July 31, 2026

Josh's Jottings

Ask A Pastor

"Every spiritually alive person I've ever known is curious." 

-Phillip Gulley-

If you attended one of our "Ask A Pastor" sessions last spring, you know it is a venue that honors questions, open discussion, and curiosity.

Join us at our next session on Sunday, September 27 at 2:00pm in Room 149-151. This is a space for people with questions to discuss with pastors and teachers.

Have you ever had a nagging question about a Bible story or how to maintain prayer life? Is a certain concept in faith or community that is puzzling to you? John Wesley, the founder of the Methodist movement, encouraged everyone to work through our own salvation and beliefs using Scripture, tradition, reason and experience. Ask A Pastor is one way to jump into that work through a 90-minute session of open discussion.

There's just one problem. WE NEED YOUR QUESTIONS! Please find cards to fill out and turn them in at the Hospitality Center, the usher table at the Abide service, and in the church office.

**Need childcare? Please email the church at reception@stjohns-abq.org by September 18.

We welcome you to ask questions, share, and listen in this great conversation.

For more info, contact Donna Berry (505-604-4487) or Joan Shirley (505-238-1663).

Meet & Greet

Pizza & Play

Friday, July 31

Please join us for a Meet & Greet on Friday, July 31 at 6:00pm in the

St. John’s UMC Family Life Center.

Pizza & Salad will be served. Games will be provided or bring one to share & play. This is a great opportunity to meet and get to know people! We’ll fuel up on pizza and salads and play board games, card games and even cornhole! All are welcome!

Please RSVP to Fay.Barz@gmail.com by Thursday, 7/30/26 for pizza planning purposes.

Memory Cafe

Saturday, August 1

The next Memory Café meeting is Saturday August 1, at 1:30pm - 3:00pm in the Sonshine Café at St. John’s United Methodist Church.  It is the Dog Days of Summer, so our special guests are the High Desert Therapy Dogs. Join us for great music and sing-along with Tony Mora. There will also be other games and snacks.

Memory Cafe is a social support meeting for anyone affected by memory loss or Alzheimer’s disease along with their care partners and family. It is a setting free of stigma and offers an opportunity to form relationships and share with others who are traversing a similar journey. For more information contact Mrs. Jensen at (505) 323-7522 or ssmjens@aol.com. Join us for a fun time designed for you! 

Servers Needed for the Zuni

St. John’s Preschool Plus

Teacher Appreciation Lunch

Wednesday, August 5

On Wednesday, August 5, St. John’s will be serving a free lunch to appreciate the teachers at our neighbor Zuni Elementary and the St. John’s Preschool Plus teachers.

We are in need of enthusiastic servers to set tables with linen and flatware, serve drinks, bus dishes, clean up—and most importantly eat with the teachers to get to know them, thank them, give them encouragement at the start of the school year, and to get to know their needs so we can support them!

If you are interested, please Sign Up Here or contact Chef Tim at tnuzum@stjohns-abq.org or 505-883-9717 x141.

Family Promise Dinners Needed!

August 2 - 8

St. John's host week is coming up. Family Promise is an organization that strives to end homelessness while still keeping families together. We partner with them to provide groceries and meals to the families currently staying at their residential location next to Montgomery Church of Christ.

Please click on the Family Promise Sign-up link Sign Up Here or visit the Hospitality Center to sign up. For information regarding families staying at Family Promise, or other questions, contact Jenn Shields at (505) 450-9978; jennshields200@yahoo.com or Linn Furnish at swimsew@comcast.net

Hygiene Kit Assembly Event RSVP Needed!

Friday, August 7

St. John's is partnering with Albuquerque Healthcare for the homeless to assemble hygiene kits for their staff to hand out. The event starts at 5:00pm with a presentation from the Development Director at Albuquerque Healthcare for the homeless.

After the presentation, there will be time for dinner and fellowship. Following dinner, we will assemble the hygiene kits. Since dinner will be provided, please email your RSVP to Jenn Shields at jennshields200@yahoo.com or text your RSVP to 505-450-9978 before Tuesday, August 4.

Family Promise Garage Sale

Saturday, August 8

Family Promise is selling the items currently in storage to get ready for the move to their new housing location. If you want various household items or clothing, check out the sale at the Montgomery Church of Christ's parking lot, located at (4121 Mesilla St NE) from 10:00am - 2:00pm. If you have any questions, please contact Jenn Shields at (505) 450-9978 or jennshields200@yahoo.com.

