January 13, 2023

Memory Cafe Tomorrow

We will be meeting again on Saturday, January 14, from 3 to 4:30 p.m. in the SonShine Cafe. This month we will be celebrating winter with music, games and our traditional soft 

snowball fight. We will also be wearing our favorite football teams' colors to support them! 

Memory Cafe is a monthly social group for people with mild to moderate memory loss along with their spouse or caregivers. It is a supportive environment where caregivers and their loved ones can enjoy time together as well as meet others who are traversing a similar journey.

However, we are still in need of people who will commit to being involved in a monthly meeting and/or work behind the scenes to help plan and organize so that we may continue to offer these meetings. For more information, please contact Sharon Jensen at ssmjens@aol.com or 505-323-7522.

Mountain Cathedrals Hike: Corrales Bosque & Acequia Tomorrow

God has given us a new year. Be in wonder that through Him things are made new.

This loop through the acequia and riverside parts of Corrales (~5 miles, fairly level) affords views of the village, the old San Ysidro church, waterfowl wintering over, and the slumbering Bosque by the Rio Grande.

Logistics: Meet at 8:00 a.m. in the St. John's UMC East Parking Lot to carpool or drive alone to the start of the hike , or at 8:30 a.m. at the start (Corrales Parks and Rec, 500 Jones Rd). Plan to return to the church by about 1:00 p.m. Bring sturdy walking shoes, warm clothes, sun protection, snacks, water, and enthusiasm!

Please join us for this hike of meditation, wilderness, and time apart from our normal schedules.

Organizer: Mike Furnish, 505-440-7292; mdfurnish@comcast.net.

Save the date: The next Mountain Cathedrals hike is planned for Saturday, February 18.

New Spirit Sunday School Resumes This Sunday

On January 15, we will begin a new study. A Harmony of the Four Gospels, by Orville Daniel, presents the Gospels side by side in chronological order. Dr. Daniel also presents the text in such a way that the reader does not miss any information – even one word – given by any of the four Gospel writers. Join us as we take a refreshing new look at the story of Jesus, in Room 151 at 9:30 a.m., January 15. You may also attend by Zoom. For questions, call or write Regina Hunter, drhunter@nmia.com or 505-294-2877.

New Year Sunday Lunch This Sunday

Happy New Year! A tradition from many cultures--from the emancipated African slaves celebrating freedom to the celebration of Jewish New Year (Rosh Hashanah)— black-eyed peas are eaten at the start of the new year to bring good luck, health and abundance throughout the year. Come join in the celebration with Roasted Ham Carved to Order, Black-eyed Peas, and Cornbread from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. in the Family Life Center. No reservation required. Just $12 for adults, $6 for ages 12-17, $3 for ages 5-11, and under 5 is free. A donation basket will be out if you would like to buy a meal for a person experiencing homelessness—we will be taking 180 meals to feed 180 food insecure people at HopeWorks at the end of the month.

Women's Bible Study on Jesus & Women, in the First Century and Now Starts on January 17

Join Women's Bible Study as we explore Jesus & Women, In the First Century and Now by Kristi McLelland

• January 17 - February 28 (7 weeks), Tuesdays, 9:30 - 11:30 a.m., IN PERSON
• Facilitator: Shanlii Payment
• Register by emailing donnabruce@comcast.net, signing up at the Hospitality Center on Sundays or calling the Church Office (505-883-9717)
• Participants will purchase their own books

Imagine walking the dusty roads of Galilee with Jesus of Nazareth—braving jostling crowds just to touch the edge of His cloak and hear Him say, “Take heart, daughter, your faith has healed you.” Those words, once meant to comfort a hurting woman’s soul thousands of years ago, were also meant for you. Join biblical culturalist Kristi McLelland on those dusty roads as she transports you back to Jesus’ world, following in the footsteps of the women who came face-to-face with the Living God. Examine the historical and cultural climate of first-century Middle Eastern society to not only understand Jesus more deeply but to fuel your worship of Him today.

