Vol. 78 Issue 26 Week of June 29-July 5, 2020
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Mid-Week Moments for This Week
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
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 2 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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There will be no Mid-Week Moment next week.
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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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Goal of $15,000
Received to Date: $150
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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What folks are saying...
As we continue to move through the pandemic and all it’s restrictions, it is comforting to know that the financial allocations to our partner organizations that serve the vulnerable are hard at work, with creative changes of ways they deliver help under more normal circumstances. Although we are unable to be involved face to face, we continue to honor our pledges to these agencies so that they can do “boots on the ground” work. SJBC is able to honor these pledges as we keep up with our own commitments to our church financial ministry plan.
We join hands with other congregations to provide financial assistance through groups such as Cooperative Baptist Fellowship of North Carolina in its
Together for Hope
poverty program. A letter we recently received from directors Anna and LaCount Anderson indicates our Community and State offering helped with something as mundane, but essential, as rental of a truck for food distribution in very hard hit rural areas in eastern North Carolina.
The Center for Community Transitions
writes a letter of appreciation to us saying “With your help CCT not only will provide essential assistance for formerly incarcerated individuals to overcome barriers and change their lives, but also provide a change for family members.”
Baby Bundles
provides a tote bag full of essentials for babies born into poverty in Mecklenburg County and works through community agencies to identify recipients. One of the agencies is Latin American Coalition. A case manager from LAC sent to Paula Foust, director of Baby Bundles, a picture of Carla, from El Salvador, with the “bundle” she has just received for her 4 month old baby, including the baby’s first clothing. Carla “was in tears and loved the donation. She says ‘Muchas gracias’ “
We may not be “gathered” in the traditional sense but we can be of the same mind and spirit as we remember the vulnerable around us in prayer and in our support for those agencies working directly with them.
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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:
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Family News
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Worship Resources (digital and print)
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Mid-Week Moments Videos
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Communications
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Digital and Social Media
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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 has begun his work and ministry with us as of July 1st. 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, 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
"How exciting to have you proclaim a day in honor of my 100th birthday. Thank you! My heart overflowed with love and humility. For over 50 years, the St. John's family has molded and challenged me to continually strive to grow in spirit and service. I covet their prayers for the future. God bless you." -
Virginia B. Allen
"Thank you for all the cards, calls and prayers during my recovery. Caring friends mean more than ever in this difficult time, and I am grateful to each of you who encouraged me. I am about 90% back to normal and plan to continue to work on it every day and hope to see you soon." -Camille Green
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Betty Mullins Celebrates her 93rd Birthday!
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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.
Our medical professionals on the St. John's COVID-19 Task Force have identified the following websites to be trustworthy resources for information related to this pandemic:
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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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Financial Ministry Plan Report
Week of June 24-30: $14,494
Income through June 30: $579,179
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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Contact the Staff
To email a staff member, click on their name below
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