St. John's Family News

Week of October 31-November 6, 2022 | Vol. 81 Issue 43

www.stjohnsbaptistchurch.org | @sjbccharlotte

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Learning from the Saints

by Dennis W. Foust, Senior Minister

 

Too often, the word, ‘saint,’ conjures up images of martyrs or Christians with superpowers. However, saints are ordinary people who seek God. Saints lose their temper; refuse to pacify infantile faith, and seek to eliminate evil. Whether living among us or passed on ahead of us, saints are individuals who learn the ways of God, live the works of God, and teach the will of God.

 

In his insightful book, The Wisdom of the Desert, Thomas Merton proposes, “The first step away from God is a distaste for learning, and the lack of appetite for those things for which the soul hungers when it seeks God.” The reality is that we learn the ways of God from one another, we live the works of God together, and we teach the will of God to each other. We become saintly as we worship The Living God, love mercy, do justice, walk humbly with the gracious God, practice the discipline of prayer, follow the way of Jesus, embody stewardship, incarnate joyful witness, and serve the needs of others.  

 

This year, we remember twenty saints who passed on ahead of us in the past twelve months.

As you reflect on their lives, consider what you learned from them?

How did you see them learning the ways of God?

How did you experience them living the works of God?

How did they teach you the will of God?



Andrew Adair                        Polly Hull                  Carole Ann Simpson             Dee Turner

Joe Tyner                               Betty Fuller                Katherine Barr                       Don Swofford

Carol Poole                            Paul Lloyd                 Betty Curlin                           Ken Childers

Gene Poole                            Martha Moore            Joe Moore                              Bo Pittman

Barbara Ledford                    Amelia Kaylor           Gerald Vaughn                      Virginia Allen

 

Living God, because other people are learning from us, please guide us to be your saints by learning your ways, doing your works, and teaching your will. Amen.



Upcoming Events and Opportunities


Churchwide Opportunities

  • November 18: Serve at Men's Shelter, Need 6 servers and 9 banana puddings! Sign up here
  • November 20: Yakama Nation Dancing Our Prayers team during worship
  • Coat Drive for Charlotte Rescue Mission in November for Men's Coats
  • Baby Bundles Drive for baby socks, bibs, and receiving blankets in November
  • December 8: Senior Adult Christmas Luncheon in Broach Hall
  • December 16: Serve at Men's Shelter, Need 6 servers and 9 banana puddings! Sign up here


Children's Ministries:

  • December 4 at 11:30am: Gingerbread House Decorating Party for Children and their Families
  • December 8 at 6:00pm: Thursdays on the Town at Abugida Ethiopian Cafe
  • December 11 at 11:30am: Children on Mission at Baby Bundles


Youth Ministries

  • December 4: Poinsettia delivery after worship
  • December 18: Youth Christmas Party in the evening


Young Adult Ministries:

  • November 11: Brewery Night at NoDa Brewing Company
  • December 2: Brewery Night at Free Range Brewing



Giving What We Have:

Trusting God to Multiply Our Commitments

“There’s a boy here who has five barley loaves and two fish.”

John 6:9


Imagine the disciples handing that boy’s five barley loaves and two fish to Jesus and looking out at more than 5,000 mouths to feed. They must have wondered, “What good is a bag lunch among so many needs?”



As you look out upon all the needs in today’s world, you may also ask, “What good is my financial offering among so many needs?” This year’s financial stewardship campaign addresses this question.

Dancing Our Prayers


On Sunday, November 20, at 10:30 AM, St. John’s welcomes a team of youth and young adults from the Yakama Native Nation. Dancing Our Prayers are teams of Native teens who travel locally, regionally, and nationally sharing their culture, spirituality and way of life. This is an initiative of Mending Wings which aims to help people fly again after centuries of prejudice and abuse. Dancing Our Prayers teams drum & dance in full regalia, perform drama, give testimony, and speak on conciliation issues between Native and non-Native America. We are grateful to North Carolina Cooperative Baptist Fellowship for connecting us with them and we are glad to host them in Charlotte along with Covenant Presbyterian Church.

Daily Gospel Passages for November 3-12


Click here for the daily guide. Below are the readings for November 3-12. Each week, you will receive a separate email with the readings for the week and a link to the recordings. You can find the recordings anytime here.


  • November 3 - Matthew 10:1-4
  • November 4 - Matthew 10:5-10
  • November 5 - Matthew 10:11-23
  • November 6 - Matthew 10:24-33
  • November 7 - Matthew 10:34-42
  • November 8 - Matthew 11:1-6
  • November 9 - Matthew 11:7-15
  • November 10 - Matthew 11:16-24
  • November 11 - Matthew 11:25-30
  • November 12 - Matthew 12:1-8


Thursdays on the Town

Parents of children, ages birth - 5th grade, are invited to Thursdays on the Town, intentional evenings of table fellowship with each other.


Our first Thursday on the Town will be December 8, 6-8pm, at Abugida Ethiopian Cafe and Restaurant (3007 Central Avenue).


Free childcare will be provided.


Please contact Kheresa Harmon (kharmon@sjcharlotte.org; 910-890-3392) by December 5 to reserve your spot and secure childcare.



On the Way to Open Kitchen


St. John’s retired adults (and friends) will be On the Way to the Open Kitchen for lunch on Wednesday, November 16. We will meet at the church at 11:00 am and then carpool to arrive by 11:30 for lunch in a private back room that seats up to 25 people. We should return back to the church about 1:15 pm. Please let Lee Gray LGray@sjcharlotte.org know if you plan to participate. 



Room in the Inn 2022-23

For the 2022-23 season, St. John's and our partners at Caldwell Presbyterian Church will again jointly host 8 homeless neighbors vetted by Roof Above within the Room in the Inn program, often referred to as RITI, on 9 Friday nights.


