Deuteronomy 4:6 (NIV) Observe them carefully, for this will show your wisdom and understanding to the nations, who will hear about all these decrees and say, “Surely this great nation is a wise and understanding people.”

As we prepared to build a new educational building at the church I was then serving as pastor in El Paso, Texas, we needed to demolish a no-longer-used parsonage that was located on the site. Such demolition wasn’t included in the winning contractor’s bid; we’d somehow overlooked it. So we called a local company, the only one in El Paso offering to demolish houses, and had them come and look at the old place. It was a simple frame structure, sitting on blocks with no basement, about 1200 square feet in size. How much to tear it down and haul off the remains? Thirty-five hundred dollars – twenty-six hundred to demolish, plus an extra nine hundred more to haul off the debris.

The church’s Trustees felt that was a rather high bid, but were on the verge of accepting it when one of the members of the group spoke up. “I think we can get our own people to help us tear that house down, and make enough money in the process to pay for hauling off the remains.” We all listened attentively. It was an intriguing plan.

So it was that my church promoted the opportunity to come and swing a sledgehammer at the old house, two Saturdays hence at $10 per person. Nearly two hundred people showed up, many carrying their own sledges. Several dozen of them weren’t even church members -- just men and women from the surrounding community who wanted the opportunity to help demolish something.

I never realized the amount of aggression that some folks have pent up in them until I saw that mob begin to tear down that house. Everybody had a great time contributing to its demise. The El Paso newspaper even sent a photographer to take a picture of half a dozen folks gleefully swinging their hammers. In less than two hours the house was reduced to rubble. After paying to have the debris hauled off, the church had nearly $1,000 left to put toward construction of the new building.

One of the attributes of wisdom that the famous King Solomon of the Bible repeatedly demonstrated was an ability to offer creative options for solving seemingly impossible problems. Too often today, I find that the Church of Jesus Christ asks folks to give God their hearts, which is good, but not their heads, which is utter folly. Thus the kind of optional, creative thinking that saved my El Paso church several thousand dollars in unnecessary expenditures is rare in Christian circles.

Remember, people of God, that He has given each of us both our hearts and our brains -- and He desires that we offer all we are back to God in the service of His Kingdom.

Rather than waxing "spiritual" today, think of some tangible, practical ways you can serve God, the Church, and this world.

---Excerpted and adapted from Dr. Dave Ring's 2019 published devotional book, "Reflections 365"

Reading Our Bible Together in 2020 will begin a new study, “Sermon Series,” on Monday, Sept. 27. Preachers love sermon series, partly because in a good sermon series, one idea will last for weeks. This episode of Reading our Bible Together will look at some of the sermons preached long ago by Moses, Jesus, Peter, Paul, and others, and we’ll see that these sermons still have important messages for us today. Download a study guide here. To receive daily study tips by email, write or call Regina Hunter at drhunter@nmia.com or 294-2877.

Would you be interested in submitting a daily devotional for the Newsletter? If so, send an email to Pastor Pam at prowley@stjohns-abq.org!

Please include the following items when writing a devotion:

A Focus Word or Phrase

A Scripture (it can simply be referenced)

The Body of the Devotion (one page is a good guideline)

A Prayer or a Spiritual Practice

Join us for a new series of concerts live-streamed from the St. John's sanctuary! Concerts are a benefit for Albuquerque Healthcare for the Homeless. musicatstjohns.org

Olga Perez Flora, mezzo-soprano

James Flora, tenor

Kristin Ditlow, pianist

FogoNuevo Duo

Gabriela Fogo, violinist

Luiz Barrionuevo, violinist and violist

Gustavo Pimentel, guitarist

St. John’s will live-stream a worship service on Sunday morning at 9:30 am (Contemporary) on the Abide Facebook page and 11:00 am (Traditional) on the homepage of the website. We hope you’ll worship with us! (Pastors Pam and Kelly will lead, along with Shea Perry, Jim Ahrend, and Matt Greer). We hope that you’ll participate by singing and praying at home! Any questions? Email Matt at mgreer@stjohns-abq.org.

