June 17, 2022

Youth News

Hi everyone! Just a reminder that there's no Reel to Real this Sunday (Father's Day). 

Wednesday 6/22: We will meet at Menchie's on Montgomery from 6-8 p.m. (bring a lawn chair and games) for treats and Bible Study.

Sunday 6/26: Reel To Real will resume from 4-6 p.m. Movies will be Encanto (mid high) and Dead Poets Society (Sr. high). That Sunday from 12:30-3 p.m. in the Family Life Center, join us to decorate for Vacation Bible School.

Vacation Bible School 6/26 - 6/30: Youth are encouraged to volunteer for Vacation Bible School - Free T-shirt and lunch for our volunteers!

Mission Trip to Sacramento Camp 7/10-7/17: Forms are located at https://www.stjohns-abq.org/youth-ministries. If you need the Health form notarized, contact Joy our church secretary, she is a notary!

Joy Singers Gospel Sing Along Monday, June 20

June 20 at 10:00 a.m. in the choir room, the St. John’s Joy Singers will be hosting an open to all gospel singalong. Mostly gospels plus a few oldies. Accompanying the singalong will be guitars, banjo, mandolin, bass and our internationally known jazz pianist, Jim Ahrend. Everyone is invited to come join this select group of musicians who are so special they are yet to be named. For more information about Joy Singers please contact Therese Macali at tmacali@stjohns-abq.org.

Friendship with Christian Sisters on June 22

New this summer! All women are invited to attend Friendship with Christian Sisters. Come connect with other women of all ages in an informal setting for a time of fellowship and snacks. Wednesdays in the summer from 1:30 - 3:30 p.m. in St. John's Narthex. This event is sponsored by the Women's Ministry. For questions, contact Donna at donnabruce@comcast.net. Click here to see the event flyer.

Work Together Weekend June 23-25

Our Work Together Weekend is quickly approaching! Daryn DeZengotita from Work Together People will be meeting with congregational leaders, community members, and other visioneers and strategizers June 23-25 (Thursday-Saturday) here at St. John’s. We are excited to gather around a design-thinking model and explore creative ways that St. John’s can expand its ministries into our community in deeper and more meaningful ways, or, just as critically, where we can start new things, develop new partnerships, or connect with others in new ways.

On Thursday evening, June 23, we will gather at 6:30 p.m. in the Family Life Center for a light meal and introduction to the weekend’s work: “Inspiration, Imagination, Innovation, and Improvisation.” This is a terrific opportunity for everyone and anyone to gather in community and get a “taste” of what might be possible for our ministries, programs, and outreach. If you would like to join us for this gathering, please register using the "RSVP For Welcome Dinner" button below, or contact Joy in the Church Office, we’d love to have you take part in this conversation!

Additionally, if you would like to be part of the workgroup that will be meeting Friday and Saturday to dig deeper, dream, and strategize, please let Pastor Randall know as soon as possible so that you can be invited to the team and receive the preliminary/suggested readings and prep work! As always, we ask for everyone to be in prayer for this work.

Vacation Bible School is Almost Here!

Vacation Bible School is almost here, and will be offered June 27-30. Postcards to invite friends, neighbors and grandkids are located at the Hospitality Center in the Sanctuary and the Abide check in table! Register online at https://www.stjohns-abq.org/summer-camps. Cost is $15 and includes a free T-shirt and lunch each day. 

Volunteer for Vacation Bible School: June 26-30. Free T-shirt and lunch for volunteers! Can't serve but love VBS? Sponsor a child to attend. Contact Pastor Tiffany to sponsor a child in need.

Help Decorate for VBS: Next Sunday, June 26 from 12:30 - 3 p.m. in the Family Life Center.

Omelet Bar Mix-and-Match on June 26

Omelet Bar Mix-and-Match happens the fourth Sunday of each month, so the next one is coming up on Sunday, June 26! Omelet Bar is in The SonShine Cafe between 7:45 a.m. and 1 p.m. As always, you can get a made to order 3 egg or egg white omelet that you can choose to fill with a generous selection of meats and veggies plus a piece of toast with jam or butter. All for just $7 per omelet with a drink included! Bring a friend and enjoy a quality, made from scratch breakfast and great conversation around the cafe tables with folks from all 3 Sunday services! 

We need volunteers to take money and be a runner—no running required. Use the button below to sign up to volunteer. If you have any questions, text or call Nancy Douglas de Baca at 505-238-5895.

Women's Bible Study on Forgiving What You Can't Forget Starts July 12

Our next Women's Bible Study will be on the book Forgiving What You Can't Forget by Lysa Terkeurst:

• July 12 - August 23 (7 weeks), Tuesdays, 9:30 - 11:30 a.m. IN PERSON
• Facilitator: Shanlii Payment
• Register by emailing donnabruce@comcast.net



When you've experienced hurt upon hurt or your heart has been completely shattered, offering forgiveness can feel unrealistic. We know God commands us to forgive. But how? Why? When? And are there exceptions? Though forgiveness is a major part of the Christian faith, most of us have never been taught much about it and have many unanswered questions. After over 1,000 hours of theological study, Lysa has discovered and will share Scripture that not only provides the truth about forgiveness that our souls desperately need, but offers practical ways to let go of our bound-up resentment and finally heal.

NEW! Youth Summer Music Sessions

Have you always wanted to write your own music but didn't know where to start? Interested in the skills to play ukulele to take your songs everywhere you go? Join us for St. John's Summer Sessions with singer, songwriter, and guitarist Oscar Butler and the always entertaining music educating team Sean Umstead and Judy Castro. All youth grades 6-12 are encouraged to join us each Wednesday in July from 4:30 to 5:30 p.m. for only $10 a session OR purchase all four sessions for a savings of $5! Reserve your spot now by clicking the button below. For more information contact tmacali@stjohns-abq.org.

