May 31, 2024

Josh's Jottings

The lay leadership at St. John's is beginning a short process of discernment regarding future opportunities for our church. Now is a good time to think about the future. The pandemic is behind us and life has, more or less, returned to normal. We have finished a year of transition in pastoral leadership. Most exciting, next year marks our 75^th anniversary as a congregation. It is a great time to think about our past, our present, and our future!

As part of this process Church Council is inviting everyone to take about 20 minutes, and complete the St. John's Congregation and Community Survey. We want to know how you perceive our church, where you desire to serve our neighbors, and what you hope for St. John's. This survey is for newcomers as well as long-time attenders. It is also for persons who are connected to St. John's indirectly - those that help in the music program periodically, lend a hand during Fish Fry, or are affiliated with another community organization that has a working relationship with the church. 

It is not a survey that focuses just on our own tastes and preferences for worship or ministry. Rather we want you to also think about what our community needs from us. 

Click the link here to take the survey online. Please take the survey by June 16. If you have questions regarding the Congregation and Community Survey, feel free to contact me or a member of Church Council.

Thanks for your time and consideration!

Memory Café

Saturday

The next meeting of Memory Café Albuquerque is this Saturday, June 1, at 1:30-3:00 p.m. in the SonShine Café at St. John’s United Methodist Church. We are celebrating Father’s Day with special music by Tony Mora and dad games. Snacks and information for caregivers and loved ones will also be available.

Memory Café meets the first Saturday of each month at 1:30-3:00 in the SonShine Café. It is a supportive fellowship for anyone affected by memory loss/Alzheimer’s and their caring partners. Meet and share with others on a similar journey. This is not a drop-off event. For more information contact Sharon Jensen at (505) 323-7522, ssmjens@aol.com. 

Confirmation Sunday

This Sunday is a special day at St. John's. During the 11:00 a.m. worship service, we will celebrate as five of our youth: Cassidy Burke, Kyle Dodd, Aaron Edwards, Nathan Lybarger, and Flynn Mauck are confirmed. Each of these youth have worked hard for the last 3 months, learned about our theology, history, and beliefs as United Methodists and we are proud to confirm them!

After the service, join us for a reception in the SonShine Café where we will celebrate the confirmands. 

United Women in Faith

Thursday, June 6

United Women in Faith has a fun event planned before our summer break. On Thursday, June 6 at 10 a.m. we will go through items from the closet. One event will be to look at the old scrapbooks and write a summary of that years events. After you have "wet" your appetite on those we will enjoy a salad luncheon. Bring your favorite to share.

For more information contact Carol Wiggins at carolmwiggins@aol.com or call or text at 505-321-0603.

We Care Support Group

Saturday, June 8

We Care Caregivers support group will have their first meeting Saturday, June 8, from 10:30 a.m. – noon in the church library on the second floor.

Two “tips” from caregiver support resources suggest: “Seek support from other caregivers. You are not alone!” and “Caregiving is hard work so take respite breaks often.”

We Care would like to be that respite break and a place for you to find support. Enlist the help of other family, friends, or professionals to be with your loved one and join us. 

Contact Rev. Molly Shannon, Minister of Congregational Care with your interest or questions.  Call 505-883-9717 (Church Office) ext.. 127 or Email: care@stjohns-abq.org

Summer Men's Bible Study:

Psalms Part 2

As we discovered last winter, the Book of Psalms is an amazing collection expressing nearly all the emotions humans can feel. The poems also provided us inspiration for terrific discussions as they will again as we read a selection of the last half of the book plus some of the psalms from the rest of the scripture.

Being part of the original study is certainly not required to attend this one. And missing a class or two because of travel doesn't disrupt the flow. Finally, we have both morning and evening classes, both live and on Zoom, so it's easy to attend!

The summer study will be on Mondays starting Monday, June 10, for five weeks ending on Monday, July 8. Classes will be in person (upstairs) in the morning from 10-11:30 a.m. as well as on Zoom. The evening class will be Zoom only from 7-8:30 p.m..  

Please contact Jack Nuzum at jcnuzum@juno.com or 505-265-5241 if you are interested in joining a dedicated group of men who enjoy reading and discussing scripture.

Safe Sanctuaries Training

Tuesday, June 18

The next Safe Sanctuaries training is held on Tuesday, June 18, from 6:00 p.m. at St. John's. Instructors for this session are Linn and Mike Furnish and Dara Bell. This session is open to all St. John's members and regular attendees.

Note: Whether youth (grades 6-12) or adult, if you plan to volunteer during VBS week (June 24-28), then you are required to complete Safe Sanctuaries training.

Please RSVP to Angela Lybarger, childrensdirector@stjohns-abq.org, or Joy Heaviland, reception@stjohns-abq.org, if you plan on attending.

