Dear Church,

As I’m writing this note I am up at Crossways Village Camp, for a day of leading Bible Study with family campers. Camp is one of my favorite places (and this camp was built by several generations of folks, including members of St. John’s! We actually helped build the chalets at Village and the cabins at Pine Lake!) Much of what staff and pastors do at Camp is try to plant seeds, and nurture seeds that others have planted! Seeds like faith, and hope and love; and like humility, kindness and steadfastness (several of this summer’s themes!)

August is not usually “planting season”, but then again-in the church-it’s ALWAYS planting season! So let me “plant” a few seeds for the next year:

1. Families especially: consider coming to Camp next summer! Come for a weekend or week of Family Camp! Send your kiddos to Camp! Come to Grandparent/Grandkids’ Camp! The kids and parents here this week are having a fabulous time, enjoying Christian community, in a lovely setting! Ages range from 1-75! 2. This fall, we need a couple of Confirmation Guides (Wednesday nights), and Christy and Chris would like another Sunday School teacher to join them on Sunday mornings. Could that be you? Especially if you have a 7th or 8th grader? Or a student in Sunday School? We provide ‘on the job training!’ 3. It’s time to make an extra effort at gathering teens and shaping a growing Youth Group! We can’t simply wave a magic wand and create something for the church’s teenagers, but if teens and parents and adult leaders can pool efforts, anything is possible! We’d also encourage teens and parents to think about the Youth Quake weekend in February, and the ELCA Youth Gathering in Minneapolis next summer! Talk to Katie Schott, our President. 4. We did a little survey a few months back about interest in Adult Education opportunities. Let’s get something going in September, as basic as “Bibles for Dummies”, or “What Lutherans Believe” or having conversations around our new ELCA Social Statement on “Civic Life”. Who’s interested? Talk to me! 5. We also need to re-staff our Cemetery Team (after the death of Keith Heidtke), and a Safety/Security Team (talk to Linda Grosser), and our Education Team (talk to Christy Abt). We know not everyone can commit to some extra involvement; we also know that there’s plenty of talent and energy and ideas out there in the congregation. Some of you are waiting to be asked! Consider yourself asked!

St. Paul wrote about how one Christian leader ‘planted’ seeds, another ‘watered’, and how the life of faith is always a group effort! What ‘seeds’ can you help plant and tend and nourish this fall?

Pastor Paul