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
Sunday School
Mobile Giving
Daily Devotionals
Snow Policy
Pastor's Reflection
Ash Wednesday Service
Youth Group
Pancake and Sausage Supper
Lenten Studies
Souper Bowl Sundays
UMM Breakfast
Trailers Closed for Winter
Red Bird Trip
Family Promise
Featured Article
Warrior Coffee
Table Talk
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, 
February 11, 2018

Ruth Portzline, CLM,
will be preaching.
"In the Middle"
scripture: Mark 6:45-51

215-357-6998
 
HOURS
Monday - Friday
8:30-3:00 p.m.
 
THIS WEEK'S 
CALENDAR

Thursday, February 8
6:45pm
  Adult Bell Choir

7:30pm
  Al-Anon

8:00pm
  Adult Choir

Sunday, February 11
9:15am
  Children's Sunday School

10:30am
  Wired Word

10:30am
  Children & Youth Sunday School

10:30am
  Confirmation Class

11:30am
  Joyful Voices

11:30am
UMW Team Meeting

6:00pm
  Youth Choir

7:00pm
  Youth Group

Monday, February 12
6:45pm
  Celebration Ringers

6:45pm
  Lenten Bible Study

Tuesday, February 13
10:00am
  Prayer Shawl Ministry

5:30pm
  Pancake & Sausage Supper - Fat Tuesday

5:45pm
  GENesis Bells

7:00pm
  Naomi Circle

7:00pm
  Table Talk

7:30pm
  AA

Wednesday, February 14
  Ash Wednesday Service

10:00am
  Rebekah Circle

1:00pm
  Joanna Circle

7:00pm
  Ash Wednesday Service

Thursday, February 15
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.

 
Please go to the Children's Ministry Page for forms.

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.  

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
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


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.
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) 
St. John's Snow Policy
In case of a major snowstorm or other severe weather that would require cancellation of one or more Sunday services, we will attempt to notify everyone by:
-  A special e-news sent out
-  A message on the church answering machine and website. 

If possible, a decision regarding cancellation will be made the night before.  Please also be aware that, in the event of a power outage, it is impossible to utilize internet or phone services. 
UMC LINKS umc logo
 
  
  
PASTOR'S REFLECTION
There is a lesson I wish I would learn, and it has to do with not getting bogged down in details. Even though I should have learned this lesson long ago, I still tend to erroneously believe that if I can just plan ahead, get everything organized, and, of course, think of every possible "kink" that might happen (and have a Plan B & a Plan C, just in case), that life will go smoothly and predictably.
            I started stressing at least a week ago about this week's scheduled foot surgery. I wanted to know what TIME I would have to be at the hospital so I could get all my ducks in a row. Of course, when I asked, I was told matter-of-factly, "We'll call you the day before with a time to be at the hospital."
            The complicating factor is that the surgery is at Pennsylvania Hospital in Center City. I decided it would be a problem to ask someone to drive me down there if it involves the morning rush hour. So I was considering that perhaps I should take the train, stay overnight at a hotel and figure out how to use Uber in the morning.
            Well, the surgery coordinator apparently took pity on me and called me a day early to tell me to be at the hospital at 10 am. Hmmmm ... still the late end of the rush hour commute.
            Then I heard about the sleet and snow on Wednesday morning. Okay, well that does it. Nobody will want to drive in that. So Tuesday morning, I made a hotel reservation and paid the non-refundable fee. A little pricey, but I figured it would keep me from expecting anyone to drive on messy roads. Within a couple of minutes, the wonderful person who had planned to bring me to the hospital made it clear that it was NOT a problem, and I should cancel the reservation. (P.S. Big shout out to Loews for cancelling without penalty!)
            Then I started stressing about my post-op appointment on Thursday morning at 11:30 am. Yes, I know the parade shouldn't be anywhere NEAR 8th & Spruce, but all that traffic and all those closed streets sounds pretty overwhelming.
            Anyway, I'll be glad to get foot #2 over with this week, and I suppose it'll be a little weird walking around in TWO surgical shoes for a few weeks, but life will go on and this too shall pass. So thanks for your prayers!
            As far as my struggle with getting bogged down in details, I really wish I hadn't wasted several hours looking up weather forecasts, sifting through available hotel rooms, figuring out what the parade route, looking up train schedules, downloading the Uber app and studying how it all works, and stressing, stressing & stressing some more. But the good news is that God knows my weaknesses and loves me anyway (big shout out to God, too!).
                                                                                     
Pastor Janice


ASH WEDNESDAY SERVICE
FEBRUARY 14, 2018
7:00 PM  (Note Time Change)

YOUTH GROUP

  
Sunday nights
7:00-8:30 PM
Hmmm.  What are we doing at Youth Gr oup?
 
YOUTH GROUP THIS WEEK?
 YES!!!
 

Morrisville Food Bank Monday
March 12 - 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!!!!
  __________________________________________________

Coming in February 
The 2018 St. John's Youth Winter Olympics
Dollar Store Broom Hockey - Bobsled Races - Curling
___________________________________________________

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?

Pancake and Sausage Supper 
Coffee, Juice and Beignet's
(Both regular and Sugar Free syrup will be provided, or bring your own topping!)

