October 9, 2025 E-Vine – St John's Lutheran Church of Napa CA

Set Free: Paul’s Letter to the Galatians

“Living in Freedom”
October 12, 2025

CLICK HERE FOR SERVICE NOTES.

As We Gather

We have been set free in Christ. But what have we been set free for? How is our freedom to be lived? Can it be so misunderstood and misapplied that what we think is freedom actually leads us back into slavery? We’re going to look at today at how the freedom of personal autonomy, so popular in our present day, is actually a doorway to slavery. The true freedom we have in Christ leads us into lives that bring honor to Christ and love to those around us. This is what we have been set free for.

Ongoing News and Information

Pastor Mike’s Bible Class – 1 John: Walking in the Light of God’s Love
Join us on Sundays for a study of 1 John. In this poetic sermon by John, he paints a compelling picture of the Christian life as walking in the light and living in God’s love. John emphasizes authentic discipleship, urging followers to live in the truth, reject false teaching, and demonstrate love not just in word but in action. In so doing, we live in the fellowship God has given us – with Himself and with one another. We will be meeting in Room 8 at 11:00 AM.

October 12 – Oktoberfest
Join us on Sunday, October 12 from 12:30-3:30pm for one of our favorite fall events – Oktoberfest! Scroll down for more information. Please click here to RSVP so we can have an accurate count!

October 20-24 – Let There Be Lights: Sanctuary Lighting Installation
The new Sanctuary LED lights will be installed the week of October 20. Because of this, the sanctuary will be closed to all activities from October 20-24. Thank you again to all who have supported “Let There Be Lights!” with your offerings. We are two-thirds of the way to reaching our goal of $50,000.

In order to help facilitate the installation, we will be asking for some help after worship on October 19, stacking the sanctuary chairs and moving them along the north and south walls. And we will return the chairs to their proper place as part of the Fall Work Day (see below).

October 25 – Fall Work Day
Come enjoy fellowship, food, and the beautiful autumn air at our Fall Work Day on October 25! We plan to start at 10:00 and wrap-up by 2:00. Projects will include weeding and spreading wood chip mulch in Faith Chapel, so don’t forget to bring your gardening gloves if you have them. We are also looking for wheelbarrows, shovels, and rakes, so if you could bring any of that equipment, please let us know when you sign up. Lunch will be provided. Click here to sign up to help. There will also be a sign-up sheet in the sanctuary. Many thanks!

October 26 – Trunk or Treat
We invite you, your family, and your friends to join us for Trunk or Treat on Sunday, October 26 from 4:00-5:30 PM in the St. John’s Lutheran main parking lot. Every year this event turns out to be a blast with some incredible trunks and delicious treats. This event is totally free for all families and friends with no requirement to decorate a trunk, but if you would like to (& we would definitely love you to) join in on the decoration madness please sign up using the link in the E-Vine. Since this is a family friendly event we ask that you please avoid any scary decorations and costumes. If you have any questions about that or the event in general please contact kevin@stjohnsnapa.org.

October 28 – Dine and Donate at Chipotle
The St. John’s Lutheran School Theatre Program invites you to Dine and Donate with Chipotle on Tuesday, October 28. Just visit the Chipotle location at 1715 Trancas St any time from 4:00-8:00 PM on October 28 and present a flyer (available in the church narthex) at checkout, or use code PHDGFHQ if ordering online, and Chipotle will donate 25% of all sales to support our theatre program!

After-School Assistant at St. John’s Lutheran School

We are looking for an assistant for PALS, our after-school program for St. John’s Lutheran students. The hours would be 2:30-5:30 PM, Monday through Friday.

If you are interested in applying, or would like more information, please contact Ramona Kaufmann at rkaufmann@stjohnsnapa.org.

Pastor Mike’s Bookshelf

Scrolling Ourselves to Death: Reclaiming Life in a Digital Age
Brett McCracken and Ivan Mesa

Nearly forty years ago, Neil Postman published Amusing Ourselves to Death, warning that television was reshaping society—not just how we communicate, but how we think. His concerns have proven remarkably accurate, and today those changes have been dramatically accelerated by digital technology: the internet, smartphones, and social media.

This book, inspired by Postman’s seminal work, explores how digital media has transformed our lives. Brett McCracken and Ivan Mesa, along with a diverse group of Christian thinkers, ask probing questions: How has technology changed us? Are we even aware of its influence? What has it done to our spiritual lives, our churches, and our communities?

