Saint John Evangelical Lutheran Church - Port Clinton, Ohio
“Growing Disciples of Jesus”
Worship: Greetings in the name of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ! You are invited to come experience the unconditional love of God in Jesus as it is proclaimed, experienced and extended when we gather to worship, to grow in faith, to participate in fellowship and to serve others.[More]
Disciple-Ship Quest: Moving towards God’s vision of “Growing Disciples of Jesus,” our creative Christian Ed Team has chosen the powerful name “Disciple-Ship Quest” for what was formerly called Sunday School. You are invited to join the journey. Classes are available for all ages from 3 year old through adult. [More]
St. John @ the Bay: Come and worship at Mother of Sorrows Church where our Lutheran Mission, St. John @ the Bay, is developing an emerging worship community that shares the Gospel and grows discipleship in those who live, work and visit on South Bass Island. [More]
Narrative Lectionary: The Narrative Lectionary is a set of Bible readings for our worship that tells the over-arching biblical story in a nine-month period. These texts sound the voices of Abraham and Sarah, Moses and Isaiah, Jesus, and Paul; and so enrich preaching and our life of faith.
[Summary & Schedule]
The Executive Committee has extended our suspension of worship through April 30. This action is being encouraged by Bishop Daniel Beaudoin of the Northwestern Ohio Synod and by the State of Ohio. Obviously, this decision to extend the suspension will impact our journey into Holy Week this year.
Here's what is planned for Holy Week/Easter.
Please hear this: We want you to stay home and stay safe. This is a way we can be together without compromising anyone’s health. However, please continue to take all the necessary precautions in your daily lives.
Please keep your windows up – if you need to crack a window please keep it to an inch. And, please stay in your cars and listen via the radio
Finally, if you have any need for food, prescriptions, supplies or for prayer and conversation … do not hesitate to call. We have a team of folks ready and willing to act. We have been staying in touch with those we have deemed to be more “vulnerable” in terms of leaving the home or perhaps in need of resources.
If you are healthy, and available, Bistro 163 still needs volunteers Wednesday through Saturday, serving meals to those who are facing growing food insecurity. Shifts are from 11-2 and 2-4 for food prep and from 4-6 for food distribution and clean-up. If you can help call: 419-341-4094 to sign up. I will be volunteering on April 9, working from 3:30-6:00 pm.
FINAL MIDWEEK LENTEN WORSHIP
We pray. Into all darkness, doubt and despair, come, Christ Jesus, be our light. Into all sorrow, sickness, and grief, come, Christ Jesus, be our comfort. Into each conflict, division, and war, come, Christ Jesus, be our hope, now and always. Amen.
Psalm 27
1The LORD is my light and my salvation;
whom shall I fear?
The LORD is the stronghold of my life;
of whom shall I be afraid?
2When evildoers assail me
to devour my flesh —
my adversaries and foes —
they shall stumble and fall.
3Though an army encamp against me,
my heart shall not fear;
though war rise up against me,
yet I will be confident.
4One thing I asked of the LORD,
that will I seek after:
to live in the house of the LORD
all the days of my life,
to behold the beauty of the LORD,
and to inquire in his temple.
5For he will hide me in his shelter
in the day of trouble;
he will conceal me under the cover of his tent;
he will set me high on a rock.
6Now my head is lifted up
above my enemies all around me,
and I will offer in his tent
sacrifices with shouts of joy;
I will sing and make melody to the LORD.
7Hear, O LORD, when I cry aloud,
be gracious to me and answer me!
8"Come," my heart says, "seek his face!"
Your face, LORD, do I seek.
9Do not hide your face from me.
Do not turn your servant away in anger,
you who have been my help.
Do not cast me off, do not forsake me,
O God of my salvation!
10If my father and mother forsake me,
the LORD will take me up.
11Teach me your way, O LORD,
and lead me on a level path
because of my enemies.
12Do not give me up to the will of my adversaries,
for false witnesses have risen against me,
and they are breathing out violence.
13I believe that I shall see the goodness of the LORD
in the land of the living.
