March 6, 2026

Josh's Jottings

As we enter deep into the waters of Lent, I read a passage from the Baptist writer, Gene Edwards. I think it is worth sharing in this season, as well as during the season in which we find ourselves in this moment in history, with us jumping back into war. I hope you are praying your way through both seasons. Our world needs it, and we need it. Here is where the passage speaks.

Edwards writes: 

"We usually learn about God only during periods of adversity. Few, if any of us, seek after an intimate relationship with the Lord except (1) just before, (2) during, and (3) right after those periods of calamity, disaster, catastrophe, suffering, or pain! That's true of the very sinful, the very religious, and... well...the rest of us. I challenge the idea that suffering is a punishment for our sins. If that were true, then every believer on earth would be hiding under a rock somewhere.

What kind of Christian can best endure suffering? That Christian doesn't exist. I could handle your problems easily. You could handle mine with a yawn. But it didn't happen that way. I got the ones I couldn't handle; so did you."

I think what stands out to me is that last verb Gene Edward uses, "handle." I want to invite you to not handle our suffering in this moment. Just be in it, pray through it, and know that God is present with us in it as well. We don't have to handle it; just know we can grow closer to God through these times. 

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.

 Mountain Cathedrals Hike

March 14 - Ball Ranch (North of the Sandias)

Continuing our Lenten journey, are there places close by where we have never stopped? People who have always been in the background? Please join us for a day amongst what Willa Cather called "endless red triangles" to see the beauty of the country south of La Bajada. This landscape is a product of water, sun, and the vividly colored Mesozoic rock layers. Amazing cacti, petrified wood, and wild horses may also be found.

Logistics: Let's meet at 8:30 AM at the St. John's UMC Albuquerque East Parking Lot to carpool the 43 miles to the trailhead. The Ranch is reached via a dirt road and is access-controlled; please contact me if you want to join us enroute. The hike is moderate (5 miles, 500 feet of elevation gain, a mix of streambed and trail/jeep trail). Plan to be back at St. John's by 4:00. Bring lunch, water, sun protection, and possibly trekking poles.

The next Mountain Cathedrals hike will be an Easter sunrise walk to Travertine Falls near Tijeras.

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

@Home Communion

    Sunday, March 15

 

Are you an @Home church member who would like Communion brought to you? Our @Home Communion servers will visit on Sunday, March 15 or the early part of the following week.

Please let us know you're interested by contacting coordinator Susan Perry at (505) 350-9633 or teachersusan@comcast.net by Friday, March 13.

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). 

Social Concerns Committee

The guest speaker at the Social Concerns meeting in March will be Kelly McCloskey who is the coordinator of VIDA (volunteers for immigrants in detention-Albuquerque). The next SCC meeting is scheduled for Tuesday, March 17, at 6:30pm in the church library. All are welcome.

Go With the Choir to Carnegie Hall!

Music Director Matthew Greer has been invited to conduct a concert at Carnegie Hall in May of 2027, and the St. John’s Chancel Choir is organizing a trip to go sing! The concert will include 125 singers, and professional orchestra. Both singers and non-singers are welcome to make the trip to New York.

The first informational meeting will be Sunday, March 15 at 12:15pm in the Choir Room. All who are interested are invited to attend. Got Questions? Email Norlynn Blocker Price. 

St. Paul's UMC

Over the River &

Through the Woods

March 14 & 15

This is a heartwarming comedy play by Joe DiPietro. It's about family, faith and ties that bind. When a young Italian American man faces a dilemma when he gets his dream job offer- that would take him away from his beloved but meddling grandparents in New Jersey. For tickets and all the event details click this link. Over the River & Through the Woods

Little Books - Big Messages

St. John's email Bible study will take a quick look at a dozen little books, the shortest in the Bible. One theme that runs through several of these books is the importance of being on guard against false prophets and deceivers. Jesus warns us, “Many false prophets will arise and lead many astray” (Matthew 24:11), and John recommends that we “not believe every spirit but test the spirits to see whether they are from God, for many false prophets have gone out into the world” (1 John 4:1). This is excellent advice in this day of AI and social media: Is a message in line with scripture? Can you determine a source? Can the source be trusted? “Do not be deceived, my beloved” (James 1:16).  Pick up a study guide at the Hospitality Desk, or write or call Regina Hunter at drhunter@nmia.com or (505) 294-2877 to receive daily study tips by email.

