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From Our Pastor:

St. Johannes has throbbing economic pain and needs everyone’s help. As the enclosed treasurer’s report will tell you, our monthly outflow and expenses far exceed our pledged income and other sources for funds. This reminds me of a story of President Lincoln, who, while walking through the White House in the middle of the night, stubbed his toe. He said, “I’m too old to cry, but it hurts too much to laugh.” In the greater scale of things, our predicament feels a bit like stubbing our toe in the night. We don’t need to cry, but, in the meanwhile, “it hurts too much to laugh.”

On top of our regular expenses (salaries, insurances, utilities, etc.) we are also trying to grapple with the debt that we are taking on to repair and renovate the parsonage property. The work is almost done but several unforeseen structural problems have added an additional $13,500 to the overall cost of the renovation. The entire project will probably cost us something over $75,000.

I want to lay before you several possible solutions, all (or some) of which, everyone can consider to get us through this painful toe-throbbing situation.

· Reconsider your pledge if it is less than the amount you pay for dinner out one evening, the cost of your cell phone, or your monthly cable bill. If your pledge is less, it’s probably too little.

· Pre-pay a portion of your pledge by one or several months. If everyone would do this, it would ease our current cash flow problems. We will continue to need funds later in the year, of course, so having more than a few months paid in advance will put us in jeopardy further on.

· Add a month to your current pledge or offering. If you would consider a “13^th Month” paid now for 2008, that would be a boost to our economy without depleting us of funds later in the year.

· Give a “tithe” (10%) of the Government Economic Stimulus check of $600 all tax payers will receive in the next few weeks. If 100 people would accept this challenge and send St. Johannes $60 – once they receive their rebate check – that would add an additional $6,000 to our bottom line.

Now is also a good time to think about the long-term future of St. Johannes and your hopes and desires for this church when you leave the earth. Have you made provisions in your last Will and Testament for St. Johannes? If every member were do that, designating a portion of your estate in your will or in a codicil attached to your will, those funds will honor your life and faith in the years ahead, long after you are gone. Think of it as your pledge from heaven. Problem is this has to be done while you are alive and well. Remember, you can’t take it with you, but you can send it on ahead.

- Your pastor, Bruce Evenson

We have dishcloths! Those great dishcloths are back and are still only $1.00 each! If you’d like to purchase some, please contact Marilyn Stehmeier.

Confirmation Class

will meet on Sunday, May 4th and Sunday, May 25th at 9:15 a.m. in the library.

Happy Birthday to the following who celebrate a birthday this month:

Johanna Evenson	May 2
Hailey Bowers	May 4
Anna McClure	May 4
George Kornahrens	May 6
Derek Mosier	May 9
Libby Abbey	May 10
Johnny Cook	May 11
Andy Hogue	May 12
Rhonda McNally	May 13
George Hiatt	May 17
Chaz Duc	May 17
Billy Cornwell	May 18
Anja Evenson	May 26	Donnie Freligh	May 30
Billy Ducker	May 28	John Llewellyn	May 31