John 9:1-7

As Jesus was walking along, he saw a man who had been blind from birth. “Rabbi,” his disciples asked him, “why was this man born blind? Was it because of his own sins or his parents’ sins?” “It was not because of his sins or his parents’ sins,” Jesus answered. “This happened so the power of God could be seen in him. We must quickly carry out the tasks assigned us by the one who sent us. The night is coming, and then no one can work. But while I am here in the world, I am the light of the world.”

Then he spit on the ground, made mud with the saliva, and spread the mud over the blind man’s eyes. He told him, “Go wash yourself in the pool of Siloam” (Siloam means “sent”). So the man went and washed and came back seeing!

We have a dog named Ethel who is usually very happy and energetic and just wants to be around her humans no matter what they are doing. Ethel recently had a life-altering surgery. She had cancer in her right eye and it had to be removed right away. She has glaucoma in the left eye and only has about 20% of her vision in that eye. The vet said the eye Ethel lost was her “good” eye. She is now trying to navigate in a world that she cannot see other than in shadows. Now, Ethel constantly bumps into things. At her follow up vet visit, we were in a room where the walls and floor were all the same color of gray. Ethel repeatedly bumped into walls as she explored the room.

While it seems like the loss of vision would have changed Ethel’s demeanor, it has not. Ethel is still happy and energetic and just wants to be around her humans no matter what they are doing. What is new is that Ethel now continually walks around the house sniffing and bumping into furniture and learning where things are.

As I was watching Ethel wander in the back yard this morning, I was thinking about how Jesus healed so many who were blind. In Jesus’ time, blindness was a terrible thing. People who were blind were often put out on the street, left with no other option but to beg for food and money. Blindness today does not have to be debilitating. People who are blind live happy, productive lives, only held back by attitude and bias. As I watch Ethel bumping around our house and yard, I realize a few things about myself. First, I have a bias against blindness. It is not a belief that people (or dogs) who are blind are less or can’t do as much, but it is a belief that blindness is a bad thing. However, watching Ethel happily exploring her world, I realize that blindness could be a good thing. If I am blind to the noise and temptations of the world, then I can focus on Christ. By focusing on Christ, I am able to choose joy and peace and love even when I continually bump into the obstacles in my path.

So maybe, just maybe, the God who healed all those people in the Bible will help me to be blind to the things that are meaningless and focus on things that are eternal.

Find a quiet comfortable place to sit. Then close your eyes and focus for a moment on the sounds you hear and the things you feel around you. Next, focus for a moment on the blessings in your life and on the salvation, peace, love, and joy that Christ offers. As you return to your daily activities, take time to notice the things that God has given you or done in your life and then give thanks for each of those things.

-- Cari Neill, Certified Lay Minister

Please take a few minutes to take the Spiritual Type Quiz. There are only 15 questions to answer and then you will know if you are a Sage, Lover, Prophet, or Mystic. Print out your type and save it for a Church Survey next week! Click HERE for the quiz.

Join us for a new series of concerts live-streamed from the St. John's sanctuary! Concerts are a benefit for Albuquerque Healthcare for the Homeless. musicatstjohns.org

Ruxandra Marquardt, violinist

Amy Greer, pianist

Would you be interested in submitting a daily devotional for the Newsletter? If so, send an email to Pastor Pam at prowley@stjohns-abq.org!

Please include the following items when writing a devotion:

A Focus Word or Phrase

A Scripture (it can simply be referenced)

The Body of the Devotion (one page is a good guideline)

A Prayer or a Spiritual Practice

The Missions' Team will be hosting another DRIVE-IN, DROP-OFF on Saturday, October 24, 3:00 – 5:00 pm in the east parking lot of St. John’s United Methodist Church (2626 Arizona NE). The recipient is Mandy's Farm (https://mandysfarm.org), a nonprofit organization that assists individuals with developmental disabilities in achieving their goals for living, learning, and working in the community. Ruthie and David Robbins, St. John's members, are the founders of Mandy's Farm. The items listed below are the needs of Mandy's Farm:

printer paper

disposable gloves

masks (disposable or fabric)

disinfectant

hand sanitizer

toilet paper

paper towels

kleenex

art supplies (crayons, colored pencils, paintbrushes, paint, watercolor paper)

puzzles

So, every time you go shopping this month or have products delivered to you, think about Mandy's Farm and pick up some extra items. We’ll collect all these items on Saturday, October 24th!

