THE EAGLE
St. John’s Weekly Newsletter July 19, 2026
Here is something that almost every person reading The Eagle can agree with: it’s no fun to wait. It’s a fact! Very few of us like waiting in line. It doesn’t take much of a special circumstance to remind us of this. Just sitting in traffic for 30 minutes can feel like an eternity.
Yet God’s Word has much to say about waiting. St. Paul does so in our Epistle lesson for today. He writes in Romans 8:25, “But if we hope for what we do not see, we wait for it with patience.” Here, Paul is talking about the hope we have as we await the fulfillment of Jesus’ promise of resurrection. He says that this hope enables us to wait patiently for Christ’s promise to be fulfilled because it will be worth it.
Yet we still struggle with impatience. We struggle with it as we wait in line for dinner, as we wait for news—whether good or bad—or even in our conversations. Why is impatience so common? Because we are often taught to trust in ourselves while we wait. But how can we do that when we are waiting for dinner, waiting for news (good or bad), or engaged in conversations that seem to be going nowhere?
The truth is that God works through our waiting. As we wait, we learn the importance of the hope He gives us, and that hope produces patience.
There’s a prayer book that I like to use often, it’s titled Every Moment Holy. It offers this prayer which is on the next column and is titled Waiting in Line.
“Decrease my unrighteous impatience,
Directed at circumstances and people.
Increase instead my righteous longing
For the moment of your return
When all creation will be liberated
From every futility in which it now languishes.
Be present in my waiting, O Lord, that I might also be present in it
As a Christ-bearer to those before and behind me who also wait.
Let me not be like a sodden paper cup
Full of steaming frustration, carelessly
Sloshing unpleasantness on those around me.
Rather let me be like a communion chalice,
Reflecting the silvered beauty of your light,
Brimming with an offered grace. (like that which you have given me). Amen.”
Pastor Dille
Upcoming Meetings
Council Meeting
Tuesday, July 21 at 7:00pm
Voters Assembly Meeting
Tuesday, July 28 at 7:00pm
Prayer List
Judy Ziegler, Don Clark, Bryce Beccue, Steve Rubin, Steve Martin and Gerry Thoman.
We extend our Christian condolences to Dick Kinkelaar after the death of his brother Jerry and to the family of Deb McClure who died on Monday.
Fortkamp Ordination Celebration
Sunday, July 26th we will celebrate a rare milestone. Pastor Gary Fortkamp was ordained into the Holy Ministry on July 24, 1966. We’ll mark the milestone in our morning Services, and then have a congregational dinner immediately following. At 1:00pm we’ll host a cake and punch/coffee Open House so others outside our congregation can come greet Pastor and Gloria. There is a signup sheet for the congregational dinner or for the open house.
Fortkamp Mission Offering
In celebration of Pastor Fortkamp’s Ordination anniversary, the Elders have initiated a special mission offering. $1000 will be given to a special mission of Pastor’s choosing to help the Good News of Jesus to continue to be shared. Pastor Fortkamp chose “Mission Central.” You can read about this wonderful LCMS ministry at https://www.lcms.org/makeagift/mission-central. There are two ways you can increase this special mission offering: 1) bring your donation to the church office OR to the July 26 celebration. Make checks payable to “Mission Central.” 2) go to the Mission Central website at https://missioncentral.us/donate/ and make a direct gift in thanksgiving for Pastor Fortkamp’s ministry of the Word! To God be the glory!
Response to the Gospel
Our Attendance Last Week
Sunday July 12 ……………………………………372
Sunday School………………………………………14
Our Offering
Sunday July 12 ………………………… $10,021.40
Online Offering…………………………… $3,429.75
Total Gen. Fun ……………………….. $13,451.15
Eagles Nest Preschool
Garage Sale
The preschool has accumulated an abundance of “well loved” Christian and Educational toys over the last 28 years. They are having a garage sale in the multi-purpose room. It is a “good will” donation. Please stop by after church and check it out. Thank You.
“Chapel Challenge”
Read about the Lutheran Care Center “Chapel Challenge” on the main hall bulletin board. The challenge is for the congregations that own and love LCC to band together and donate for new carpet in the LCC Chapel. We’ll advertise it more in August … because on August 29-30 we will receive a door offering for the Chapel carpet!
Stewardship Moments
Romans 8:18 – “For I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worth comparing with the glory that is to be revealed to us.” It is very easy to get caught up in the present and lose track of our ultimate destiny in the kingdom of God. St. Paul encourages us to keep eternity in mind. This certainly has an application to our support for the Gospel — if we keep our focus on “the glory to be revealed,” we will see our tithes and offerings in a new light.
Positions Open at
St. Peter Lutheran School
The Board of Christian Education is seeking to fill the positions for Kindergarten and 2nd Grade Teachers for the next school year. If you would like to apply, please mail resume to St. Peter’s Lutheran Church, 605 E. Third St., St. Peter, IL 62880 ATTN: Board of Education. If you prefer, you may also email your resume to the board Chairman at nathanjacquin@gmail.com
Holy Trinity Lutheran High School
Holy Trinity Lutheran High School’s Board of Directors is delighted to announce that Rev. Stephen Rutherford has accepted the Call to serve as the school’s first principal. We praise God for this crucial step forward for HTLHS.
