Hello St. John’s Family,
Earlier this week, I heard that Google released their annual “Year in Search” lists. Part self-promotion and part telling reflection of our culture and world at large, the lists detail the most-searched words and phrases in various categories over the past year. Sports, celebrities, and movies all were noted – though it’s interesting that two of the most-googled sports topics had to do with cricket! I suppose that’s a good reminder of the global flavor of the internet. On a lighthearted note, searches for “mittens” hit an all-time high last January in response to the famous picture of Bernie Sanders, all bundled up.
A much more sobering observation of Google search trends is that doomscrolling was searched more globally in 2021 than ever before. In case you’re unfamiliar with the term, doomscrolling (or doomsurfing) is the tendency to spend excessive amounts of screen time looking for and absorbing negative news. For example, the tendency we can have to check our phone or social media feed in the morning, wondering what bad things happened overnight, and then check back throughout the day to see what else went wrong – that’s doomscrolling. Common sense tells us that this pattern will dampen our outlook. Now, research is backing that up. Multiple studies have found this process serves to heighten our feelings of anxiety, even depression. Whether everyone who searched for the term actually fell into the pattern of doomscrolling isn’t known. Clearly, though, it was on the mind of many people.
As I thought about that a bit, it struck me how people of faith are called to a much different perspective. Centuries before the birth of Christ, the Hebrew people were scattered and oppressed. They were well-aware of their difficulties, yet faith in God brought them hope. God would hear their prayers, and ultimately deliver them. In the darkness that surrounded them, they longed for and trusted that a light would come. Today, this is the foundational premise of our Advent season: recognizing the brokenness around us while eagerly anticipating God breaking in anew, as God works through us to extend Christ’s love to all. The mess of this world isn’t a call to doom and despair, it’s a call to turn to the real hope we have in Christ.
My prayer is that you’ll recall the real hope we have through Christ the next time your newsfeed blows up with troubling news. May the peace of Christ be with us… and strengthen us to limit our scrolling…
Grace and Peace,
Pastor Brad
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St. John's Office Schedule Over the Christmas Holiday:
In observance of the Christmas and New Year's Holidays, and to give our staff some well-deserved time with their families, the Church Office will be closed Monday and Tuesday, December 27th and 28th, and Friday the 31st. An abbreviated Cornerstone eNews will be distributed on December 30th. All announcements for the Cornerstone or the projected announcements in worship must be received by noon on Wednesday, December 29. Thank you.
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WORSHIP - SAFETY PRECAUTIONS |
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Please click below to read the latest Congregational Update regarding COVID-19 measures: |
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Worship this Sunday,
December 12, 2021
2 in-person services offered in the Sanctuary
Contemporary Worship
at 9 AM
and
Traditional Service
at 10:30 AM
The 10:30 AM service can be viewed LIVE through
St. John's Youtube Channel
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or on our homepage:
www.stjohnsivyland.com
Past worship service videos can also be found:
Auto-generated closed captions are usually provided by YouTube about a week after the service has posted for the hearing impaired.
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- Children's Christmas Play - Kids & Youth/Adult Helpers
- Living Nativity - Set-up & Breakdown Helpers
- Tech Team Volunteer Opportunities
- Children's Ministry - Sunday School Teachers/Assistants
- Ushers and Greeters - 9:00 and 10:30 services
- Nursery Attendants - 10:30 service
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Children's Activities This Week
Parents, please bring your children age 4 thru 6th grade to the mobile check-in set up in the Education wing.
Joyful Voices - rehearsal Sunday, 11:30 AM in the Sanctuary
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Pre-K - Grade 6
Sunday 10:30 a.m. - 11:30 a.m.
For many of us, Christmas lights are the best and brightest part of Christmas celebrations. It doesn’t matter if it’s the high-rises in the big city or houses lining Main Street; when the lights come out, it’s a wonderland! People celebrate big at Christmas because there’s Someone big to celebrate: Jesus! The best gift God ever gave was Jesus. Because of Jesus, it’s possible for us to have a relationship with God that will last forever. As we remember the Christmas story, we will take time to celebrate the greatest gift the world has ever known!
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Youth Activities This Week
Sunday School - 10:30 AM
Drive-Thru Nativity December 12
Confirmation Activities - Advent Church Participation, Reading & Reflecting, Drive-Thru Nativity
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Grades 7 - 12
Sundays 10:30 - 11:30 AM
BYOC (bring your own chair)
and Bible!
