St. John's United Methodist Church 

 Cornerstone
   Click on the links below to go directly to that section of the newsletter.
IN THIS ISSUE
Join us for worship
Calendar
Prayer List
Drive Thru Prayer
Featured Article
Mobile Giving
Red Bird Trailers
Lifetree Cafe Tuesday Night
Book Club
Book Club
Pastor's Reflection
Article Headline
Children's Ministries Help
Sunday School
Youth Group News
Confirmation
Missions
Open arms and serving hands transforming lives through Christ
   
JOIN US FOR
WORSHIP 
       
Worship Services:
8:00 and 10:30 a.m.
Traditional
  9:15 a.m.
Praise  and Worship
  
THIS SUNDAY, 
September 10, 2017
 

The New Sermon Series 
Soul Training 
continues with Pastor Janice's sermon
"Learning to Bless Those Who Curse Us"
Matthew 5:38-48

215-357-6998
 
HOURS
Monday - Friday
8:30-3:00 p.m.
 

THIS WEEK'S 
CALENDAR
 
Thursday, September 7
7:30pm
  Al-Anon

Saturday, September 9
8:00am
  UMM Breakfast

Sunday, September 10
9:15am
  Children's Sunday School

10:30am
  Adult Sunday School

10:30am
  Children & Youth Sunday School

Tuesday, September 12
10:00am
  Prayer Shawl Ministry

7:00pm
  Lifetree Cafe

7:00pm
  Naomi Circle

7:00pm
  Praise Band Rehearsal

7:30pm
  AA

Wednesday, September 13
10:00am
  Rebekah Circle

1:00pm
  Joanna Circle

4:30pm
  Drive Thru Prayer

7:00pm
  Book Club

Thursday, September 14
6:45pm
  Adult Bell Choir

7:30pm
  Al-Anon

8:00pm
  Adult Choir

 

 

PRAYER LIST

Please click to view

 

All "Ongoing Prayer Concerns" will be listed for 
2 weeks.  
Please submit a new prayer request card if you desire to renew the listing for 2 additional weeks.
Prayer Shawl Ministry
Meets the 2nd Tuesday of each month in the parlor - 10 AM

Please come help knit or crochet various items for those in need.

Contact Roberta Nelson for more information or if you 
w ould like to request a 
Prayer Shawl.
robertahsn577@verizon.net
DAILY DEVOTIONALS
Looking for a little inspiration during the week?   Try an online devotional.    


(has many devotionals to choose from)

(Devotional for Women)

(Devotional for Men) 

RONALD McDONALD HOUSE TABS COLLECTION
Naomi Circle is collecting tabs from beverage cans for Ronald McDonald House.  You will find a container under the sign hanging on the UMW bulletin board. Please place them in a plastic bag and put it in the container. This is an ongoing collection, so keep bringing them in as you collect them.  
Thank you.
Drive-Thru Prayer
St. John's Drive-Thru Prayer Ministry is held on
Wednesdays from 4:30-6pm.  
Our prayer team offers prayer to those who for various reasons don't feel that they can come to church but do realize their need for prayer.   If you would like to join us and be a part of this ministry of   St. John's, please contact  Ruth Portzline, outreachstjohns@yahoo.com.

"FIGHTING FOR WHAT'S RIGHT A CUP AT A TIME"

 
Did you know that you can be involved in mission simply by drinking a cup of coffee?  
You can support the very poor villagers of  El Naranjito in the Dominican Republic by purchasing Warrior brand coffee through   St. John's.
All proceeds from the sale of the coffee are returned to the village to support sustainable agriculture, water quality and solar initiatives.
The Grace Café serves Warrior brand coffee and a purchase order form is available in the Café.  You may direct questions or obtain more information about this project from Paul or Louise Henry.

MOBILE GIVING
Have you ever arrived at church and forgot your giving envelope? Or you would like to make a Communion Offering and you have just 18 cents in your pocketbook? 
Well, help as arrived, as 
St John's now offers mobile giving! 

Just go to the  website 
click on the donate now button, and register. Once you're registered, you can either make donations by debit or credit. It's quick and secure. The same vendor that handles electronic giving for us, Vanco Services, has state of the art encryption, so you can rest easy that your transaction is 100% safe and confidential.