Rev. Rutherford comes to Holy Trinity after more than 12 years in parish ministry. He has a deep passion for education and has served as an adjunct instructor at Concordia Seminary, St. Louis. In his previous call, he was also heavily involved in secondary education, teaching courses in theology, English, history, and government. He is familiar with our region, having previously served as pastor of St. John’s Lutheran Church in Louisville. He, his wife, and their four children are excited to return to the area, and he is eager to work with the community to establish Holy Trinity Lutheran High School as a distinctly faithful, rigorous, and vocationally oriented school. His installation will be announced in the coming weeks.
Please join us in welcoming Rev. Stephen Rutherford and his family and praying for their transition back to our area!
Youth Corner
The Flock
High schoolers are invited to join us for The Flock this summer! We will be meeting on the following dates:
August 2 & 15
Jr. High LYF
Jr. High youth are invited to join us for Youth Group this summer! We will be meeting on the following dates:
July 29
August 5
Rummage Sale
July 30 from 4-7pm
July 31 from 9am-6pm,
August 1 from 9-11:30am
Drop off dates & times
Sun., July 26th from 3pm – 4pm
Mon., July 27th from 9am – 6pm
Rummage Sale Help is Needed
At Set Up
Sun., July 26
After Fortkamp’s Open House Reception-4:00pm
Mon., July 27 from 9am-6pm
At all Sale Times
At Clean Up
August 1 from 12-2pm
All LYF Youth and Parents
Please consider helping
There is a sign-up sheet on the bulletin board.
Larry Brandt Golf Outing
Sept. 19th
1 p.m. Tee Off
Please contact Cathy Norris (217-821-3656) Donetta Ohnesorge (217-821-3300) or Carolyn Wendte (217-821-6541) If you have questions.
Baby Bottle Project
A total of $2,585.96 was collected by our members and donated to the Family Life Center. Thanks to everyone for your contribution.
LCMS Foundation
In a world where self-help is celebrated, why does enlisting the support of an LCMS Foundation Gift Planning Counselor make sense? Estate gift plans can get complicated at times, as you weave desires for family inheritance with your desires to support your favorite ministries as well. Your LCMS Foundation Gift Planning Counselor is trained to identify how best to use the right assets for the right purposes that you have in mind, often with charitable gifting instruments that bring it all together. Your desire is to transfer God’s blessings, and to do so in the wisest way possible. To start learning how this works, contact Scott Radden @ 618-977-4049 or scott.radden@lfnd.org.
Life Quote
“Each of us amounts to more than assorted cells, isolated fluids, and random spasms. Human means—in every case—a character, with an emerging identity, disclosing a history, developing toward an intended destiny. Every life is a story.”
Rev. Michael Salemink, former Executive Director of Lutherans For Life – A Life Quote from Lutherans For Life • lutheransforlife.org
Golden Eagles
There will be NO Golden Eagles dinner for the month of July. We will meet again on Thursday, August 27. Please watch for more info and menu later.
Confirmation Orientation
Confirmation ministry will begin again in late August. The Orientation meeting for parents and students in grades 6, 7, 8 will be Wednesday August 26 at 5:00pm. The Word of God and Luther’s Small Catechism are our texts. Faithful attendance in class and in worship is required.
Rally Day 2026
Mark your calendars.
Sunday, August 23rd
Breakfast will be at 9:00 a.m.
Food Pantry Distribution
The Pantry could use Boxed Cereal, Beefaroni/Ravioli, Crackers (No Saltines) & Canned Fruit.
CALENDAR
July 19 –July 25, 2026
Sunday 19
8:00 a.m. Worship w/HC
9:15 a.m. Sunday School
10:30 a.m. Worship w/HC
Noon E.A.S.T.E.R. Picnic
Monday 20
Pastor Dille Sabbath
4:00 p.m. Bd of Evangelism
Tuesday 21
Youth to Holiday World
7:00 Council Meeting
Wednesday 22
10:00 a.m. Bible Study
1:00 p.m. Office Staff Devotion and Meeting
Thursday 23
5:30 p.m. – 8:00 p.m. Hall Rental
Friday 24
Pastor Burdick Sabbath
Office Closed
6:30 p.m. YABS
Saturday
8:00 a.m. Band Practice
5:30 p.m. Worship w/HC
Anniversaries This Week
7-19-2003 Emily & Jamie Lotz
7-21-2018 James & Megan King
7-22-2011 Wade & Brittany Bloemer
7-23-1988 A.J. & Linda Luckett
7-24-2021 Christopher & Cheyenne Sandifer
7-24-2020 Phillip & Abbey Knight
“This Week’s Sunday School Lesson”
Lesson 11
This week, we will study “A Deacon Delivers” in class. Directed by an angel, Philip encounters an Ethiopian official reading from the Book of Isaiah while riding in his chariot. Realizing the Ethiopian needs help to understand the Scriptures, Philip steps in. After instructing the Ethiopian, Philip baptizes the man and then is carried away by the Spirit to Azotus. Consider discussing, “Who helps us understand Scripture today?”
Birthdays This Week
7-20 Daniel Haarmann, Paulena Romero,
Vi Kirchhoff
7-21 Boden Heuerman, Emery Kronewitter
7-22 Dana Cox, Julie Zeigler,
Sarah Mellendorf
7-23 Anita Backhus, Connie Phelps,
Jill Wohltman
7-24 Bayleigh Lobmier, Karen Hartman,
Tammy Wendling, Tony Castillo
7-25 Brady Scott, Elena Niebrugge
Jason Wendling, Kristy Pranschke