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In this week's Family News (Scroll to Learn More):
- Pastoral Pleasure, By Dennis Foust
- St. John's Response to Hurrican Helene Disaster
- Happy 104th Birthday to Jerry Jerman!
- Operation Airdrop Reflection by Steven Follis
- Renaissance Festival with Young Adults
- Basketball Clinics
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How to End Christian Nationalism, Amanda Tyler Book Release: Register Here
- A Reflection on Children's Sabbath
- On the Way for October and November
- Craft and Bake Sale
- Fall Festival & Trunk or Treat: Need Volunteers!
- Welcoming New Friends Event on November 13
- Save the Date for Senior Christmas Luncheon
- Legal Professionals and Lawywers Can Offer HElp for Hurricane Helene Victims
- NAMI Walk
- Prayer List, Sympathy, Thanks, and Celebrations
- Financial Update & Global Missions Update
- Minister On Call Schedule
- Staff Contact Info
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Pastoral Pleasure
by Dennis W. Foust, Senior Minister
Honestly, I wanted to entitle this article ‘Pastoral Pride,’ but, well, you know.
Beloved, it is such a blessing to serve you as your pastoral shepherd. Please walk with me as we retrace my steps of the past ten days and then take a glance down the nearby path.
At the end of September, you completed a month of contributing groceries and other supplies for Nourish Up. Then, on Sunday, September 29th, you continued your efforts to express compassion for those who need healthy nourishment. You hosted Together in Christ International Ministries, St. Luke Missionary Baptist Church, Hawthorne Lane United Methodist Church, Caldwell Presbyterian Church, and Greater Mt. Sinai Baptist Church in worship, fellowship and mission. You packaged 20,000 meals in a Rise Against Hunger event. I enjoyed working with you as you worked in teams. Joy bubbled up in me and overflowed as I watched preschoolers, children, youth and adults pitch in to work non-stop. It was my pleasure to see our youth work so hard. Our teenaged boys lifted heavy bags of rice, soy, and dried vegetables to refill bins. Our preschoolers smiled with happiness as they carried completed bags to those who sealed them. What a joyous day!
Then last Sunday, our children and preschoolers served as our worship leaders. Through their sincerity and humility, they guided us into an experience of The Living God enabling us to express our praise, prayers, and commitments through Jesus Christ in spirit and in truth. Then you went to Broach Hall to begin embracing your future as the Church Council presented the CONVERGE report. In the months ahead, it will be my pleasure to walk this journey of envisioning alongside you. The future of St. John’s is bright because of your desire to continue the ministry of Jesus in the 21st century. Following CONVERGE conversations, several of us walked in CROP Walk to address hunger locally and globally. It was a pastoral pleasure to walk more than five miles in this effort.
Then, by Monday afternoon, you increased my pastoral pleasure with your stepping forward in response to those suffering in Western North Carolina after the devastation of Hurricane Helene. You have already started making recovery buckets, donating items, giving donations, and volunteering to go serve in clean-up work. As of Tuesday evening, we have twenty-five on our volunteer list. I have communicated with pastors in West Jefferson, Asheville, Spruce Pine and Burnsville. They are completing assessments this week and we should have volunteer opportunities beginning next week. The damage is so shocking that the residents are still reeling. They are tired but will gladly welcome our help. You have already sent about $1,000 worth of essential supplies to West Jefferson. This week, we will send some financial support to Asheville, Spruce Pine, and Burnsville as they assist some residents with prescription medications. It will bring me tremendous pleasure to serve with you as we minister to our sisters and brothers in the beautiful mountains of our state. If you cannot go with us to volunteer, you will have opportunities to assemble recovery buckets in Lasater Hall. We will announce Recovery Bucket Assembling dates next week.
Now we turn toward Tuesday, October 22nd as we host our friend Amanda Tyler. We are the site of her national book launch for ‘How to End Christian Nationalism.’ Earlier that day, she will speak at Gardner Webb University and Divinity School. Then at 6:30 PM, in Broach Hall, we will gather for an evening of readings and conversation. Park Road Books will be present with copies of Amanda’s book. Former Charlotte Mayor, Jennifer Roberts, will guide our evening.
On Sunday afternoon, October 27th, at 3:00, we will have the pleasure of a fun event. Fall Festival will be another intergenerational opportunity. We have invited the community to enjoy a petting zoo, bounce houses, games, and trunk-or-treat. Invite your neighbors – especially if they have children.
On Wednesday, November 13th, from 5:30 to 7:00, we will learn about ‘Welcoming New Friends.’ Refugee Support Services will guide us how to be Fruitful Friends as we build a better world.