If you have any questions about mobile giving, email Lou Lescas at  stjohns820@gmail.com


RED BIRD TRAILERS 
ARE OPEN  DAILY 
9:00a.m. - 5:30p.m.

Please pray for our Missionaries headed to Red Bird.

Karen Arner
Linda Barr
Chris Belser
Ed Campbell
Paul Cell
Denise Clark
Vivian DiCristofaro
Jim MacMain
Pat Mayrhofer
Dick Paulus
Laura Paulus
Jane Purdy
Barbara Schink
LIFETREE CAFE

Lifetree Café  is an outreach ministry of St. John's where people gather to hear inspiring stories and engage in conversation on a different topic every week.
Lifetree offers a wonderful opportunity to form relationships and engage in faith conversations with those who do not sit in the pews with us.  

Please promote Lifetree Caf é to your friends and family who are not connected to a faith community!  It is a great place to explore life, meet new friends, and experience God in an informal community setting.  If you haven't had a chance to experience a Lifetree Caf é session, please come join us so you can spead the word!"

Every Tuesday
7 PM
@ Richboro Pub

September 12th Topic:
"A Safe Place -  Confronting Child Abuse in Your Corner of the World"

 



Join the Conversation 
& Bring a Friend!!!

Be sure to Like and Share our Lifetree Caf é posts on Facebook  with your friends!
BOOK CLUB

St. John's Book Club
Wednesday, 
September 13, 
7:00 PM in the Parlor.

"The Girl Who Wrote in Silk"
By: Kelli Estes
BIBLE STUDY
The Prodigal Son
Beginning Monday, October 9 
6:45 PM in the Parlor
Leaders:  
Barb Schneider and Carol Campbell

Two thousand years ago, Jesus told a simple story about a father and his two sons.  This tale stands out because it is a story about each of us and our struggle with sin.  Whether we identify with the rebellion of the younger son or the self-righteousness of the older brother, we all are in need of our Father's grace, mercy, and forgiveness.

Cost of participant guide is $9.00
Sign up on Bulletin Board outside 
Grace Cafe.
UMC LINKS umc logo
 
  
  
PASTOR'S REFLECTION
            I started monitoring the path of Hurricane Irma early last week.  My daughter & son-in-law, you see, had booked a 5-night cruise out of Fort Lauderdale on Labor Day, and one day last week she called and said, "MOM!!  I just KNEW it!  There's a hurricane brewing in the Atlantic!"  Well, of course, I thought nothing of it and jokingly replied, "Well that's what you get for booking a cruise at the height of hurricane season hahaha!"  But I can have a tendency to get somewhat obsessed, and so I started obsessing over what in the world that potential hurricane was up to.  I started checking and re-checking, and sure enough, by the weekend it started to look like it might be a problem.  But, nonetheless, off they went on a 6 a.m. flight Monday morning, and the cruise left port at 4 p.m. that afternoon.
            The photos she's sent so far are beautiful.  The ship looks lovely.  They report that the food is good and the weather is gorgeous.  But I haven't been able to stop worrying about Irma and checking her path mucho times per day.  And praying.
Finally, here it is Wednesday evening and praise God - the captain just announced that they are not going back to port on Saturday morning as scheduled.  Instead, they are going to Cozumel on Friday.  And they aren't sure when they'll return.  And although Allison is worried about missing her flight on Monday, not making it back for work on Tuesday, and a host of other inconveniences and problems, the good news is that they now get several extra days on a cruise for free, so I'm not going to cry for them too much.
            But somehow, over the course of yesterday and today, I stopped obsessing so much over their cruise and their flight home and all those other inconveniences - that will all work itself out in the end, and in the whole scheme of things, it's all nothing but "fluff."  I started instead to focus on something much more important and disturbing - the potential devastation and losses that will inevitably result in heartache and hardship for so many people.  Today we saw the fury of that storm as it passed by the Leeward Islands and now Puerto Rico. Tomorrow it will hit the Dominican Republic and Haiti.  Then it's on the Cuba and Florida.   At this point and throughout the next few days, the most powerful resource we have available to us is prayer.  We don't have to just sit back powerless and watch the forces of nature wreak havoc on people's lives.  So let's all pray unceasingly, and let's lift up those who are in the path of that storm.  Let's pray for their safety and protection, and let's pray for God to send the help they need as they recover. 
                                                                                   
