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Children, Teenagers, and Faith

by Dennis W. Foust

When our oldest son, Nathan, was seven years young, he declared that he had memorized John 3:16-17. After he finished his perfect recitation, I affirmed him, “Son, that is wonderful. I am very proud of you and hope you are proud of yourself.” Then I asked, “Can you explain to me what those two verses mean to you?” He offered his seven-year-old explanation. 

Can you tell how pleased I am with our two new ministry staff members?

Rev. Kheresa Harmon and Haley Blackwell are the kind of ministers who help children and teenagers understand. These two outstanding pastoral ministers have entered our congregational community in the past few months and brought new energy with substance. Conversations with them clearly express their sense of calling to serve children and youth as they experience, explore, and express faith. 

Whether you are a parent or grandparent of our children and teenagers, each of you can help nurture and support the young people of our beloved community. Here are ten practices.

1. Pray for our children and teenagers and their parents every day.
2. Pray for our members who teach and guide our children and teenagers.
3. Pray for Kheresa and Haley each day and speak with them about ways you can volunteer in ministry to young people.
4. Smile and speak with our children and youth when you pass them in the hallways or sanctuary.
5. Provide financial support of our church’s budget as we provide support for young people.
6. Allow children and teenagers to be themselves – never expect them to be adults.
7. Be supportive of our families by encouraging parents in their efforts to nurture their children in pathways of faith.
8. Advocate for improvements in our facilities, equipment and furnishings to ensure we offer excellence in our ministries with children, teenagers and their families.
9. Be present on Sundays and participate in all intergenerational experiences as you support all activities and events focused on children and teenagers and their families.
10. Invite your relatives, neighbors and friends to become involved in our ministries with children, teenagers and their families. They will be grateful!

We are shaping the future of Christ’s Church by the ways we invest in nurturing active faith within our children and youth. If we invest in their schooling and activities in social events, sports, music, etc., but fail to fully value their education in the Way of Jesus Christ and how participation in our community of faith nurtures a strong faith for their lifetime, we have fallen short of God’s expectations. As we enter our second century, let us be an active faith community experiencing, exploring and expressing our conscious commitments to God, as followers of Jesus, on behalf of and alongside our children and teenagers. 

Upcoming Family Dedications

January 22, 29, and February 26

On January 22, 29, and February 26, we will celebrate the dedications of three families and their children as a part of morning worship. We hope you will join us for these special Sundays as we celebrate the following families:

• January 22: The Bailey Family
• January 29: The Whipple Family
• February 26: The Crawford Family

Valentine's Party for Children & Their Families

Sunday, February 5

On February 5, Children, birth - 5th grade, and their families are invited to join us in Broach Hall immediately following worship for the sweetest Valentine’s Day Party in the history of SJBC! 

Rumor has it that the playdoh will be chocolate, that games will be played, relays will be raced, cookies (all allergen-free options available) will be decorated, and a piñata will be explode! 

Oh, no worries about lunch. We shall eat, too! Please register below so that we can make sure we have enough food and supplies for this celebration.

REGISTER HERE OR ON REALM.

Happy Birthday to You!

In each issue of the Family News, we will be sharing the birthdays of our children birth-5th grade. We hope you will take some time to send them a card or wish them a happy birthday when you see them.

January 13-Camille Hutchison (pictured)



Calling all parents of children!

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. Free childcare will be provided at the church during dinner.

Our next Thursday on the Town will be February 9, 6-8pm, at Chuy’s (7314 Waverly Walk Avenue). 

To reserve your spot and secure childcare, please register on Realm or here by February 6.

Winter Coat Drive

Crisis Assistance Ministries

Our children are partnering with the Mission Resource Team to collect winter coats for men and adults served by Crisis Assistance Ministries starting this week and concluding on January 29.

Donations may be dropped off in our little collection bins at the Main Entrance. Contact Kheresa Harmon for questions at kharmon@sjcharlotte.org.

Study Guide Available

Immigrant & Refugee Ministry Group

The Immigrant & Refugee Ministry Group encourage you to utilize the study guide, A Journey to Understanding Our Immigrant Neighbors, that was written and compiled in 2022. This guide is designed for a 4–5-week study for any class or study group within or outside of the church.

