February 20, 2026

Josh's Jottings



It's that time of year again! Starting this Friday and for the next 6 weeks of Lent, join us for an annual tradition; Fish Fry is back! All proceeds go toward feeding the hungry in Albuquerque through a variety of local charity organizations we support. Whether you've been coming for years, or this is your first time, there is always a warm welcome waiting for you at St. John's. 

The tradition of eating fish during Lent stretches back centuries and is rooted in the practice of fasting and abstinence in the 40 days before Easter. Fish became the go-to alternative for communities abstaining from eating meat. Parishes and churches in America began gathering together to share a communal meal, strengthen bonds, and mark the season with fellowship.

At St. John's, we are proud to carry that tradition forward and do so in a way that puts food on the plates of our neighbors in need. So come hungry, and bring your family, your friends, and your neighbors. The more the merrier, and every plate makes a difference! - Josh



Mobile Food Pantry

Saturday, February 21

Volunteers arrive at the Family Life Center about 8:00am-8:30am and distribution begins at 9:30am, depending on the time the Roadrunner truck arrives. Please contact me if you are interested in volunteering. Debby Smith 505-554-4238 or dysmith0427@gmail.com. If you have small to medium boxes, you can drop them off during the MFP at the Family Life Center or contact me to pick them up. 



Family Spirit Class

New Study for Lent

Adults, come join us, starting Sunday, February 22, 2026, at 9:30am to 10:30 am at St. John's UMC in room 257 as we study a new book and DVD series, The Last Supper, Conversations That Led to the Cross by Will Willimon. 


Experience Lent through the stories Jesus told on the way to the table.

Travel with Jesus on the road to Jerusalem in this profound six-week Lenten study that explores the parables and stories Jesus told at tables along the way to his final meal. Will Willimon invites readers to experience how these table stories—about searching shepherds, welcoming hosts, prodigal sons, and rejected invitations—illuminate the deeper meaning of the Last Supper and Christ's sacrifice.

Watch this 2-minute video on https://youtu.be/BVt-0CPdj6Q for a quick introduction by author.

See info about book on https://www.abingdonpress.com/product/9781791037383/

Come make new connections as we gather each Sunday. We will share joys and concerns as a small group, then pray, and then watch a short 10-minute video in class with comments from the author and then discuss questions from the Leader Guide. Folks are welcome to drop by any week to sample the class. Come try it out. Free admission. Open to all adults. Questions about this class? Please ask Brian Eagan, Email: eagan.brian@gmail.com 

The Ladies' Book Club

Monday, March 2

The Ladies’ Book Club will meet on Monday, March 2, 2026, at 1:00 pm in Room 241. Come share your love of reading. We will be discussing The Borrowed Life of Frederick Fife: A Heartwarming Story of Redemption, Forgiveness, Second Chances, and Found Family by Anna Johnston. When Fred’s broken life takes a positive turn, he uses the opportunity to spread kindness to others. Contact Sara Perovich: sjperov@yahoo.com.

April book pick: The Frozen River by Ariel Lawthon

UWF General Meeting

Thursday, March 5

United Women in Faith's General meeting will be held on Thursday, March 5, at 10:00am in Room 241.  Our guest speaker will be Abbey Reid, Director of Neighboring Program. The topic is Food Insecurity of UNM and CNM College Students.  Everyone is welcome to join us. For more information contact Carol Wiggins at caromwiggins@aol.com or text or call 505-321-0603.

Memory Cafe

Saturday, March 7

Join your friends at Memory Café for a fun afternoon with the Lucky Pluckers. They will be singing and playing their ukuleles as we celebrate St. Patrick’s Day and all things spring. Be sure to wear your green! Memory Café Albuquerque will be March 7, 2026, at 1:30pm - 3:00pm in the Sonshine Café at St. John’s United Methodist Church.

Memory Café meets the first Saturday of each month at 1:30pm -3:00pm in the Sonshine Cafe. It is a supportive fellowship for anyone affected by memory loss/Alzheimer’s and their caring partners. Meet and share with others on a similar journey. This is not a drop-off event. For more information (505) 323-7522 or ssmjens@aol.com. You don’t need to pre-register and there is no cost for the event. Join us for a fun time designed for you! 

