Vol. 79 Issue 46 | Week of November 15-21, 2021 |
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November 21 is Commitment Sunday!
We will make our financial commitments this Sunday for 2022 by presenting pledge cards in worship. Please remember to bring your pledge card this Sunday. Extra cards will be available in the Sanctuary. You can also pledge online through Realm or by clicking the button below.
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Advent 2021
Good News for Troubled Times
The season of Advent begins on November 28, heralding a new year in the life of the Church.
Here is the full schedule for Advent at St. John’s. We hope you will join us as we celebrate hope, peace, joy, and love this season.
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Sunday, November 21- A special Advent devotional resource will be available for pick-up on the tables near the Sanctuary. This year's resource is designed for people of all ages to use and for families and households to be able to use together. We hope you'll take a packet and set aside time to spend with God this Advent season.
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Christmas Cards for Neighbors- Our special Christmas card boxes return this year to the Main Entrance! Please take a list from the table and write notes with an encouraging message to each recipient. Once complete, return your cards to the boxes at the Main Entrance. Deacons will deliver these cards to each recipient to bring joy to them this Christmas season.
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Sunday, November 28-Advent 1 with a focus on God's good news that offers hope for troubled times, Dr. Foust will offer a message called, "I Am Baptized"
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Thursday, December 2- A special team of folks will begin decorating the Sanctuary space for the season
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Sunday, December 5- Advent 2 & Hanging of the Green Service during morning worship with a special focus on God's good news that offers peace for troubled times.
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Sunday, December 12- Advent 3 & “A Journey of Joy” with orchestra and special music during morning worship with a special focus on God's good news that offers joy for troubled times
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Sunday, December 19- Advent 4 & a focus on God's good news that offers love for troubled times, Dr. Foust will offer a message called "Extravagance at Christmas"
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ALSO on Sunday, December 19- The 10th Anniversary Charlotte Lessons & Carols from St. John’s special will air on WDAV from 4-6PM
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Friday, December 24- Christmas Eve Service of Candles, Carols, and Communion in the Sanctuary at 5PM
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Saturday, December 25-The 10th Anniversary Charlotte Lessons & Carols from St. John’s special will air on WDAV from 1-3PM
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Tuesday Bible Study
Levine’s Light of the World for Advent
The First Sunday of Advent is November 28, and the Tuesday Bible Study (TBS) begins a special emphasis on the Advent Season beginning Tuesday, November 30.
Amy-Jill Levine’s Light of the World, published by Abingdon Press, will be our study guide. This invitation is open to everyone interested in a focused study of Levine’s biblical reflection on “The Meaning of Memory, The Promise of Potential, The Journey of Joy, and The Gifts of the Gentiles.”
We meet for one hour each Tuesday at 11:00 am on Zoom.
Contact Steve Hoffman (704-604-9634) to receive the Zoom link as registration for the five sessions and book information.
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St. John's Basketball Returns!
Register today!
We are excited for the return of youth basketball to St. John’s this winter! The season will run from January 8, 2022, to February 26, 2022.
Please complete the registration and payment process (button below) for your child to participate. The registration types will be the team your child intends to be part of based on their age on October 15, 2021. Parents and guardians may enter their information and select the Parent/Guardian registration type.
A COVID-19 Waiver will be required by the league to be signed by each parent/guardian for their child to participate. A medical release form will be required by St. John’s Baptist Church for each minor. These forms may be completed in January.
If the team you are attempting to register for is unavailable, please contact Rev. Lee Gray.
You will receive a confirmation email when your registration is complete. if you do not receive an email, you have not finished the registration process. If you are unable to register through this process, please contact the office at St. John’s at 704-333-5428, ext. 11.
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Welcoming the Stranger
Volunteer with ourBridge for Kids OR Refugee Support Services
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Refugee Support Services is beginning to reopen some of their programming that had been halted at the beginning of the pandemic. Some opportunities for service will involve direct contact but there are other service needs that can be filled at social distancing.
Responding to many of the calls for service requires completion of the RSS Refugee 101 orientation. We encourage anyone in the St. John’s family who is interested in knowing more about incoming refugees to participate in one of these one-hour remote sessions. To sign up for one of these sessions register here: Click Here
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ourBridge for Kids is an after-school and summer program for children of immigrant and refugee families. The program not only supports these children in their education but also actively helps their entire families connect with resources that will assist them in their orientation to this culture. There are many opportunities coming up for you to serve with this amazing organization.
The opportunities for service include:
- Tutoring an individual child at the ourBridge site
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Donating any size coats (new or gently used) or new blankets. If you would like to donate coats or blankets your items can be left at their location on Willard Farrow or you can bring them to St. John’s on Sunday, December 5, and we will deliver them to ourBridge.
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Church Pictorial Directory
As part of our centennial celebration in the spring of 2022, we will be offering a printed pictorial directory of the people of St. John’s. This commemorative edition will celebrate the people of St. John’s in 2022 as second-century charter members.
The contact information and photos for this directory option will be printed from Realm, our church database and communication tool many of you regularly use. Between now and the end of the year, we invite you to log into your profile and ensure that the information for the persons in your household is up to date.
You will also receive a call from your Pastoral Deacon to review your information and to assist the church staff to make updates for those unable to access their profiles online. We also encourage you to upload photos of each individual in your family or a family photo. We will provide a way to submit family photos, especially for the directory later this fall as well as offer the opportunity to have a photo taken here at the church.
