St. John’s Evangelical Lutheran Church Poughkeepsie, New York 12603

(845) 452-1550 www.stjohnselc.org

Sunday Worship Service Schedule 9:00 AM Contemporary Worship

10:30 AM Traditional Worship

St. John’s Journal

July

2021

Issue

ST. JOHN’S MISSION STATEMENT

“Encountering,

Connecting, Responding

to Jesus Christ.”

St. John’s Evangelical Lutheran Church

55 Wilbur Boulevard

Poughkeepsie, New York 12603

Change Service Requested

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Church Council

Mission Team Chairs

Adult Education

Children’s Ministry

Evangelism

Communications

Financial Secretaries

Hospitality

Parish Care

Property

Finance & Admin

Stewardship

Worship & Music

Youth Ministry

Social Ministry

Rev. Jeffrey Koenig

Lee Pagones

Karen Olson

Mary Heller

Bob Knapp

Kaitlin Feldweg

Dave Hawkinson

Amy Huber

Susan van Oss

Patti Thompson

John Dux

Sandy Sherwood

Susan Lamberton

Doug Ohlandt

Mark Decker &

(TBA)

Jackie Boccio

Janice Viola

Gerd Pfeiffer

(TBA)

Steve Jones

Deacon Rich Ferolito

(TBA)

Abby Dux & Linda Haas Manley

Pastor

President

Vice President / Property

Secretary

Treasurer / Finance / Stewardship

Discipleship

Worship

Fellowship

Ministry

Evangelism

St. John’s Staff

Pastor

Director of Music

Director of Youth

Director of Lay Ministries

Deacon

Office Manager

Bookkeeper

Video Production Mgr.

Rev. Jeffrey Koenig

Patrick Walker

Abby Triebel

Jeanne Jones

Richard Ferolito

Doug Ohlandt

Alison Schlak

Michelle Locke

revkoenig@stjohnselc.org

pwalker@stjohnselc.org

abby@stjohnselc.org

jjones@stjohnselc.org

rferolito@earthlink.net

dohlandt@stjohnselc.org

aschlak@stjohnselc.org

michellelocke89@gmail.com

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By Pastor Koenig

istening to the energy and excitement coming from the Reunion Dinner last

week was worth more than I can ever describe. Victory? Miracle? Just to

be sitting together, sharing food and relationship, around actual tables, was

priceless. There I go again, searching for words… Emergent. Perseverant. All

that! But in the end, it was community. It was St. John’s ! It was God. At

work. In and around us, this whole time! Throughout this pandemic we have

been storing up this potential energy, and we finally got to let it out around the

table. What a moment it was! Oh, wait... what a moment it will continue to be !

nspiration comes from the strangest sources sometimes. As grueling as

COVID-19 was, we never really ceased being St. John’s; through the inspired

vision of the staff and leadership, we found ways to stay connected to each

other and to God even in—especially in—the bleakest moments. Some may have

criticized our initial reopening (and staying open during Advent) as risk. I

prefer to call it…… Faith! Our collective prayer and discernment consistently

led us to the same conclusion: we had to be bold; rather than simply wait for

the light at the end of the tunnel, we wanted to be a light within the tunnel to

illuminate God’s work even in the midst of the crisis.

ortunately, it wasn’t really that hard to do: St. John’s has always been an

action church. Faith and love, to this place, are verbs! Now, as we exit this

pandemic, we are experiencing exactly what we need in order to take off again

in faith: LIFT! Restrictions lifting, spirits lifting, lifting the cup, lifting our

offerings, lifting each other’ burdens, lifting each other’s hearts. How did you

all get so strong? By doing the heavy lifting first: lifting everything to Christ,

who in turn lifts those burdens from you and takes them onto his own shoulders!

antamount to how we have gotten through this, is how we will move forward

into our new normal. We learned so many things this year. Like, we don’t

need a reason to have a dinner. We just CAN. And so we shall! But maybe more

than everything else, we learned this: we are strong, together! And with the

Holy Spirit having lifted our own burdens from us… well, the sky’s the limit now!

So, we forge ahead into the light of the new days ahead. We’re going Jesus’

way. …Need a lift?

