Evangelism Team
Current members:
Betty Deardoff, Grace Baty, Sharon Herzberg, Emily Laaker, Mary Carol Junker, Doris Ostronic, Dorothy Reimers, Freddie Schroeder, and Jim Peterson-Council Representative.
Our Mission:
Reaching out to the community and welcoming them to our church.
Our Vision:
Fulfilling the Great Commission (Matthew 28:19-20) by bringing people to the Christian faith.
Our Goals:
- Welcome new community members, inform them about St. Johns’, and invite them to worship
- Welcome and assist visitors
- Develop and maintain a relationship with visitors by:
- Sending a follow-up letter immediately following their visit
- Delivering bread as a part of the Bread Ministry
- Making a second visit to their home by trained members of the congregation
- Make visits to members, focusing on those not worshiping regularly or those experiencing hardship
- Help new members become part of St. John’s Church by:
- Assisting with new member classes, service and reception
- Being available as a resource for new members
- Promote positive community relationships by working with community groups to plan functions that are consistent with out Christian beliefs, making them aware of activities at St. John’s
- Coordinate outreach activities and efforts with other church committees or groups to avoid duplication of efforts
- Provide members with training for outreach
- Provide information to the community about St. John’s activities through local publications
- Encourage prayer in everything we do
In many ways, everyone at St. John’s is a member of the Evangelism committee, for hopefully we all strive to make visitors and members alike to feel welcome at St. John’s, and comfortable with our services and programs.
We visit with as many visitors in their homes as we are able to, thanking them for worshipping with us, answering their questions, and encouraging them to come back again.
We coordinate various projects to invite the community to our services: canvassing the area with flyers, Bennington Daze activities, and newspaper ads, etc.
We welcome new members with a reception after they join, and hopefully serve as a resource for those new members while they are getting acquainted at St. John’s Lutheran Church.
