St. John
Lutheran Church

From Pastor Wrede

Anno Domini nostri Jesu Christi 2026.  With that little bit of Latin, you’ve now seen where we get “In the year of our Lord Jesus Christ 2026.”  Using the first two initials of the Latin words you get “A.D.”  I will resist the fun I might have in mind to talk about how some use “Common Era” or “CE” and others use “Christian Era” and still use “CE.” 

Hymn 869 With the Lord Begin Your Task from Lutheran Service Book is a fine hymn we can use to welcome each new day and an entire new year.  Woven into every task, prayer, from sunup to sundown, with the Lord.  After the Advent season when we were about leveling rough places and raising valleys for a smooth and excellent road for the arrival of Jesus at Christmas, we plunge into this year of our Lord with confidence.

January holds some excellent opportunities for beginning and renewing.

January 4—I will share with you a tradition to use on Epiphany, which is January 6.

January 7, 14, 17, and 31—Listening Sessions

I encourage you to think of our mission and ministry as centered in what we might have learned as “The Great Commission.”  Jesus, with all authority, sent out the 11 disciples to do the following as they were going: make disciples (followers), baptize in the name of the Father and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit, and teach them about God.  Whew!  Oh, before we get too far into thinking we have a lot of work to do, we rest securely knowing that the One in whose name we begin this year is the same one who will be with us this year and until “the very end of the age.”

One last point.  Jesus gave this command to the eleven disciples.  Judas, who had betrayed Jesus, had ended his own life and the remaining disciples had yet to select Matthias to join them.  What is Jesus calling you to do?  What is God calling Saint John and Saint Peter to do?

Pastor Bill Wrede

Intentional Interim Pastor

Listening Sessions

Phase I of the Transitional Interim Ministry process with me was interviewing as many people as possible about their perspective on their congregation and the mission and ministry they have experienced and what they see possible going forward.  After interviewing 61 people, it’s time to move to Phase II.

Phase II is sharing with participants a summary of what I learned through the 61 interviews.  My report will include the strengths, the challenges, and areas of growth for Saint John and Saint Peter as individual parishes and our lives together.  During Phase II, there will be four sessions where I will present my summary and listen to feedback from all attending.  You are encouraged to attend whatever date and time works for you—I will present the same information at all four.

Here is the schedule for listening sessions:

January 7 – 7:00 p.m. at Saint John in the fellowship hall

January 14 – 7:00 p.m. at Saint Peter – Enter through Door #3 – Meet in Room 104

January 17 – 10:00 a.m. at Saint Peter – Enter through Door #3 – Meet in Room 104

January 31 – 10:00 a.m. at Saint John in the fellowship hal1