February 25, 2022
Mobile Food Pantry on Saturday

Roadrunner Food Bank is closed for President's Day and will not be hosting a Mobile Food Pantry on our regular weekend (which was scheduled for Saturday, February 19). Instead, we will be hosting the Mobile Food Pantry at our Family Life Center on the following Saturday, February 26. Distribution will be the usual time of 10:15 to 10:30 a.m. 
St. John's Jammers Meets on Sunday

The St. John's Jammers will get together again Sunday February 27 at 2:30 p.m. in room 149-151 in the Family Life Center. It's the last Sunday of the month so while all instruments are welcome, we will try to focus on the ukulele (we will have extra ones there). It appears we are losing the mask mandate, but will honor what the church is requesting. Certainly if you are more comfortable wearing a mask please do so. Hope to see you there. Bring a cymbal, harp or a lyre if you have one. Trumpets are always welcome.  
Youth and Parent Confirmation Meeting on Sunday

Our youth and parent confirmation meeting will be Sunday, February 27 at 6:10 p.m. following youth group in the FLC. This is for ANY youth who would like to learn about being confirmed. 

What is confirmation you might ask? Well, it is an important time in which youth learn about their faith, what it means to be a disciple of Jesus, church membership in the Body of Christ and here specifically at St. John's UMC , and is a rite of passage of sorts in the life of the church. At this meeting, we will work together to find days and times that work for the classes which will likely extend into the fall with special projects and a retreat that the youth can work on through the summer with mentors. Also, please bring ideas of 2-3 adults in the church that you would like to consider as a mentor: someone who has been an example of Christian faith for your youth if they know of any. If not, I know some great mentors! I will then personally reach out to the mentors and explain the process of confirmation to them.  

And please feel free to pass along this invitation to any other youth who might be interested. We are opening this class up to any youth age person who is interested and hasn't been confirmed.  If you would like more information, please reach out to Pastor Tiffany (thollums@stjohns-abq.org).   
Ash Wednesday Service on March 2

Join us as we begin the Lenten season with a traditional Ash Wednesday service in the Sanctuary, Wednesday, March 2 at 6 p.m. The service will also be livestreamed for those who would like to join us from home. Click the button below to watch live.
A Shared Legacy: United Methodist Women Meet on March 3

United Methodist Women, did you know we have a shared legacy? Yes, we do! It's called our UMW Legacy Endowment Fund and we'll have a chance on Thursday, March 3, to learn more about it from Kathleen Duncan, our Albuquerque District UMW President. Kathy also serves as a Legacy Liaison for our Conference, so she's truly well informed! We're planning a hybrid meeting, so we hope you'll join us, in-person, at 10 a.m. in Room 245. Or, if you prefer, please watch for the Zoom invitation which will be sent out next week to circle members. Our meetings are always open to everyone, so if you're not a circle member, but would like to receive the Zoom invitation, please contact Regina at hamptonmason1@msn.com. We hope you'll join us!
Pick Up Communion on March 3

Next Sunday, March 6, Communion will be celebrated in all three services. For those who are worshiping with us by livestream, we would like for you to be able to observe the sacrament along with those in the room.
 
Here’s how to participate:
 
  1. Drop by the St. John’s office on THURSDAY, March 3, between 9 a.m. and 4 p.m.
  2. Pick up Communion elements from Joy, our office manager. (These elements will be consecrated by Pastor Randall on Wednesday.)
  3. Take the elements home, and consume them during the livestreamed liturgy on Sunday morning.
 