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From the Heritage Room—
“Help from the Belmont Tithing Plan and Vanilla”
From Twenty Triumphant Years authored by Richard Young, he relates the story of the financial crisis of the church in 1934 when the church had $40.43 in the operating fund and debt of $78,090.
“On March 1, 1935, the church launched after earnest prayer and long consideration the Belmont Tithing Plan. This financial plan, originated by a small church in Virginia, provided that every member would pay into the church treasury ten percent of gross income for a period of thirteen weeks. A total of 325 members of St. John’s agreed to accept the plan and as a result, more than $6000 in additional money was contributed. This made it possible to pay off the second mortgage on the pastorium, to re-roof the community house, to meet the May and November interest payments, and to meet all current obligations. After these 13 weeks, the average offering increased three-fold and at the end of the year, the mortgages on the pastorium and the church had been refinanced at a lower rate of interest. The church had $1,550 in the bank and the finance committee was able to consolidate the current expense and debt service requirements into one budget. Each subsequent budget was balanced. But most of all the spiritual life of the church was so revitalized and strengthened that greater achievements were soon to be attained.”
Detailed records were kept of the pledge payments. In many cases, the weekly contributions were $.25 or $1.00.
In a history of the women of the church and the Women’s Missionary Union, written in 1972 by Mrs. Tommie Hasty, she lists the ways in which the women of the church took part in fundraising:
“Several of the women took it upon themselves to purchase and cook chickens into a full-course dinner (costing $.50 per person) and raised $65.00. They sold magazine subscriptions and Christmas cards and made items sold at a bazaar downtown. One lady made chow-chow. There were aluminum demonstrations at which everyone was paid $.25 cents for attending. Prospects sent to the Willys Knight Overland Motor Company who bought cars brought $10.00 apiece into the treasury. Then the oddest of all, for each one who visited the new funeral parlor downtown, they were paid $.25. By far the most memorable was the constant sale of Pure vanilla extract at $.25 cents a bottle, netting $30.00 per gross.”
At least one of our members remembers a lot of vanilla being sold.
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46th Annual Community-Wide Interfaith Thanksgiving Service
"The Art of Gratitude & The Heart of Healing"
The Annual MeckMIN Community-Wide Interfaith Thanksgiving Service, to be held virtually on Tuesday, November 23 at 7PM, will be a beautiful, energetic celebration of the power of art, gratitude and healing in the midst of challenge and struggle. This annual celebration welcomes people of all faiths and backgrounds to come together in gratitude, celebrate diversity, and pray for unity.
The service includes a food drive coordinated through Loaves & Fishes and an offering that supports MeckMIN and Crisis Assistance.
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Worshiping Together In-Person and Online! |
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On Sunday, Lia Benton, seminary student at Union Presbyterian Seminary, will offer our message. The title is From Desolation to Hope based on Genesis 16:1-4 and Psalm 88:1-3.
This Sunday, November 21 is also Commitment Sunday. There will be a time to bring your 2022 Financial Stewardship pledge cards to the communion table during the service. Extra pledge cards will be available in the service in case you need one.
We hope you will join us as we gather in-person and online as we stream the service on Facebook and YouTube starting at 10:30am. The stream and worship guide links will be sent out via email on Sunday morning.
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Prayer Concerns, Thanks, Sympathy |
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Andrew Adair, Shirley Ballard, Katherine Barr, John Bragg (back surgery in December), Betty Fuller, Polly Hull, Barbara Ledford, Tish Philemon, Gene & Carol Poole, Brad Sifford (back surgery in November), Carole Ann Simpson, Don Swofford, Elma Thomas, Dee Turner
"To be a fish out of water or to be ill enough to require special care is so unusual for me. But receiving the many thoughts, prayers, cards, gifts, food, and caring hugs are so much appreciated. I am on the road to recovery and look forward to my return to the fellowship and friends I have missed so much." -Don Swofford
Congratulations to Natalie and Durning Moore in the birth of their daughter, Anne Lawrence - "Annie" - and to big brother James in the arrival of his sister on Monday, November 15! Congratulations also to David and Lynn Erdman, the proud grandparents.
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Financial Ministry Plan Report |
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Week of November 9-15: $19,918
Income through November 15: $929,012
Annual 2021 Ministry Plan Budget Goal: $1,175,000
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You can make contributions, view your giving history and pledge status, as well as update your pledge and giving information anytime by accessing your personal Realm profile online or via the Connect App. |
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Ministers On-Call Schedule
November 15-21: Allison Benfield
November 22-28: Lee Gray
November 29-December 5: Kevin Gray
Staff Contact Information
Dennis Foust, Senior Minister - 704-359-7234 (cell); 704-333-5428, ext. 12
Lee Gray, Minister for Congregational Care - 704-451-1309 (cell); 704-333-5428, ext. 15
Allison Benfield, Minister for Spiritual Growth - 828-448-8412 (cell); 704-333-5428, ext. 18
Kevin Gray, Minister for Music and Worship - 803-524-0287 (cell); 704-333-5428, ext. 14
Jacquelyn McAbee, Church Administrator - 434-579-1177 (cell); 704-333-5428, ext. 20
Derek Henson, Administrative Assistant - 704-333-5428, ext. 10
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