Missing getting together with your St John’s family after church? Join us in the virtual Sonshine Coffee Zoom immediately following the 11:00 am Worship. Church Leadership Team members starting with Jim Hickman will be hosting with the Pastors Pam and Kelly joining if they are available. Zoom registration is HERE.

The class always welcomes new faces, whether they wish to become permanent members, are interested in a particular study, or need a Sunday School family while on temporary assignment in Albuquerque. We typically alternate between modern books and books of the Bible. We are currently nearing the end of I’d Like You More If You Were More Like Me, by John Ortberg. Contact Regina Hunter, drhunter@nmia.com, to be added to the invitation list on Sundays and to learn of the next book.

Family Spirit Class meets by zoom on Sunday mornings, 9:30 to 10:30. They are studying John Ortberg’s book The Life You've Always Wanted. Brian Eagen and Doug Sweet lead this study. Please contact Anita Hallstrom at anitah1@comcast.net if you would like to join this zoom class.

Christian Classics Sunday School Class is meeting by Zoom at 3:30 PM on Sundays. We are studying The Wisdom Jesus by Cynthia Bourgeault. Contact Jack Nuzum at jcnuzum@juno.com to join in.

To better streamline all the ways we communicate, the Youth Group has adopted the Slack app to merge and integrate the our direct messaging, digital calendar, Zoom account, and all our online documents. It is easy to join the threads that apply just to you. Join in here: bit.ly/joinumyfslack1

Summer is past, and as we get back to school? Our Solid Ground youth group will resume meeting every Sunday at 4:00-5:15PM with new games, discussions, and faith-building activities plus new features of the student led Soap Box and Top 5s. Log-in. at: bit.ly/Fall2020UMYF (case sensitive).

While we are not yet allowed to sing together, stay informed about the activities of the Sonrise Youth Choir, including weekly Zooms on Thursdays at 4:00 pm (Jackbox games!!), and musical workshops in the Fall! Email Shea at sonrisechoir@gmail.com!

United Methodist Women will meet, by Zoom, on Thursday, October 1, at 10:00 am Our speaker will be Kristi Rhinehart, Program Director and Training Specialist for Four Winds Behavioral Health Center in Rio Rancho. Kristi will explain the program, as well as provide an update on the newly completed residential drug treatment center in Espanola. This meeting is open to anyone and everyone, so if you're interested in receiving a Zoom invitation, please contact Regina Hampton at: hamptonmason1@msn.com. You may arrive as early as 9:45 am, if you'd like to chit chat a few minutes prior to the meeting. We hope to see your smiling face!

Come join us for St John’s Blessing of the Animals. All God’s creatures are welcome! Chef Tim will have treats for us all and we will celebrate our relation to all creatures, as we worship with all creatures great and small, and witness to God’s goodness in creation.

Come receive communion in your car on Wednesday, October 7 and gather in safe community to worship and praise God. We encourage you to bring your own elements (bread & juice). If you do not have your own elements, we will provide individually-packaged elements. We will gather in the east parking lot of St. John's (2626 Arizona Street NE).

We will be offering all our classes via ZOOM so you can attend from the convenience of your own home - perhaps even in your pjs if you want!

Broken and Blessed, How God Used One Imperfect Family to Change the World by Jessica LaGrone, led by Barbara Stanfield

Deadline for registration: October 8

Maximum number for class is 11

Get Your Life Back, Everyday Practices for a World Gone Mad by John Eldredge, led by Karen Tidler

October 20 - November 24 (6 weeks), Tuesdays, 9:15 - 11:15 am

Deadline for registration: October 8

Maximum number for class is 11

Calling all Cars. Many children will not be able to trick-or-treat door to door this year because of Covid-19. Let's create a fun, safe, socially distant, costume-filled, and candy-laden option for children in our community on Oct 31st 2:30-4:30PM. To keep everyone safe, masks are required, gloves are needed, and individually wrapped candies are a must. We are looking for 25 people/families to participate. Can you join us? Please register to volunteer: https://conta.cc/3bPziEM

Photos from the 2019 Trunk or Treat:

St John’s Food Ministry continues to serve the people of Albuquerque--approximately 500 people per month!--with hot meals prepared in our kitchen,  Do you have a surplus of fresh produce from your garden that you would like to donate to St. John's to feed the hungry? If so, please contact Chef Tim at tnuzum@stjohns-abq.org.

