Vol. 80 Issue 9 | Week of February 28-March 6, 2022 |
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Living Into the Future -
On Purpose
Beloved, as you emerge from the perils of this pandemic, you are making a difference. Even if you have anxiety in this complicated and dysfunctional world, you are still punching holes in darkness revealing God’s eternal light. You are embodying the hope and joy of God through continuing the ministry of Jesus Christ, the Lord of your commitment and discipleship.
As we continue to emerge out of the isolation of this pandemic, we are confronting fears, addressing miseries, opposing oppressions, and lifting people above injustices. We may not erase all evil or eradicate all actions of injustice. But as part of the people of God in this age, we refuse to express cynicism or complacency. We are people of Active Faith.
Over the past two years, variations of evil have exploded on our screens. Yet, we are doing more today about injustice, conflict, poverty, racism, despair, and inequality than ever before in human history. We have more resources to construct justice, peace, prosperity, etc. than ever.
That said, I still speak with persons who can feel overwhelmed by the vast needs of today’s world. Our capacity for instantaneous communications with an increasing global population brings us video replay to watch the murder of George Floyd over and over. Through live satellite images, we can see Russian tanks roll into Ukraine. Through instant messaging, we can learn our neighbor’s house was just burglarized or there was a shooting at a mall.
We can also feel overwhelmed by what seems like an unending gushing of human suffering. One reason we hear of vast suffering is the exponential increase of population. For example, when the charter members of St. John’s first gathered in 1922, here were the reported populations:
- World – less than 2 billion; USA – 110 million; and Charlotte – 46,000 (size of Hickory today).
This month, as we become the Charter Members of St. John’s Second Century, here are the reported populations:
- World – almost 8 billion; USA – 330 million; and Charlotte – 925,000.
With this many more people locally and globally we can expect more diversity and complexity. We should also anticipate more evil and more opportunities to shine God’s light.
Let us acknowledge that the past two years have ushered many of us into what is called, ‘an existential crisis.’ This term describes a temporary or transitional phase of disequilibrium. Unexpected levels of isolation and disconnection accompanied by emotions of fear and questions about our place in the world can cause us to readjust our approach to meaning, reset our boundaries and cause us to reconsider many foundational commitments.
Last Sunday, I told the story of my Aunt Veda. She grew up in poverty during the depression and entered adulthood during a period of war. Yet, she yearned to make more than an income; she wanted to make a difference. She wanted to connect her life with the purposes of God’s mission and often asked herself, “What can I do?” We understand Veda’s question. When we look at all the needs in today’s world, we often ask, “What can I do?” As one individual or as one congregation, what can we do? In next week’s article, I will offer some pathways for you to consider. On Sundays, March 13, 20 and 27, my messages will speak to these opportunities.
Meanwhile, I ask that you consider one question:
WHAT ARE YOU ALREADY DOING TO BUILD PEACE, CONFRONT FEARS, ADDRESS MISERY, OPPOSE OPPRESSION, REDUCE POVERTY AND LIFT PEOPLE ABOVE INJUSTICE?
Shalom,
Dennis
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REMEMBER, CELEBRATE, ENVISION
A Trilogy of Sundays: March 13, 20, 27
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We cannot fully tell our story of one century in one worship service. Therefore, we will treat Sundays, March 13, 20 and 27 as a trilogy.
On Sunday, March 13, we will REMEMBER how God has been faithful to us throughout our first century. We will remember moments, people, commitments and actions that have brought us here.
On Sunday, March 20, we will CELEBRATE our centennial. On that day, we will identify some of the values we have embraced; values which have served as signposts along the past century and where we are today in relationship with these values.
On Sunday, March 27, we will ENVISION our future. We will consider ways to begin our second century through spiritual renewal and clarified commitments.
Please make plans to be present in person or on livestream for this trilogy of Sundays.
If you would like to join the choir for these three special Sundays, please let Kevin know at kgray@sjcharlotte.org OR 803-524-0287.
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Love Gift for Allison Benfield
Last week, Allison informed us she has accepted the call to be Associate Pastor of another church in another state. We will be able to announce the name and location of this fine church on Sunday.
We are excited for Allison, and we want to express our love and appreciation to her for her eight years of ministry among us. Please make any contributions to the Allison Benfield Love Gift Fund before Thursday, March 10.
