A Letter From Rev. Randall Partin

Dear Friends at St. John’s, 
 
I am Randall Partin and I am so grateful and excited to be appointed as your new Senior Pastor!  St. John’s has been my “home church” since our family moved back to Albuquerque in 2015 and I went to work in the Conference Office.  I feel that I know and love so much about St. John’s already, but I also know that I have much to learn and discover in the weeks and months to come! 
 
My dad was career Army, which means that I lived all over and moved a lot (fun fact: I have now lived longer in our home here in Albuquerque than I have lived in any single home in my life!).  I went to Tulane University for my undergraduate degree and then moved to Boulder, Colorado where I earned a PhD in Political Science at the University of Colorado (Susan and I met in Boulder).  My first job after the PhD was teaching here at the University of New Mexico, which is how our family ended up in this part of the world (and we love it here!).  Susan and I started our family here in Albuquerque (Eli was born in 1998 and Sophie in 2002), and we moved to North Carolina in 2002 so that I could attend seminary at Duke Divinity School. 
 
I returned to the New Mexico Annual Conference in 2007, serving churches in Farwell, Texas (Hamlin Memorial UMC) and Las Cruces, New Mexico (University UMC) before Bishop Bledsoe asked me to join him in the Conference Office as the Provost for our Annual Conference, a position I’ve held for the past six years. 
 
Some things you might not know about me already:  I am a coffee-lover (although I drink less than I used to and am now trying to drink more water); I have a real soft spot for Brown Sugar Cinnamon Pop-Tarts; and our dog Butterscotch absolutely considers me her favoritest person (I realize “favoritest” is not a real word, but I imagine Butters would use it like that).  I look forward to getting to know each other better and being in ministry together!  
Ice Cream Breakfast to Welcome Pastor Randall Partin This Sunday

Please join us to welcome our new pastor with an Ice Cream Breakfast following the Abide service this Sunday. The Sonshine Cafe will have ice cream set up between the two worship services from 10:30a.m.-11:00a.m..
 
Seating will be available in both the Sonshine Cafe and Family Life Center.   
Sonshine Cafe Now Open for Coffee, Hot Tea and Ice Water

Come by the Sonshine Cafe Sunday mornings between 9a.m. and 11a.m. for “pay what you can” hot coffee or hot tea. Ice water is available to cool you down and stay hydrated! Everyone is welcome! Stop by before or after Abide, before or after Sunday school or before the Traditional Service. Let’s come together over a cup of hot coffee with people from other services! One cup. One church. ☕️ ✝️ 🤎
Disciple Connections Moving to One Newsletter Per Week Starting in July

Starting the week of July 4, Disciple Connections will begin running one issue per week. The newsletter will run every Friday morning (with the first Friday newsletter coming out on July 9). To submit an article to be included in the weekly electronic newsletter, please submit your story to Nicole Creaturo by 10a.m. on Thursday morning. Please email Nicole with any questions.
"Oh What a Beautiful Morning!": Garden Ministry Update

If you know the above line from the musical Oklahoma!, you know that coming up in the lyrics is, “The corn is as high as an elephant’s eye.” The Garden Ministry has recently planted four rows of corn and two rows of beans in our west garden. As of this week 106 Ambrosia Corn Bicolor kernels have sprouted and 35 Blue Lake Bush Beans have sprouted. While they won’t be “Knee high by the Fourth of July” we’ll hope to be near an elephant’s eye in a few months!... Click here to read the full article.
Volunteer for the Asbury Pie Cafe

Asbury Cafe Time: The NM State Fair is being held this year, and this means it's Asbury Cafe and pie time. NM State Fair is September 9-19, and there are many volunteer roles for anyone wanting to help. Please email Dave Young or call 505-715-2030, or email Jenn Shields or call 505-450-9978. We need:
  • Pie Party Helpers - Tuesday mornings, 8:30a.m. - 10:30a.m. from July 6 - August 17 in the FLC/Kitchen
  • Freezer Space for Pie Storage - Contact Jenn Shields
  • Workers at Asbury Cafe - Sign up every Sunday in August - East parking lot
  • Pie Bakers - Sign up every Sunday in August - East parking lot
  • Pie Collectors - Sign up every Sunday in August - East parking lot
Flower Deliveries to Shut-Ins

