February 24, 2022
Pastor's Reflection
Hello St. John’s Family,
 
  Today’s headlines have confirmed what many have feared for weeks: the Ukraine has been invaded by Russia. Our newsfeeds quickly fill with images of smoke clouds and fire and fearful faces as the suffering and pain of war becomes concrete. The reality of war and the suffering that accompanies war is that those with the least ability to survive are the people who suffer most, who are impacted the most, and who die the most. We hear of the geopolitical concerns and conflicts; concerns that so often deal with wealth and power. Yet it’s those without wealth or power who bear the brunt of the world’s geopolitical concerns.
 
Jesus, though, spoke of a very different kingdom when He prayed for God’s kingdom to come. Jesus never lost sight of the least and the lost, never sacrificed God’s principles for temporal concerns, and never lost sense of the reality of God’s immediate presence in the worst situations in our world. I sense that today we need to renew our prayers for Christ’s kingdom to break in anew as this world continues to veer farther from God’s ways.
 
Pray for those in Ukraine: those who are scared, suffering, fleeing, and dying to protect their country.
 
Pray those in Russia: those who will be impacted the most by sanctions, those who are fighting, and those who see others as a threat to their freedom or prosperity.
 
Pray for those with power: that power and authority in this realm may be administered such that all people – and especially those struggling and suffering – may be treated with the dignity, respect, justice, and love that God extends.
 
And pray for us: may we remember our human connectedness and dependency on each other, our responsibility to live out the ways of God’s kingdom now, and our call to bear the struggles of those who are suffering.
 
Lord, in your mercy, hear our prayer…


  Grace and Peace,
      Pastor Brad
WORSHIP - SAFETY PRECAUTIONS
Please click below to read the latest Congregational Update regarding COVID-19 measures:
WORSHIP

Worship this Sunday,
February 27, 2022

Contemporary Service
at 9:00 AM

Traditional Service
at 10:30 AM

This service can be viewed LIVE through
St. John's Youtube Channel
or on our homepage:
www.stjohnsivyland.com

Past worship service videos can also be found:

Auto-generated closed captions are usually provided by YouTube about a week after the service has posted for the hearing impaired.
Lenten Season 2022





Our Daily Lenten Devotionals
“The Sanctuary for Lent”
Will be available in the
Narthex beginning Sunday, February 27.
Be sure to pick up your copy and
one for a friend as well.


Ash Wednesday Services at St. John's
March 2nd
11:00 AM & 7:00 PM

OPPORTUNITIES TO SERVE

21 Days
of
Kindness
"Let all that you do be done in Love"
I Corinthians 16:14

Join our children and youth in practicing mindful acts of kindness for the next several weeks.
Show God's love to others and change the world!
CHILDREN'S MINISTRY
Children's Activities This Week

  • Children's Sunday School at 10:30 AM
Parents, children will check-in at the mobile cart
in the Education wing

  • 21 Days of Kindness Continues
Pre-K to Grade 6 Sunday School
YOUTH GROUP

Youth Activities This Week

Youth Choir
Sunday at 10:30 AM Worship Service

Youth Night 7:15 - 9 PM
This Sunday the 27th
Popcorn & a Movie
Disney's "Encanto"

Sunday,
February 27th, 2022

Grades 7 - 12




YOUTH SUNDAY SCHOOL at 10:30 AM in the Youth Lounge

For thousands of years, people have been wrestling with the tendency to separate on the basis of differences, to act on biases and prejudices, to label and discriminate, or to just feel awkward in situations when engaging with someone of another race or ethnicity. Most people would say they are “good people” or that they “don’t hate anybody,” so that leaves us with the question: why is there racial tension? Join Mrs. Gutsch and Mrs. Zesinger for this two week series as they focus on what could happen if we all carried a healthy curiosity about each other’s stories and experiences? This unique talk features a collection of stories from people of different races and ethnicities. We believe that when we stop to listen to each other, we begin to recognize the truth that we are made in God’s image, and therefore together, we reflect the image of God. 
Youth Super Bowl Party 2-13-2022
Great turnout, Kids Speak Out & Fun Times!

Youth Night

Grades 7 - 12

This Sunday,
February 27th
7:15 to 9 PM

Popcorn and a Movie Night


Next Confirmation Class Workshop
#6

Sunday, February 27th
11:30 to 2:00

Fellowship Hall
MUSIC MINISTRY
All God's Children Have a Place in the Choir!

Join the choir - you'll be glad you did.
MISSIONS/OUTREACH

Starting Tuesday, March 1, 2022
If you are suffering the loss of someone dear to you, GriefShare, a grief recovery seminar and support group, is available to offer you hope and healing for the journey. Seminar session topics include “Is This Normal?” “The Challenges of Grief, “Grief and Your Relationships,” “Why?” and “Guilt and Anger.” Videos, discussions, and a supportive workbook are the tools that are used by participants each meeting of the thirteen-week session. Classes will begin again at St. John’s on Tuesday, March 1, 6:30-8:30 PM in the Church Library. Class size is limited to 12.
 