Throughout November, we will make our financial commitments to support the first phases of our CONVERGE vision in 2025. ‘Gods Work. Our Gifts’ will guide our efforts. Our celebration of the Advent season will begin on December 1st, and then we will offer our annual gift to the Charlotte region over WDAV Radio on Tuesday, December 3rd, at 7:00PM. Once again, we will provide a live broadcast of Lessons & Carols from St. John’s.
Beloved, there is still so much pleasure ahead!
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St. John's Responds to Hurricane Helene Disaster
by Dennis W. Foust, Senior Minister (October 6, 2024)
St. John’s, thank you for being a generous and compassionate faith community. As we provide relief to those who are suffering from hurricane devastation, we are being proactive. Your church staff is working directly with church mission and deacon leadership to provide channels of response. We are committed to being good stewards of our resources and energies so as not to throw money or time to the winds. There are so many needs. It is easy to play whack-a-mole trying to respond to every call for help that we hear. We will never be able to meet every need for every person. We will be responding to legitimate needs for the next several months and possibly multiple years. Therefore, we are in conversation with state and local leaders who are helping us better assess and clarify needs and propose specific places to spotlight with structured responses. These spotlights and approaches will provide opportunities for all ages to participate.
As of today, we are spotlighting a direct response in Ashe County. Two of our members, Fredda Kimball and Mark McNeill are from Ashe County. Mark grew up in First Baptist Church (FBC) of West Jefferson. His parents are still active leaders of that church. Early last week, I was able to reach Rev. Michael Lea, pastor of FBC West Jefferson, by phone. In my experience, efforts work best if we can establish some kind of relational or emotional connection as we enlist the involvement of our members. FBC West Jefferson is working with First United Methodist Church up the street to serve as the Resource Center. With that in mind, Michael identified some needed resources that are often neglected. He also informed me of specific roles for volunteer teams.
On Wednesday, I purchased supplies from Michael's list at Home Depot, Publix, and Walgreens. Paula and I delivered these items to West Jefferson on Thursday to assist in Ashe County, where we met with Michael Lea to offer encouragement and discuss volunteer cleanup efforts. Mark McNeill will visit on Saturday to assess further needs, and volunteer teams can help with mud cleanup and chainsaw work, with local church members offering to host overnight volunteers.
In the next week or two, a church in Spruce Pine will also need extensive help and we may be called upon to be part of their support circle spotlight. However, as of this date, heavy equipment has not yet reached their site.
This is another potential project for us. Don Swofford, one of our late members, has roots in Spruce Pine.
At this juncture, we are asking you to add one or more of these actions to your prayers:
- Making Disaster-Relief Buckets (directions below). We will take our buckets to FBC of Asheville and FBC of Mars Hill as they serve others.
- Giving to Our Designated Fund for Hurricane Relief. Our designated funds for disaster relief will only be distributed when we are sure monies will be used to
- help legitimate needs.
- Connecting Volunteer Teams with Ashe County Short-Term Projects of Clean-up and Chain Saws.
- Provision of Necessary Supplies. (Ex.: current need for flat face shovels -like snow shovels to scoop mud.)
As we respond to the recovery in Western North Carolina, we will offer God’s love in tangible ways. Even the buckets we provide express faithful servanthood as we continue Jesus’ ministry through God’s mission.
Three Options for Assembling Disaster Response Buckets (full list and directions by clicking red button:
- Purchase some of the items for Disaster Response Buckets: you may be able to contribute some of the items, but not be able to purchase all of the items for a bucket – which may total approximately $100. Donated items can be placed in the Giving Nook in the Main Entrance by the gym.
- Assemble Disaster Response Buckets using donated items.
- Purchase AND assemble Disaster Response Buckets. Completed buckets can be brought to the Giving Nook.
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Happy 104th Birthday!
Mrs.Jerry Jerman will turn 104 on October 23! Wow!
Please join us in wishing her a happy birthday by sending her a Birthday card. At 103 she decided it was time to move into the home of her son in law and daughter – Norm & Betty Hill. The mailing address is:
Jerry Jerman
7709 Orchard Park Circle
Harrisburg NC 28075-8736
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Operation Air Drop
A Reflection by Steven Follis
Growing up with a grandpa and uncle who served in the United States Air Force, and an uncle and father who were general aviation pilots meant that my brother and I spent significant time around the aviation community as kids. I had always dreamed of learning to fly, but it was not until the homebound cabin fever of COVID that the stars aligned, and I was able to pursue and ultimately earn a private pilot certificate.
When Hurricane Helene began barreling towards the Southeastern United States, I assumed the scenario that would unfold would routinely match the previous dozen such storms: heavy rain, moderate flash flooding, and potentially a short power outage. As Friday morning came and the situation became demonstrably more severe, it was clear that this was not a perfunctory storm. Over the weekend a trickle of pictures and videos began detailing the devastated power grid, cellular networks, and road infrastructure in mountain communities.
