Click on the links below to go directly to that section of the newsletter.
IN THIS ISSUE
Join us for worship
Calendar
Prayer List
Sunday School
Bible Studies
Text Giving
Red Bird Trailers
Ronald McDonald House Tabs
Eastwick Food Bank
Prayer Shawl Ministry
Thank you
Pastor's Reflection
New Member Sunday
Music Appreciation
St. John's Kids
Youth Group
Vacation Bible School
ASP News
Flea Market @ BBQ
35th Chicken BBQ
History of Christianity
Movie Night
Summer & Sundaes Study
Book Club
GriefShare
Divorce Care
Hearts for Mission
   
JOIN US FOR
WORSHIP  
  
Worship Services:
8:00 and 10:30 a.m.
Traditional
 
  9:15 a.m.
Praise  and Worship
  
THIS SUNDAY,  
May 19, 2019
New Member Sunday

"In Search of a New Life"
Pastor Janice
Revelation 21:1-5a

215-357-6998
 
CHURCH OFFICE HOURS
Monday - Friday
9:00 AM -2:00 PM   
 
 

THIS WEEK'S  CALENDAR
  
Thursday, May 16
6:45pm
  Ring of Faith
 
7:30pm
  Al-Anon
 
8:00pm
  Adult Choir
 
Saturday, May 18
  UMM Chicken BBQ
 
Sunday, May 19
  Membership Sunday
 
9:00am  
Sunday Morning Study  
 
9:15am
  Children's Sunday School
 
10:30am
  Children & Youth Sunday School
 
11:30am
  Joyful Voices
 
12:15pm
  Holy Handbells
 
6:00pm
  No Youth Choir
 
7:00pm
  Youth Group
 
Monday, May 20
6:30pm
  GriefShare
 
6:30pm
Girl Scout Troop 2395 Meeting  
 
6:45pm
  Bible Study
 
Tuesday, May 21
Primary
 
10:00am
  History of Christianity (Part 2)
 
5:45pm
  No GENesis Bells
 
6:00pm
  Divorce Care
 
7:00pm
  Deborah Circle
 
7:00pm
  History of Christianity (Part 2)
 
7:00pm
  NO Praise Band Rehearsal
 
7:30pm
  AA
 
Wednesday, May 22
7:00pm
Bible Study  
 
Thursday, May 23
6:45pm
  Ring of Faith
 
7:30pm
  Al-Anon
 
8:00pm
  Adult Choir

 

PRAYER LIST

Please click to view

 

All "Ongoing Prayer Concerns"  
will be listed for 
2 weeks.  
Please submit a new prayer request card if you desire to renew the listing for 2 additional weeks.
If your contact information changes: 
address, phone, email, etc.
please notify the church office at 215-357-6998 or [email protected].
You may also indicate any changes on the
sign-in sheet during worship and we'll be sure to update your information in our files.
Thank you!

SUNDAY SCHOOL

"Dig In"

St. John's Sunday School  
 9:15 
All Children Pre-K thru 6th grade go directly to Room D (Holywood) 
  
10:30  
All children go to Fellowship Hall
Youth grades 9-12 go to the Youth Room. 

Please click Kid's Church Registration  
or go to stjohnsivyland.com under Children's Ministry to register. 

NURSERY
Available at both  
9:15 and 10:30. 
We welcome all children birth through 4 years old.  The nursery is equipped with a calling system and will alert you in worship if your child needs you.
Help is needed in the Nursery at the 9:15 AM Service. 
Please contact David Bigam if you are available!
  
For more information about our Children or Youth Ministries, please contact Director,
David Bigam, [email protected]  


ADULT SUNDAY SCHOOL
 
Sunday Morning Study
led by Howard & Beppie Heinrich
Sunday mornings at 9 AM
Parlor
On-going study and drop-ins are welcome!

Please see This Week's Calendar for current Bible study opportunities. Contact Lara Bolte (215-357-6998, [email protected]) if you are interested in joining an existing group.
GRADUATE RECOGNITION
Sunday, June 9th  
10:30 Service  

Please list on the back of the top page of the Ritual of Friendship the name and school of anyone you know from    St. John's who is graduating high school or college this June.  You may also call or email the church office at 215-357-6998, [email protected].
GIVING
MOBILE GIVING
  • Just go to our website stjohnsivyland.com
  • Click on the donate now button and register.
Once you've registered, you can either make donations by debit or credit.  
OR try  
TEXT GIVING 
 All you have to do is text the amount you wish to give to 215-398-1617.
You will immediately receive a one-time registration link, then just follow the prompts to complete your donation!

