna! Save us!” Then we sing the Passion, soloists and choir and the congregation entering into and telling in song the story of Christ’s trial, crucifixion, death, and burial. It’s one of the few Sundays when we don’t receive communion, but leave in silence. The service then continues on Maundy Thursday.

Maundy Thursday (April 18, 6:30pm) On Maundy Thursday — named after Christ’s “mandatum” or command, that we love one another — we enter with Jesus and his disciples into the upper room, where we share the Passover feast that becomes Communion. The service closes as the altar and chancel are stripped of all finery, representing Christ’s willing abandonment of power, for the sake of love.

Good Friday (April 19, 6:30pm) On Good — Holy or Blessed — Friday, we enter deeply into the mystery of Christ, as we read the Passion, following Jesus through betrayal, abandonment, mock trial, suffering, and death, to the grave. The service ends with the Strepitus, the slamming of a door representing the closing of the tomb, and again we leave in silence.

Easter Sunday (April 21, 9:00 & 11:00am) Easter is Resurrection! Bright light and brass, choir anthems, new life, and proclamation, “Jesus Christ is risen today! Alleluia!” It is not death and loss, but new life and possibility, that have the final word and, in a sense, it’s not a final word at all, but a continuing word of God’s love, as God continues to raise us to new life.

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LENTEN EXPRESSIONS

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ent is the season of the Christian Year that begins with Ash Wednesday on March 6 and leads up to Easter Sunday on April 21. Traditionally, it is a time of reflection, prayer, fasting. Moving beyond tradition, what are the contemporary dimensions?

Many spend the time in self-examination and reflection as modeled by Jesus in Matthew 4: 1-11 where he prayed and fasted for 40 days before beginning his ministry.

What happened during those 40 days of fasting and praying in the wilderness? Some folks make the following suggestions:  Maybe Jesus needed some time with God to sort through the major changes happening in his life.  Maybe he needed a break from family, friends and his regular routine in order to see God [and himself] more clearly.  Maybe he sought more time with God as he searched for direction and answers to the question that we, too have from time to time: “Who am I called to be?”

Folks will make the journey in different ways. Some will lean into the discipline of giving up something. Others may not do anything differently. Still others may be intentionally contemplative. Some will take something on, investing in ways that contribute to the good of the world.

We hope you will join this Photo-a-day Challenge and share with the St. John’s family how you perceive each word of the day. No explanation needed. After all, a picture is worth a thousand words. You don't have to be a great photographer. This project is more about the practice of paying attention and being intentional rather than using the right filter or getting the perfect shot [though we totally encourage you to get creative!]

Here is how to jump in:  Check the St. John’s Facebook page each day of Lent to discover the daily theme.  Prayerfully consider how you experience that theme.  Take a picture of something that speaks to the daily theme.  Post your picture in the comments of the daily theme post.  Use the following hashtag: Let’s start this 40-day journey together, sharing glimpses of our lives with one another. Let this be an intentional time, even for a few minutes a day, to pause, remember and reflect.

03.06 03.07 03.08 03.09 03.10 03.11 03.12 03.13 03.14 03.15 03.16 03.17 03.18 03.19 03.20 03.21

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ash journey fasting longing gather empty desert community healing loss alone sacrifice path return grace love

03.22 03.23 03.24 03.25 03.26 03.27 03.28 03.29 03.30 03.31 04.01 04.02 04.03 04.04 04.05 04.06

hunger purple sabbath hope weakness creation wilderness change faithful God practice green listen afraid growth serve

04.07 04.08 04.09 04.10 04.11 04.12 04.13 04.14 04.15 04.16 04.17 04.18 04.19 0420 04.21

direction blessed compassion remember meal confront palms passion humility garden bread cross darkness wait Bonus: allelujah!

2019 Lenten Photo Journey: a photo challenge for creative spiritual reflection 1.

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Check out the daily theme on St. John’s Facebook.

Take a picture that interprets the theme.

Post the picture in the comments below the theme on St. John’s Facebook page.

Use the following hashtag:

#SJLCLentenPhoto2019

LUTHERAN EXPRESSIONS

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ust when you thought Lent couldn’t possibly become even more penitential, have we got an online hair shirt for you! For the tenth year running, people of faith are filling out saintly brackets and gearing up for the 2019 “Saintly Smackdown.”

With its unique blend of competition, learning, and humor, Lent Madness allows participants to be inspired by the ways in which God has worked through the lives of saintly souls across generations and cultures. Throughout Lent, thirty-two saints will do battle to win the coveted Golden Halo. Based loosely on the NCAA basketball tournement of a similar name, this online devotion pits saints against one another in a bracket as voters choose their favorites throughout this penitential season.