14Wait for the LORD;
be strong, and let your heart take courage;
wait for the LORD!
Many of your people, O God, are full of fear: (Pause)
The homeless one, without shelter at night; the abused one, whose home is no protection.
The parent frightened for her child’s safety; the elder, anxious in the face of death.
The patriot, defending freedom at all costs; the insurgent, who sees no end to injustice.
The morally upright, who scorns the sinner; the stranger, to whom the door is closed.
Do not forsake me, O God of my salvation. Do not hide your face from me.
Many of our people, O God, find your face to be hidden, and your grace to be distant. (Pause)
The disillusioned dreamer
The wealthy executive
The weary day-laborer
The angry teenager
The innocent victim
The cruel aggressor
The lonely shopper
The unbelieving cynic
The rejected lover
The disconsolate griever
The invisible resident alien
The disheartened church worker
The incurable patient
Do not forsake me, O God of my salvation. Do not hide your face from me.
Many of your people, O God, have lost their way, feel abandoned, or are overwhelmed by the violence around them. (Pause)
Those trapped in the darkness of despair, those who are too hurt to speak; and
those too broken to hope.
Those drawn to other gods and easier loyalties; those who are too seduced to resist, and those too disenchanted to care.
Those who feel utterly alone in the world, those unable to love themselves, and those unable to love beyond themselves.
Victims of recent world disasters, near and far away; those whose misery goes unreported, unobserved, and those who endure famine, war, and disease. (Pause)
Do not forsake me, O God of my salvation. Do not hide your face from me.
REFLECTION ON PSALM 27
“13I believe that I shall see the goodness of the LORD in the land of the living.
14Wait for the LORD; be strong, and let your heart take courage; wait for the LORD!”
I have never been a good waiter. I do not have previous experience in the hospitality industry. Nor do I have skills well suited for waiting on tables in a restaurant. My first job was working in a car wash, so I would be much better washing dishes!
One of my character flaws is that I have never been good at waiting: Waiting for Christmas … waiting for Jean to get ready … waiting in a long checkout line … waiting for test results from the doctor’s office. I am impatient … edgy … annoyed … and exasperated … when I am forced to wait.
What kind of a “waiter” are you?
The pandemic has altered our living in so many ways. One of the ways that it has impacted me … and seems to be getting less tolerable the longer it goes … is the waiting that is being demanding of me. Day by day … my frustration grows … as I long for an answer, “How much longer will this go on? When will it all end?”
My impatient waiting opens a floodgate of questions, “When we will be able to see our family face to face? When we will be able to gather as the Body of Christ for worship? When will kids and teachers assemble in classrooms? When will we be able to go about without fear? When will a sneeze, induced by allergies, not induce panic?”
In January, when the Worship Committee selected the liturgy, “Our Light and Our Salvation” for our midweek Lenten worship, from Holden Prayers Around the Cross, we had no way of knowing how directly Psalm 27 would be speaking to us in the midst of this world-wide health crisis. Each of these five weeks, we have sensed how pointedly these ancient words speak to our current lives. This is still true as we have arrived at Week 5 … and the last two verses of this psalm seem to have been written … just for us … at this moment.
Before we arrive at the summons to “Wait for the LORD,” we are grounded in the character and faithfulness of God. “I believe I shall see the goodness of the LORD.” When life is good … and full of blessings … and the future is bright and beautiful … we easily declare, “God is good, all the time! All the time, God is good.” However, when life is full of anxiety … fear … struggles … and despair … we are not always so quick to lift up this refrain. The up-to-the-minute reports of the spread of COVID-19 … detailing so many cases and so many deaths … do not make us hopeful, nor prompt our praise of God.
Even though WE may not, at every moment, be able to confess with the psalmist that we “shall the goodness of the LORD,” it remains true … just the same. God IS good. God IS love. God never, ever WAVERS from the heart and center of who God is … and shall always be.