You can view the study guide digitally by clicking the button below.

If you would like hard copies or would like to contact the Immigrant and Refugee Ministry Group, please contact Amanda in the office at ext. 11 or amorrison@sjcharlotte.org.

Join the Faith Journey Book Study

New Study Beginning January 23

Life of the Beloved: Spiritual Living in the Secular World

The Faith Journey Book Study meets on Mondays at 11am in the church lounge. This vibrant group invites you to their new study starting January 23 of Life of the Beloved by Henri Nouwen.

"An invitation to acknowledge our brokenness and awaken to the abiding love that God has for us, this classic explains the spiritual life in simple terms, avoiding theology and technical language. One of Nouwen’s greatest legacies to seekers of all backgrounds. This work began as a conversation between friends. Fred Bratman, a secular journalist and writer, asked Henri Nouwen to write a book that explained the spiritual life in terms that he and other friends living a fast-paced, city life could understand. Nouwen plumbs the depths of what is most personal and vital in his own Christian faith and shares it in a masterpiece that transcends religious barriers and speaks to the universal truth of the divine."

Join in for discussion of this book starting January 23! See you then!

Children & Youth Basketball in Full Swing

This week's basketball game schedule is posted below. The entire schedule for the regular season can be found in the Family News here.

January 14:

• 6u Co-Ed 1aa - 10:00am @ St. John’s
• 8u Boys 14a - 12:00pm @ St. John’s
• 8u Girls 26ga - 11:00am @ St. John’s
• 10u Girls 43gb - 1:15pm @ St. John’s
• 12u Boys 48c - 3:15pm @ St. John’s
• 15u Girls 74gd - 11:45am @ Providence Baptist
• 18u Girls 97ge - 2:45pm @ Mulberry Baptist

Come by and cheer on the St. John's teams one Saturday!

SAVE THE DATE

FAT TUESDAY ON FRIDAY

Come join us for Fat Tuesday on a Friday on February 24th @ 6:00 pm in Broach Hall. A George Brooks pancake dinner will be served and there will be games for the whole family to enjoy! Music entertainment will be provided by our very own Minister for Music and Worship, Kevin Gray. You don’t want to miss this amazing opportunity for fun and fellowship!

Stay tuned for more details!

Shepherd's Center of Charlotte

AARP Digital Skills Session on March 2

The Shepherd’s Center of Charlotte - with offices located on the 2nd Floor of St. John’s - will be hosting a lecture entitled Fill My Cup - AARP Digital Skills Ready @ 50+ on Thursday, March 2nd at 10:00 am at St. John’s. You will learn more about what all you can do on your smartphone. 

This session is FREE, but we need you to register so we can determine what size room is needed within the church.

Below is the link to register.



Register here.

The Eighties: Church and Denomination

By Ken Sanford

As the eighties began St. John’s was exploring new servant ministries despite troublesome actions by the Southern Baptist Convention.

A bequest allowed the establishment of the Hackney Scholarships which have enabled church youth to attend colleges. A mission team from the church, including the Rev. Bob Lasater, helped construct a building for Heritage Church in West Virginia, and youth traveled to Tennessee, Washington and New Orleans for mission projects. The church purchased the adjoining Staton Mansion and sought an appropriate use for it, approving a recommendation that the facility by used as International House to provide hospitality to the strangers from foreign countries who were arriving in Charlotte. St. John’s assisted some families of Laotian refugees. As an outreach to its neighbors St. John’s raised $25,000 and joined former U.S. President Jimmy Carter and Habitat for Humanity Founder Millard Fuller in building a house in Charlotte. St. John’s youth were the first such group to build a Habitat House. St. John’s received the Governor’s citation for volunteerism as a result of these activities.

Read the rest here.

Prayers, Thanks, and Celebrations

• Tarsha Williams, Martha Brown, Barbara McElwey, Betty Herr, Margaret Falls, Marvin Carter
• A Memorial Service for Alethia Ross will be held on January 21 at The Cypress

Minister On-Call Schedule

• Jan. 9-15: Haley
• Jan. 16-22: Kevin

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