Dear Friends of St. John,

Greetings from the St. John Board of Directors! As we prepare to celebrate our Annual Homecoming, we look forward to renewing old friendships and establishing new ones.

Our Homecoming service for 2008 will be held on Sunday August 17th at 11:00 am. Immediately following the worship service will be our traditional picnic luncheon held on the Church grounds.

We are blest to have The Reverend Larry Moore as our guest preacher for our service. Reverend Moore is the nephew of Jo and V.P. Slemp, George and Anne Johnstone, and Frances Johnstone, and is the son of Virginia and Emmett Moore.

The St. John Board has accepted the responsibility of preserving our heritage and our property. We do this by striving to maintain the cemetery, property, and buildings with the resources available to us. Many of you have family and friends buried here, and it is incumbent upon us to maintain and care for the property to keep it in the best state possible. We strive to accomplish this and we thank you for your faithful support.

St. John as with all properties, has ongoing needs for maintenance. This is accomplished through income derived from our endowment and from the annual giving from friends. We rely on the generosity of you to maintain this beloved place and please know that all sizes of gifts are welcomed and appreciated. Also please know that we welcome questions, suggestions, and feedback in relation to the St. John’s property.

We would also like you to participate in the third Wythe County Lutheran Heritage Tour conducted by George Kegley. The tour will leave St. John's on Saturday, August 16, at 1:30 pm. The excursion will head west to St. Paul, Grace, Kimberlin, and Corinth Lutheran Churches.

In closing, we thank God for all the saints who have passed before us bearing witness to the Gospel in this place. As we reflect upon their faithful witness to Christ, may we also renew our commitment to share the good news of God’s love in Jesus Christ.

Sincerely,
THE ST. JOHN’S BOARD

Our speaker for 2008 is The Reverend Larry Moore. Reverend Moore is the nephew of Jo and V.P. Slemp, George and Anne Johnstone, and Frances Johnstone, and is the son of Virginia and Emmett Moore. Reverend Moore currently serves as Pastor of Solomon Lutheran Church in Greeneville, Tennessee. He was ordained in May 1979 and has previously served congregations at Johnston Atoll Air Force Base Chapel; Faith Lutheran Church in Lebanon, Tennessee; Our Savior Lutheran Church in Albany, Georgia; and St. James Lutheran Church in Greeneville, Tennessee.