Caldwell will host at Caldwell on the second Friday night of December through March while St. John's will host at St. John’s on the third Friday. 


RITI hosting at St. John's will begin on Friday, December 16, 2022 and run through Friday, March 17, 2023. Just as information, St. John's members are needed to drive our van for BOTH churches on all NINE Friday nights and the following Saturday mornings. The signup list linked below includes van driver signups for ALL NINE Friday nights/Saturday mornings.


Please contact Dale Johnson at 704-454-8931 or Alice Wirz at 704-222-6208 if you have any questions on any of these tasks.


Thank you for your support for Room in the Inn at St. John's!

 

Room in the Inn Sign Up


Coat Drive for Rebound Program at Charlotte Rescue Mission


The Charlotte Rescue Mission has a need for men’s winter coats for their Rebound program. MRT will be supporting a coat drive until the end of November. If you have any men’s winter coats that you could donate to help our neighbors please leave them in the donation room at the main entrance. Thank you for supporting this worthy cause.



Christmas Past | Christmas Present | Christmas Future


From the Heritage Room


During the upcoming Advent season, we would like to have a display of past Christmas celebrations at St. John’s. This would include dramatic presentations, Christmas pageants, Hanging of the Green services, special choir programs, etc. If you have programs and pictures from any of these events, we would like to borrow for the display. You may give to Fredda Kimball, Linda Crowder, or Amanda. If pictures, please identify event, date, and names of those pictured if possible. Also please indicate whether you would like your items returned.


We would also like for each member or family unit to donate a Christmas ornament to be displayed on a Centennial Christmas Tree this year. The ornaments will be kept and used for future Second Century Christmas celebrations with any additional ornaments added by new (or current) members.


The ornament should be related to the Christmas Story and be identified with your name(s) and the year 2022 on the ornament in some way. You may give your ornaments -starting now- to Fredda, Linda, or Amanda. Thanks in advance for your contribution.


Save the Date for the Senior Adult Christmas Gathering


If you are 75 years and older, please put December 8 on your calendar for the Seniors’ Christmas Gathering luncheon. Watch your mail for the invitation in early November!


St. John's Children on Mission

Supporting Baby Bundles in November


Baby Bundles provides baby essentials to families in financial need in the Charlotte area. Throughout November, our children will lead us in sharing with others and welcoming new life into our world by supporting Baby Bundles. Baby Bundles provides baby essentials to families in financial need in the Charlotte area and empowers them to have a strong start with their newborns.


From November 1 – November 30 we will receive the following donations: burp cloths, bibs, and receiving blankets.


You are invited to give and place your donations in designated collection bins, which are located on the First Floor of our Main Entrance right by the gym.


If you have any questions, please contact Kheresa at 910-890-3392.


Missional Partners


Once again, St. John's was the site of an active servant faith experience. On Tuesday, November 1, our Residential Partner, Charlotte Family Housing, used Broach Hall to host a coat drive. This coat drive was sponsored by The Jeremy Chinn Foundation. Chinn is a player on the Carolina Panthers. Coats were distributed to adults, youth, and children who are part of the Charlotte Family Housing program. 




From the Heritage Room

The Arts at St. John’s in the 1970’s


The Arts Committee along with the Music Ministry at St. John’s were extremely active in the 1970’s. The Music Ministry included an Adult Choir, Senior and Junior High Choirs, Children’s Choirs, and Handbells.


The Youth Choir performed a musical every year. In 1970, the performance was “Tell It Like It Is”. The Family News reported that the sanctuary was so full, 200 extra chairs were brought in. In subsequent years, they performed musicals entitled “A Natural High” (1971), and “Lightshine” (the Youth Choirs of St John’s, Myers Park, and Providence were chosen as one of the groups to premiere the piece)- a commentary on Christian living (1972), “ The Namegivers” by Youth Minister Rob Sellers (1973), “Celebrate Life” (1974 and 1979), “Tell It Like It Is” (again in 1975),  “Revolutionary Ideas” by the entire Youth Choir and “God’s Trombones” by the Sound Revelation, a mixed ensemble from the Youth Choir (1976), “Beginnings” (1977), and “Bright New Wings” (1978). The Junior High Choir presented “100% Chance of Rain” about Noah (of course) at Family Night I 1976.


Keep Reading Here

Prayers, Thanks, and Celebrations


  • Tarsha Williams, Martha Brown
  • Thanks to Becky Skidmore, Jane Starnes, Suzanne Taylor, Tricia Miller, and Fredda Kimball for labeling and stuffing envelopes for Stewardship mailing

Minister On-Call Schedule


  • October 31-November 6: Lee
  • November 7-13: Kevin
  • November 14-20: Haley

Staff Contact Information


  • Haley Blackwell, Minister for Youth & Young Adults - 620-515-3558 (cell)
  • Rev. Dennis Foust, PhD, Senior Minister - 704-359-7234 (cell); 704-333-5428, ext. 12
  • Rev. Lee Gray, Minister for Congregational Care - 704-451-1309 (cell)
  • Kevin Gray, Minister for Music and Worship - 803-524-0287 (cell)
  • Rev. Kheresa Harmon, Minister for Children & their Families - 910-890-3392 (cell


  • Mallory Brown, Media Coordinator - 704-477-3349 (cell)
  • Chloe Hall, Children's Choir Director
  • Noel Lance, Organist
  • Dr. Matthew Manwarren, Associate Organist
  • Amanda Morrison, Ministry Coordinator - 704-333-5428, ext. 11
  • Lydia Olmstead, Weekday School Director - 704-333-5428, ext. 39
  • Jill Rackley, Church Administrator - 704-333-5428, ext. 20
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