Here’s how to participate: On the weekdays of Lent, information is posted at www.lentmadness.org about two different saints. Each pairing remains open for 24 hours as participants read about and then vote to determine which saint moves on to the next round. Sixteen saints make it to the Round of the Saintly Sixteen; eight advance to the Round of the Elate Eight; four make it to the Faithful Four; two to the Championship; and the winner is awarded the coveted Golden Halo.

The first round consists of basic biographical information about each of the 32 saints. Things get a bit more interesting in the subsequent rounds as we offer quotes and quirks, explore legends, and even move into the area of saintly kitsch.

This year, Lent Madness features an intriguing slate of saints ancient and modern, Biblical and ecclesiastical. 2019 heavyweights include Ignatius of Loyola, Nicodemus, Margaret of Cortona, John Chrysostom, and Nicholas of Myra (aka St. Nick). The competition kicks off on “Ash Thursday,” March 7, with an epic battle between Biblical saints Mary and Martha.

Lent Madness began in 2010 as the brainchild of the Rev. Tim Schenck. In seeking a fun, engaging way for people to learn about the men and women who make up the church’s calendar of saints, Schenck devised this devotion. Combining his love of sports with his passion for the lives of the saints, Lent Madness was born.

St. John’s Lent Madness bracket will be on the bulletin board across from the Sparks Fellowship; stop by to learn more!

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FAITH FORMATION

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ere’s a look at Faith Formation for ALL AGES at St. John’s coming up …

Children Music with Ms. Debby + age-appropriate learning of Sunday’s lessons + fun crafts + faithful teachers + the joy of children = Sunday morning Faith Formation for the little ones of St. John’s. Join them for all the action in the Kindergarten room across from the Sparks Fellowship Hall; following opening activities, the group splits into Pre-K through First Grade and Second Grade through Fifth Grade.

Teachers include Chrystal Brewer, Amy Hamer, Hannah Gard, Marjorie Henson, and Lauren Kimzey.

Lent 1 Lent 2 Lent 3 Lent 4 Lent 5 Lent 6

Jesus is Tempted God’s Promises to Abram Parable of the Fig Tree The Prodigal Son Mary Anoints Jesus Palms and Passion

Luke 4:1-13 Genesis, 15:1-12, 17-18 Luke 13:1-9 Luke 15:1-3, 11-32 John 12:1-8 Luke 19:28-40, 22:14-23:56

Youth Our youth and their teachers will continue to explore their personal faith this spring as each is invited to share a story from scripture and the way it intersects his or her life. The schedule for Lent includes stories from the following folks: March 3 … Kylie Shattuck March 10 … Lily Hancock March 17 … Chelsea Kyle March 24 … Elizabeth Gibson March 31 … Claire Blankenship April 7 … Anna Beth Lee Adults Forgiving others and humbly asking for forgiveness are central disciplines for all Christian believers. Lent, a time to reflect on our Christian journey, is an appropriate time to deepen our understanding and practice of forgiveness. Marjorie J. Thompson, author of the best-selling book Soul Feast, takes a close look at our understanding of forgiveness in Forgiveness: Lenten Season.

In six brief chapters, Thompson addresses such questions as the following: Is forgiveness a Christian duty under all circumstances? Or are there situations when Christians do not need to forgive?

Is forgiveness a matter between individuals, or is it meaningful only in the context of communities?

Is forgiving the best route to healing for the injured?

How do we get past emotional barriers to real forgiveness?

Using biblical examples and real-life situations, Thompson illustrates each chapter's theme in an informative and engaging way. A study guide is also included at the back of the book that is appropriate for either individual reflection or group discussion. With clarity, insight, and sensitivity, this book is the perfect resource for examining both our ability to forgive and our own need for forgiveness.

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FAITH FORMATION

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arents of Middle School and High School Confirmation, please mark your family calendars!

Scheduled Dates: March 10 … Forgiveness August 25 … Lutheran History with a viewing of “Luther” September 29 … Big Questions

April 14 … Resurrection and Eternal Life September 15 … Lutheran Theology October 27 … The Rite of Confirmation

Tentative Confirmation Retreat: Friday, August 9 and Saturday, August 10

STEPPING STONES

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of FAITH aptism is always the 1st Stepping Stone of Faith! Throughout the year, we invite families to participate in a celebration of the baptismal promises, gifting the child and praying for the family.

Check out these opportunities to celebrate your child’s faith this spring: March 10 April 7 April 28 May 12

Worship Leadership for older Elementary Students and Teenagers (6th Stepping Stone … Pectoral Cross) Prayer for Preschoolers (2nd Stepping Stone … Prayer Book) Holy Communion for Elementary Students (5th Stepping Stone … Hand-Painted Pottery Plate) Graduation for High School Seniors (8th Stepping Stone … Palm Crosses)

If you are interested, please contact Pastor Amy at amy@sjlcknox.org.

