CONTENTMENT
I have learned to be content whatever the circumstances.
Philippians 4:11
On a scale of 1-10, how content are you? Maybe you like where you are right now in your life; maybe you don’t like your job or you want a new car or maybe you don’t think what you have to offer is as meaningful as what others have to offer.
Paul, wrote the above words from a dark prison cell. Now, if he could be content in his situation, maybe there is hope for us.
A story is told of a king who went to his garden one morning, only to find everything withered and dying. He asked the oak tree that stood near the gate what the trouble was. The oak said it was tired of life and wanted to die because it was not tall and beautiful like the pine tree. The pine was troubled because it could not bear grapes like the grapevine. The grapevine was determined to throw its life away because it could not stand straight and produce fruit as large as peaches. The geranium was fretting because it was not tall and fragrant like the lilac.
And so it went throughout the garden. Then the king came upon a violet. He found its face as bright and happy as ever and said, “Well, violet, I’m glad to find one brave little flower in the midst of this discouragement. You don’t seem to be the least disheartened.” The violet responded, “No, I’m not. I know I’m small, yet I thought if you wanted an oak or a pine or a peach tree or even a lilac, you would have planted one. Since I knew you wanted a violet, I’m determined to be the best little violet I can be.”
Brothers and Sisters,
Others may do a greater work,
But you have your part to do;
And no one in all God’s family
Can do it as well as you.
God created each one of us for a purpose, so let’s just “be the best little violet we can be” and serve Him to the best of our abilities.
Gracious heavenly Father, we want to be what you have created us to be and to serve you in whatever way that will bring glory to Your name. Whatever job you have for us – whether great or small – help us to give it our all and to be content. Amen.
Pastor Ruth
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WORSHIP - SAFETY PRECAUTIONS |
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Please click below to read the latest Congregational Update regarding COVID-19 measures: |
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Worship this Sunday,
March 13, 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
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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.
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Special Offering - Aid for Ukraine |
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Anyone wishing to provide humanitarian assistance to the Ukrainian people in the wake of the Russian invasion of their country may contribute to the UMCOR International Disaster Response and Recovery. This fund will provide direct assistance to those in Ukraine as well as assistance to Ukrainians fleeing to neighboring countries. Please make checks payable to St. John’s UMC and note “Ukraine” or “Communion Offering” in the memo section. |
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Lenten Project
St. John’s Mission/Outreach
Easter Bags for
Bright Future Academy
Help fill Easter bags for the children of Bright Future Academy and our St. John’s Children and Youth.
Please stop by the table in the Narthex during the month of March (before and after the 10:30 service) to view the items and purchase a donation amount from the list provided.
The date/time for those congregants who would like to join us in compiling the final project will be announced later. All items have been purchased, are age appropriate, and will be assembled into Easter bags in early April.
THANK YOU FOR YOUR GENEROSITY!
Blessings,
St. John’s Mission/Outreach Team
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Calling all sewers! Or anyone who has ever walked past a sewing machine . . . |
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If you can sew basic straight and zig zag stitches, PLEASE help the St John's Sew & Sows (sewing fabric & sowing seeds of hope) finish up our SaniPanti project. These hygiene items are desperately needed by young girls in Africa. We have about 325 more to sew. No cutting, no assembly. Just sew. And sew and sow! Call the church office or Lynne Tomlinson (cell 215-378-9574) to pick up a batch to complete. Please? Please? Please? And thank you!
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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
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Pre-K - Grade 6
Sunday 10:30 - 11:30 AM
Cooperation is a spiritual concept that originates with God. God created us to work together in a community. Throughout the Bible, we see how God brought people together to accomplish something big for Him. Join us in March as we learn about what Jesus envisioned for His followers. Our love for one another can point people to Him.
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Youth Activities This Week
Youth Sunday School
at 10:30 AM
Youth Night
This Sunday the 13th
7:15 - 8:30 PM
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Sunday,
March 13, 2022
Grades 7 - 12
YOUTH SUNDAY SCHOOL at 10:30 AM
in the Youth Lounge
Chances are, you have heard the phrase “thoughts and prayers before”—maybe in response to a global tragedy or from someone looking for a way to sound spiritual but not too spiritual. Whatever the context, we know that saying “thoughts and prayers,” “prayers up,” or sending a praying hands emoji as a response aren’t exactly the same thing as actually praying. Join Heidi Gutsch and Ashley Zesinger for a 2-week series called “Thoughts and Prayers,” Students will talk about how to eliminate the worry about “what to say,” and our Leaders will help students see that prayer can be approachable for everyone. Just imagine what would happen if high schoolers started approaching prayer with the confidence that they were being heard. It is our hope that this series will help students see that prayer is far less complicated and far more powerful than they may have thought.