You’re also welcome to borrow a hymnal while you’re here, so that you can sing with us at home! Just let Joy know you'd like to take one when you pick up your elements.
Church Women United Meet on March 4

Church Women United, an ecumenical Christian women’s group, will meet for World Day of Prayer on Friday, March 4 at 9:30 a.m. via Zoom. The theme of the service is God’s promise found in Jeremiah: “I Know the Plans I Have for You” which focuses on freedom, forgiveness, justice and God’s peace. Our speaker will be Rev. Lynne Hinton, Director of the New Mexico Conference of Churches. In addition, she is currently teaching journaling at the Bernalillo County Behavioral Health Care Campus in the Crisis and Recovery Units. The Zoom link with printed program will be sent out 3 days before the event. If you would like to participate, please contact Marilyn Stoops at mstoops@swcp.com or call (505) 265-8358 and she will add you to the Zoom list. Please join us!
8:15 a.m. Mosaic Service Will Be Livestreamed Starting March 6

Starting Sunday, March 6, our 8:15 a.m. Mosaic service will also be livestreamed, and will be available to watch online. Our Mosaic service is a meditative service with Communion offered every week. It is led by Reverend Dr. Randall Partin, Assistant Music Director Therese Macali, our Artist-in-Residence/pianist Jim Ahrend, with prayer offerings from our team of Certified Lay Ministers. The music takes a blended approach with traditional hymns and new music in a variety of styles and highlights a musical Communion liturgy written for St. John’s by our very own Jim Ahrend. If you are new to the Mosaic service, or would simply prefer to worship from home - Join us online!
Healing Journey Prayerful Art Experiences Will Be Held on March 6 & March 13

Healing Journey Prayerful Art Experiences will be held in the grassy area outside of the Sonshine Cafe on Sunday March 6 and Sunday, March 13 from 9:00 a.m. -12:30 p.m. The Joie De Vivre art ministry will set up an art studio in the grassy area outside where there will be prayer guides and art supplies to guide you on a creative exploration of Christ's journey to the cross. The art will help to lead us on the healing journey to the cross as we also explore this journey through the sermon series: The Healing Journey. Supplies will be available to take home as well to finish any pieces. The art will then be on display the weeks leading up to Easter, so please submit your art pieces as soon as possible to be framed and ready to display leading up to Holy Week. Any questions, please contact Paul Chandler. 
Jolly Elders Meet on March 9

Our next meeting of Jolly Elders will be on Wednesday, March 9, beginning at 11 a.m., in Room 245.  Adults of all ages are cordially invited to come to our next meeting of Jolly Elders, where we will have Associate Pastor Tiffany Hollums as our program speaker.  Her program topic will be: “The Latest Status of the Children’s Ministry and the Youth Ministry at St John’s". 

So, what’s up at Children’s Church?  When will Vacation Bible Church be this summer and what will be its theme?  How are the seven grades of students from the 6th to 12th grade currently organized in the Solid Ground Youth Group? What themes on what future Sunday nights are being planned for Solid Ground? What about upcoming camps and retreats?  All of these questions and more may be answered by Pastor Tiffany during her program. 

The meeting will end by noon to allow everyone to depart church for lunch elsewhere.  Wearing facemasks are now optional in Room 245 at the meeting. But if you wish to visit the church office, wearing a facemask is still required there. Due to new church security regulations for this weekday mid-day meeting, everyone must park their vehicles and enter St. John's United Methodist Church on the west side (the 2626 Arizona Street NE side) of the church. 
Invitation To A Lenten "Healing Journey"

During the season of Lent, the church has historically marked the time Jesus spent in the wilderness in preparation for his ministry on earth. We, too, are invited into a “wilderness experience,” a time of preparation, reflection, and refinement as we prepare for the great celebration of Christ’s resurrection at Easter.
 
One of the primary challenges of our time is the brokenness of many of our relationships--brokenness caused by social and political polarization, brokenness brought about by social isolation and the trauma of a global pandemic, and the brokenness that simply comes by living life together and navigating our differences.
 
This Lent, I will be preaching a sermon series on the wounded relationships in our lives. Each week we will be invited to offer these to Christ, who both knows our sorrows and our weaknesses and who came to redeem all things. This series is adapted from a resource by Rev. Roger R. Sonneberg, a Lutheran pastor and expert on healthy relationships.  
 
