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Weekly Bible Studies Resume Next Week

As we get “Back to Basics” this fall, one way to do that is to spend time studying God’s word with others. 

We have multiple ongoing Bible Studies, and a few that resume next week:



• Sister to Sister - Monday Evening & Wednesday Morning Options - See details below

• Wednesdays at 7 AM at the Copper Penny Restaurant - Men’s Bible Study 

• Wednesdays at 9:30 AM at New Perspectives with one of the Pastors - Studying the Book of Romans 

• Thursdays at 7 AM in the Lower Level with one of the Pastors - Studying the Book of Romans 

• Saturday Morning at 7:30 AM in the Gathering Space - Men’s Bible Study 

Discipleship Hour also resumes after Labor Day in the Lower Level at 9:25 AM.

Sister to Sister Bible Studies

• 2nd & 4th Mondays of the Month

• 6:30-8:00 PM

• Penny Van Dellen’s Home

• Starts September 14

• Book: Forgiveness by Donna Pyle (Purchase book on your own)

• Every Wednesday

• 9:00-10:30 AM

• Church Nursery

• Starts September 2

• Book: Ruth – More Than a Love Story by Elizabeth Ahlman (Books will be available at the first session for purchase)

If you have questions, please contact Becky Fleischmann. Call her at 262-388-6048 or email deanbeckyf@gmail.com

Scenes from the Groundbreaking...

On Sunday, around 200 folks gathered to celebrate the groundbreaking for our ministry expansion! God’s Word was proclaimed, and heartfelt prayers were lifted up for His people, our builders, and all who will teach and learn in this new space. Alumni were photographed and ice cream was enjoyed, all celebrating the Lord’s faithfulness to us! 

A Huge Thank You To: 

• The St. John’s PPO for all of the decorations.

• The St. John’s West Bend Foundation for sponsoring the ice cream. 

• Catalyst Construction for hard hats and shovels. 

• Randy Krell and Jody Fellers for coordinating set up. 

• Phyllis Mortenson and the Built on the Rock Prayer Team and all who came and prayed over the site. 

• All who had a hand in setting up, tearing down, and cleaning up!

(Fun fact: We went through roughly 240 frozen treats... which means a few of you definitely went back for seconds or thirds!)

Discipleship Hour is Going Back to Basics

Starts Sunday, September 13 at 9:25 AM in the Lower Level

Anton Chekhov (Russian playwright and writer) once said, “Knowledge is of no value unless you put it into practice.” As we take a step back this year and go Back to Basics with our lives as Christians, we will dive into the Scriptures together in order to refresh, relearn, or even learn for the first time, just what knowledge God has provided to us through His Word. 

Consider these words from Romans 10:13-17:

For “everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.”

How then will they call on him in whom they have not believed? And how are they to believe in him of whom they have never heard? And how are they to hear without someone preaching? And how are they to preach unless they are sent? As it is written, “How beautiful are the feet of those who preach the good news!” But they have not all obeyed the gospel. For Isaiah says, “Lord, who has believed what he has heard from us?” So faith comes from hearing, and hearing through the word of Christ.

We encourage you to join us for Discipleship Hour this fall where we will begin the next steps, moving past simply hearing the word of Christ and digging into just what it means to Put it into Practice. The Word of Christ is for all, and it is up to those who have already heard to share with those who have not. 

We look forward to seeing you at Discipleship Hour on September 13 at 9:25 AM in the church’s lower level.

Kids’ Discipleship Hour Starts September 13

Kids’ Discipleship Hour starts on Sunday, September 13 at 9:25 am. It’s a wonderful opportunity for the kids to connect, care, and share in Christ together with old and new friends! There is child care for children ages infant through 2 years old in the ECC 2 year old classroom. Children ages 3 through 4th grade will learn through age appropriate lessons with fantastic teachers! Drop-off for them will be in the ECC K3/K4 AM Classroom, last classroom upstairs. Sign up with the link below for your children to attend!

