May 12, 2023

Mother's Day Chocolates to Honor Mothers

Sunday is Mother’s Day, and to honor their courage and strength, all mothers attending on Sunday can pick up a complimentary 2-piece box of handmade chocolates, made on-site by Chocolatier Jeff Dickey, Chef Tim and his crew. For the 8:15 a.m. Mosaic and the 11 a.m. Traditional service, mothers can pick up their chocolates at the Hospitality Center, and at the 9:30 a.m. Abide service mothers can come by the kitchen window in the Family Life Center. Chocolates will be given just to mothers in attendance.

Lenten Fish Fry Dinner Celebration on May 20

• Saturday, May 20
• 5 - 7 p.m.
• Family Life Center

A heartfelt THANK YOU to all the volunteers, staff and pastors who made this year's Fish Fry Dinners a huge success! Let's gather for a time of fellowship to celebrate the successful completion of the dinners; Wayne will share some record-breaking statistics. This year's Celebration is a potluck, so please plan to bring a dish to serve at least 6 - 8 people with hearty appetites. All drinks, plates, napkins and silverware will be provided by the Food Ministry team. We hope to see you there!

Mountain Cathedrals Hike on Saturday, May 20

The next Mountain Cathedrals Hike will be on Saturday, May 20, to the Palizo Canyon Goblin Colony. This is an area of intriguing rock formations on the south slope of the Jemez Mountains, about 1:15 drive from St. John's. Logistics: Meet at 7:30 a.m. at St. John’s east parking lot or 8:40 a.m. at the intersection of State Roads 4 and 290 in Jemez Pueblo; please RSVP in either case. Plan to be back to the cars by 12:45 p.m. and the church around 2:00 p.m. 3.5 miles round trip, elevation gain 500 feet, rocky trail with some scrambling, so moderate. Bring water, lunch, sun protection, and trekking poles if desired. For questions and to RSVP contact Mike Furnish at 505-440-7292 or mdfurnish@comcast.net. 

On this day before Ascension Sunday, let us gather in this place of geological whimsy to consider Christ's promise, "I am going to send you what my Father has promised; but stay in the city until you have been clothed with power from on high." (Luke 24:49) 

Save the dates for other upcoming hikes: 

• June 2? Moonlight walk 
• June 17: East Fork Jemez River?

Mobile Food Pantry on May 20

Our next Mobile Food Pantry is Saturday, May 20. Volunteers arrive 9:00 - 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 would like more information, please contact Debby Smith at 505-554-4238 or dysmith0427@gmail.com.

Food collected through Stamp Out Hunger benefits the Roadrunner Food Bank. On Saturday, May 13, please leave a bag of non-perishable food at your mailbox. Letter carriers will pick up the food donations and bring them to 11 different post offices. Volunteers and staff sort the food donations on the dock and load it into trailers destined for the food bank. Volunteers are crucial to this event; sign up and register to help.

Quintessence Presents "Homeward Bound" on May 21 & May 22

Quintessence will present their final concert of the season, “Homeward Bound,” on Sunday, May 21 (3 p.m.) and Monday, May 22 (7 p.m.) in St. John’s sanctuary. This is a gorgeous program of music about leave-taking and homecoming, featuring music of Alice Parker, Paul Smith, Karen Marrolli, and others. The Sunday performance is also available by livestream, and students of any age get in free to the Monday performances. Tickets are available at quintessence-abq.com, and St. John’s member can get a 25% discount on advance tickets by using the code “SJUMC” at checkout. Join us!

Look What You've Accomplished St. John's!

Your response to this year's Lenten Offering was so generous and much appreciated. Now, your Missions Team wants you to see the results of your giving, as follows:

• $1,500 - Silver Horizons, providing critical help, and especially food, to extremely low-income senior citizens.
• $1,000 - St. John's HopeWorks, providing support for our Kitchen Ministry in providing meals to the homeless.
• $1,000 - St. John's Mobile Food Pantry, providing financial support to cover the monthly fees of receiving food from Roadrunner Food Bank for our neighborhood clients in need.
• $1,000 - St. John's Family Promise, purchasing staple items and supplies for the families during each of six hosting weeks.
• $1,000 - Weekend Meal Bags, purchasing supplies for weekly brown bag lunches for Zuni Elementary children experiencing food insecurity.
• $850 - St. John's Asbury Pie Cafe, purchasing ingredients and supplies for pie-making prior to the State Fair.
• $750 - Four Corners Native American Ministry, supporting the homeless shelter and meal service program in the Shiprock area.
• $750 - St. John's Food Ministry/teacher appreciation, providing financial support to our Kitchen Ministry for the teacher appreciation luncheon for Zuni Elementary teachers and St. John's Preschool teachers in the Fall.
• $500 - St. John's Preschool and Zuni Elementary Teacher Appreciation Gifts, providing small appreciation gifts four times a year to the teachers and staff of St. John's Preschool and Zuni Elementary.
• $500 - Covenant with Missionaries, supplementing our covenant agreement to provide $2,500 to each of our two Central American missionaries.
• $500 - St. John's Food Ministry, providing supplemental support to our church's Food Ministry for meals served to the needy throughout the year.
• $500 - St. John's Garden Ministry, providing funds for supplies, improvements, and routine maintenance of the garden.
• $500 - Barrett House, supporting shelter services and meal service for homeless women and children in Albuquerque.
• $500 - Family Promise of Albuquerque, contributing toward the renovation of the Family Promise facility on San Pedro.
• $500 - Saranam, supporting housing and education services for struggling homeless families in the Albuquerque area.
• $500 - Locker #505, providing a free clothing bank for needy students of all ages within a four-county area.
• $500 - Rio Grande Food Project, providing a food pantry and emergency supplies to hungry people in the area.
• $500 - UMC Grace Park, providing financial assistance for the care and maintenance of this UMC-owned park in Tijeras.
• $500 - Lunch Bags for the Homeless, providing money for the purchase of food supplies for the lunch bags given out from the church office to those in need.
• $200 - St. John's 2023 Youth Mission Trip, providing assistance to cover costs for youth to travel to El Paso for their mission trip this summer.

