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In this week's Family News (Scroll to Learn More):
- CONVERGE: Where Waters Emerge and Merge Offering Renewed Power
- More about CONVERGE on April 21
- Summer Worship Series
- Music Celebration Sunday on April 28
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On the Way in April and May: Email Lee to Participate!
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Meal Train for the Blackwells: Sign Up Here
- Happy Birthday!
- Brotherhood of the Biscuit Workday
- College Student Notes for Care Packages
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Cinco De Mayo Party on May 5: Register Here
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Volunteer at the Elizabeth 8K: Sign Up to Volunteer!
- Community and State Mission Offering
- Women of the Church Retreat Save the Date
- Heritage Items on Display
- Thank you for the egg cartons and vases for RSS!
- Prayer List, Sympathy, and Celebrations
- Financial Update
- Minister On Call Schedule
- Staff Contact Info
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CONVERGE: WHERE WATERS EMERGE & MERGE OFFERING RENEWED POWER
by Dennis W. Foust, Senior Minister
The photo accompanying this article was taken less than an hour from my birthplace of Poplar Bluff, Missouri in the southeastern corner of that state. This is Big Spring; one of the largest underground natural springs in the world. It is part of the National Park Service. Big Spring is enormous and powerful producing about 286 million gallons of water each day; enough to cover 878 acres. No exploration has ever successfully identified the underground source of the water. The force of the water always pushes explorers back to the surface.
On Sunday, April 21, we will CONVERGE in Broach Hall prior to worship. Over recent weeks, we have responded to questions expressing visions, concerns, perspectives, ideas, etc. regarding various ministries of the church. These responses will flow into our conversations on April 21. From those discussions, additional power will be produced for future ministry efforts.
Over the years, I have enjoyed learning how Big Spring is the point of origin of the Current River which gains strength and power along the way as it flows into the Black River which is a tributary of the White River that eventually flows into the Mississippi River feeding the Gulf of Mexico and merging with the waters of the world. Someday, we may learn the waters of the oceans filter through the crust of Earth’s surface to emerge again with renewed energies from underground springs.
I look forward to CONVERGING with you on April 21. Please join me in praying that we will discern God’s leadership as we flow into the future and gain strength along the way. During the next three years, we will transition into new experiences as a church. We need to embrace changes that accompany God’s power of creative energy.. In the next few months, all of this fresh water will reveal the priorities God is leading us to explore.
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CONVERGE Is Almost Here!
Sunday, April 21
The big day is almost here! On Sunday, April 21 we will gather at 9:00am (breakfast begins at 8:45!) for a church-wide conversation at Converge. We hope you can be with us to celebrate all that St. John's is (and will be!) and help shape a vision for the next several years.This is one of the ways we practice local church autonomy.
Here are some quick mechanics about the day:
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Delicious breakfast (scrambled eggs, sausage and hash brown casserole, fresh fruit compote) will be served from 8:45-9:15am. Bring the whole family, children welcome! There is no cost, but donations will be accepted.
- Children (ages birth-5th grade) will attend their regular nursery / Sunday School classes on April 21
- Youth and adult Sunday School classes will not meet. Instead, all will be present in Broach Hall for the Convege Event followed by Worship (also in Broach Hall).
During this action-packed 90 minutes, you'll have a chance to review the data from the recent congregation-wide surveys related to each Pillar of our Church Covenant and respond to some "let's go deeper" questions about each Pillar generated from the survey data. It will also be a great opportunity for intergenerational discussion and dialogue and a true display of congregational leadership!
See you there!
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The Kind of Church Our World Needs
A Summer of Worship with St. John’s Baptist Church of Charlotte
June, July & August of 2024
Weavers take diverse yarns, threads or pieces of straw to create strong and useful fabrics, baskets, and other products. In like manner, the early Christian movement took the spiritual teachings and lifestyle practices of Jesus to weave communities of love. They received the love of God and blended their love for humanity to weave strong and useful local churches.