Sign Up Your Child for Kids' DH

We are also looking for volunteers, adults and youth age 5th grade and older! If you enjoy sharing God’s word with children, then come join us for Kids’ Discipleship Hour. Your commitment can be every week, twice a month, or even at least once a month. We provide child care for children ages infant through 2 years old in the ECC 2 year old classroom. We teach age appropriate lessons for children age 3 through 4th grade in the ECC K3/K4 AM Classroom/Activity Room! If interested in volunteering, please sign up using this link:

Sign Up to Volunteer for Kids’ DH

If you have any questions, please contact Desiree Titus at dtitus@stjohnswestbend.org.

Youth Bible Study Starts Sunday, September 13

Calling all 5th-8th graders!

Join Nik Mueller, Director of Youth Ministry, for Bible study every Sunday from 9:30-10:30 AM in the 8th Grade Classroom.

Donuts will be provided and friends are welcome!

Questions? Email Nik Mueller, Director of Youth Ministry, at nmueller@stjohnswestbend.org

Youth Ministry is Hosting BASH Park Games

We will be playing kickball, gaga ball, and other fun team park games. We’ll meet right outside the St. John’s gym in Sonshine Community Park.

• Friday, September 11 

• 3:15-5:00 PM

• Sonshine Community Park

• Grades 4-7

• An Adult Must Sign In Each Youth

Parents: Click Here to Connect to St. John’s Youth Ministry with the WhatsApp!

PLEASE NOTE: An adult must sign in with youth at the beginning of the event. An emergency contact is needed for every youth attending BASH. Thank you!

Questions? Email Nik Mueller, Director of Youth Ministry, at nmueller@stjohnswestbend.org

Save the Dates: 2026-2027 Youth Ministry Events

• September 11 - BASH

• October 2 - BASH

• November 6 - BASH

• December 11 - BASH

• January 8 - BASH

• January - Camp Luther Retreat

• February 5 - BASH

• March 12 - BASH

• April 2 - BASH

• May 7 - BASH

• June 4 - BASH

YOUTH BIBLE STUDY for 5th-8th graders starts September 13 and is EVERY SUNDAY from 9:30-10:30 in the 8th Grade Classroom.

Have a fun idea for BASH? Email Nik Mueller, Director of Youth Ministry, at nmueller@stjohnswestbend.org.

Photo: St. John’s youth helped sort and pack shoes at Soles for Jesus in Milwaukee.

Place Your Order for St. John’s Apple Kuchen

Every September, dedicated volunteers gather in the lower level to bake our famous, delicious apple kuchen from scratch. To ensure we bake enough for everyone, please place your order by Thursday, September 17.

How to Order:

• Sign up in the church gathering space this weekend

• Call Carolynn Mengel at (360) 320-1759 or Cindy Tennies at (262) 365-1441

• Order online using the link below

Pickup & Payment:

Cost: $8.00 each

Where: Church Lower Level

When: Thursday, September 24 & Friday, September 25 | 11:00 AM – 6:00 PM

Volunteers Needed – Learn to Make the Famous Kuchen!

We need youth and adult volunteers to continue this tradition. No experience necessary—come learn the secret to making this local favorite.

When: Wednesday, September 23 – Friday, September 25 | 9:00 AM – 3:00 PM (Stay as long as you can!)

Where: Church Lower Level

Perks: Free lunch provided & childcare available

To Sign Up: Add your name in the gathering space this weekend or call Mary Sartler at (262) 483-0679.

St. John's Cookbooks will be available for purchase in the gathering space this weekend.

Order Apple Kuchen Online

Share Your Time & Talents in Worship Ministry

Would you consider volunteering your time and talents to help these ministries flourish?

