Pastor Kyle Bitter - The Fourth Sunday After the Epiphany - Sunday, January 30, 2022

Text: Luke 4:38-44

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Everyone has an agenda. That’s a fact of life and you don’t have to live very long to observe it. In any and every situation, everyone involved has some goal they are trying to accomplish, some person they are trying to connect with, something they are trying to get. Couple of more obvious examples. If you’re a part of a business deal of some kind, you probably assume that everyone involved has a financial agenda of some kind. They wouldn’t be very good businesspeople if they didn’t! If you are talking to someone in politics or government, it’s reasonable to assume that the next election, whenever it might be, is a factor in what they do or say. And I’m sure you can think of other examples. Further, having an agenda is not necessarily bad – why do anything without having a reason – but figuring out what someone’s agenda is goes a long way towards explaining why they behave the way they do and perhaps more importantly, whether you’re willing to trust them or not.

Pastor Eric Schroeder - The Third Sunday After the Epiphany - Sunday, January 23, 2022

Text: Isaiah 61:1-6

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Once again, it is Mission and Ministry weekend here at St. John’s. What exactly does that mean? Well, rather than just assume that everyone is on the same page about what we’re doing and where we’re going, it’s important that every so often, we review what we’re here for—let’s talk about why this thing called St. John’s exists. Many of us are already formally a part of St. John’s, whether it was your choice to become a member by confirmation or transfer, or you joined because your parents did. Others of you are thinking about becoming members of St. John’s at some point, and then we usually have a few people who are just visiting. No matter what your membership status is, these words from Isaiah have meaning for us all today, as we each consider the mission and ministry that God has individually called us into.

Pastor Joel Leyrer - The Second Sunday After the Epiphany - Sunday, January 16, 2022

Text: John 2:1-11

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Dear Friends in Christ,
During the Epiphany season the Christian Church focuses on two central Scriptural truths. One is that Jesus Christ is the all-powerful and eternal Son of God who demonstrated his divinity by his words and actions. The other is that he is the Savior of the world.

Pastor Kyle Bitter - The Baptism of Our Lord - Sunday, January 9, 2022

Text: Luke 3:15-17, 21, 22

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I’m going to guess that at some point in the last month or two most of us here have purchased something online – perhaps more than one thing. If you purchased something online that cost more than a few dollars, I’m going to guess that you did a little research before spending your money. Now, that’s always a good idea, but perhaps more so than ever when you’re buying something that you won’t actually look at or hold until it arrives in the mail! In researching things you might purchase online, a helpful tool is an online review – the feedback left by people about their own experience with the item you are considering. Obviously, interpreting the opinions of strangers is something that requires a little discernment. Couple of examples. Usually, one can find some reviews written by people who seemingly haven’t even used the product yet. It might be a glowing five-star review…because of nice looking packaging or prompt shipping by the postal service. Or it might be a negative, one-star review where it seems that person didn’t even read the description and purchased the wrong item entirely! Such reviews are of little value! On the other hand, the best reviews are those from a reviewer who has possessed the product for some time and is using it for its intended purpose. That kind of reviewer has all the information, and their statements can be very insightful!

Pastor Eric Schroeder - Epiphany - Sunday, January 2, 2022

Text: Luke 10:25-37

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On one occasion an expert in the law stood up to test Jesus. “Teacher,” he asked, “what must I do to inherit eternal life?”

Pastor Joel Leyrer - New Year's Eve - Friday, December 31, 2021

Text: Joshua 1:5, 9

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Dear Friends in Christ, So, what is your assessment of the year we end tonight? And what is your prognosis on the new year we enter tomorrow?