2025
Stewardship
AppeaL

WE ARE ST. JOHN’S. WE ARE DISCIPLES IN MOTION.

Most of our ministry is geared for adults. 

Adult disciples are constantly in motion, leading worship, sharing musical gifts, baking bread, helping in the office, and caring for our building and grounds. Adult disciples bring Holy Communion or flowers—and visit with—homebound member-disciples, carpool to worship, connect with residents of Cedarhurst, tend the church garden, dedicate time to the Prayer Chain, brew and serve coffee. We are out and about Springfield, and, indeed, we are Disciples in Motion all over the globe.

We at St. John’s also offer a lot for our little disciples (and their families)…disciples who are constantly in motion!

In fact, unlike many other churches, we have staff positions for two directors for children, youth, and family ministries. Your generosity supports these important staff positions, and gives us the ability to teach young disciples in the way of Jesus!

CHILDREN, YOUTH, AND FAMILY MINISTRY

We connect young people to a faith in Jesus that prepares them for life in this world. Young people come for the fun…they keep coming back to become Disciples in Motion. We look forward, in faith, to the ways these young disciples will build the future of the church!

Did you know… We minister to young people in three different grade schools in Springfield? DuBois, Harvard Park, and Jane Addams. We provide school supplies, hams, food for the weekend, and so much more throughout the year. We pray continually for students, families, staff, and teachers.

SUNDAY SCHOOL
Our Sunday school program is unique. The kids sit enough during the week at school, so instead of sitting more on Sundays, we move from station to station to help reinforce the Gospel message for the day.

VACATION BIBLE SCHOOL 
Our VBS has grown exponentially over the last 7 years. We capped out at 125 kids this year after only one month of opening registration. We even had a wait list! 

YOUTHERANS LITE (5TH & 6TH GRADE)
This group was started post-COVID to build relationships, prepare for Confirmation, and engage our older young disciples in sharing their gifts for the sake of the Church and the world.

CONFIRMATION (7TH & 8TH GRADE)
Classroom learning and service-learning experiences designed to grow disciples with a mature faith. At the end of the two-year program, each young person decides whether or not to publicly affirm their baptism, saying “Yes!” to following Jesus. 

YOUTHERANS (9TH THRU 12TH GRADE)
These young people are confirmed members of the church, who have freely chosen to prioritize faith and the mission of the Church—even as their world becomes wider and full of competing activities and responsibilities.

If you want to see Disciples in Motion, look to our children, youth, and family ministries. Thank you for generously supporting all of this and more. With every offering you are making disciples!

PRAYERFUL AND CHEERFUL GIVING 

From time to time, it is good to reflect on the support given to the ministry of St. John’s Church. The worksheet below, and in the brochure we mailed out, is tool meant to help you discern your giving. Whether or not the Spirit is calling you to increase your giving at this time, the worksheet is designed to help you assess and plan. Only you know your responsibilities and commitments, and so only you can make the decision. In any event, we hope that this worksheet can help you see your giving and celebrate how you are making a positive impact through it!

THE DIFFERENCE IN THE TWO FUNDS AT ST. JOHN’S LUTHERAN