L

I

F

T

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DEACON’S CORNER

Summer is here, with the temps in early June in the 90's serving as an introduction to the season. I'm not complaining because when it is winter we look forward to this time of year. I hope you all are going to enjoy this summer with things opening up and getting back to normal. You need to enjoy this time of year. We look forward to this, and at least we can this year. At St. John's we are getting close to normal, hopefully the latter part of summer will do it. I need to put out a plea for people to help set up communion before the 10:30 service, and cleaning up after the 10:30 service. It doesn't take long - about 15 minutes to set up, and about the same to clean up. It would be nice to have a large group to do this, so that anyone would only have to do this once every two months. That means a team of eight or more people. Many of our faithful members aged out of this job, so we need new blood. I would like to thank those who have retired from this job. It was their determination and love for the church that drove them to do this job for many years. When you think about it, it is a ministry to God to prepare his table for the meal on Sunday, getting things ready for serving. The Pastor doesn't have to worry if everything is there and ready. Just like Mary and Martha we each have our thing to do. We now need Marthas who make things ready for the meal as we open up to normal service. We always need Marthas, and we also need Marys to listen to the words of God and to respond, each in their own way to come to Church and listen. We all have many talents that we can contribute to this Ministry of service. So, think about it, and be like Jesus and become a servant to God in helping the Altar Guild in performing these tasks. Please contact me if you have an interest in this. Email rferolito@earthlink.net or call 845-635-2239. I will train you to do this job. Your Servant in Christ, Deacon Rich

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CREATION SINGS THE FATHER’S SONG Summer 2021

I absolutely love Bible verses that illustrate nature praising God; the idea of mountains and hills bursting into song or trees clapping their hands for God, brings a smile to my face, and sometimes a giggle or 2 as well.

One of my favorite Jesus lines is in Luke 19:40. The Pharisees told Jesus to rebuke his disciples for praising God as Jesus rode into Jerusalem, and Jesus said, “I tell you, if they keep quiet, the stones will cry out.” Ha, go ahead and try to quiet the crowd you pharisees, but then you will have to deal with singing rocks! Here are 2 favorite passages of mine with this same theme: 1 The heavens declare the glory of God; the skies proclaim the work of his hands.

2 Day after day they pour forth speech; night after night they reveal knowledge.

3 They have no speech, they use no words; no sound is heard from them.

4 Yet their voice

goes out into all the earth, their words to the ends of the world.

Psalm 19:1-4

20

For since the creation of the world God’s invisible qualities—his eternal power and divine nature—have been clearly seen, being understood from what has been made, so that people are without excuse.

Romans 1:20

Not only does nature praise God by doing what He designed it to do, but it also testifies to who God is. Certainly, the specifics of Jesus — his life, death, and resurrection — are important to read in the Bible and understand. However, even those without Bibles are able to see God’s power in what He has made. Nature is indeed a way that God shows us His glory! As all this came to mind, I wondered how I could use this idea to encourage and connect us to God and one another this summer at St. John’s. I realized what an amazing testimony it would be if we shared moments in creation with one another. I have seen some incredible examples of God’s mighty and creative power through Facebook posts of stunning sunsets, peaceful beaches, and majestic mountains; all testify to our God who created it all. So here is what I want to do... During July & August, I ask people to send me pictures taken (past or present pictures, it doesn’t matter) that show creation. Please indicate where the

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shots were taken. Feel free to also send me any Bible passages you like that speak of God’s glory through nature, or similar themes. I will post pictures and passages on the St. John’s Facebook page, and I will also make a display outside the Meet and Greet Room at church so that we can share these lovely pictures with all. Submissions can be

sent to jjones@stjohnselc.org Recently we sang “Creation Sings the Father’s Song” at the contemporary worship service, with lyrics that spoke of God’s fingerprints being all over flakes of snow, God charting the eagle’s flight, and commanding a newborn baby to take a first breath and cry. The song went on, calling all creation to stand and sing of His wonders. Won’t you join me this summer in singing “Creation’s Song” through your participation in this project? Flowers blooming, deer roaming, fireflies lighting, tree limbs dancing, storm clouds forming… can all join the chorus as we praise & thank the One who made it all. I look forward to seeing all your pictures!!! Jeanne Jones DLM (Director of Lay Ministry)

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ICE CREAM SOCIAL FUNDRAISER REPORT

The Ice Cream Social Fundraiser for the Music Ministry, which took place after the 10:30 Service on June 20, was a huge success! Thanks to your great generosity we raised $2,116.25 and the first $800 of those donations are being matched by Thrivent Choice Dollars for a grand total of $2,916.25 raised! We would also like to thank Thrivent Action Teams and Stewart's Shops for their donations, and all the members of our handbell and

singing choirs who volunteered to make this event a success!

