Vol. 78 Issue 25 Week of June 22-28, 2020
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Mid-Week Moments for June 25, 2020
Click on one of buttons below to view this week's edition!
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A CONVERSATION WITH LESLIE BRAGG
Midweek Moments and Summer Reading about Racism
Please read again our St. John's Statement on Racism and Violence (printed in this newsletter). Quoting Jason Benton, our Deacon Chair, "This statement is merely the beginning of a long conversation on these issues."
To continue our journey of learning, Dr. Dennis Foust is encouraging us to read three books this summer to become better aware of the ways we can improve our efforts of addressing systemic racism in ourselves, in society and in the Church. In his Midweek Moments video this week, Dennis sits down for part 1 of a conversation with Leslie Bragg about one of our summer reading books, "
The Sun Does Shine."
If you cannot read all three of our summer reading books, try to read at least one of the following:
by Anthony Ray Hinton
by Emerson and Smith
by Jemar Tisby.
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St. John's New YouTube Channel
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St. John's has recently launched a new YouTube channel. Here you can view videos of worship, mid week moments and other church related content. If you click on the subscribe button of our YouTube page, you will be notified when a new video is added.
Click below to visit the new page.
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The Tuesday Bible Study Group began meeting weekly via Zoom sessions on Tuesday June 23.
New and pre-owned books can be purchased
online
.
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What Folks are Saying…..
From time to time it is good to hear from some of our St. John's “servants” and from some of the people and organizations being served through the the support and partnership of our church.
From Tom Blackmon, a Fruitful Friends volunteer at
Refugee Support Services
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"St. Johnsians are always up to something good. Once I found out that SJBC was sending snacks to Refugee Support Services and visiting with refugees there I wanted to find out more. A couple of visits with some interesting folks from around the globe and learning about their activities made me want to learn more. The volunteers from SJBC make adventure a pleasure.
I signed up for Refugee 101. It was there I learned how many immigrants were admitted to the United States each year and where they might be located in North Carolina. A few more months and I learned about Fruitful Friends; another level of volunteering. I passed my background check and an interview. I was then assigned to a young man from Burma to help him with his English,and to tutor him for a citizenship test.
He has a wife and three children...six and under. Two were born in the USA. Recently, due to Covid-19, his employment ended. Most recently we have focused on an unemployment application and notifying creditors about some pending bills. Language can be an impediment to communication and understanding, but friendship and trust crosses all barriers. I like and enjoy all types of people. This venture is right up my alley.”
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Although RSS educational programs are in temporary suspension due to C0VID-19, they continue with a Wednesday distribution of food for their regular participants. Anyone who chooses to help stock their supplies of such fresh food items as potatoes, apples, or oranges, or household items such as paper towels and toilet paper can sign up for specific items on specific dates by
clicking here
. Instructions for no contact delivery are included in this link.
The following words come from staff at Loaves and Fishes, who during the quarantine have ramped up services of providing food by setting up mobile pantries around the city.
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Dear Loaves & Fishes friends,
The hot, and lately rainy, days and long hours battling food insecurity can seem daunting but then an email hits your inbox that reminds us how essential our work is. We received this from Katie, a mom with two elementary school aged children who had never been to Loaves & Fishes before.
"“I just wanted to reach out and thank you. My family of 4 got food from you yesterday for the first time as CMS was closed. I literally cried after opening all the food. My daughter said her heart was filled with so much joy. Thank you all so much for helping our family during this hard time. We appreciate all you do and I look forward to giving back one day.”"
Friends….as this email hits your inbox, I hope it serves as a valuable reminder of how much your support means to moms like Katie. Thank you for being a part of our mission at Loaves & Fishes. We couldn’t do this work without you!
Staff of Loaves and Fishes
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Non perishable food donations can be dropped of at the L&F warehouse at 648 Griffith Rd.
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Goal of $15,000
We never would have dreamed that we and our friends at the Nyarweng School in South Sudan would be sharing another connection. Just as we have had to do here, the school there had to suspend operation because of the COVID-19 pandemic. The students were sent home to their parents, and except for the older students, the 8
th graders, the school is temporarily closed. Teachers are continuing to be paid and will be ready to resume as soon as it is determined to be safe.
In spite of the current situation for the school the community has gradually taken on more responsibility for the operation, with the parents paying fees which provide 20% of the cost of the teachers. This investment by the community gives hope for the long range future of the school.
Please join in prayer for the students, the teachers, and the whole community that they will be able to stay safe and well and will, in the near future, be able to resume classes.
The St. John’s Mission Resource Team has agreed to designate the Nyarweng School in South Sudan as the recipient of our 2020 Global Mission Offering, with a goal of $15,000.
The offering will remain open through the end of August.
Please send your offering to Jacquelyn McAbee at the church, or you can contribute online by clicking
here.