If you’d rather give $$ instead of buying the products yourself, you can bring it that night, mail it to the church, or go to the St. John’s online giving. Be sure to write "Mandy's Farm" in the memo field of your check.

The Missions’ Team thanks you so much for your generosity!!!

St. John’s will live-stream a worship service on Sunday morning at 9:30 am (Contemporary) on the Abide Facebook page and 11:00 am (Traditional) on the homepage of the website. We hope you’ll worship with us! (Pastors Pam and Kelly will lead, along with Shea Perry, Jim Ahrend, and Matt Greer). We hope that you’ll participate by singing and praying at home! Any questions? Email Matt at mgreer@stjohns-abq.org.

Missing getting together with your St John’s family after church? Join us in the virtual Sonshine Coffee Zoom immediately following the 11:00 am Worship. Church Leadership Team members starting with Jim Hickman will be hosting with the Pastors Pam and Kelly joining if they are available. Zoom registration is HERE.

The class always welcomes new faces, whether they wish to become permanent members, are interested in a particular study, or need a Sunday School family while on temporary assignment in Albuquerque. We typically alternate between modern books and books of the Bible. We are currently nearing the end of I’d Like You More If You Were More Like Me, by John Ortberg. Contact Regina Hunter, drhunter@nmia.com, to be added to the invitation list on Sundays and to learn of the next book.

Family Spirit Class meets by zoom on Sunday mornings, 9:30 to 10:30. They are studying John Ortberg’s book The Life You've Always Wanted. Brian Eagan and Doug Sweet lead this study. Please contact Anita Hallstrom at anitah1@comcast.net if you would like to join this zoom class.

Christian Classics Sunday School Class is meeting by Zoom at 3:30 PM on Sundays. We are studying The Wisdom Jesus by Cynthia Bourgeault. Contact Jack Nuzum at jcnuzum@juno.com to join in.

To better streamline all the ways we communicate, the Youth Group has adopted the Slack app to merge and integrate the our direct messaging, digital calendar, Zoom account, and all our online documents. It is easy to join the threads that apply just to you. Join in here: bit.ly/joinumyfslack1

Summer is past, and as we get back to school? Our Solid Ground youth group will resume meeting every Sunday at 4:00-5:15PM with new games, discussions, and faith-building activities plus new features of the student led Soap Box and Top 5s. Log-in. at: bit.ly/Fall2020UMYF (case sensitive).

While we are not yet allowed to sing together, stay informed about the activities of the Sonrise Youth Choir, including weekly Zooms on Thursdays at 4:00 pm (Jackbox games!!), and musical workshops in the Fall! Email Shea at sonrisechoir@gmail.com!

St John’s Food Ministry continues to serve the people of Albuquerque--approximately 500 people per month!--with hot meals prepared in our kitchen,  Do you have a surplus of fresh produce from your garden that you would like to donate to St. John's to feed the hungry? If so, please contact Chef Tim at tnuzum@stjohns-abq.org.

The announcements below include using the program "Zoom" to group-video chat. You can find a tutorial on how to use Zoom HERE!

There are few more perplexing issues for people of faith than that of unmerited suffering. We understand when good people prosper and evil people suffer. But what about when good people suffer for nothing that they did? That is Job's situation and the book that bares his name is a complex examination of the issue.

Join us for a Zoom study of this book (for four weeks) and then the delightful Old Testament stories of Ruth and Esther the final two weeks. The Bible study will take place on Mondays, October 19-Nov. 23, 2020, at either 10 AM or 7 PM. You may join either class or jump between them. If interested, or if you have questions, contact Jack Nuzum at jcnuzum@juno.com or 505-265-5241. Jack will be leading the discussion and will send out a Zoom invitation before each meeting.

Log in and have coffee (or tea) and chat with Pastors Pam and Kelly! Zoom link HERE.

Meet by zoom with Pastor Pam for a 30 minute spiritual practice every Thursday afternoon. We will explore different ways to pray, to commune with God, to nurture our spiritual lives with Christ through the Indwelling Holy Spirit. Space is limited, join the class HERE.