BLUEGRASS BAND SERVICE

St. John’s will be having a Bluegrass Band service on August 8 at 10:30am. Thanks to Bryan Lynch for organizing "The Innis Boys" to play for this special worship time. There will be an outdoor coffee hour on the lawn after the service (weather permitting). Come worship the Lord bluegrass style!

SHARE YOUR MUSICAL TALENT!

During the COVID pandemic there have been far too few opportunities for the members of the St. John's congregation to share their musical gifts during worship services. With the exception of the bell choirs and virtual ensembles, the 10:30 service has relied mostly on hired soloists. However, now that more people are getting vaccinated and the COVID numbers are declining, we would like to invite all members who sing or play a musical instrument to take part in the music at the live worship services once again. Please contact Patrick Walker if you would be interested in singing or playing an instrument in worship this summer! We will continue to only have a small number of musicians in the loft at a time, will wear masks whenever possible, and take the necessary precautions to keep everyone safe.

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ST. JOHN’S JOURNAL MAKEOVER

There are many exciting events and activities at St. John’s, and while we advertise these ahead of time in a variety of ways, it is also good to share the news and pictures after such happenings. It is in that vein that the focus of the St. John’s Journal will be a little different now. There will still be a list of future activities with direction on how to get more info about them, but the focus of the Journal will be on sharing ways the folks at St. John’s fulfill the mission to: Encounter, Connect and Respond to Jesus Christ though our worship, activities, events, outreach, etc. The Journal will be produced and distributed every quarter according to the schedule below and we will collect stories and pictures from individuals, Mission Teams, and other groups that review the last three months of activities and events. We are excited to share more of the outcomes and fruits of our efforts here at St. John’s, and welcome people to submit pictures and event summaries to our Journal editor, Doug Ohlandt. Submissions will be due the Second Sunday of the month before the next publication. dohlandt@stjohnselc.org

ADOPT A HIGHWAY

This year marks St. John’s 16th year of helping to keep the roadways in our community clean with the Adopt a Highway program. Our second pick up is scheduled for Saturday August 21 at 9:00 AM. Meet at the parking lot beside Burger King at Dutchess Center on Rte 44. Please mark your calendars now and sign up by contacting Bob Deik bobdeik@yahoo.com or 845-462-4118 by Sunday August 15 to make a difference in our community. Follow on date is October 19. Please bring gloves. We will follow whatever Covid 19 protocol is in effect at that time.

Edition Events Covered in These Months

Submission Due Date

(First Sunday of the Month)

Date Published

Fall Edition July, Aug. Sep. 2021 Oct. 10, 2021 Late Oct 2021

Winter Edition Oct., Nov., Dec. 2021 Jan. 9, 2022 Late Jan. 2022

Spring Edition Jan., Feb., Mar., 2022 Apr. 10, 2022 Late Apr. 2022

Summer Edition Apr., May, June, 2022 July 10, 2022 Late July 2022

Fall Edition July, Aug., Sep., 2022 Oct. 9, 2022 Late Oct. 2022

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PROPERTY MISSION TEAM UPDATE

Georgetown Square Condo Kitchen

After a catastrophic roof leak in December in the kitchen in the condo where Abby Triebel

lives, the PMT put a plan in place to renovate the kitchen. Estimates were gathered, plans

developed, and approval received from the Congregation Council to proceed with funding

from the FMBR (Future Major Building Repair fund), not to exceed $10,128.

Arrangements were made with the condo association to replace the water-damaged

sheetrock walls and ceiling. Old cabinets and a no-longer-used hot water heater tank

were removed. New cabinets, sink, faucet, range hood, and flooring were installed. Walls

were painted. Building Permit was signed off by the Building Inspector. Final Cost

$9,929.30. Check the pictures on the PMT bulletin board.

