Gabriel’s Horn August 2026
Upcoming Events August 2026
02: Adult Sunday School 10:10 AM
02: All Ages Sunday School 10:10 AM
02: Small Group 5 PM: Meet & Greet/Gospel of John
03: Quilting 9AM-NOON
04: Ladies Small Group 10:30 AM “Aging Gratefully”
05: Mid-Week Bible Study Book of Judges
05: Youth Group 6 PM-7:30 PM
05: Small Group: 6 PM *ON BREAK
07: Men’s Breakfast 10 AM -Cracker Barrel
08: Ladies Lunch Bunch: Loredo’s (Dickson) 11:30 AM
09: Adult Sunday School 10:10 AM
09: All Ages Sunday School 10:10 AM
09: Board of Education Meeting 12:30 PM
09: Small Group 5 PM: Meet & Greet/Gospel of John
10: Quilting 9AM-NOON
11: Ladies Small Group 10:30 AM “Aging Gratefully”
12: Mid-Week Bible Study Book of Judges
12: Small Group: 6 PM *ON BREAK
14: Men’s Breakfast 10 AM -Cracker Barrel
16: Adult Sunday School 10:10 AM
16: All Ages Sunday School 10:10 AM
16: Love Keeps Building Donation Day
16: Board of Discipleship Meeting 12:30 PM
16: Small Group 5 PM: Meet & Greet/Gospel of John
17: Quilting 9AM-NOON
18: Ladies Small Group 10:30 AM “Aging Gratefully”
19: Mid-Week Bible Study Book of Judges
19: Youth Group 6 PM-7:30 PM
19: Small Group: 6 PM *ON BREAK
21: Men’s Breakfast 10 AM -Cracker Barrel
23: Adult Sunday School 10:10 AM
23: All Ages Sunday School 10:10 AM
23: Small Group 5 PM: Meet & Greet/Gospel of John
24: Quilting 9AM-NOON
25: Ladies Small Group 10:30 AM “Aging Gratefully”
26: Mid-Week Bible Study Book of Judges
26: JR. Confirmation 5:30 PM-6:30 PM
28: Men’s Breakfast 10 AM -Cracker Barrel
30: ONE SERVICE 10 AM/SUNDAY SCHOOL 9AM
30: Potluck Meal 11:15 in the FLC
30: Deaconess Sunday
30: Small Group 5 PM: Meet & Greet/Gospel of John
31: Quilting 9 AM-Noon
Church Council
August 23: Church Council Meeting: 12:15 PM
Serving Our Lord
Greeters
8:30 AM Jack & Deidre Tyers
11:00 AM Langsdorf Family
Usher
8:30 AM – Tim Bower/
11:00 AM Mike Grover & The Langsdorf Family
Lectors
02: 8:30 AM Hutch Hockenberger
02: 11:00 AM Jackie Grover
09: 8:30 AM Bruce Burnett
09: 11:00 AM Terry Spena
16: 8:30 AM Marshall Stark
16: 11:00 AM Johanna Seeger
23: 8:30 AM Janice Brown
23: 8:30 AM Sherry Zier
30: 10:00 AM Linda Hartmann
Altar Guild
MB Pomeroy
Denise Waczkowski
Counters
Barbara Bower & Karen Stevenson
Nursery
02: Denise Gamary
09: Marta Weaver
16: Suzanne Ellinger
23: Johanna Seeger
30: Linda Scherrer
Slideshow
02: Theresa Wehman
09: Karen Stevenson
16: Denise Waczkowski
23: Morgan Waczkowski
30: One Service
Elders
02: Dan Falkenstein
09: John Scherrer
16: Hutch Hockenberger
23: Chip Gray
30: Dan Falkenstein
Attendance (July 2026)
July 5: 53 (1 Service)
July 12: 60 (1 Service)
July 19: 106
July 26: 88
August Birthdays
Sandra Harrington
Tyler Mountain
Jack Brown
Aubrie Nolan
Shelby Waczkowski
Lynette Kleinnschmidt
Zack Reifer
Lou Ann Wenck
Jeanie Will
Theresemarie Lombardo
Marcy Lombardo
Robert Lee
August Anniversaries
Frank & Terry Spena
Hank & Lois Deskewies
Jack & Deidre Tyer
Junior Confirmation
Junior Confirmation – New Class Starting Wednesday August 26 5:30-6:30 PM
Saint John Lutheran Church Information
Saint John Lutheran Church
2300 HWY 96
Burns, TN 37029
615‑446‑2332
stjohnburns@gmail.com
www.stjohnLutheranburnstn.org
Service Times
Traditional – 8:30 AM
Sunday School – 10:10 AM
Contemporary – 11:00 AM
“The true light, which gives light to everyone, was coming into the world.” – John 1:9
Youth Group
Youth Group – Wednesdays August 5th & 19th - 6 PM-7:30 PM
Making friends & helping others in the community.
Christianity 101 – New Class
Wednesdays 6:30 PM- New Class in the Fall
A Class to Learn Lutheran, Christian Teachings.
Volunteers Needed. Contact the office if you are interested.
Mid-Week Bible Study – Wednesday Mornings 10 AM – Judges
Scripture: The Fuel You Need for the Week
Deaconess Sunday – August 30
Please keep our adopted Deaconess in your prayers as she continues her studies at Concordia Theological Seminary.
Please place your donations in the deaconess basket. Thank you!
Greeting Cards – LWML Mite Boxes
Greeting Cards – Brighten Someone’s Day
All proceeds go to the LWML Mite Boxes.