Using stories and passages from the Passion Narratives (the gospel stories of Jesus’ betrayal, arrest, trial, and death), we will focus on one aspect of our relationships with others every week, starting first with some of the unhealthy or unhelpful things we do when faced with these brittle interactions with others, but then moving towards healing and reconciliation the closer we get to Holy Week and Easter. Each week will also have an invitation to live out and practice some healing steps for the relationships in our lives.
 
It is my hope and prayer that this Lent, we will all find ourselves on a “Healing Journey,” prayerfully following Christ in His ministry of reconciliation and healing.  
 
Blessings,

Randall
Indoor Eating Returns To St. John's

St. John’s will begin to allow indoor eating and drinking starting tomorrow, Saturday, February 26. The Food Ministry will reopen the Sonshine Cafe on Sunday, March 6 with donuts, coffee, hot tea, and water from 7:45 a.m. to 11 a.m.. The Food Ministry continues to makes over 500 of meals per month that are sent outside the walls of the church. The Food Ministry Team will evaluate the return of specific indoor meals as well as expanding new ventures. The Friday Lenten Fish Fry will return in 2023.
Important Update From Family Promise

Family Promise of Albuquerque has decided to move their shelter operations to the parsonage at Montgomery Church of Christ. With this move, Family Promise will start engaging volunteers in a way other than just buying and preparing meals. For St. John's next hosting week, March 27 - April 3, we will need two volunteers each evening to spend time with the families for the dinner shift from 5 p.m.-8 p.m. We believe that this is such an integral part of Family Promise, and we all miss the bonding that goes on between the families and volunteers. As Family Promise moves forward, we hope that more opportunities will become available for volunteers to once again be a part of meeting the needs of the families. More information about signing up to volunteer will be coming soon. If you have any questions, please contact Jenn Shields at jennshields200@yahoo.com or Linn Furnish at swimsew@comcast.net.
The Art of Worship: Transfiguration Sunday

Transfiguration Sunday (February 27, 2022), is the last Sunday of Ordinary time and the altar cloths are transformed from green to a bright white. It is a celebration of the text in Matthew 17:1–8, Mark 9:2–8, and Luke 9:28–36. It is worth a moment of time to take a look at the three scriptures to be mindful of the season.

As a kid I knew when God was working because in a moment, things were different. Like the time I was in Vacation Bible School and felt the Holy Spirit flow through me while singing Onward Christian Soldiers. I was singing in my most beautiful voice the best I knew how for God. When I felt the Holy Spirit, I knew that is what it was like in Heaven and it transformed my life.

Back to the scriptures …The mountaintop transfiguration of Jesus is a strange tale. For the first time, Jesus had shared with his followers that he would be rejected, suffer and die at the hands of his enemies. Instead of promising comfort and easy living, Jesus promises the way of the cross for himself and any who would follow him... Click here to read the full article by Melanie Amend.
3rd (4th and 5th) Grade Bibles For Bible Sunday

Please email Pastor Tiffany at thollums@stjohns-abq.org if you would like to receive a 3rd grade Bible. We are offering this also to 4th and 5th graders who missed receiving their Bibles due to COVID!  Bible Sunday will be Sunday, April 24 during all 3 services, so please also let Pastor Tiffany know at which service your child would like to be presented with their Bible. 
Watch the Livestream of Our Sunday Services
Submission Deadline for Disciple Connections is Wednesday evening for the Friday weekly edition. Click here to send your articles to editor Nicole Creaturo.
St. John's United Methodist Church
2626 Arizona Street NE | Albuquerque, New Mexico 87110
Office Hours (call only): Monday - Thursday, 9a.m. - 4 p.m.
Friday, 9 a.m. - 12 p.m.
Pastor 24-Hour Hotline | (505)585-5435 
Pastor care is available for after hours emergencies. Any congregational care needs, please send those to Pastor Tiffany at thollums@stjohns-abq.org as we all work together to love one another well. Also, if you are interested in being a part of a congregational care team, please contact Pastor Tiffany.