Tim Nuzum, tnuzum@stjohns-abq.org

St. John’s sent a survey to the congregation in February. The purpose was to poll our members on reopening the church facility. 280 responses were received. This is a summary of the information.

The First Question addressed when members would consider returning to in-person services. 75 respondents (27%) would return immediately, 60 (21%) would return with precautions, 78 (28%) planned to wait several weeks and 25 (9%) were not sure. Question 2 inquired about opening relative to the community. 122 (44%) wanted cases in the area to be low, followed by 90 (32%) would come when restaurants reopened. In the 20-30% range were local businesses open, schools open, social distancing lifted, and “other”.

75 members added notes, with 43 stating that vaccination (their own or the area) was the driving factor in returning. In addition, Question 12 on “Following the Government Requirements” revealed that 154 (58%) respondents want the livestreams to continue and 78 (30%) thought in-person services should resume immediately. From Question 13, 179 (68%) stated they were willing to worship at at different time to allow congregants to spread out. Saturday and Sunday were most frequently mentioned alternatives. 163 (68%) were willing to worship in an overflow space (Question 14).

Precautions were the subject of Question 3. 91% (256) said they would wear a mask. 87.5% (245) would avoid shaking hands and 83% (232) stated they would sit 6 feet from people outside their family. In the 75% range, respondents stated they would avoid any physical contact and crowded areas. The comments mentioned again the need to follow safety protocols and the prevalence of vaccinations.

Question 4 addressed expected precautions. 86% (241) expect the church to encourage social distancing, 84% (236) want communion which limits risk of infection, and 79% (222) want hand-shaking discouraged. Others include taking offering in a way to avoid transmission (74%), providing hand sanitizer (71%), and propping doors open (68%). At lower percentages were Limiting Handouts, One-way foot traffic, and a longer time between services. The comments were largely in favor of the listed measures with a few specific mentions of concerns with communion. Some noted that contact transmission is not the big risk (vs.airborne), and a few had concerns about excessive precautions.

Small groups were addressed in Question 5. 118 (42%) said they would resume their small group,42 (15%) said no, but 120 (43%) said they did not have a small group. Many said they were fine with Zoom; others would return with all the listed precautions but room size is a concern.

Regarding families attending with youth and children, only 12% typically have children attend church with them. 108 respondents stated on Question 9 that they had children or youth. 55% (59) said their children/youth do not have a small group and 41% (44) said they would allow their children to attend their small group. Question 10 asked about the expected precautions for children and youth in small groups. The responses are similar to those for attending service with the addition of “no snacks” at 45%; and reducing contact with each other and surfaces.

Questions 15 and 16 were demographic questions. Respectively, 61% of respondents have been at St. Johns over 10 years. 54% are over 70 years old, followed by 37% between 50 and 69 years. There were many general comments thanking the Leadership team for their work; thanking the Church for taking the survey and many with questions about why the building is not open.

Questions 7 and 8 regarding the Preschool were answered in detail by Barbara Stanfield and the Preschool Board at the All-Church meeting and in a previous e-Disciple. Please contact

Barbara at barbarastanfield@comcast.net, for her summary. A copy of all the survey results can be obtained by contacting Matt at mgreer@stjohns-abq.org.

Jazz Vespers is a unique, meditative worship service that features some of New Mexico’s best professional jazz musicians.

Jazz Vespers occurs on the 2nd Saturday of each month at 5:00 pm in the St. John’s United Methodist Church sanctuary.

  In the early 20th century Lydia Patterson of El Paso noticed that there were no schools for the boys in the barrios on the borders with Mexico. Texas provided no schools for children who could not speak English. So she and other Methodist women started schools in their homes. In 1913 these home schools grew to become Lydia Patterson Institute, a ministry of the UNM church. By 1921 it was known for its curriculum teaching English as a Second Language. Its emphasis on the Christian faith, solid values, and academic excellence continues to this day.

   LPI now serves up to 400 boys and girls, half or more on scholarship and many from ciudad Juarez. Typically the Mexican students are up at 5 AM for the long process of crossing the border. In addition to studying, the scholarship students do most of the work of maintaining the campus including fixing meals.

  In April we have an opportunity to help Lydia Patterson fund these scholarships, show Christ's love to the poorest of both El Paso and Mexico and develop future Christian leaders for both countries. Please give generously.

We will be open for a limited number of in-person worshipers.

Careful protocols will be followed, including mask-wearing

and social distancing. Click HERE for more information about these protocols!

We are asking worshipers to preregister, both because of space limitations and for the purposes of contact tracing. REGISTRATION LINK HERE. You may also register with Debbie Brown in the office by calling 505-883-9717.

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 our Youtube Channel. We hope you’ll worship with us! (Pastor Pam 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.