                                           Pastor Janice


R.I.S.E. Sunday - October 1, 2017:
a morning of worship and hands-on mission projects; having local and global impact. It is for people of all ages and skill levels.
  • 9 am:  Worship in the Sanctuary
  • 10:15 - Noon:  Two Mission Project Sessions
  • Noon:  Closing prayer and Benediction in Fellowship Hall
 
Mission Projects available are:
    *   Rise Against Hunger:  Goal:  Assemble 10,152 meals which will feed 28 children living in third world countries for 1 year. *
    *  Necessities Kits:  Goal: Assemble 90 kits for homeless young adults in Bucks County.  *
    *   Pillow Case Dresses:  Goal: Make 40 dresses for girls in Africa. *
    *   Sleeping Bags:  Goal: Make 6 sleeping bags for distribution to local homeless persons. *
    *   Children's Project: Card Making to go with our projects: This is for children too young to participate safely in other projects but too old for the Nursery.
    *   Nursery: for children 3 and younger.

(* Children under 13 must be accompanied by an adult for this project)
 
Registration: September 3-24.  Sign up early for the projects of your choice.  Last-minute signups will be assigned to areas of most need.
 

Or register on Sunday mornings after worship in the Narthex.


FINANCIAL AND MATERIAL SUPPORT IS NEEDED
Financial support for Rise Against Hunger: Donations of any amount are appreciated.  Here are some suggestions.  You could choose to feed 1 child for a year ($108), 6 months ($54) or 1 month ($9).  Use the pink envelopes in the pew racks and designate "R.I.S.E." on the envelope.

SIGN UP TO DONATE MISSION 
PROJECT SUPPLIES 
You will find more specifics about types and quantities needed on the donation sign up sheet.  
Here's the type of items we need:

fabric
trash bags
sheets pillow cases
old neckties
laundry pods
crochet cotton thread
old blankets
sandwich bags tube socks
1/4 inch elastic 1/2 inch bias tape
3-inch doll needles rain ponchos
Band Aids Neosporin
McDonald gift cards

Donated materials needed by 9/24

Loaned items include sewing machines, 
good sewing scissors.

CHILDREN'S MINISTRIES

 

SUNDAY SCHOOL REGISTRATION
It's time to register all Children and Youth for Sunday School and Nursery.  Each year we need to have updated information (especially about allergies, etc.) and sign out permission, so we can provide a safe environment for your children.
 
Previously Registered Families:  If you have registered in the past, you can register with the short form online  HERE.
 
First Time Registrations:  Two Registration Options
You can register online  HERE .  You will need to complete a form for each child you are registering.
 
You can download and print the registration  HERE.  
Use one  form for all children and youth in the same family. When completed, return by mail or place in the Registration box in the Education Wing. 
 
_______________________________________

Children's Sunday School
Children's Sunday School is held weekly at the 9:15 and 10:30 services f or children 4 years old through 6th Grade. A parent must accompany children who are attending for the first time. 

Youth Sunday School
Sunday school takes place every Sunday at the 10:30 service.  Youth who have completed 6th grade through 12th grade go directly to the Youth Room in the Education Wing.  Youth are encouraged to worship together at the 9:15 service. 

Nursery
Available at both  
9:15 and 10:30. 
We welcome all children birth through 4 years old.  The nursery is equipped with a calling system and will alert you in worship if your child needs you.  
                   
There is a need for a Sunday School Teacher at the  10:30 service for the PreK - 1st grade room. 
Safe Sanctuary clearances will be required.  
Please see Alison Beal in the Narthex or email at abeal4@aol.com,  if you can help. 
Many thanks to everyone who has already 
volunteered  to help out this year!
YOUTH GROUP

  
Sunday nights from 7:00-8:30 PM

YOUTH GROUP IS BEGINNING SEPTEMBER 17

Sunday, September 10,  6 PM 
We'll be cooking up some hot dogs and hamburgers for the start of the youth getting back in touch with each other.  Parents and siblings are welcome!!!
Great way to find out who we are and what we're all about.  Great way to meet and greet anyone new to us such as our 7th graders.  Keep an eye in your email for everything you need to know....

