New Fellowship Hall Dedication December 9, 2012

St. John Lutheran Church in Charter Oak will celebrate the completion of their new fellowship hall Sunday, December 9, 2012. Rev. Paul Sieveking, President of the Lutheran Church Missouri Synod's Iowa District West will preach at the 10:00 am worship service.

The theme verse for the building's dedication will be Ephesians 2:19-22, in which St. Paul calls believers themselves become God's temple, with Christ as its cornerstone.

Ephesians 2:19-22 New International Version (NIV)¹⁹ Consequently, you are no longer foreigners and strangers,but fellow citizens with God’s people and also members of his household, ²⁰ built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, with Christ Jesus himself as the chief cornerstone.²¹ In him the whole building is joined together and rises to become a holy temple in the Lord. ²² And in him you too are being built together to become a dwelling in which God lives by his Spirit.

Immediately following worship there will be a dedication ceremony at which the cornerstone to the new building will be laid and a ribbon will be cut. A chicken and ham dinner will be served at noon, catered by Staley's Food Service. A free will offering will be taken for the meal.

An open-house will then be held in the new fellowship hall from 2:00 PM till 4:00 PM. Contractors and Building Committee members will be available to answer questions. Visitors may also take a look at how volunteer workers remodeled the church basement to accommodate St. John's Sunday School.

In addition to the twelve contractors, member volunteers dedicated many hours to these projects, from excavation, cleaning, dry-walling, moving pianos and  historical displays, to painting, installing ceiling tiles, and assembling shelving.

The project began in the summer of 2011 when St. John began considering how to replace the school  building, built after WWI, which had fallen into disrepair.  The church held an auction of the contents of the old Lutheran school, and held a day of prayer dedicated to "Praise, prayer, and progress," before kicking off a fundraising campaign for the building project.

On Father's Day, 2011, the congregation held a "farewell school picnic" for the building, and had it taken down. A memorial to the school, founded in Charter Oak in 1902 now stands on the corner of First Street and Birch Avenue in Charter Oak, across from St. John's, where the school once stood.

Ground breaking ceremonies were held for the new addition on the first Sunday in April, 2012. St. John members have made pledges and gifts to cover much of the costs of the new fellowship hall. Church leaders hoped to avoid borrowing or borrow as little as possible to pay for the building project. Many costs were kept down thanks to donated and volunteer labor. Recently, members gave money to purchase new tables and chairs for the new fellowship hall.

St. John's pastor, Richard Merrill sees a fellowship hall as a means of offering ministry and outreach to the whole community since it will host various receptions for events like funerals and other church events. Ground level entry and convenient parking should make the addition more accessible for the elderly and handicapped.

Lutheran School Memorial

This memorial marker was erected last week on the corner across from St. John where the Education Building used to stand. It was made with bricks from the building itself and now stands as a reminder of Charter Oak's commitment to Christian education.

"Train up a child in the way he should go, And when he is old he will not depart from it" ~Proverbs 22:6

Prayer, Praise, and Progress; New Sunday School Rooms Ready for Business!

This summer some of the Trustees and lots of volunteers have been working in the church basement to get ready for the Sunday School classes in the Fall. The North third of the basement was framed out and dry-walled, and painted. Finally solid oak doors and their frames from the old Education building were installed. Thank you to all the volunteer workers who donated time and supplies!

One Last School Picnic

This Trinity Sunday, Pastor Merrill preached about how we praise the Father, pray in the name of the Son, and are inspired by the Holy Spirit to step out in faith to make progress toward our future, a future in which God has plans for us (Jeremiah 29:11). 

The last part of our worship service included a decommissioning ceremony for the 92 year old St. John School Building, which will be taken down soon as we begin raising funds to build a new handicap-accessible Fellowship Hall South of the church and remodel the church basement to accommodate classrooms for Sunday School and Confirmation. 

Then we all sat down for an old fashioned picnic outside on a bright, beautiful day. Members and former members laughed and told stories about the old days in the old building.

 Former student os St. John Lutheran School

 Former students of Noah's Ark Preschool

 Dads doing what dads do on Father's Day; grilling!

Volunteers on the Picnic Committee man the serving line. 

DON'T FORGET!!!