Hope for the Journey Conference

June 21 and 22

Albuquerque Christian Children's Home and Riverside Church of Christ are hosting the Hope for the Journey Conference, June 21 and June 22. This is a free weekend event that encourages and equips parents, caregivers, teachers, and church members to see kids from hard places with eyes of compassion and to offer hope and encouragement as they seek to journey well with their children impacted by adoption and foster care.

Date and Time: June 21, 5:30 p.m. - 8:00 p.m. and June 22, 9:00 a.m. - 5:30 p.m.

Location: Riverside Church of Christ, 3100 La Orilla Rd NW, Albuquerque, NM, 87120

This is a free event by registration. To sign-up for the conference, please follow this link: https://forms.gle/Dj689t6HNyFLnbbd6

Volunteers Needed for Food Serving at

NM Annual Conference, June 12-14

St. John’s will be hosting the 2024 NM Annual Conference in June, and the congregation is needed to serve food. Front of the house servers are needed for the meals and receptions, including:

• Wednesday, June 12: A Relaxed Welcome Dinner (8 servers needed)
• Thursday, June 13: A Retiree Lunch (6 servers needed)
• Thursday, June 13: Reception after Ordination Service (2 servers needed)
• Friday, June 14: Breakfast (2 servers needed)

Front of the house serving job description:

Set up: table cloths, salt and pepper shakers, sugars, creamers and decorations

Serving and clean-up: serving drinks at the tables, bussing and scraping dishes, and clean-up of the front of the house after each meal.

Like with Fish Fry, servers will get to eat on their shift. Fish Fry volunteers are encouraged to return and practice more Radical Hospitality for this one time event.

If you can help, please click the link here to sign-up. If you have questions, or if you are interested in joining the Food Ministry Team, please contact Chef Tim at tnuzum@stjohns-abq.org or 505-220-5662. 

Preschool Director Announcement

St. John’s Preschool Plus Director, Cathy Lubold, has had to resign due to health issues of several family members. Cathy has been an amazing asset to the Preschool; she helped us reopen after Covid and has been instrumental in major growth and improvements in the program and facilities. We will miss her terribly and ask the congregation to pray for Cathy and her family. We also wish to thank Taylor Almaguer for serving as Interim Director during Cathy’s leave of absence.

The Preschool Plus Director needs to be someone who is excited to lead a church-related preschool program in a clean, open, well-equipped facility and is eager to embrace the Preschool Plus Mission, To nurture and support children from age 6 weeks up to 5 years old and their families, to provide a high-quality preschool experience, and before and after school care program in a Christian environment.

The Preschool Ministry Team is accepting applications for the position of Director until June 30. Specific information is available on the Preschool website (https://preschoolplus-abq.org/careers). Click here for the job description as a pdf.

Nursery Care Starting for 8:15 Services

We will be offering regular weekly nursery care during the 8:15 a.m. service starting Sunday, June 2! All children ages 6 weeks through 4 years old are welcome to join us in the nursery across from the SonShine Café. Thanks to recent additions in both paid staff and volunteers, we can now offer nursery care for all three Sunday morning services.

New Artist, Ann Gilmore

Hello Beloved community of St. John's! As the fresh transitioning of spring to summer approaches, we celebrate the freshness of water and life that it supplies around it with the painted works by Artist Ann Gilmore. 

"My mission as an artist is to meditate upon the blessings of God’s beauty in the natural world and share my perceptions of the endless vitality, inspiration and tranquility found there. I find extra joy in painting commissions for people with whom I collaborate for a mutually inspiring vision." - Ann Gilmore. 

See her work and more of her colorfully inspiring biography these coming next few weeks displayed in the Narthex. Welcome Ann!

If you are an artist or an inspired one blooming, contact Amber Giffin for opportunities to show and be involved with the St. John's Visual Arts Ministry at 505-975-4489 or artinthebeloved@gmail.com.

Family Spirit Class Starts New Series

Wrestling with Doubt, Finding Faith

Starting this Sunday, June 2, please join us at St. John's UMC from 9:30 a.m. to 10:30 a.m. in room 257 as we study a new book and DVD, Wrestling with Doubt, Finding Faith, by Rev. Adam Hamilton, purchased from Cokesbury.

Each Sunday we will watch a short 10 minute video lesson and then discuss questions from the book. 

Please watch this quick introduction video (Trailer) by Adam Hamilton for the book study series, link here.

In Wrestling with Doubt, Finding Faith, join best-selling author and pastor Adam Hamilton as he discusses some of our most significant sources of doubt and shows how a steady trust in God can emerge from them. You will delve into questions like:

“Does God exist? How can I know?”

“Is the Bible true?”