Today’s world needs this kind of church. Let us be weavers of the kind of church that is following the pattern of Jesus’ commandment to love God and love one another. Our summer worship will consider various ways we can be this kind of church. Our equipping ministers will offer messages to explore practical applications of Jesus’ example of love.
See this summer's preaching schedule below.
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June 9 – A Church of Heartfelt Devotion, by Dr. Dennis Foust
June 16 – A Church that Forgives What Cannot Be Forgotten, by Dr. Dennis Foust
June 23 – A Church of the Vulnerable, by Rev. Kheresa Harmon
June 30 – A Church that Loves in Truth, by Rev. Lee Gray
July 7 – A Church that Models Interdependence, by Dr. Dennis Foust
July 14 – A Church Where Failure is Accepted, by Dr. Dennis Foust
July 21 – A Church that Lifts Up People, by Rev. Lee Gray
July 28 – A Church that Weaves New Clothes, by Dr. Dennis Foust
August 4 – A Church that Embraces Differences, by Dr. Steve Harmon
August 11 – A Church that Really Notices People, by Rev. Lee Gray
August 18 – A Church that Moves the World Forward, by Dr. Dennis Foust
August 25 – A Church that Shapes a People for God, by Dr. Dennis Foust
September 1 – A Church of Beautiful Grace in Action, by Rev. Haley Blackwell
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Music Celebration Sunday
April 28
April 28 is Music Celebration Sunday! Come hear the choir sing lots of music, along with instrumental and solo vocal selections, as well as an appearance by our Children’s Choir. This will be a celebration of our Music Ministry for this year.
We hope you will celebrate with us!
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On the Way for April & May
Two Upcoming Outings for St. John’s Retired Adults and Friends
Please Email Lee Gray at LGray@sjcharlotte.org to sign up to participate in either or both of these outings.
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On Friday, April 26 we will go to lunch at Gary’s Bar-B-Cue in China Grove, NC. We have a bus that will hold 15 people. After lunch we will take a detour through downtown Kannapolis to drive by and see the North Carolina Research Campus, The Kannapolis Cannon Ballers Stadium, and the Train Depot. We will meet at the church at 10:15 am to leave by 10:30am sharp. We will return to the church between 3:00 & 3:15pm that day. On this day, you just need to bring your own lunch and ice cream money. The sooner you sign up the better, as it can allow for finding an additional driver if we have more than 15 people who would like to go with us from the church
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On Thursday, May 16 we will go to the Flat Rock Playhouse to see “Jersey Boys,” the story of Frankie Valli and the 4 Seasons for the 2:00pm show. We have a 15 passenger Bus and 15 tickets reserved. We can likely add an additional driver and tickets if we know soon enough. Please meet at the church at 9:00am so that we can leave by 9:15am. This will allow us eat lunch and have a little time in downtown Hendersonville before the play. We will return to Charlotte around 5:30pm that evening. Please bring your lunch money and a check for $70 made out to St. John’s to cover the cost of your ticket and bus rental.
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Provide a Meal or Gift Card for the Blackwells
Welcoming Baby Soon!
St. John’s church family, please see this link below to access the Meal Train set up to support the Blackwell family. Haley is being induced on April 14 and they will appreciate your loving care with meals, gift cards and prayers as they care for their new baby and themselves.
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Common Table: You're invited to experience St. John's new outreach ministry on April 18
Members of St. John's are invited to celebrate the launch of Common Table, a new, ecumenical ministry launching this month, in partnership with St. Stephen United Methodist Church and St. Luke Missionary Baptist Church. This new ministry is designed to reach a wide variety of people, including folks who have little experience with the church or have experienced past church trauma, through free monthly dinner events, conversation, and community.