OLD FASHIONED SCHOOL PICNIC!

Be sure to join us this Sunday, June 19th, Father's Day 

as we say farewell to the St. John Education Building.

There will be grilled burgers & hot dogs, drinks, chips, ice cream, and HOMEMADE PIE!!! 

Come join the fun as we complete our month of 

Praise, Prayer, and Progress!

130 Years of Praise, Prayer, & Progress; Founding St. John Lutheran School

St. John Members in front of the church 1907

 In 1902, a school was built since the schoolroom in the rear of the church had become too small to accommodate the large number of children. The dimensions of the school were 22 by 36 feet with a hall 8 by 8 feet and was built under the direction of members of the School Board: Messrs. H. Schroeder and Christian Neddermeyer, and a committee of 2 elected by the congregation: Messrs. G. Schelm and Wm. Noxel.

In 1912, after Rev. Amstein had taught school for twenty-two years, he was given assistance: Candidate H. Ansorge, who received his education and training at our College at Addison, Illinois (now River Forest), accepted the call extended to him. Rev. Ansorge was installed on the 13th Sunday after Trinity, September 1, 1912. His brother, J. Ansorge of Manning, Iowa delivered the sermon. In 1914, it was necessary to engage the services of a second teacher, Miss Helen Amstein.

Group picture of St. John Lutheran School students and teachers in 1915

Special Voter's Meeting; Yes on Building Project

 Special Voters’ Meeting

10:15 AM June 12, 2011

Call to Order- The meeting was called to order by President Bill Magill

New Members-  Bethany Mallory, Rod and Becky  Kunze, Bob and Lana Schrieber, Ron Schau, Linda Nepper, Ted Butler- moved by Bob Kunze, seconded by Ralph Dorale to accept the new members- new members accepted.

Phase IV- It was moved by Otto Kunze and seconded by Joel Kuhlman to vote on Phase IV of the building project, the construction of new fellowship hall with handicap accessible restrooms & a fundraising campaign to pay for the building project.

·          Discussion: President William Magill and Building  Project Research Committee Chairman Byron Weiss explained some of the of proposed plans, dimensions & locations, etc. as well as fundraising plans discussed by the Church Council. It is hoped that pledge commitments will be in by the end of 2011, while givers will have three years to fulfill their pledges. Some additional decisions will be brought before the voters later. Marge Neddermeyer asked Pastor Merrill to explain how a fellowship hall instrumental in St. John's ministry because the majority of the church’s contact with the surrounding community is made there.

·          Voting: Voters used secret, written ballots which we collected and counted by Secretary Ted Mallory, Vice President Bob Stolze Jr. and Dwight Goslar.
Motion carried 45 yes, 4 no (49 total votes, including absentee ballots)

·          Picnic: There was discussion about the “School picnic,” next Sunday, June 19.  Committeewoman Karen Weiss offered details about the food and that there would be a free will offering. Pastor noted that as part of that Sunday’s worship service, there will be a “decommissioning ceremony” for the old school building. Immediately following there will be pictures taken of as many Lutheran School and Noah’s Ark Preschool alumni as are in attendance just before the picnic itself.

Adjournment- Bob Stoltze Jr motioned for adjournment, seconded by Don Friedrichs

Respectfully submitted by,

Secretary Ted Mallory


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Prayer, Praise, & Progress Next Two Weekends

This Summer St. John Lutheran, Charter Oak will be celebrating how God has used them to bless His people, asking Him to show them how they can share the love of Jesus with open arms today, and looking to how they can better serve the needs of their congregation and community in the future.

Several events will be happening at St. John that will help people to praise, pray, and make progress.

A number of members will be speaking about how God works in our lives at the beginning of services. These short talks are mean to draw attention to St. John's past, present, and future.

On Saturday, June 11, St. John will be holding a day of prayer. The day will begin with a Prayer & Praise service in the sanctuary at 9:00 a.m., followed by a Prayer-Walk beginning at 10:00 a.m. Prayer-walkers will begin inside the church and walk around the church property, making stops along the way to pray for various ministries of the St. John, for Charter Oak and surrounding communities, other churches in the area, the Lutheran Church -Missouri Synod and Iowa District-West, the nation and the world.