It's quick and secure.
The same vendor that handles electronic giving for us, Vanco Services, has state of the art encryption, so you can rest easy that your transaction is 100% safe and confidenti
al. 
 
If you have any questions about mobile or text giving,
email Lou Lescas at  [email protected]

(Click for more information)
Log in to smile.amazon.com each time you shop and help make St. John's smile!
DAILY DEVOTIONALS
Looking for a little inspiration during the week?  
Try an online devotional.    
(has many devotionals to choose from)
(Devotional for Women)
(Devotional for Men) 
The Grace Cafe is open Sunday mornings for fellowship and refreshments. 
MISSIONS
Red Bird Trailers are Open! 
9 AM - 5 PM Daily 

Donations of clothing and household furnishings are accepted   See the trailers located in the back of the
St. John's parking lot.

RONALD McDONALD HOUSE TABS COLLECTION
Naomi Circle is collecting tabs from beverage cans for Ronald McDonald House.  You will find a container under the sign hanging on the UMW bulletin board. Please place them in a plastic bag and put it in the container. This is an ongoing collection, so keep bringing them in as you collect them.   Thank you.  


DONATIONS ALWAYS NEEDED 
Donations of non-perishable food for the Eastwick Food Pantry are always needed through-out the year.  Please place contributions in the shopping carts located in the narthex and fellowship hall lobby. 
 
Volunteers are also needed to deliver food and clothing to the Eastwick Food Bank. 
Please contact  
Lou Lescas,  [email protected]
 if you are available to help.  
 
Thank you for your support.

   
Prayer Shawl Ministry
 
New members of the ministry group are always welcome; lessons and guidance can be provided for beginners and those with rusty skills.


The group meets mon thly on the second Tuesday to knit or crochet together and to pray over the completed items. For more information, contact Carol Rice at 215-357-1203.

                     March 24, 2019 Prayer Shawl Blessing Service
                   

click to view the thank you letter
UMC LINKS umc logo
 
  
  
May 16, 2019
PASTOR'S REFLECTION
            There is one particular airline that I prefer to fly when at all possible. There's something about the pleasant, helpful, friendly attitude of what seems to be the entire pool of employees from customer service all the way to the flight crew. Okay, you twisted my arm - it's Southwest Airlines. I'll normally even pass up non-stop flights on other airlines just for the privilege of flying Southwest - crazy, I know.
            Well, some of you already know that I am heading to Las Vegas in June for a "family reunion" - well, not really a "reunion," if you want to be technical about it. Most of us have never personally met. It all started out with my subscription to Ancestry.com several years ago. I never realized I had such an addictive personality when it comes to solving mysteries lol. When I started, all I had were some sketchy details that were passed down to me regarding one of my grandfather's brothers who reportedly went missing way back in the late 1920's. To make a long story short, there are now about 25 cousins, aunts & uncles who are meeting for a big family event in Las Vegas.
            So today I went online to check the times of my flights. Somehow, my return flight had been rescheduled to something very undesirable. I was a bit upset when I called Southwest customer service. I was told it was an "involuntary schedule change" due to the grounding of the Boeing 737 Max planes. The good news is that they immediately offered to switch my flight to any other flight I wanted (which resulted in me getting the flight I had REALLY wanted but had avoided because it cost too much). The customer service rep asked me what I was doing in Vegas, and we spent a significant amount of time on the phone laughing about my crazy long-lost relatives. She thanked me for flying Southwest and we wished each other a great rest of the night and we hung up - just as if we were two old friends.
            If you happen to look up information about employment at Southwest Airlines, you'll see that their mission & values include these statements, "Strive to be the best, Never give up, Follow the Golden Rule, Don't take yourself too seriously - have FUN, Deliver world class hospitality, Create memorable connections, Be famous for friendly service, Find a better way ...."
            There's something very familiar about all of those values, don't you think? I'd say that all of those statements match up very well with what we'd expect of a representative of Jesus Christ and of His Church. As we go about our daily lives, it never hurts to remind ourselves of Who we represent and how we can give Him our best. Thanks for the reminder, Southwest!
                                                                                     
Pastor Janice




 
"New Member Sunday"
This Sunday, May 19, 2019
Those wishing to become members of St. John's will be invited to take the vows of membership at any of our three worship services.
MUSIC
HANDBELL RECOGNITION
This Sunday, May 19th  
at all 3 services
 
MUSIC MINISTRY RECOGNITION SUNDAY
June 9th
ST. JOHN'S KIDS NEWS

 
This week in Kids Church......

