February 10, 2023

Mobile Food Pantry Tomorrow

Because of the President’s Day holiday, we are having our February Mobile Food Pantry a week early on February 11. 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.

Memory Café Tomorrow

You are invited to the Memory Café on Saturday, February 11 from 3 - 4:30 p.m. in the SonShine Café. We are a lively, energized group of people from all around Albuquerque who want to meet new friends and be in community with others caring for loved ones who have any form of mild to moderate dementia. Please park in the east lot and enter through the door that has the sign, SonShine Café above it.

The next Caregiver-Loved One time together will also be in on February 11 in the SonShine Café in the afternoon. Click here to download the event flyer and share with a friend.

Sponsored by the Alzheimer Foundation of Albuquerque. Contact Mrs. Jensen at ssmjens@aol.com or Coby Livingstone at 505-259-3672 for more information.

Jazz Vespers on February 18

Jazz Vespers will be the THIRD Saturday this month! Join us February 18 at 5 p.m. (live in the sanctuary or by livestream on our YouTube channel) for music by vocalist Therese Macali, pianist Robert Lah, flutist Linda Davidson, bassist Colin Deuble, and drummer Cal Haines. The message will be brought by the Rev. Dr. Scott Sharp. Join us!

Mountain Cathedrals Hike: Golden Open Space on February 18

As we approach Ash Wednesday and Lent, consider how we gain endurance for the long journey. 

The walk thru the Open Space on the east side of the Sandias has wonderful vistas of 5 mountain ranges on all sides and some interesting geology. It is easy to moderate (not a long journey requiring endurance), with a few hundred feet of elevation gain and ~ 5 miles of walking at an elevation of ~6300 feet. 

Logistics: Meet at 8 a.m. in the St. John's UMC East Parking Lot to carpool or drive alone to the start of the hike, or at 8:50 a.m. at the start (Golden Open Space Los Duendes Trail, on La Madera Road ~ 9 miles north of San Antonio).  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, March 11.

Family Promise Clean Up on February 18

Come and join us to clean up the Family Promise property! Cleanup will be from 8 - 10 a.m. on Saturday, February 18, at the Family Promise home at 1516 San Pedro Drive NE. Click here to sign up.

Ash Wednesday Service February 22

Join us February 22 at 6 p.m. in the sanctuary as we begin the Lenten season with music, prayer, and the imposition of ashes. All are welcome, and the service will also be available by livestream.

Memorial Service for Vernon Easley February 23

There will be a memorial service held for Vernon Easley on Thursday, February 23, at 10 a.m. in St. John's Sanctuary. A light reception will follow the service in the Family Life Center. All are welcome to come and celebrate Vernon's life.

Apollo5 Returns to St. John's February 26

Music at St. John’s is proud to announce Apollo5 will be returning for their third performance on February 26 at 3 p.m. Praised for their powerful singing and distinctive sound, the award-winning British vocal ensemble Apollo5 proves how dynamic only five voices can be. From renaissance polyphony to contemporary classical to pop standards and vocal jazz, this a cappella ensemble will win you over as they have done audiences worldwide. Don’t miss it! Event will be in-person and live-streamed, tickets are available at musicatstjohns.org.

Volunteers to usher, greet, and extend hospitality are needed! If you are interested, please contact tmacali@stjohns-abq.org.

Lenten Study on Seven Words Starts February 28

Our Lenten study on Seven Words: Listening to Christ from the Cross by Susan Robb will begin on Tuesday, February 28. Class details:

• February 28 – April 4 (6 weeks), Tuesdays, 1:00 p.m. – 2:30 p.m., IN-PERSON
• Facilitator: Doris Bowen
• Register by emailing Susan Perry at teachersusan@comcast.net, signing up at the Hospitality Center on Sundays or calling the Church Office (505-883-9717)
• Participants will purchase their own books

While many of us naturally wish to avoid the reality of the cross, it’s from the cross that Jesus speaks and shows his deepest love for us. It’s from the cross that Jesus' full humanity draws us closest to him. It’s from the cross, as Jesus breathes his last breath and speaks his last words, that his deep trust in the Father and his divine glory are revealed. Those who listen to Jesus' last words from the cross will discover what he most wants them (the world) to hear and will experience an intimate and divine awe only available to those who are willing to draw near his cross. In Seven Words, Susan Robb looks at the seven last words of Christ on the cross through a lens that finds life and hope in his final sayings, while exploring each from a biblical and historical perspective. The book brings a hopeful and contemplative take on the cross during the weeks of Lent.

Rev. Dr. Todd Seelau to Preach This Sunday

While Pastor Randall is away on renewal leave, we’ll enjoy Sunday sermons brought by an excellent roster of guest preachers.

This Sunday we’re happy to welcome Rev. Dr. Todd Seelau back to St. John’s. Todd is a former Associate Pastor of St. John’s, and now leads a special ministry of the New Mexico Conference called X-Ile. We will be happy to have Todd with us at all three services on Sunday!