Common Table is an open community of believers and seekers, invited to gather around a common table, share a meal, and engage in deep and meaningful conversation about things that matter, especially spiritual things. Out of these experiences, an intentional community is born, providing space for healing, exploring our faith journeys, and strengthening our relationships with each other and with God, as we determine how best we can live our lives as followers of Jesus.
Members of St. John's are invited to experience a soft launch event on April 18, 6:30-8:30pm at VBGB at the Music Factory in Uptown. You can RSVP now for free.
The first public event for non-members/general public will be held on April 21, 6pm. Visit https://commontableclt.com to learn more, spread the word to those who you think might benefit from this new ministry, and encourage them to register for the April 21 event.
For questions, email Matt Comer at his work email address: mcomer@ststephenumc.net.
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Happy Birthday!
Alex Norris will celebrate a birthday on April 17. Addison Norris will celebrate a birthday on April 28.
They are the children of Stacey and Russell Norris.
Please wish them a happy birthday when you see them next!
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Brotherhood of the Biscuit Workday
Saturday, April 20, 8:30 – 11:30am
We will meet at 8:30am in the lounge for breakfast and Jeff LeVie will be our biscuit master. Work projects will start at 9:00 am and finish by 11:30 am. We will pressure wash our plastic gray chairs, dry them, and then set them up in Broach Hall for Converge the next day. We will also remove a piano on the 3rd Floor and put it into Jeff LeVie’s truck to be disposed; and we will remove weeds and sticks from the 1st Floor Courtyard. Please email Lee Gray at LGray@sjcharlotte.org if you can join us.
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Notes to Our College Students
You are invited to sign our cards for our College Students. A Card for each student will be on a table in the Main Entrance Foyer on Sunday, April 14 and in Broach Hall before and after Converge on Sunday, April 21. Please stop by this table to sign and write a brief note to some of our college students. These notes will be put in the College Care Packages our youth will put together for our college students on April 21 after Converge.
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It’s Nacho Ordinary Party!
Let’s celebrate Cinco de Mayo at Independence Park immediately following worship on May 5th! Sabor Latin Street Grill will cater the taco bar. You bring your favorite festive dessert and an appetite for food and fun!
The cost is only $10 per person. Sign up by May 1.
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Volunteer at the Elizabeth 8K
The Elizabeth 8K is just around the corner on April 27, and we're excited for another fantastic event! There is already a record number of registrants, but to make this day truly a success, we're seeking enthusiastic volunteers from our community to help out. If you're interested in joining as a volunteer, please sign up on the volunteer page of their website. We truly appreciate your support in making this year's Elizabeth 8K a memorable event for everyone involved.
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2024 Community and State Mission Offering
This year, our Mission Resource Team has chosen to invest the first $5,000 given toward our Community & State Mission Offering in the important community effort being initiated in rural North Carolina. Conetoe is a rural community with a population of 294 in Edgecombe County. CBF is investing in transforming this impoverished community through the servant leadership of Anna and LaCount Anderson.
They began working with an agricultural nonprofit organization as part of the Conetoe Family Life Center. They work in the 27-acre garden, oversee literacy workshops for children, offer piano lessons, provide after-school care and tutoring, and volunteer with senior citizen food distribution as a part of the Food Bank of Central and Eastern North Carolina. They spend a great deal of time with the people of this community as they address needs. Conversations lead to problem-solving and can lead to policy changes.
The Andersons will be with us in worship on Sunday, May 5, to help us better understand how our financial gifts will help transform one rural community. Please make plans to be present and participate in our Community & State Mission Offering.
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Mark your calendars now for the Women of the Church Fall Retreat!
God's Tapestry: Woven Together in Power and Purpose
We have good news to share with the women of SJBC!
Please save the dates November 1-3 for our annual Women of the Church retreat. We are very glad to tell you that we will be returning to our beautiful mountain spot, the Blowing Rock Conference Center, for a weekend of food, fellowship, laughter, study, and a concentration on growing together spiritually.