After the Prayer-Walk, a Prayer-Vigil will be held from Noon till 5:00 p.m. Volunteers can sign up ahead of time to pray in 15-minute shifts during the day at the Church. Members are encouraged to commit to pray on June 11, whether it be at the service, on the walk, during the vigil, on their own at home, work, or wherever they are- or some combination of any of these.

Sunday, June 12, Byron Weiss will give the third talk at the beginning of the service on progress. After worship this day there will be a special voter's meeting to decide whether or not to move ahead with the final phases of the building projects. The first phases included an auction of the contents and interior of the old Lutheran school building on the corner of First Street and Birch Avenue in Charter Oak, demolition and removal of the school and remodeling of the church basement to accommodate Sunday School class rooms. If approved, the final phase would add a new fellowship hall to the South side of the church building.

On Sunday, June 19 (Father's Day) St. John will say farewell to the old school building with an old fashioned School Picnic after church. It will be a great way to kick off the summer by remembering the past and looking forward to the future. Immediately after church, members will gather in front of the old school building for a “Decommissioning” Ceremony. Then former students of St. John Lutheran School and of Noah’s Ark Preschool will gather for pictures. The picnic will begin around 11:00 AM.

Grilled hamburgers and hot dogs will be served with chips and drinks. LWML members have been baking homemade pies which will be served with ice cream at the picnic.

If the voters approve the building project, St. John expects to undertake a capital campaign to raise funding to defray the costs of the project. St. John voters offered to donate the Sunday School house located at 108 Birch Ave. to a family that lost their home in to the tornado in Mapleton. If there is a recipient family that will accept the house, Habitat for Humanity will assess the structure for the feasibility of a move.

Praise, Prayer, & Progress; Offering with Open Arms, the love of Jesus

"The arms of love encompass you with your present, your past, your future; the arms of love gather you together."

 ~Antoine de Saint-Exupéry

Take the opportunity to both be welcomed by that warm embrace, and to offer it to others.

Come joint St. John as we praise God for our past, pray together here in the present, and seek God's direction for our future- all while keeping in mind why we're here, to offer with open arms, Jesus' love.

• Saturday June 11- Day of Prayer
• Sunday June 12- Pentecost Sunday & J.O.Y in Ministry Sunday, Special Voter's Meeting after church on Phase IV of our building project 
• Sunday June 19- Old fashioned School Picnic to say goodbye to the old Lutheran School building

130 Years of Praise, Prayer, & Progress; Building St. John

The members had extreme difficulty agreeing on the exact location for their church (remember the town of Charter Oak was not yet in existence). Acres were bought here and acres were bought there, only to be resold again. The problem was finally settled when the Chicago, Milwaukee and St. Paul Railroad built a line to Sioux City and established the village of Charter Oak in 1887. Several members immediately purchased 2 lots for the congregation. A third lot was presented to the congregation by the Railroad Company with the condition that a church be erected thereon within one year. Soon the members were in full agreement. 

A church was built in 1888; it was 30 by 50 feet. On October 21, 1888 the 21st Sunday after Trinity, the church was dedicated to the service of the Lord. Rev. W.T. Strobel of Denison conducted the German service in the forenoon, and Rev. M. Herrmann of Grant Township, preached the sermon in the afternoon in the language of the country. Already at this early date the English language was used by St. John Lutheran Church making known the grace of God in Christ Jesus. The church was erected at a total cost of $1,399.00! During this same year the cemetery, one mile north of Charter Oak, was purchased and laid out in lots.

Calling all Alumni!

Did you attend St. John Lutheran School or Noah's Ark Preschool? We'd like to take group pictures! Right after church, in front of the old school building before the decommissioning ceremony and "old time school picnic" on Father's Day, June 19!

Come Pray with us and for us!

Please pray for/with my church. Next Sunday, June 12, Pentecost, our voters will decide whether to take on a major building project. The day before, partly to seek God's guidance and blessing, we are hosting a day of prayer.

Everyone is welcome to attend & participate at St.John Lutheran in Charter Oak, IA. It's not just for or about our church. We want to pray for our, neighbors, communities, area, state, nation, churches & world. Prayers of adoration, confession, thanksgiving, &supplication. Prayers for health, for families, for needs, and for spiritual growth.