Just drop 35 cents in the coin box and pick your card.
The Elders Among Us
Feel free to reach out to your elder if you have any questions.
Chip Gray Head Elder
Dan Falkenstein
John Scherrer
Hutch Hockenberger
Men’s Group
Men’s Group – Breakfast every Friday 8 AM Cracker Barrel in Dickson, TN
CarePortal – Help the Community
Help someone in the Dickson County community!
Give to our CarePortal Fund
Sign up for our team – Sign up today; just scan the QR codes to see how you may help.
St. John Lutheran Church CarePortal.
Member SpotLight
With Nancy Gray
Everette “Pete” Van Doren
Pete was born on November 22, 1931 in a farmhouse in Pierce County, Nebraska. He was baptized December 12, 1931 in a Lutheran church in rural Pierce County, Nebraska. Pete moved to Norfolk, Nebraska in 1950 and attended school from grades 1-12. He graduated high school in 1950. He joined the Civil Air Patrol in 1948. Pete was confirmed in Christ Lutheran Church in Norfolk in 1946.
On December 7, 1951. Pete joined the Air Force. After 8 weeks basic training he was assigned to Keesler Air Force Base (AFB) in Mississippi for 22 weeks of Basic Electronics. Then he was sent to Cheyenne, Wyoming for Communications Equipment Maintenance School. In March 1953 Pete was assigned to Saint John’s Newfoundland, Canada to work at the Communications Relay Station. In 1953, Joan, my high school sweetheart came to Saint John’s and we were married by the base Chaplin. Our daughter, Lanaya was born in 1955. My four-year enlistment was completed in December 6, 1955. I reenlisted for 6 more years and was assigned to Lowry AFB in Denver, Colorado. I started taking classes three evenings a week at the University of Colorado in addition to working days at Lowry AFB.
While in Denver, I bought my first motorcycle and Joan and I really enjoyed riding in the mountains. In 1958, I was assigned to Sembach Air Base in Germany. I continued my classes at the University of Maryland taking classes in the evening the four years we were living in Germany.
We had 30 days of vacation each year, so we traveled to every country in Europe. Our daughter Holly was born November 17, 1959 at Sembach Air Base. In 1962, I was assigned to Goodfellow AFB in San Angelo, Texas. I worked in Communications Equipment Maintenance and at night I attended Angelo State University. In the fall of 1963, I had 90 hours college credit so the Air Force gave me a year off with pay to finish my degree. I was a resident of Nebraska, so I chose to attend the University of Nebraska in Omaha. I graduated in May of 1964 with a major in Math and Physics.
In December 1964 Pete was assigned to Pesowa, Pakistan, for a 15-month tour. Upon completion the Air Force assigned him to Karamel, Turkey. Again, working in Communications Equipment Maintenance. The base Chaplin organized a trip to the Holy Land, so Pete took leave and signed up to see and feel the places Jesus had walked. He spent six days in the Holy Land.
At this point, Pete had completed 16 years of enlisted time. His supervisor, a Major, decided the Air Force could use Pete better as an officer. The Major arranged everything and he was off to Officer’s Training and was promoted to a Second Lieutenant. Upon completion, he was assigned back to Goodfellow AFB in San Angelo, Texas as Chief of Maintenance Training for the Electronics Security Command.
In July of 1971, Pete was assigned to Wakkanai, Japan. He and Joan divorced before he left for Japan. While in Japan Pete joined a motorcycle club and began riding all over the island of Hokkaido. Janet had been working in Civil Service in Taiwan. She found out about an opening in Hokkaido, Japan, and took the job. Pete and Janet met while riding motorcycles on the beaches. The Air Force eventually closed the base at Wakkanai, so Janet applied for a Civil Service job in San Antonio, Texas. I applied for a job at Kelly AFB in San Antonio. We continued our friendship, started dating and were married in 1972.
On March 18, 1975 our daughter Myca was born. Janet quit her job and became a stay-at-home mom. I retired from the Air Force on February 28, 1982, with just over 30 years active duty.
Dickson, Tennessee seemed like a good compromise between the cold of Nebraska, Janet’s native New Jersey and the extreme heat of San Antonio. We moved to Tennessee in July of 1982. We enjoyed living in Tennessee very much. Raising Myca, riding our motorcycles and raising horses was our primary job.
The best advice I have ever received was “Look up with trust, look back with gratitude and look forward with hope.” I don’t remember where I first read this, but I think of it every day and I realize that I received guidance all the time. When we first come to Tennessee there was no Lutheran church in Dickson, so we attended a Methodist church.
Early in 1993, we found that there was a small group who met in Waverly. Pastor Chris Powell came from Nashville to conduct the services. We joined this group and as you can see, it has grown significantly. Janet was baptized April 14, 1996 by Pastor Powell. It is with much gratitude that I look back, and am very proud to have had a part in it. I was really excited when they asked Paul Darcy and I to be the first elders of the church.
Portals of Prayer Fund
Please Consider Donating if You are Able. Thank You!
Sunday Small Group
5 PM Gospel of John
Ladies Small Group
Tuesdays 10:30
*Aging Gratefully by Heather Creekmore
Wednesday Small Group
6 PM Starts Back September 16 with Study TBD
Quilting Small Group
Mondays 9 AM- 12 PM * Benefits the Red Cross No Experience Necessary See Barbara Bower for More Details
Refreshment & Fellowship Time
Please Volunteer to Brings Refreshments
* You May Set Up By Yourself or With a Buddy!
