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November 13, 2025

 Hello St. John’s Family,

What’s the point?

It’s a question that I suspect we’ve all asked at least once in our life. A question that surfaces when we’re trying to reconcile the conflict present when something doesn’t align or make sense to us. Children wonder what’s the point of completing homework assignments when there are so many more interesting things they could be doing (at least I did!). As we get older, we sometimes question if the investment we are putting into something is worth the gain or outcome we receive. It’s the kind of question we anticipate from someone at a crossroads… not from the #1 ranked golfer in the world, at a press conference Q&A prior to one of the most prestigious tournaments in the sport. Yet that’s the answer Scottie Scheffler gave this summer.

It was a relatively straight-forward question: what is the longest he’s celebrated a success? Scheffler’s extended response emphasized both the fleeting nature of success and of the need to have something other than golf define his identity. I was struck by the honesty and vulnerability in his responses – a few excerpts include:

“There’s a lot of people that make it to what they thought was going to fulfill them in life, and you get there, you get to No. 1 in the world, and they’re like, what’s the point? I really do believe that, because what is the point? Why do I want to win this tournament so bad?... That's something that I wrestle with on a daily basis. It's like showing up at the Masters every year; it's like why do I want to win this golf tournament so badly? Why do I want to win The Open Championship so badly? I don't know because, if I win, it's going to be awesome for two minutes. Then we're going to get to the next week…

 I love putting in the work. I love getting to practice. I love getting to live out my dreams. But at the end of the day, sometimes I just don't understand the point.”

A professional – world-renowned for achieving the highest levels of success – readily admitted how, ultimately, those successes cannot sustain or fulfill. Scheffler went on to state that his faith in Christ is the foundational, centering element in his life, and that his relationship with his wife and son are far more important than any success on the golf course. He devotes time each morning to read scripture and has vowed that he will walk away from golf if golf ever compromises his relationship with his family. I found Scheffler’s responses incredibly refreshing as they acknowledged the limits of worldly success, and how we all yearn for something of deeper, lasting meaning.

Like Scottie Scheffler, I truly believe that relationships are the foundation of meaning in our lives. Our relationship with God is the source of all good things and forms the foundation of our identity. Our relationship with our family and loved ones, centered in Christ’s love, is what nourishes and sustains us as the demands and pressures of this world press in. These relationships are essential. They require commitment – for us to invest of ourselves in them – to foster and sustain them. And while it’s often imperfect, even messy, those relationships are lived out together as Christ’s Church: the gathered people of God seeking to faithfully follow Christ Jesus. I want to thank you for your commitment to loving and supporting our St. John’s Family. Your commitment to love and support each other is a powerful witness to the transforming love of Christ.

I want to thank Valerie Clark for her meaningful message last Sunday! This Sunday, Valerie Haenn will be sharing the foundational impact of St. John’s across her life. I am eager to hear what God has placed on her heart! I hope you’ll check out John 10:7-15 and Revelation 3:20-22, then join me in worship on Sunday.

Grace and Peace,

Pastor Brad

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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.

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 October 2025

George Ryan entered into eternal life on November 5, 2025. In accordance with George & Barbara’s wishes, a Memorial Service celebrating their lives will be held at St John’s Ivyland Saturday, December 6th 2025. There will be a time of Visitation  beginning at 10am, followed immediately by a Memorial Service at 11am.

Tomorrow - Friday, November 14th - St John’s is hosting a Tween Game Night with dinner and games from 6-8pm in the Youth Room, and it is shaping up to be a fantastic event! 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.

It is not too late for kids & volunteers to sign up; REGISTER NOW!

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

Sign up Today

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

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.

“Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father…”

When we share with others, we are only giving a portion of what God has given us. We lessen anxieties of those affected by Food Insecurity with the blessing of a shared meal. We provide hope for families when we sponsor a Christmas gift through the United Women in Faith’s Angel Tree program. With every act of love and kindness we help demonstrate our faith in God by showing our love for Him and all His children. 

No one should have to worry about where their next meal is coming from.  Everyone should know they are loved by God - and God’s children - at Christmas. 

Below are ways our St John’s church family are “Sharing the Harvest” and acting as Angels to those in need this holiday season.  How will you choose to answer God’s call? 

Every 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.

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. 

St. John’s Ivyland is proudly collecting non-perishable foods & personal health and hygiene items to support our ministry partners.

Please consider donating easy to use items: cans with pull tabs, noodles and sauce, or cereal with evaporated milk, for example. We can’t accept vitamins or over-the-counter medication. 

Please spread the word and help us provide meals for God’s children in need of assistance this Thanksgiving & thank you for your continued generosity!

Once again, United Women in Faith are collecting gifts to send to the families served by Diakon Child, Family & Community Ministries.

Sunday, November 16th through Sunday, December 14th, you may drop off the gift(s) you purchased by the Christmas tree in the Narthex.

Once again we’re using Sign-Up Genius to register and select items to gift. SIGN-UP IS OPEN TODAY. Click the link below or on St. John’s website and select one or more gifts to purchase for each listed child. 

Gifts should be wrapped or bagged. Please securely fasten a tag to each gift with the number from the Sign-Up Genius list. Gift cards should be in a small gift bag with the numbered tag attached. (Gift receipts are greatly appreciated by the recipient.)

Questions? Please contact Arlene Williams at 215-962-3697 or email ArleneW13@aol.com .

Thank you for sharing the love of Christ with these precious children. God bless your generous hearts!

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. 


This November and Early December

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 Ivyland’s Festival of Carols is a celebration of Christmas with religious and popular songs led by our wonderful Music Ministry (and a few special guests). This joyous night is open to the public and we ask that you consider bringing non-perishables in place of a monetary offering. 

Specifically, our partners in ministry have asked us to consider some specific needs and easy to use items, where possible. For example:

• cans with pull tabs
• noodles and sauce, or
• cereal with evaporated milk
• (We can’t accept vitamins or over-the-counter medication.)

We look forward to celebrating the Coming Christ in song with you, December 7th!

St John’s Ivyland’s Drive Thru Living Nativity is an Advent gift of love to our community and we are overjoyed to be able to share it once again! 

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