Contributions can be made by check to the church (Allison Benfield Love Offering in the memo line), online through Realm (click below and choose "Love Offering"), or by text (text SJGIVE and amount to 73256).
We will commission Allison at the conclusion of worship on Sunday, March 13.
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Welcoming Al Staggs to St. John's in April!
On the weekend of April 2-3, we welcome Al Staggs to St. John’s! On Saturday, April 2 at 6PM in the Sanctuary at St. John's he will present his dramatic, one-person performance entitled A View From the Underside: The Legacy of Dietrich Bonhoeffer. This performance brings the life of one of the great heroes of the twentieth century to the stage. The audience is brought into the prison cell where Bonhoeffer awaits execution and listens to his struggles with evil, injustice, and God.
On Sunday morning, April 3, Al will present a dramatic sermon representing Clarence Jordan, author of Cotton Patch Gospels and founder of Koinonia Farms, which was pivotal in the inspiration of Millard Fuller, founder of Habitat for Humanity.
You might recall that we planned to have him in March of 2020. Of course, our plans were derailed. We are glad to finally be able to welcome Al Staggs to St. John's this year! This exciting weekend is brought to you by the McLeod Brown Fund at St. John's.
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2022 Community & State Missions Offering
The Mission Resource Team has set a goal of $5,000 for the 2022 Community & State Missions Offering.
Every spring, we present financial gifts to our Community & State Mission Offering. These gifts are beyond our tithes and offerings to the Annual Ministry Budget Plan. We will give half our gifts to Refugee Support Services of the Carolinas and the other half to The School of Divinity at Wake Forest University.
Help us reach the $5,000 goal by giving today!
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A Message from the Search Task Force
The search for a new Minister for Youth and Young Adults is underway. Lindsay Wilson and Todd Stillerman are co-chairs of the search task force, which also includes Eric McCombs, Steven Follis, Meg Bond, Mattie Stillerman and Wilson Gray. Dennis Foust and Sally Young are also assisting the task force.
The job is being posted this month in several locations. You can view the job posting and position profile at https://stjohnsbaptistchurch.org/ministersearch/. We encourage you to share this link with anyone you think might be interested in the job.
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Charlotte Knights – SAVE THE DATE!
St. John’s Baptist members and guests will be going to see the Charlotte Knights play the Norfolk Tides on Sunday, May 22, at 1:00 pm. In the next few weeks, we will send out a sign-up email.
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This month begins our year-long celebration of the 100th Anniversary of the founding of St. John's Baptist Church. During the year, one decade will be celebrated each month. For our 90th Anniversary, Ken Sanford authored a booklet "the first 90 years" which included a section for each decade. Ken's observations about each decade will be re-printed in the Family News at the beginning of each month.
St. John’s and the Roaring 20s
The Roaring Twenties foretold that Charlotte would become a significant city, and Baptist visionaries felt called to be part of that development. Charlotte had stirred with earlier developments-the discovery and minting of gold, the marketing of cotton and the manufacturing that followed, the coming of railroads, the building of roads, the expansion of distribution and even the banking that would become a trademark of the city. As Charlotte boomed, along with the nation, during the Twenties, skyscrapers were erected to join the Independence Building, creating a city skyline.
Far-sighted Baptist men and women took note of the city’s growth and began to dream of a new church to serve the needs of families living east of the city center. As early as 1911, interested Baptists had discussed the concept of a new church. Not until the fall of 1921 did a group of committed Baptists looking from the top of the Independence Building see what appeared to be the last available desirable location for a church--the corner of Fifth and Hawthorne.
Although those interested in the establishment of a new church came from several other Baptist churches, they decided in December 1921 to proceed independently from any other churches, following the lead of Mrs. L. C. Withers who said that the new church ought to have faith enough to launch out on the enterprise independently. That decision led to the first organizational meeting January 10, 1922 in which pledges were counted, and plans began for a new building. The young congregation quickly adopted an inspired covenant and the name that set it apart from other Baptist churches. Mrs. J. F. Hoffman, who proposed St. John’s, defended it by saying that Episcopalians should have no monopoly on Sainthood. The new church was formally organized on March 26, 1922. That was followed closely by the calling of the Rev. Joseph A. Gaines of Timmonsville, SC as the first pastor. The optimistic founders quickly constructed as a first building a community house, erected partially with volunteer labor.
