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November 06, 2025

Hello St. John’s Family,

One of my favorite memories from the congregation I grew up in was the annual tradition of Harvest Home Sunday. Around this time each year, a Sunday would be designated to give thanks to God for God’s goodness and provision by bringing in the first fruits of the harvest. Large, stepped shelves would be set up across the front of the sanctuary, and congregants would bring in the good things from their farms and gardens as an offering to God. Shocks of corn, large squash and zucchini, bushel baskets of apples and potatoes, dried peppers and herbs, and all kinds of homegrown-then-canned vegetables and fruits were offered. After dedicating this offering in worship, the pastor then distributed all the offerings to persons in need in the congregation and community. For a congregation that was founded by farmers in the mid-1800’s (and still had many farmers as members in the late 1970’s), this was a big deal. It was important to return to God a portion of what God blessed them with. 

As a child, I loved to look at all the good things filling the front of the sanctuary. Looking back now, I see how Harvest Home Sunday made the concept of thanking God for God’s goodness tangible. I knew how hard those farm families worked to grow, harvest, and preserve the items they brought, and I saw the joy in their faces as they gave them to God. They knew how others would be blessed through their offerings, just as God had blessed them. As I entered my teen years, many of the farmers had retired – and many of the farms slowly became housing developments. I don’t recall exactly when the tradition of bringing in the fruits of the harvest ended, but I’m pretty sure it had by the time I graduated high school. Still, there was always a Harvest Home Sunday, centering on monetary offerings instead of foodstuffs. Returning to God the first portion of the good things received, so that others could experience God’s goodness and provision was a core value of that congregation.

Recent news reports have highlighted how many in our community and region face significant food insecurity. I’m so thankful that our St. John’s family has a strong commitment to honor God through offerings of non-perishable food items, and through supporting hunger relief efforts with Communion Offerings. Many in our community will be blessed through your November Communion Offering to Bux-Mont Meals on Wheels. Many more will be blessed through the non-perishable food items you offer to God here. I encourage you to continue to support those efforts faithfully in the coming weeks, knowing that many will experience God’s love through your generous offerings.

Over the next two Sundays in worship, we will be blessed as we hear two members of our St. John’s Family share during worship. God has placed it on their hearts to share how Christ – and Christ’s Church – have foundational in their life. This Sunday, Valerie Clark will share with us on giving to God from a perspective we may not have considered. I am eager to hear what God has placed on her heart! I hope you’ll check out Romans 8:29-37, then join me in worship on Sunday.

Grace and Peace,

Pastor Brad

Psalm 112:1-9 | Romans 8:29-37

Worship Service can be viewed LIVE AT 10:30 AM on

St. John's YouTube Channel

Past worship service videos can also be found:

https://www.stjohnsivyland.com/videoarchive

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

“Thank God for the gifts and thank God for the Givers!”

Your faithful support of St. John’s Ivyland with tithes and offerings makes it possible for us to serve God as we are called throughout the year.

Questions about Giving: email Lou Lescas at stjohns820@gmail.com

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)” 

Assistive Listening

St. John’s Ivyland wants to meet the needs of our community, and support our members and visitors in vital ways, including helping everyone to fully participate in Worship.

We are thankful to be able to provide ASSISTIVE LISTENING DEVICES (ALDs)that are available for use at each Service.

These ALDs are FM radios that are connected to the audio broadcast for our Worship Services. The listening devices can be found in a marked basket in the church narthex.

Each service the devices will be sanitized for use but if you are interested in purchasing your own listening device they are available to order for under $20. Please contact the St. John’s church office to order a device or if you have any questions about St. John’s Ivyland’s ALD program.

“Give us this day, our Daily Bread…”

God is the source of all blessings, but we know that God can and does work through others, including us.

We believe no one should have to worry about where their next meal is coming from, yet Food Insecurity is a reality for so many of our neighbors in our community, in the region and around the world. St John’s is responding to God’s call to serve all those in need.

Throughout November there are many ways that you can “Share the Harvest,” in Jesus’ name through St John’s Ivyland and our ministry partners. How will you choose to answer God’s call? 

Statement Thru September 2025

Monday, November 10th from 2 -7 PM you help save a life! “Give something that means something” and donate blood through the Red Cross at St John’s Ivyland. 

