NEWS OF WARTBURG PARISH

303 N. Mulberry St., Steeleville, IL

2017

From Pastor Rathert Greetings, People of Pentecost!!! May the ruach (spirit, breath, wind) that was poured out on the Disciples on that first Pentecost enter your hearts, enabling you to do great things for God here in this place – part of God’s Kingdom. God’s kingdom is not only in heaven but it is here among us and we must work to further that kingdom. Not with force but with our quiet ways of witnessing – a smile to a stranger, a helping hand when needed, prayer for all people whether friend or enemy and loving them too. The month of June and the whole of summer begins that long Green season of the Church year and this lasts until Reformation Sunday and then continues for a short time until Christ the King Sunday. There are various Festival Sundays of different colors. Oh the “lazy days of summer” – not so much if you are part of a Church family. We have the Synod Assembly in Collinsville in June. The cows are grazing behind St. John, Post Oak for the Food Resource Bank project – they will need tending. By the way – a member of St. John came up with an acronym for this project – COWS Christian Outreach With Steers – rather clever I thought. The cows aren’t steers but oh well! Vacation Bible School will be happening at our various congregations. June 14th is Flag Day – don’t forget to fly Old Glory and July 4th is the birthday of our nation, celebrate this. There will also be the community service in the City Park. Church Picnics are happening. Watch for more details in this newsletter. Thinking ahead to August – yes, let’s – school will be starting again and that means that Confirmation Classes will be resuming. If you have or know of a child who will be in 7th grade this Fall, let your Pastor know. May God grant us a great summer – Kids, enjoy your time off – Parents, enjoy your Kids – Everyone, if you get to travel, do so safely. “Therefore, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us also lay aside every weight and the sin that clings so closely, and let us run with perseverance the race that is set before us, looking to Jesus the pioneer and perfecter of our faith, who for the sake of the joy that was set before him endured the cross, disregarding its shame, and has taken his seat at the right hand of the throne of God.” Hebrews 12:1-2

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BOOK SALE

This past winter, the Parish had a book sale and now they are selling the display books such as The Wit of Martin Luther, Martin Luther and Called Life, Luther the Reformer, Together by Grace, 40 Day Journey with Martin Luther, Resilient Reformer, and other for a reduced price. The books are in Peace, Steeleville Office. If you are interested please come by and look at all the books, or call(965-3119) for a price for the above mentioned books

Confirmation

Congratulations and God's blessings to our 2017 Confirmation

Class! The following young people celebrated their Affirmations of Baptism at their home congregations. From St. John, Post Oak: Morgan Creamer, Darin Guebert, Megan Wettig From Peace, Steeleville: Andrew Froemling, Connor Haertling, Gus Higgins, Harry Higgins, Kaylee Luehr, Maegan Mulholland, Gage Roberts, Adelaide Rubach, Alayna Sauerwein Incoming 7th and 8th grade Confirmation students and their parents: Parents of confirmation students (7th and 8th grade) for the 2017-2018 year, you can find a registration form on the parish website, www.wartburgparish.com, then click on the Confirmation tab. More information will be sent out in June about orientation and fall classes.

Leadership Lab for high school youth July 24 – July 29. Contact your youth leader or Pastor if you are interested.

St. Peter’s, Wine Hill will host their Annual Church Picnic on August 19. They will start serving at 4pm. The will also have games, cake walk and baked goods.

Steeleville’s Annual God and Country Service will be held on Sunday, July 2 at 11AM in the Steeleville Commons Park There

will be a community choir. Rehearsals will be Wednesday, June 21st and Thursday, June 29th at 7pm at Peace, Steeleville.

QUILT TYING - every Tuesday, from 8am to 3pm at St. John, Bremen in the church basement. Bring your own lunch.

Morning Prayer continues every Wednesday morning at 9:00 AM in the chapel of

Peace, Steeleville.