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arch 13 at 4:30 P.M. and April 3 at 4:30 P.M. in Sparks Fellowship Hall April at 4:30 P.M. at Liza Moz Pottery Studio in Downtown West and Dinner at Tomato Head

Children and families are invited to participate in this annual celebration which addresses God’s meal of Love; instruction will include three group sessions with Pastor Amy and family faith activities. Our Family Communion Celebration will be Sunday, April 28 at the 11:00 service.

Please contact Pastor Amy at amy@sjlcknox.org to express interest in your family participation, to coordinate shared meals, and to prepare for your family’s faith activities at home.

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YOUTH & SAMs

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ere’s a look at the Spring Youth Ministry Plans ...

March April May

2 3 30-31 7 13-14 27-28 5 12

WOW 2019 Staff Retreat Lunch Bunch at Senor Taco WOW 2019 Leadership Academy Lunch Bunch at Gus’ Hot Chicken on Sutherland Avenue WOW 2019 Leadership Academy Lock-In at Church Lunch Bunch at Cracker Barrel off Merchants Drive Youth Sunday and Graduate Reception

Please mark your calendars! Details will follow via e-mail.

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ere is a sneak peek at WOW 2019 … by the “early” numbers:

1 ……. FAT TUESDAY PANCAKE DINNER on March 5 from 5:00 to 7:30 PM 1 ……. NEW SUMMER PROGRAM DIRECTOR … Will Wing 2 ……. LEADERSHIP ACADEMIES … March 30-31 and April 13-14 3 ……. INTERNS … Chloe Gibson, Lacy Ott, and Kylie Shattuck 3 ……. OLD TIMERS … Pastor Amy, Nancy Friedrich, and Angie Hamstead 6 ……. CREW MEMBERS … Ellie Lizdas, Sarah Morgan, Trevor Tirro, Carter Wells, Nolan Wells, and Ethan Zinser 8 ……. TOTAL WEEKS OF WOW … One Team Retreat, one prep week with local youth, and six weeks of camp 150 …. WOW GUESTS from lots of different places We will provide a comprehensive report in the next Lutheran Life, complete with the summer’s theme and t-shirt colors!

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he next SAMs gathering is Wednesday, March 6, 2019 We will begin at 11:00 am instead of our usual 11:30.

Lunch is soup, salad, bread, and ice cream for dessert. Your cost is $5 per person. After lunch we gather together for Ash Wednesday Worship Service at 12:00 noon in the sanctuary.

Mark your calendar and plan to join us.

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SMALL GROUP MINISTRIES

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hanks to those who have join this reading group to discuss selected titles which are part of Pastor Amy’s doctoral research. Here’s an update on the Respectful Dialogue Book Group. We meet the last Monday of the Month at 6:30 PM and the last Tuesday of the month (the next morning) at 10:00 AM. So far, we have had robust discussion about Living Reconciliation by Phil Groves and Angharad Parry Jones and Jesus and the Disenhearted by Howard Thurman.

Our future books are: > March 25 and March 26 - The Cross and the Lynching Tree by James H. Cone > April 29 and April 30 - Prophetic Lament: A Call for Justice in Troubled Times by Soong-Chan Rah We will meet in the Fireside Room for warm beverages and captivating conversation. If you have questions, please contact Pastor Amy at amy@sjlcknox.org.

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lease WELCOME our two newest Kids Hope Mentors!

David Bocangel became the Big Brother to Juan when they were matched on the 4th of February. This is David’s first time being a mentor with Kids Hope. Juan is in the first grade and very excited about having a mentor, even though he wasn’t sure what a mentor was!!!

Juan is a very polite young man and enjoys learning. He wants to play Hide and Seek with his Big Brother and hopes that his Big Brother will be tall and have black hair. I think we achieved that hope!

David and Juan

Phyllis and Katie

Phyllis Collins was matched with her new little Katie on November 13th.

Phyllis has been a Kids Hope Mentor since 2011 and has been matched twice before. Katie is in the 3rd Grade and has been very shy around her Big Sister/Mentor. Phyllis continued to show up every week, have lunch with Katie, and work at engaging her. Finally in January, Katie accepted Phyllis and has been a totally differen person. Thank you, Phyllis, for being faithful and consistent. Katie finally got it!!!

Would you be interested in becoming a Kids Hope Mentor? We are taking applications now for next fall and could use 5 more mentors.

Thea Peterson would love to talk with you about what it means to be a Kids Hope Mentor. All it involves is a 1 hour commitment per week!

Please send Thea an email: thea@sjlcknox.org or give her a phone call at 865-591-4803.

