The Season of Advent
As the season of Advent begins, a new Church year is set in motion. The word “Advent” is Latin for “coming”. During this season Christians celebrate the coming of Jesus into the world as a baby in anticipation of His redemptive work to save the world from sin and establish a relationship with God. The season also helps us prepare for the second coming of Christ at the end of time.
One of the common traditions during the Advent season is to prepare for Christ’s coming using the Advent wreath. There are four candles on the wreath which represent the four themes of Advent. Each Sunday one of the candles is lit as it leads up to Christmas.
The first candle represents the theme of HOPE. It focuses on the anticipation of the coming of Jesus, much like the prophets who waited for the Messiah. The second candle represents the theme of PEACE. It focuses on the peace that Christ’s brings to each of us knowing that our sins are forgiven. The third candle represents JOY. This theme focuses on the joy we have in knowing that Jesus is with us each day and offers to us the gift of eternal life. The fourth candle represents LOVE. This demonstrates God’s undeserved love for us and His willingness to establish a relationship with us because of the sacrifice of Jesus to pay the penalty for the sins of the world.
These four weeks before Christmas is a time for our holiday preparations. But it’s also an opportunity to contemplate the birth of Christ and the impact He could have in our lives today, and in the life to come.
Our 7:00 p.m. Midweek Advent Services are
Wednesday, December 3rd, 10th, and 17th
Gaudete Sunday is December 14, 2025
The Third Sunday in Advent is known as Gaudete Sunday.
In December, 2018, St. John Lutheran Church in conjunction with Oak Park Concert Chorale,
celebrated that Sunday with a Gaudete Festival.
We invite you to view again (or for the first time) this unique celebration.
Click the picture above to be directed to the YouTube video of the 2018 Festival.
You are encouraged to follow along in the program so you have all of the words in front of you.
The program can viewed, downloaded, or printed here.
These links will direct to you Pastor Leonard Payton's sermon
and you can read the Gaudete sermon with additional explanations
here.
Forest Park Holiday Walk
The 2025 Forest Park Holiday Walk tradition continued at the corner of Circle and Warren where our carolers sang out "tidings of great Joy."
The carolers were accompanied by a brass band led by Pastor Leonard Payton which added to the festivities bringing smiles to those who used our parking lot or just walked by.
A toasty fire pit, hot cider, and s'mores warmed us up in the cold temperatures.
Build-a-Bag
After Concordia University students were fed spiritually during our Worship Service,
they were given the opportunity to pack their own bags of "Brain Food"
to support them as they study for their upcoming finals week.
A New Home for the Mosaic Collection of the Twelve Disciples
In 1963 Professor Marxhausen from Concordia Nebraska was commissioned to provide artwork for the new school building at St. John Forest Park, IL. He designed 12 mosaic panels reflecting the life and ministry of each of the disciples. One panel was placed in each classroom. A master panel was also made entitled, "The Great Catch of Fish" and displayed in the church narthex.
In 2014 the St. John school officially closed its doors leaving the mosaics isolated from public viewing due to the disuse of the classrooms. In 2023 St. John was looking for a "new home" for the mosaics which would allow for public viewing. Concordia University, Seward Nebraska, the home of the original creator (Marxhausen) accepted this donation. Mr. Michael Sheer supervised the restoration and location for the panels. Currently, they are displayed in a long hallway on the third floor in the Thom Building on the campus of CUNE. Each panel has a story to tell as the gospel message is portrayed through the various symbols, bible references, church traditions and of course, very unique art materials. This collection is the only one of its kind. And it's very impressive to view the mosaics as a group on one long wall.
We hope that throughout the years, all who see and study these mosaics will have cause to thank God for the skill, ability, imagination, and artistry which He gave to a man named Marxhausen. St. John is grateful to all the people who helped on this project. God has many tools to communicate the message of salvation to people. Works of art are one of those tools which can communicate this message without even saying a single word.
SewWhat! makes quilts that become donations to those in need.
Through Lutheran World Relief (https://lwr.org/quilts) the large (60”x80”) quilts are distributed in areas of need around the world. The quilts may be used as bedding, shelter, flooring, and for carrying possessions in bundles.
Members of SewWhat! assemble the quilt tops, then add a layer of polyester batting and a backing fabric. These three layers are then tied together (easy - down, up, down, up, cut the thread and tie a knot). The final step is finishing the edges with a binding. Sewing skills are not needed to help us finish off these quilt tops. If you can tie a knot you can help us. We also make smaller quilts which are given to Phil’s Friends, an organization that serves people who are fighting cancer. Phil’s Friends include these lap quilts in the care packages they send to those undergoing cancer treatments.
SewWhat! meets year-round on Tuesday mornings from 9:00 - 11:00, with a chocolate break at 10:00. While we work, we socialize and enjoy each other’s company.
The current season has now ended
The St. John Community Garden first opened in Spring of 2011. This garden area was a gift from St. John Lutheran Church to the neighborhood.
The garden is located at 7422 Washington Street, Forest Park, Illinois. The 2026 season will run April 1 - November 1.
If you are interested in applying for a plot, you may contact the church office at 708-366-3226.
Dartball League
Dartball meets select Tuesday evenings at 7:30 p.m. in Room 102 from September to April. Confirmed male members of St. John and fellow Lutheran LCMS congregations are welcome to join.
St. John was one of the founding churches that formed the league in the 1930's.
For more information contact Pete Schoedel at: 1petros113@gmail.com
What is Dartball?
Dartball is a game of darts that is scored like baseball. It bears no resemblance to "pub darts" whatsoever. The darts are thrown underhand at a board that is 20 feet away.
THE DARTS
The darts are about six inches long, wooden with a steel tip and three or four feathers. The Lutheran Dart League uses Apex #2 darts made by Apex Manufacturing.
THE BOARD
The dartboard is four-foot square, elevated so the bottom edge of the board is 2 feet above the ground. The board is laid out like a baseball diamond, with first, second and third bases, as well as a Home Run where Home Plate would be. There are strikes, balls, fouls, outs and double-plays on the board as well.
PLAYING THE GAME
As stated above, dartball is scored like baseball. A game consists of 9 innings, with each team batting in an inning until they make three outs. The visiting team always bats first. A dart that lands in the First Base is scored as a single; a dart landing in the Second Base is a double; a dart landing in the Third Base is a triple; and a dart landing in the Home Run is scored as a Home Run.
A batter whose dart lands in the First Base is said to "be on first." The next batters then try to hit the Third Base. If they succeed, they are awarded a triple, which "forces" the runner on first around the bases to score a run.
Like baseball, the idea is to score more runs than your opponent in nine innings.
For more extensive information about the Lutheran Dartball League go to the following website from Concordia Lutheran Church, Berwyn, IL.
Food Pantry
St. John participates in a food collection every third Sunday of the month to help support the Food Pantry
located at the Howard Mohr Community Center in Forest Park, Illinois
Mission Opportunities Short Term
We received a Thank You letter from the Mission Opportunities Short Term (MOST) organization thanking St. John members for the box of eye glasses which we recently donated. This year with the help of donations from various churches, including our congregation, MOST was able to send 16 eye glass teams to 10 different countries to bring clear vision to these people as well as the gospel of Jesus.
Currently, in many countries of the world eye glasses are still needed as well as non-prescription sunglasses. As part of our mission outreach here at St. John, we have an opportunity to help MOST. If you have any type of eye glasses or sunglasses that you are no longer using please consider donating them to this cause. Just bring them to church and place them in the box in the narthex which is across from the church mailboxes. If you have an interest in helping with this action team Call the church office 708-366-3226.
