St. John Evangelical Lutheran Church & School

Come as you are! At most Lutheran churches, you’ll find that most people dress either “business casual” or in a suit, (for men) or in a blouse and slacks or a dress (for women).

In the liturgy of the Divine Service we tell and retell in ritual and song the story of salvation. We establish our identity as part of God’s family, finding our place in the long history of God’s people of which we and our children have become a part through Baptism. To gather for this important activity is both a duty and a delight. We are pleased that you have chosen to worship as a family. From experience we know that there are great benefits for a family that shares the liturgy together. Your conversation with your child will convey the importance of the Divine Service. Through your attitude, your child will sense that participation in the liturgy is a joyous opportunity and a fulfilling experience. Your expectations that your child will participate in liturgy (standing, sitting, praying, singing, listening) will speak volumes that say that children, too, are members of the Body of Christ. Guiding children in worship is a privilege. It can be accomplished in love. May the Lord bless your worship together.

All members of our congregation who have publicly confessed this sacred gift and its blessings are encouraged to commune. Other guests wishing to join our confession and receive this Holy Sacrament are asked to meet with a pastor in the weeks before communing for the first time.

The best place to start is with the pastor(s). They can answer any questions you have about their church or the Lutheran tradition if you contact them by phone or email or talk to them after the service. If you have a question immediately before the service and the pastor isn’t available, ask one of the ushers.

Most confessional Lutheran churches have Bible study classes, either on Sunday or on different days of the week. You’ll also find pew bibles in most churches so that you can follow along with the scripture readings. A lot of confessional Lutheran churches also print the daily readings in the bulletin. Churches equipped with projector screens also show them so you can follow along.

We suggest visiting an individual church for a while to get a good feel for the congregation. Then, when you’re ready, talk to the pastor to get started. Unless you’re transferring from another church in the same synod, you’ll typically have to take some classes to learn more about the beliefs of the church. Then, once you accept, you’ll be received into the church formally as a member. Youth and adults are formally taught (catechesis) to best appreciate what God has done in their lives with the gift of faith begun at their baptism. This guided ministry gives youth a chance to enrich their understanding and knowledge of our triune God so that they might make it their personal confession. After considerable study, these catechumens confess their faith, dedicate themselves towards greater faith maturity (especially in confessing the truth of the Scriptures), and make a lifelong commitment of faithfulness to the Lord.

We’re glad to hear you desire Holy Baptism! Before considering Holy Baptism in practice, first hear the Word of God. The Scriptures teach that a person is saved by God’s grace alone through faith in Jesus Christ alone. They also tell us that such “faith comes by hearing” (Rom 10:17). Jesus Himself commands Baptism and tells us that Baptism is water used together with the Word of God (Matt 28:19- 20). Because of this, we believe that Baptism is the miraculous means through which God the Holy Spirit creates and strengthens the gift of faith in a person’s heart (see Acts 2:38; Acts 22:16; 1 Peter 3:21; Gal 3:26-27; Rom 6:1-4; Col 2:11-12; 1 Cor. 12:13). Although we do not claim to understand fully how this happens, we believe that when an infant is baptized, God creates faith in the heart of that infant. We believe this because the Bible says that infants can believe (Matt 18:6) and that new birth (regeneration) happens in Baptism (John 3:5-7; Titus 3:5-6). The infant’s faith cannot yet, of course, be verbally expressed or articulated by the child, yet it is real and present all the same (see, e.g., Acts 2:38-39; Luke 1:15; 2 Tim 3:15). The faith of the infant, like the faith of adults, also needs to be fed and nurtured by God’s Word (Matt 28:18-20), or it will die. Baptism is the entrance into the Church, particularly the fellowship at St. John Sherman Center. Usually, the family is regularly attending to hear and receive God’s saving Word of forgiveness in Jesus Christ. After this, the pastor will meet with both parents and instruct them on what we believe about Holy Baptism, review the baptismal service, discuss the need for sponsors, and talk about how Holy Baptism is sustained in the home and the church. After this, we schedule a service time for the baptism. If you’re interested, please contact Pastor Gillespie.