Families of Faith Resumes January 19

Families of Faith will resume on Thursday, January 19 from 5:30-7:30 p.m.

Mobile Food Pantry January 21

Our next Mobile Food Pantry is Saturday, January 21. Volunteers arrive around 9:30 a.m. and distribution begins at about 10:15 a.m., depending on the time the truck arrives. We are usually finished by noon.

If you are interested in helping or have questions, please contact Debby Smith at 505-554-4238 or dysmith0427@gmail.com.

Roadrunner Food Bank’s fundraiser, Souper Bowl is returning this year, on February 4th. For more information go to https://www.rrfb.org/souper-bowl.

Memorial Service For Jon Hohnstein

January 21

There will be a memorial service held for St. John’s member, Jon Hohnstein, on Saturday, January 21, at 1 p.m. at St. John’s Sanctuary. All are invited to join in this service of remembrance for Jon Hohnstein.

Janice McCrary Recognition Reception

January 22

Join us Sunday, January 22, in the SonShine Café after the Abide Service to thank Janice for her great service to St Johns as the Executive Director from 2018 to 2022. The health of our financial systems and business processes is due to her tireless efforts. Cards are welcome!

Omelet Bar Mix and Match January 29

The next Omelet Bar Mix-and-Match is going to be a week later than usual in January due to a busy schedule on the fourth Sunday. You can get a made to order 3 egg or egg white omelet that you can choose to fill with a generous selection of meats and veggies plus a piece of toast with jam or butter. All for just $7 per omelet with a drink included! Omelet Bar is in The SonShine Cafe between 7:45 a.m. and 1 p.m. Bring a friend and enjoy a quality, made from scratch breakfast and great conversation around the cafe tables with folks from all 3 Sunday services! 

We need volunteers to take money and be a runner—no running required. Use the button below to sign up to volunteer. If you have any questions, text or call Nancy Douglas de Baca at 505-238-5895.

Renewal Leave for Pastor Randall

The Staff Parish Relations Committee (SPRC) is delighted to announce that Pastor Randall has accepted our offer of time for Renewal Leave during the months of February and March. This gift to Randall will allow for rest, renewal, and revitalization after a challenging 2022.

Unbeknownst to us when we made this offer, Randall had plans for a Renewal Leave in 2021 that were cancelled due to COVID and the change in appointment status. As many of you know, in The United Methodist Church congregations are encouraged to give their pastors Renewal Leave after four years (UM Discipline, para. 350.2). Although Randall has not been with us four years (yet), we feel tremendously fortunate to have him as our leader and are excited for this opportunity.

Pastor Randall will be out from Monday, February 6th until Monday, March 20th (six full weeks, including Sundays). During this time, Randall has plans to walk the Pilgrim’s Way from Winchester to Canterbury and participate in the Transforming Community in Chicago, as well has have some “buffer” time before and after these opportunities.

There are structures in place to make sure that our congregation is cared for and that organizational function and ministry does not stop. We also have a wonderful line-up of guest preachers in place. Please read the FAQs about the renewal leave process for more information.

If you have questions, you can contact Stan Mortimer, SPRC Chair.

Neighborhood Outreach Team

As we start a new year, Pastor Randall would like to convene a conversation group to brainstorm ways for us to reach out to our neighborhood and bear witness to God’s Kingdom as better neighbors to folks who live near the church. Next Thursday, January 19 at 6:30 p.m., we will have a ZOOM gathering for anyone interested in serving on this team and/or anyone who has wonderful ideas for neighboring. You can register for this gathering by clicking on the link below and you will receive a ZOOM link separately.

https://stjohns-abq.ccbchurch.com/goto/forms/19/responses/new.

Please Help January Family Promise Host Week

We need your help for Family Promise host week January 15 - 22. Family Promise is a national program that supports homeless families in cities across the United States including Albuquerque. For six weeks during the year, St. John’s is responsible for meals brought to the Montgomery site. In addition, we are asked to stay on site for two hours to give relief to the permanent staff. If you would like to pair up with someone to provide a meal and stay for two hours, please contact Jenn or Linn. To volunteer, please check out the link to sign up: Family Promise: 2023 January Family Promise Meals. If you have questions, please contact Jenn Shields - jennshields200@yahoo.com - 505-450-9978 or Linn Furnish - swimsew@comcast.net. To see more information about Family Promise click here.