Sunday Community Activities: Click HERE to view all Sunday School Classes & groups! Join us in the virtual Sonshine Coffee Zoom immediately following the 11:00 am Worship with church Leadership Team members hosting. Zoom link is HERE

Join St. John's UMC Music Director as he talks about things coming up in the music ministry, and chats with a special guest: Alexis Corbin, percussionist and on-air personality at Classical 95.5 KHFM. Join HERE.

Come receive communion in your car on Wednesday, and gather in safe community to worship and praise God. We encourage you to bring your own elements (bread & juice). If you do not have your own elements, we will provide individually-packaged elements. We will gather in the east parking lot of St. John's (2626 Arizona Street NE).

Del Agua Canyon / North Piedra Lisa Trail (SE of Placitas)

For the geologists: Amazing Precambrian metamorphic rocks and the structures of the Sandia Ramp.

For the zoologists: Big cat tracks and birds of prey.

For those looking for a special morning: A time set aside in the wilderness pondering our faith.

Please join us for this Mountain Cathedrals hike in the northwest corner of the Sandia Mountains on this second Sunday after Easter. The route is about 4 miles, involving some rock clambering and moderately steep trails. Meet at the church at 7:30 or at the trailhead at 8:05 (Google Maps: Piedra Lisa North Trailhead; restroom available there). Please RSVP to Mike Furnish, mdfurnish@comcast.net. Stan Mortimer (srmortimer1@gmail.com) will be leading this trip. If you are interested in leading a devotion, please let either of us know!

Other near-future trips planned:

Saturday, May 16th, 7:30 – 2:00, Canon del Ojo (north of Tohajiilee)

Our UMW Albuquerque District Meeting on Saturday, April 24th, will feature a program, "Embracing Change", presented by Susan Brumbaugh, St. John's Mental Health Counselor. This will be a Zoom event, from 10 am to noon. You need not be a UMW member to attend; everyone is welcome! There is no registration fee, but a registration form is required to receive the Zoom link. Please contact your circle chairperson or Mary Beth Spletzer (mbspletzer@gmail.com) to have the registration form and other details emailed to you. The deadline for registration is April 18th. Since we can't fight change, let's learn --- together --- how to embrace it!

 As you know our Pastor Pam has received a promotion and will be leaving us the end of June to be the El Paso District Superintendent. SPRC is planning ways to celebrate her ministry and at the same time help our new pastor Rev Dr. Randall Partin to get acquainted with us. This is one way we’d like to do that but we need to get started on it.

We would like for you to introduce yourself and your family to the new pastor! Some of you already know him but due to social distancing precautions, many of us will first meet Pastor Randall virtually. The SPRC Welcoming Committee is asking each member and family to create a short document introducing yourself and your family members and sharing a little bit about yourself and a picture. This will be a great resource for Pastor Randall who wants to get to know all of us so please participate. What would you like the new pastor to know about you?

We’d love a current picture but if you prefer you can reference a picture from the directory. Please send your document to SPRC@stjohns-abq.org or mail it to SPRC -New Pastor 2626 Arizona St. NE, Albuquerque, NM 87110. We would like to have it by April 1st.

Please keep it short, no longer than one page. If you have questions or would like help need putting your document together, please feel free to contact Stan Mortimer at srmortimer1@gmail.com.

St. John's Preschool program will be hiring a new Director. If you might be interested and would like to request the position summary, duties and requirements, please email the Interim Preschool Administrator, Susan Perry at PreschoolDirector@stjohns-abq.org. You can also view the job description HERE.

Are you sprouting seeds indoors for planting in the spring and summer? If so, would you consider sprouting a few extra vegetable seeds to donate the plants to the Garden Ministry to fill our garden beds this summer? Or maybe you would be willing to plant an extra tomato, pepper, squash, etc., in your garden and donate the produce from that plant to St. John's Food Ministry to help defray costs of feeding the homeless in Albuquerque? Any way you can help out is appreciated!

Contact: Tim at tnuzum@stjohns-abq.org., Donna at donnabruce@comcast.net or Regina at hamptonmason1@msn.com.

St. John’s own Bible study, continues with a new unit called “Street Signs in the City of God.” Join us as we travel some of the ways, highways, paths, streets, and marketplaces – and one corner – in the Bible. To receive daily study tips by email, write or call Regina Hunter at drhunter@nmia.com or 294-2877. If you prefer to read on your own, download or print a study guide.

Sharon Hamilton (friend of Sara Trice) is the recipient for the prayer quilt on display for April 6 - April 19.

In lieu of tying knots, please pray this prayer (or your own prayer): “Lord, please lay your healing hand on Sharon and allow her to see the wonders of your magnificence. Amen.”

Stephen Ministers are members of St. John’s who have gone through 50 hours of training to provide high quality, confidential Christian care to individuals experiencing a crisis or life challenge such as divorce, grief, job loss, hospitalization, relocation, or loneliness.

If you or someone you know could benefit from the care of a Stephen Minister, please call the office 505-883-9717 or email stephenministry@stjohns-abq.org

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