July 10, 2026

A Greeting from Abiel Diaz,

Director of Spanish Language Ministries

Hello, St. John’s family!

My name is Abiel Diaz, father of 4 and husband. I am honored and grateful to join St. John’s. Thank you for welcoming me into this church family.

I have a passion for serving God and helping Latinos grow in their relationship with Jesus Christ. Throughout my life, I have been involved in ministry, and those experiences have strengthened my calling to share the hope of the Gospel and serve others with love and compassion.

I believe the church is more than a place where we gather on Sundays. My dream is for the church to become a bridge to our community—a place where people can find hope, support, friendship, and the love of Christ. I want our church to help meet both the spiritual and practical needs of families, showing God’s love through our words and our actions.

I look forward to getting to know each of you, worshiping together, and serving our community as one family in Christ. My prayer is that God will use us to reach more people and make a lasting difference in our city. 

Blessings,

Abiel Diaz

Mountain Cathedrals Hike

Corrales Bosque and Acequia

(North Section)

Saturday, July 11

Please join us at 7:30am in the St. Johns East Parking Lot to carpool to the San Ysidro Catholic Church (or meet us there at 8:00am). We’ll walk north on the acequia, then over to the Bosque, returning near the river. Plan to be back at St. John’s by 12:30pm. Bring a snack, water, sun protection, and possibly trekking poles.

In this time set aside, we consider Philippians 3:20, "But our citizenship is in heaven." What does this mean?

Contact: Mike Furnish, CLM, 505-440-7292; mdfurnish@comcast.net

Future trips: August 8, September (tbd), and October 17. Possibilities: Tree Springs (Sandias), Mt. Taylor, stargazing south of Tijeras - other ideas welcome!

WE CARE Support Group

Saturday, July 11

We want to remind you that our WE CARE Support Group will meet Saturday, July 11, from 10am – 12noon in the St. John’s Methodist Church library (2nd Floor.) Please park in the West parking lot, ring the bell, and someone will let you in. You also might want to bring a sweater, or jacket, as sometimes the library is cold! Also, PLEASE NOTE—If there is no one who opens the door for you, please call one of us and we will come and open it!!

We hope to see all of you there who have joined us previously; we also welcome new folks who are caring for family members or friends. If you have any questions about this group, please feel free to contact either of us. We also hope that this prayer below will be meaningful to you and give you food for thought and contemplation….

*****************************************************************************************

“When we invest so much of ourselves in the care of others, we may have a great need to practice loving kindness to ourselves. Though this may feel foreign to us, we can find it has wonderful benefits: self-acceptance, self-understanding, and self-love. Silence, meditation, journal writing, and self-acceptance are certainly important wellsprings for nurturing ourselves on the journey.

Adulting is going "Arting" this Sunday!

July 12

All persons in their 20's, 30's, or 40's are welcome to join us Sunday, July 12 at 6:30pm in Sonshine Cafe for Adulting's Art Night. We will be led by our own Vivien Anastasiou as we lean into our creative side for an exercise in artistic creation. 

If you aren't exactly Monet, NO PROBLEM! This is about learning, having fun, and supporting one another. No great artistic talent is needed, just a willingness to try something new. Hope to see you there!

For more info, contact Pastor Josh. 

Grief Support

Thursday, July 16

Everyone has or will experience the grief that comes when we lose a spouse, a beloved loved family member, a dear friend, or a precious pet. Grieving is felt differently by different people and may be expressed through different emotions such as anger, sadness, and depression. Loneliness also often accompanies grieving. Some people find support in their grieving though meeting with others in a caring, compassionate, and safe space where feelings can be explored, and support may be found through talking with others. We offer an invitation to those who are newly experiencing grief and for those who have suffered significant loss over time. Grief has no definitive ending.

Please join us on Thursday, July 16 from 1:30pm to 3:00pm in the Church Library, 2nd floor (Room 231). This group is facilitated by Carol Dolan and Karen Hall. Call the church office or contact them for more details.

Mobile Food Pantry

Saturday, July 18

Volunteers arrive at the Family Life Center about 8:00am - 8:30am and distribution begins @ 9:30am, depending on the time the Roadrunner truck arrives. We are usually finished by 11:00am.

Please contact Debby Smith at 505-554-4238 or dysmith0427@gmail.com if you are interested in volunteering. If you have small to medium boxes, please drop them off during the MFP at the Family Life Center, or contact me to pick them up.

United Methodist College Campus Connections

Help connect your graduating high school seniors to a United Methodist Campus Ministry. Send an email to Campus Connections today!

Do you have graduating seniors headed to college or other institutions of higher education? Don't let them slip through the cracks. Send the following info to the New Mexico Conference Board of Higher Education and we will connect your young people to a United Methodist Campus Ministry or local United Methodist Church near their college campus. Be sure to get permission from students or their families before sending. 

Please return the following to Rev. Josh Kouri at jkouri@stjohns-abq.org.

Student's Name

Local Church

School they plan to attend

Intended major (if known)

Mobile phone #

Email

Home address



Any other notes about student interests that will help them connect with a Wesley Foundation or United Methodist ministry are also appreciated. 

Send information by Wednesday, July 15, 2026 so that contacts may be sent to campus ministries in time for the new school year.  

Memory Cafe is Looking for a Volunteer!

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 contact Sharon Jensen at (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.