FAT TUESDAY (Shrove Tuesday)
Tuesday, February 13, 2018
5:30-7:30 PM
Get your tickets NOW
$8.00 per Adult
$5.00 per Child ages 5-12
Children under 5 eat Free! (When accompanied by adult)

Music Presented by: The Jazz Sanctuary

For questions please contact David Bigam at 215-357-6998 or dbigam@gmail.com
Colleen Brownell, rcbrownell@comcast.net 
Kim Smith, smithk22@verizon.net 
Jim Baldridge, jimnteresa03@msn.com
 
CHILDREN'S MINISTRY

            St. John's Kids
                Club 56 

Operation Aid-For-Friends and Breakfast Bags

Sunday, March 11 from 4:00-6:00PM

Club 56 is on a roll in the new year with
 more community service!
We will be preparing around 20 hot meals and 30 Breakfast bags for Aid for Friends. 
This means YES, 5th and 6th graders
 you will get to do some cooking!!!
There will be music and happy dances...
So please sign up now if you want to see Mrs. G and Mrs. Z do their happy dance!  Snacks will be provided!!
SIGN UPS NO LATER THAN MARCH 4, 2018

Sign up sheet will be on the table in the Education Wing hallway.  For more info contact Mrs. Gutsch hgutsch@gmail.com
St. John's Kids Club 56
Aid For Friends and Breakfast Bags

The kids from Club 56 are asking you for help. 
They will be preparing 20 "hot" meals and 30 "Breakfast" bags for Aid For Friends.  We are looking for food donations so that we can make these meals happen.  Please see our kids in the narthex to sign up for an item that you may bring in for our project.  We will give you a ticket for that item and ask that you return no later than Friday, March 9.
 Thank you!

St. John's Kids
Club 56  

LENTEN STUDIES
 
Two opportunities to grow in faith this Lent!  

To sign up and receive your book, please fill out the 
Online Sign-up  (here or on the website under Adult Ministries, Small Groups) or tear-off in Sunday's bulletin and return, with payment, to Lara Bolte's mailbox. (next to the church office)

The Seven-Mile Miracle: Experience the Last Words of Christ As Never Before
Book - $8 
Mondays, February 12 - March 26
6:45 PM 
Parlor
Leaders:  Barbara Schneider and Carol Campbell

Experience the power and meaning of the last words of Christ on location in the Holy Land in this seven-week video-based study.  Steven Furtick unpacks the drama, power, and deeper meaning of Jesus's final hours before his Crucifixion.

__________________________________________________

The Circle-Maker:  Praying Circles Around Your Biggest Dreams and Greatest Fears
Tuesdays, February 20 - March 13
10:00 AM Parlor
Leader:  Pastor Janice

This four-session video-based study with Mark Batterson will help participants gain a deeper understanding of prayer and, in turn, make a more consistent practice of prayer.  The study will revolutionize the personal prayer life of each participant and help each group form a prayer circle around each other's challenges, opportunities, and dreams. 


UMW/UMM
Thank you for supporting the
UMW Souper Bowl
food drive. 
We delivered three large shopping carts full of canned goods and processed food to the Warminster food pantry.  

Attention all St. John's Men Over the age of 18
The United Methodist Men of St. John's would like  
to invite you and one other person,  
father, mother, sister, brother, friend, anyone...  
to the U.M.M. Breakfast on February 17th, 8 AM  
in Fellowship Hall.   
Guest Speaker will be our own Kristen Smedley
Topic: "Eye Believe in Miracles"
 
Please reply to Ed Campbell by phone 215-364-0942,  
email edcampbell6@aol.com or sign up sheet in the church narthex.  Please note if there will be one or two people, including yourself. Looking forward to seeing you.  
MISSIONS

RED BIRD TRAILERS 
ARE CLOSED FOR THE WINTER  
4th Annual Red Bird Mission Trip  
September 15th - September 22nd
Anyone interested please call 
Ed Campbell 215-364-0942 or 
Linda Barr 215-773-9865
Family Promise
What is it?
Family Promise is an international organization, with local chapters that organizes local religious organizations to help temporarily feed and house homeless families.   St. John's is a host congregation, meaning we take families for selected weeks, they come to us about 6pm and leave around 6am. We feed them and they sleep in family groups in our Sunday School classrooms. They go back to the day center and continue living their lives and trying to get out of homelessness. Last spring, the local Lower Bucks chapter had to shut down for a couple of reasons, the main one being a projected shortfall of funds. They have reorganized the Board of Directors and are in the process of fund raising. Once they have the funds they will begin the process of getting ready to take in homeless families and getting them back on their feet.


If you have any questions about this ministry please contact Sharon Byle smbyle@gmail.com or 610-888-1329.  

 
OUTREACH

St. John's Caring Ministries Team will meet on
Tuesday, February 27 
at 7 pm in the Church Parlor.
If you are interested in becoming a part of this important
ministry of St. John's, please join us for this meeting.

The Grace Cafe is open  after worship for  f ellowship and refreshments. 

Warrior Coffee is served exclusively in the Grace Cafe.
Join the Conversation and 
Bring a Friend!