Are You Being Called?

They asked each other, “Were not our hearts burning within us while he talked with us on the road and opened the Scriptures to us?” (Luke 24:32) Have you felt your heart burning within you these past few months as you’ve heard the Scriptures opened up to you? Do you feel the nudge to serve others but just don’t know what to do or where to start? The Certified Lay Ministers at St. John’s is here to help you answer that call! Maybe you don’t know what you would be good at.  Larry Luna will be leading a class in “Discovering Your Spiritual Gifts” that can help you find your strengths and skill set. Do you want to help with those who are homebound or in the hospital?  Joe Marshall will be leading the class called “Lay Pastoral Care Giving”. Maybe you are being called into a deeper connection with Christ? Mike Furnish is leading a class on “Embracing Personal Prayer”.  

Classes are offered in-person at St. John’s on Friday, July 8, from 6–9 p.m. and Saturday, July 9, from 8 a.m. – 4 p.m., with a limit of 8 participants per class – so register today to secure your spot. Refreshments and lunch will be provided. After registering for the class you will receive a confirmation email which includes the materials needed for the class.  

Courses Offered:

• “Embracing Personal Prayer” – This course will enhance your prayer life and your personal relationship with our Father.     
• “Discover your Spiritual Gifts” – This course helps participants understand spiritual gifts and how the church can use them to fulfill its mission and ministry.   
• “Lay Pastoral Care Giving”- This course offers insights into the life span and the dynamics of contemporary life to help the church reach out with God’s love and care to others.  
• Cost for the class is $45.00 

Use the button below to register for the Lay Servant Course of your choice.  

Volunteers Needed to Serve Communion

We are needing volunteers to assist our pastors in serving communion to our congregation Sunday mornings at both the 8:15 a.m. and the 11:00 a.m. services. We need two people to stand next to each pastor to offer the cup to our congregants. For more information, please contact Brenda Rogers, by phone (505) 293-7948, or by email wewasus@hotmail.com.

Summer Children's Chapel & Nursery

Children's Chapel is offered following the offering in the 9:30 and 11 a.m. worship services for children ages 5-5th grade. During the summer, we are meeting in the nursery (Room 138) and then heading outside to the playground to enjoy the sunshine and worship in the ways kids uniquely experience their world: play, art, laughter and creativity! 

The Nursery is also offered during the 9:30 and 11 a.m. services and opens at 9:30 a.m.

Fire Relief Update

Thank you for your generosity! St. John’s contributed just over $6900 for Fire Relief efforts in our Annual Conference!

Virtual Hospitality Team Needed

Online, livestreamed worship is something we moved to out of necessity during the pandemic but is something that we will carry forward as part of our regular services of worship. We are wanting to build a core team of “online greeters”—volunteers who are willing to engage in chat and comments with others during our online services. If you worship online with us regularly (or at least fairly often) and are willing to help us engage with the hundreds of folks who are part of our online community, please let Pastor Randall or Pastor Tiffany know. This is uncharted territory for many congregations, but we are eager to learn how to love God, love others, and change lives in new ways!

New Business Manager at St. John's!

We are pleased to welcome Jamie Davidson to the St John’s staff, succeeding Janice McCrary as the Business Manager.  

Jamie attended Sandia High School and the University of New Mexico and has over 30 years of office and business management experience. She will be working in parallel with Janice during the month of June as we transition, so please be sure to stop by and welcome Jamie to the St John’s family (or send her a note at jdavidson@stjohns-abq.org) and thank Janice for her exceptional service.  

Visitors, We Have a Gift for You!

We are thrilled to have guests at our church! As an expression of our thanks, we have a hot/cold mug for first-time guests and new visitors to St. John's. We hope they will become a part of our church family, and have included information about connecting at St. John's in each mug. If you are a guest (or you notice a new visitor in our pews), please visit the hospitality desk before or after services to receive this gift. 

Now, the rest of you are special too! If you would like a St. John's hot/cold travel mug, they are available at the Hospitality Center for a suggested donation of $5. We want you to know that these mugs were special-ordered from a company in Georgia so that we could be sure they were ethically sourced. The cups themselves were cast in the USA, where they were also printed.

June Special Offering: Ministries to Refugees 

The number of refugees all around the world seems to only increase. People from Afghanistan and Ukraine are the latest, and we have a number of opportunities to help those who are settling in New Mexico.

We may donate items and/or donate funds. We are partnering with Lutheran Family Services, the group currently coordinating refugee resettlement in Albuquerque. As the Bible tells us, "God loves foreigners and gives them food and clothing, and you too must love foreigners for you yourselves were foreigners in the land of Egypt." (Living Bible- Deuteronomy 10:18) If you would like to donate items, these are the supplies that are being requested:

• Cleaning supplies: dish soap, paper towels, laundry detergent, bathroom cleaner (Ajax, Comet, 409, Clorox spray, etc.)
• Kitchen: trash cans (13 gal), trash bags (13 gal)
• Furniture: tables, side tables, couches, chairs
• Other items: mops, shower curtains, toilet paper, alarm clocks

Some of these items are duplicates with what we are collecting for Silver Horizons this month. If you have a preference where your item(s) go, please tag the items with "SH" (for Silver Horizons) or "Refugees". Otherwise, we will divide duplicate items equally between the two organizations. Thank you so much for all you do for those in need!

Prayer Quilt Recipient 

Wanda Neely is the recipient for the prayer quilt currently on display in the Hospitality Center.

In lieu of tying knots, please pray this prayer (or your own prayer) for Wanda: "Father God, we pray that you will bless Wanda with your loving care and renew her strength as she recovers from surgery. Amen.”

Pastor 24-Hour Hotline | (505)585-5435 

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.