Please Note: Memory Cafe is looking for a volunteer for a Registrar/Attendance position. This person must be able to send/receive emails and print forms plus attend our meetings on the first Saturday

of each month. If interested, please contact Sharon Jensen @505-238-2586 or ssmjens@aol.com.

 Apollo5 Returns to St. John's

Sunday, March 8

"Music at St. John’s" is proud to welcome Apollo5 for their third appearance on Sunday, March 8, 2026, at 3:00pm. This internationally award-winning British vocal ensemble captivates audiences with dynamic, versatile performances and a wide-ranging repertoire—from Renaissance and classical works to contemporary choral music, as well as folk, jazz, and pop.

Click here to get your tickets today!

Please note, this concert will not be livestreamed.

Ask A Pastor

March 15

Our first Ask a Pastor session in December was quite a success even though it was on a snow day – we had 21 people show up full of questions and full of listening to the input from our two pastors of the day. Our next session of Ask a Pastor will take place on March 15, a Sunday, again at 2:00pm in Room 149-151.

Our featured resources this time will be the retired Rev. Carl Schenck and Ms. Lauren Morgan-Smith, our church’s Director of Congregational Care and a candidate for ordination as a deacon.

We are aiming to have a space for people with questions to get answers from trained pastors. Have you ever had a nagging question about a Bible story? Have you been challenged in maintaining a prayer life? Do you want to talk to someone who is trained in the Bible and in the United Methodist Christian life?

We are testing out the concept of 90-minute sessions of asking and answering questions. A moderator will ask turned-in questions, ask for questions from the floor and the discussion will take off from there. Topics of specific questions to be addressed include personal prayer life and whether we should talk more about the devil.

**If you plan to attend and will need childcare for children ages 6 weeks to 4 years, please call the church at 505-883-9717 or email the church at reception@stjohns-abq.org by March 5.

This new event is created by the Look to the Future Work Group, and we would like to see it become a regular enjoyable event full of conversation. Please come and listen as well as ask questions in the great conversation we expect to create. Contacts are Donna Berry (505-604-4487) or Joan Shirley (505-238-1663). 

A Listening Heart,

College Age Retreat

March 6 - 8 at Sacramento Camp

“Step out of the traffic! Take a long loving look at me, you High God.”

 (Psalm 46:10)

A Listening Heart is a weekend retreat camp for college students across New Mexico and west Texas to provide a space to listen for God’s voice, listen to one another, and listen to our own spirits as we live life together.

Set in the beauty of the tall peaks and wide skies of the Sacramento Mountains of Southeast NM, this retreat invites students to meet in community, worship with intention, and learn through guided reflection. Come, spend time away from the noise of daily life so you can reconnect with Jesus and discover where the Spirit might be leading you next.

•  Details: arrive Friday afternoon, March 6, after 3:00pm.
•  Saturday evening karaoke and campfire
• Depart Sunday, March 8, after the morning worship service
• Musicians! If you are musically talented, please bring your instruments especially guitars or easy to transport drums, to help lead music in worship
• In addition to the retreat activities, there will be recreation time. Sacramento Camp offers many fun activities, including disc golf, ATV riding, ropes course, etc., so bring extra money if you want to participate in those recreational activities
• Sacramento also offers many free activities such: hiking, card and board games, etc.

Cost is just $35.00 and that covers food, lodging, and retreat activities. This retreat event is funded in part by a grant from the New Mexico Conference of the United Methodist Church (UMC). 

To register, follow the registration guide on https://sacramentocamp.org/

Select “UNM Wesley Foundation Retreat” for the event you are attending.

Retreat will be led by Rev. Paul Escamilla, a United Methodist Pastor, author, and leader with a passion for students and learners who listen for Christ’s call.

For more info about this Retreat event, please contact: Rev. Josh Kouri, email: jkouri@stjohns-abq.org

Apply today for UMC Scholarships

The UMC General Board of Higher Education and Ministry (GBHEM) scholarship application portal is now open for United Methodist students nationwide seeking UMC scholarships for undergraduate and graduate study at universities and seminaries in the United States. Potential scholarships awarded range from $500 to $1,200, on average. Students must re-apply every year. Students can be awarded a scholarship annually for up to 7 years. Both full time and part time students who are members of the UMC are eligible.