Way to go, St. John's . . . we thank you!

--- Your Missions' Team

Do You Have the Gift of Hospitality?

Then we need you in the Hospitality Center on Sunday mornings! We will provide the training and place you with an experienced person! You can volunteer as little or as much as you want. Shifts are 8:00 - 9:30 a.m. or 10:30 a.m. - 12:15 p.m. Come join us! It's a great way to meet people and also to use that gift of hospitality! Contact Susan at teachersusan@comcast.net or Donna at donnabruce@comcast.net.

Email Bible Study: Under-Complexifying

In his Easter message, Pastor Randall cautioned us against under-complexifying the resurrection. Many other biblical and theological topics are routinely under-complexified, but each topic is too complicated to be discussed in one week’s study tips in the email Bible study. Part I of “Under-Complexifying” will address a few questions about one such topic, the nature of God. We aren’t likely to find answers, but maybe we’ll expand our appreciation of God’s complexity. 

“Reading Our Bible Together” originated in 2007 at St. John’s and is our largest and longest-running Bible study. A scripture passage and a brief study tip are distributed to most participants by email five days a week. The study tips are made available outside our walls through an archive at www.daily-bible-study-tips.com, where they are accessed daily by readers throughout the world. Answers to reader questions and other supplements occasionally come out on Saturdays. Pick up a study guide in the Welcome Center, or write or call Regina Hunter at drhunter@nmia.com or 294-2877 to receive daily study tips by email.

Request a Prayer Quilt

It was brought to our attention recently (and as a reminder) that the Needle Arts Group knits and crochets prayer shawls to be distributed to someone in need of comfort and prayers. In addition, our quilting group makes prayer quilts also for those in need of comfort and prayers. The prayer quilts are hung in the Hospitality Center area for two weeks and the congregation participates by tying knots on the quilt as they say a prayer for the recipient. At the end of the two-week period, the requester of the quilt will be able to deliver the quilt to the recipient. To request a prayer quilt, please contact Doris Bowen (bowen_g@msn.com) or Donna Bruce (donnabruce@comcast.net) if you know of someone whom you think might benefit from the prayers of the congregation and would enjoy being reminded daily of those prayers through a quilt.

Solid Ground Youth Group Takes a Break

Solid Ground Youth Group will not meet for the next two Sundays: May 14 and 21.  

Youth Bell Choir Meets on Sundays

The Youth Bell Choir will now be meeting from 2 - 3 p.m. every Sunday in the Bell Room.

Weekly Treats

Come share in fellowship and a cold treat! Youth will meet at Bahama Bucks at 4411 San Mateo NE on Thursdays at 5:30 p.m.

Baccalaureate Sunday on May 21

The Baccalaureate' Brunch' for Seniors and their families will be Sunday, May 21 following the 11 a.m. worship service in the Family Life Center. We are asking that seniors and their families RSVP to Tiffany (thollums@stjohns-abq.org) or the front office by Monday, May 15 with how many will be attending the brunch. 

Seniors will be recognized in the 9:30 and 11 a.m. worship services. Please be in prayer for these amazing young adults as they begin this exciting journey. 

Summer Youth Kick Off on May 28

Start your summer off right at our cookout! Please bring a friend and your favorite summer side dish or dessert to share. The cookout will be held on Sunday, May 28, from 3 - 6 p.m. at Brett Reese's new house. You can bring a "housewarming gift" as well to help bless Brett and his new home. For the address, please contact Tiffany at thollums@stjohns-abq.org.

Reel to Reel is Back This Summer

Come watch a series of great movies at Reel to Reel! After the movies, please stay for discussions about what these movies have to say about life and the way we live it. This program will be on Sundays from 3 - 6 p.m. from June 4 - July 30 and will meet upstairs in the Sonset Cinema Room.

Register for Youth Mission Trip to El Paso

The Youth mission trip will be July 23-29 to El Paso, TX. There is a $50 non-refundable deposit. Total cost will be $200-$250 depending on additional activities. We will be doing a Vacation Bible school for Tobin Park UMC and their surrounding community! Click here to download the registration form and return to Pastor Tiffany or the church office.

May Special Offering: Sacramento Methodist Assembly

"Come to the Mountain - Let God refresh your soul." St. John's folks have been doing that for many years. The Assembly is located south of Cloudcroft and surrounded by Lincoln National Forest. Retreats and camps and conferences for all ages are held there. Many have had profound experiences of God in that setting. Sacramento depends on our donations so future generations can continue to meet God on the mountain. Please give generously this month of May.

Hygiene Items for Silver Horizons

When you shop this month, please consider purchasing an extra item or two (or more) for the clients served by Silver Horizons, many of whom are caring for grandchildren. Specifically, we're collecting new, regular-sized hygiene items for men and women, such as: deodorant, shampoo, conditioner, bar soap, lotion, toothpaste and toothbrushes. Please place your donations in the wire bins located in the Hospitality Center, and know that they will be gratefully received by those in need. Thank you!

Our worship services are livestreamed so you can watch them from home. To watch a worship service live, click on the service that you would like to watch on Sunday morning at its scheduled time.

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.