April 8, 2020

These readings for each day of Holy Week are intended to be read by people on their own, as personal reflections during Holy Week. They are inspired by stories from scripture and excerpted from the book Stages on the Way.

IT WAS ON WEDNESDAY

Based on Mark 14: 3-9

It was on Wednesday that they called him a wasteful person.

The place smelled like the perfume department of a big store.

It was as if somebody had bumped an elbow against a bottle and sent it crashing to the floor, setting off the most expensive stink bomb on earth.

But it happened in a house, not a shop.

And the woman who broke the bottle was no casual afternoon shopper.

She was the poorest of the poor, giving away the only precious thing she had.

And he sat still while she poured the liquid all over his head…

As unnecessary as aftershave on a full crop of hair and a bearded chin.

And those who smelled it,

And those who saw it,

And those who remembered that he was against extravagance,

called him a wasteful person.

They forgot that he was also the poorest of the poor.

And they who had much and who had given him nothing,

objected to a pauper giving him everything.

Jealousy was in the air when a poor woman’s generosity became an embarrassment to their tight-fistedness…

That was on Wednesday when they called him a wasteful person.

Online Classes

ZOOM TUTORIAL

The announcements below include using the program "Zoom" to group-video chat. You can find a tutorial on how to use Zoom HERE!

"COFFEE BREAK" WITH PASTORS PAM & KELLY

TODAY

Wednesday, April 8 at 1:30 pm

"SPIRITUAL MOVEMENT" CLASS WITH PASTOR PAM

Thursday, April 9 at 1:30 pm

Join Pastor Pam for a 30-minute spiritual exercise. Space is limited, and the Zoom link will be provided to the first 15 people to sign up! Sign-up is HERE. Thursdays at 1:30 pm.

REVISED MEN'S BIBLE STUDY

On Mondays join Jack Nuzum online with a Zoom Bible study of the book of James. Two sessions per Monday, one at 10:00 am and one at 7:00 pm. If you aren't already on the Bible study list, contact Jack at jcnuzum@juno.com or 265-5241. Zoom is easy to use and James is full of great topics.

JOIN US FOR WORSHIP LIVE-STREAMED FROM THE SANCTUARY

St. John’s will live-stream a worship service from the sanctuary this Thursday and Friday at 7:30 pm, and on Easter Sunday at 9:30 am (Contemporary) and 11:00 am (Traditional). We hope you’ll worship with us! (Pastors Pam and Kelly will lead, along with Shea Perry, Jim Ahrend, and Matt Greer). Live-stream will be available on the homepage of the website.

We hope that you’ll participate by singing and praying at home! Any questions? Email Matt at mgreer@stjohns-abq.org.

MUSIC FROM ST. JOHN'S

As part of our outreach during this unsettling time, the Music Ministry has launched “Music From St. John’s,” a series of video performances by local musicians. This is an effort to continue to provide beautiful music to our congregation and community, and also to provide work to local musicians who have been severely affected by cancelations. New videos will appear daily for the foreseeable future, and they are being created by Shea Perry. We hope you’ll enjoy and share the videos, and also consider making a donation to the New Mexico Musicians Relief Fund. The easiest way to view the videos is to go to the St. John’s Music Ministries Facebook page. Check back daily!

UPDATE FOR FOOD MINISTRY

St John’s Food Ministry continues to prepare and serve meals around Albuquerque in ways large and small to people in greatest need.

During the month of April, Chef Tim and his staff will serve nearly 500 people with churches and other non-profit ministries during a time of uncertainty and food insecurity.

On Easter Sunday, St John’s UMC will deliver 100 meals to Community of Hope, a United Methodist gathering for people without homes or who experience loss employment or food insecurity. This gathering occurs each Sunday afternoon at First United Methodist Church in downtown ABQ.

The Food Ministry Team also served about 35 people at Casa Esperanza on April 2nd and will serve another meal on April 9th . Chef Tim continues to work with Hopeworks downtown, where volunteers serve 250 plus people a hot cooked homestyle meal each month.

St John’s Food Ministry will continue to provide the entrée for “Breaking Bread” a ministry that is hosted by University Heights UMC on Yale, where they serve simple meals to approximately 100 people the first Sunday of each month.

The Food Ministry team hopes to share a meal together with our St John’s Family on Mother’s Day, May 10th, for our Second Sunday Lunch gathering. We are not sure this will happen, so we invite you to “stay tuned” to more good news of sharing meals and offering Christ, as St John’s celebrates at the table with the community of Albuquerque.

Reflection:

Jesus gathers his disciples inviting them to care for the crowds that have followed him

“I have compassion for the crowd, because they have been with me now for three days and having nothing to eat; and I do not want to send them away hungry, for they might grow fain on the way.” (Matthew 15: 32)

Prayer:

Lord, we hear your invitation to care for others. Infect us with your compassion, that we may not grow weary in doing the work you call us to do. In the name of the One who gives Himself for all. Amen.

VIRTUAL TAI CHI WITH KATHY:

ST. JOHN'S FACILITY IS CLOSED UNTIL APRIL 30

In accordance with the New Mexico Department of Health order, our facility will be closed through April 30. We will keep you apprised as things develop.

Your St. John's pastors and staff are still very much on the job, and are available to you during this time. Please reach out to us if we can help you in any way!

APRIL SPECIAL OFFERING: LENTEN OFFERING

Each year the funds we raise during the Lenten/Easter season go to many local ministries. A sample of those includes the following: Family Promise, Grace Meal, Asbury Pie Cafe, Wesley House, McCurdy Ministries, NM Ramp Project, Mobile Food Pantry, lunch bags for the homeless, Breaking Bread Meals, Silver Horizons and many more. In these difficult times these ministries need our help more than ever. Please give generously.

ST. JOHN'S PRAYER LABYRINTH IS OPEN

Please come to pray in the labyrinth any time of day. Park in the east parking lot near the front doors of the sanctuary/narthex doors. Our prayer labyrinth is directly to the south of the front doors. It is advisable to have one person on the labyrinth at a time. Enter the prayer labyrinth with a personal prayer and then quietly and contemplatively experience what God has to share with you during this time.

Office Administrator, Debbie Brown, will be answering the phone at St. John’s every weekday from 9:00 am-2:00 pm. Please call the office if you have any concerns or pastoral care needs. Debbie will get messages to Pastor Pam and Pastor Kelly. The office number is 505-883-9717.

ONLINE COUNSELING SERVICE AVAILABLE

The St. John's staff includes a licensed mental health counselor who is available to meet virtually (using a smartphone or computer) in a secure online platform during these anxious times. If you or someone you know is struggling emotionally, counseling is available. Click here or contact Susan Brumbaugh at 505-506-6717 or counselor@stjohns-abq.org for more details about session and cost information.

Congregational Care Corner

PRAYER SUPPORT

How we support you and your family in prayer during this difficult time? Prayers for health, employment, peace? Please send your prayer requests to the Prayer Team: mapalook@comcast.net

GO-FER TEAM

It is hard to get out and many people shouldn’t. Is there something you need delivered from the store? If we are able to help, we have a few volunteers who would like to serve as Go-fers for people who need something but cannot get it on their own. Please pass any requests on to Jarrod at c.care@stjohns-abq.org

Give Online

www.stjohns-abq.org

(505) 883-9717

2626 Arizona St NE | Albuquerque, NM 87110

Office Hours: Monday - Thursday, 8:30 am - 4:00 pm

Questions? Contact Shea Perry at communicate@stjohns-abq.org