• Choir

• Worship Team (vocal)

• Worship Team (instrumental)

• Handbells

• Audio-Visual

• Lay Readers

• Usher Team

• Altar Guild

Choir rehearsals begin again on Thursday, August 27 at 6:45 PM. We need men and women (middle school and up!) to sing for our Sunday services once a month and for special occasion services such as Lessons and Carols. This is a great opportunity for spouses, parents and children, and even grandparents and grandkids to serve together! 

Worship Team rehearsals take place on rotating teams on Wednesdays at 6:30 PM. We need people to sing, play in the band, and people who can help run the AV equipment. There’s something for everyone to do in this group!

Handbells are a seasonal group that will begin rehearsing for Lessons and Carols and possibly Reformation on Thursday, October 1 at 5:30 PM. Because we only own so many octaves of bells, space is limited, but we would love to expand the group!

If none of the musical groups are avenues that you feel led to serve in, would you consider another service group? We are always in need of people to read the scriptures, offer hospitality through the usher teams, and serve behind the scenes on the altar guild. All of these groups welcome men, women, and youth to serve the Lord with their time and talents.

All of these groups are in need of volunteers. We both need and want you! Will you help the Body of Christ worship?

Contact Rachel Morton if you have questions: Email rmorton@stjohnswestbend.org or Call 262-334-4901, ext. 327.

Sign Up for Worship Ministry Today!

Sign Up for Promises of Grace Classes

If you are interested in membership at St. John’s, we would like to invite you to join us for Promises of Grace (POG). This nine-week class, taught by our Pastors, is designed to help those new to St. John’s learn more about what we believe and confess. While the class is particularly helpful for those who may be considering church membership, it is open to anyone who desires a review of our foundational teachings and growth in discipleship.  

Our next nine-week class begins Sunday, September 13, 2026, and continues through Sunday, November 8. This class will take place during our 9:30 am Discipleship Hour in Room 215 located on the second floor of our Elementary-Middle School building. For those unable to attend Sunday sessions, we offer the same class each Wednesday evening at 6:30 pm in the lower-level fellowship hall at church. The first Wednesday class, which is a repeat of each Sunday class, begins on September 16. The classes meet for an hour each week.  

As of today, childcare will be available Sunday mornings for children ages 6 weeks to 2 years old in our Early Childhood Center. For children ages 3 and up, they can participate in our Children’s Discipleship Hour in the upper level of the Early Childhood Center. 

We look forward to the opportunity to get to know you better and grow together as Christ’s disciples. To help us plan accordingly for class materials, please RSVP, through one of the options listed below, by Friday, September 4.

Sign Up for Promises of Grace Here

Or if you prefer, call the church office at 262-334-4901.

If you are unable to attend the Fall session but are interested in exploring membership, please contact the church office to remain on our invite list to receive information on our next POG class starting in Jan 2027.

Volunteer Your Time & Talents for the School Addition

As we prepare to break ground on our building expansion this fall, we have an opportunity to use those gifts in a volunteer role right here on the St. John’s campus. Our general contractor, Catalyst Construction, works with both skilled and unskilled labor to help organizations reduce cost and community members to use their God given gifts in projects such as ours. 

If you are able and willing to help in some way, please FILL OUT THIS FORM so that we can coordinate with you in the months ahead. We do not know dates and times as of yet, but want to be ready to put these God given gifts to work when the time is right. As a reminder, this could be anything from site clean up (the only thing you want me doing on a construction site) to painting or plumbing or anything else. 

If there are further questions, please feel free to contact me: sreynolds@stjohnswestbend.org. 

Quilters Are Looking for Bed Sheet Donations

• Mondays

• Starts at 9:30 AM

• Lower Leve

• Join Any Time

St. John’s quilters are in low supply of bed sheets. Full, queen and king sizes are needed. Flat sheets are preferred and can be new or gently used. The sheets are used for the backing of the quilts. Donated sheets can be dropped off in the designated box in the church gathering space.

Our team of quilters meet each Monday at 9:30 AM in the Lower Level Fellowship Hall to make quilts that are sent out to people in need locally and around the world.