Join Mrs. Gutsch and Mrs. Zesinger as they continue the series -
"It's Beginning to look a lot like Christmas"
YOUTH SUNDAY SCHOOL STUDENTS MEET
IN THE PARKING LOT OR THE YOUTH LOUNGE
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Youth Night
Grades 7 - 12
Sunday 7:15 - 8:30 PM
No Youth Group this Sunday night. See you at the
Drive-Thru Nativity 5:00 PM
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Opportunities at St. John's to prepare your heart and your family for Advent
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Creche and Banner Presenters Needed
for the January 6th Epiphany Worship Service at 10:30
Children aged 4 - 12 to present a manger figure
Several Youth to present Advent banners
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The Christmas Story
Jesus Christ is the Same - Yesterday, Today, and Forever!
December 24th at 5:30 PM
Contact Susan Seamans for additional info
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Please drop off your Angel Tree Gifts by December 12th.
All 156 slots were filled!
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St. John's Gift to the Community
4th Annual Drive-thru Living Nativity
Sunday, December 12
5:00 to 8:00 PM
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"Christmas Caroling for
Youth and Young Adults
Sunday, December 19th
7:15 to 9:00 PM
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December 19th -
Music Services at
9:00 and 10:30 AM
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Thank you,
St. John's Friends & Family
Your generosity at the Festival of Carols enabled us to deliver approximately 1,400 pounds of food split between Eastwick and Jesus Focus Ministry Food Pantries.
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Please save your aluminum tab tops for the UMW Naomi Circle collection for Ronald McDonald House. The collection bin is beneath the UMW bulletin board just off the Narthex.
Thank you for supporting this worthy cause.
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Advent Offering 2021
Bright Future Academy
Pre-School
at El Mesias UMC, Kensington
Bright Future Academy is a small, but essential, child development center at
El Mesias United Methodist Church in Kensington.
The Academy welcomes children of low-income working parents who rely on the security of the quality childcare provided by Bright Future. However, the children can no longer use the playground at El Mesias Church as it has been overrun by rats. The Academy and Church desperately want to pave the playground with asphalt which will eliminate the rat infestation. Our Advent Offering this year will go toward making that dream a reality.
For a church named El Mesias (the Messiah)
and a preschool named Bright Future,
located together on a street named Hope,
their hope is that with the help of their new friends at St. John's, all those names will prophesy a very bright future for the children and their parents.
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Donations Needed of
Non-perishable foods
Please place contributions in the shopping carts located in the narthex
Volunteers are also needed to deliver food and clothing to the Eastwick Food Bank.
Thank you for your support.
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The final session of our four-week Advent Study based on the book "Faithful, Christmas through the Eyes of Joseph" by Adam Hamilton, will be at 7:00 PM on Wednesday evening, December 15th. Facilitator, Ken Lee.
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St. John's Book Club
When God Winks
by Squire Rushnell substantiates that every single one of us can constantly be guided by God. When you think about your own life, you realize just how important coincidences are. The question is are they really coincidences?
Join us Wednesday, January 12, 2022 at 10:00 AM or 7:00 PM in the Grace Cafe'. Carol Campbell & Barbara Schneider, facilitators.
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United Methodist Women will be serving hot soup, cookies and beverages in Fellowship Hall to our Drive-Thru Living Nativity participants (humans only, no camels or sheep please). |
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The next meeting will be the third week of
January 2022. Have a blessed Advent and Christmas!
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Prayer requests can be submitted
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.
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PRAISE!
Michael McDevitt - Graduating from Bloomsburg University on December 11, 2021
Congratulations from your
St. John's family.
Well done!
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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 stjumc@aol.com.
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MOBILE GIVING
- Just go to our website stjohnsivyland.com
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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,
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If your contact information changes:
address, phone, email, etc.
please notify the church office at
215-357-6998 or stjumc@aol.com
and we'll be sure to update your information in our files.
Thank you!
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Community Thanksgiving Service
St. Andrew's UMC, Warminster
November 23, 2021
Watch on YouTube link below
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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 |
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St. John's Ivyland
820 Almshouse Road
Ivyland, PA 18974
stjohnsivyland.com
Rev. Brad Leight, Sr. Pastor
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