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In this week's Family News (Scroll to Learn More):

1. Worship Sunday: Dr. Larry Hovis
2. Breakfast for K-1st Graders
3. Collection for Highland Renaissance Academy
4. Interfaith Pride Service
5. Pride Festival and Parade
6. Children & Family Ministries
7. Heart Math Tutoring
8. On the Way
9. d365 Devotionals
10. Women's Retreat Coming Soon
11. Leadership Report
12. CBFNC Announcement
13. From the Heritage Room
14. Prayer List
15. Happy 101st Birthday to Kathleen Bumgardner
16. Financial Update
17. Minister On Call Schedule & Staff Contact Info

Join St. John's for Worship on Sunday!

This Sunday, we welcome Dr. Larry Hovis to the St. John's pulpit as our guest proclaimer.

Larry has been executive coordinator of CBF of North Carolina since 2004. His responsibilities including bringing together the diverse parts of CBFNC (including individual Christians, churches, staff, councils, other volunteer leadership, and ministry partners) into a coherent and efficient whole to accomplish our purpose of “bringing Baptists of North Carolina together for Christ-centered ministry.”



Prior to his current position, Larry served as pastor of four congregations: The Memorial Baptist Church, Greenville, North Carolina; First Baptist Church, Mocksville, North Carolina; Bethlehem Baptist Church, Richmond, Virginia; and Washington Baptist Church, Washington, Virginia.

He has degrees from Union Theological Seminary in Richmond, Virginia (Doctor of Ministry); Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary in Wake Forest, North Carolina (Master of Divinity with Languages), and North Carolina State University in Raleigh, North Carolina (Bachelor of Arts).

Larry has completed numerous extended professional development programs, including the Pastor as Spiritual Guide through the Center for Congregational Health and advanced studies in Fundraising and Nonprofit Executive Leadership through Indiana University. He is also a Certified Christian Leadership Coach.

While Hovis’s particular strengths focus on leadership, stewardship, strategic planning, governance and organizational development, his passion is preaching and relating to Baptist congregations. He has been privileged to preach or speak in more than 300 churches and organizations in North Carolina and beyond.

Larry is married to the former Kimberly Lee. They have one daughter, Lauren, who works as a foreign service officer with the U.S. State Department. In his limited spare time, Larry enjoys cycling, traveling with his family (especially to historic places) and watching sports (primarily ACC football and basketball).

We can't wait to welcome Larry!

A Special Breakfast for Kindergarteners and 1st Graders

Sunday, August 20

Rising kindergarteners, first graders, and their families are invited to a breakfast in their honor on Sunday, August 20 at 9:15am in Broach Hall.

Breakfast is free, but reservations are required. Please register on Realm by August 17.

Collection for Highland Renaissance Academy

Throughout the month of August, the Mission Resource Team is hosting a collection for Highland Renaissance Academy! We will be collecting individual fruit cups and canned soup as well as elementary school supplies. All donations can be dropped off in the Giving Nook at the Main Entrance.

If you have questions, please contact Becky Skidmore.

Charlotte Pride Interfaith Service

All are invited to the Charlotte Pride Interfaith Service at Caldwell Presbyterian Church THIS Sunday, August 13 at 4PM!

Light refreshments will be provided after the service. The theme for this years’ service will be “Prosper and Persevere.”

Speakers this year include:

• Charlie Cytron-Walker, Rabbi of Temple Emanuel in Winston-Salem
• Dr. Jaspal Singh, Medical Director of Innovation and Quality Improvement for Pulmonary Oncology
• Ayya Sudhamma, Founder & head monk of the Charlotte Buddhist Vihara

Please join in for this wonderful service of worship as we officially kick off Pride season in Charlotte!

