The Divine Service
… is what we call the Sunday morning service celebrated each week. We use this terminology, because it describes best how the Sunday service is first and foremost God’s service to us, as we are gathered by the Holy Spirit around the Word and Sacraments, which Jesus Himself comes to us fully and completely.
While we do respond to God in worship, praise, and prayer in the Divine Service, the big deal there is what God does for us! In the Divine Service God gives us His salvation, His peace, His love, and His very self. We invite you to join with us as our Lord comes to us!
Regular Meeting Times: Sunday, 9:30 a.m.
Contact: Pastor Miller: pastorjoshuamiller@gmail.com
Choir
The adult Parish Choir at JELC provides vocal leadership for worship services 2-3 Sundays per month. We assist with liturgy, psalms, hymns, and anthems. Our anthems are drawn from a wide variety of traditional and non-traditional sources. We also take time for prayer, sharing of news, humor, and loving care.
Regular Meeting Times: Wednesdays at 6:30 pm in the choir room. rehearsals last 45-60 minutes, sometimes longer with advance notice.
Contact: Director: Elizabeth Wegner: elizabethmwegner@gmail.com, 651-353-4272
Spirit Freed
Spirit Freed, Jehovah Lutheran’s praise band, provides an eclectic mix of contemporary music for worship services. Dick Newman plays lead guitar (and sometimes banjo), Dan Wynn is on bass, Howie Tantholt drums, and Joy Sundet plays piano. Joy, Dick and Suzanne Hequet share vocals.
Regular Meeting Times:
The band plays for the online services every third Sunday of the month during the pandemic.
Contact: Contact Suzanne Hequet: hequet@csp.edu
Serving at the Table
Crucifers & Torch Bearers
Filled by elementary school-aged children who express a desire to serve and are trained for each position.
Lectors (those who read Scripture)
For those skilled in reading aloud before a group, the role of lector is one that carries both special joy and responsibility.
Communion Assistants
To “touch and handle things unseen” by serving Christ’s body and blood to the people of God is truly a privilege for confirmed members of Jehovah who are welcome to help with this holy task.
Contact: Pastor Miller, pastorjoshuamiller@gmail.com
Welcoming to the Table
Ushers
Open to children and adults of all ages, ushers have a dual role, working both “behind the scenes” to prepare the sanctuary for worship and ringing the church bells, as well as working as the “face of welcome” as people enter into God’s house, as they direct people forward to receive communion, and as they offer assistance to worshipers as needed.
Altar Guild
The Altar Guild prepares Holy Communion for church services. They also sell flowers to decorate the sanctuary for Easter and Christmas.
Contact: Janet Fishback: 612-388-5286
Adult Bible Class — Living by Faith
Adult Bible Class meets on Sunday mornings after Divine Service. The class is typically taught by Pastor Miller, but guest teachers also present from time to time. In class, we study together God’s written Word in the Scriptures, teachings of the Lutheran Confessions, and topics related to how we live out our Christian faith.
Regular Meeting Times: Sundays, 11:00AM-12:00PM
Contact: Pastor Miller: pastorjoshuamiller@gmail.com
Sunday School — Growing in Faith
Sunday School takes place on Sunday morning with instruction for preschool through middle school. We share the love of God and teach Bible lessons.
Regular Meeting Times: Sunday mornings at 10:45.
Contact: Janet Fishback: 612-388-5286
Adult Membership Class
“Rooted in the Faith” is the name of our adult membership class at Jehovah Lutheran. We look together at God’s work in creation and the Law, in salvation through the Gospel of Christ, and the Holy Spirit’s work of sanctification and gathering us into the Christian Church. We also look together at how our lives as believers are formed by prayer, meditation on God’s Word, and the trials we endure. We reflect also on how our Lord Jesus comes to us clothed in His Word and the Sacraments of Baptism, Holy Communion, and Absolution.
Regular Meeting Times: Sections opened as needed.
Contact: Pastor Miller: pastorjoshuamiller@gmail.com
Confirmation Class
Confirmation class is the place where young Christians at Jehovah learn more about what the Triune God has done for them.
We study the basics of the Christian faith as found in Martin Luther’s “Small Catechism.” We look together at God’s work in creation and the Law, in salvation through the Gospel of Christ, and the Holy Spirit’s work of gathering us into the Christian Church. We reflect also on how our Lord Jesus comes to us clothed in His Word and the Sacraments of Baptism, Holy Communion, and Absolution, especially in the Divine Service throughout the Church Year.
Regular Meeting Times: Wednesday Nights throughout the Year
Contact: Pastor Miller: pastorjoshuamiller@gmail.com
Thursday Phone Chat
… takes place over the phone. We use a conference call app. Contact the church office for access information.
This group started during the pandemic but has become a bright spot in the week for many. We usually start by sharing news as people join the group. There is a bible verse reference and then a loose topic for discussion. We also pray about our concerns, laying them at the foot of the Cross and then bid each other farewell until next week.
Regular Meeting Times: Thursdays, 11:10 am, over the phone
Facilitator: Elizabeth Wegner: elizabethmwegner@gmail.com.
Prayer Ministry
“Pray in the Spirit on all occasions with all kinds of prayers and requests…for all the saints.” Eph. 6:18
Prayer Ministry is a group of intercessors who love God and neighbor by praying together for the church, for the world, and for individuals upon request. All personal requests are kept in confidence unless the individual asks for inclusion in the worship prayers of the congregation.
