Vol. 79 Issue 20 | Week of May 17-23, 2021 |
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Can you answer one question?
As we move toward re-gathering this summer in phases, we are conducting an anonymous, blind survey of the St. John's community to gain perspective on how many are vaccinated or are planning to be vaccinated.
Therefore, we hope you will take a few seconds to take the 1-question survey by clicking the button below. None of your personal information will be stored or tracked with this survey.
Thank you for helping us as we regather in the coming weeks. If you have already answered the survey, thank you! Please only take it one time.
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An Updated Regathering Plan
by Dennis W. Foust, Senior Minister
As you have heard me quote repeatedly, ‘Blessed are the flexible, for they shall not be bent out of shape.” This pandemic requires flexibility and our COVID-19 Task Force has sometimes felt like we need the wisdom of Solomon when making decisions for the whole community while considering variations of perspective. As one of our physicians said, "we are a church family and we make decisions that are best for those in our family."
In all ways, St. John’s seeks to be a community of compassion practicing the teaching of Jesus, “Love one another." While we celebrate the increased freedoms being enjoyed by those of us who are fully vaccinated, we are also aware that our children (age 11 and younger) cannot be vaccinated as of yet and others of us live with health situations that increase our vulnerability. Caring for the most vulnerable among us is at the heart of God's Gospel. Therefore, with the information released last week by the Center for Disease Control and by Governor Cooper’s office, our COVID-19 Task Force has updated our St. John’s Regathering Plan to begin our regathering journey in the slow lane. Over time, we will increase our speed (change lanes) as we journey together.
Our changes are:
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We have removed all attendance limits and physical distancing protocols as we begin regathering to worship on June 20.
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We will still register on Realm or call the church office (704.333.5428, ext. 10), prior to each Sunday and then check-in upon arrival using iPad kiosks located outside the sanctuary doors. This helps us with tracking should this be necessary.
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To care for the most vulnerable among us, face coverings will be REQUIRED of all Sunday worshippers, whether fully vaccinated or not fully vaccinated. This protocol will change as more of our members inform us they have been fully vaccinated and as we move toward autumn and vaccines for children become available.
- Staff and worship leaders will model concern for and solidarity with our children (and others) who cannot receive vaccines as of yet by wearing face coverings at all times in worship except when leading our aspect of worship.
- Face coverings will be required at all times for each adult serving in Worship Care for Young Children.
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Face coverings will not be required for outdoor gatherings.
- Face coverings are required for all persons in the buildings while on the ground floor due to the presence of children (Weekday School, Head Start and Freedom School children) who have not yet been able to be vaccinated.
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All groups using or meeting within our facilities (beginning June 1) MUST reserve the space through contacting Jacquelyn McAbee in the church office to assure the space has not already been scheduled (jmcabee@sjcharlotte.org).
- With Freedom School using many rooms in our facilities through July, we will delay the optional gathering of Sunday Morning Sunday School Growth Groups until August 1.
- All Sunday Morning Sunday School Ministry Growth Groups will be scheduled to begin gathering on Sunday, September 12.
We are looking forward to regathering in a few weeks. Thank you for being a compassionate community. Shalom!
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Worship on May 23, 2021:
Pentecost Sunday with Guest Proclaimer Dr. Daynette Snead-Perez
We will worship together this Pentecost Sunday and welcome Dr. Daynette Snead-Perez as our guest proclaimer. She will deliver a message called, "All Together Through Prayer," based on Acts 2:1-17. We are so glad to welcome Daynette to the pulpit once again! Remember to wear your RED to celebrate Pentecost.
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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Celebrating our 2021 High School Graduates
We always enjoy this time of year when we celebrate our high school graduates! Last year, we hosted a drive-through celebration for the graduates due to the pandemic. This year, we can celebrate in a different way as restrictions are decreased and the world begins to open up once again. On Sunday, May 23, we are having a special time to recognize the high school graduates during our Food Truck Sunday event from 12pm-2pm in the parking lot. Our graduates this year are as follows:
- Cozette Mitchem, daughter of Jim and Tina Mitchem, plans to attend Flagler College in the fall
- Lilly Marie Sweet, daughter of Garth and Autumn Sweet, plans to attend UNC Wilmington in the fall
- Cole Turner, son of Kevin and Kathy Turner, plans to attend Columbia College Chicago in the fall
- Jack Wilkerson, son of Shawn Wilkerson and Sondra Hellund, plans to attend Appalachian State University in the fall
We hope many of you will choose to be present for the Food Truck Sunday when we enjoy one another’s company and celebrate our graduates. Register at the buttons accompanying the article below about the food truck event OR through Realm.
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Food Truck Sunday: This Sunday, May 23! |
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Join us for Food Truck Sunday THIS Sunday, May 23!
We invite you and your family and friends to another Food Truck Sunday event on May 23 from 12pm-2pm in the parking lot at St. John's. The two food trucks present will be Ole Buddy's Oinker Express and EmergenSweets.
During this time together, we will recognize and celebrate our 2021 high school graduates.
So, come ready to grab a bite, chat with friends, bring some dried lentils/dried chickpeas/toilet paper for Refugee Support Services, and celebrate the graduates!
Will you join us on May 23? Register today!
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Ole Buddy's Oinker Express & Emergen Sweets
Ole Buddy's Oinker Express offers fresh hand breaded tenderloin sandwiches,
hand cut fries, loaded tots, bbq nacho's, brats, and a ton more!