There is a critical shortage. All Blood types needed!

Schedule a blood or Power Red donation today! Click the link below or visit redcrossblood.org and use the Sponsor Code: StJohnI

Next Friday, November 14th St John’s is hosting a Tween Game night with dinner and games from 6-8pm in the Youth Room. This FREE night of fun & games & NACHOS is open to ALL 4th thru 7th Graders. You do not need to be a member of St John’s church family because we believe ALL kids deserve a safe, loving and fun place to be themselves.

Sign up for kids and volunteers is OPEN NOW.

Email JT Crockett or call the St John’s Office if you have questions!

This Month’s Communion Offering will be shared with Bux-Mont Meals on Wheels

St John’s Children Youth, Young Adults & Families are once again filling “Harvest Bags” to share some of what God has blessed us with, with others this Harvest Season. Harvest Bags can be picked up this Sunday and we will be collecting bags until Sunday November 23rd! We invite you to help fill a bag and Share the Harvest, once again!

St John’s is having a Drive Thru & Drop Off Food Drive on Saturday, Nov 22nd from 10 AM until 2 PM in front of the church. Please spread the word and help us provide meals for God’s children in need of assistance this Thanksgiving!

Starting this Sunday you can bring non-perishable items and place them on the Food Table in the Narthex. Items placed on the sharing table will be distributed the following Monday to help support those with an immediate need.

This November … A Time of Hope & Harvest

Project Arch Street Service

The United Women in Faith offers an opportuni

ty to continue our support of the work of The Center Philadelphia at Arch Street United Methodist Church, which provides services to the unsheltered in Center City. Now that the weather is getting cooler, there is a current need for men’s sweatshirts and sweatpants, along with underwear. Giving by Amazon Wish List has been streamlined! 


Just go to www.tinyurl.com/GCWish to order needed items, which can then be sent directly to Arch Street. 


Christmas Pageant Practice begins soon - sign up your child or to be a volunteer today!

Practices will be 

• Saturday, November 22
• Saturday, December 6
• and Saturday, December 13 

Our Pageant will be shared during the 10:30 am Worship Sunday, December 14.

Immediately after Pageant Practice on Saturday, Nov 22nd All are invited to a FREE celebration of Thankfulness Messy Church style!

There will be crafts, a meal and so much as we explore different ways we can worship and give God thanks!

St. John’s Family will once again be baking cookies in December!  This year, on Christmas Eve, volunteers will distribute cookie bags to First Responders in our area as well as a few businesses.  Last year we distributed approximately 500 cookies to almost 80 people.  What an outreach ministry to let those working on Christmas Eve know how much our church community appreciates what they do!  The Cornerstone will have a sign up in the next few weeks for bakers-please consider baking 2 dozen cookies!  More information will be on the sign up in the Cornerstone.

In past years many members of St. John’s family

have been involved in this wonderful event.

We have all been blessed to be able to give our gift of

The Drive-thru Living Nativity to our community.

Hundreds of cars have driven through

experiencing the Christmas story – complete with live animals.

We are currently working on this year’s event.

So, mark your calendar!!!

Sign-ups are available in the Narthex.

If you missed this outreach opportunity

in the past, please consider participating this year.

We guarantee that you will be blessed!

Just as God shares the Bread of Life with us, we enjoy feeding our fellow congregants! Whether it’s homemade or store bought treats, our ministry provisions the Grace Café each Sunday morning with cookies, quick breads, cakes, doughnuts and more. 

Joining our team of volunteers means you would be in a rotation once every 3-4 months. If you are interested in helping to sweeten our Sundays, talk to Amy Scarlett. PLEASE REACH OUT BY SUNDAY, NOVEMBER 17th so we can start 2026 off strong!

Call Amy ( 610-322-2276 )

Email Amy ( drandmrsscarlett@yahoo.com )

St. John’s Ivyland is looking for children & teens (3rd grade & older) who are interested in becoming acolytes!

An acolyte's role is to bring in the light of Christ prior to the service and to take the light of Christ out at the end of the service. 

If you know of a young person who can serve in this meaningful part of Worship Contact Jennifer Haas (215)-776-1740.

TRAINING IS AVAILABLE!

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