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FINANCES Here’s a look …

January Income: Actual: $65,126 Budget: $60,417

Expenses: Actual: $71,403 Budget: $ 57,446

YTD Income: Actual: $448,323 Budget: $422,917

Expenses: Actual: $476,708 Budget: $ 402,330

Church Treasurer, Emlyn Cobble, offers this summary: Total income for July 1, 2018 through January 31, 2019 is $25,406 more than budgeted. Expenses are $23,222 over budget; one-time expenses including season-appropriate landscaping and recent outdoor signage renovation are reflected here. A Church Council recommendation from November suggested $6963 of the noted expense overage be covered by undesignated memorial funds. That reallocation of funds will be reflected in the February report.

After a season of celebration, we enjoy a positive cash flow (more income than expenses) of $22,771.

Thank you for your faithfulness!

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have a cat who is currently on a mission to leave as much fur around my house as he possibly can. The couch, the rug, the bathroom floor—you name it, fur. Now, I love a clean house, but I hate cleaning. And every time I look at my budget, and then look at the cat fur, I think, “Man. If I just gave a little less, I could afford to have somebody else clean this place.”

Most of us are familiar with the Lenten tradition of “giving up” things: chocolate, or caffeine, or TV. As I reflected on the joy I get from giving, and the joy I do not get from cleaning, I realized that that a housekeeper is something I am already giving up, at least for now.

Our Extravagant Generosity campaign is called “Giving UP” and it has two meanings. One, “giving up” as in, what are you giving up? What kinds of things do you not have, so that you can give generously? The second meaning is giving up: in what ways can we “up” our giving of our resources and our time? This might take many forms: Attending more regularly. Starting an auto-debit offering, attending Faith Formation, investigating legacy giving, joining a ministry.

During this Lenten season and beyond, the Extravagant Generosity team asks you to think about “giving up” in both these senses. Be present to those acts of sacrifice you may already be making. Then, prayerfully consider ways that you can step up—is there one additional small way that you can add to your giving of your goods or your time? What does that small step up look like for you?

Me? I will be cleaning my house to the glory of God.

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BIRTHDAYS

8 9 10 12 13 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 24 25 26 28 29 30 31

Jessi Grieser Kris Hepler Elissa Glibbery Jim Ley Joe Brown Jane French Angela Long Sonja Krautner Virginia Shaffer Amy O’Hatnick Connie Burkhalter Angie Hamstead Ashley McDermott Nathan Miller Frederick Perkinson III Kylie Shattuck Kaye Bultemeier Karen Rieger Elizabeth Menendez Kelley Westphal LaReau Carlson Mary Kline Ryan Sweany Linda Godden Kristen McFarland Rob Rieger Asha Warren Dianne Eichenberg Jared Eisenhower Ella Gibson Bob Metelka Michael Holtz Lucy Page Emily Sousa Emily Bast John Jessel Anna Elizabeth Lee Karen Bertollini Katha O’Hatnick Beverly Martin Matthew Glibbery Larry Seivers Graham Ley

1 2

APRIL

MARCH

1 3 5 6 7

5 6 7 9 10 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26

29 30

Tony Brewer Ron Woodward Nancy O’Callaghan Adam Schultz Kira Krusenklaus Elizabeth Gibson Herm Gerbig Penelope Nicole Leatherwood Chris Brooks Kurt Zinser Landry Thrasher Sandy Cantrell JD Chapman Sydney Parman Olivia Ann Schmidt RuthAnn Henry Laura Morgan Martha Nelson Debbie Sweany Marcia Power Trevor Tirro Ethan Zinser David Chapman Ray Collins Calvin Chappelle Sandy Bender Margareth Olsson Jeff Welch Andrew Cooter Jody Freeman Andrew Glibbery Daniel Rieger Rob Walker Bob Bast Jonathan Burkhalter

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ST. JOHN’S LUTHERAN CHURCH 544 Broadway, NW Knoxville, TN 37917

RETURN SERVICE REQUESTED

CHURCH LEADERSHIP & STAFF Amy Figg Pastor of Faith Formation & Leadership Development amy@sjlcknox.org

Deborah Dunne-Sousa Minister of Music sousa@esknoxville.org

John Tirro Pastor of Campus Ministry John@sjlcknox.org Christopher Clay Director of Communications chris@sjlcknox.org

Phone:: 865.523.3330

Toni Denton Administrative Assistant toni@sjlcknox.org

Thea Peterson Kids Hope USA Director Thea@jsjlcknox.org Darrell Murrell Facility Staff facility@sjlcknox.org Mary Elizabeth Peterson, Lisa Minton & Bailey Morgan Nursery Assistants

Fax: 865.524.7895 Email: INFO@sjlcknox.org Website: www.sjlcknox.org