The announcements below include using the program "Zoom" to group-video chat. You can find a tutorial on how to use Zoom HERE!

Join St. John’s Music Director Matthew Greer for a new weekly session in which he talks about the music ministry, explores hymns and choral music, and chats with the occasional guest about music they love. CLICK HERE TO REGISTER!

Log in and have coffee (or tea) and chat with Pastors Pam and Kelly! Zoom link HERE.

Meet by zoom with Pastor Pam for a 30 minute spiritual practice every Thursday afternoon. We will explore different ways to pray, to commune with God, to nurture our spiritual lives with Christ through the Indwelling Holy Spirit. Space is limited, join the class HERE.

Remember to get started on your family-history manuscript with Terri Link and Regina Hunter, Saturdays from 10:00 to 12:00. If you have trouble connecting before 10:00, all Regina at 294-2877.

Anyone is welcome--no experience is necessary. (And, yes! It's okay for Christians to meditate.) If you want to learn more prior to starting, the sessions will be similar to ones she leads and records on YouTube. Each session will be hosted on Zoom. HERE is the zoom link. Please contact Susan Brumbaugh, counselor@stjohns-abq.org, or 505-506-6716, if you have questions.

Jane Faber is the recipient for the prayer quilt on display for September 28 - October 12.

In lieu of tying knots, please pray this prayer (or your own prayer): “Father, we pray for Jane as she embarks on this new phase of her life. We pray these words: "The Lord bless you and keep you; the Lord make his face to shine upon you and be gracious to you; the Lord lift up his countenance upon you and give you peace." Amen

With the Church currently closed, the prayer shawls have taken up residence with Hunt and Ann. They are actually quite comfortable in the coolness of their new home but they would love to be of comfort to someone in need of God’s love. Please contact Ann at mapalook@comcast.net or 768-7013 if you would like a shawl. If you call, the basket will await your visit in their courtyard. Blessings -

How we support you and your family in prayer during this difficult time? Prayers for health, employment, peace? Please send your prayer requests to the Prayer Team: mapalook@comcast.net or submit them on our website HERE.

It is hard to get out and many people shouldn’t. Is there something you need delivered from the store? If we are able to help, we have a few volunteers who would like to serve as Go-fers for people who need something but cannot get it on their own. Please pass any requests on to Jarrod at c.care@stjohns-abq.org

The St. John's staff includes a licensed mental health counselor who is available to meet virtually (using a smartphone or computer) in a secure online platform during these anxious times. If you or someone you know is struggling emotionally, counseling is available. Click here or contact Susan Brumbaugh at 505-506-6717 or counselor@stjohns-abq.org for more details about session and cost information. Susan also has a Youtube Channel with mindfulness tips HERE.

   As summer winds up this year, let's pause and remember the church camp experiences of our lives, wherever they may be.

You may remember youth camps, women's or men's conferences, marriage retreats, lay speaker schools and many more events Some people made their first commitment to Christ in a camp setting. Most remember growing closer to God.

   Sadly, this year most events at Sacramento and other camps were canceled by Covid resulting in not only lots of disappointment, but also serious financial hardship. We at St. John's have the opportunity this month to support our beautiful camp in the Sacramento mountains south of Cloudcroft and ensure future opportunities with other Christians to pray, worship, play and study in God's beautiful creation. Please give generously.

In accordance with the New Mexico Department of Health order, our facility will be closed until further notice. We will keep you apprised as things develop.

Your St. John's pastors and staff are still very much on the job, and are available to you during this time. Please reach out to us if we can help you in any way!

www.stjohns-abq.org

(505) 883-9717

2626 Arizona St NE | Albuquerque, NM 87110

Office Hours (call only): Monday - Friday, 9:00 am - 2:00 pm