July 24, 2026 E-Vine – St John's Lutheran Church of Napa CA

You Asked For It!
“Caring for God’s Creation”
July 26, 2026

CLICK HERE FOR SERVICE NOTES

As We Gather

Genesis 1 tells us that God created us in His image and gave us dominion over the creation. This wildly majestic creation with awe and wonders that all seem to point us back to God, the Creator, is quite a lot to have dominion over. So how do we do it? As Christians, what are we called to do exactly? Why should we be concerned about creation and its care?

Ongoing News and Information

July 26 – Chair Moving Help Needed in Sanctuary
Our annual summertime stripping and waxing of the floors on campus is taking place right now. Thank you to those who helped with moving furniture in the Preschool last week. This Sunday we can use assistance after worship preparing the Sanctuary for floor cleaning. The Sanctuary is done in two parts, so on Sunday we will move all the chairs to the east end of the Sanctuary. If you are able to help, please let the church office know.

Pastor Mike’s Bible Class: Revelation
There will be no class this Sunfay since Pastor Mike will be away.

Mission Farm Featured in Napa News Article
Our Mission Farm was just featured in a Napa Valley Register article highlighting the work of young farmers and ranchers in our community. You can read more about it at this link.

July 27 – Parking Lot Work Begins
The main Parking Lot will be closed beginning July 27 for the parking lot repaving. We expect the parking lot to be done by August 7. The new lighting will be completed after that. The north (small) parking lot will remain open. For Sunday, August 2, we ask that the small parking lot be used by those for whom mobility is in issue. Otherwise, since the main parking lot will be closed on that Sunday, plan to carpool, park on the street, or meet and carpool from the carpark by the highway.

July 27-September 23 – Support SJLS at a Giants Game
Support St. John’s Lutheran School by joining the Giants at Oracle Park for one of their select fundraising games! There are 15 game dates available from July 27 to September 23. Bleacher and View Reserve tickets are only $15, and $5 of each ticket purchased will be donated back to our school by purchasing through the QR code in the flyer above.

Supporting the Meissenhalter Family
Our dear friends Eva, Kenneth, Edel, and CJ Meissenhalter are grieving the loss of their beloved husband and father, Martin. To surround them with love and ease some of their daily burdens (like cooking or errands), we are organizing a gift card train to support them. They would appreciate gift cards to local restaurants and grocery stores. You can contribute to their restaurant, grocery, and meal delivery gift card train on the GiveInKind platform by clicking here. Gift cards can also be dropped off at the church office. Thank you for showing your love and care during this difficult time!

Chemo Care for the Scully Family
Many thanks to our wonderful congregation for providing such care and support for the Scully family during Rebecca’s recovery from her recent surgery. She is now moving on to the chemotherapy phase of her treatment plan, and to help the Scully family focus on rest and healing, we have put together a “Chemo Care” website with links to items that would be most helpful for them as they navigate this next phase. For more information and to contribute, please click here. Thank you all so much for your generosity, prayers, and support during Rebecca’s recovery!

For more than 60 years, our main parking lot has served St. John’s well. But as we all know, it is now in serious need of repair. In addition, several sections of the sidewalks along Linda Vista Avenue and Trojan Road have been lifted and broken by tree roots, creatng uneven and unsafe walking areas.

“Make the Rough Places Plain” (Isaiah 40:4) is our congregation’s project to:

Repave the parking lot
Improve parking lot lighting
Repair the damaged sidewalk sections

Our goal is to complete the work this summer, so that when school begins, the “rough places” will indeed be made plain – a safer, well-lit parking lot and level sidewalks for all who come onto or walk by our campus.

Project Budget: $280,000

Parking Lot Repaving – $200,000
Improved Parking Lot Lighting – $50,000
Sidewalk Repair – $30,000

We have applied for assistance through the City of Napa’s Sidewalk Cost Share Program and are awaiting their response.

How You Can Help
Please prayerfully consider making a special offering to support “Make the Rough Places Plain.”
Gifts may be made by check or online at this link.