In the wake of our successful Valentine deliveries in February, St. John’s would now like to deliver a bouquet of flowers to some of our members that cannot get out on their own. Dale Amend has grown us a beautiful crop of gladiolas, and now we need your help to deliver them. We expect they will be ready to deliver towards the end of June; we will give you a call when they are ready to pick up from the church. Please contact Jarrod to sign up to help spread some joy: jconyers@stjohns-abq.org.
Volunteer for Family Promise Meals

Thank you for generously giving of your energy and resources to provide meals to the families currently in this program. The new site is still under renovation. The meals will continue to be dropped off at Church of the Good Shepherd (7834 Tennyson St. NE, Albuquerque, NM, 87122). In addition to dinners, we have been asked to provide Saturday & Sunday breakfast and lunch on July 10 and July 11. Click here to sign up to drop off a meal. Email Jenn Shields with questions.
New Office Hours

Effective Monday, June 28, our church office will be changing to Monday - Thursday from 9a.m. - 4p.m. and Friday from 9a.m. - 12p.m. If you need to contact Office Administrator Debbie Brown, please do so during that time.
"Real to Reel" Paused

Reel to Real will not meet for the next two weeks because of the 4th of July and some scheduled vacation time. Join us again on Sunday, July 11th in the FLC 4:00-7:15p.m. as we watch the new release “Mitchell’s vs Machines” (PG).
Tailgate NOT Tuesday

Several of our usual crowd will be on mid-summer vacation, so we will take a two week break for Tailgate Tuesdays and start up again after the 4th of July Holiday on Tuesday, July 6. See you then!
Join Us For A St. John's Bach Project Concert This Saturday at 5p.m.

Join us Saturday, June 26 at 5p.m. for the next concert in St. John's Bach Project! Conductor Matthew Greer will lead a performance of Cantata 140 ("Wachet auf") featuring a superb vocal and instrumental ensemble, and soloists Ingela Onstad, Fred Graham, and Michael Hix. Pianist Amy Greer will perform a variety of lovely keyboard works.

Join us in the sanctuary for this performance, or click here to watch the livestream of this event from home.
Listening Groups with Rev. Partin Begin June 29

Dear Beloved of St. John’s!

I’m very excited to be joining you at the end of June as your new Senior Pastor! I’ve worked closely with Pastor Pam and with SPRC to make this transition as smooth as possible. One opportunity that we have developed together to help me get to know you all (and vice-versa) is to offer small-group “listening sessions,” which will be scheduled over the next several weeks.

In these gatherings, hosted by a member of SPRC, we’ll have a chance for one-on-one introductions as well as give me a chance to listen to your thoughts, hopes, and dreams for our ministry together over the coming months and years. I will be primarily listening in these gatherings, partly because I believe that the most important thing leadership can do—especially during this moment in time—is to listen well. I commit myself to listen carefully and prayerfully and hope to share out what I’m hearing from you and where my hopes and dreams for our time together connect with yours.

We recognize that some folks may prefer the convenience and comfort of ZOOM gatherings, so we’ve scheduled both on-site and online meetings. Please register for one of these sessions using the links below. Additional gatherings will be scheduled beyond these first groupings, so if a time does not work for your schedule (or if these fill up, there is space for 20 participants in each session), we will offer additional meetings in the future.

Again, I’m so very much looking forward to being in ministry alongside you and I look forward to seeing you in one of our Listening Sessions!

Blessings, Randall W. Partin
Register For a Zoom Listening Group:
June 29 or July 7 From 6:30-8p.m.
Register For an In-Person Listening Group:
July 1 From 6:30-8p.m or July 10 From 9-11a.m.
New Spirit Sunday School Has Resumed In-Person Meetings

New Spirit Sunday School resumed meeting in person on June 20 in Room 151. As far as we know, all class members are fully vaccinated; however, anyone who feels more comfortable wearing a mask is welcome to do so. We have also reserved Room 149, just in case members want to spread out.  

