The Good News - St Johns Church
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The Good News
A Publication of St. John’s Evangelical Lutheran Church – Sayville, NY
December 2021/January 2022
Behold, the virgin shall conceive and bear a son, and shall call his name Immanuel (Isaiah 7:14b).
“Joseph, son of David, do not fear to take Mary as your wife, for that which is conceived in her is from the Holy
Spirit. 21 She will bear a son, and you shall call his name Jesus, for he will save his people from their sins.” 22 All
this took place to fulfill what the Lord had spoken by the prophet: 23 “Behold, the virgin shall conceive and bear
a son, and they shall call his name Immanuel” (which means, God with us) (Matthew 1:20b-23).
And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age (Matthew 28:20b).
As we prepare for the coming of the Christ as the child born in Bethlehem, there continues to be no
greater comfort for me throughout the year than the promise that God has made to his people in Jesus: this
child is Immanuel, God with us. This is true from day one of our life all the way until life’s end here on earth
and on into our life in the kingdom eternally. No matter what happens, no matter where we are, and no
matter how far we may stray in life, God is with us every step of the way.
When we go through times of exhilarating joy and know that God has blessed us, and when we sing
out with praise and thanksgiving for that, we do not do so to a God who is “up there” and has hurled down
some goodness for us from afar. When we are at our lowest point, when we must walk through the valley of
the shadow of death, when we cry out for God’s merciful hand to be with us and guide us, we do so not to a
God who is nowhere to be found, but to a very present God. In times of joy and struggle, God is with us.
- Blessed to have everything you need? God with us!
- Surprised with joy over a change in life circumstance? God with us!
- Achieve another milestone in life? God with us!
- Struggling to understand our world today? God with us!
- Going through a difficult time physically or emotionally? God with us!
- Lonely, isolated, sorrowful, mourning? God with us!
- Trying hard to believe all this is true? God with us!
How do we know this? Because our loving, heavenly Father loved us so much that he sent his one and
only Son into our world, to walk in our shoes, to bear our struggles upon himself, to carry our sorrows, and to
die for our sins. He then rose from the grave so that we could be rescued out of the death we deserve for our
sins and brought into the glorious life that our Father desires us to have eternally. Because our Savior has
done all of this, we can be confident that he also fulfills his namesake and his promise to us, that he is
Immanuel, God with us to the end of the age and beyond.
May this promise from our Lord be with you throughout this season, and throughout the year. Know
that no matter where you are and what you are experiencing, your God is with you, and always will be.
O holy Child of Bethlehem, Descend to us, we pray;
Cast out our sin, and enter in, Be born in us today.
We hear the Christmas angels The great glad tidings tell;
O come to us, abide with us, Our Lord Immanuel! (LSB #361, st. 4).
~ Pastor Noack
December 2021/January 2022 Page 1
Advent Midweek Services – On December 1, 8, and 15 at noon & 7:15pm we will hold our midweek Advent
Divine Services. Our theme this year will be on the topic of waiting and how we can wait on the Lord through
prayer, comfort, and joy. These are shorter, approximately 30-minute services and are a great way to focus
our attention on Christ in this busy season. Please join us!
Sanctuary Decorating – On Saturday, December 18 at 9am we will put up the tree, hang the garland and
wreaths, and all of the other little details that make our sanctuary beautiful for Christmas. There are tasks for
all different abilities, so please consider coming down to help out. With enough hands, it should take about an
hour. Thank you!
Longest Night Service – On one of the longest nights of the year (fewest hours of daylight) we will take some
time through Scripture, prayer, and candlelight, to give voice to any grief we have felt over the past year, to
recognize that even in this season of joy and anticipation, there are some who are less than joyous. While
anyone may attend this service, it is especially being offered for those who have experienced a sense of loss
this year. Please join us on Tuesday, December 21 at 7:15pm for this contemplative, prayerful, and comforting
service as we hear again the great promise of our Lord that he is with us always.
Sanctuary Undecorating – As the old adage goes, what goes up must come down. So it is with our Christmas
decorations. We will meet on Saturday, January 8 at 9am to take down and pack away everything until
December. Again, this takes about an hour with enough help. Thanks!
First Communion – Classes for our 6th grade students to prepare them to receive Holy Communion for the first
time will begin on Tuesday, January 4 at 6pm. If you did not receive a letter in the mail and would like to
register your child, please contact the church office.