Church Office Renovation – Help Needed

The Property Mission Team recommended, and the Congregation Council approved, funds

of $2,145.48 from FMBR to replace the 20 year old carpet in the church office. The walls

will be painted as well.

Help is needed:

Thursday, August 5 — 7:00 PM: remove all furnishings from the church office

Friday, August 6 – Annual cleaning of all carpets by contractor

Saturday, August 7 – 9:00 AM: paint office walls and trim

Sunday, August 8 – attend services and rest

Monday, August 9 – new carpet to be installed by contrator

Monday, August 9 – 5:00 PM: return all office furnishings

Please sign-up on poster in hallway outside church office. Questions, please contact Bob

Deik 845-462-4118.

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FAREWELL TO DIANA MAGEL

In late May we had a "Farewell & Godspeed" time during worship, recognizing Diana Magel for her 15 years of service as office administrator at St. John's and wishing her

well in her retirement. The congregation gathered for an outdoor reception in her honor after the service. Diana will be moving to Florida with her family later this summer and the congregation and staff at St. John's pray for this transition and her new life down south. We thank her for her faithful service to the church!

THANK YOU LETTER FROM DIANA

Dear Congregation and Staff,

I want to take a moment and express my gratitude to you all. Thank you for all the emails,

cards, flowers, gifts, the farewell picnic, and for all the beautiful memories. It has been my pleasure to work at St. John’s and I will think of my time here fondly. I have enjoyed getting to know many of the parishioners and participating in some of the church events. Most of all I appreciate the support and kindness of all of you throughout my time here. I will miss all of this very much.

Thank you and blessings to all, Diana Magel

NEW OFFICE ADMINISTRATOR

Doug Ohlandt is the new office administrator at St. John’s. Please note Doug’s info and use this address for office correspondence formerly sent to Diana Magel. Welcome Doug!

Doug Ohlandt dohlandt@stjohnselc.org

Fun Fact: Doug has played the drums for the Contemporary Worship Service for 10 years now.

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100TH BIRTHDAY! Long time St. John’s member Russ Lang will be celebrating his 100th Birthday on

August 1, 2021! Anyone wishing to send Russ a birthday card can send it to: Russ Lang VA Hospital Bldg 4A Room 166-1 200 Springs Road Bedford, MA 01730

FAREWELL AND GODSPEED TO BURT BERGE

Speaking of long time St. John’s members, Burt Berge will be moving soon to his new home in Florida. The Men’s Group at St. John’s recently held a farewell dinner for Burt. There will also be a Litany of Farewell and Godspeed as part of the 9:00 AM service on July 18. We wish Burt well in his next great adventure!

REUNION DINNER!

With the lifting of many COVID restrictions that have been in place for the past 18 months, St. John’s members were finally able to get together for a meal and fellowship with one another. The dinner took place on June 26, and was well attended with folks young and old looking to reconnect, enjoy some great food, and finally get to see each

other!

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BLUE CONNECT CARDS

While we used to tell people they only had to fill out a communion card a few times a

year, we now ask that you please fill out a Blue Connect Card each time you are at worship

(found in pew holder, 1 per household). These cards can be handed to ushers or put in

the offering plate/basket.

CHRISTMAS IN JULY

Christmas Market to benefit Mid-Hudson Love Inc Home decor, crafts, candles, artificial trees, baked goods, and more! Saturday, July 10 9:00 AM — 2:00 PM Rain or shine at Poughkeepsie United Methodist Church 2381 New Hackensack Rd Route 376 For more info call 845-471-0102

LOVE INC NEEDS

St. John's is a regular contributor of personal care items, linens and used furniture to Love INC, an organization that serves people in need in our area. We have an ongoing collection for them year-round, but July is our designated month to contribute as much as possible to the organization.

Here's a reminder of what we collect: personal care items such as paper towels, toilet paper, tissues, laundry detergent, bar and liquid soap, dish soap, shampoo, hair conditioner, deodorant, feminine personal products, toothpaste, toothbrushes, razors, shaving cream, combs and brushes. Currently, the most needed personal care items are laundry detergent, dish detergent, tissues, paper towels, and women’s shaving cream. We also collect new as well as clean and gently used linens, including: pillows (which must be new), sheet sets, pillow cases, bedspreads, comforters, blankets, bath towels, washcloths, and dish towels. We have a collection bin in the narthex and at the end of the hallway near the nursery.

