Hello St. John’s Family,

Once again, our community has been devastated by tragedy. The shock and sadness of hearing two local boys, ages 13 and 9, being shot by their mother this week has been incredibly difficult to process. Reports are surfacing regarding the difficulties this family faced, including the impending eviction from the home they were living in. Difficulties that took any semblance of hope from a struggling mother. I cannot imagine the utter hopelessness that drove her actions; actions that will claim the joyful, energetic, and promising young lives of two beloved boys. These are the moments we must lean on our faith; lean on the trust that God can and will redeem tragedy. Lord, bring goodness and hope out of brokenness and mess of this tragedy.

As I shared with you recently, I don’t think many adults truly understand the difficulty that so many children and youth face in today’s world. Yes, there have always been challenges in adolescence. Today, though, is heavier. Our young people face constant pressure. From elementary school on, the pressure to succeed academically, in athletics, and in extracurriculars, all while maintaining a good image constantly presses down on them. Few elements of their lives are not public – often on social media – where all can see. And comment. And now, so many young people are trying to process a senseless tragedy under what feels like a microscope. Did I post the right words? Did I post quickly enough? Did you see so-and-so didn’t post anything? These are the kinds of pressures that our youth face constantly. Often, the heavier the situation at hand, the heavier the pressure is to respond.

Grace and peace,

Pastor Brad

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  We are looking for volunteers to help with the coffee. We need folks to help start the coffee at 8:30 - great for people attending the 9:00 service. We also need people to help clean up any time after the 10:30 starts. Please contact Sharon Byle ([email protected]/610-888-1329).

In 2016, the village was dependent on one crop, coffee beans, for the sole source of their income. It was a village devoid of clean drinking water, social supports, electricity, schools and any sense of community organization that would allow the village to become self-sustaining in the 21^st century. The village experienced a devastating loss of much of their coffee plants in 2013, and was not able to replace them. In 2013, the village was paid eight cents per pound for their coffee. A poor village was becoming poorer and more destitute.

But there is hope. We expect by June 1, to have Warrior Coffee available for the Grace Café and for you to purchase. Once again, we will be able to Fight for What’s Right One Cup at a Time.

The hallway for Classrooms A – E IS CLOSED to general traffic on Sunday mornings. Only children and their parent/guardian(s) will be permitted in this hallway. If you enter the church through the back door and do not need to check in children for Sunday School, please turn right down the hallway past Fellowship Hall and around to the Sanctuary. If you are checking in your child for Sunday School, please proceed to the mobile check-in cart outside Classroom A in the Education Wing.

Youth Sunday School

MUSIC MINISTRY

Donations Needed of

 Please place contributions in the shopping carts located in the narthex

Please contact Lou Lescas at [email protected] if you are available to help. 

Six Mondays starting April 18th at 6:30 in the Parlor.  There will be a sign up sheet in the Narthex. Cost of the Study Guide is $9.00, payable the first session. Books will be available that night. Leaders are Barbara Schneider and Carol Campbell. Any questions, please call Carol

at 215-364-0942.

The purpose of this study is simple: by journeying through these six lessons you will get to know Jesus--and, therefore, God--like you never have before. And by learning more about the person Jesus was and is, we come to understand more clearly the people we were created to be.

Anxious People is about a group of people held hostage after a bank robbery who get to know each other, and they end up helping each other and helping the bank robber to find her way out of the mess. It's quintessential Backman: quirky, heartwarming and uplifting.

We will meet on Wednesday, May 11, at 10:00 AM and 7:00 PM in the Grace Cafe. Please join us; all are welcome. Facilitators Barb Schneider and Carol Campbell

Contact Paul Henry at [email protected] for Zoom info

Saturday, May 21st

 Mike has a family background and a lifelong interest in trains and railroading. It has been his pastime from his first train set as a young boy to influencing his career choice. Professionally he has worked in complex design projects in and under rail lines including Amtrak’s High Speed rail clearance improvement project and work with CSX on many bridge designs.

online (click here).or through the church email at [email protected]. 

if you desire to renew the listing for 2 additional weeks. 

Pictured are four baby blankets and several baby hats destined for The Baby Bureau in Warminster, plus larger children’s hats for World Vision’s Knit for Kids program. Last month, children’s hats were donated to the Ukrainian Education and Cultural Center, Jenkintown, for dispatch to Ukrainian refugees in Poland.

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

 TEXT GIVING 

email Lou Lescas at [email protected]

address, phone, email, etc.