February 20, 2025 E-Vine – St John's Lutheran Church of Napa CA

“Loving the Enemy”
February 23, 2025

Please CLICK HERE to download the service notes.

As We Gather
Jesus’ call to love our enemies is one of the most striking and difficult of His ethical instructions. How can we love those who have hurt us, betrayed us or worse? But Jesus’ call to love the unlovely is a call to imitate the love of the Lord for each of us. It is His undeserved love for us that leads to His call to love even our enemies as ourselves.

Please CLICK HERE to download the link to the live-stream itself.

Newly Redesigned Website!
We’re excited to introduce the newly redesigned website for St. John’s Lutheran— visit stjohnsnapa.org for your central hub for both our church and school!

What’s New?

A clean, modern design
Easier navigation & mobile-friendly experience
Quick access to church services, school info, and upcoming events

Check it out today and explore all that’s happening in our community!

Pastor Mike’s Bible Class
Jesus’ Grandmothers – Rahab
We are looking at the unlikely women who are included in Jesus’ genealogy in Matthew 1. It was very unusual at that time to include women at all in a genealogy. But in this case, the women whom Matthew chose to include – Tamar, Rahab, Ruth, Bathsheba – are even more unlikely because of their backgrounds, their stories, and their ethnicities. This week, we will focus on Rahab, a prostitute who lied to government officials about hiding spies in her house. Where is Jesus in this story, and what can we learn from it today? We will meet in Room 8 at 11:00 AM on Sunday.

Ash Wednesday – March 5
My Shepherd
The season of Lent begins on Ash Wednesday, March 5. We will have additional worship services on Wednesday evenings during the six weeks of Lent at 7:00 PM, preceded by a soup supper in the Parish Hall.

This year our Lent Midweek services will focus on Psalm 23 and what it means that Jesus is our Shepherd.

Lent Soup Suppers
Do you have a killer chili, a soul-warming soup, or a stew that’ll make everyone ask for seconds? Share your culinary magic with the St. John’s family as we gather for Faith, Fellowship, and Flavor every Wednesday before Lent services!

Here’s the deal:

Whip up 2-3 soups (or team up with friends!)
Optional: Toss in a salad or bake a dessert
Help set up, serve, and clean up

Soup-er Dates: 3/05 | 3/12 | 3/19 | 3/26 | 4/02 | 4/09
Sign Up Now: CLICK HERE to Volunteer or email Josh Wright at joshwright@stjohnsnapa.org

Ladies Tea

We have filled the Business Administrator position. We are still seeking candidates for the following positions:

Church Office Manager
The church office manager serves St. John’s by providing administrative and secretarial services to the church staff and church community. This is a full-time position. For the position description, please CLICK HERE. St. John’s Church Office Manager.

Maintenance Technician (Part-time)
This is a new part-time position. The maintenance technician is primarily responsible for implementing and carrying out the preventive and routine maintenance tasks to prolong and ensure appropriate operation of equipment and systems. For the full position description, please CLICK HERE. St. John’s Maintenance Technician.

To inquire about these positions, please contact the church office or Pastor Mike Schmid (pastormike@stjohnsnapa.org).

Save the Date! Vacation Bible School

We have officially entered the Vacation Bible School season! This year we will take kids on an adventure of Trusting Jesus in a Wild World at True North VBS! Jesus is the ultimate True North and He is unshakeable at all times. We will be reminding kids that He is our forever friend and Savior all week long. A website for registration will be up at a later date, but in the meantime I ask that you prayerfully consider playing a role in delivering a memorable experience for the kids this summer. The dates are set for Monday-Thursday, June 16-19th, from 9am-Noon. Please contact Kevin Mathison with any questions you may have.

Join us this Sunday after church for High School Hangout. We will dive into our Bible study on Rightnow Media & play some games together.

If you’re heading to NYG, this is the place to be! Saturday March 1st from 6-9pm in the Gym. Dinner and games and our first Pre-Gathering Bible Study! We will also talk about the upcoming District Event on March 22. You don’t want to miss this!

We have added a few members to our team and we are always looking for more. It’s a joy to share the gospel with the young kids at their level each week! If you are interested in serving in Children’s Church occasionally please contact Kevin Mathison or the Church Office.

National Youth Gathering Mark your calendars for March 1st! We will be getting our whole NYG team together for our first lead-up event for the Gathering. Stay tuned for time and details!

SOCIAL MEDIA
Follow St. John’s Youth Ministry on Social Media to keep up with all the latest information!
Facebook: SJL Napa Youth Ministry
Instagram: St. John’s Lutheran Napa Youth

Marriage Renewal Weekend

What: “Spring in Sonoma”
A renewal weekend – to refresh your marriage relationship and enjoy wine country. (not a traditional Marriage Encounter Weekend)
When: Friday, March 21 (6:00 pm) – Sunday, March 23 (noon)
Where: Oxford Suites, Rohnert Park
More Info & Registration: CLICK HERE

School APT Fund-Raiser
The Main Event

Join us for an evening of fun, fellowship, and fundraising at The Main Event on March 22, 2025, benefiting St. John’s Lutheran School! This exciting community-building night will feature a lively auction, great company, and the chance to make a big impact for our school. Don’t miss out—come for the fun, stay for the cause, and help us support our students.

Get your tickets now! Purchase individual seats or reserve a table for friends and family. Scan the QR code to secure your spot today!

Every week is an opportunity to invite someone to join with us in worship, whether in person or online. The first step, though, is to pray for those whom you may invite. Who can you pray for? Who will you invite?

You can CLICK HERE to give your offering online.

Men’s Saturday Morning Bible Study

The Men’s Saturday Morning Bible Study is currently studying the Gospel of Luke.
Join us for fellowship at 7:30 AM and Bible Study from 8-9 AM.

Biblical Counseling at St John’s?

The Biblical Counseling Center of Napa Valley

The Biblical Counseling Center of Napa Valley is a ministry to the families of St. John’s Lutheran Church and all Christians in the greater Napa area. Our center began some 25 years ago to offer strength and direction to those Christians suffering through trials and tribulations using the promises and hope the Bible offers to those who trust Jesus as their Lord and Savior. To learn more, CLICK HERE. If you, or someone you know, is struggling with life’s stressors, please consider giving us a call at 707-738-5306. (We are a free ministry to all).

Right Now Media

Right now media is an online resource providing Christian videos for all ages: Children’s resource, Bible Studies, lectures and more. As a congregation, we have subscribed to Right Now Media, so access is free for all in our St. John’s family. If you haven’t already signed up for Right Now Media, CLICK HERE.

Where do I find sermons and services that I missed?

You can find previous sermons in three places. The full services are available on the YouTube channel.

YouTube Channel:
- www.youtube.com/user/stjohnsnapaca/live
- There are playlists for sermons, Sunday Services, Wednesday Night Worship and teaching on Matthew
RightNow Media Channel
- www.rightnowmedia.org/CustomLibrary/41667
- Scroll down to find recommendations as well as sermon and Gospel of Matthew lessons
Website
- stjohnslutheran.net/sermons-2/
- The sermons are arranged by worship series

Ongoing News and Information

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