Morrisville Food Bank Monday
September 11 - Contact David Bigam
Do Not Miss This Opportunity! 
Come and experience great Fellowship! 
Morrisville is open to anyone interested in going to help make 220 grocery bags full of food. 
Families are always welcome! 
Following this event we always head to Chick-fil-a for Milkshakes!!!!
 
____________________________________________

And as always
Bring a Friend and Bring a Can!
(All food collected goes to Jesus Focus Food Pantry)

Have you HELPED anyone today?
Have you SAID SOMETHING NICE to anyone today?

St. John's ASP Crew
Annual Stockholders Luncheon
Sunday October 8 at 12:00 PM
 
If you have purchased stock for ASP 2017, 
your dividends are here!
If you did not purchase our ASP Stock you can still join us for $5.00 per person  
and hear from our youth what made this year another AMAZING time in Appalachia.

RSVP's are required in order for us to have enough food for all...

RSVP by: October 1, 2017
3 ways to RSVP:
1) Sign up in Narthex
2) Text number of people attending to 215-206-6779
3) Or simply call me, David Bigam at:
Church - 215-357-6998
Cell - 215-206-6779

CONFIRMATION

Confirmation is open to all students Grade 7 and above.
 
REQUIREMENTS FOR CONFIRMATION
  • Attend Confirmation Classes on Sundays at 10:30 Oct. 1, 2017 through March 18, 2018.
  • Attend the 9:15 AM Worship Service
  • Attend Sunday Night Youth Group each week
  • Attend Both Confirmation Retreats.  The first retreat will be Sept. 29-30.
  • Second retreat is scheduled for March 16-18, 2018 at Camp Innabah. More information will be available at a later date.
There will be a brief orientation meeting for parents and students on Sunday September 17 following 10:30 service. 

Confirmation Rehearsal Dinner 
Friday, April 6, 2018

Confirmation 
Sunday, April 8, 2018 
10:30 AM Worship Service.
 
Sign-up sheet located outside the sanctuary or Complete Online:
 
Feel free to speak to David Bigam if you have any additional questions or concerns.

MUSIC MINISTRY

Music at St. John's
  Music is an integral part of the Worship experience at 
St. John's United Methodist Church.  Our Choirs and Worship Team provide exceptional music that enhances the Worship Services each week.  There is an opportunity for EVERYONE in our congregation to participate in the Music Ministry.  We encourage you to become part of one of our Choirs.

Joyful Voices Choir
Children grades K - 5 (6)
Meets on Sunday mornings 11:30 - 12:15
 
Holy Handbells Choir
Children grades 3 - 5 (6)
(2nd graders considered for membership)
Meets Thursday afternoon  5:45 - 6:30
 
Youth Choir
Youth grades 6 - 12
Meets on Sunday evenings  6:00 - 7:00 before Youth Group
 
Grace Notes Handbell Choir
Youth grades 6 - 12
Meets Tuesday afternoon  5:45 - 6:45
 
­Praise Band
Youth and Adult Vocalists and Instrumentalists Welcome
Tuesday Evenings  7:00
 
Adult Choir
Post High School & Adult
Thursday Evenings   8:00 - 9:30
No Audition required - Singing Experience preferred
 
Celebration Ringers Handbell Choir
For Post High School and Adults who would like to
Ring Handbells.  No audition is needed. There is always room for more ringers in this Handbell Choir.  Contact the music director for information.  This Choir meets on average once a month  and plays several times a year.
 
Ring of Faith Handbell Choir (Adult)
At this time, there are no openings for members of this choir.
If you would like to be considered for a substitute ringer, please contact the  Music Director.
 
Director of Music Ministries - Roy Nelson  215-355-7596
Accompanist / Assistant Director of M.M. - Alissa Nelson
Organist / Accompanist - Brian Barber

  Choir rehearsals for Vocal and Handbell Choirs will begin on the following dates:
 
Joyful Voices (children) 
Sunday September 17  - 11:30 - 12:15pm

Holy Handbells (children) 
Thursdays 5:45 - TBD
 
Youth Choir 
Sunday September 17  6:00 - 7:00pm

Grace Notes Handbells 
Tuesday September 19  -  5:45 - 6:45pm
 
Adult Choir 
Thursday September 14  8:00 - 9:30pm

Ring of Faith Handbells 
Thursday September 21 6:45 - 7:45pm
 
Celebration Ringers 
Monday October 2  - 7:00 - 8:00pm