Contact the church office: office@jehovahlutheran.org, 651-644-1421 to make a request.
Jehovah Women in Mission (LWML)
Includes all women attending Jehovah Evangelical Lutheran Church. Meetings include Bible study and fellowship.
Regular Meeting Times: First Thursday of the Month at 1 pm
Contact: JELC office: office@jehovahlutheran.org
Senior Celebration
Senior Celebration is scheduled for the first Sunday of May to honor all members of the congregation who are 80 or older. The Seniors and their families attend Divine worship followed by a luncheon with a short program.
Contact: JELC office: office@jehovahlutheran.org
New Freedom Store
Supporting the Minnesota South District, empowering mission oriented churches, halfway houses, homeless shelters, and Christian charities who serve the needs of the least, the last, and the lost, especially those in our state correction system and those who have been recently released.
The New Freedom Store distributes the following: Food, gift cards, Bibles, hygiene kits, quilts, and blankets. Men’s Clothing: coats, hats and gloves, shoes, belts, tee shirts blue jeans. Driving for the recently released, picking them up from prison, reuniting them with family and friends on special occasions.
Contact: Jim Seemann, Ph.D: seemann@cso.edu, Cell 651-226-8047
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/The-New-Freedom-Store-106044761089262 or ask to be put on the newsletter.
Earth Care
Concern for the healthy functioning of God’s creation gifts – earth, water, air and all creatures — is expressed at Jehovah Lutheran Church. A “Creation Sunday” was followed up with major upgrading of lighting and energy usages by the facility manager in 2012. Since then the Board for Administrative Resources has been working to effect a ban on all Styrofoam usage in the building and has been mindful of other earth care changes. JELC’s monthly newsletter, The Jottings, carries a column entitled “earth care” which aims to make practical suggestions and underscore the compelling call to be good stewards God’s earth. Sunday prayers include thanks for creation and also prayer for sustainable use of all creation.
Contact: Maynard Dorow: Dorow@csp.edu, and Marge Avoles: 651-398-8204
Lyngblomsten
Jehovah Evangelical Lutheran Church is in a formal, covenant relationship with Lyngblomsten Foundation and Care Center to support ministry to, with and for older adults. The congregation also seeks to support Lyngblomsten’s mission by making information available to the congregants as well as providing volunteers and financial contributions to Lyngblomsten as it is able.
Lyngblomsten will work with area congregations to carry out the mission of caring for older adults. Within the confines of its financial stewardship, Lyngblomsten will make available community-based programming and services to older adults worshipping at or living in the communities around its member congregations.
Regular Meeting Times: 2/year
Contact: JELC office: office@jehovahlutheran.org
Rezek House
… offers housing for homeless youth (16 – 21) as they complete educational programs and work with Lutheran Social Service (LSS) case workers to transition into independence and security. The youth live in the Rezek apartment building at 501 Asbury – just three blocks south of Jehovah’s parking lot. Behind the apartment building there is also a community center with offices, kitchen, lounge for both the apartment youth and others who drop-in for help, counseling, and daily needs assistance. Jehovah Lutheran Church supports this LSS Metro Homeless Youth program by donating staple food items, laundry detergent, cleaners and toiletries for the center supply shelf and sometimes provides meals. Jehovah also has supported 4 to 6 youth through the LSS “Sponsor-A-Youth” Christmas gift project for many years.
Contact: JELC office: office@jehovahlutheran.org
Keystone Community Services
Keystone’s Food Shelf receives both monetary and in-kind donations from Jehovah Lutheran Church (JELC). The current monetary goal is $2,500 per year, the “supporting church” level for Keystone‘s Basic Need program which operates the food shelf. For at least 30 years, Jehovah has donated money, food staples and grocery bags to Keystone. The hunger needs of JELC’s neighborhood are well served by Keystone, and needs are still great. Keystone can purchase about nine times more food per dollar than individuals. Therefore, dollar contributions are strongly recommended. Checks should be made out to “Jehovah Lutheran Church” and the memo line should say “Keystone Food Shelf.” Keystone Food Shelf is on University Avenue near Fairview.
Contact: Jim and JaNell Kinsel: office@jehovahlutheran.org
A growing number of immigrants and refugees are coming to the Twin Cities in response to violence, climate change, and poverty. Many of these new Americans face difficult language and cultural barriers and social isolation. They are our neighbors, now. God has brought them right where we live.
By God’s grace, we are establishing the St. Paul International Friendship Center (IFC). We hope to start as a small-scale operation, primarily helping an Afghan refugee family, escaping death from Afghanistan last year. Now, they reside within a few miles of Bethel Lutheran, King of Kings Lutheran, Emmaus Lutheran, and Jehovah Lutheran, which we hope will host the St. Paul IFC. Operations in the future will expand, and we need more churches to be involved.
The St. Paul IFC would be a welcoming, safe environment for folks from all walks of life, especially non-believers. The IFC would embrace community members in order to serve their physical, emotional, and spiritual needs.
Our POBLO Twin-Cities missionaries and team are willing to help 100%. But we need your help, too. Please contact Jehovah Lutheran Pastor Joshua Miller or Assistant to the President for Missions, Pastor Vue Lee for further information.
