Where do we go from here?

Each member needs to ask and answer the question, “Where do I wish to continue worshipping in 2012 once Jefferson Park Lutheran closes? As pastor, I can assist each member to transition to the specific church of their choice. If you desire to transfer to a church of the Lutheran Church Missouri Synod [LCMS], we suggest that this transition be made once the sale is final so all members can continue to vote in the Voters Assembly.

For clarity in doctrine, we strongly encourage you to transfer to a neighboring LCMS church such as:

St. Andrews, Niles                                 Our Saviour, Chicago                               Tabor, Chicago

Grace English, Chicago                         St. Johns, Chicago                                   Trinity, Chicago

Messiah, Chicago                                  St. John, Niles                                           Zion Lutheran, Norridge

St. Paul, Chicago                                   Our Savior, Norwood Park                       St Paul, Chicago

                                                              Any LCMS church

The 2011 JPLC Contribution Statements will not be prepared before December 31, 2011. By law they are required to be presented to the contributor no later than January 31, 2012. Because JPLC will no longer be in normal operation after January 1, 2012, it will not be possible for the contributor to pick up his or her copy of the statement. Therefore, all 2011 JPLC Contribution Statements will be sent First Class Mail to the last address of the contributor on record. It is expected that they will be mailed before January 31, 2012. If you have any problem with the 2011 JPLC Contribution Statement please contact Rudy Oliva, Financial Secretary, 5119 N. Mango Avenue, Chicago, IL 60630-4664, 773 777-4226 or
e-mail rocomet-jplc@yahoo.com. After January 2012, there may not be anyone in the church office to answer JPLC telephone calls or mail.

ACTIVITY AFTER JANUARY 1, 2012

As the only Elder, Rudy Oliva, on the JPLC Board of Elders (Board of Directors) it is my duty to inform you that after January 1, 2012 it may be possible to get spiritual guidance from Rev. Mark Zuehsow but not as Pastor of JPLC only because JPLC will cease operations as a congregation. As of January 1, 2012, all JPLC employees will no longer be paid a salary. After January 1, 2012 you will need to find another LCMS congregation in which to participate. After January 1, 2012 JPLC will function only to the extent that is required to officially close down the congregation, such as: preserving files an documents, preparing the building and its contents for turn over to the new owner (which could be either the Ethiopian Church Group or LCEF if for whatever reason the Ethiopian Church Group closing does not happen), notifying a variety of corporation or persons that JPLC no longer exists and much more. The elected 2012 JPLC officers and Church Council (Board of Directors) could spend a lot of time in the church building up until about January 10, 2012 performing the tasks in the previous sentence. How much longer the property physically is owned by JPLC depends on when the property sale closing takes place (or it is turned over to LCEF) and the remaining JPLC assets are turned over to the English District LCMS as required by the JPLC Constitution.