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Church Staff Updates
Upcoming Maternity Leave for Mallory Brown
As many of you know, Mallory Brown, our Administrative Assistant, is having a baby in July and will be going on maternity leave very soon. For the past several weeks, she has been working with another administrative staff member, Derek Henson, to assimilate him into her primary job responsibilities which he will oversee while she is away this summer and fall. These tasks include, but are not limited to, the following:
1.
Family News
2.
Worship Resources (digital and print)
3.
Mid-Week Moments Videos
4.
Communications
5.
Digital and Social Media
6.
Membership Records
7.
Realm Church Database & App
Therefore, if you regularly communicate with Mallory to send content to be published, videos to be processed, or information to be updated and more, please start sending all requests and questions to Derek at this time, as well as Mallory. When she officially goes on maternity leave, Derek will be the primary touch point for the tasks that Mallory normally does.
Derek joined the St. John's staff in late January to provide administrative support to our church staff. He began attending St. John's in the fall after moving to Charlotte in October. He previously served as an Associate Pastor of Administration and Communication in Worcester, Massachusetts. He is a graduate of Brite Divinity School of Fort Worth, Texas and also a previous staff member of Broadway Baptist Church of Fort Worth, a CBF and Alliance of Baptists congregation. He and his partner Paul will become residents of Pineville, NC this July.
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Welcoming Rev. Nathan Dove
Pastor for Youth & Young Adults
Nathan Dove will begin his work and ministry with us on July 1st. He and his wife Emma are making the transition to Charlotte after some time to rest and relax. You will be able to reach Nathan via email at
NDove@sjcharlotte.org.
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Prayer Concerns, Thanks & Sympathy
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Andrew Adair, Emily Batts, Byron Bullard,
Mary Chilton (mother of Amy Chilton), Carol Drye, Don Furr, Camille Green, Polly Hull, Maddie and Domhnall Minogue and baby Cian, Gene Poole, Elma Thomas,
Alison Zieglmeier (daughter of Ken and Donna Scott);
Parker Jackson, military; Chip Wilson, assigned to the Pentagon for COVID-19 response
Sympathy to Tom, Carol, and Lindsay Injaychock in the death of Tom's mother,
Betty Injaychock. Arrangements are still being made at this time.
Sympathy to Katherine Barr in the death of her husband, Harry Barr, on June 24.
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JJ Raynor and Matt Sattler were married on Monday, June 15 in Golden Gate Park in California. The event was held via Zoom so that the family was able to watch remotely.
JJ is the daughter of Lucy & Kenneth Raynor.
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Financial Ministry Plan Report
Week of June 17-23: $5,885
Income through June 23: $560,913
Annual 2020 Ministry Plan Budget Goal: $1,175,000
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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 app.
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Our COVID-19 Task Force has been meeting on Zoom video-conference calls. Four work groups have prepared reports which are now being condensed into recommendations for the church. These recommendations will be brought forward in July. We have already implemented Facility Procedures which are
linked here and have been posted them on our website and at our building entrances. We are also preparing a survey and a list of trustworthy websites to share with you in early July. Meanwhile, wear your face coverings, wash your hands and practice physical distancing.
This task force has identified the following online resources as reliable for our work and your personal reference to be informed about the virus and how to slow its spread.
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A Statement on Racism and Violence
Understanding that silence in the face of systemic racism, injustice, and violence, particularly against our African-American brothers and sisters in Christ, cannot be tolerated, Church Council, with the assistance of the Church’s ministers, has prepared the following statement, which we think adequately reinforces and, in effect re-states, St. John’s Baptist Church’s long-held position on such evils.
As committed followers of Jesus Christ, the members of St. John’s Baptist Church of Charlotte, North Carolina condemn systemic racism in all its forms and the ways in which it contributes to our problems today. We recognize that we minister in a world which includes racism, injustice, hatred, and violence. Our covenant states, “We will be a servant church, recognizing the infinite worth of every person and believing that Christ has called us to active involvement in behalf of human brotherhood.” Therefore, we strongly condemn the recent violence witnessed across our country, particularly the violence against our African-American brothers and sisters, whose lives matter to us. Our congregation has historically raised its voice and initiated active faith against the systematic injustice in our society. We shall continue our ministries to dismantle injustice, to bring opportunity and dignity to every person, and to explore ways we can do better to create a more just world for every person, regardless of background, skin color, sexual orientation, or faith tradition.
Our plan is to also post this statement on the Church’s website and on its social media pages. This statement is merely the beginning of a long conversation on these issues.
Please join me, your deacon leadership, and your Church ministers in giving voice to what we’ve all long-believed and followed here at the corner of 5th and Hawthorne.
God bless,
Jason Benton
2019-2020 Deacon Chair
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Contact the Staff
To email a staff member, click on their name below
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