February 16, 2024

Josh's Jottings

This year, during the Lenten Season, we'll be focusing on prayer as a Lenten practice. Prayer is powerful in that it can clarify what God is doing - in our hearts, in the world, in a community. Here is such a prayer, that takes a metaphor from the natural world, and helps clarify God's abundance. 

Lord, isn't your creation wasteful? 

Fruits never equal the seedling's abundance. 

Springs scatter water. 

The sun gives out enormous light. 

May your bounty teach me greatness of heart. 

May your magnificence stop me being mean. 

Seeing you a prodigal and open-handed giver, 

let me give unstintingly like a king's son, like God's own. AMEN. 

-Helder Camara 

Lenten Fish Fries

Start Tonight

Lenten Fish Fry Dinners start today, February 16, from 4 - 7 p.m. We hope to see you there!

It's not too late to volunteer, buy advanced tickets or purchase tickets for first responders for the Fish Fry Dinners. See Wayne in the Hospitality Center each Sunday during Lent.

More Fish Fry news below.

Women's Bible Study: Amos

by Jennifer Rothschild

• Tuesdays, February 20 - April 9 (8 weeks)
• 6:30 - 8:30 p.m., via ZOOM
• Facilitator: Donna Bruce
• To register, contact Susan at teachersusan@comcast.net
• Participants will need to purchase their own study books

Amos is often called a prophet of doom. And when you begin to read his prophecy, it doesn’t take long to realize that nickname fits. On the surface, his prophecy doesn’t sound like a happy formula for the good life. However, every condemnation he gives serves as an invitation, a cry for us to “seek God and live” (Amos 5:4). You’ll be invited to live assured, faithful, chosen, humble, just, prayerful, and hopeful. This kind of living will bring us and others around us peace and true prosperity. Amos is promoting the God life, and the God life is the good life!

"Dots and Lines" - A Music-Reading Worship

With Jim Ahrend

Are you a little lost when you look at a musical score, or a hymnal? Does sight-singing seem like a mysterious skill for only a select few? Would you like to improve your music-reading skills, or build a better foundation of musical literacy? Then this 3-session class is for you. Practice skills in a group setting, get your questions answered, have fun!

Join Jim Ahrend in the St. John’s Choir Room from 5:15-6:15pm on the next three Wednesdays: February 21 and 28, and March 6. All skill levels and backgrounds are welcome!

Jolly Elders

February 21

Jolly Elders meeting has been moved to the third Wednesday in February. We will be meeting on February 21 at 11 a.m. in room 245.  We will view a video that explains the history of Valentine's Day and summarizes the Christian connections to love. We would like the members to share something about their memories about this special day of love. You could bring in your favorite cards, photos, books, or trinkets related to Valentine's Day. Let's share a sweet treat like muffins, brownies, cookies or chocolate at the end of the meeting. In honor of heart month, wear red or pink. For more information contact Carol Wiggins - carolmwiggins@aol.com or 505-321-0603.

Mobile Food Pantry - Date Change

February 24

Due to the President’s Day holiday, our Mobile Food Pantry will be February 24th. Because of your faithful financial support for this mission, this month we will distribute a large roll of Bounty paper towels to each of our families, along with 50 pounds of food from Roadrunner Food Bank. Food stamps (EBT) do not cover the cost of paper products. Volunteers arrive about 9:00-9:30 a.m. and distribution begins at 9:30 - 10:00 a.m., depending on the time the Roadrunner truck arrives. We are usually finished before noon. For more information, please contact Debby Smith at 505-554-4238 or dysmith0427@gmail.com. 

Click here to see highlights from Souper Bowl 2024. 

Pancake Breakfast

March 9

You're invited to a Pancake Breakfast on Saturday, March 9, from 8 a.m. to 11 a.m., hosted at Albuquerque Christian Children's Home. Come enjoy some warm pancakes, fresh cooked bacon and sausage, and coffee fresh from the pot! Fellowship around company, tour a campus cottage, and encourage the house-parents, staff, and children of ACCH.

Adults: $5, Children 6-12: $3, and Children under 6: Free

Albuquerque Christian Children's Home 5700 Winter Haven Rd NW 505-898-552

Quintessence Sings with NM Phil

This Weekend

Quintessence: A Community of Singers (directed by Matt Greer) will join with the UNM Choirs to perform with the New Mexico Philharmonic this Saturday, February 17, at 6 p.m. at Popejoy Hall. The program includes Gustav Mahler’s monumental Symphony No. 2 (“Resurrection”) for orchestra, chorus, and soloists. St. John’s members can receive a 20% discount on advance tickets by using the code QUINTESSENCE217 at nmphil.org.

Art at St. John's

It’s Spring! And that means a wondrous variety of color and new beginnings. This is a time that we celebrate how our hearts are inspired to sing in this season of fresh changes. As we launch into spring with reflections during the time of Lent, St. John’s displays a viewing of painted art that describes “Spring Transitions” and the splash of colorful excitement it brings. 

If the spring season inspires your heart for art, let us know! Whether it be flowers, quilts or calligraphy there is more room to add to the festive celebration of art, as a community collection of sharing. 

Contact Amber Giffin at 564-201-8944, if you would like to contribute to the displaying of crafted creations for the new life season of spring time! 

Psalms 66:4 ESV, “The whole earth will worship you. It will make music to praise you. It will make music to praise your name.” 

Isaiah 43:19 KJV, ”Behold, I will do a new thing; now it shall spring forth; shall ye not know it? I will even make a way in the wilderness, and rivers in the desert.”

Hallelujah!

Passing of Bettye Brown

Bettye Brown, long-time attendee of St. John's passed away February 12. Details for a service are being planned. Please pray for Bettye's family and friends during this time of loss.

