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COURAGE AND WISDOM OF THE SAINTS

by Dennis W. Foust, Senior Minister

Some deaths have tremendous impact. Last Saturday, in Zimbabwe, three saints were killed in an automobile accident: The Rev. Dr. Henry Mugabe, founder of Zimbabwe Theological Seminary; his son, Munyaradzi Johannes Mugabe; and The Rev. Dr. Dudzirai Chimiri, current president of Zimbabwe Theological Seminary.



Our friend, and the fourth senior minister of St. John’s, The Rev. Dr. Tom Graves, upon hearing of Dr. Mugabe’s tragic death, said, “I have lost the best friend of my life.” The Rev. Dr. Bill Leonard remarked, “Henry Mugabe was one of the bravest men I have ever known.” Tom Graves, Bill Leonard and Henry Mugabe were colleagues and friends, as each guided theological seminaries and divinity schools to train pastors for God’s Church.

Dr. Mugabe was fired by the Southern Baptist Convention’s International Mission Board in 2011 because he refused to accept their requirement forbidding women from serving as pastors. They locked him out of his office and gave him seven days to move from his home. The Southern Baptist Convention also froze seminary assets blocking him from paying the 16-member staff or other seminary expenses.

So, Henry Mugabe founded a new seminary in Zimbabwe and it thrived. The Alliance of Baptists and other Baptist entities supported this new work. You can read more about Dr. Mugabe here.

Every day, we lose saints. And, every day, we are inspired by saints living and those who have passed on ahead of us. The Church is truly an eternally communion of persons who have loved God and who have sought to walk in the ways of divine revelation. The courage and wisdom of saints should heighten ours. There should be a way to honor and remember ‘the unknown saints.’ Like the tomb of the unknown soldier, many unknown saints have expressed courage and wisdom that enlighten and empower us today.

We will observe All Saint’s during worship this coming Sunday, October 30. Because several women of our church will be on retreat in Blowing Rock on November 6th, we will remember the twenty saints of St. John’s who have passed on ahead of us in the past year. As you prepare yourself for worship this Sunday, consider all those saints, living and passed on, who still inspire you to live in The Way of Jesus.

Giving What We Have:

Trusting God to Multiply Our Commitments

“There’s a boy here who has five barley loaves and two fish.”

John 6:9

Imagine the disciples handing that boy’s five barley loaves and two fish to Jesus and looking out at more than 5,000 mouths to feed. They must have wondered, “What good is a bag lunch among so many needs?”



As you look out upon all the needs in today’s world, you may also ask, “What good is my financial offering among so many needs?” This year’s financial stewardship campaign addresses this question. We begin the conversation this Sunday.

Dancing Our Prayers

On Sunday, November 20, at 10:30 AM, St. John’s welcomes a team of youth and young adults from the Yakama Native Nation. Dancing Our Prayers are teams of Native teens who travel locally, regionally, and nationally sharing their culture, spirituality and way of life. This is an initiative of Mending Wings which aims to help people fly again after centuries of prejudice and abuse. Dancing Our Prayers teams drum & dance in full regalia, perform drama, give testimony, and speak on conciliation issues between Native and non-Native America. We are grateful to North Carolina Cooperative Baptist Fellowship for connecting us with them and we are glad to host them in Charlotte along with Covenant Presbyterian Church.

Daily Gospel Passages for October 27-November 4

Click here for the daily guide. Below are the readings for October 27-November 4. Each week, you will receive a separate email with the readings for the week and a link to the recordings. You can find the recordings anytime here.

• October 27 - Matthew 8:28-34
• October 28 - Matthew 9:1-8
• October 29 - Matthew 9:9-13
• October 30 - Matthew 9:14-17
• October 31 - Matthew 9:18-26
• November 1 - Matthew 9:27-34
• November 2 - Matthew 9:35-38
• November 3 - Matthew 10:1-4
• November 4 - Matthew 10:5-10

Will you join us for Fall Fun Day for children, youth, and families on October 30? We hope so!

Please see the schedule below for a day of fun for children, youth, and their families:

• 11:30 - Children (ages birth - 5th grade) and their families are invited to a Pumpkin Painting Palooza in Lasater Hall immediately following worship on Sunday, October 30. Lunch will be provided. Simply bring paint-friendly clothes. 
• 12:30 - Youth arrive in parking lot to load up
• 12:45 - Leave St. John’s (Everyone - Children, Youth, and Families)
• 2:00 - Arrive at Kersey Valley Maize Adventure in Archdale, NC
• 6:00 - Youth leave Kersey Valley Farms (Families are free to come and go as needed) 
• 7:30ish - Youth Arrive at St. John’s

Registration is in Realm or below and the cost is $15/person (children under 3 are free). Youth will need to bring money for dinner.

Families with children birth-5th grade have the option to register for just the Pumpkin Painting Palooza or both the Pumpkin Painting Palooza AND the trip to Kersey Valley Farms.