125th Anniversary Brunch – On Sunday, January 30 we will kick off our year of celebration with a Sunday
Morning Brunch. Details, as well as a signup, will be forthcoming, but save the date and please plan to join us!
Kristin, Abby, and I would like to wish all of you a blessed Christmas and healthy, Happy New Year! It is a joy to
serve alongside you all, so thank you for the opportunity to do so, and we look forward to another year of
God’s grace in 2022 together as a family of faith.
OFFICIAL ACTS
October 15 – December 15
Funerals
Robert W. Young October 25, 2021
Ruth Linnea Zeidler November 5, 2021
Otto H. Sedler November 16, 2021
December 2021/January 2022 Page 2
MUSIC NOTES Cindy Holden, Director of Music
Keep Awake! Let the sound
of your voice
be heard!
Keep Awake! – that was the admonition of the Last Sunday of the Church Year in 2021. Come Epiphany we are
bid to arise & shine; to let our voice be heard!
In celebration of St. John’s 125th anniversary, we are undertaking a project to help us “keep awake” to the things
of God in a quite literal and aural manner!
The carillon, installed in 1983 at an initial cost of $9,730.00 has been mostly silent for many
years now. The clock and the playing of hymns from tapes on a timer do not work and the
carillon system is no longer supported with service or parts. Those daily reminders to keep
awake, to pray, to bring the attention of those within earshot back to the works of God,
have gone silent.
The Anniversary Committee set a goal to replace the old carillon system with a new one
that will ring from new speakers in the bell tower that tops St. John’s. The carillon will be
on a timer, programmed to ring out to the community several times a day, playing
seasonably appropriate hymns. The digital carillon is also playable from the organ, for such times as we might
wish to use it for bell tolls or for other ringing.
The target is to raise $15,400. and have the carillon in place before St. John’s Anniversary Celebration on
September 18, 2022 when it will be dedicated. At present, $3,156. is in hand. Thank you to all who have
already contributed to get this underway!
Fund raisers throughout the coming months will help to meet the goal.
Please also consider making a gift to the glory of God, or in honor or memory of loved ones. Your donations
will enable St. John’s to reach out to the community with a musical call to prayer as has happened around the
world for centuries, providing an aural “nudge” from the tower bells! It will provide a beautiful means to
encourage hearts and voices to hum or sing & praise our Lord and Maker for many years to come.
Donations are tax deductible, payable to
St. John’s Lutheran Church.
Please indicate that your gift is for the carillon.
Thank you in advance for your support to:
Lord willing, by Christmas 2022 we can all say:
December 2021/January 2022 Page 3
SōLI is singing once again and shares their first concert since 2019 at St. John’s on Sunday, December 12 at 3 pm. To attend, sign up here: bit.ly/SoLIsings (link is case sensitive) The concert is a benefit for St. John’s, so all donations come back to the church. December 2021/January 2022 Page 4
Prayer Chain – If you are interested in being part of the Prayer Chain, please contact
Bobbie Harris or Deanna Suckow and they will be happy to include you. If there are
prayers needed for anyone whether it is of thanksgiving, health reasons or just
concerns, let them know and they will let everyone know to pray for those requests.
Their information is listed here: Bobbi Harris 631-589-3791
(singwithbobbi@aol.com) or Deanna 631-750-3740 (deannasuckow@yahoo.com).
