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Hello St. John’s Family,

On Sunday night, we had the opportunity to gather and experience an evening filled with the beautiful music of the Christmas season as we celebrated our 23^rd Annual Festival of Carols. Under the excellent direction of Roy Nelson, our congregation and community were uplifted as our Choirs, Bell Choirs, and the “St. John’s Symphonic Orchestra” offered an amazing time of secular and sacred music. I want to thank everyone who invested their gifts and talents to offer an evening of joyous and hopeful music; music that points to the true hope and joy that is revealed to the world in Christ’s birth. Thank you for your commitment to the music ministry for Christ at St. John’s – in this season and all year long.

Despite my obvious lack of musical aptitude as evidenced by my jingle bell performance, I’ve always had a deep appreciation for the beauty and power of excellent music. Music has a way of connecting with us and moving our souls in ways that words alone cannot. Many of my earliest memories of “church” involve singing, as worshippers young and old lifted their voices together in song. I still recall feeling the conviction of the congregation as they sang; one of their favorites included these words:

Great is thy faithfulness! Great is thy faithfulness!

Morning by morning new mercies I see

All I have needed, thy hand hath provided

Great is thy faithfulness, Lord unto me.

We are so blessed, that in all times and all seasons, God is faithful! We experience this in the promise of our Lord’s coming; we experience this in the birth of Christ; we experience this in the emptiness of a tomb; we experience this in the multitude of daily reminders of the Holy Spirit’s presence with us as we await Christ’s return; we experience this as we gather weekly in worship and song. God’s faithfulness is amazing!

This Sunday we’ll have the opportunity to respond to God’s faithfulness by offering commitments to God’s work here through gifts and offerings in 2023. I ask you to prayerfully consider what God is leading you to commit to God’s work at St. John’s, and to make a commitment on Sunday.

In worship, we’ll continue our Advent exploration of readings from the prophet Isaiah. This week we’ll hear of the coming time when barren places will blossom and rejoice in song, and those with anxieties and fears will be strengthened as the Lord’s salvation comes. All this is God’s work… work that comes in God’s time, yet brings forth true joy and renewal to all who place their trust in God’s faithfulness along the way. I hope you’ll check out Isaiah 35:1-10, then come out to worship with us on Sunday-

Grace and Peace,

Pastor Brad

Please click below to read the latest Congregational Update regarding COVID-19 measures:

This service can be viewed LIVE through

St. John's Youtube Channel

or on our homepage:

www.stjohnsivyland.com

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.

We are immensely grateful to all who came out to help us celebrate a great night of music. St. John's would also like to thank everyone for your generous food donations for the Eastwick Food Bank! Thank you!

St. John's Gift to the Community

5th Annual Drive-thru Living Nativity

Join us Sunday, December 11, 2022

5 PM - 8 PM

MUSIC SUNDAY

Blue Christmas Worship Service

Christmas Eve Worship Services

Christmas Worship Services

On December 24th, members of St. John's will distribute cookie bags to the First Responders at the Northampton Police Department, Tri-Hampton Rescue Squad, Northampton Fire Department, Hatboro Fire Department, and the Wawa, Sunoco, and Exxon businesses. We appreciate their service to our community and this is our way of letting them know!

If you are able to make one or two dozen cookies for this event please contact Tammy Coapman at twcoapman@gmail.com for more information.

Here's what you need to know:

• Bake 2 Dozen cookies by Thursday, December 22nd
• Please wrap them individually, or put each cookie in a snack-size Ziploc bag
• Mark your cookies with the following label: Community Outreach Project
• By December 22nd - Place cookies in the church freezer at your convenience, OR put cookies on the counter in the kitchen
• We will be putting a note on the tag that says: MAY CONTAIN NUTS, so feel free to put nuts in your recipe

Thank you for your help with this community outreach mission!

Basically, they are out of food. If you have any questions, let me know at once. Thanks!

Also, this was sent on 2 emails- please note preference for future correspondence.

"Say YES!" to delivering food and clothing to the Eastwick Food Bank. 

Please contact Lou Lescas at stjohns820@gmail.com if you are available to help. 

Thank you for your support.

