Ministries your offering supports in 2025 
Thank you for your generosity

The largest percentage of giving goes toward the General Fund.  This doesn’t sound all that fun or interesting but makes the biggest impact on our ministries.

Here are a few of the items that are funded through the General Fund.

  1. Staff salaries

    1. Housekeeper - Jim Wogoman dedicated to making sure our space is clean. Jim also volunteers at the Food Pantry and is our jack of all trades for minor repairs in the church.

    2. Secretary - This position is a very important position for our ministry. All those things that happen to make things run smoothly are supported by the work of the secretary. Kathy Stutsman is our secretary. Contact Kathy to be added to the mailing list or email list.

    3. Financial Secretary - No one really likes to talk about money and figures so, having a part-time staff person to deal with all our financial needs is a huge blessing. Michelle Layher, our Financial Secretary, crunches numbers, runs reports for the Vestry, comes to finance planning meetings, and makes sure the rest of the staff gets paid.

    4. Organist - This specialized ministry is essential to worship. Pastor Terri likes to say, “No one leaves humming the sermon!” St. John’s has a Casavant Organ that shakes the rafters when the organist pulls all the stops.

    5. Priest - Pastor Terri Peterson has served with St. John’s since 2017. Contact her at 574-295-1725 or at pastorterri@icloud.com.

    6. Deacon - This position is not a paid position but we do provide a small amount for continuing education. Deacon Melissa has served with St. John’s since 2012.

  2. Utilities and equipment

    1. Gas costs, electric costs, phone costs, cable costs are boring but necessary. We need all of these running so we are comfortable in our space and so we can actually use our space.

    2. We use two different copier/printers which make it possible for us to print bulletins, send letters, and provide the Tower for those who do not use email.

    3. Computer upkeep and improvement.

    4. Altar guild supplies - wafers, wine, candles, linens

  3. Building upkeep

    1. St. John’s gathers in an old, beautiful but old building.  We continue to be able to make repairs as needed due to the generosity of our members and through our investments.

    2. Diocesan Assessment - We share our financial resources with the Diocese who in turn support us with resources for stewardship, prayer, pastoral support for Pastor Terri, legal support if needed, and encouragement in the faith.  The Diocese of Northern Indiana has 11 staff to provide the above ministries.  Youth programing and camp are included in these ministries helping us share the gospel with the next generation.

  4. Space for other ministries

    1. St. John’s Food Pantry has served our community for over 30 years. Clients are invited to come twice a month to shop for food for their family. We are called to feed the hungry and give drink to the thirsty.

    2. Al-Anon meets at St. John’s in our Common Room each Wednesday at 10am. We support those who love and support others with addictions.

    3. Giving Tree in our parking lot. Each Wednesday and Saturday and most Sundays, volunteers hang clothing on our Giving Tree for the homeless and others in need.

  5. Discretionary Fund - the first Sunday of the month, worshippers are encouraged to donate to the Pastor’s Discretionary Fund. This fund is used to help others in need with small financial assistance. Pastor Terri has helped folks with partial rent, partial payments of utilities, bus passes, gas, and purchasing uniforms for a new job to name a few.

All of the items listed above provide space and resources for everything else we do.  We pay our utilities so that we can worship here, provide forgiveness and absolution, share the eucharist, share the good news, celebrate weddings here, gather for funerals here, feed the poor from here, provide clothing to the homeless, take communion to the homebound or sick, open our building to the Diocese for meetings when needed, support families in crisis, create Christmas programs to share the good news of the birth of Jesus, support girls in Honduras so that they receive an education, provide supplies for Beardsley School, and so much more. 

Our stewardship program this year focuses on how we have More than Enough; Works, Wisdom, Wealth. Click for the calendar to find More than Enough events. Click for member's witness to a time when they had More than Enough.