A photo from Palm Sunday worship this past Sunday during the Children's Sermon with Kheresa | | |
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In this week's Family News (Scroll to Learn More):
- The Week that Changed the World by Dennis W. Foust
- Easter Morning Celebration
- Maundy Thursday Worship TONIGHT at 7pm
- Pastor Search Team
- Happy Birthday!
- Elizabeth 8K Road Race Coming Up!
- Meet and Mingle on April 27
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Thursdays on the Town at Copper: Register Now
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Grand Slam Picnic: Register Now
- On the Way on April 30
- Visit the Easter Tree Next Week
- TreeFest for Young Adults
- Senior Adult Picnic Soon!
- Brotherhood of the Biscuit Workday this Saturday
- Real Estate Task Force Listening Session Next Sunday
- Prayer List, Sympathy, Thanks, and Celebrations
- Minister On Call Schedule
- Staff Contact Info
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THE WEEK THAT CHANGED THE WORLD
by Dennis W. Foust, Senior Minister
Our retreat leader guided us into the woods for about thirty minutes. Then, he took us on a walk in circles for about ten minutes. At that time, he asked us to take a break. Some of us sipped on water. A few of us sat down. Others leaned on trees or rocks. After a few minutes of rest and conversation, our leader informed us that he was returning to the trailhead. He assigned each of us a departure time and said he would see us there. There were eight of us so the last person to depart was by himself for more than thirty minutes. As you can imagine, each of us took different routes to return to the trailhead. Eventually we noticed broken branches or footprints left by those who preceded us. We all survived. A few of us reached the guide at the trailhead in about 40 minutes. Two of our group didn’t return for over an hour. It was a learning experience.
Every year, as I reflect on Holy Week, my mind revisits that day in the woods. We followed the same path and wandered off course. We lived in community and walked individual journeys. This is what happens to us spiritually as we move through Holy Week.
Last Sunday, with palm processional, drums, bells, voices, and tambourine, we entered this Holy Week rejoicing and praising the servant who arrived on a borrowed donkey. Preparations were begun for observing Passover.
On Monday and Tuesday of Holy Week, we remember how Jesus taught in Jerusalem and how some views suggest that Jesus confronted the money changers in the Temple during those days. During these days, Jesus also dealt with chief priests. Scribes, and elders who questioned his authority.
On Wednesday, Judas seeks out the opportunity to betray Jesus and finally settles for a meager thirty pieces of silver – value equal to four month’s wages for a day laborer and the price often paid for a slave.
On Thursday, Jesus gathers with the twelve. He washes their feet. He gives them his one mandate – command – “Love one another in the same way that I have loved you. This is the way people outside of a relationship with God will know that you follow me. They will see how you love one another.” Jesus lets Judas know that he is aware of his manipulative plan. Jesus goes into Gethsemane to pray. While in the garden, Jesus is arrested.
On Thursday night and Friday, Jesus is put on trial, offered to the people who praised him a few days earlier (they could have released him), beaten, crucified and buried. Almost all of Jesus’ followers scatter.
On Saturday, the Sabbath, Jesus’ followers go into hiding. Their world has changed – but they do not yet understand how much.
On Sunday, we rise while watching for the dawn. This turned out to be the week that transformed the world.
As you journey through this week, walk the path and don’t be surprised if you wander off the path a bit. Please consider ways this week is changing your world day by day.
You will find your way to Sunday’s dawn and a new beginning. See you there!
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Easter Morning Celebration at St. John's
We will celebrate the Resurrection this Sunday, April 20 and invite you to participate in two opportunities during worship: flowering the cross and alleluia bells.
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Flowering the Cross: All are invited to bring fresh cut flowers to adorn our cross in the Sanctuary. This annual tradition is both a meaningful and symbolic celebration of resurrection life. Please bring your floral contributions to the Sanctuary starting at 9:30am.
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Alleluia Bells: All are invited to bring a bell to worship. Every time the word, "Alleluia," is spoken or sung during the service, we will ring our bells together in joyful proclamation
We will see you this Sunday for Easter. Worship begins at 10:30am in the Sanctuary.
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Maundy Thursday Worship TONIGHT
Today is Maundy Thursday, a day when we focus on the one mandate or commandment of Jesus: "Love one another as I have loved you."
Tonight at 7pm, we will gather in the sanctuary for one of the most meaningful services of the year. We will commune in The Lord’s Supper and express our worship by retelling the story through Tenebrae, extinguishing candles as each word is read as was spoken at Jesus’ cross and by Jesus from his cross. Our worship will conclude with a solo voice as the Christ candle departs the sanctuary.
Please join us tonight at 7pm.
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Pastor Search Team
We are excited to announce your Pastor Search Team!
Leslie Bragg, chair; Jason Benton, Kimberly Follis, Don Hinson, Randy Mahnesmith, Brett Marshall, Dylan Redding, Becky Skidmore, Ellen Smith, and Meredith Sorrell.
Our Pastor Search Team will spend a period of time refining a position description, updating a church description, identifying search methods and reviewing job posting processes. They will use consultant-led congregational discussions to help focus on what St. John’s needs in a new pastor.
Many thanks to these individuals for working together to bring our next Pastor to lead St. John's as we move into our second century of service!
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Happy Birthday!
Alex Norris will celebrate a birthday on April 17. He is the son of Stacey and Russell.
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Come out and run the Elizabeth 8K Road Race or volunteer to help on April 26!
We are proud sponsors of the Elizabeth 8K Road Race again this year and hope you will come out to run or volunteer and greet runners as they finish.
If you want to volunteer, please sign up here.
Register to run below.
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Save the Date for April 27!