The congregation was interested in having a permanent building as soon as possible, and chose a noted Charlotte architect, J. M. McMichael, to design it. By the fall of 1924, the congregation raised $100,000 for the structure. A cornerstone was laid on April 7, 1925, and the structure was completed by July 11, 1926, representing an investment of $200,000.
Dr. Gaines led the new church for nearly seven years of physical and spiritual growth, resigning in 1929 to accept the pastorate at a Glasgow, Kentucky Church. The next leader of the congregation, Dr. Chauncey W. Durden of Newnan, Georgia, began his ministry on April 7, 1929.
Newcomers built homes rapidly in the Elizabeth, Eastover, Myers Park and Dilworth neighborhoods. Charlotte numbered more than 80,000 residents by the end of the Twenties, making it the largest city in the Carolinas. Meantime the new church grew even as the stock market crash of 1929 and the Great Depression lay ahead. The new church, however, had built a solid foundation in faith that would help it weather the storm.
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Church Basketball Updates
Masking This Season & End of Year Celebration
MASKS
We will continue masking in the gym for the remainder of this basketball season. We realize that Mecklenburg County indoor mask ends February 26 and Charlotte Mecklenburg Schools go mask optional on March 7. The last Saturday we host games in our gym is March 5th and our end of year basketball celebration is March 6.
END OF YEAR CELEBRATION
On Sunday, March 6, we will conclude the season with an end of celebration to wrap things up. The schedule of the evening for each team is listed below.
- 6 & Under Co-Ed "Mean Green" & 8 & Under Girls "Green She-Hulks"
- 4:00-5:00 pm Gym - Players and Family Basketball Game, Cha Cha Slide, & Trophy presentation.
- 5:00-5:45 pm Lounge (across the hall from Gym) - Pizza
- Both 8 & Under Boys Teams "Eagles" & "Green Snakes"
- 5:00-5:45 pm Gym - Mixed team Fun Basketball Game & Trophy presentation
- 5:45-6:30 pm Lounge - Pizza
- 10 & Under Boys "Venom"
- 5:45-6:30 pm Gym - Parents vs Players Fun Basketball Game & Trophy Presentation
- 6:30-7:15 pm Lounge - Pizza
- 15 & Under Girls "Electric Green Machine" & 18 & Under Girls "Green Dragons"
- 6:30-7:15 pm Gym - Mixed Team High School Girls Fun Game
- 7:15-8:00 pm Lounge - Pizza
- 18 & Under Boys
- 6:30-7:15 pm Lounge - Pizza
- 7:15-8:00 pm Gym - Players & Friends Pick-up Game
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Prayer Concerns, Thanks, Sympathy |
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Shirley Ballard, Katherine Barr, Martha Brown, Stan Brown, Tamara Edwards,
Caroline Godsey, Tish Philemon, Carole Ann Simpson,
Jerry Stephens, Don Swofford, Elma Thomas, Dee Turner
Sympathy to the family of Amelia Kaylor, a long-time member, on February 21, 2022.
Please save the date for the celebration of life service for both Gene and Carol Poole on April 14 in the Sanctuary at St. John's.
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Financial Ministry Plan Report |
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Week of February 22-28: $16,698
Income through February 28: $185,784
Annual 2022 Ministry Plan Budget Goal: $1,135,000
Community & State Missions: $545
Goal: $5,000
Recipients – Wake Forest Divinity School & Refugee Support Services
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You can make contributions, view your giving history and pledge status, as well as update your pledge and giving information anytime by accessing your personal Realm profile online or via the Connect App. |
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Ministers On-Call Schedule
February 28-March 6- Kevin Gray
Staff Contact Information
Dennis Foust, Senior Minister - 704-359-7234 (cell); 704-333-5428, ext. 12
Lee Gray, Minister for Congregational Care - 704-451-1309 (cell); 704-333-5428, ext. 15
Allison Benfield, Minister for Spiritual Growth - 828-448-8412 (cell); 704-333-5428, ext. 18
Kevin Gray, Minister for Music and Worship - 803-524-0287 (cell); 704-333-5428, ext. 14
Jacquelyn McAbee, Church Administrator - 434-579-1177 (cell); 704-333-5428, ext. 20
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