The goodness of the Lord is what induces us to be able to wait … even for those who struggle with impatience, like me! We can “wait for the LORD.” We can “be strong.” Our hearts can be filled “with courage.” Because … together … in the fullness of God’s goodness … “we wait for the LORD!”
And, remember … “1The LORD is my light and my salvation; whom shall, I fear? The LORD is the stronghold of my life; of whom, shall I be afraid?”
CLOSING PRAYER
Holy God, our light and our salvation, you hear us when we cry to you and answer when we call. Grant that all who seek your face in times of trouble may see your goodness in the land of the living, and dwell in your presence all our days, through Jesus Christ, our Savior and Lord. Amen.
LOOKING AHEAD …
April 4 and 5 … Palm/ Passion Weekend; Saturday 5pm; Sunday 9 am WORSHIP SUSPENDED
April 9 … Maundy Thursday, 6:30 pm WORSHIPED SUSPENDED
April 10 … Good Friday Tenebrae, 7:30 pm WORSHIP SUSPENDED
April 11 … Easter Vigil, 5:00 pm WORSHIP SUSPENDED
April 12 … Easter Sunrise, Waterworks Park WORSHIP SUSPENDED
April 12 … Easter Worship, 9:00 am ... COMMUNITY EASTER DRIVE-IN WORSHIP at the Sutton Center Parking lot.
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Weekly Email from Pastor Jim Lehman April 2, 2020 This unprecedented time where we are witnessing the invasion of the coronavirus and the essential need for “physical distancing” is messing with my theology. In the gracious waters of Baptism, we are joined, not only to the death and resurrection of Jesus, but also to Christ’s body, the Church. “For in the one Spirit we were all baptized into one body …” (1 Corinthians 12:13) It frustrates me greatly and arouses pain not to be able to gather together in worship and in face-to-face acts of ministry with you, my sisters and brothers in Christ. “If one member suffers, all suffer together with it; if one member is honored, all rejoice together with it. Now you are the body of Christ …” (1 Corinthians 12:26-27) It aches deep in my soul not to be able to live our theology … and be together … in Christ. But then, I remember that Chapter 12 is followed by Chapter 13 (I know my biblical insight is astounding 😊) … the infamous Love Chapter, read at countless weddings. Paul is setting before the body of Christ “a still more excellent way” (1 Corinthians 12:31b). It is the way of love … agape love … a passionate, resilient, other-focused love seen and lived most clearly in Jesus. We are called … as the body of Christ … to love one another … and to do so in our actions. You know the words, “Love is patient; love is kind …” (1 Corinthians 13:4-8a) … “Love never ends.” It is because of this theology … that God, by grace, has arranged us into the body of Christ … and has called us to love one another … that we must extend our time of “physical distancing” through the end of April. Yes, it will bring more frustration and pain. Yes, it will continue to wound us to not be together as the body of Christ for Holy Week and Easter Sunday. Yes, it is scary to consider that with this necessary extension … sorrow will be multiplied … as we are ever aware that the remaining weeks of our 18-year partnership as people and pastor are dwindling away … so fast. Yet, we are called to honor and respect and love … putting the health and wellness of the whole … before ourselves. We continue this extraordinary practice because we are loved and are called to love. It is at the heart of what it means to be connected to Jesus … and to one another. It is what it looks like to be the body of Christ. The Executive Committee has extended our suspension of worship through April 30. This action is being encouraged by Bishop Daniel Beaudoin of the Northwestern Ohio Synod and by the State of Ohio. Obviously, this decision to extend the suspension will impact our journey into Holy Week this year. Here's what is planned for Holy Week/Easter.
