Serve [Get Involved]

Altar Guild
Koni Preston (507) 524-4334

There are twelve altar guild members for the care of the altar candles, checking for altar flowers, assisting with the sponsoring of lilies and poinsettias, seasonal changes of the paraments and banners, along with any related cleaning needs of the altar area, paraments and acolyte robes. They also arrange the fall and Christmas decorating in the narthex and altar areas and monitor and maintain the attendance books. In addition, they help with special services such as Maundy Thursday and Good Friday during the Lenten season, All Saints' Day and The Hanging of the Greens on the first Sunday of Advent.

Church Council
Veronica Bruckhoff (507) 317-4340

The Church Council is accountable to the congregation through scheduled and special congregational meetings. The council consists of the officers of the chruch and other members as specified in the bylaws. All members are elected by the congregation and are responsible for presenting church vision and ministry to goals, supervising chruch membership, assisting Pastor in nuturing the spiritual life of this church and in the service of communion as planned by the Pastor, establish and approve administrative and program poicies in comformity wit hthe spirit of the chruch constitution, evaluate the total church program, plan and recomment the annual budget and stewardship opportunities, revew shedule of chruch activities and appoint administrative committee members and church workers.

Church Life Committee 
Colleen Carey (507) 995-2648

Its focus is to bring the church members together. Encourage people to take part in church activities. Continue to grow the church outlook of missions and expand the works of our church throughout the local community and beyond. Some of the activities that we do are the Harvest meal, over 60 meal, Valentines Meal, Confirmation Meal, Pie and Ice Cream Social, set up Lenten Meals and arrange the Ushers and Greeters for the church services, hand out gift bags to new members or visitors to our church.

Food Shelf
John Klenk (507) 381-1828

St. John Lutheran Church continues its mission of hosting the Maple River Loaves and Fishes food shelf. The mission of the Maple River Loaves and Fishes Food Shelf (MLRF) is "to provide supplemental food assistance to people in need; living, working or having children enrolled in the Maple River School District". The MRLF is staffed by volunteers from 9 local churches and is open to serve clients from 3:00-6:00 p.m. on Tuesdays and 9:00 a.m.-Noon on Saturdays. Ross Peterson represents St. John on the MRLF board of directors and thus is charged with recruiting volunteers from our church. Opportunities for church members to participate, include volunteering and donating food and/or cash.

Parish Ed Committee
Jenny O'Rourke (507) 995-0332

Parish Education committee is comprised of a group of people who help organize the teaching and activities of the children and youth of our church. On this committee are some teachers, council members, parents, Pastor, Logos and music staff. This committee finds our Sunday school teachers, Logos volunteers and music volunteers. We set up activities to help engage our kids and parents. Ralley Sunday and Handprints Banner for the start of the Sunday school year in the Fall, Trunk or Treat, Amazing Race, Donuts for Dad and Muffins for Mom, Logos, Christmas Program, treat bags, Bake Sale, Easter Egg Hunt, Beach Bible Sunday, and Carnival on the last day of Sunday school in the Spring are some of the extra activities. Parish Ed helps decide the mission project that the kids collect change from the congregation on the second Sunday of each month.

Senior Choir
Denise Nienow (507) 317-1928
Judy Berkeland (507) 399-3383

St. John Senior Choir sings monthly at our worship services and is open to church members from high school to adult. The choir generally learns four-part music and rehearses every Sunday mornings at 8:30 a.m. No audition is required- only a love of music and a desire to praise our God through music. The Senior Choir is directed by Denise Nienow & Judy Berkeland.

Quilters
Ariel Glad (507) 508-3183
Deb Hendrickson (507) 317-6692

The Quilters of St. John's meet on Mondays and Tuesdays from 10:00 a.m.-3:00 p.m. The season begins in the fall and continues until Quilt Sunday in May. The main purpose of our group is to provide quilts for anyone who may need them with no charge. Some of the organizations we send our quilts to are: Head Start families, area shelters, the Salvation Army, nursing homes, VA residents and local families who are facing difficult circumstances, Lutheran World Relief, & Local Sharing Tree. We need persons of all ages who may be interested in contributing to this service. We have some home sewers who come in and collect squares, take them home for construction and return a completed top to us for the final production steps. So, even if you aren't available during our regularly scheduled meetings or you can only come occasionally you can be a part of this service project. We have ladies of ALL ages with two very energetic ladies in their nineties! If you can cut, sew, tie a knot we welcome you to join us for good fellowship with a worthwhile goal. 

WELCA
Rita Caron (507) 524-4234

Our logo—with the cross, water and a white lily—identifies women of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America as children of God; baptized, forgiven, adopted into God's family, full of grace and hope in eternal life. It is a reminder of the growth, beauty, and vitality that rises out of that life-giving baptismal water. It is also a reminder of the mission of the church to "Go, therefore, make disciples of all nations; baptize them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit" (Matthew 28:19). Each woman of the congregation is considered a member of "our church women". We are organized into 6 working circles and 1 funeral circle. The working circles serve for church dinners & special occasions. The funeral circle serves the meal as requested by the family.