Please contact Haley (620-515-3558) if you are willing to be a driver for youth (your ticket will be covered).

On the Way to Open Kitchen

St. John’s retired adults (and friends) will be On the Way to the Open Kitchen for lunch on Wednesday, November 16. We will meet at the church at 11:00 am and then carpool to arrive by 11:30 for lunch in a private back room that seats up to 25 people. We should return back to the church about 1:15 pm. Please let Lee Gray LGray@sjcharlotte.org know if you plan to participate. 

For the 2022-23 season, St. John's and our partners at Caldwell Presbyterian Church will again jointly host 8 homeless neighbors vetted by Roof Above within the Room in the Inn program, often referred to as RITI, on 9 Friday nights.

Caldwell will host at Caldwell on the second Friday night of December through March while St. John's will host at St. John’s on the third Friday. 

RITI hosting at St. John's will begin on Friday, December 16, 2022 and run through Friday, March 17, 2023. Just as information, St. John's members are needed to drive our van for BOTH churches on all NINE Friday nights and the following Saturday mornings. The signup list linked below includes van driver signups for ALL NINE Friday nights/Saturday mornings.

Please contact Dale Johnson at 704-454-8931 or Alice Wirz at 704-222-6208 if you have any questions on any of these tasks.

Thank you for your support for Room in the Inn at St. John's!

From the Heritage Room

During the upcoming Advent season, we would like to have a display of past Christmas celebrations at St. John’s. This would include dramatic presentations, Christmas pageants, Hanging of the Green services, special choir programs, etc. If you have programs and pictures from any of these events, we would like to borrow for the display. You may give to Fredda Kimball, Linda Crowder, or Amanda. If pictures, please identify event, date, and names of those pictured if possible. Also please indicate whether you would like your items returned.

We would also like for each member or family unit to donate a Christmas ornament to be displayed on a Centennial Christmas Tree this year. The ornaments will be kept and used for future Second Century Christmas celebrations with any additional ornaments added by new (or current) members.

The ornament should be related to the Christmas Story and be identified with your name(s) and the year 2022 on the ornament in some way. You may give your ornaments -starting now- to Fredda, Linda, or Amanda. Thanks in advance for your contribution.

Save the Date for the Senior Adult Christmas Gathering

If you are 75 years and older, please put December 8 on your calendar for the Seniors’ Christmas Gathering luncheon. Watch your mail for the invitation in early November!

Supporting Baby Bundles in November

Baby Bundles provides baby essentials to families in financial need in the Charlotte area. Throughout November, our children will lead us in sharing with others and welcoming new life into our world by supporting Baby Bundles. Baby Bundles provides baby essentials to families in financial need in the Charlotte area and empowers them to have a strong start with their newborns.

From November 1 – November 30 we will receive the following donations: baby socks, bibs, and receiving blankets.

You are invited to give and place your donations in designated collection bins, which are located on the First Floor of our Main Entrance right by the gym.

If you have any questions, please contact Kheresa at 910-890-3392.

Goings-On in the 1970’s

There were lots of activity at St. John’s during the decade of the 1970’s. Some of this activity included the following:

The Craft Class was extremely active. A Country Carnival was held in the fall with games, crafts, food, and talent shows. Money raised from the Carnival were used for needs outside of the budget. In 1976, roller skates were purchased, and a schedule set up when skating was allowed in the gym. With the opening of the gym, the Youth organized basketball games. There were also softball games.

The Youth met on Sunday nights for discussion groups (Roundtables) basketball, skating, and other activities afterward. There were fun events such as square dancing and movie nights. There were Youth Retreats every year and the Senior Class took a trip to Florida in the spring, and ski trips. In 1976, the Youth held their own version of the Olympics with track and field, soccer basketball, volleyball, and gymnastics. They went to Carowinds after it opened in 1973.

Prayers, Thanks, and Celebrations

• Tarsha Williams, Martha Brown



• We have been remiss in welcoming Rev. Kheresa Harmon, Dr. Steve Harmon, and Timothy Harmon as members of St. John's earlier this month. Rev. Kheresa comes as our new Minister for Children and their Families. We are so glad to welcome them back to St. John's!

Minister On-Call Schedule

• October 24-30: Kheresa
• October 31-November 6: Lee
• November 7-13: Kevin
• November 14-20: Haley

Staff Contact Information

• Haley Blackwell, Minister for Youth & Young Adults - 620-515-3558 (cell)
• Rev. Dennis Foust, PhD, Senior Minister - 704-359-7234 (cell); 704-333-5428, ext. 12
• Rev. Lee Gray, Minister for Congregational Care - 704-451-1309 (cell)
• Kevin Gray, Minister for Music and Worship - 803-524-0287 (cell)
• Rev. Kheresa Harmon, Minister for Children & their Families - 910-890-3392 (cell

• 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. 11
• Lydia Olmstead, Weekday School Director - 704-333-5428, ext. 39
• Jill Rackley, Church Administrator - 704-333-5428, ext. 20