God is comforting ... so we comfort others. 
 
When life feels loud and crazy, a gentle whisper can really calm us down. Let's look in the Bible to see what God whispered. The Bible is God's special book, full of comforting words. God uses the Bible to whisper to us and to help us see his heart. The more we see his heart, the more he can change

___________________________________________________

Beginning June 16  
there will  be no 9:15 Sunday School  
through the summer.
Please feel free to attend our 10:30

YOUTH GROUP
 
Sunday Nights from 7-8:30 PM
Fellowship and fun for youth grades 6 thru 12.
 
Youth Group Sunday Night!
Because all of you are passing the grade, we're going to have a little fun and see:
"Are You Smarter than a 5th Grader"
______________________________________________

Morrisville Food Bank Monday
Monday, June 10th
Please contact David Bigam.
Do Not Miss This Opportunity! 
Come and experience great Fellowship
on the 2nd Monday of every month! 
Morrisville is open to EVERYONE interested in going to help make 220 grocery bags full of food. 
Families are always welcome! 
Following this event we always head to Chick-fil-a for Milkshakes!!!!
_____________________________________________

JUNE 2 
Escape Room - St. John's Youth 
   
Do you have what it takes to "Escape" my room?   
I don't think you do!
_____________________________________________
 
And as always
Bring a Friend and Bring a Can!
_______________________________________________

Have you HELPED anyone today?
Have you SAID SOMETHING NICE to anyone today?

David Bigam, Director of Children and Youth Ministries

St. John's Ivyland
Vacation Bible School 2019
July 22-26 9 AM til Noon
For children ages 4 years thru 6th grade
Registrations are now being accepted!!!
Pick up your forms on table in Education Wing or on our website: Stjohnsivyland.com
Registration - $15 per child or 
$30 max for families


For more information, please contact David Bigam
215-357-6998 or [email protected]
VACATION BIBLE SCHOOL
July 22-26       9 am - NOON
HELP NEEDED
 
Snack Factory Leader
Prepare snacks for the crews each day. Need not be there every day. Indicate your availability below
Snack Factory Helper
Prepare snacks for the crews each day. Need not be there every day. Indicate your availability below
Crew Leader
Volunteers 18 years of age or older. Guide groups of 5-7 children to stations. No preparation required.
Jr. Crew Leader
Volunteers 14 - 17 years old. Guide groups of 5-7 children to stations. No preparation required.
Song Leaders
Lead the songs before and during VBS each day.
Photographer
Take action shots of the children during the day.
Registration Administrator
Put registration information into a spreadsheet, mail out information to families.
Registration Table
Help with registration and sign in on July 22 & 23 between 8:25 AM and 9:15 AM
Decorating Team
Make & put up decorations. No artistic ability needed. Come out & have fun. Tuesdays: 10am - Noon, 6:00 - 8:00pm.
Clean Up Crew
Take down decorations on Friday night after the closing program. Put everything away, get classrooms back in order, vacuum, take out trash, etc.

See sign-up sheet in the Sunday's bulletin or contact
David Bigam 215-357-6998  [email protected]
ASP NEWS
Our week for 2019 ASP is
July 6-13, 2019.
We are staying at Guyan Valley, WV.
This is one of ASP's full-time centers!
Final payment of $100.00 due no later than May 31.

T-shirts are here.  Please pick-up if you ordered one.
$16.00 Cash or Check payable to St. John's.
SPRING CLEANING
FLEA MARKET
at the St. John's Chicken BBQ

SATURDAY, MAY 18, 2019
10 AM - ? pm
Open to Everyone!

Spaces are $10.00

Limited Space Available.
Just $10.00 for a table, if you need it!

Call or email David Bigam, 215-357-6998, [email protected]

Proceeds from table and space, benefit the St. John's ASP Team.

CHICKEN BBQ
The United Methodist Men announce:
Our special annual event is happening in  
2 days!
St. John's 35th Annual
Chicken BBQ
May 18, 2019 - 11 AM - 7 PM
Dine-in or Take-out!
  