If you'd like to join us on Saturday:

• 9AM- Prayer Service
• 10AM- Prayer Walk around property
• Noon-5PM- Prayer Vigil 
• OR- Pray with/for us anytime during the day, wherever you are.

My own personal prayer for St. John (this from Ted Mallory, webmaster) is that as a congregation we are Christ-centered, that love permeate everything we do, that prayer and Bible study become priorities, that we become Spirit-filled and purpose-driven. God has blessed us for 130 years. Please pray with me that He will use us to bless others, both in and around Charter Oak.

What an awesome way to spend the day before Pentecost?! Come, Holy Spirit, come! Burn in us & through us!

St.John Lutheran, Charter Oak, IA mission statement: "Offering with open arms, the love of Jesus."

Prayer, Praise & Progress

Dear Friends in Christ,


      “Praise, Prayer, and Progress” is the theme that has been chosen for our month-long celebration of God’s grace at St. John.  We are going through a time of transition at St. John.  The Lutheran School auction (Phase 1 of the transition) has already taken place, and this past month there has been a steady stream of items being removed from the building in preparation for its removal.  The voters have approved Phases 2 and 3 of the remodeling project which involves the removal of the old school building and the Sunday School house to the south of the church and the construction of new Sunday School rooms in the church basement.  We are still awaiting approval of Phase 4, which would be the addition of a Fellowship Hall onto the south end of the current church building.
      At the quarterly meeting in April the voters directed the church council to study and make recommendations on raising funds for the new addition.  The Council believes that the time is right for proceeding with the project.  They have determined that around $200,000 is available for the project from the current Building Fund, from an existing LCEF note, and from undesignated anonymous gifts. They have set a goal of raising $300,000 for the construction of a new addition.
      The Church Council believes, in the words of Esther 4:14, that we as God’s family have been brought together at St. John “for such a time as this.”  We invite you to join us on a journey of Praise, Prayer and Progress beginning this month:
      --Praise for the countless blessings that God has granted to St. John Lutheran Church in the 130 years of its existence.  Especially this month we remember the many individuals, current and former members, who were blessed through St. John Lutheran School and Noah’s Ark Preschool.  Many children growing up in Charter Oak received their elementary education at St. John Lutheran School, and learned of Jesus daily in worship, devotions, and religion classes.  Many of those children have grown up to be leaders in our congregation or in other congregations in the communities in which they settled as adults.  Some of our current junior high and high school students still remember their days at Noah’s Ark Preschool.  The Lutheran School building has been a blessing to us all.  We give glory to God as weretire the building on Sunday, June 19,  and celebrate one last “school picnic” that day.
      --Prayer for the present needs and challenges facing our congregation and community.  The Church Council believes very strongly that a project like this must be undertaken with prayer.  We hope all members will participate in the Day of Prayer scheduled for Saturday, June 11.  Options include a more liturgical prayer service at 9 a.m., a “prayer walk” around the church property beginning at 10 a.m., and a “prayer vigil” from noon-5 p.m. where members can sign up to pray quietly in the church for 15-minute intervals.  Even if you are unable to participate in any of these events, we encourage you to set aside time that day to pray for the needs of our congregation and community.
      --Progress as we ask, “What is the future of St. John here in Charter Oak?”  The Council firmly believes that St. John Lutheran Church is called to be a beacon of hope in our community, offering with open arms the love of Jesus, nurturing our own members and reaching out to those who do not know Him.  The question before us is, what facility improvements are necessary to continue and expand the Lord’s work here at St. John?  A special voters’ meeting has been scheduled for after church on Sunday, June 12.  The purpose is to discuss the approval of Phase 4, the construction of a new addition.  If approved, the fund-raising process will need to begin.
      As we give Praise to God for His blessings of the past and seek His will for our future in Prayer, we remember that Progress is in the hands of the Lord, whose word to us in Christ is, “‘For I know the plans I have for you,’ declares the Lord, ‘plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.’”  (Jeremiah 29:11)  May the Lord continue to bless St. John congregation and guide us through this transition, to the glory of His name.


                                                Peace to you in Christ,
                                                      Pastor Merrill