Please hear this: We want you to stay home and stay safe. This is a way we can be together without compromising anyone’s health. However, please continue to take all the necessary precautions in your daily lives. Please keep your windows up – if you need to crack a window please keep it to an inch. And, please stay in your cars and listen via the radio
Finally, if you have any need for food, prescriptions, supplies or for prayer and conversation … do not hesitate to call. We have a team of folks ready and willing to act. We have been staying in touch with those we have deemed to be more “vulnerable” in terms of leaving the home or perhaps in need of resources. If you are healthy, and available, Bistro 163 still needs volunteers Wednesday through Saturday, serving meals to those who are facing growing food insecurity. Shifts are from 11-2 and 2-4 for food prep and from 4-6 for food distribution and clean-up. If you can help call: 419-341-4094 to sign up. I will be volunteering on April 9, working from 3:30-6:00 pm. Nancy Linn and I continue to “spilt” our time working from the office and/or at home. Someone is near the phone, most of the time, between 8:00 am to 3:00 pm, Monday through Friday. Together, as the body of Christ, Pastor Jim Lehman
Camp at LMC Pictures … If you are longing to see what a week of camp at Lutheran Memorial Camp looks like, please visit lomocamps.org … find the LMC page … and click on Week One. It was another great week of growing in faith, experiencing the Body of Christ and getting away from daily routines. Oh, and it was FUN too! A poster with additional pictures will also be appearing soon. CROS+GEN LIFE CONFERENCE 2018 One of our values … those characteristics that are a part of the DNA of this congregation … is that we are always about NURTURING DISCIPLES. We would stop being St. John … if we would end our commitment to providing “meaningful opportunities for children, youth and adults to hear, learn and experience the good news of God’s love in Jesus.” From October 1 through October 4, Pam Boytim, Julie Frattaroli and Pastor Jim Lehman had a tremendous opportunity to learn about and to experience Cross+Gen Ministry. This event was held in Estes Park, Colorado at the YMCA of the Rockies. We were inspired and challenged by “big picture” presentations, case studies and workshops. The basic thrust of this approach to nurturing disciples is to gather children, youth and adults into one community, versus breaking age groups into separate classrooms. Here’s a question that is at the heart of this Cross+Gen Life, “What happens when the wisdom of the elder and the wonder of the child collide in the same sacred space every week?” Promise. Hope. Joy. Depth. Fun. Cross+Gen Life. The three of us who attended have met once to process our experience. We have identified some ways that we can implement some of what we have learned. You will have a chance to experience this at our Advent Events and at the Winter DSQ Kick-off. We will be doing some deeper reading of how this ministry has taken shape in congregations across the US. We will be praying about the ways that we can move into more significant commitment to nurturing children, youth and adults in Christian faith. This adventure was made possible through the generosity that has been provided through the Shela Fund, which is a part of the St. John Endowment. MUSIC MINISTRY NEWS The Handbell Choir … under the direction of Lisa Rider rehearses on Tuesdays at 7:00 pm. Our Senior Choir, under the direction of Shelvin Burns, rehearses on Sunday mornings, except when the Handbell Choir is ringing, at 8:00 am. Come join one of our two outstanding choirs who provide leadership for our worship, as gifts and talents are shared!
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St. John LutheranWe are a member of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America , whose offices are located in Chicago, Illinois.
We are also partners with the 162 congregations of the Northwestern Ohio Synod. The offices of the NWOS are located in Findlay, Ohio.
Local ELCA congregations in Ottawa and Wood Counties share mission and ministry through the North Central Conference.
Our congregation also participates in the Port Clinton Clergy Association and it’s seasonal worship and service opportunities.
Greetings in the name of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ! On behalf of the people who gather to worship, learn and serve at St. John Lutheran Church, I welcome you to our Web site as you learn more about our mission.
You are invited to come experience the unconditional love of God in Jesus as it is proclaimed, experienced and extended when we gather to worship. It is our church's desire to grow in faith, to participate in fellowship, and to serve others
I am available to visit with you by phone, at your home or work place, or via e-mail. I would enjoy getting to know you better and answering questions you might have about the Christian faith, or what Lutherans believe, or any specific practices of this Christian community. Please don’t hesitate to get in touch with me.
Once more, in Christ’s name, welcome to St. John Lutheran Church. Come and join us as we seek to make Christ known.
Pastor Jim Lehman
OUR MISSION
We are a Christ-centered and caring congregation called by God to share the good news of salvation for all people.
OUR VISION
“Growing Disciples of Jesus”
