June 11, 2026 E-Vine – St John's Lutheran Church of Napa CA

Vacation Bible School
“Exploring the Nature of God”

June 14, 2026

CLICK HERE FOR SERVICE NOTES

As We Gather

God is Good! In the scripture we are reminded that it’s not of our doing, but of God’s. Through it all, God remains the same: Creator, Provider, Forgiver and Savior. Through VBS we are sent as teachers and leaders of the kids towards Jesus and prepare them to be sent in their communities and beyond.

Ongoing News and Information

St. John’s Summer BBQ

June 14 from 12:30 to 2:30 pm on the Patio

Join us as we kick off summer with a campus‑wide BBQ celebrating the heart of St. John’s: our congregation. This relaxed afternoon is all about good food, good company, and the joy of being together as a church family.

We’ll be serving burgers, hot dogs, and brats hot off the grill. Please bring a dessert or salad to share, along with your favorite non‑alcoholic drink. Outdoor games are welcome too if your family has a favorite.

To help us prepare well, please register and let us know you’re coming. Please sign up by the end of today, June 11.

bit.ly/SJLSummerBBQ

or use this QR code:

June 8-16 – Pastor Mike Out of Town
Pastor Mike will be out of town from June 8 through June 16. If there is a need for pastoral care during this time, please contact the church office or Kevin Mathison.

Update on Martin Meissenhalter
As many of you know, our brother Martin Meissenhalter has been bravely battling cancer. Martin experienced some complications earlier this week and was admitted to the hospital. Sadly, he is now experiencing some additional complications and has not regained consciousness since he entered the hospital on Monday.

Martin’s family has expressed their appreciation for the prayers and support of our congregation, and they invite any congregation member who would like to visit Martin to come to Queen of the Valley Medical Center (1000 Trancas St, Napa), Room 3404, between the hours of 7:00 AM and 9:00 PM. There is no need to call ahead or give notice; please feel free just to come on over if you are able.

Please continue to lift up Martin, Eva, and their children in prayer during this difficult time.

Pastor Mike’s Bible Class: Revelation – No meeting this week
The Sunday Bible class on the Book of Revelation will not be meeting this week. The class will resume on Sunday, June 21.

June 15-19 – Vacation Bible School
Registration is now closed for Vacation Bible School, which will take place here at St. John’s Lutheran Church on June 15-19 (Monday-Friday) from 9am-Noon. However, we are still in need of adult and teen volunteers to help make this week as great as it can be for our 100+ campers! There are many different areas where you can help, from snacks to games to crafts to leading small groups of kids from station to station. Please register here as a volunteer, or reach out to Kevin Mathison or Kristy Watkins. Many thanks!

Meal Train for the Scully Family
As many of you know, our Business Administrator Howard Scully’s wife Rebecca just had surgery and is now recovering at home. To help the family focus on rest and healing, we would love to coordinate some dinners so they don’t have to worry about cooking or grocery shopping. These meals would be for Howard, Rebecca, and their teenage son.

Please feel free to drop off meals at the St. John’s Lutheran Church office during the workweek so that Howard can bring the meals home to his family. You can also drop off meals at their home in Vacaville. Gift cards to Nugget Market, DoorDash, or Instacart would also be very much appreciated. Thank you all so much for your generosity, prayers, and support during Rebecca’s recovery!

For more information and to sign up, please CLICK HERE.

Volunteering at the Mission Farm
In our service this Sunday we hear Jesus saying in the Gospel, “The harvest is plentiful, but the workers are few. Pray the Lord of the Harvest to send forth workers into the harvest.” He was thinking of people, not grain or vegetables. But our Mission Farm fields are getting ready for harvesting food to help feed hungry people in our society. The need for workers is getting more critical each and every day. Come find us on the farm on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Saturdays from 9:00 AM to noon. Everyone is invited; bring a friend. Wear garden clothing, hat, gloves, and a smile!

Join the Disability Ministry Task Force!
St. John’s Disability Ministry Task Force is eager to hear your ideas and suggestions of ways that the congregation can more effectively share ministry with people of the parish and the community who are challenged by disabilities or are caring for others who have special needs. Please share your ideas and suggestions with Elaine Zimmerman, Rebecca Lowe-Vitkus, or with Kristy Watkins at the church office. If you are interested in serving on the Disability Ministry Task Force, please speak with one of these contact persons.

