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Hello St. John’s Family,
While getting to know the people and congregations of the Eastern PA and Greater New Jersey Conferences, our new Bishop Cynthia Moore-Koikoi noted how many continue to struggle with the multitude of challenges they encountered over the last 5 years. Prayer and discernment led her to develop and offer A Journey of Healing: From Lamentation to Praise. This initiative is a sacred opportunity to acknowledge our wounds, seek God’s healing, and move forward in praise and unity (more information can be found here: https://www.epagnjhealing.com ).
Part of the Journey of Healing is a devotional, developed by congregants and pastors in our conferences, that runs through Lent and April. I was asked to contribute a devotion for this effort, which was featured yesterday. When I submitted the devotion in late January, I had no idea it would correspond perfectly with the theme of this week’s worship service and Lenten focus. Below is an excerpt of the devotional I wrote.
I’ve often heard that “getting old isn’t for wimps,” and I can appreciate that sentiment. Yet I recently discovered the daily challenges faced by the “sandwich” generation – those tasked with guiding and caring for both children and adult family members, while maintaining a multitude of ongoing responsibilities – aren’t for the faint of heart either.
The demands, pressures, and stress of navigating parenting, caregiving and arranging care, professional responsibilities, household responsibilities, pet responsibilities (after all, dogs can’t walk themselves!) – oh, and don’t forget a little self-care… all that can feel overwhelming. Just as needs in one area appear to be addressed, a crisis arises in another. Anxiety spikes with each ding of a text message, as we wonder what fresh new disaster will be revealed. As pressures mount, it can become more and more difficult to hope. Each time our hopes rise, a new challenge inevitably seems to deflate them. It can seem much easier – and safer – not to get our hopes up in the first place.
The opening verses of Proverbs 3 speak to the wisdom of committing to lives of loyalty, love, and faithfulness. When a covenant commitment to love and remain faithful to God is written on the tablet of our heart, and our trust is centered in God, God will direct us through every difficulty and disaster life brings. The difficulties and defeats we face, though, have a way of chipping away at our commitment. Choosing to trust isn’t a one-time decision; it’s a lifelong endeavor.
Recent challenges I’ve faced in a “sandwich” season have reminded me how my choice to trust God must be made each day. Sometimes, each hour of each day. While I don’t need to sugarcoat the difficulty and hurt I’m experiencing in that moment, I do need to expressly choose to place the bruised and battered trust I have in God. Some paths take a long time to be made straight. Still, I believe the choice to trust God is the foundational step to healing and renewed hope.
This Sunday, the second Sunday in Lent, will focus on a short yet powerful passage where Jesus laments. Though Jesus cannot control how others respond to the good news of the kingdom of heaven coming near – and that is hard – he is unwavering in his trust in and commitment to God. I hope you’ll read Luke 13:31-35 and join me in worship!
Grace and Peace,
Pastor Brad
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Stewardship
We celebrate our congregation's faithful commitment to Stewardship in this New Year!
Questions about Giving: email Lou Lescas at stjohns820@gmail.com
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ONLINE, TEXT, IN PERSON & BY EMAIL
Online - Click at the top of any page at www.stjohnsivyland.com
By text - Text the amount of your gift to 877-960-2396. You'll receive a one-time registration link. Then follow the prompts to complete your donation.
In person or by mail - Tithes and offerings can be brought & sent to St. John's Ivyland, 820 Almshouse Rd, Ivyland, PA 18974
“...For God loves a cheerful giver. (2 Cor 9:7)”
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ENGAGE @ ST. JOHN'S THIS WEEK | |
Lent at St. John’s Ivyland | |
Life is this strange, tender mix, isn’t it?
Joy and sorrow. Love and loss. Big wins and even bigger failures. We cling tightly to the beautiful moments, but then the phone rings, a diagnosis drops, or some creeping ache reminds us that everything—everything—is so much more fragile than we’d like to admit.
During the Lenten season, we’ll pause and remember just how hard it is being human. Guided by a devotional by author and professor Kate Bowler, we’ll see how acknowledging the hard parts can give God’s grace the opportunity to break in.
Small Group Sessions: each Thursday, beginning March 6th; 10-11am and 6:30-7:30pm in the Parlor.
A Daily Devotional can be downloaded below.