Bring a lawn chair or picnic blanket to spread in the grassy area. Wear your face covering.
Bring any amount of bags of dry lentils, chickpeas, or rolls of toilet paper for Refugee Support Services. (See more about this below)
Outdoor games will be available for all ages, including chalk, hula hoops (and more) for children.
If it rains, we will gather at safe distances in Lasater and Broach Halls.
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Collection for Refugee Support Services on May 23
Please bring bags of dried chickpeas or lentils and toilet paper to drop off on Sunday, May 23 for Refugee Support Services.
Our contributions will join with those of other individuals and groups in Charlotte to help fill out food boxes for the week of May 24. Meanwhile, don’t forget that you can sign up at https://www.refugeesupportservices.org/events/refugee-101/ or the button below to learn more about refugees in Charlotte and services for them.
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From the Heritage Room: Celebrating 100 Years!
St. John's is gearing up for our centennial celebration on March 20, 2022! As we transition into meeting in person again, please mark your calendars!
This is the day that we will celebrate the 100th Anniversary of the founding of St. John’s Baptist Church. Your help is needed to plan this celebration.
What events or activities would you like included as we celebrate this historical event in the life of St John’s?
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As of now, the plans include the publication of an Anniversary Book, authored by Sally Young with contributions by several other St John’s members. If there is some area in which you have been involved and for which you would like to contribute a section to the book, please contact Fredda Kimball.
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Derek Henson is working on a new pictorial church directory using Realm. Please make sure you have updated your account in the membership section of Realm, including uploading a picture. Please contact Derek with any questions.
- The Mission Resource Team has been discussing initiating a “100 Hours of Service” challenge for all St. John’s members. (More info to follow)
- The Women of the Church is planning to celebrate WMU (Women’s Missionary Union) at their fall annual fall luncheon.
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We have the script of a play written by Tommy Hasty for the 50th Anniversary. There are tentative plans to update this script and present the play.
- Also discussed have been community events for the Elizabeth neighborhood, including tours of our building, coordinated with the Elizabeth Neighborhood Association.
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Realm Updates and Training Sessions In Person
As we begin to ramp up or programming and gathering this summer, you want to be sure that you are receiving all of our communications by email. We send the Family News via Constant Contact on Thursdays and other emails via Realm throughout the week. Not receiving these communications?
- You may need to check your spam or alternate email folders for misdirected communications.
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Be sure to mark emails you find outside your primary inbox as Not Spam and approve us as a sender.
As Realm becomes our primary ministry tool for communication, administration, and volunteer scheduling, you will want to ensure your profile is up to date and that you’ve downloaded the Connect App to your smart device. Download it on the AppStore or Google Play store for free today.
Starting in June, we will offer 3 in-person information and training events with Derek on using Realm for the entire congregation. You may sign up from the Events Listing in Realm or click the date and time on the buttons below. These sessions will be especially important for leaders, teachers, and committee chairs.
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Our Church Directory: Upload a Photo Today!
As we celebrate our 100th anniversary year and prepare to regather we would like you and your family to be part of our online pictorial directory. You can easily upload a photo of your choice to your church profile from the Realm Connect App or Realm Online. You may add an individual photo and/or a family photo that will be visible to our church staff and others in the congregation with whom you have elected to share information. You can add or edit your profile photos at any time! At the end of the year, a digital and hard copy of our membership directory will become part of our church archive in the Heritage Room.
From your Realm Connect App:
- Open the app on your smart device. (phone, iPad, tablet...)
- Tap on “Profile” (Apple users will need to tap “More” at the bottom right)
- Tap on the pencil icon at the top and choose “New Profile Photo” to select an image from your device.
From Realm on Your Computer:
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Log into your account from www.onrealm.org
- On the top right click on your name to open the menu and select “My Profile”
- On the left side of the page click on the circle image next to your name to add/edit your photo.
- Use the sliders to adjust the photo size.
If someone in our congregation you know does not have computer access, and they would like to be part of our online directory please reach out to Derek or Mallory in the church office for ways we can work with you to help them participate.
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Prayer Concerns, Thanks & Sympathy |
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Polly Hull, Gene & Carol Poole, Elma Thomas,
Barbara Ledford, Carol Hager (sister of Betty Harkey),
Mary Birdsong Brown (granddaughter of Stan & Martha Brown),
Tish Philemon, Andrew Adair, Nancy Burgess, Angie Wheeler,
Rev. Dan Redding (father of Dan Redding), Carol Drye
Sympathy to James Laney in the death of his mother and St. John's member, Elizabeth Laney, on May 13. A Celebration of Life Service will be held this Saturday, May 22, 2021, at 2:30 PM in the Sanctuary at St. John's. This service will also be live-streamed on St. John's Facebook and YouTube channels.
The family visitation will follow the service at the church.
Congratulations to Shawn and Ann Wilkerson on the birth of their daughter, June Harper Wilkerson, on Saturday, May 15, 2021.
Congratulations to Ben and Sarah Harmon on the birth of their daughter, Grace Rosemary Harmon, on Tuesday, May 18, 2021. Big sister Hannah is excited to welcome her new baby sister and grandmother, Cindy McIntyre, is excited for her
newest granddaughter!
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Financial Ministry Plan Report
Week of May 11-17: $19,407
Income through May 17: $423,363
Annual 2021 Ministry Plan Budget Goal: $1,175,000
Community & State Missions: $5,325
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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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