BIBLE STUDY OPPORTUNITIES Sunday Morning Bible Study – for Sr. High and Adults

Pr. Duncan will be focusing on the 2nd half of Paul’s 1st letter to the Corinthians and a little bit with 11 Corinthians as well. It will be held in the library from 10:30 to 11:30 on Sunday Morning at Peace, Steeleville. If you are in need to Childcare please let Pr. Duncan know. The following is the schedule: July 9th, 16th, and 23rd, August 6th, 13th, and 20th. Wednesday Morning Bible study – Our focus is

Paul’s letter to the Romans. This class will bring in some discussion of Luther. The book we will be using is by Kerygma. This is a new curriculum recently published to coincide with the 500th anniversary of the Reformation. We meet at 9:30AM in the library at Peace, Steeleville. Wednesday Evening Bible Study - "Fed & Forgiven", a study of Holy Communion - for Adults - will be offered Wednesdays during the month of June each session will begin at 7:00pm. June 7th & 14th we will meet at St. John, Post Oak and June 21st & 28th we will meet at St. Peter, Wine Hill. A booklet (cost is $5.00) is needed for this study, so please contact Pastor Deb at 618-318-2026 so that a book can be ordered. "Do this in remembrance of Me."

WELCA NEWS

Election of officers was held at the May meeting. The officers for 2017-2018 are President Joan

Dotson (Peace, Steeleville) Vice President Treasure Smith (St Peter, Wine Hill) Secretary/Treasurer Jan Eyer (St. John, Post Oak). The next meeting will be Thursday, July 6, 2017 at 7:00pm at Peace, Steeleville. All ladies of the Parish are invited to attend. Devotions will be given by Jan Eyer, Hostess will be Treasure Smith. For the service project we will be collecting school supplies.

We’re excited about

Peace Lutheran Church’s Vacation Bible School to be

held June 19 - 23, 2017. Hero Central can be an inspirational and educational adventure for your entire family. Classes for children begin Monday, June 19, 2017 at 9:00 a.m. and end at 11:30 a.m. Parents, grandparents, and others are invited to join the children at the closing program on Sunday, June 25, 2017 at 7:00 p.m.

Children who will be three years of age before June 19, 2017 through those who completed the fifth grade this spring are invited and welcomed to attend VBS. Each student will need to bring a solid color or white t-shirt to no class later than Wednesday, June 21st. Register your child NOW! Registration

forms will be coming in the mail or you can contact the church office (965-3119) to

register. The Fellowship & Outreach

Committee of St. Peter's (Wine Hill) is pleased to have completed

another successful year of SHEEP (Steeleville's Healthy Elementary Enrichment Program). Following Jesus' command in John 21 to "Feed my sheep," we provide bags of easy-to-prepare food to students at Steeleville Elementary and High Schools one weekend per month during the school year. A bag typically includes a few breakfast items (i.e. cereal bars, granola bars, oatmeal), a few other food items (i.e. ravioli, peanut butter and crackers, sausage, canned fruit, applesauce), some hygiene products (soap, shampoo, deodorant, toothbrush & toothpaste), and a certificate for milk or meat that can be redeemed at Dave's. About 25 students (representing 11 families) benefit from the program. The committee is preparing for the 2017-2018 school year. If you would like to support the program, you can pray for the volunteers that make it happen and the students and families who benefit, and make a financial donation. Checks should be made out to "SHEEP" and can be mailed to St. Peter's Lutheran Church, 11542 Wine Hill Rd, Steeleville, IL 62286

Pedal for a Purpose 2017 Over the last four years, cyclists for Pedal for a Purpose has raised over $95,000 for several Central/Southern

Illinois ELCA supported ministries. This year instead of a single bicycling event it was decided to invite congregations or clusters of congregations to develop additional events to help bring awareness throughout the synod. The Wartburg Parish held an event on May 21, 2017. It was a 34 mile ride connecting all five churches of the Parish, beginning at 10:00am at St. Johns Post Oak, to St. Peter's wine Hill, Peace Steeleville, St. John's Bremen and ending at Peace in Chester. There were 7 riders--Jason Helmers, Mitch Hammel, Kandy Hammel, Jason Hammel, Jeanna Hammel, Jayla Hammel, and Jerry Ohlau--that rode all or part of the route. There was $608 raised and this amount will be matched by an anonymous donor which means there will be $1,208 going to the Lutheran Social Services of Illinois programs. The donations will be presented at the Synod Assembly, but donations will be continued to be accepted. Thank you to all the riders and especially to everyone who donated and supported the riders. Watch for updates and information on next year's ride.

WARTBURG PARISH ONLINE Check out our website at wartburgparish.com

You will find events listed, photos, sermons. Each church has their own page. Pastor Duncan has a blog: Musings on the Faith: http://pastorduncansblog.blogspot.com – please feel free to visit and comment as you are led. Peace Lutheran Youth will have the food stand at Dave’s Food Center on June 24th from 10am -1pm. Money towards the National Youth Gathering in 2018.