Join Us Where Our Guests become Friends and Our Friends become Family
Our Pastor, Rev. Kal Rissman
OUR SERVICES AND MINISTRIES
WORSHIP SERVICES
THIS WEEK AT ST. JOHN
Sunday Morning Holy Communion Worship Service begins at 9:00 a.m.
Our address is 10099 N. State Road 37, Elwood, Ind. 46036. The church is located at the junction of State Roads 13 and 37 on the south end of town.
ALL ARE WELCOME TO JOIN US!
In addition to serving Elwood, St. John is close to our neighbouring communities (minutes drive to the church): Frankton - 9; Atlanta - 15; Lapel - 17; Arcadia - 18; Windfall - 18; Cicero - 19; Tipton - 19; downtown Noblesville - 25.
THIS WEEK AT ST. JOHN
THIS WEEK AT ST. JOHN
Wednesday, 12/10, 6:00 p.m.: "The Chosen" Watch Party in Old Fellowship Hall.
Friday, 12/12, 1:00 p.m.: Bible Study in
Old Fellowship Hall.
Sunday, 12/14, 9:00 a.m.: Holy Communion Worship in the Sanctuary.
Sunday, 12/14, after worship: Congregational Meeting to elect new Church Council members and approve the 2026 budget.
Sunday, 12/14, after the Congregational Meeting: Join us in Old Fellowship for coffee and snacks and then we will decorate the church for Christmas!
CHRISTMAS "POINSETTIAS"
In lieu of asking the congregation to purchase poinsettias for the altar this year, Church Council has voted for a different approach.
The church will purchase a few poinsettias to decorate the sanctuary but encourages congregants to place a contribution in the offering plates to support Harmony House in Elwood. Harmony House supports a number of families and will benefit from this assistance. Please mark your gifts "Harmony House". Thank you!
CHRISTMAS EVE SERVICES
Wednesday, 12/24, 4:00 p.m.: Christmas Eve Worship at St. John.
Wednesday, 12/24, 6:00 p.m.: Christmas Eve Worship at our sister congregation, Lutheran Church of Our Blessed Savior, 309 W. Washington St., Alexandria, Ind. 46001.
ADVENT DEVOTIONAL
2025 ADVENT DEVOTIONS
Indiana-Kentucky Synod, ELCA
Inspire. Ignite. Invite.
Participants of the Synod's spiritual renewal process, "Inspire. Ignite. Invite.," have once again created a series of daily reflections for your use during the season of Advent.
We pray that God will bless your Advent time with wonder while you wait to celebrate the birth of the Christ child.
(You are welcome to distribute these devotions to members, friends, and neighbors in digital or print format.)
BIBLE STUDY
END OF MONTH MEAL MINISTRY
God's Word inspires us to serve others.
St. John's Bible Study is back in session on Fridays at 1:00 p.m. For the first sessions, study will take place in New Fellowship Hall.
Additionally, daily scripture readings may be found on the back of the Celebrate insert inside the Sunday bulletin and and on-line at the ELCA website below:
END OF MONTH MEAL MINISTRY
END OF MONTH MEAL MINISTRY
St. John has a strong history of feeding its Elwood neighbours.
Our keystone effort is the End of Month Meal Ministry. Our dedicated volunteer team prepares and delivers nearly 600 meals once each month.
The next meal is Saturday, December 20. We only deliver meals in Elwood. If you need a meal delivered or wish to pick up a meal, please call the church at 765-552-6125 between 9 and 10 a.m. on Saturday, the 20th.
We welcome volunteers to help cook the Friday, the 19th. If you are interested in helping out, please call the church at 765-552-6125 and leave a message.
Finally, if you would like to support this ministry financially, donations may be placed in the offering plate or mailed to the church. Please mark these gifts as "EOM Ministry".
FIRST SUNDAY, FOOD SUNDAY!
Another way St. John answers God's call to help those in need.
First Sunday, Food Sunday! is our effort to build on the food ministries already in place at St. John. 1,332 lbs. of food has been collected since our first collection in May plus financial contributions - a smaller church can do big things! Our next collection will be Sunday, December 7th, however we will also collect food Sunday, the 14th this month.
Grocery bags are distributed the preceding Sunday noting items of particular need.
Food will go to the Elwood Community Pantry & Morrisett Center. Monetary donations can be placed in the offering plate - note whether the gift is to support the Morrisett Center or St. John’s own End of Month Meal Ministry.
Food donations are accepted other Sundays – baskets will be in the narthex near the entrance to Old Fellowship Hall.
ELWOOD FOOD RESOURCE GUIDE
St. John is one provider of meals in Elwood but there are several ready to assist those in need. May God bless all these ministries and those who utilize them.
"THE CHOSEN" WATCH PARTY
St. John members enjoy fellowship and discovering more about their faith.
Watch parties at the church of "The Chosen", Season 5, have resumed on Wednesday evenings at 6:00 p.m.
Join us as we watch and contemplate this provocative series about the life of our Lord and his followers.
MUSICAL MINISTRY
We make a joyful noise to the Lord!
Our organist, Sarah, is a graduate of both St. Olaf College and Indiana University School of Music. She leads the congregation in music on our small but mighty Wicks organ.
COMMUNITY FOCUSED ACTIVITIES
Gardeners' Meals
Gardeners' Meals have concluded for this year. Check back next spring for news when we resume these fun Wednesday evening suppers!
Community Garden for Everyone
St. John has a garden with plots available to anyone in the community who would like to grow vegetables!
The garden is winding up the 2025 growing season.
If you are interested in a plot for future seasons, please call the church office at 765-552-6125 and leave a message with your contact information.
Day of Service
Day of Service
Our Day of Service project was a great day of fellowship! We spread mulch, removed brush and cut up fallen trees, but most of all, everyone present served and was served through the power of God's love for us.
Check back in August, 2026, for details on our next project!