Vol. 78 Issue 50 Week of December 14-20, 2020 |
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Worship on
December 20th-Advent IV
This Sunday morning we will worship together online for the third Sunday in Advent, the Sunday focused on joy. Worship in Advent this year will be focused on passages of scripture from the African American Lectionary and the Narrative Lectionaries. This week our scripture passage is Malachi 4:1-2. The message title is "Like Children on Christmas Morning" and will be given by Dr. Foust.
The worship video will be available at 8am via our YouTube channel and at our website under the Worship tab for you to view. You can also link to worship from the Realm Connect App Events list.
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Christmas Eve Worship
The service of candlelight, communion, and carols on Christmas Eve will be available to you online at 12pm on December 24. This year, the service will include all of the elements we normally celebrate on Christmas Eve: lighting the Christ candle, singing carols, sharing communion, and candlelight as we sing Silent Night. We hope you will worship with us on this special day with the loved ones who are able to be with you. Dr. Foust's homily is called, "Light Shining in the Darkness."
The worship video will be available at 12pm via our YouTube channel, Facebook, and at our website under the Worship tab for you to view.
Remember to sign up for a Christmas Eve worship kit! The information and link can be found in this Family News or you can sign up by clicking here. The deadline to sign up for a kit is December 18.
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Christmas Cards for Neighbors 2020
To all the good folks of St. John’s,
I hope this message finds you well. During this unusual season, I encourage you to reach out to each other in creative, standard, and safe ways. I imagine that you are aware that we are only using our facilities on a limited basis. Therefore, this year we will not have a Christmas card mailbox physically set up in the gym foyer. However, we do certainly want to send out Christmas cards to these folks on your own. We have created a list of people to whom you can send cards this year.
Click the button below to access this list. While one or two addresses might seem wrong, we can assure you they are correct!
I imagine there are others not on this list who would appreciate a note or card as well. By all means, wish them a Merry Christmas! During this Advent season, we anticipate the shining of the light of Christ into the darkness. May each of you allow that same light to shine through you and reach out to each other. While this Christmas will be different, we can reach out to one another and it can still be merry, meaningful, and holy.
May the peace of Christ be with you!
Lee Gray
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REMINDER: TURN YOUR PLEDGE IN TODAY!
As of this week, we have received 127 commitments totaling $695,274.
If you have not turned your pledge in, please mail it to the church office to the attention of Jacquelyn McAbee at 300 Hawthorne Lane, Charlotte, NC 28204. You can also enter your pledge in Realm (go to Giving/Pledge) or by contacting Jacquelyn McAbee, Church Administrator, at jmcabee@sjcharlotte.org or 434-579-1177.
You may also turn your pledge card in on Sunday, December 20 from 11am-1pm at the Main Entrance driveway when you come to pick up your Christmas Eve worship kit! If you have not signed up for a Christmas Eve worship kit yet, please sign up for one by clicking here! These kits are personalized for your family unit and will include communion elements, candles, and worship orders.
St John’s, you have been so faithful in this pandemic year, and we all are grateful for what you have done to keep us on course. Even though we anticipate our current situation will continue through the spring at least, the missions of the church are ongoing.
Thank you for your support for 2021!
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Christmas Eve Kits for Worship
Sign Up for Your Custom Kit by December 18!
Our Christmas Eve service will be different this year since we will not be able to gather together physically to worship. In order to try and make the service feel a little more normal, we will be offering Christmas Eve Kits. Christmas Eve Kits will contain candles, Communion, printed orders of worship, and children's activities. You'll need to fill out a google form where you'll tell us how many of each item you need. Pick up for kits will be Sunday, December 20 from 11am-1pm via a drive-through at the Main Entrance.
When you come to pick up your kit, you can also turn in your pledge card! Allison and others will be there to receive you, give you your kit, and take your pledge card if you have not already turned it into the office for the 2021 Financial Ministry Plan.
The deadline to sign up for a kit is December 18.
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Special Artwork for Advent
by Jan Kerley
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In worship last week, you were introduced to this beautiful piece of artwork by Jan Kerley. We thank Jan for sharing the gift of artistic talent with us during this season. She invested many hours to offer this beautiful painting (pictured) as an expression of worship.
The painting expresses how the Hand of God, the Creator of Diversity, presents four gifts to humanity: sustaining hope, transforming peace, contagious joy, and compassionate love.
This painting will be a part of our collection of artwork at St. John's for years to come. We cannot wait until you all can enjoy its beauty in person.
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Prayer Concerns, Thanks & Sympathy |
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Polly Hull, Gene & Carol Poole, Elma Thomas,
Peg Russ, Alison Zieglmeier (daughter of Ken and Donna Scott),
Andrew Adair, Barbara Ledford, Tom Bryson,
Carol Hager (sister of Betty Harkey), Carole Ann Simpson, Ken Smith,
Esther Narron, Susan King, R.D. Bond
Sympathy to Betty Millsaps in the death of her brother
Prayers for all of the healthcare workers in our community
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Financial Ministry Plan Report
Week of December 8-14: $12,565
Income through December 14: $1,031,744
Annual 2020 Ministry Plan Budget Goal: $1,175,000
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You can make contributions, view your giving history and pledge status, as well as update your pledge and giving information anytime by accessing your personal
Realm profile online or via the Connect App.
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Contact the Staff
To email a staff member, click on their name below
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