“Why do prayers go unanswered?”

Hamilton approaches these sources of doubt with honesty and insight, drawing on the rich wisdom of the Bible, Christian tradition, and his experience walking with thousands of people on their spiritual journey. Whether you’re a longtime Christian or someone brand new to faith, this book will lead you to a trust in God that is unafraid of hard questions. Wrestle with doubt and find faith—belief and trust, not certainty; mystery rather than simple answers.

Visit Adam's website by clicking the link here, to view a free sample of the book (Introduction) and if you like the book, you can buy it online as a paperback book or as an e-book.

Invite a friend or family member to come sample our class. Folks are welcome to drop by any week to sample the class and try it out. Free admission and open to all adults. Questions? Email: eagan.brian@gmail.com 

Volunteering Outside St. John's

Highlighting Dee Billops

Our own, Dee Billops, (who visits with different members of St. John's each week), volunteers as a mentor, 3-hours a week, working with Native American nursing students to make sure they graduate and pass the national board exam to become Registered Nurses (RNs).

In addition, Dee is on the board of South Albuquerque Cooperative Ministry (SACM) which serves 200 families monthly through their food pantry; mostly residents of zip code 87105 and the Pajarito Mesa of SW Bernalillo County. "SACM is an intentional Christian community which seeks to strengthen the mission of God's people through participating congregations and covenant partnerships by creative ecumenical bilingual worship, joint educational efforts, and the exploration of unmet basic human needs through specific mutual ministries that promote love and justice."

Dee is also a chaplain for Valencia County who meets with families when a child dies.

Next time you see Dee, be sure to tell her how much her volunteer efforts to St. John's and the community are appreciated.

Reel to Real

Our summer Reel to Real program starts this Sunday, June 2! All students entering 6^th grade in the fall to seniors who just graduated this spring are welcome to join us in the theater room starting at 3:00 p.m. on Sunday afternoons. We will watch a movie, eat some snacks, and then have a brief discussion about what we just saw, ending at 6:00 p.m. The movie scheduled for this Sunday is Back to the Future, 1985, PG.  

Summer Treats

Next Thursday, June 6, we begin meeting for some summer treats! Join us at Bahama Bucks, 4411 San Mateo Blvd NE Suite E12, at 5:30 p.m. in the afternoon for a frozen treat, good company and games. All students entering 6^th grade in the fall through class of 2024 seniors are welcome to join. If students are dropped off the end of our time together varies from 6:30 to 6:45. Hope to see you there!

Vacation Bible School

June 24-28

Registration for this summer's Monumental Vacation Bible School has begun! If your child, ages 3 - rising 5^th grade, will be joining us for VBS, please be sure to complete registration as soon as possible.

There are two registration options available - online through our website or by in-person hardcopy (forms available in both the Welcome Center and church office). Online option allows for credit/debit payment, and in-person option allows for cash/check payment. There's still time to take advantage of the Early Bird registration, and scholarships are also still available as needed.

Please contact Angela Lybarger at childrensdirector@stjohns-abq.org with any questions.  

Prayer Quilt Recipient

Amy Reaser Bunch (niece of Claryce Yost) is the recipient for the prayer quilt currently on display in the Hospitality Center.

If you pass through the Hospitality Center this week, please tie a knot in the quilt while praying for Amy. Won't be in the Center this week? No worries! Either way, please pray this prayer (or your own prayer) for Amy: "Heavenly Father, be the healer for Amy, restoring her health and bringing comfort during this battle with cancer. Bless her with your loving care and fill her with patience and joy in your presence. Amen.”

June Special Offering:

Locker 505

Locker 505 is a clothing bank for students in need, K-12, in Bernalillo County.  It provides a comfortable and welcoming environment where children may get what they need and try on and choose outfits that they feel good about wearing.

Specifically, we can support them in two ways this month, with money and underwear!

During the month of June, we will be collecting NEW underwear and socks for all sizes, boys and girls, for Locker #505. The sizes range from small to large, both in children's sizes and adult sizes (for the teens). Place your donations in the bins in the Hospitality Center!

Thank you, St. John's!

Our worship services are livestreamed so you can watch them from home. To watch a worship service live, click on the service that you would like to watch on Sunday morning at its scheduled time.

St. John's United Methodist Church | (505) - 883-9717

2626 Arizona Street NE | Albuquerque, New Mexico 87110

Office Hours: Monday - Thursday, 9 a.m. - 4 p.m.

Friday, 9 a.m. - 12 p.m.

Pastoral Care Emergency Hotline | (505) 312-3763

Pastoral care is available for after-hours emergencies. Please send any congregational care needs to Rev. Molly Shannon at care@stjohns-abq.org as we all work together to love one another well.