For more information and to register for class, contact Erin Maurer, GriefShare Facilitator, at 267-265-3515 or erinamaurer@aol.com. You may also register for class by going directly to the GriefShare website.

Donations Needed of
Non-perishable foods

 Please place contributions in the shopping carts located in the narthex

Volunteers are also needed to deliver food and clothing to the Eastwick Food Bank. 

Please contact Lou Lescas at stjohns820@gmail.com if you are available to help. 
 
Thank you for your support.
BIBLE STUDIES & DEVOTIONALS
 The Upper Room
Devotionals
for
March/April
Will be available in the Narthex, beginning Sunday, February 27th. Be sure to pick up one for yourself and one for a friend 
St John's Book Club

Wednesday, March 9, 2022
10 AM and 7 PM
Grace Cafe'
Award-winning author Francine Rivers opens a world full of vibrant characters with a powerful story of hope. In this stunning novel, Francine explores the new life that love can bring to a decaying garden of broken relationships. Through the lives of 84-year-old Leota, her granddaughter, and a college student with all the answers, Francine leads readers to ponder the value of life and truth in a way that only she can.

Carol Campbell & Barbara Schneider, facilitators
Spiritual Discipline Workshop

Saturday, March 12, 2022
(more info to follow)
Sue Czarnecki (267-614-3603)

Wednesday nights
at 7 PM in the parlor

Throughout Scripture, the people who were moved by the Holy Spirit knew Him in a personal way. In this study, we will gain a better understanding of the role the Holy Spirit played in the lives of early believers, and how we too can personally know the Holy Spirit in our own life.
Ken Lee, facilitator
Please contact Ken Lee to order a book, Cost is $20.00
No Meeting on Tuesday, March 1st

Our next meeting will be March 8, 2022 at 10:30 AM and will focus on the Old Testament heroes
Joseph and Moses.

  • Old Testament Heroes and Heroines
  • C. S. Lewis - The Great "Apologist"
of the 20th Century

Contact Paul Henry at phenry605@verizon.net for Zoom info

UMW/UMM
UMW would like to send a big THANK YOU to the St. John's family for donating 417 lbs. of non-perishable food to the Jesus Focus Ministry Food Pantry.
God's Love in Action is alive at St. John's UMC!
Please save your aluminum tab tops for the UMW Naomi Circle collection for Ronald McDonald House. The collection bin is beneath the UMW bulletin board just off the Narthex.
Thank you for supporting this worthy cause.

United Methodist Men
February Breakfast Meeting
Saturday, March 19th

St. John's has talent!
United Methodist Men will be featuring some of our in-house talent at our monthly meetings on the third Saturday of each month.
 
Our March speaker will be
Jonathan Seamans.


Please join us at The Sycamore Grill, 255 North Sycamore Street, Newtown on
Saturday, March 19th at 10 a.m.

A special "thank you" to Sandy Rice for his interesting and informative talk on the Baldwin Locomotive Works at our February meeting. In March, we will enjoy a great breakfast and good fellowship, as well as Jonathan's interesting presentation.
PRAYERS & PRAISE


Prayer requests can be submitted
online (click here).or through the church email at stjumc@aol.com
Prayer requests are reviewed
Monday-Friday AM.

All "Ongoing Prayer Concerns"
will be listed for two weeks.
 Please submit a new prayer request
if you desire to renew the listing for 2 additional weeks. 
PRAYER SHAWL MINISTRY
Meets the 2nd Tuesday of the Month
10 AM in the Parlor.

Come join us in knitting/crocheting various items for those in need.
Contact Carol Rice for more information.

Requests for prayer shawls or lap robes to comfort those experiencing serious illness, bereavement, or other major life issues may be made through the prayer request form on the church website, or by contacting the church office
at 215-357-6998 or stjumc@aol.com. 

GIVING
MOBILE GIVING
  • Just go to our website stjohnsivyland.com
  • Click on the 'Give' button in red, Donate Any Amount and register.

Once you've registered, you can either make donations by debit or credit. Lenten Offerings may also be received through our website.

 TEXT GIVING 
Simply text the amount you wish to give to 877-960-2396.
You will immediately receive a one-time registration link, then just follow the prompts to complete your donation!

You may also send your tithes and offerings to the church office:
820 Almshouse Road, Ivyland, PA 18974

If you have any questions about mobile or text giving,
email Lou Lescas at stjohns820@gmail.com
If your contact information changes: 
address, phone, email, etc.
please notify the church office at
215-357-6998 or stjumc@aol.com
and we'll be sure to update your information in our files.
Thank you!
Click on the button below to view the video about Bright Future Academy at El Mesias UMC, the recipient of our
2021 Advent Offering
WHAT'S HAPPENING!

The latest Devotionals, News and Worship Videos can be be accessed below, as well as, under the
"What's Happening"tab on our website.
www.stjohnsivyland.com
CCLI Streaming License #CSPL049266

St. John's Ivyland
820 Almshouse Road
Ivyland, PA 18974

215-357-6998/stjumc@aol.com
stjohnsivyland.com
Rev. Brad Leight, Sr. Pastor