Love INC also accepts used furniture in good condition. If you have any furniture to donate call Love INC at 471-0102 and leave a message. Volunteers will pick it up from your home.

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PRAYING FOR OUR MINISTRIES Please keep in prayer these local charities supported by St. John’s:

Dutchess Outreach

Habitat for Humanity - Dutchess County

Mid-Hudson Love in the Name of Christ

For more specific Love Inc prayer needs, please see the monthly prayer calendar at this

link: Love Inc Prayer Calendar

Please pray: For financial provision to be able to care for the “least of these” in our communities. For willing volunteers ready to serve as needed. For God’s wisdom for the leadership of these ministries. For God to pour out his love and compassion on the poor and needy among us. “The King will reply, ‘Truly I tell you, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me.’ “ Matthew 25:40

AGING LOVED ONES: HOW TO HAVE THE “HEART TO HEART”

Aging Loved Ones: How to Have the “Heart to Heart” is a Thrivent webinar offered Monday, July 12 for 2 sessions: 4:30 — 5:30 PM & 6:30 — 7:30 PM. This webinar will help start the caregiving talk, help loved ones ease worries about their future, and gain a better understanding of the impact caregiving can have on relationships and finances. • Learn practical ways to have challenging conversations. • Get a list of essential legal documents. • Explore the financial aspects of providing care. Reserve your place today by contacting Jeanne at 845-452-5690 Jeanne.jones@thrivent.com or visit https://connect.thrivent.com/steven-jones/events These sessions are hosted by Steven B Jones, FIC, RICP

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ALTAR PLANT

The Altar Plant for the 9:00 AM Service was placed to the glory of God

by John and Abby Dux. This plant will beautify our courtyard when it is planted

there at the end of July.

How to Donate Altar Plants for the 9:00 AM Service Altar Plant donations for the 9:00 AM Service are now being accepted. Please fill out a form and put the form and check for the flowers in the “Altar Flower” folder to the right when you walk in the church office.

FLOWERS

Altar Flowers were placed in the Chancel to the glory of God

in honor of Diana Magel’s last week in the church office.

in loving memory of Maxine Lee.

in celebration of their engagement by Patrick Walker and Michelle Locke.

in loving memory of Raymond Ellery on the anniversary of his passing.

in celebration of Frank and Lois Van Zanten’s 60th Wedding Anniversary on June 17th.

in honor of Deacon Rich and Carol Ferolito’s 57th Wedding Anniversary.

How to Donate Flowers for Worship Regular Altar Flower donations are now being accepted. Please fill out a form and put the form and check for the flowers in the “Altar Flower” folder to the right when you walk in the church office. Please also sign up on the Altar Flower calendar in the hallway near the Meet and Greet Room.

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In Person Worship We have 2 in-person services on Sunday mornings: 9:00 AM Contemporary & 10:30 AM Traditional. Worship videos and live streaming links are available on our website. St. John’s Website: stjohnselc.org

Wrapped in Love Ministry (Knitting

& Crocheting for a Cause) 2nd Wednesday and 2nd Saturday of the Month, 1:00 — 4:00 PM, Blue Room July 10 & 14, August 11 & 14, September 8 & 11 Please contact Anne Christmas for more info: Anne Christmas 914-474-3438 A9180@aol.com

St. John's Food Pantry

Open 9:00 — 11:00 AM 1st, 3rd & 5th Sundays of the Month July 4 & 18, August 1, 15, & 29, September 5 & 19

Journal Deadline October 10, 2021 is the submission deadline for the Fall 2021 Journal

Sharing What We Have

We are grateful for the blessings God has given St. John's Lutheran Church and the financial support of many who donate to the church. Your contributions are vital to the ministry of St. John's to further our mission: Encountering, Connecting & Responding to Jesus Christ. To make a contribution, there are several options: 1. Go to the St. John's website for easy instructions on how to give electronically. Online Giving 2. Send a check via mail: St. John's Lutheran Church, 55 Wilbur Blvd. Poughkeepsie, NY 12603 Contact the office for other ways to give (Qualified Charitable Distribution & Financial Securities) Thanks to all in the different ways God enables us to generously share what He has given us!

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