By Monday morning, pilot-focused Facebook groups, including Operation Airdrop, began calling for volunteer pilots to fly supplies to areas not accessible by semi-trucks. Our small plane was finishing its annual inspection at Charlotte-Monroe Executive Airport, but by Tuesday afternoon, I flew it back to Concord-Padgett Regional Airport. Upon arrival, I was surprised to see nearly a dozen planes waiting for takeoff and a rare Douglas DC-3 being loaded, marking an unusually busy day at the typically quiet airport.
Parking and walking over to the Operation Airdrop hangar I was met with a beehive of activity, with dozens of volunteers eagerly unloading, weighing, and loading all manner of supplies onto pallets. Tucked behind the already towering rows of water bottles, canned food, and toiletries, I found a table with a hand-drawn “Pilots” sign. After a quick sign-in on a clipboard, a volunteer asked if I was a pilot, how much weight I could take, assigned me to Gatlinburg Pigeon Forge Airport, and pointed me at a clipboard-wielding fellow organizer. Within minutes a forklift operator had snatched up a pallet labeled “300”, placed it onto the trailer behind a golf cart, and a team of 3 folks and I were zipping our way back to my airplane where we together loaded supplies. 60 minutes from my tires touching down in Concord, those same tires lifted off headed west.
With the team of volunteers having already headed home for the night due to my late evening arrival into Gatlinburg, the airport manager kindly drove her old pickup truck out onto the ramp where we unloaded and reloaded supplies into the bed of her truck in the darkness. After exchanging pleasantries, I headed back to Concord, where two search and rescue crews from Burleson, TX waited next to large Airbus helicopters, “on call” for their next assignment. Excitement and adrenaline offset the long day’s tiredness as I collapsed into an Uber to head home.
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Over the following three days I completed 4 more round trips to Rutherford County Airport and Western Carolina Regional Airport in North Carolina, Pickens County Airport in South Carolina, and Greeneville Municipal Airport in Tennesse, each time following an identical pattern of coordinating with the numerous other aircraft coming and going, landing, locating where volunteer teams were located at the airport, quickly unloading supplies, and taking off. Average time spent on the ground was maybe 15 minutes due to the sheer scale and number of aircraft coming and going and the need to make space available. Through such brevity came moments of interaction with the wonderful people volunteering to help their communities. | |
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Young Adults Head to the Renaissance Festival
Saturday, November 16
We’re excited to invite the young adults of St. John’s to join us for a fun-filled trip to the Renaissance Festival on Saturday, November 16 from 10:00 AM to 1:00 PM. Let’s meet at the church around 9:30 AM to carpool and arrive ahead of the crowds—plus, it’ll help us secure enough parking!
Tickets are $34 for adults and $20 for kids ages 5-12, and the easiest way to grab them is through the Renaissance Festival's website (click below). Come dressed in your best Renaissance attire and make some memories together!
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Basketball Clinics starting in October
Mondays, October 14, 21, 28 from 5-6pm
St. John’s members, participants, and visitors with children who could potentially play on the 6 & Under Co-Ed team – I want to be sure you know about the upcoming basketball clinics for our younger children.
The clinics are the Mondays of October 14, 21, & 28 from 5-6pm in the St. John’s gym.
I also want to alert you to remember to use the code MEMBER if/when you register your child so that you will receive $50 off of the cost to play. If you know that your child will play you can register them below. (We are currently receiving registrations from people with some connection to the life of the church and those players who have played before.)
Thank you, Lee Gray
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How to End Christian Nationalism
Amanda Tyler Book Release on October 22 at 6:30pm
At 6:30pm, on Tuesday, October 22 in Broach Hall, we will host the book release of Amanda Tyler’s significant writing, How to End Christian Nationalism.
How to End Christian Nationalism by Amanda Tyler is the essential guidebook for Christians alarmed by the rising tide of Christian nationalism yet unsure how to counter it. Join Amanda for a timely discussion about the threat of this dangerous ideology and learn about how she drew on her experiences, conversations with pastors and laypeople, research, Scripture and her Baptist convictions to write this new book.
This event is free, but registration is required. You will receive a confirmation email with the information you'll need to attend. Register BELOW.
Park Road Books will be present to manage book sales. Invite your friends.
This event will be publicized throughout Charlotte via a variety of media. You must register for this event below.
We will learn a core value of Baptist heritage as we practice religious freedom.
