Each year each class at St. John’s undertakes a service learning project, highlighting the need for each of us to serve well in helping with a task that is not directly related to our vocation. Students learn and teachers teach. An important lesson learned by these service projects is that everyone is called to love and serve their neighbors.

A recent email from Ms. Kroemer (our 5th grade teacher) to Pastor Albers and Deaconess Michele asked: 5th grade could use some guidance/ideas for our service learning project. Are there any needs at the church/school? Can you suggest local organizations/charities or specific families that are in need or worthy of our service? 

Lots of ideas were shared, many that could not work well or be planned very quickly. Then, suddenly, on Monday, April 28, Pastor Albers noticed lots of lilies leftover from our Easter celebration. Within 36 hours Ms. Kroemer had organized her class and a couple of parent/grandparent volunteers. On Wednesday afternoon, April 30, our 5th graders descended on the new preschool play area, planting the lilies along the fence line. The soil wasn’t the best as there were lots of extra stone and gravel, so hopefully a few of the plants are able to send down deep enough roots and will reappear next spring.

If you have time after worship, check out the great job these young gardeners did in serving St. John’s by beautifying our campus!