1st Sunday Diane & Steve Malenczak
2nd Sunday Chuck & Judy Scott
3rd Sunday Richard & Ann Frenz
4th Sunday Lisa Giacoia & Lori Clemente
5th Sunday Steve & Janet Lindfors
December 2021/January 2022 Page 5December 2021 January 2022
1 Isaiah 7:10-8:8 1 Isaiah 61:1-11
2 Isaiah 8:9-9:7 Sun 2 Isaiah 62:1-12
3 Isaiah 9:8-10:11 3 Isaiah 63:1-14
4 Isaiah 10:1227a, 33-34 4 Isaiah 63:15-35:2
Sun 5 Isaiah 11:1-12:6 5 Isaiah 65:8-25
6 Isaiah 14:1-23 6 Isaiah 66:1-20
7 Isaiah 24:1-13 7 Ezekiel 1:1-14,22-28
8 Isaiah 24:14-25:12 8 Ezekiel 2:1-3:11
9 Isaiah 26:1-19 Sun 9 Ezekiel 3:12-27
10 Isaiah 26:20-26:13 10 Ezekiel 18:1-4, 19-32
11 Isaiah 28:14-29 11 Ezekiel 33:1-20
Sun 12 Isaiah 29:1-14 12 Ezekiel 34:1-24
13 Isaiah 29:15-30:14 13 Ezekiel 36:13-28
14 Isaiah 30:15-26 14 Ezekiel 36:33-37 :14
15 Isaiah 30:27-31:9 15 Ezekiel 37:15-28
16 Isaiah 32:1-20 Sun 16 Ezekiel 38:1-23
17 Isaiah 33:1-24 17 Ezekiel 39:1-10,17-29
18 Isaiah 34:1-2,8-35:10 18 Ezekiel 40:1-4,43:-12
Sun 19 Isaiah 40:1-17 19 Ezekiel 44:1-16,23-29
20 Isaiah 40:18-41:10 20 Ezekiel 47:1-14, 21-23
21 Isaiah 42:1-25 21 Joel 1:1-20
22 Isaiah 43:1-24 22 Joel 2:1-17
23 Isaiah 43:25-44:20 Sun 23 Joel 2:18-32
24 Isaiah 44:21-45:13,20-25 24 Joel 3:1-21
25 Isaiah 49:1-18 25 Zechariah1:1-21
Sun 26 Isaiah 49:22-26, 50:4-51:8,12-16 26 Zechariah 2:1-3:10
27 Isaiah 51:17-52:12 27 Zechariah 4:1-5:11
28 Isaiah 52:13-54:10 28 Zechariah 6:1-7:14
29 Isaiah 55:1-13 29 Zechariah 8:1-23
30 Isaiah 58:1-59:3,14-21 Sun 30 Zechariah 9:1-17
31 Isaiah 60:1-22 31 Zechariah 10:1-11:3
December 2021/January 2022 Page 6From the Lutheran Counseling Center:
IN SEARCH OF THE MASCULINE SELF
by Rev. Dr. David Elseroad, LMFT, Pastoral Psychotherapist
“You are the man.”—2 Samuel 12:7
November is Men’s Health Awareness month. Although often seen as strong, invincible, and able to handle whatever life
‘throws at them’, a closer look at men in our lives can reveal a painful portrait of isolation, anxiety, depression and rage.
Many men are hurting, and as a consequence, so are their relationships.
It’s never been easy being a man, navigating the development of a strong and healthy male identity, and even less so
today. Skills in which women excel such as open communication and social orientation put men at a disadvantage. It’s no
longer a “man’s world,” and values typically seen as male are no longer as prized by society. The culture has undergone
dramatic shifts, leaving men confused, anxious and frustrated about their place and role in the world. All the while, man’s
anxiety about proving his masculinity shows up in risky behaviors and higher rates of alcoholism, suicide and early death.
No wonder a Atlantic Monthly cover story could trumpet “The End of Men.”
Gender may have a biological basis, but the construction of the masculine self is a lifelong project, constantly revised.
From infancy on, males take on two quite different ways of being: the Alpha male’s proudly assertive, autonomous,
aggressive nature; and the more reflective, sensitive nature intent on attachment and connection. Throughout life, the
male will oscillate between these two “positions,” with the task of realizing his male ego ideal through their integration.
That may take many shapes and forms, for there is no one set pathway to male identity and a wide spectrum of
masculinities—the artist as much as the athlete, the “life of the party” as much as the strong, silent “Marlboro Man.”
Life experiences, culture and faith all have their impact. Often boys are not allowed to be boys, resulting in guilt and hidden
shame. Developing later than girls, they experience more early failures. Moving from attachment to the mother and
longing for the father and his blessing mark their journey of individuation-separation. Today, many young men isolate in
a fantasy world of video games, with yet more shame; the male slacker, in a rut, without viable prospects of career,
marriage or family, seething with anger. The married/partnered male encounters other challenges, the pressures of work
and home and holding at bay dashed dreams and creeping disillusionment. And the man advancing in age must again
define his masculine self, with emerging inner potentialities of integrity and gratitude, as life nears its end.
