Announcements
Next week’s theme:-
September 20, 2020 16th Sunday after Pentecost
“Day of Trumpets” (special service)
Learn About St. John’s Befriended Missionary Paul Nitz
Hello St. John’s Members:
During September, we’d like to introduce you to the 4 WELS missionaries our church supports through the Befriend A Mission program. Everyone wants friends. Everyone can be a friend. Jesus is our ultimate Friend, “who sticks closer than a brother,” (Proverbs 18:24b), and we Christians, no matter our age or circumstance, should take our cues for interacting with others from Him.
A friend shows interest in us & prays for us: We hope you will read about Missionary Paul Nitz and his family. The Nitz Family recently returned to the United States after 27 years in Malawi. Pastor Nitz has accepted a new call stateside to serve as a world mission counselor. An article that appears in the September issue of Forward in Christ is attached. Here’s a prayer to use:
God and Father of All Nations:
Lord, you have called Missionary Paul and Susan Nitz and Family back to service in the United States. After 27 years serving in Malawi, Africa, it makes their homeland almost a foreign country to them. Aid their re-assimilation into the life and culture here in our country. Make Pastor Nitz a blessing as he serves and supports WELS world missions worldwide in his new call as a missionary counselor. Shower the Nitz family with grace in their own lives and the continued privilege and opportunity of seeing how powerful and effective God’s Word is in the lives of people around the world. In Jesus’ name, we ask. Amen.
A friend encourages us: We hope you will take a few minutes this week to write a note, send a card or email, draw a picture (Children can befriend also!) and send it as an encouragement to the Nitz Family: Address:
Paul & Susan Nitz & Family
c/o Ann Tolly
546 N. Tolly Court
Midland, MI 48636
E–mail: pnitz@seelsorger.org
Please sign in this way:
Your Name(s)
St. John’s-Montello, WI
Beaver Dam Circuit
A friend shares with us: Presently a fall mission offering is being collected at St. John’s by the Lutheran Women’s Missionary Society (LWMS) to support our WELS home and world missions. Everyone with a heart for missions is invited to share a special gift! A collection container is located in the entrance of church where you pick up your bulletin or contact Linda Wachholz, LWMS Reporter, 608-369-2635.
For St. John’s LWMS,
Reporter Linda Wachholz
St. John’s Lutheran Church Montello & Emmanuel Lutheran Church Mecan
Updated Response to Worship Concerns Created by COVID-19
July 30, 2020
When will we worship? An outdoor Saturday service is being added to help members worship in a safe environment. This service will replace the Wednesday evening service.
- Saturdays @ 4:30 pm (Any St. John’s or Emmanuel members)-Beginning Saturday, August 15
- Sunday @ 8:00 am Emmanuel (Emmanuel members)
- Sunday @ 10:00 am St. John’s (St. John’s members 55 and older)
- Online worship services continue found at stjohnsmontello.org
Where will we worship? Groups should be 50 or less indoors. To provide safe worship experiences, the new Saturday worship service will be held outdoors when weather permits.
- Saturday @ 4:30 pm will be an outdoor service on the lawn behind the parking lot of St. John’s. In case of inclement weather, we will move to the sanctuary.
- Sunday @ 8:00 am at Emmanuel in the sanctuary
- Sunday @ 10:00 am at St. John’s in the sanctuary
How will we worship? Providing a safe worship experience is a high priority for the leaders in our congregations. Because the virus continues to spread, and because of the science regarding singing and speaking, the following policies will be continued and new ones enacted immediately:
- Please use the hand sanitizer upon arrival at the worship service.
- Masks will currently be optional at all services (see below**) Masks will be available.
- Designated seating will be provided indoors to provide for social distancing.
- Please bring lawn chairs for the outdoor service. Some seating and a canopy may be available.
- The congregation is asked to not sing for the time being.
- Services will be shortened to a length of approximately 40 minutes.
- A soloist will sing the hymns and any liturgical responses.
- Continuous communion will be practiced on the 2nd and 4th Sundays of each month. The Saturday before the 2nd and 4th Sundays will also include communion. Family units are encouraged to commune together.
- The congregations should exit the sanctuary from the back at the end of the service, taking all belongings including the bulletin along with them.
- The sanctuary will be cleaned and sanitized between services.
- **We will abide by any state or local mandates that may change any of these policies
As we hold firmly to the truths of scripture, we know that God continues to keep his promises to us. He has promised the wonderful spiritual blessings of forgiveness, life, and salvation. He has not, however, promised that things will always remain the same. In the words of our synod president, Mark Schroeder, “we recommit ourselves–as individuals, as congregations, and as a synod–to the mission that God has called us to carry out, trusting that he will bless us in that work.” Let us work together as we move forward as a congregation. Let us help, support, and encourage each other as we gather around God’s Word.
Question or Concerns? Contact your Elders or pastor
Emmanuel Elders: Darrell Buchholz (608) 215-7871, Wayne Stelter (608) 369-1790
St. John’s Elders: Jerre Duerr (608) 697-8706, Jay Eisermann (608) 297-8171, James Wachholz (608) 369-4006 – Pastor Pete Zietlow (608) 408-7830
| Attendance | Emmanuel | St. John’s |
| 9-5 9-6 | 32 | 28 44 |
| St. John’s Altar CommitteeSeptember 2020 | Diane Eisermann&Delores Cotte |