Charlotte PRIDE Parade and Festival

August 19 & 20

Come volunteer at the St. John’s booth at Charlotte Pride on Saturday or Sunday or join us for the parade. Sign up on Realm to learn more about the time slots and such. If you have any questions please contact either Amanda Morrison or Todd Stillerman. amorrison@sjcharlotte.org, stillerman@gmail.com

Sign up to volunteer by clicking below:

Children & Family Ministries at St. John's

Special Announcements and Invitations

• Sunday School on August 20: Preschool and Elementary Sunday school will not meet on Sunday, August 20. Elementary Sunday school students will help Kheresa serve breakfast to our rising Kindergarten – 1st graders and their families. Nursery will be provided during the Sunday school and worship hours.
• Promotion Sunday and Blessing of the Backpacks: Promotion Sunday for our children and youth and a Blessing of the Backpacks will be held on Sunday, August 27. Look for more details to be shared in the coming weeks.
• End-of-Summer Cook-out: Children of all ages and their families are invited to an End-of-Summer Cook-out on Saturday, September 9, 11:00am – 1:00pm, at the home of Anna and Blinn Cushman. More details will be shared soon!
• Children’s Ministry Day at The Hunter Farm: Families, mark your calendars for Saturday, October 14 at 10:00am We’re headed to The Hunter Farm in Weddington for seasonal festivities amongst pumpkins and baby goats and more!

Volunteer with Heart!

St. John’s Baptist and Heart Math Tutoring are partnering to support students in building foundational math skills and confidence!

Heart Math Tutoring is a Charlotte-based non-profit that recruits and supports volunteers to serve as tutors for elementary school students who are performing below grade level in math. Volunteers are needed to tutor an elementary student 30 minutes or 1 hour per week from October to April. Virtual and in-person tutoring opportunities are available with our 26 school partners in the 2023/24 school year. Heart provides a fun, effective curriculum, and an on-site Program Coordinator to ensure success. Tutors work with the same student(s) each session to build strong relationships and math skills.

With just 1 hour per week, you can make an impact! Learn more and sign up at https://heartmathtutoring.org/charlotte/#volunteer

On the Way- August Outing

St. John’s Retired Adults & Friends

For August will have lunch at Captain Steve’s Seafood in Harrisburg (5645 NC Hwy 49) on Wednesday, August 23 at 11:45am. You can either meet us at the church at 11:00 am or at 11:40 at Captain Steve’s. Please let Lee Gray LGray@sjcharlotte.org know if you plan to attend, and if you will join us at the church or meet us at the restaurant.

d365 Devotionals for Back-to-School

Passport, Inc., produces d365, a daily devotion written for students and young adults that seeks to provide reflections on themes that impact our faith journey. 

Throughout the month of August, d365 Devotionals focuses on the return to a new academic year, and will challenge students to pack love, joy, peace and patience... along with their books this year. You are invited to use this spiritual resource with your family. Click here to access. You can also download the d365 app in the AppStore or Google Play Store.

Save the Date: St. John's Women's Retreat

Saturday, November 4, 2023, at Bragg Farm

Spiritual Director, Mary Apicella, will lead us in a 1-day retreat on the theme of "Embodied Faith" through wellness and movement-based teaching.

Mary is an ordained clergy person who believes in movement as a spiritual practice that helps us all heal and connect to a greater sense of meaning and purpose. She is a certified personal trainer through the National Academy of Sports Medicine and is a Pre/Postnatal Fitness Specialist through PRONatal Fitness. Learn more here.

Watch for more details to come! You won't want to miss out!

2023-24 Leadership Report

Please click below to access a copy of this year's Leadership Report.

Seeking Interested Participants

CBFNC is partnering with college students, young adults, faculty/staff of partnering universities and partner churches across NC on a mission immersion trip to Ecuador in 2024. We are collaborating with Rescate Ecuador, a faith-asset-based community development organization in the Cajabamba region of Ecuador that focuses on health, education, farming and social care. CBFNC Team members will be able to participate in various projects based on skills and interests, including building water filtration systems, volunteering in medical and hygiene clinics, working with children, community development, helping with art projects and caring for indigenous churches. 

We are currently seeking interested particpants. The trip will take place during spring break 2024. With several colleges partnering, the trip will most likely span over several weeks, with groups coming and going as their spring break schedule allows.

Questions? Send an email to ahale@cbfnc.org. 

Get more details and fill out an interest form here.

From the Heritage Room

What Information Do We Have?

