The Raider Report
November 6, 2026
St. John's Lutheran School exists to educate each child in a Christ-centered environment for a life of service to God and man.
Happy All Saints’ Day (Nov 1)
“After this I looked, and there before me was a great multitude that no one could count, from every nation, tribe, people and language, standing before the throne and before the Lamb. They were wearing white robes and were holding palm branches in their hands.” (Revelation 7:9)
Dear saints of God, it’s good to finally be among you. As you can well imagine there are still a lot of adjustments to be made. The learning curve is steep. The names are many. But all in due time things will work themselves out and faces and routines will become familiar and well worn. My family will arrive on November 10th. Our earthly belongings will come sometime later between November 11th-14th. I suppose the ending of one chapter and the beginning of another have me pondering the passage of time. It’s a strange thing, isn’t it? It’s like how Jesus speaks of the wind to Nicodemus. Time comes and goes as it pleases and you’re never sure how it is you got so old. Without question it waits for no man, and it pushes us along life’s winding roads whether we like it or not. The clock ticks and kingdoms rise and fall, families grow and depart into the heart of the earth, and youthful innocence and elderly wisdom have their day. Everything has its season.
Certainly, in one sense as we are born of the Spirit, of water and Word, there is no time before God. We are newborn creatures of God of which the clock has little, if anything to say about us. All things and all people are ever before Him. Theologically, you can never be late for church. Granted, temporally you can clearly miss church. You can sadly miss and neglect when and where God has promised to be with you in His Word and Sacraments. Such disregard for His gifts is done at great peril to your body and soul.
On the other hand, the reception of His gifts brings immense comfort and hope in the midst of our earthly struggles. And this comfort has many layers. One of these layers is the reality of the “communion of saints.” The host of heaven surrounds us and helps us to lay aside every weight, every sin that seeks to tempt and trip us, and to run with strength and courage the path that is set before us. We do this by looking to Jesus, who is the founder and perfecter of our faith. We do this by looking at the witness and life of His saints who modeled, albeit imperfectly, the faith of Christ and the love of neighbor. So, our liturgy rightly confesses the undeniable truth that “we worship with angels and archangels and all the company of heaven.”
This is the great solace of All Saints’ Day. It’s a day on which we remember that our faithfully departed are not lost to us but are with Jesus. He holds them and keeps them. Although this day has liturgically evolved over the years, “All Saints’ Day” honors every Christian who has gone to be with Jesus, who has fought the good fight of faith and now rests from their earthly labors and afflictions.
To recognize this truth, it’s the common practice on All Saints’ Day to name in the prayers all who have died in the course of the previous year. After each name is read, the bell is tolled. The ears hear the chime and it is bittersweet. We are joyful that they rest in Christ, that they have in Him what earth could never give them, eternal life, perpetual peace, and the end of all suffering.
Yet at the same time, we are sad that we can no longer physically interact with them, hug and kiss them, hold them and feel their embrace. I have often said that grief is the shape that love takes when the object of our love is gone. Grief is an expression of love, not a sign of weakness. It wasn’t wrong for Jesus to weep at the tomb of his friend Lasarus. But His tears, like ours, aren’t shed forever. We don’t grieve like those who have no hope. After all, as Jesus said to Martha, Lazarus’ sister, “I am the resurrection and the life. Whoever believes in Me, though he die, yet shall he live” (Jn 11:25). Jesus goes by His cross and empty tomb to raise Lazarus, to raise us all on the Last Day.
The passage of time forces us to realize that we are all “on the way.” No one moment defines us. Rather, Christ and His gifts declare us to be His saints though our crowns often look crooked in the eyes of the world and in the estimation of our neighbor. The hymnist captures this tension when he writes the line, “we feebly struggle, they in glory shine” (LSB 677:4). Or in the wise words written on one of the many lovely and heartwarming cards I received at my arrival, “Faith does not make things easy, it makes things possible.” (Reid Davis, 4th grader at SJS)
And so, in our Lutheran Churches and Schools, All Saints’ Day is a day on which we remember all the faithful who have gone before us who toiled and sowed the Word abroad but now rejoice without strife before the throne of God. And without question our Lord in His mercy gives us afflicted and wayfaring sinners the same hope He has perfected in them: the coming resurrection and the new heavens and earth.
In the bonds of Christ,
Pastor Raffa
We are seeking game day volunteers to assist with running the clock/scoreboard for girls & boys basketball games! Please contact the school office/Adam Brooks/Kasee Lambring if interested!
Game schedules & volunteer sign up are linked below as well if you would like to sign up on the form.
The concessions stand is seeking donations of hot dogs, sloppy jo meat and ground beef. Donations can be brought to the school office or put in the freezer in gym. Thank you!!
In December, we will go back to have our weekly chapel service on Wednesday mornings. Thank you!
Tuesday, December 8th, 2026
Mark Your Calendars! The holiday season is quickly approaching, and we are excited to offer our annual Christmas Shop for students in grades K–8!
Students will have the opportunity to browse and “window shop” on Monday, December 7, and shop independently during the school day on Tuesday, December 8.
The Christmas shop encourages students to experience the joy of giving while learning valuable money-management skills, including how to budget their money and select thoughtful gifts for their family.
Gift items will range in price from $1 to $15, allowing students to find something special for everyone on their list. We encourage you to discuss a spending budget with your child before shopping day.
As always, wrapping paper and gift bags will be available, free of charge.
There is also free hot cocoa and cookies for all students, whether they are shopping or not.
Thank you for your support in making this a memorable holiday experience for the students as they choose gifts for the whole family!
The SJS PTO is starting a Student Spotlight Series called "Raider Recognition" or "Sauers Servant". We would like to recognize our students for all the good things they are doing outside of school!! Please use the attached form to nominate a student for the spotlight! Students will be recognized in the Raider Report as well as the school Facebook page.
The nomination form will also be linked on the school website: www.sjsraiders.com
Please complete this form for:
Raider Recognition- Recognizes students for accomplishments or activities outside of school. (i.e. 4H, club sports, farming, livestock)
Sauers Servant- Recognizes students for serving/volunteering in our community (i.e. nursing home, church, community service outreach)
The St. John's Athletics, School and Church Calendars are on Eventlink. Download the app & choose which calendars you would like to follow!
1. Download the Eventlink app on your phone.
2. Search for St. John’s Sauers Lutheran School
3. Enter info to create an account
4. After setting up your account, tap on ‘Calendars’.
5. Choose teams/calendars that you wish to subscribe to.
The preschool Christmas program will now be on Wednesday, December 16 at 7:00pm instead of on Thursday, December 17. Please make note of this date change!