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Youth Group Super Bowl Party 2022 |
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Youth Night
This Sunday,
March 13th
7:15 - 8:30 PM
Fun, food, fellowship -
come join us!
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Confirmation Class
March 20th -
WORKSHOP MAKE-UP DATE
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All God's Children Have a Place in the Choir!
Join the choir - you'll be glad you did.
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Scout Sunday
March 20, 2022
Join us at 9:00 and at 10:30 worship services to honor our Boy Scouts, Girl Scouts and adult leaders
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On Sunday March 20, St. John's will continue a long tradition of honoring the efforts of our Boy Scouts, Girl Scouts, and adult leaders involved in Scouting. Anyone involved in Scouting is invited to attend either of our worship services in uniform as we acknowledge your efforts.
In addition, photos of our Scouts who cannot attend will be projected prior to our services to acknowledge their efforts. If you cannot attend and would like to submit a photo, please email it to the office stjumc@aol.com ) by Tuesday, March 15th. Thank you!
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The Red Bird Trailers will not be open to accept donations this year. This is due to the lack of availability of rental tractors and also driver concerns. If situations improve, we will notify everyone when the program resumes.
Thank You,
Red Bird Committee
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Trenton Area Soup Kitchen (TASK) Needs Our Help |
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Let's Wrap This Up!
Join the St. John's "Wrappers" beginning the week of March 13th to help provide the Trenton Area Soup Kitchen with wrapped cutlery (knives & forks only, no spoons this time). Forty bags of 250 sets will be available for pick up in the Narthex on Sunday the 13th or during the week by calling the church office 215-357-6998. TASK serves 10,000 meals each week. We have 10,000 sets to wrap, so we need 40 people. (40 bags . . 40 people . . . 40 days of Lent . . . do you sense a theme here?) Make it a family Lenten project! Or a Youth Group project or a Neighbors helping Neighbors project!
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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.
Thank you for your support.
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BIBLE STUDIES & DEVOTIONALS |
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St John's Book Club
Wednesday, April 6, 2022
10 AM and 7 PM
Grace Cafe'
NY TIMES BESTSELLER • Martha Hall Kelly’s million-copy bestseller Lilac Girls introduced readers to Caroline Ferriday. Now, in Sunflower Sisters, Kelly tells the story of Ferriday’s ancestor Georgeanna Woolsey, a Union nurse during the Civil War whose calling leads her to cross paths with Jemma, a young enslaved girl who is sold off and conscripted into the army, and Anne-May Wilson, a Southern plantation mistress whose husband enlists.
No sign up necessary. All are welcome, please join us.
Carol Campbell & Barbara Schneider, facilitators
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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.
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Please contact Ken Lee to order a book, Cost is $20.00 |
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Tuesdays at 10:30 AM
- 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
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St. John's Women's Communion Breakfast
Saturday, April 2nd at 10:00 AM
Fellowship Hall
Please join us as Rev. Paul Henry presents
"An Early Christian Love Feast", a 1st century Christian celebration of communion & the foods they served.
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Sign up sheet is on the UMW bulletin board off the narthex or call Laura Paulus at 215-794-8764 |
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United Methodist Men
March Breakfast Meeting
Saturday, March 19th
St. John's has talent!
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We are continuing to feature some of our in-house talent at our March meeting.
Our March speaker will be
Jonathan Seamans.
Until recently Jonathan was the Associate Director of Athletics for Finance and Administration for Princeton University. Johnathan continues at Princeton as CFO of the School of Public and International Affairs. Prior to 2017, when Jonathan joined Princeton Athletics, he was in similar positions at Brown University and the University of Hartford. Johnathan will be speaking about his journey through College Athletics.
Come and join us & invite your friends for this special “Sweet 16” breakfast presentation.
Please join us at The Sycamore Grill,
255 North Sycamore Street, Newtown
on Saturday, March 19th at 10 a.m.
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Prayer requests can be submitted
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.
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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.
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MOBILE GIVING
- Just go to our website stjohnsivyland.com
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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,
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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!
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Click on the button below to view the video about Bright Future Academy at El Mesias UMC, the recipient of our
2021 Advent Offering
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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
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CCLI Streaming License #CSPL049266 |
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St. John's Ivyland
820 Almshouse Road
Ivyland, PA 18974
stjohnsivyland.com
Rev. Brad Leight, Sr. Pastor
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