Change in Our Church

by Pastor Eric Schroeder

Consider the following list: fundraising, financing, construction, demolition, expansion, retirement, call meetings, installations, vacancies, reshuffling, and farewells. What do they all have in common? A couple of similarities, actually. First of all, they are all indicators of significant change for an organization. Second, each item on that list has been a topic of discussion at St. John’s over the last few months. As a congregation, it sure feels like a time of transition, doesn’t it?

Let’s start there, and let’s each do our part to ensure that our purpose and our mission remain the same, even though names, faces, square footage, and landscape may be different. God’s consistent grace and his eternal plan give us a solid rock to stand on even when other areas of life are shaken up. More than that, his Spirit’s work in us leads us to see that every change provides new opportunities, new potential, new growth, and new challenges that further equip us to proclaim the name of the One who tells us he is making everything new.

All this is to say that in God’s kingdom, change is good. On the one hand, change gives us reason to thank God for so many blessings of the past, including those careers or divine calls that draw to a close. Change also paves the way for new gifts to be developed and used, new relationships to be formed, and new conversations to be had, as we look for ways to preach Christ crucified and arisen to reach new contacts and boost current faith to new levels. As we do so, we pray for wisdom and guidance from the God whose vision is as clear in our future as it has been in our past; we trust that he will provide us with all that we need to work the change he desires in hearts and lives, with an impact on eternity!

None of us ought to expect that everything around us will stay the same for very long. For many of us, however, our church home can become one place where we expect to find something stable and unchanging, no matter what else changes in our fast-paced world. Isn’t that what church is all about—finding peace, comfort, strength, and unity that are all centered around a God whose Word doesn’t ever change? Of course it is.

Memorials

In Memory of Vicki Schaller

From Louise Saylor, Jerry & Janet Bergemann, Kathy Bergquist, Barbara Weihing, Delores Baumann, Charlotte Hansen, Robert Schaller, Mike & Marlene Cox, Sue Johanning ( Declaring His Praises )

In Memory of Tony Konkol

From Ron & Jean Biffel ( Declaring His Praises )

In Memory of Roberta Hahn (Annette’s sister)

From Annette Birkholz (school) continued from front page . . .

In my case I am grateful for having been brought up in a Christian home with Christian parents and siblings and for the importance that was placed upon Christian education.

As life progressed, I am equally—and especially— grateful to God for the influence, prayers, and encouragement I have received from my wife, Lorna, and the five children God blessed us with: Kimberly, Amanda, Michael, Jonathan, and Christopher. Throughout those earlier years of ministry we moved as a unit from place to place and from school to school, confident of God’s grace and guidance wherever he might lead. Their support and understanding of the necessity for Gospel ministry has allowed me to reach this point, and I am thankful for the opportunity to publicly acknowledge their important role.

In Psalm 139 King David declares that all the days ordained for us were written in God’s book before one of them came to be. How many pages are in each of our books is known only to God—maybe a few, maybe many. As the Leyrer family turns a new page in our lives, we are grateful for the chapters that have been written at all the various stops the Lord has led us . . .

Three Good Things That Will Happen

1. We will celebrate Pastor Joel Leyrer’s 42 years of ministry (the last 25 of which have been at St. John’s) as his retirement date approaches. Please join us on Sunday, June 25, for worship and a farewell luncheon for Pastor Leyrer. Visit sjtosa.org/PastorLeyrer for more information and to RSVP.

2. We will learn a new setting for the Gloria in Excelsis. We’ve been singing the communion songs from Setting Two of The Service for several months, and we’ll introduce the Gloria beginning in the middle of May.

3. Our teens will once again return to Living Promise Lutheran Church in Morristown, TN, for our annual mission trip. We are so thankful for this partnership with Living Promise, and we’re looking forward to renewing old friendships and creating new ones this summer!

Two Good Things That Happened

1. We said farewell to three of our school faculty members: Christine Rindfleisch, Carrie Henning, and Rachel Wendland. We wish them God’s richest blessings as they move on from St. John’s and embark on new endeavors! Check out the articles on pages 6-8 for more information.

2. We welcomed the Wisconsin Lutheran Seminary chorus and the Wisconsin Lutheran High School choir to worship services in March and May, respectively. We are so thankful for our partnership with our area Lutheran high schools and WELS ministerial education schools!

One Good Thing That You Might Not Know About

1. We’ll also be saying farewell to our Senior Vicar, Christian Willick. Christian will receive his pastoral assignment (call) on Thursday, May 25. Please keep Christian and all the pastoral graduates in your prayers as they begin their full-time service to Christ and his church.