First St John Lutheran Church and Day School hosted a Friends & Family Dinner on August 16, 2026, welcoming 80 attendees for a Shorty’s BBQ catered meal, fellowship, and updates our local outreach. The event raised $1,430 in free-will offerings while celebrating active discipleship, welcoming new friends, and planning upcoming neighborhood mailings.
Event Highlights & Fellowship
Attendance: 80 members and friends gathered for community connection and conversation.
Meal: A catered spread featured pulled pork, pulled chicken, baked beans, macaroni and cheese, coleslaw, cornbread, rolls, gelatin sides, and cake, preceded by a blessing from the Pastor.
Music: Background ambiance featured a recording of Dr. Tony’s music.
Discipleship & Outreach Initiatives
Find Your Place: Attendees reviewed ministry interest flyers, offered new activity suggestions, and provided feedback on church engagement.
Inreach Connection: Volunteers utilized postcards to reach out to absent members, offering prayer and reassurance of God’s grace.
Volunteer Support: A dozen individuals helped steer the initiative, while roughly 30 members mailed personal, prayerful invitations to inactive members.
Future Plans
Direct Mail Campaigns: Plans are set to mail 2,500 postcards in mid-September to ZIP codes 43605 and 43616, followed by quarterly Valpak distributions reaching 20,000 households each quarter over the next year.
Feedback Integration: Leadership will review participant suggestions from the event to refine ongoing ministry opportunities.
A Message of Gratitude
Time, Offering, & Talent: Sincere thanks to everyone who shared offerings, their unique gifts and time to make this Inreach and Outreach initiative possible. Your dedication is deeply appreciated and vital to our shared mission.