As of July 12, 2026, we have received:

$141,196 in donations
$50,000 pledged by the Association of Parents and Teachers

Praise God for His generosity through His people!

August 2 – Worship in the Faith Chapel
On Sunday August 2, we will be worshiping in the Faith Chapel while the Sanctuary floor is receiving its annual stripping and waxing. We are also looking for several people to arrive at 9:00 AM to assist in the setting up of the chairs. If you are able to help, please let the church office know.

August 9 – Memorial Service for Martin Meissenhalter
Our dear brother, Martin Meissenhalter, went home to be with the Lord last month, and a memorial service for him will be held on Sunday, August 9, at 2:00 PM in the Sanctuary, with a reception to follow in the Parish Hall. All at St. John’s are warmly invited to attend; please RSVP to the church office by August 1.

August 14 – Memorial Service for Lenora Balsiger
We give God thanks for the life and faith of our sister in Christ, Lenora Balsiger. There will be a memorial service for her on Friday, August 14, at 1:00 PM in the sanctuary with a light reception to follow.

Found – Wedding Ring
A wedding ring was found in the Parish Hall on Sunday, under the bleachers near the storage closet where the tables and chairs are stored. The ring seems to be a size 10. If you think you know who this ring belongs to, please contact Kristy in the church office.

In Search of Rental Home (Napa)
A family in our congregation is seeking to rent a house, townhouse or apartment with at least 2 bedrooms within walking distance of St. John’s beginning in August or September. If you have any leads, please reach out to Jeff at 650-804-6218. Many thanks!

Confirmation Classes

Congratulations to our 2026 confirmands! Our confirmation classes have wrapped up for this school year, but any current 6th and 7th graders who are interested in participating in confirmation classes in the fall can reach out to Kevin Mathison for more information.

Tuesday Night High School Hangouts
Tuesday is Youth Night! We’re kicking things off with an apologetics series to better prepare ourselves for sharing our faith. Join us as we dive into the Word and have a little fun while doing so! Invite a friend and come join us! We’ll meet on Tuesday nights from 7:00-8:30 PM in Kevin Mathison’s office. For more information, please contact Kevin Mathison.

Join Us For Children’s Church!
All children ages preschool through 5th grade are invited to join us for Children’s Church, an age-specific time of teaching and fellowship during the main worship service every Sunday morning. The children will spend the first part of the service in the sanctuary, then join their teachers for Children’s Church in one of the classrooms. The children then rejoin their families for the last part of the worship service. We are also looking for more adults and teens to help lead these classes, so if you are interested, please reach out to Kevin Mathison.

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

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 who you may invite. Who can you pray for? Who will you invite?

You can CLICK HERE to give your offering online.

What Happens When You Ask for Help from a Stephen Minister?

When you ask for help from a Stephen Minister, a Stephen Leader will contact you to talk more about Stephen Ministry and what it can mean to you. If your needs can be best served by a Stephen Minister, you will be matched with someone who will support you through this tough time. Confidentiality is a top priority for the Stephen Ministry team. You do not need to be concerned that other people will discover that you have requested help. Everything discussed with your Stephen Minister remains confidential. To find out more about Stephen Ministry or to request a Stephen Minister, contact Penni Cremen (707-483-9321) or Pastor Mike at the church office (707-255-0119).

Women’s Monday Morning Bible Study

The Women’s Monday Morning Bible Study has wrapped up for the summer, but we will resume in the fall with a study of Genesis. In the meantime, if you would like more information, please contact Judi Rock at goalyce2041@gmail.com.

Men’s Saturday Morning Bible Study

This Saturday, the Men’s Saturday Morning Bible Study will wrap up our study of Paul’s Letter to the Philippians and begin looking at his Letter to the Colossians. All men are welcome to join us every Saturday morning in Room 10. Breakfast will be at 7:30 AM, and the Bible study will be from 8:00 AM to 9:00 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 resources, 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
- church.stjohnsnapa.org/resources/sermons
- The sermons are arranged by worship series