The contributors offer a thoughtful cultural critique of digital media’s impact, but they don’t stop there. They also provide practical guidance for living faithfully in a world saturated with screens—helping readers discern what is good, resist what is harmful, and reclaim habits that foster depth, presence, and spiritual growth.

I recommend this book to anyone who feels the pull of constant connectivity and wants to step back and reflect. It’s a timely and wise resource for Christians seeking to live intentionally and faithfully in the digital age. Because I “read” this book as an audio book, I don’t have a physical copy to place on the bookshelf.

Previous recommendations can be found here: church.stjohnsnapa.org/resources/pastor-mikes-bookshelf

Sanctuary Lighting Upgrade

Let There Be Lights!

We are now two-thirds of the way to reaching our goal of $50,000. Thanks be to God! You can make an offering to support the lighting upgrade for the sanctuary in different ways. For an offering by check, just indicate “Let there Be Lights” in the memo line. For online giving, please use the “Let there Be Lights” option to make your offering. The light installation will be coming in just a few weeks!

St. John’s Oktoberfest: Come for the brats, stay for the banter.

Fall is here, and while pumpkin patches and Pinterest mums are great…you know what’s better?

Brats. Beer. Belly laughs. And desserts so mysterious they deserve their own reality show.

We’re serving up:

Brats, hotdogs, and potato salad (professionally handled)

Beer, wine, lemonade, soda, and coffee

Desserts—wildly diverse, lovingly potluck, possibly German in nature

When and Where:

Sunday, October 12 | 12:30–3:30 PM

St. John’s Lutheran Church — Napa, CA

Free entry. Real fun. *Bring a dessert to share! Homemade, store-bought, weirdly shaped—yes, please*

Please click here to RSVP so we can have an accurate count!

We need volunteers and leaders from the congregation to help Josh Wright make this wonderful event a success. We currently need volunteers and leaders for the five major areas of the event:

Food – Work with caterer to ensure buffet is set up. Also assist with placing desserts and other German-inspired treats on the dessert table.
Beverages – Ensure the beverage area is organized and that adult beverage areas vs non-adult beverage areas are clearly marked and separated. We want to ensure that this is a safe event and that we are abiding by state and city laws.
Set up – Coordinate a team to ensure tables and chairs are set up in the designated areas for food and socializing.
Clean up – Coordinate with a team to clean the area of trash, put tables and chairs away, and return equipment to the appropriate closets.
Entertainment – Work with those that wish to provide entertainment to set up a schedule and time slots or play music from an iPod/radio when live entertainment is not available.

If you’re interested in being a part of this amazing fellowship, please reach out to Josh at joshwright@stjohnsnapa.org or contact the church office. Once we have volunteers signed up, an informational meeting will be scheduled.

Confirmation Classes
The new year of Confirmation is underway! Confirmation, for 7th and 8th graders desiring to know more about God, will be meeting throughout the school year right here at St. John’s. Our remaining meetings this month are on October 15, 22, & 29 in the Library. Each of those Learning Events runs from 7:00 to 8:30 PM. If you have any questions or desire to get involved, please contact Kevin Mathison at kevin@stjohnsnapa.org.

High School Hangouts
Calling all High Schoolers! Join us every Sunday after the worship service for High School Hangouts in Kevin Mathison’s office. We’ll enjoy games, snacks, and fellowship as we dive into God’s Word and talk about what it means for our lives today. If you have any questions, please contact Kevin at kevin@stjohnsnapa.org.

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 at kevin@stjohnsnapa.org or the church office at churchoffice@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
Our team sent 13 members to the LCC K9 Comfort Dog Conference inn Northbrook, Illinois in July. There were over 500 humans attending as well as over 90 beautiful Golden Retrievers. We thank Thrivent for assisting us with an Action Team card.

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.

Stephen Ministers Grow in the Lord

The more you focus on the Lord and do God’s work, the more satisfaction you will find. It’s that simple! Are you looking for more satisfaction in your life? Consider serving our congregation as a Stephen Minister. By helping others, you will help God’s kingdom grow – and you will grow too! To learn more about Stephen Ministry and what Stephen Ministers do, 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 Bible Study meets every Monday in the Sanctuary from 10:00-11:30 AM. This fall, we’ll be studying the Book of Romans. All study materials will be handed out when we meet. For 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 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
- church.stjohnsnapa.org/resources/sermons
- The sermons are arranged by worship series