Recycling Event

to benefit Bright Futures Academy

(and our Planet Earth)

Through a program with the Trex Corporation, we are collecting clean and dry soft plastic bags (examples in flyer). Bags should be brought to St. John's and placed in the large white container in the Narthex. Upon collecting 500 lbs of material, Trex will provide us with a brand-new bench (can receive 1 bench every six months). Our first bench will be sent to the Bright Futures Academy for their new playground. This project is organized by two of our Youth Stars, Nicole & Melissa McDevitt. Click below for acceptable plastics to be recycled.

The Grace Cafe is Open!

Stop by between services for a freshly brewed cup of Warrior Coffee, a sweet treat, and fellowship with your St. John's family.

Pre-K - Grade 6

Sunday 10:30 a.m. - 11:30 a.m.

This month we will talk about the Christmas story and celebrate the greatest gift the world has ever known.

The kids are also encouraged to help us bring the Christmas story to life at our traditional worship services during Advent. Click here to sign up or contact Susan Seamans for more details.

Please arrive early to check your children in at the mobile check-in kiosk located in the hallway outside Classroom A in the Education wing.

St. John’s Ivyland offers a wide variety of Musical opportunities. Children and adults are invited to participate in musical groups of varying styles and skill levels, or provide support to help and serve the Music Ministry.

For more information about our Music Ministries, or to get involved, visit our website or send an email to Roy Nelson.

OPPORTUNITIES TO SERVE

Communion Stewards are needed to help with the preparation of the Communion elements and with the clean-up following the 10:30 am service. If you would like to help with this ministry of St. John's, please contact Pastor Ruth.

Please don’t forget this is the final Sunday to return wrapped gifts. 

Thank you to everyone who has participated 

Click below to sign up.

(Nov - Dec 2022)

• Worship
• Ushers/ Hospitality Ministry
• Scripture readers for combined worship Christmas Day
• Food collection on Music Festival Sunday
• Living Nativity
• Participants
• Set-up crew
• Clean-up crew
• Angel Tree Ministry 
• Organizers
• Toy collectors

Join our

Volunteer Tech Team

and see just how "Techie" you can be!

All ages welcome - youth, young adults, elder statesmen and stateswomen.

Amaze your family with your AV skills!

Skills taught weekly.

Contact church office

at 215-357-6998

Our 2022 Advent Devotional is available in the Narthex following both services.

Be sure to pick up one for yourself and one to share with a family member or friend as well.

THE ANGELS OF CHRISTMAS

ADVENT BIBLE STUDY 

November 28 -December 20 

Monday Evening 7 pm &

Tuesday Morning 10 am 

The Angels of Christmas: Hearing God's Voice in Advent, a four-week Advent study by Susan Robb, explores the four angelic visits surrounding the birth of Jesus with Zechariah, Mary, Joseph, and the shepherds. In this study, the reader will explore the visits and dive deep into the history of the angel Gabriel-and other angels-in the Old Testament. The Angels of Christmas uses these four angelic appearances to discuss God's presence in history and our lives today. The messages of the angels hold meaning for listeners both then and now. 

Disciple III FastTrack study guides on The Prophets and Letters of Paul can be purchased online from The Well Bookstore, UM Church of the Resurrection

Tuesday Morning Zoom Bible Study at 11:00 AM

Join us for our Zoom Class which will study the

"The Birth of Jesus as told by Matthew and Mark"

To join contact Paul Henry at phenry605@verizon.net to obtain the pass codes for the Zoom session.

CLICK HERE for Fall Schedule.

Christmas Pageant

Help us continue the tradition!

We are very excited to announce that this year we are doing

"A Shepherd's Story"

an easy-to-sing Christmas musical for children created by Pam Andrews.

Prayer requests can be submitted

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

prayer.stjumc@gmail.com. 

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.

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 office.stjumc@gmail.com. 

MOBILE GIVING

• Just go to our website stjohnsivyland.com
• 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,

email Lou Lescas at stjohns820@gmail.com

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

For Cornerstone announcement requests check the Communication Timelines & Procedures page in our website HERE.

Thank you! :) 

St. John's Ivyland UMC

820 Almshouse Road

Ivyland, PA 18974

215-357-6998/office.stjumc@gmail.com

stjohnsivyland.com

Rev. Brad Leight, Sr. Pastor

Thank you to everyone who has followed us on Instagram! If you haven't yet, please do so! 

@stjohnsivyland



www.instagram.com/stjohnsivyland