St. John's is Seeking Office Volunteers

St. John's is recruiting a once-a-month volunteer on either the third or fourth Thursday, as well as on-call volunteers. Office volunteers assist in answering phone calls and letting people into the building. They may also be asked to prepare letters to mail, enter attendance, prepare usher carts, and other office tasks. This is a great opportunity for senior high students on vacation and those who recently graduated high school, to gain communication, administrative, and technical skills. Retired people are welcome to volunteer, too!

If you are interested in volunteering at the church, please contact Joy Heaviland by phone at 505-883-9717, or by email at reception@stjohns-abq.org.

Cross Reference:

Using the Study Notes in Your Bible 

This episode of Reading Our Bible Together will focus on how to study the Bible, instead of our usual what. We’ll use the cross references and notes from the NET (New English Translation), for two reasons. First, it is readily available to anyone at www.biblegateway.com (or www.netbible.org). Whether you’re an email reader or a paper reader, you can follow the cross-references in the NET to see why we’re reading the scriptures we are. Second, the NET has thousands of footnotes, so we’ll see how one scripture leads to another that informs it or arises from it. Each day we’ll choose one of the cross references to follow the next day. The many footnotes also shed light on interesting, obscure, or difficult words in Hebrew or Greek, and we might look at one or two of these each day in the emails. Even if you don’t own a copy of the NET, this study will show you how to use the notes in your own Bible.

Pick up a study guide in the Hospitality Center, or write or call Regina Hunter at drhunter@nmia.com or 505-294-2877 to receive daily study tips by email.

Dish Dawgs Needed

Without our "dish dawgs", we would not be able to keep up with serving the amount of people we do during the Fish Fry dinners. They clean the dishes and silverware to keep the process going! We are in need of dish dawg volunteers for the late shift, 6:30 - 9 p.m. Contact Wayne Shirley at 505-238-4559.

First Responder Ticket Sales

St. John's congregation can purchase fish fry dinner tickets as a donation for the first responders (police and fire) who serve in the St. John's area. We could definitely use more donations for first responders. Tickets are $16 each and can be purchased in the Hospitality Center on Sunday. Contact Wayne at jwshirleyabq@gmail.com.

Reserve a Table

Did you know you can reserve a table at the Fish Fry Dinners if you have a group of 5 or more attending together? Contact Wayne at 505-238-4559 or the church office at 505-883-9717 to find out how.

Calling All Medical Professionals

St. John's has a lot of large group activities, such as the Fish Fry Friday dinners, during Lent. I would like to have one or two other medical folks available during each of these activities. We hope no one is needed, but it would be helpful to have folks on hand to step in if a medical situation needs to be assessed.

Please let me know if 1) you are willing to help as available, and 2) any specific dates you are available during the 6 weeks of the Fish Fry.

Thank you! Contact Linn Furnish RN St. John's Parish Nurse at 505-884-6626 and swimsew@comcast.net.

Fish Fry Cards

Did you know we have Fish Fry Dinner postcards available? Give them to a friend, neighbor, family member, or drop them off at your doctors' office, favorite business, senior center, etc., to let them know about our Fish Fry Dinners. Come by the Hospitality Center and pick up a few to inform people about our fantastic dinners!

Confirmation

Do you have a student that is interested in being confirmed in the United Methodist Church? A confirmation class will be offered, starting on Sunday, March 3, currently scheduled to take place during the 11:00 a.m. worship service. Each session will last one hour, and the entirety of the course will be eight weeks, with a break on Easter Sunday.

Confirmation is available to any student from sixth through twelfth grade that would like to take this step in their faith. If you have a student that is interested, please contact our youth director, Brett Reece, at youthdirector@stjohns-abq.org. Thank you.

Prayer Quilt Recipient

Melanie Amend is the recipient for the prayer quilt currently on display in the Hospitality Center.

If you pass through the Hospitality Center this week, please tie a knot in the quilt while praying for Melanie. Won't be in the Center this week? No worries! Either way, please pray this prayer (or your own prayer) for Melanie: "Heavenly Father, we thank you for who you are and how you walk with us in our valleys. We thank you for your compassion, and we plea for your healing for Melanie. We know if she puts her hand in yours, you will guide her, give her courage, and comfort her. Help this truth inform her heart and hope. In Jesus' name. Amen.”

February Special Offering:

Covenant with Missionaries

February is the month that we support our UMC Missionary Dr. Brenda Forbes in Nicaragua.

Dr. Forbes provides community-based dental care. which is greatly needed in her area. Many of us remember her visit to St. John's last March. We learned much about the ministry and the community she serves. Let's continue with our generous support.

Our Zuni Weekend Meal Bags

During the month of February, we are seeking single-serving donations for our ongoing Zuni Weekend Meal Bag project. We're collecting: shelf-stable white and chocolate milk; microwavable mac-and-cheese cups; microwavable ravioli cups; nut-free granola or cereal bars; cheese and crackers; and cookies. Please place your donations in the wire bins located in the Hospitality Center. If you wish to support this ministry with a monetary donation, please be sure to put "Zuni Meal Bags" on the memo line. Your donations are making a difference for the hungry students at Zuni Elementary and we thank you, from the heart, for supporting this program.

Our worship services are livestreamed so you can watch them from home. To watch a worship service live, click on the service that you would like to watch on Sunday morning at its scheduled time.

St. John's United Methodist Church

2626 Arizona Street NE | Albuquerque, New Mexico 87110

Office Hours (call only): Monday - Thursday, 9 a.m. - 4 p.m.

Friday, 9 a.m. - 12 p.m.

Pastor 24-Hour Hotline | (505) 312-3763

Pastoral care is available for after-hours emergencies. Please send any congregational care needs to Rev. Molly Shannon at care@stjohns-abq.org as we all work together to love one another well.