We want to help you grow in Christ, and we have many different ministries in order to help foster that growth. Please explore our different ministry areas:
Christian Education
Sunday School is on hold due to concerns with Covid-19.
Women’s Ministries
Spirit of Joy has a women’s bible study group that meets on the third Wednesday at 2 pm. We use the gather magazine (gather.org) as our study guide. Both groups meet in members’ homes and take turns being hostesses and study leaders (not a requirement to attend!)
We also sponsor a project called Women in Need (WIN) collecting and filling gently used purses to deliver to various community agencies who in turn share with their clients. See the Facebook page for more information. We also support various causes of the Women of the ELCA, such as providing health kits to people in need.
Men’s Ministries
The Men’s Bible Study group meets every Tuesday morning at 7 a.m. at El Olvido Hacienda Restaurant, 632 E. Kingsbury Street, Seguin, TX.
Youth/Confirmation
Programs for the Spirit of Joy Lutheran Church youth encompass the three “S’s” – Study, Service, and Social.
Study:
Sunday School is currently on hold due to concerns with Covid-19.
Confirmation classes are available to children in the 6, 7, and 8 grade. It is a three year program that we do with Emanuel’s Lutheran Church in Seguin and St. John’s Lutheran Church in Marion. Currently classes are held once a month. Instruction focuses on the Old and New Testament of the Bible as well as Lutheran History and Catechism. The whole curriculum takes three years. On completion, each student has the opportunity to affirm their baptism.
Service:
Many opportunities are available for service for all age groups. Youth are asked to join in helping the Christian Cupboard on first and third Saturdays of each month. Youth are also asked to volunteer to help as church service assistants. An annual project is the Tanzanian Goat Project. Money is raised through group projects which is then sent to buy goats for orphaned children. Children are also included in helping during God’s Work, Our Hands work days. Throughout the year children suggest and participate in many local service events.
Social:
Throughout the year social events are scheduled for the youth to enjoy. It could be a movie night, bowling night, supper and bonfire, plus many more events. During the summer camps are available through Cross Trails Ministry. A week of Vacation Bible School occurs usually in July and is cohosted with Emmanuel’s Lutheran Church.
Missions
Spirit of Joy members are involved with many mission outreach projects. Each year in September we participate in “God’s Work. Our Hands” Sunday. This is a day where ELCA congregations nationwide go out and help with service projects in their communities.
SOJ also provides support to our sister congregation, Cristo Rey Lutheran Church located in Pharr, Texas and to the South Texas Refugee Center/Shelter in McAllen, Texas.
We also volunteer at our local Food Pantry, The Christian Cupboard, two Saturday mornings a month.
We also participate in the “Lutheran Build Day” at our local Habitat for Humanity build site the last Saturday of each month.