Mountain Cathedrals Hike

Saturday, August 8

(Otero Canyon Loop South of Tijeras)

Please join us on Saturday, August 8 at 7:30am in the St. Johns East Parking Lot to carpool to the Otero Canyon Trailhead, or at the trailhead (3.8 miles south of Tijeras) at 8:05am (please let me know you're coming!). 

The Otero Canyon/West Ridge loop is a classic Manzanitas loop in the pinons and limestone, with good views of the mountains all around. It is 5.1 miles in length, with 616 ft of climb and some rocky trail, so moderately difficult. Plan to be back at St. John's by 1:00pm.  Bring lunch, water and sun protection.

Sometimes the change in perspective of a time in God's wilderness invites us to examine priorities and ask: are they ours or God's?

If very hot conditions are predicted, we may switch to the Tree Springs route starting from the road to the Crest.

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

A New Women's Bible Study Entitled Deborah

Unlikely Heroes

and the Book of Judges

(Epic of Eden) by Sandra L. Richter

A new Women's Bible study will begin Tuesday, September 1, and runs through Tuesday, October 20. Class is from 9:30am - 11:30am in rooms 245/257 for a total of 8 weeks.

The study will be led by Shanlii Payment. To register, contact Susan Perry at 505-350-9633 or teachersusan@comcast.net.

The Book of Judges narrates one of the most chaotic and morally dark eras of Israel's story. Into this morally ambiguous time comes one of the most unlikely leaders of the biblical text, the prophet Deborah. A wife, mother, priest, and judge, Deborah responds to her call and transforms chaos into order by leading Israel in one of the most pivotal victories of her time. The author illustrates the era of the judges by means of the archaeological record, historical geography, cultural context, and the hard facts of warfare in the ancient world. This study draws you immediately into the grand tale of Deborah and challenges you, as a Christ-follower, to ask yourself where God wants to expand his kingdom in your realm of influence today.

You are Invited to Join a

New Tuesday Evening

Bible Study! 

Do you ever have doubts and questions about your faith? Do you have questions about why prayers go unanswered? Is God really out there? Where is God when bad things happen? If so, please consider joining our Tuesday evening group as we study Adam Hamilton’s book, Wrestling with Doubt Finding Faith. Hamilton approaches doubt with honest insight, drawing on the wisdom of the Bible, Christian tradition and his own personal doubts and experiences. This study will focus on trusting God to be able to address and help us with the hard questions of faith.

We hope you will join us on Tuesday evenings at 5:30pm - 7:30pm from September 8 thru October 13 in Room 245. You may purchase the study book from Amazon using this LINK.  

This class is open to all adults who would like to join. Please email Deb Benton at debabqq@gmail.com to register for the class. 

Gift Planning ~ Special Seminar

Generosity Matters ~ Hosted by SJUMC

Sunday, September 13 &

Monday, September 14

St. John’s UMC Foundation will be hosting a special seminar, Your Generosity Matters, specifically designed for individuals who wish to explore impactful ways to include charities (the church and others) they love in their charitable estate planning.

The seminar presenters are Justin Gould, Chief Philanthropy Officer and Pamela Gray, Director of Philanthropy, from the Texas Methodist Foundation.



This seminar provides tools to guide your estate planning and charitable giving and is designed to help you create a roadmap that honors your beliefs and values, prepares your estate plan, and impacts your community.

Topics to be discussed include:

• Tax-efficient Giving: Strategies to support the church and charities you care about while maximizing the benefits for your heirs.
• Giving Tools: An overview of endowments, Donor-Advised Funds, and gifts that pay you income, with the remainder going to the church or other charity.
• Expert Counsel: Navigating the technical side of estate planning with a heart for ministry.

Event Details:

Dates:

• Sunday, September 13, 2026, at 1:00pm (after Sunday lunch in the Family Life Center)
• Monday, September 14, 2026, at 6:00pm (repeated session)

• Where: St. John’s United Methodist Church
• Cost: None
• Duration: 1 hour, followed by a Q&A session

Whether you are just beginning to think about your estate or are looking to refine an existing plan, this program offers the expert counsel and leadership needed to turn your God-inspired vision into a lasting reality.

While registration is not required, it is helpful (especially for the Monday session). Scan the QR code or go to tinyurl.com/StJohnsTMF.

Pie Making Volunteers Still Needed!

We still need volunteers for making pies for the NM State Fair Pie Cafe. Please join us for the last 3 summer pie parties in August. You do not have to know how to make pie, only how to cut fruit, mix pies, and have fun! This is a worthwhile and easy way to contribute to the success of the annual event.