Ladies Aid

• Thursday, September 3

• Noon

• Lower Level

Lunch at noon. Devotions by Pastor Dhuse and a short meeting to follow.

Questions? Call Joanne Johnson at (262) 707-0899.

Ladies Aid actively serves by providing meals for families following funeral services. They monthly meet in the Lower Level Fellowship Hall for a time of food, fellowship, devotional time, and a variety of activities. Ladies can join at any time.

Sign Up for All Pro Dad

• Wednesday, September 9 

• Starts at 7:00 AM

• Lower Level 

• Please RSVP!

All Pro Dad Chapters provide an opportunity for dads to spend quality time with their children that will strengthen their relationship. For one hour each month you'll get to join other dads and kids for a fun, memory-making event. Enjoy a FREE breakfast with your kids while connecting through conversation around a specific monthly topic! Our topic for this month is HONESTY. Sign up by scanning the QR Code or click link below.

All Pro Dad Flyer

Click Here to Learn More and RSVP

LWML

• Monday, September 14

• 12:30-2:30 PM

• Church Nursery (New Location) 

Bring a lunch and enjoy some fellowship at 12:30 PM, or come at 1 PM for our meeting. Join us as we support mission work here at home and around the world! Let’s celebrate the blessings and mission of LWML.

Please support LWML Mission Grants through your mite boxes!

The 2026-2028 biennium theme is “The Lord’s Glory has Risen Upon You, Arise! Shine!” Our biennium Bible verse is Isaiah 60:1: Arise, shine, for your light has come, and the glory of the Lord has risen upon you. The mission goal voted on at the 2026 LWML-SWD convention in June was $220,000. Twenty five percent of this amount will be sent to national LWML for the national mission grants voted on at the Omaha 2025 convention.

If you are interested in joining LWML or have questions, call Phyllis Mortenson (262) 989-5027 or email Pam Muther: pjmuther@yahoo.com.

Baptism Class

• Monday, September 21

• 6:30 PM

• Church Nursery

This course is for anyone looking to be baptized themselves or for any parent who would like his or her child baptized at St. John’s. The class introduces what we believe and confess about the amazing gift that baptism is for individuals and families. The class is led by a St. John’s staff member. 

Please RSVP to the church office if you plan to attend by emailing stjohns@stjohnswestbend.org or calling (262) 334-4901.

2028 LCMS Youth Gathering Informational Meeting on Oct 11

Thousands of youth and adults will gather in San Antonio, TX on July 3-7, 2028 for the LCMS Youth Gathering which meets every three years. The Gathering provides a great opportunity for youth and adults to join together as a community and to be encouraged in their walk with Jesus Christ. Youth ages 14-19 are encouraged to attend. Adult Leaders and Young Adult Volunteers (19-25) are appreciated.

Join Nik Mueller on Sunday, October 11 at 12:15 PM or 6:00 PM for an informational meeting in the church gathering space. He will review all of the event details and costs. At least 6 adult leaders are needed for this 5 day event. We look forward to having other local churches join us for the 2028 LCMS Youth Gathering!

View the LCMS Youth Gathering Website

If you cannot attend this information meeting, but would still like details about the 2028 LCMS Youth Gathering, please call Nik Mueller, Director of Youth Ministries (262) 334-4901, ext. 307 or email him: nmueller@stjohnswestbend.org.

For a Digital Copy of the Connections Booklet, Click Here.

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YouTube Channel.

Click Here to view our Livestream

Visit our website: www.stjohnswestbend.org

View our Bible study page w/audio files: www.stjohnswestbend.org/bible-study

Saturday Worship

• 6:00 PM - Traditional

Sunday Worship

• 8:00 AM (Traditional)

• 9:30 AM - Blended (In-Person and Livestream)

• 11:00 AM - Contemporary

Wednesdays

• 8:40 AM - School Chapel