I am pleased to let you know that almost all of the information found, collected, and donated for the Heritage Room has now been organized and filed. Many thanks to all who contributed items and to all who have assisted in sorting and organizing all the information. Following is a list of information now in the Heritage Room:

• Membership Books for Member #’s 1-5114 (later books are in Church Office)
• Minutes of Church Conferences and Deacons’ Meetings
• Minutes of Associate Deacons Meetings
• Minutes of WMU meetings, WMU yearbooks, and other WMU related items
• Minutes of some of the old Sunday School Class Meetings
• Journals belonging to Dr. Joseph Gaines (first minister)
• Copies of all Church Directories
• Worship Bulletins April 16,1922 - present
• Family News 1940’s - present
• Binders of various information by decade, 1920’s to 2020’s. The binders also include a written summary about the decade and a timeline of major events of the decade prepared by Ken Sanford
• Binders of information about church staff, our building, Heritage Sunday Celebrations, 75th Anniversary Celebration, Sanctuary Remodel and Installation of new Organ (compiled by to Ashley Maready)
• Annual Reports sent to Mecklenburg Baptist Association 1928-2008
• Two binders of information on Habitat for Humanity projects donated by Bill Claytor
• Binder—"St. John’s and the Lost Boys of Sudan/Nvarweng Primary School” compiled by Nina Phillips
• Files by decade of information too bulky to place in the decade binders
• Copies of Youth Directories and Sunday School Class Yearbooks
• Files related to property acquisitions and sales
• Historical documents related to the Hackney Scholarship
• Miscellaneous information about funerals and weddings
• Hard copies of selected sermons from Senior Ministers and other Ministerial Staff
• Copies of Advent/Lenten Devotional Books and booklets from the 15th/20th, 25th, and 50th
• Anniversaries
• Binders for activities of Women of the Church (compiled by Linda Crowder)
• Binder of programs, etc. of “The Dramatic Arts” and “Christmas through the Years” at St John’s
• Binder of Girls’ Auxiliary (GA’s) Coronation programs and pictures
• Picture file box of various events at St. John’s organized by event
• Box containing t-shirts from CROP walks, Celebrate St. John’s”, basketball, etc.
• In bookcases belonging to Dr. Claude Broach-Books belonging to Rev. Joseph Gaines, Dr. Chauncey Durden, Dr. Claude Broach and books written by Dr. Durden, Dr. Broach, Dr. Foust, and Rev. Martha Kearse
• Selected Yearbooks from meetings of Mecklenburg Baptist Association
• Copies of the St. John’s Cookbook from the 1980’s and old hymnals
• DVDs of special services and plays- thanks to Linda and Ryan Crowder
• Senior Recognition Videos
• We also have pieces of pottery by John Gill (long time member), old communion and offering plates and a collection of photos of special events contributed by Linda Crowder. One of the more interesting items is a small fiberboard file containing notes for each of the books of the Bible prepared and used by D. W. Fink as long- time Sunday School teacher. This was donated by Mr. Fink’s niece, Nina Philips.

If you would like to visit (tour) the Heritage Room, please contact Fredda Kimball to arrange a date and time.

Prayers, Thanks, and Celebrations

• Arnold Philemon, Jack Crymes, Tommy Almond, Fan Watson, Stacey Almond, Mary Rickenbaker
• Happy 101st birthday to Kathleen Bumgardner on August 14! We are so thrilled to be able to celebrate this occasion with her. If you would like to send a card, please contact the office for her address.

Financial Update

2023 Budget: $1,153,000

Actuals through June:

• Income $555,516
• Expenses $554,114
• Surplus (Deficit) $1,402

Staff Contact Information

• Rev. Haley Blackwell, Minister for Youth & Young Adults - 704-333,5428, ext. 2013; 620-515-3558 (cell)
• Rev. Dennis Foust, PhD, Senior Minister - 704-359-7234 (cell); 704-333-5428, ext. 2012
• Rev. Lee Gray, Minister for Congregational Care - 704-333-5428, ext. 2015; 704-451-1309 (cell)
• Rev. Kheresa Harmon, Minister for Children & their Families - 704-333-5428, ext. 2018; 910-890-3392 (cell)
• Lillian Quackenbush, Interim Minister for Worship & Music

• Jessica Borgnis, Academy of the Arts Director
• Mallory Brown, Media Coordinator - 704-477-3349 (cell)
• Chloe Hall, Children's Choir Director
• Noel Lance, Organist
• Dr. Matthew Manwarren, Associate Organist
• Amanda Morrison, Ministry Coordinator - 704-333-5428, ext. 0
• Lydia Olmsted, Weekday School Director - 704-333-5428, ext. 2039