• Tuesday, August 4 from 5:30pm - 8:00pm (evening) 
• Tuesday, August 11 from 5:30pm - 8:00pm (evening) 
• Tuesday, August 18 from 8:30am - 11:00am (morning)



"We're just here for the pie. Everything else is a crust issue."

Freezer Space Update

We have completed the first 3 Pie Parties and now have 155 pies distributed in freezers. There are 3 more pie parties to come in August. Freezer space is still appreciated, especially if you would be willing to bake those pies in September. Thanks so much for your help! Debby Smith 505-554-4238 dysmith0427@gmail.com

Children’s Outreach Council Meeting

Monday, August 10

As experienced by numerous churches across the country, Children’s & Family Ministries at St. John’s have seen a dramatic shift in the programming needs of families with children birth through grade 5.

For a variety of reasons, families are no longer necessarily planning their school years and summer activities around church programs and schedules, nor are they actively reaching out to churches as they did in the past 20+ years. But no matter how things shift, our goal must always be to keep embracing children and families with as much love and support as possible to meet them where they are in their faith journeys.

The Children’s Outreach Council is a new group starting up in August with the primary focus of finding new ways to support children and families within our community at large. If you would like to join this group or just check it out, our first meeting will be held on Monday, August 10 at 6:30pm in the Sonshine Café. For more information, please contact Angela Lybarger at childrensdirector@stjohns-abq.org. Hope to see you there!

Promotion Sunday &

Blessing of the Backpacks

We will be celebrating Promotion Sunday on August 2 during the 11:00am service. If your child is promoting to either Kindergarten or grade 6, we would love to include them in this time of recognition! If you have not already received an email about including your child, please contact Angela Lybarger at childrensdirector@stjohns-abq.org as soon as possible.

We will also be offering Blessing of the Backpacks during all services on August 2. This is a time when people of all ages are encouraged to bring their backpacks to be blessed before the new school year begins. Whether you are in elementary school, middle school, high school, homeschooled, or attend college, please come join us for this special blessing!

Free School Supplies!

Believe it or not, the back-to-school season is approaching quickly! Families are invited to participate in the City of ABQ’s event happening on August 1.

Register today using the link provided below to access free backpacks, school supplies, and lots of other giveaways. Children of all ages are eligible, but each child must be individually pre-registered to participate.

Click Here-Cruzin' Back to School

Reel to Real

The youth ministry continues their summer Reel to Real program this Sunday, August 2. We will meet at 3:00pm in the upstairs theater Room 250. We will watch a movie and then discuss it, concluding at 6:00pm. Any incoming sixth graders all the way through just graduated seniors are invited to participate all summer. This Sunday’s movie will be Men in Black, 1997-PG13.

Sweet~Sweet~Summer!

This Thursday, August 6, 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!

August Special Offering

Wesley Foundation ~ UNM

Believe it or not, school is about to start!  So now is the time to remember students of all ages, especially those beginning or continuing the great adventure of college life.

The Wesley Foundation is a place for students to stay connected with their faith. They can make new friends around communal meals and worship.  They can also find opportunities to serve the community by helping with a food bank for food insecure students and families in the UNM community. 

Please give generously!

August Special Collections

Interfaith Bible Center/

Compassion Services Center

Pastor Joanne Landry is the lead pastor of Interfaith Bible Center in Albuquerque and director of Compassion Services Center, a shelter and outreach hub in the International District. Since 2010, she has led the center, first with her husband and now with a team of volunteers, providing shelter, meals, showers, and practical support to people experiencing homelessness.

Joanne’s ministry is focused on helping unhoused neighbors not just survive but thrive. Compassion Services offers training, skills, and resources that support people as they move out of poverty and rebuild confidence in themselves and in community. The center operates a day shelter that serves around 700 meals each week, runs a “warming station” for overnight shelter, and distributes essential items like gloves, blankets, and other cold-weather gear.

In April 2026, a devastating fire destroyed Interfaith Bible Center’s sanctuary. Despite this loss, Joanne and her team continued to feed and serve the community, holding services outdoors and maintaining all outreach programs. Her steady leadership through this crisis has been recognized locally, and she remains committed to helping people “thrive and move forward” even in the face of major setbacks.

This month, we’re collecting winter essentials for Interfaith Bible Center/Compassion Services Center in southeast Albuquerque.

Needed items include: ~ Hand, toe, and body warmers, beanie hats, gloves and socks. Please place your donations in the bins in the Hospitality Center. Thank you for your generosity and for standing with neighbors who are working to rebuild their lives.

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.