St. John members enjoy putting their "hands and feet to work for Christ"!  In addition to working in our own community, individuals and groups scatter around the world to spread God's love and assist in other communities. 

The experiences and lessons these missionaries talk about when they come home have an affect on them that will surely last a lifetime. If you would like to make an impact on the life of a missionary - and those they serve - consider making a monetary donation to the Mission Fund or to a specific individual for an upcoming mission trip.

  I would like to donate toward the Senior High Mission trip!

St. John members enjoy putting their "hands and feet to work for Christ"!  In addition to working in our own community, individuals and groups scatter around the world to spread God's love and assist in other communities. 

 

The experiences and lessons these missionaries talk about when they come home have an affect on them that will surely last a lifetime. If you would like to make an impact on the life of a missionary - and those they serve - consider making a monetary donation to the Mission Fund or to a specific individual for an upcoming mission trip.

 

  I would like to donate toward the Senior High Mission trip!

 

 

Senior High Mission Trips

The Senior High Youth group go on a mission trip each summer to bring assistance and share God's love to other parts of the world. You can read about some of the most recent trips that have been taken below. In addition to these, some of the previous trips have landed the youth in Boston, MA; Birmingham, AL; Milwaukee, WI; Belize; New York, NY; Minot, ND; and Flathead Lake, MT.

 

2018 PUERTO RICO _____________________________________________________

Puerto Rico has been ravaged by a series of hurricanes.

With all of the devastation and need for assistance 
from Hurricane Maria, the youth felt this is a "must-serve" place.  Partnering with Praying Pelican and utilizing their expertise and experience with serving Puerto Rico will ensure the trip is a success.

 

           DID YOU KNOW ??

• Puerto Rico is the home to 3.6 million people. It is approximately 100 miles long and 35 miles wide - about the size of Conneticut.
• Puerto Rico's income derives mostly from tourism, real estate and manufacturing. Before Hurricane Maria, Puerto was in the "top 20" list of growing economies. After Maria, Puerto Rico may have one of the poorest economies in the world.
• As of late December 2017, Puerto Rico had restored 70% of their electricity. Prior to this, water was a scarce resource - it wasn't safe to drink.
• While many parts of the island received hurricane relief, there are still many areas without roofs, proper electricity, and other items that continue to make daily life more complicated.

More interesting facts on Puerto Rico and our trip will be posted each month. 

 

2017 DETROIT, MICHIGAN ___________________________________________

 

Our experience in Detroit was very

eye-opening as we saw a level of poverty that not a lot of us had ever seen. Together we tended to an urban garden, pulled a whole lot of weeds, took care of the yard of abandoned houses, packed food at a local food and and praised Jesus the whole way through! We saw burned down and abandoned houses on the streets, hungry kids, and people in need around every corner.  What we saw more than anything, though, was the hand of God on the city. The people of Detroit were so kind, caring, and passionate about their home. Our youth stepped into Detroit nervous, uptight, and a little scared. We all left happy, relaxed, and hearts overflowing. 

 

2016 PORTLAND, OREGON _________________________________________

iN 2016,  26 kids and 5 adults packed a charter bus and headed west … way west! Our final destination was Portland, Oregon, but we had stops in Missoula, Seattle, and Tacoma along the way!

Thank you to everyone who supported this trip, whether through prayer, encouragement, or financial contributions. Because of your support, youth from St John Lutheran, as well as other churches in Dickinson, had the opportunity to:                                                                                                   

• Pack thousands of pounds of food at the Oregon Food Bank,
• Clean up trash and debris on the Oregon Coast,
• Volunteer at local community organizations and community gardens around Portland,
• Learn about the issues of poverty and the housing crisis in Portland,
• Hear the story of an undocumented immigrant and his family's experience,                                                
• Learn about the ways the church reaches out in mission in a diverse and challenging context,
• Visit Pacific Lutheran University - an ELCA college in Washington,
• Grow in faith and strengthen their relationship with Jesus,
• Learn how they are fearfully and wonderfully made by their Father in heaven.

       

 

Family Mission Trips

 St. John embraces the experiences people get from mission trips - helping other communities in our state, nation, and around the world.  These experiences are special when they are felt by a family unit together. Family Mission Trips are a great addition to ways families can be involved!  

 

Family Mission trips have taken St. John missionaries to Fargo, ND, Minneapolis, MN, and Rapid City, SD.  A trip in 2019 is in the planning stages - people of all ages are encouraged to participate in this wonderful adventure. It is a great opportunity for families to serve other communities in a safe and friendly environment.

 

Other Missions

 There are many opportunites to go on Mission Trips to assist others in areas all over the world. If you are a person on a mission to serve Christ, the St. John Trust Fund may be able to help. The Trust Fund has had the opportunity to support missionaries. If you would like to apply assistance for your trip, fill out a Trust Fund Grant Request Form. You can also pick up the application from the church office or contact Amy Graves at .

 

Read about some of the most recent missions taken...

 

HONDURAS

In July of 2017, Kaitlyn Olson went to Honduras with the group "147 Million Orphans" out of Nashville, Tennessee. While there, they focused mainly on ministry to orphans - building three new houses for families, teaching bible lessons to the kids, feeding a village, and most importantly, loving the people there. "147 Million Ophan's" main focus is "love one." This means loving one kid at a time, and it starts with the one right in front of you. I believe that mission was fully achieved in Honduras.

 

ROATAN

In January 2017, Shelby Dvorak traveled to Roatán as an elective in her fourth year of medical school. The Trust Fund provided funds for Shelby to purchase much needed medical supplies that were given to the Clinica Esperanza where she provided medical care for two months.  Following her trip, Shelby wrote to the Trust Fund committee that the supplies donated “…benefitted numerous patients. The clinic relies on donations to continue to be able to provide quality medical care.  The donation was greatly appreciated.”

 

HUARAZ, PERU 

In December of 2016, Alexandra Poliand went to Huaraz, Peru with Creatio to help install new cookware.  In correspondence with the Trust Fund Committee, Alexandra shared,  “Christ has placed this opportunity into my life for a very unique purpose, and I am extremely excited to be a part of His plan.  I look forward to helping those in need ...” Listen to a video through

ELCA World Hunger on "Saroj's Story" on the need for a smokeless stove.