Vol. 78 Issue 51 Week of December 28, 2020-January 3, 2021 |
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A PASTORAL EPISTLE TO THE PEOPLE OF ST. JOHN’S
From: Dennis Foust, Senior Minister
To: The Saints Scattered throughout Metro Charlotte
Who Gather at 300 Hawthorne Lane
December 31, 2020
AS WE BEGIN A NEW YEAR TOGETHER
Well, as we turn our calendars to put 2020 in our rearview mirror, we can look through the windshield into 2021. The calendar tells us this will be our 99th year as a local church and our 11th year of mutual ministry as people and pastor. After this pandemic year, I offer to you a brief review and offer a few requests as we begin a New Year.
2020: First, thank you!!! I am extremely grateful for your consistent fidelity throughout 2020. Every person in a role of church leadership has served and is serving with diligence by sharing insight, knowledge, experience, vision, and resources to keep the church moving forward. Members have acted on behalf of our church’s health and vitality. I am so grateful to God for the blessing of serving you as your Senior Minister and serving alongside this fine church staff. I look forward to the day when we can gather again in 2021.
Although we cannot name everything we learned and confirmed last year, let me name a few. We learned that we enjoy being together because separation from one another was – and is – one of the most unlikeable features of this pandemic. We learned how to use Zoom for meetings and how to use video technology in better ways (and are exploring how we can harness these new skills to expand future ministries). We also learned how to use ‘drive-throughs’ in our parking lot to celebrate graduates & deacons and pick-up literature & Christmas Eve worship kits.
We confirmed that we love one another, we are resolute in our service of our community and world, we are faithful stewards, we are committed to be a covenant people, and we are open to change. Our love for one another was evidenced in many ways including how we grieved the loss of members who passed on ahead of us into the land of God’s rest and then grieved that we could not celebrate their lives according to our traditions. We expressed compassion for one another in the midst of heartache, burden, and struggle. We confirmed that we know how to be ‘church’ to one another and to extend God’s love to those within our sphere of impact.
So, where do we go from here?
2021: If you are like me, you cannot remember being so ready for a New Year to begin. The slow roll-out of the vaccines will improve. The vaccines’ success will extend through winter and spring into early summer. We should be able to plan some more outdoor gatherings in the spring. I will request another Zoom-meeting of our COVID-19 Task Force in January so we can get up-to-date information to help us make plans for the months ahead. For now, I ask you to join me in the following commitments and initiatives:
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LET’S RENEW OURSELVES TO OUR ONE ANOTHERING ‘WE ARE 1’ EFFORT: Let’s embrace 2021 to refocus our efforts of using the 1:00 hour each day (as possible) to invest in our church’s unity and care. Make a call, send an email, text, mail a note, or offer a prayer.
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STAY IN TOUCH THROUGH DIGITAL PAGES, FAMILY NEWS & ONLINE MEETINGS: Although there is a great deal of information to track these days, prioritize St. John’s news. It is very important for us to keep up with what is going on, what is being emphasized and our prayer list.
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BE CONSISTENT IN ONLINE WORSHIP: Our staff and church members are expressing creativity. We are trying to offer services that are diverse and relevant in less than 40 minutes. I know screen time is plentiful. But, please prioritize our St. John’s online worship expressions and invite others to check out St. John’s online.
Beloved, I wish you a Happy New Year! Sometime in January or early February, I will send out another ‘epistle’ to offer another look through the windshield into this transitional year. See you soon on Zoom or YouTube!
Shalom,
Dennis
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Worship on
January 3rd-Christmastide
This Sunday morning we will worship together online for the second Sunday in Christmastide. Worship will be focused on the theme of "The Word Became Flesh" along with John 1:14-18 as the scripture passage. The message title is "The Story of Us" and will be given by Dr. Foust.
The worship video will be available at 8am via our YouTube channel and at our website under the Worship tab for you to view. You can also link to worship from the Realm Connect App Events list.
Here is a link to the dance and solo video of "Breath of Heaven" from worship on December 13, 2020 featuring Nora Frances Benton and Maddie Minogue.
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Have You Turned in Your 2021 Pledge Yet?
As of this week, we have received 163 commitments totaling $819,542 for the 2021 Financial Ministry Plan.
If you have not turned your pledge in, please mail it to the church office to the attention of Jacquelyn McAbee at 300 Hawthorne Lane, Charlotte, NC 28204. You can also enter your pledge in Realm (go to Giving/Pledge) or by contacting Jacquelyn McAbee, Church Administrator, at jmcabee@sjcharlotte.org or 434-579-1177.
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Thank you for the beautiful Advent and Christmas decorations!
This season, we extend special thanks to the following individuals for creating a beautiful atmosphere for our Advent and Christmas season in the sanctuary. Even though we have not been able to worship together in person, these touches - the Chrismon tree, Advent wreath, and crèche - have made our worship videos even more special.
Thank you to Selina Swofford and J. Mark Crump for decorating our high table with such a beautiful crèche; to Don Swofford, Herb Parrot, and Leonard and Linda Balentine for constructing and moving the Chrismon tree; to Ruth Jackson, Becky Skidmore, Sally Young, and Tricia Miller for decorating the trees with the Chrismons.
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Prayer Concerns, Thanks & Sympathy |
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Polly Hull, Gene & Carol Poole, Elma Thomas,
Peg Russ, Alison Zieglmeier (daughter of Ken and Donna Scott),
Andrew Adair, Barbara Ledford, Tom Bryson,
Carol Hager (sister of Betty Harkey), Carole Ann Simpson, Ken Smith, R.D. Bond
Sympathy to Delbridge Narron in the death of his mother, Esther Narron, on Christmas Eve. A private service was held on Tuesday, December 29 through Heritage Funeral Home in Indian Trail. You can view a webcast of the service on the Heritage website. Her obituary can be found here: https://www.heritagecares.com/obituaries/Esther-Narron/
Sympathy to Carol and Tom Injaychock in the death of Carol's father, Charlie Fore, in Asheville on December 30, 2020. We also express sympathy to Lindsay Injaychock in the death of her grandfather.
Elma and Delisse Thomas would like to extend thanks to the Women of the Church and all who helped assemble the Christmas boxes for our seniors this year. These boxes were a wonderful blessing and treat for so many this year.
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Financial Ministry Plan Report
Week of December 23-29: $7,114
Income through December 29: $1,059,614
Annual 2020 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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Contact the Staff
To email a staff member, click on their name below
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