Honoring Veterans
April 28, 2026
Worship Arts would like to honor those veterans who have passed. Please bring a picture of your loved one on May 24th (Memorial Day Weekend) and place it on the table in the East Room.
Worship Arts would like to honor those veterans who have passed. Please bring a picture of your loved one on May 24th (Memorial Day Weekend) and place it on the table in the East Room.
Worship Arts is looking for people to help decorate the sanctuary for Pentecost Sunday, May 24th. Setup will be on Saturday, May 23rd at 1pm. Please contact Denise Carl at (815) 499-4093 if you are able to help.
Starting this summer we are in need of help reading Bible verses, serving wine for communion, and Prayers of Intercession. (These prayers are pre-printed and you could read from your pew seat if you chose to do so.) There will be a sign-up sheet for these things near the bulletin board.
St. John’s Lutheran Church has a loving tradition of adorning our altar area with geraniums for Pentecost Sunday, which this year is May 24th. Everyone is invited to participate in this ministry to beautify our Sanctuary and our Church Grounds. Plants will be planted outside after Pentecost. The cost is $7 each. Geraniums can be ordered in honor of or in memory of a loved one or a special event. Orders must be received by Sunday, May 17th.
An aneurysm starts when a weak spot in an artery wall becomes thin and stretched. Eventually, the stretching leads to a saclike pouch that looks like a berry hanging on a stem.
If the pouch ruptures, blood seeps out of the artery and into areas of the brain where it doesn’t belong. A ruptured aneurysm quickly becomes life threatening and requires medical treatment right away.
Most often, a ruptured brain aneurysm occurs in the space between the brain and the thin tissues covering the brain. This type of hemorrhagic stroke is called a subarachnoid hemorrhage.
Brain aneurysms are common. But most brain aneurysms aren’t serious and won’t rupture, especially if they’re small. These small aneurysms usually don’t cause symptoms or health concerns. In many cases, they’re only discovered during tests for other conditions.
If a brain aneurysm hasn’t ruptured, treatment may be appropriate. Treatment of an unruptured brain aneurysm reduces your risk of a future rupture. Talk with your healthcare team about the best options for your specific needs.
From the Mayo Clinic Health Letter. Submitted by Nancy Rasmussen, Parish Nurse
Summer is a critical time for children’s health and well-being. During the school year, many children receive free and reduced-price meals at school and most of those children also make use of the Buddy Bags Program. However, when school is out, these kids no longer have access to those meals and their families’ budgets are often stretched to the breaking point. This program provides free meals to all children, helping kids who rely on school meals during the school year continue to receive healthy food during the summer without the need to register. Everyone is welcome, always.
The Congregation Council has designated the May Special Offerings to Cledy’s House of Hope in Rock Falls. The facility is a 42-bed recovery residence for women, designed to honor the legacy of Cledy Rumley, a devoted mother and champion of hope. This safe, structured, and supportive environment is a sanctuary for women committed to rebuilding their lives in sobriety.
Run by Sauk Valley Voices of Recovery, Cledy’s House welcomes women from all over the world who meet strict eligibility requirements. Residents must actively participate in a recovery program and demonstrate a commitment to personal growth and accountability. The facility offers more than just transitional housing; its unique approach to recovery empowers women to build sustainable, fulfilling lives while providing the structure and support they need to thrive.
Please consider a generous donation to this new and important addition to the ministry of recovery for women.
Raising Our Voices: Proclaiming the Gospel When the World Is Loud
Proclamation isn’t shouting louder than hate. It’s speaking, living and standing in love, truth, and justice as people claimed in Christ. Program and Worship led by Pr. Laurie Hensley, Bethany ELCA, Woodhull, IL.
People with diabetes are more likely to develop dementia for many reasons, though not all are fully understood. But can you lower your dementia risk if your diabetes is well controlled? A recent study suggests that the answer is yes.
Researchers looked at health records of about 374,000 U.S. military veterans. All were at least 65 years old and had type 2 diabetes. Over a three-year period, participants had a hemoglobin A1C test, a measure of longer term glucose control, at least four times. Specifically, an A1C test measures what percentage of hemoglobin proteins in the blood are coated with sugar and estimates an average blood sugar level for the past 2-3 months. A higher A1C level indicates higher blood sugar levels and less control of diabetes.
Participants who stayed at healthy A1C levels for longer periods were significantly less likely to be diagnosed with dementia. Those with the most readings outside of the target range had the highest likelihood of developing dementia.
Mayo Clinic experts say that the study’s results further support the importance of sticking to lifestyle and
medication routines that keep you within your target hemoglobin A1C range.
From the Mayo Clinic Health Letter. Submitted by Nancy Rasmussen, Parish Nurse
The Congregation Council has designated the Special Offerings for April to the Twin Cities Homeless Shelter, formerly known as the Twin Cities PADS Homeless Shelter. The shelter serves 20- 25 guests per night for emergency shelter and as an entry point into other outreach programs. They currently have limited space and funding, and are struggling to support those who rely on their services to survive. Please consider a generous donation to support this ministry. Their mission is to help people and be a light to those lost in the darkness. Help them keep the lights on.