Every year, GBHEM awards more than 2,100 scholarships, valued around $4 million, to undergraduate and graduate students at more than 500 U.S. Universities. This financial aid helped college and grad students of all backgrounds to pursue their dreams and higher education to serve as the next generation of leaders. Application deadline is March 6, 2026. Students use a free online form to apply for more than 70 UMC scholarship programs, on https://www.gbhem.org/scholarships/

  Announcing an Evening Men and Women's

In-Person Bible Study Opportunity!

Have you been looking for an opportunity to join a Bible Study group that meets in person during the evening? If so, please consider joining our Tuesday night study group. We will begin our next study on March 17 and continue through April 21 in rooms 245/247 from 5:30pm - 7:00pm. 

The study group will be using Adam Hamiton's book, Christianity and World Religions, to explore four major world religions; Hinduism, Buddhism, Islam and Judaism, and how these beliefs compare with Christianity. We will consider how we as Christians may be able to learn from other faiths and relate to our neighbors of other faiths in a constructive manner. If you would like to purchase the book through Amazon, you can use this link.

Interested? If so, please contact Debbie Benton at debabqq@gmail.com to sign up or to get additional information about the class. You may also sign up at the Hospitality Desk on Sunday mornings!



Tai Chi Class

Now in the Narthex ~ During Lent

The Tai Chi class will meet in the Narthex on Thursdays at 10:00am beginning February 19 through April 2 as the Family Life Center will be hosting the Fish Fry. Please remember to park in the Westend lot!

Come join us for a relaxing session of gentle movements. For questions, please contact Dianna Muller at DLM_NM@MSN.COM

Fish Fry Dinners Start Tonight!

Yes, tonight is our first Fish Fry Dinner in the Family Life Center from 4:00pm to 7:00pm! The Fish Fry Dinners continue on Fridays through March 27. Come hungry - we've got fried or baked fish with wonderful sides waiting for you. No reservations are needed, just show up! Gluten-free options are available.



Want to Gift a Fish Fry Dinner?



Stop by the Hospitality Center every Sunday between now and the end of Fish Fry season to purchase advanced tickets as gifts for family and friends (they'll still go through the line when they arrive). You can also donate tickets for our first responders or drop a little something in the tip jar to help support our Zuni Weekend Meal Bag Program and tutoring snacks for Tierra Adentro NM (TANM) Charter School.



Making Desserts for Fish Fry Dinners



Do You Love to Bake? Join our team of dessert makers on Thursday mornings from 9:00am to 12:00pm during the six weeks of Fish Fry Dinners. We’ll be working together to prepare some of Chef Tim’s marvelous desserts that everyone looks forward to each year. No professional experience needed—just bring your enthusiasm! If you’d like to help, please contact Jean Jones at (505) 881-1918 for more details.



Join Our Second Shift Cleanup Team

We Need You!

Have you ever wondered who helps keep our Fish Fry dining area welcoming and running smoothly during the second shift? It's our dedicated second shift cleanup crew – and right now, they could really use a few more friendly faces! We're looking for volunteers to join the team from 5:30pm to 7:00pm. Don't worry if you've never done this before – we provide on-the-job training, and the work is straightforward and rewarding.

What you'll do: help clear tables as diners finish their meals, reset places with fresh placemats and silverware for the next guests, circulate through the dining room with water and iced tea pitchers (it's a great way to chat with people!) and keep the floor tidy and handle any small spills.

It's a short 90-minute shift that makes a huge difference in everyone's dining experience. Plus, you'll be part of a vital team that keeps things running behind the scenes. If you'd like to help out, please reach out to Wayne. He'd love to hear from you! Contact: Wayne at (505) 294-1018 or jwshirleyabq@gmail.com



Let’s Go Bowling!

A Children’s & Family Ministries fun activity is planned for Sunday, March 1, from 1:00pm – 3:00pm at Silva Lanes (3010 Eubank Blvd. NE). All families with children in 5th grade or younger are invited to join us. This is a free event for families; bowling, shoe rental, and food will be provided by St. John’s UMC. If your family would like to bowl with us, please RSVP to Angela Lybarger at childrensdirector@stjohns-abq.org by February 28. Put on a cool bowling shirt, come knock down some pins, & hang out! (This is not a drop-off event; all children must be accompanied by an adult or high school age Youth.) Hope to see you there!