Elaine Zimmerman zimelaine@comcast.net 707-225-4291

Rebecca Lowe-Vitkus havegoalstomeet@gmail.com 775-685-6201

Kristy Watkins churchoffice@stjohnsnapa.org 707-225-0119

July 6-September 23 – Support SJLS at a Giants Game
of their select fundraising games! There are 19 game dates available from July 6 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.

The St. John’s Lutheran Church App is coming!
We are happy to introduce a new tool to help us stay better informed and connected at St. John’s. This is an app for your phone or pad called the “Church Center” App. It will give you one easy place to find events, groups, giving, and updates from St. John’s.

The Church Center App for St. John’s builds on what we already use. Church Center is part of Planning Center, which our staff and many volunteers already use on Sunday mornings for all the ways people serve each week, as well as planning the worship service itself.

Event registrations, like Wine and the Word, will be quick and simple. You can update your own contact information, manage giving, and stay connected throughout the week. The app also includes an optional, privacy-friendly church directory. You choose what information you share -it’s a great way to learn names and build community.

We’ll share more details in the coming weeks, including how to download and us the app and how to join the directory.

In Search of Sunday Transportation (Napa)
A member of our congregation who lives less than a mile from our church is looking for transportation to and from SJLC on Sunday mornings. She uses a walker and may require assistance getting in and out of the vehicle. If you are able to help, please leave your name and contact information (phone and/or e-mail) with the Church Office Manager, Kristy Watkins (churchoffice@stjohnsnapa.org).

Fifth Grade Teacher at St. John’s Lutheran School

Our beloved Mr. Newton has officially retired after 50 years of teaching at St. John’s, and we are looking for a new teacher to lead the 5th grade class starting this fall. If you are interested, or know someone else who might be a good fit, please reach out to Principal Christy Wood at cwood@stjohnsnapa.org.

Music Teacher at St. John’s Lutheran School

The Music Teacher position at St. John’s Lutheran School includes classroom instruction for Preschool – Grade 5 and Choir direction for Grades 6-8. This is a part-time position, scheduled for classroom instruction Tuesday and Thursday, and accompaniment/directing of students during our weekly Chapel first thing Wednesday morning. In addition, accompaniment/directing takes place approximately twice a month during our Sunday Worship. For more information, please contact Principal Christy Wood at cwood@stjohnsnapa.org.

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 at kevin@stjohnsnapa.org.

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

St. John’s LCC K9 Comfort Dog Ministry
Your St. John’s Comfort Dog team continues to prepare for the arrival of our new LCC K9 Comfort Dog. We will reach the two-year predicted wait time in September of 2026 though the date is not guaranteed. We continue to meet monthly, on the first Tuesday of the month at 6:30 PM in Room 10, where we are studying the “Nine Arts of Spiritual Conversation”. Our meetings also include prayer time and fellowship. Being a part of this team is like joining together with family.

In March, Tim and Christy Kramer attended an LCC Top Dog Gathering in Illinois to meet with other Top Dogs from around the country to enjoy encouragement, sharing of ideas and processes, and ministry experiences to further enhance each other’s ministries. The theme was “Be the salt and the light” focusing on Matthew 5:13-16.

Another area of focus at the gathering was team building – how to build up current members as well as encourage new members. There are several different roles on the Comfort Dog Team, and we need more people to join us. Please contact Tim or Christy for more information at (707)681-1917.

We were blessed to have Rahab Comfort Dog from St. Andrew in Stockton for several days. Our team was able to take her on many visits while in Napa including Piner’s Nursing Home, St. John’s school, a shut-in visit, St. John’s special needs Bible study, Alta Heights Elementary, and spent time at a Marriage and Family Therapist’s office helping clients. It is so important for us to keep up our skills as well as maintain relationships in our community while we wait for our dog. We are grateful to Rahab’s team for sharing her with us.

We were blessed to have another one of our West Coast K9 Comfort Dogs onsite. Micah from Light of the Valley in Elk Grove was in the area to offer comfort to all who attended the celebration of life for Mike Quinn. Every seat in the sanctuary was filled. Mike loved working as a Ministry Partner with the Comfort Dogs during his retirement years. Micah was also able to stay over as a “Greeter” the next morning at church.

Thank you again for your continued prayer and financial support. Please consider joining us in showing the mercy, compassion, presence and proclamation of Jesus to those hurting and in need.

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

The Men’s Saturday Morning Bible Study is currently studying Paul’s Letter to the Philippians. 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

Vacation Bible School “Exploring the Nature of God”