St. John UCC Valmeyer

Community Focused and Welcoming To All

Nestled on the tranquil bluffs overlooking the Mississippi River Valley, St. John UCC Valmeyer is a safe haven for all who come to worship Christ. Led by Pastor Steve Boorsma.

Fall Church Picnic

We are excited to announce St. Mary’s and St. John’s will be holding our fall church picnic. It will be a scaled-down version of our usual picnic because of the pandemic. Activities include the following:

Chicken Dinner Carryout

Chef Alex Riechmann will fry up his famous fried chicken and Amy Rohlfing will make her renowned potato salad. Other sides include French fries, baked beans and coleslaw. Dinners are available under the tent for carryout only.

Two Colossal Raffles

You have two chances this year to win cash prizes. The grand prize is $1,000, second prize is $150, and third prize is $100. Tickets are $25 each and limited to 100 chances. Tickets can be purchased from either church.

Sealed Bid Auction

Instead of a silent bid auction, we will offer a sealed bid auction. Fabulous gifts valued at $100 or more are available. Items will be on display at both churches before the auction, or they can be viewed online here.

Bids will be accepted between noon on Sunday, August 30, and 6:00 pm on Sunday, September 20.

To place a bid, simply email your bid to stmarystjohnauction@wvh.com by the deadline. Include in your email:

Item number/description
Your name
Your bid
Your contact information

In the case of a tie, the bid submitted earliest wins. Winners will be notified on September 20. Winners must pick up their items by October 3, paying by cash or check. If we do not receive payment by October 3, the next highest bidder wins.

History of the Church Picnic

Each autumn since New Valmeyer was established on the bluff, St. Mary has joined with St John United Church of Christ to have a church picnic with fried chicken, a silent auction, a country store, raffles, bingo, and live music. Before the Flood, St. Mary’s picnic was on the second Sunday in September; St. John’s on the fourth Sunday. Having come together to rebuild Valmeyer on the bluff after the flood, the parishes now come together for a Fall Church Picnic.