NM Conference Lay Servant Academy

at St. John's

Three Lay Servant courses are available for this event, which will be held at St. John's Friday January 20 5:00 - 9:00 p.m. (including dinner) and Saturday January 21, 8:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m., (including continental breakfast, lunch and snacks). Consider that we are blessed to be a blessing. Our Lay Servants are important leaders in the life of the church. For many, it's the first rung on the ladder to being prepared to live into their calling.

• Basic Lay Servant Training (facilitated by Joan White, CLM; text is "Lay Servant Ministries Basic Course Participant's Book" by Sandy Jackson and Brian Jackson)
• Leading in Lay Pastoral Care (facilitated by Joe Marshall, CLM; text is "Lay Pastoral Care Giving" by Timothy M. Farabaugh)
• Embracing Personal Prayer (facilitated by Mike Furnish, CLM; text is "Lord Teach Us to Pray" by Margie Burger)

Gina Rivera is facilitating this Academy. The cost for participating is $45. All are welcome to sign up for any of the three, but can only receive lay servant credit for the basic course unless they have already completed that course. The texts are available from the Upper Room or Amazon.

For more information and signups, see https://www.nmconfum.com/lay-servant-training/ or contact Mike Furnish (505-440-7292; mdfurnish@comcast.net).  

NOTE: The deadline for signups is midnight Saturday, January 14. It is possible that only one of the prayer and pastoral care courses will be offered if there is not enough enrollment to hold them separately.

Save the Date for Pretzel Day

Pretzel Day is Saturday, February 4, from 10:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. Join us for a morning of pretzel making and crafts for all ages! Come learn how Christian Monks created pretzels as part of their prayer life, and more!

We Fit Together Like a Hand in a Glove

Our partnership with Silver Horizons just keeps growing stronger, thanks to you! Throughout January, we're making a major push to collect much-needed non-food items for the clients of Silver Horizons. Please consider donating any of the following new or gently-used items: towels; linens; small area mats/rugs; hats, gloves, and scarves; jackets and coats; lap blankets; magnifying glasses, and items for grandchildren, such as toys, games, or child-size gloves, hats, scarves, and socks. In addition, the following toiletry items are always in demand by Silver Horizons' clients: disposable razors, toilet tissue, and facial tissue. Please place your donations in the wire bins located in the Hospitality Center, and be assured that they will benefit the people who truly need them. Thank you! 

Kids Are Still Hungry But You Can

Help Meet the Need

The second semester is underway again at Zuni Elementary, and we're ramping up our efforts to help fight the problem of food insecurity for the 45 Zuni students we serve through this program. If you enjoy shopping for these students, we're collecting the following individual-sized food items in January: microwavable mac-and-cheese cups; shelf-stable white and chocolate milk; instant oatmeal packets; and nut-free granola or cereal bars. If you'd prefer to leave the shopping to us and make a monetary donation, that's fine, too. Checks may be made payable to "St. John's UMC", with "Zuni Meal Bags" on the memo line. Please place your food donations in the wire bins in the Hospitality Center, knowing your contributions are making a difference for these precious students. We thank you!  

January Special Offering: El Calvario

Border Ministries



El Calvario United Methodist Church (Las Cruces) is on the historic Camino Real Trail and has been "serving the poor, welcoming the stranger and giving hope to the captive" (Matthew 25) for many years. These days it provides a vital place of hope and help for immigrants and refugees, providing emergency services such as food, clothing, shelter, medical services, transportation. Longer term ministries such as the Resiliency and Well-Being Program focus on job training, education, advocacy, and helping to provide a cultural bridge to new lives in the USA. 

In January we have the opportunity to do something to relieve the suffering at the border, both short term and long term, by providing much needed financial support for El Calvario ministries. Please give generously.

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)808-1624

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.