Remember to get started on your family-history manuscript with Terri Link and Regina Hunter, Saturdays from 10:00 to 12:00. If you have trouble connecting before 10:00, all Regina at 294-2877.

Reading Our Bible Together in 2020 will begin a new study, “Sermon Series,” on Monday, Sept. 27. Preachers love sermon series, partly because in a good sermon series, one idea will last for weeks. This episode of Reading our Bible Together will look at some of the sermons preached long ago by Moses, Jesus, Peter, Paul, and others, and we’ll see that these sermons still have important messages for us today. Download a study guide here. To receive daily study tips by email, write or call Regina Hunter at drhunter@nmia.com or 294-2877.

Anyone is welcome--no experience is necessary. (And, yes! It's okay for Christians to meditate.) If you want to learn more prior to starting, the sessions will be similar to ones she leads and records on YouTube. Each session will be hosted on Zoom. HERE is the zoom link. Please contact Susan Brumbaugh, counselor@stjohns-abq.org, or 505-506-6716, if you have questions.

Carmen Vargas is the recipient for the prayer quilt on display for October 12 - 25.

In lieu of tying knots, please pray this prayer (or your own prayer) for Carmen: “Heavenly Father, we lift up Carmen and ask for your guidance as she seeks your will in her ministry for your kingdom."

With the Church currently closed, the prayer shawls have taken up residence with Hunt and Ann. They are actually quite comfortable in the coolness of their new home but they would love to be of comfort to someone in need of God’s love. Please contact Ann at mapalook@comcast.net or 768-7013 if you would like a shawl. If you call, the basket will await your visit in their courtyard. Blessings -

It seems like a very long time since we have been able to be together as a church family. Our staff has worked hard to keep us connected through virtual worship services, drive-in or small in-person services, and some Sunday School classes and other groups have been able to continue via Zoom, meeting safely at the church, in homes or even in parks. The Leadership Team wants to make sure everyone in our church family is being contacted in some way, especially those of our members and friends who might not have regular contact with people. We are looking for volunteers to help us call a small number of members to find out how they are, to let them know we are thinking of them and to find out how the church can help them. If that sounds like something you would enjoy doing and sending information back to the church about these members, please contact Barbara Stanfield, barbarastanfield@comcast.net. Thank you for considering helping in this important ministry of reaching out to our St. John’s family.

How we support you and your family in prayer during this difficult time? Prayers for health, employment, peace? Please send your prayer requests to the Prayer Team: mapalook@comcast.net or submit them on our website HERE.

It is hard to get out and many people shouldn’t. Is there something you need delivered from the store? If we are able to help, we have a few volunteers who would like to serve as Go-fers for people who need something but cannot get it on their own. Please pass any requests on to Jarrod at c.care@stjohns-abq.org

The St. John's staff includes a licensed mental health counselor who is available to meet virtually (using a smartphone or computer) in a secure online platform during these anxious times. If you or someone you know is struggling emotionally, counseling is available. Click here or contact Susan Brumbaugh at 505-506-6717 or counselor@stjohns-abq.org for more details about session and cost information. Susan also has a Youtube Channel with mindfulness tips HERE.

OCTOBER SPECIAL OFFERING: World Communion Offering 

     This month we will be remembering our unity with Christians around the world. Our special gifts will go to students like Kennedy. She lost her father when she was eight and her family struggled to find enough to eat. But with the help of her church, Lotus UMC in Maryland, and a World Communion scholarship, Kennedy is on her way to giving back to the community as a physician.

  Far away in Nigeria, Obinna grew up without electricity or clean water. Yet, today with the help of the Global United Methodist Church via a World Communion scholarship, he is studying to be an engineer.

  Nelson Mandela once said," Education is the most powerful weapon you can use to change the world." Please give generously any time in the month of October.

In accordance with the New Mexico Department of Health order, our facility will be closed until further notice. We will keep you apprised as things develop.

Your St. John's pastors and staff are still very much on the job, and are available to you during this time. Please reach out to us if we can help you in any way!

www.stjohns-abq.org

(505) 883-9717

2626 Arizona St NE | Albuquerque, NM 87110

Office Hours (call only): Monday - Friday, 9:00 am - 2:00 pm