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Daily Guide-Everything Happens Lent 2025.pdf | |
Messy Church presents Lent | Join us at Messy Church as we begin the season of Lent with stories, games, fellowship, and food. We will learn more about the importance of the Trinity and how St Patrick took the simple symbol of the shamrock to teach early Irish Christians about our faith. | |
Our final Focus Group (for Seniors) is full! Thank you to all who registered, we look forward to hearing from you after Traditional Worship this Sunday, March 16th! | |
Get ready Families! In a few short weeks 2025 Vacation Bible School (VBS) Registration opens online! We look forward to spending a week this Summer exploring what it means to “Trust Jesus in a Wild World” with the young people in your lives. Be on the lookout for more details and feel free to contact Pastor Megan if you have special needs, concerns or questions | |
CHRISTIAN EDUCATION at ST. JOHN'S | |
Please note that this week Youth Fellowship will be IN THE CHURCH PARLOR from 11:30 - 12:30 and Young Adult Bible Study will be IN THE LIBRARY from 11:30-12:30! | |
St. John’s Ivyland is proud to offer a “Quantum,” a special three part Teen Sunday School series beginning Sunday March 23rd led by our own Lance Kenney. March 23rd, March 30th and April 6th at 10:30am in the Youth Room, St. John’s Youth are invited to bring their friends and join discussions on God, faith, the fabric of space-time, and cats. (Yes, cats. Seriously.) All youth are welcome and families are encouraged to help our young people join in a different type of conversation about God and our universe! | |
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Wednesday Evening Bible Study
On Wednesday evening, we began our next Bible study entitled:
"Jesus in the Gospels"
This comprehensive study of the birth, life, ministry, death and resurrection of Jesus Christ as recorded in the Gospels is part of the Disciple Series. There are weekly lesson plans, and each lesson is comprised of daily Scripture readings from the Gospels, and the Old and New Testaments. Scholarly commentary is provided with each lesson. In addition to your Bible, the Jesus in the Gospels Study Manual and Gospel Comparisons are the books needed for the study. The cover pages are pictured. Please notify the St John's Church Office if you plan on joining the class and/or need help ordering the books. We hope you join us for this very powerful and in-depth study as we continue to build our loving relationship with our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.
Bible Study Details:
Location: St. John's UMC Library
Time: Beginning at 7:00 PM
We hope you join us for this powerful and in-depth study as we continue to build our loving relationship with our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ.
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ST. JOHN’S COMMUNION BREAKFAST FOR WOMEN
Saturday, April 5th, 2025
10:00 - 11:30am - Fellowship Hall
A light continental breakfast of coffee, tea, bagels and homemade coffee cakes will be available while we socialize and get to catch up with each other and make new acquaintances. We will discuss upcoming events at St. John’s and United Women in Faith, which will be followed by our guest speaker:
Melissa Kindall, Vice President, Communications and Advancement,
Diakon Child, Family and Community Ministries.
Melissa will share about the outreach programs at Diakon and how they service families in our community. Our Angel Tree gifts were given to Diakon this past Christmas and distributed to the families in their program.
After our speaker we will share in the sacrament of Holy Communion.
A sign-up sheet will be in the Narthex (on the table). Please come, invite your friends, and join in a morning of good fellowship.
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Come One, Come All!!
And bring your family, friends and neighbors!
WHAT: Packaging meals to feed the hungry.
WHY: Because we are people of God and are willing to help those in need!
WHEN: April 27th immediately following the 10am service (only one service that day).
HOW: JUST SIGN UP!! Click the link below.
Duration: The event should conclude around 2pm.
What if I can’t make it?: No worries, you may make a much needed monetary donation. Just click that link!
What we need to be successful: At LEAST 80 volunteers, $5,000.00 and at least 6 strong folks that can lift 50 lbs.
Please prayerfully consider joining this wonderful fellowship opportunity that promises to be fun, rewarding and a true testament of your commitment to doing God’s work.
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St. John’s Ivyland’s AV Ministry serves to help those in our Sanctuary and those watching online experience the life changing power of Worship! Joining this vital team of Servant-Leaders is a meaningful way to serve God and others by helping to make the Love and Light of Christ accessible to all. If you are interested in joining or would like to learn more, you can speak with AV Team Leader Casey Lawrence on Sunday, call the St. John’s church office (215)357-6998 or email JT Crockett youth.stjumc@gmail.com . We look forward to serving with you! | |
MISSION & OUTREACH OPPORTUNITIES | |
CHURCH CONTACT INFORMATION | | |
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If your contact information changes:
address, phone, email, etc.
please notify the church office at
215-357-6998 or office.stjumc@gmail.com
and we'll be sure to update your information in our files.
Thank you!
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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 | | | | |