Our next Meet & Mingle will take place on April 27 after worship in the Library Commons area. All guests are invited to join us! Children are welcome.
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Thursdays on the Town at Copper
Outing for Parents of Children
Our next Thursdays on the Town will be May 15 at 6:00 pm at Copper Modern Indian Cuisine. Registration has opened.
Please sign up by May 11 to reserve childcare.
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Grand Slam Picnic
Sunday, May 18
Children and families, let’s batter up for a Grand Slam Picnic honoring one great catch, our pastor, Dr. Dennis Foust! Meet us at the Broach Hall Ballpark immediately following worship on Sunday, May 18. Register by May 11.
You may sign up on Realm or contact Kheresa.
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On the Way: St. John's Retired Adults and Friends
Old Salem on April 30
We will go to Old Salem on April 30. We will meet at the church at 9am that day and return around 5:30pm. The cost is $65 due to the church for bus rental and museum entry. You will need to pay for your lunch at the museum cafe. Please make your reservation by emailing Lee Gray at lgray@sjcharlotte.org today!
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Visit the Easter Tree next week, featuring Resurrection symbols!
During Lent, our elementary Sunday school class has been expressing their preparation for Holy Week and Easter through art. During Holy week, the tree featured eggs with corresponding symbols. During the week after Easter, the tree will have new symbols of the resurrection.
During the first week of Easter, you are invited to visit their Easter Tree, which is the hallway outside Amanda Morrison’s office. A symbol guide is provided to assist you as you visit the Easter tree and ponder each symbol.
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TreeFest Hang Out for Young Adults
April 26 at 3pm
Join our Young Adult Resources Team (YART) at this year’s TreeFest, which is on Saturday, April 26 at NoDa Brewing. It is a family-friendly event to celebrate trees, sustainability, and community.
YART is getting together to hang out and chill out at this event - meet us around 3pm! Questions? Reach out to Kheresa Harmon and/or Molly Belong.
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Calling All Senior Adults (ages 75+)!
Senior Adult Picnic June 29
Save the date of Sunday, June 29 for the annual Senior Adult Picnic held in Broach Hall immediately following the worship service. Details coming soon! Sponsored by Women of the Church.
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Brotherhood of the Biscuit Workday this Saturday!
The Brotherhood of the Biscuit will have its annual spring workday on Saturday, April 19. We will meet in the church lounge at 8:30 am for biscuits and then work on several projects around the church from 9:00 am until 11:30/12:00. These projects will include cleanup in the courtyard, pressure washing the outside doors and windows of the church, and moving our medical supplies into a new room.
Please let Jeff LeVie jtlevie@gmail.com know if you help so that he can get an appropriate number of biscuits.
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Real Estate Task Force Listening Session, April 27
Join us Sunday, April 27, 8:30am in Broach Hall for a Listening Session with the Real Estate Task Force (RETF). We had provided this update in a previous family newsletter. However, we know some are not aware of this effort so this Listening Session is an opportunity for the RETF to share what we are doing. But more importantly, this session is for the RETF to hear from you on suggestions, ideas, or concerns with the challenges the RETF is grappling with. We look forward to hearing from you!
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Prayers, Thanks, and Celebrations
Current Prayer Concerns: Joseph Freeman, Richard Sealy, Anne Sutton
Continuing Prayer: Mary Rickenbaker, Jeck Warren
Longtime St. John’s member and former church secretary Ace Millsaps passed on ahead of us on April 11 in Raleigh at the age of 96. A memorial service and reception in celebration of Ace’s life will be held at 11am on Friday, May 9, 2025 at Springmoor LifeCare Center Auditorium, 1500 Sawmill Road, Raleigh, NC.
We express our sympathy to Noel Lance, whose father, Art Lance, passed on ahead of us early Sunday, April 13. For those who would like to attend, a memorial service to celebrate Art’s life will be held Saturday, April 19, at Calvary Baptist Church, 915 Cherokee Rd. Florence, SC. The visitation will be at 10:00 AM with the service to follow at 11:00 AM.
We will celebrate the life of Nancy Burgess on Monday, April 21 at 2pm in the Sanctuary.
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Financial Update
2025 Full Year Budget: $1,241,000
Income received through March: $278,159 (22%)
March financials to be shared next week
Community and State Mission Offering: Goal $7,000
Income received through April 14: $7,850 (GOAL REACHED!)
Members from the Immigrant and Refugee Ministry Group, Beverly Hester and Anna Cushman, went recently to deliver the financial offering to Refugee Support Services from the Syrup Sunday collection. It was $486 that will go to strengthen their programs providing food, compassionate guidance, community-building initiatives and more to refugees in our area. They are pictured here with the new RSS Executive Director, Anna Eaton, at RSS.
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Staff On-Call Rotation
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Apr. 14-20: Kheresa
- Apr. 21-27: Dennis
- Apr. 28-May 4: Lee
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Staff Contact Information
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Rev. Dennis Foust, PhD, Senior Minister - 704-359-7234 (cell); 704-333-5428, ext. 2012
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Rev. Lee Gray, Minister for Congregational Care - 704-333-5428, ext. 2015; 704-451-1309 (cell)
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Rev. Kheresa Harmon, Minister for Children & their Families - 704-333-5428, ext. 2018; 910-890-3392 (cell)
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Mallory Brown, Media Coordinator - 704-477-3349 (cell)
- Chloe Hall, Children's Choir Director
- Noel Lance, Interim Minister for Worship & Music and Organist
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Amanda Morrison, Church Administrator - 704-333-5428, ext. 0
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Lydia Olmsted, Weekday School Director - 704-333-5428, ext. 2039
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