Guest Preachers in February and March:

• February 12: Rev. Dr. Todd Seelau
• February 19: Rev. Dr. Scott Sharp
• February 26: Rev. Lynne Hinton
• March 5: Rev. Felicia Hopkins
• March 12: Rev. Katherine Salazar
• March 19: Rev. Dr. Carl Schenck

Fish Fry Announcements: Volunteering & Ticket Donations

Join the Fish Fry Kitchen Team Fryer Detail

Chef Tim and the kitchen crew are in need of 2-3 people to help us wrap up each Fish Fry night from 7-9:30 p.m. Primarily we need help with filtering the oil from the 4 deep fryers we use, clean the fryers with water, return the oil to the fryers, and help clean and mop the kitchen to get it back to tip-top shape for the next day’s activities. Pay is $12 per hour. 

Requirements: 

• Non-skid, close toed shoes
• Shirt and pants that you are willing to get oil and dirt on
• Ability to lift 25 lb
• Can work bending over scrubbing the inside and sides of the fryers
• Wear a hat or hairnet and mask while in the kitchen

If you are interested or have any questions, please contact Chef Tim at tnuzum@stjohns-abq.org or 505-883-9717 x 141.

Other Workers Needed

Workers Needed:  Workers are still need to help with drinks last shift (6:00-8:00) for Diann Zentner at (505-681-3518), clean up second shift (5:30-7:30) for Anita Hallstrom at (505-400-1777), and Dish Dawgs late shift (6:30-9:00) for Greg Hallstrom at (505-400-1776).  Anyone interested in helping in these specific areas, please call the coordinator directly. Volunteers are always needed in other areas so please see Wayne at the Hospitality Center on Sunday mornings or contact him through the email listed above.

Donate Tickets to Zuni Elementary Families

In this time of food insecurity, the Fish Fry Dinners Core Team would like to offer the congregation the opportunity to donate to free tickets for a Fish Fry Dinner to families at Zuni Elementary. If you would like to participate in this opportunity, stop by the Hospitality Center on Sundays and talk to Wayne or email him at jwshirleyabq@gmail.com.

Joy Singers Accepting New Members!

Joy Singers are currently accepting new members. The Joy Singers are a group of musicians who enjoy singing music in a gospel style. Directed by Therese Macali, they rehearse Mondays at 10:30 a.m. in the choir room. If you are looking for a fun way to start your week, please contact tmacali@stjohns-abq.org.

Pretzel Day Thank You

A special Thank you to Chef Tim and all who helped with and attended Pretzel Day. 44 people- from the ages of 2 to 91- attended, made delicious pretzels, and enjoyed a variety of related crafts while the pretzels baked. Tim's interns made the dough for us on Friday.

Tim guided us with finishing them, and then baked them for us (and did the dishes!!) A delightful time was had by all and we hope to have more intergenerational activities in the future. Thanks to United Women in Faith and all the others who made this day possible.

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Memory Café Volunteers Urgently Needed!

We regret to announce that the Memory Cafe meetings will be suspended after our February 11 meeting due to our not having enough volunteers to organize it. We urgently need someone who is computer proficient to  send out bulk notices and to update files, as well as a treasurer. Also needed are a registrar and one or two people for contact and communications. Not all positions even require you to be present at Cafe meetings, but it would be a pleasant bonus for both you and the participants! If you think you could help in assisting us to resume these much-needed meetings please contact Sharon Jensen at 505-323-7522 or ssmjens@aol.com.

Send Care Package to College Students

Do you know a college aged student we could send a care package to this spring? Could be a St. John's UMC or your grandchild...we want to let them know they are loved. Please email Tiffany at thollums@stjohns-abq.org with their name and address!

February Special Offering: Covenant with Missionaries

St. John's continues its support of two missionaries. First is Desiree Segura- April who lives in Honduras and works with at risk children to provide safe places for children to have holistic and creative Christian education. Second is Dr. Belinda Forbes who helps provide greatly needed, community based dental care in Nicaragua. We are very excited to announce that Dr. Belinda Forbes will visit St. John's on March 8. So save the date and look for details about her visit as they become available.

St. John's has a long history of supporting UMC missionaries around the world. So let's continue that generous support all during the month of February.

Our Zuni Weekend Meal Bags

This month, please continue shopping for single-serving donations for our ongoing Zuni Weekend Meal Bag project. We're collecting: shelf-stable white and chocolate milk; microwavable mac-and-cheese cups; microwavable ravioli cups; and nut-free granola or cereal bars. Please place your donations in the wire bins located in the Hospitality Center. If you wish to support this ministry with a monetary donation, please make checks payable to "St. John's UMC", with "Zuni Meal Bags" on the memo line. Your donations are really making a difference for the hungry students at Zuni Elementary, and we thank you, from the heart, for supporting this program.

Silver Horizons

The seniors served by Silver Horizons are in need of the following new and unopened hygiene products: toothpaste; individually-packaged toothbrushes; men's and women's deodorant; bar or pump soap; shampoo and conditioner; and disposable razors. Regular-sized products are preferred. Many of these seniors are raising their grandchildren and live on a very tight budget, so your generosity gives them a boost! Please place your donations in the wire bins in the Hospitality Center during the month of February.  

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.