We need many more volunteers in the following areas
PIT CREW - All 3 shifts
DINING ROOM SERVERS AND KITCHEN HELP - All 3 shifts
RESTORATION HELP
 
Please volunteer to be a part of this annual tradition
that provides a special outreach to our community !!!
Sign-up sheets have been placed on the bulletin board,
located in the hallway, in front of the Grace CafĂ©
 
The UMM Truly Appreciates Your Help !!!

ADULT MINISTRY
THE HISTORY OF CHRISTIANITY (PART 2) 
Tuesdays at 10 and 7 in Fellowship Hall   
May 21 - June 11
Leader: Paul Henry 
 
The History of Christianity (Part 2) exploring the phenomenal growth of the Church from its Jewish roots in Palestine to a worldwide religion will be explored. This past fall we looked at the early years of Christianity from the Resurrection of Jesus, to the de-criminalization of Christianity by the Roman Emperor Constantine in the early fourth century. During this 300-year period, Christianity grew from a handful of followers of Jesus of Nazareth in 33 A.D. to about 10% of the population of the Roman Empire. The History of Christianity will explore the time period of the fourth century to the Reformation, wherein the church grew to encompass all of Europe.    
MOVIE NIGHT 
The Monday Night Bible Study is finishing our study of Paul.   
We will show the movie,
Paul, The Apostle,  
on Monday, June 17th, at 6:45 PM.  We are inviting everyone to come and watch it with us.   
Hope you will join us!
SUMMER SUNDAES & STUDY
Wednesday evenings
June 19 & 26, July 10 & 17
7 PM in Fellowship Hall
 
Join us for a unique study ("Nooma" videos) that touches on issues we care about and that we want to talk about!
We'll be gathering for a light study & discussion along with great fellowship and a make-your-own-sundae party!
Come when you can! Each study stands alone!
Sign up on the table in the narthex so we have enough ice cream!!
BOOK CLUB
ST. JOHN'S BOOK CLUB
Tuesday, June 4
10:00 AM and 7:00 PM

"When I Found You"
by: Catherine Ryan Hyde

What do I have to do to make you wash your hands of me?  There's nothing you could do.  I will never wash my hands of you.  From the author of Pay It Forward comes a poignant tale of love, pain and trusting people to stay by your side in a world where leaving is easy.

We will meet on Tuesday, June 4, at 10:00 AM and 7:00 PM in the Church  Parlor.  
Leaders are Barbara Schneider and Carol Campbell.   
All are welcome.
OUTREACH

 
Mondays at 6:30 PM in the Grace Cafe.

We are pleased to announce that St. John's will be sponsoring a GriefShare group for our church family as well as for our community facilitated by
Chaplain Erin Maurer, United Methodist Deacon. 

GriefShare is a twelve-week, faith-based program for anyone dealing with the loss of a loved one.

You may register online at griefshare.org. There is a $15 fee for the workbook payable at the first session.  For further information, contact Pastor Janice or  
Ruth Portzline or go to griefshare.org.
If you or someone you know has experienced separation or divorce, either recently or a long time ago, we want to invite them to this group. 
  • Weekly meetings are Tuesdays, from 6pm to 7:30pm in the Church Library.
    • Now to June 4, 2019
    • Sept. 17 to Dec. 17, 2019
    • Jan 14 to May 5, 2020
  • Each rotation lasts about 14 weeks but you can join or miss anytime and make up sessions during the next rotation if desired.
  • There is a $35 registration fee but scholarships are available. Payment and Registration can be done in class for walk-ins.
  • We are also looking for people to help with childcare or with administrative tasks.
  • Contact [email protected]  or call the church office for more information.
  • A complete schedule by topic, more details, and registration are at: www.divorcecare.org/groups/99959

HEARTS FOR MISSIONS
St. John's is bringing back our "Hearts for Missions" theme.  Our Missions Team met recently and identified some hands-on mission projects you may want to be a part of.
  • One Great Day of Service - detail coming soon.
  • Habitat for Humanity - working on construction/finishing of four homes in the Morrisville Area.
  • Third annual R.I.S.E. Sunday, October 6, 2019.
You are invited to join us as we work to be the hands and feet of Jesus to those in need.

Questions?  Contact Pastor Ruth
215-357-6998, ext. 306

TABLE TALK WILL RESUME  
IN SEPTEMBER