Family Spirit Class, 

Join us for Unit 2 in July

Adults, come join us, starting Sunday, July 5, 2026 at 9:30am to 10:30am at St. John's UMC in room 257 as we start to study Unit 2 in a new book and DVD series, UMC's Adult Bible Studies (ABS) series for Summer 2026: Spirit, Boldness, Opportunities. Cultivate a deeper relationship with God. Unit 2 of this book is about St. Peter in the book of Acts. Each week we will look at different passage (Acts 5, 8,10, 12) for the month of July. This Sunday is Lesson 5, Peter Reborn in the Spirit, focusing on Acts 5:12-16.

Summer is a great time to reflect on what God is doing. We will spend all this quarter in the Book of Acts, exploring how God worked in the early church, and how God can work in today’s church.

Watch a quick two-minute intro video with Rev. Greg Weeks,

see: https://youtu.be/2am7d2wchxs

See info about book on https://www.cokesbury.com/Adult-Bible-Studies-Summer-2026-Student



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 

Did You Know?

Asbury Pie Cafe is a Long-Standing Tradition

Since 1994, St. John's has proudly participated in the Asbury Pie Cafe at the State Fair. This long-standing tradition has become a wonderful way for our church to serve the community while supporting the mission of our church.

Although we are grateful to receive a portion of our funding each year from the Lenten offering, those funds do not cover all of the expenses involved. Donations from our church family help us to continue this worthwhile ministry and ensure its success.

If you would like to support the Pie Cafe, monetary contributions are always appreciated. Every gift, no matter the size, helps us continue this meaningful tradition of service to our community. Please contact Doris Bowen. (bowen_g@msn.com)

      "Keep calm and eat more pie." 

Freezer Space Still Needed (Update)

Thank you to everyone who has volunteered their freezer space! I still need a few more volunteers. The pies will stay in your freezer until we start baking during the State Fair. I don’t have our exact bake days yet; but stay tuned. You can either just freeze pies, and I will pick them up before the State Fair, or you can bake your frozen pies (instructions provided). Both roles are crucial to reaching our goal of delivering 320 pies to the Asbury Pie Café. If you have questions, or would like to volunteer, please contact Debby Smith 505-554-4238 dysmith0427@gmail.com

Asbury Pie Parties for the

2026 ~ NM State Fair

Join us for summer Pie Parties as we prepare delicious pies to be sold in the Asbury Pie Cafe as support of our community efforts. We need help on Tuesdays throughout July and August for:

• _{Making pie fillings}
• _{Cutting and preparing fruits}
• _{Rolling pie dough}
• _{Assembling pies}

No experience necessary—just bring your enthusiasm and enjoy friendships, laughter, and the satisfaction of working together for a great cause. Whether you can work for one Tuesday or all six, your help is appreciated and needed.

Dates are as follows:

• July 14, July 28 (we skip a week for Rummage Sale) 8:30am - 11:00am

• August 4, August 11 (evenings from 5:30pm-7:30pm), & August 18

For all the important details please contact: Regina Hampton at (Hamptonmason1@msn.com)

"Pie is proof that there is joy in simplicity."

Youth Game Night!

Instead of our typical Reel to Real program, we will enjoy a game night starting in the Family Life Center from 3:00pm to 6:00pm. Come have some fun, eat some snacks, and use up some summer energy.

Sweet~Sweet~Summer!

This Thursday, July 16, all youth are invited to spend an hour at Bahama Buck’s, located at 4411 San Mateo Blvd NE, Suite E12, at 5:30pm for some refreshing shaved ice and some time to just hang out and play games. This fun activity will continue each week throughout the entire summer. See you there!

Prayer Quilts



Inge Moller (Rachelle Luna's sister) 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 Inge. Won't be in the Center this week? No worries, either way please pray this prayer (or your own prayer) for Inge. "Loving Creator, we lift up Inge who is carrying the weight of many health struggles. You know every pain, every fear, and every weary moment she faces. Wrap her in your peace that surpasses all understanding and let your presence be a steady comfort in the midst of uncertainty. In Jesus’ name we pray, Amen." 

July Special Offering

Human Relations Ministries 

This is a United Methodist church-wide offering to support programs that work in local neighborhoods to build justice, offer hope, and walk beside those who need a second chance.

Examples would include community basics such as after school programs, help with food insecurity, and providing urgent home repairs. But for the long haul, there are also places like Exodus House in Oklahoma that provide a safe space for those leaving prison, feeling forgotten and unworthy, with no place to go, and often with untreated substance abuse. They are in great need of help to overcome their pasts, their addictions, and become productive citizens.  When we give, we help church-based programs and volunteers across the US to show God's love to the least of these.  

  July Special Collections

Toiletry Items for Silver Horizons

Silver Horizons' Mission is to provide critical help to extremely low-income senior citizens, and the family members living with them, with life's basics: groceries, household bills and home repairs/retrofits. Each month, these three core services assist about 4,000 senior citizens.

Most of the Silver Horizon clients are eligible for the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) designed to help low-income individuals and families buy food intended for home consumption - fruits, vegetables, meat, dairy, breads, cereals, snacks and non-alcoholic beverages. It's mandate is to supplement food budgets, not to cover non-food necessities such as feminine hygiene products, personal care items or baby wipes, diapers, and other hygiene supplies.

This is where we can help! During the month of July, we will collect toiletry items: shampoo, conditioner, body wash, bars of soap, toothbrushes, toothpaste, body lotion, razors, shaving cream, men and women deodorants and antiperspirants. Please place your donations in the bins in the Hospitality Center.

Let's shower them with our generosity! THANK YOU, St. John's! You're the best!   

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.