Especially delightful is the news that Sabrina Gilchrist will be our facilitator for the weekend. Using the theme “God’s Tapestry: Woven Together in Power and Purpose," she will lead us in a study of Mary and Elizabeth, and guide us in learning how we, as a community of women, can affirm each other’s gifts. You may know Sabrina Gilchrist through her leadership in the program Right Moves for Youth, or you may remember her speaking in our pulpit, or you may have been to one of her other speaking engagements. What is most important to know about Sabrina is that she is a woman with a heart for God, a love for people, and a desire to see others live in wholeness. It will be a blessing to spend the days of November 1-3 with her and the women of our church.
Mark your calendar, and be ready for more details as the time draws nearer.
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Special Items on Display from the Heritage Room
We are thankful to Chris Lavender for framing Dr. Broach’s request for the clasped hands window also known as the Friendship Window (for the 1952 chapel building) and photo of the “Friendship Window” as a directional sign located at the stairwell outside the chapel to the window on the 3rd floor. This window is at the top of the stairwell facing 5th Street.
Thank you also to the family of Gene and Carol Poole for the display cabinet outside the Pastor's study that will feature items from the Heritage Room memorabilia.
We gratefully acknowledge the beautiful installation of two stained glass transom windows in the hallways outside the sanctuary by Rick Walker. We gratefully acknowledge the hanging of the three framed items (congregational photograph and two attendance signature boards) by Chris Mullis. Thank you to Maggie Bond and Linda Crowder for taking the photos and arranging that everyone sign their name on Heritage Sunday. These items are for our St. John’s Family to enjoy!
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Well Done!
Many thanks for your response to the collection of egg cartons and vases! We have delivered over 75 vases (some really unique) and 125 egg cartons for use in programs sponsored by one. of our mission partners, Refugee Support Services. The egg cartons are used to distribute eggs at their weekly food distribution and the vases are used in the Knit Together Group, in which clients make flowers and other crafts for sale. The RSS staff appreciates the ongoing support provided by SJBC as they serve refugees making a new home in Charlotte.
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Prayers, Thanks, and Celebrations
Current Prayer Concerns: Shirley Ballard, Tom Bryson, Arnold Philemon, Gail Sifford
Continuing Prayer Concerns: Kelly Belcher, Mary Rickenbaker, Jack Crymes, Jean Hutson, Betty Mullins, Jane Winn
We pray for Haley and her husband Austin as she will be induced on Sunday, April 14 and welcome baby soon after!
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Staff On-Call Rotation
- April 8-14: Russell
- April 15-21: Dennis
- April 22-28: Kheresa
- April 29-May 5: Lee
- May 6-12: Russell
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Financial Update
2024 Full Year Budget $1,211,000
Income received through March 31: $248,853
Through February 2024
Budgeted income: $201,833
Actual income received: $152,322
Income over (under) budget: $(49,511)
Actual expenses paid: $165,108
Income/Expense Surplus (deficit): $(12,786)
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Staff Contact Information
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Rev. Haley Blackwell, Minister for Youth & Young Adults - 704-333,5428, ext. 2013; 620-515-3558 (cell) (ON FAMILY LEAVE)
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Rev. Dennis Foust, PhD, Senior Minister - 704-359-7234 (cell); 704-333-5428, ext. 2012
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Rev. Lee Gray, Minister for Congregational Care - 704-333-5428, ext. 2015; 704-451-1309 (cell)
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Rev. Kheresa Harmon, Minister for Children & their Families - 704-333-5428, ext. 2018; 910-890-3392 (cell)
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Russell Nelson, Minister for Worship & Music - (980) 228-6244 (cell)
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Mallory Brown, Media Coordinator - 704-477-3349 (cell)
- Chloe Hall, Children's Choir Director
- Noel Lance, Organist
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Amanda Morrison, Church Administrator - 704-333-5428, ext. 0
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Lydia Olmsted, Weekday School Director - 704-333-5428, ext. 2039
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