Men are hurting, both in self and in relationship. Yet they do not ordinarily seek out help; two-thirds of psychotherapy
clients are women. But my experience with male clients and in facilitating men’s groups has convinced me that contrary
to the stereotypes, men soon welcome the opportunity to express themselves, to tell their story and examine it, and in so
doing come to know self and one another in a deeper, affirming way. The life of faith can be of great benefit in this
process-- the Gospel’s declaration of divine love, in the gift of the created, redeemed and Spirit-endowed self powerfully
anchoring and liberating the male identity. Women can reach out to the man in their life by recognizing and affirming his
uniqueness as a male; by listening with care when he wants to talk; by supporting participation in a men’s group or
individual therapy; and by just being with him in his “search of the masculine self.”
The Rev. Dr. David Elseroad LMFT, is pastor of Trinity Lutheran Church in Hawthorne, NY. Dr. Elseroad, a Licensed
Marriage and Family Therapist, is fluent in French and Spanish. His professional background includes work in
multicultural ministries and experiences as pastor, hospital chaplain, missionary and teacher. He counsels teens, couples,
adults and families.
Please visit our website at: www.lccny.org for more information. For a counseling appointment, call LCC at 1-800-317-
1173. All sessions are virtual at this time.
Sanctus LSB 195
December 2021/January 2022 Page 7December 2021/January 2022 Page 8
December 2021/January 2022 Page 9
December 2021 Divine Service Assistant Schedule
1ST Weekend Sunday Sunday
12/5 7:45am 9:30am
Communion Stewards Bill Audia Leo Rigaud
Ushers Jim Farrell Jane Emmel
Charlie Erb John Emmel
Reader Jim Farrell Leo Rigaud
2nd Weekend Sunday Sunday
12/12 7:45am 9:30am
Communion Stewards Robert Bayley Andrew Valenti
Ushers Rex Holden Judy Scott
Charlie Erb Chuck Scott
Reader Rex Holden Annie Habeeb
rd
3 Weekend Sunday Sunday
12/19 7:45am 9:30am
Communion Stewards Greg Calvano Paul Erath
Ushers Patricia Harris Pam Arrasate
Andy Harris Lloyd Arrasate
Reader Jim Farrell Treva Kopf
4th Weekend Sunday Sunday
12/26 7:45am 9:30am
Communion Stewards Steve Malenczak Al Coppola
Ushers Dianne McPartland Barbara Dahlgren
Steve Lindfors Kevin Paul
Reader Steve Malenczak Al Coppola
If you are unable to serve where assigned, please find someone you can switch with or someone who
can take your place. Please let the Church Office know of any changes you make. Thank you.
December 5: Malachi 3:1-7b, Philippians 1:2-11
December 12: Zephaniah 3:14-20, Philippians 4:4-7
December 19: Micah 5:2-5a, Hebrews 10:5-10
December 26: Exodus 13:1-3a,11-15, Colossians 3:12-17
December 2021/January 2022 Page 10Saint John’s Evangelical Lutheran Church
48 Greene Avenue
Sayville, NY 11782
(631) 589-3202 – office
(631) 589-1419 – fax
www.stjohnsayville.org
Facebook: Saint John’s Evangelical Lutheran Church – Sayville NY
Rev. Brian Noack, Pastor – ext. 104
Cell Phone: (631) 806-7119
E-mail: pastor@stjohnsayville.org
Cindy Holden, Director of Music – ext. 105
E-mail: music@stjohnsayville.org
Robin Monteagudo, Office Administrator – ext. 103
E-mail: secretary@stjohnsayville.org
Carolyn Holtz, Bookkeeper – ext. 102
E-mail: bookkeeper@stjohnsayville.org
Saint John’s Divine Service Schedule
Sunday 7:45am & 9:30am
Church Office Hours: Monday-Friday, 8:30am-12:30pm
Bookkeeper Hours: Tuesdays & Thursdays 1pm-5pm
MISSION STATEMENT
The family of Saint John’s Evangelical Lutheran Church is called, gathered and empowered by the Holy Spirit
through Word and Sacrament to confess and proclaim the gospel and love of Jesus Christ
to our congregation, community and world.
A Congregation of The Lutheran Church – Missouri Synod
The Good News is published by the church office of Saint John’s Evangelical Lutheran Church to keep its
members and friends informed of church news and activities. Newsletter deadline for the February 2022 issue
will be January 15th.
December 2021/January 2022 Page 11You can also read