Nancy Douglas de Baca is going to attempt to provide Zoom for members who cannot attend or prefer not to attend in person. Please let Nancy or Regina Hunter know as soon as possible whether you would like to receive the Zoom invitation. You can email Regina at drhunter@nmia.com and Nancy at squidgete@yahoo.com. Please provide your phone number in your email in case we have trouble connecting.
Adults: Join Us In Person for Sunday
School In Room 257

Classroom 257 has now reopened on Sunday mornings for an in person, face to face, class. The Family Spirit Sunday School Class welcomes EVERYONE! We meet on Sundays from 9:30 a.m. to 10:30 a.m. We are a small group of friendly adults who like to study, watch educational videos about books, and then discuss questions, pray and socialize. Room 257 is located on the 2nd floor of the Family Life Center, by the Youth Lounge.

We are currently studying the book and video series Words of Life: Jesus and the Promise of the Ten Commandments Today, by Rev. Adam Hamilton. Click here to watch a quick introduction video of Adam Hamilton speaking about the book and video series. Click here to to read the full article about this class.
Men's Bible Study on "Luke (the Rest of the Story)" June 28 - August 9

  • Morning Class In-person, Room 243, 10-11:30a.m.
  • Evening Class on Zoom, 7-8:30p.m.

Whether you were part of the first Luke study last spring or not (Chapters 1-11), you are more than welcome to join the men of St. John's to finish this amazing and provocative Gospel. We say we follow Jesus, but, honestly, in the spring study, we found out that we barely know who Jesus is. On the one hand, he is sweetness and light, but on the other hand, he's harsh and confrontative. What's going on?!
 
Well, there is no better way to figure out who Jesus is than by reading and carefully discussing each chapter of the Gospel with intelligent men who care. Contact teacher Jack Nuzum if you want to participate either at jcnuzum@juno.com or 505-265-5241.
Women's Bible Study Starts July 19: "Pursued, God's Relentless Love For You"

  • July 19 - August 23 (6 weeks) via ZOOM Monday afternoons, 1p.m. - 3p.m.
  • Maximum number for class is 11
  • Facilitator: Karen Tidler
  • Register by emailing donnabruce@comcast.net

We all want to be loved. We long to be desired, pursued. It’s the story of many of our lives, and it’s the story we see throughout the Scriptures. Although the Bible tells many stories, the main theme is God’s relentless love for us. Click here to read the full article.
The Rummage Sale is Happening July 23 & 24

The Rummage Sale is happening!  If you've been saving your sale donations for the past two years, we'll gladly take them, this year, for our sale on Friday and Saturday, July 23rd and 24th, in the Family Life Center. Because there is no storage space at the church, we ask that you hold your donations just a bit longer, until our donation drop-off dates of Tuesday, July 20th through 22nd. Please note that we have set a minimum price of 50 cents, and there is no need to place price stickers on clothing or books. For additional donation guidelines, please click here to see the event flyer. We truly appreciate your cooperation and donations.
Watch the Livestream of Our Sunday Services
11 a.m. Sanctuary Service
9:30 a.m. Abide Service
Click into one of the sections below to read news about each group.
June Special Offering: Locker #505

This month we at St John's have the opportunity to help the APS clothing bank called Locker #505. It provides clothing for students that they feel good about wearing, so they can concentrate on their school work and not worry about how they look.

If we remember back to our school days (I know- a long time ago for many of us!), I am sure we can remember how important feeling good about our appearance was!

This year we have two ways to help. We can donate money or donate clothes. Click here to see the full listed of needed items. Please give generously.
Virtual Prayer Quilt

The Ford family (friends of Dara Bell) is the recipient for the prayer quilt currently on display.

In lieu of tying knots, please pray this prayer (or your own prayer) for the Ford family: “Heavenly Father, always remind us of who you are and what you can do. You are bigger than all of our problems or worries. Please give this family healing, strength and comfort in their time of need. Amen.”
SUBMISSION DEADLINE for Disciple Connections is Monday at 12p.m. for the Tuesday edition and Thursday at 12p.m. for the Friday weekly edition. Click here to send your articles to editor Nicole Creaturo.
St. John's UMC for eDisciple
2626 Arizona Street NE | Albuquerque, New Mexico 87110
Office Hours (call only): Monday - Friday, 9a.m. - 2p.m.