Thank you from the Wesley Foundation!

The students and the Board of the UNM Wesley Foundation would like to thank the St. John's community for their attendance and donations at the February 12 Love of Wesley dinner. St. John's really came through. We clearly have a most generous church! Thank you for your continued support. 

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 today, 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!



Four More to Go!

Missed the Fish Fry Dinner last Friday? Don’t worry! You still have four more chances to enjoy this beloved community tradition! Join us each Friday from March 6 through March 27, 4:00pm – 7:00p.m. in the Family Life Center, for a delicious meal featuring fried or baked fish, tasty sides, and chicken tenders for those who prefer something different.

It’s more than just a meal — it’s a perfect opportunity to connect with friends, meet new faces, and share in great food and fellowship.

Have You Noticed the Tip Jars?

Since the beginning of our Fish Fry Dinners, it’s been our tradition to place tip jars on the tables for anyone who’d like to support local “food projects” in Albuquerque. This year, you’ll also find these jars available on Sunday mornings in the Hospitality Center—an extra opportunity to give!

The 2026 recipients of your generous donations are the Weekend Meal Bag Program for Zuni Elementary and the Tutoring Snacks Program for Tierra Adentro New Mexico (TANM). Many students in our community face food insecurity, and these programs help ensure that kids have full bellies so they can focus on learning. Zuni Elementary, right across the street from St. John’s, has been one of our long-standing partners. TANM, located in Albuquerque’s Sawmill District, is home to one of our own—Janine Burford, a teacher and tutor who sees firsthand the difference an afternoon snack makes for hungry students.

Whether you drop a few dollars in the tip jars at the Fish Fry or contribute in the Hospitality Center on Sunday, every bit helps. Together, we can keep local kids nourished and ready to learn. Let’s do this, St. John’s!

Advance Tickets for the Fish Fry Dinners!

Looking for a fun and meaningful way to show someone you care? Treat them to a Fish Fry Dinner—or two—or three! Advance tickets make wonderful gifts for friends, neighbors, or anyone you’d like to thank and appreciate. You can purchase tickets on Sunday mornings in the Hospitality Center. Recipients will simply bring their tickets and go through the serving line when they arrive.

Ticket Prices are $20 for an adult and $9 for children age 10 & under.  Share the joy and good food—give the gift of a Fish Fry Dinner!



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.

    March Special Offering

Support our Missionary

Snack Drive for Tierra Adentro New Mexico

Throughout March, we’re collecting snack items to support students at Tierra Adentro New Mexico (TANM) Arts Charter School in northwest Albuquerque. TANM serves middle and high school students, including a number who face food insecurity.

Our church currently provides weekend meal bags each week for seven TANM students experiencing homelessness or food insecurity — and our friends at TANM have shared that 50 more students could use our help. This month, we’re focusing on snack donations that will be distributed directly to those students either through the tutoring program or as needed.

Suggested single-serve items include: cheese and crackers, beef jerky, applesauce, pudding or fruit cups, granola/protein/cereal bars, ravioli, Spaghetti-O’s, macaroni and cheese, soups (with pull-tab lids), ramen noodles, trail mix, fruit snacks, boxed drinks or juices, chips, pretzels, Goldfish, Vienna sausages, Pop-Tarts, and oatmeal packets.

Please drop off your donations in the Hospitality Center collection bins any time during March.

Thank you, St. John’s! Your generosity helps our neighbors in Albuquerque know they are cared for — and you truly make a difference!

March Lenten-Special Offering

Lent, the time of preparation for Easter, is a time of confession, prayer, fasting and spiritual renewal with an emphasis on self-sacrifice. At St. John's this offering traditionally goes to local ministries such as the Ramp Project, Roadrunner Food Bank, Family Promise, Asbury Pie Cafe, The Rock at Noonday, Barrett House (emergency shelter for women) and many more.

A long, long time ago, we put daily quarters in a special folder (anyone remember those?!). Today we give in different ways, but the purpose is the same: to daily remember those in need and dig deeper into our resources to show love to our neighbors. 

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.