Egg Hunt Candy Donations Needed!



We are getting ready for the 2026 Children’s Easter Celebration coming on Saturday, March 28! This year all the fun will be back at St. John’s UMC, and it’s time once again to prep LOTS of eggs for kiddos to hunt. If you can help by donating a bag of candy (please no plastic eggs) we’d appreciate your “Egg-cellent” assistance. Stay tuned for more details about the celebration.

Recycling Update

A million “thanks” to all those who are donating cardboard tubes to Children’s Ministry; keep those paper towel, wrapping paper, & toilet paper tubes coming! Now you can also donate brown paper bags or paper to the cause. All items are being used to create building materials for True North VBS happening this summer. Please continue to bring all donations to the front office or place in the boxes outside Angela’s office. Questions? Contact Angela Lybarger at childrensdirector@stjohns-abq.org. Thanks for your ongoing support.



Routine is Good

Youth Sunday School is on Sunday mornings during the 11:00 a.m. service in room 258. This semester we are enjoying a deeper dive into the childhood favorite videos of Veggie Tales. Then in the afternoons from 4 to 6 p.m., join us for Youth Group as we have snacks, play games, and discuss how our faith can grow and be applied to everyday life.

If you need any additional information or have any questions, please reach out to our Youth Director Brett Reece at youthdirector@stjohns-abq.org.



Prayer Quilts



Liz Davis (friend of Dara Bell) is the recipient for the prayer quilt currently on display in the Hospitality Center. 

If you pass through the Hospitality Center this week, please tie a knot in the quilt while praying for Liz. Won't be in the Center this week? No worries, either way please pray this prayer (or your own prayer) for Liz. "Father, we pray for courage for Liz as she walks through this battle with cancer. May your strength be made perfect in her weakness. May your presence bring comfort and assurance, and may Liz feel your loving arms around her at every step. In Jesus’ name we pray, Amen." 

    February Special Offering

Support our Missionary

We are eager to continue our support of UMC Missionary to Nicaragua, Dr. Belinda Forbes. She is a liaison for Faith and Health Partnerships with AMOS Health and Hope, a group that provides many services to unreached communities in Nicaragua. For example, people struggling with chronic diseases such as diabetes are able to see a doctor for the first time ever at an AMOS Health Fair. Expectant and young mothers receive support at "Parenting with Love and Health" groups. But most of all, Belinda runs dental clinics. There is only 1 dentist for every 20,000 people in Nicaragua. When 10 year old Justo arrived at a clinic recently he said, "all my teeth hurt"! What a relief when he left! And after learning about preventative strategies to keep his teeth healthy, he was excited to receive his gift bag of dental supplies.

  We at St. John's can help Dr. Belinda continue to help children like Justo and be the hands and feet of Christ in Nicaragua. Please give generously.

February 2026~Special Collection

Help Local Seniors Keep

Their Furry Friends Fed

We're launching a pet food collection drive to support low-income seniors in our community who are struggling to afford food for their beloved pets. Many older adults on fixed incomes face an impossible choice: buy food for themselves or their companions. Too often, seniors share their own meals with their cats and dogs, which can lead to health problems for their pets and leave our neighbors without adequate nutrition themselves.

During the month of February, we're collecting unopened bags and cans of dog and cat food for Silver Horizons to distribute to low-income seniors with pets. Most needed items are: dry dog and cat food (all sizes), canned pet food, senior pet formulas, and small breed options.

Your donations will go directly to seniors in our area, ensuring that no one has to choose between feeding themselves and feeding a cherished companion who provides comfort, companionship, and purpose. Please place your donations in the missions' bins in the Hospitality Center. Thank you for helping us keep pets and their people together and healthy. 

St. John's United Methodist Church | (505) 883-9717

2626 Arizona Street NE | Albuquerque, New Mexico 87110

Office Hours: Monday - Thursday, 9 a.m. - 4 p.m.

Friday, 9 a.m. - 12 p.m.

If there is an after-hours Congregational Care need, you may leave a message on Lauren Morgan-Smith’s church office phone 505-883-9717, ext. 127 – or email care@stjohns-abq.org and she will respond as soon as possible.