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A Reflection on Children's Sabbath
The greatest story ever told is the grand story of the Gospel, the story of God’s creative, redeeming, reconciling, and lavish love for us. On Sunday, October 6, our children shared the Gospel story through Word and Table, music and dance, and drama and prayer. The message of the grand Gospel story shared through the lives of our children transformed their lives and ours. For these young messengers of the Gospel of Jesus Christ, I give thanks. May they continue to preach and sing and dance and live the Gospel story. As they proclaim this old, old story, may they become more like Christ. May we do so as well.
Here are a few reflections from our children:
Joy Follis – “I loved singing and stomping on the steps and smiling with people who love me. I liked praying and eating the bread.”
Hannah Harmon – “May favorite part was speaking in the front of the whole church.”
Grace Harmon – “My favorite was ‘hide it under a bushel NO!’"
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On the Way
Outings for Retired Adults and Friends
Friday, October 25 – We will meet the church at 11:00 am to coordinate our carpools and then walk or drive to Big Ben British Pub & Restaurant for lunch at 11:15 am. After lunch people can carpool (or drive separately if they desire) to the Sullenberger Aviation Museum. (4108 Minuteman Way 28208 – It’s on Charlotte-Douglas Airport land) We have tickets for 1:30 pm and they can receive us up to 25 minutes before or after that time. We will need to fine tune our number of tickets, so please let LGray@sjcharlotte.org know if you plan to attend by October 17. Please bring $20, cash or check payable to St. John's, the day we leave in order to pay for your ticket at them museum.
Thursday, November 14 – We have reservations for 20 at Mama Ricotta’s Italian Restaurant (601 S. Kings Dr.) at 11:30 am. We will carpool from the church and depart at 11:15 am or you can meet us there. Sometimes parking can be crowded though. Please let LGray@sjcharlotte.org know if you plan to attend by Tuesday, November 12 so final adjustments can be made to our arrangements at Mama Ricotta’s.
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Annual Craft & Bake Sale to Benefit Playground Renovations
Sunday, October 20
The Needle and Craft Ministry will be having a Craft and Bake Sale on Sunday October 20th in Lasater Hall from 11:30 to 1:00pm. All proceeds will go to support the playground renovations.
If you are interested in participating with craft items and/or baked goods please contact Ruth Jackson or Tricia Miller. Any and all donations will be greatly appreciated. We will only accept cash or checks on the day of the sale. Thank you for your support, our children will benefit from these renovations.
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Fall Festival with Trunk-Or-Treat: Need Volunteers!
October 27, 3-5pm
We need volunteers for our Fall Festival Trunk or Treat community event on Sunday, October 27, 3:00 p.m. - 5:00 p.m. at SJBC.
How can you volunteer?
- Provide your vehicle that you can decorate.
- Candy, stickers, pencils, etc. as treats for your trunk.
- You in costume, too!
Sign up on Realm by October 20. Prizes will be given to the most festive trunk!
Questions? Contact Liz Benton or Kheresa Harmon.
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Welcoming New Friends
Building relationships with newly arrived individuals and families from other countries and cultures by becoming a Fruitful Friend
Wednesday, November 13, 5:30-7:00pm in Broach Hall
We invite you to join us for “Welcoming New Friends” on Wednesday, November 13 from 5:30 PM – 7:00 PM in Broach Hall. We will share a buffet meal, followed by a program that focuses on the work of Refugee Support Services and their Fruitful Friends program. Fruitful Friends pairs volunteers with RSS program participants to build friendships, share cultures, and provide support. Sharing experiences, information and insights with us will be Pamela Dellinger and Esther Schmidt from Refugee Support Services.
Make dinner reservations by noon on Friday, November 8.
$15/person or $36/household
Must pay for dinner AT THE DOOR by cash or check.
Register on Realm or contact Amanda Morrison in the office at amorrison@sjcharlotte.org or 704-333-5428, ext. 0. No reservation needed for program only, which begins at 6:00PM.
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Save the Date for the 2024 Senior Adult Luncheon
Date: Thursday, Dec. 5th
Time: 11:30am - 1:00pm
Place: Broach Hall
More details to follow
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Attention St. John’s Lawyers and Legal Professionals:
The impact of Hurricane Helene will continue to be devastating, particularly in Western North Carolina, where many of us, our friends, and families are experiencing significant loss.
As a legal professionals, we have a unique opportunity to assist with relief efforts. Legal Aid of North Carolina (LANC) operates a Disaster Relief Project, which provides legal assistance and education to survivors of natural disasters in North Carolina.
LANC is asking legal professionals to sign up to their collaborative platform here. Most initial cases will be telephone advice cases or cases to help individuals fill out FEMA applications, which have a deadline of November 27, 2024. Later cases will include a variety of issues for both legal advice and representation. You can note on the volunteer form any special expertise you possess that might assist Helene victims.
The N.C. Supreme Court has signed an emergency order permitting out-of-state or non-NC licensed attorneys to provide legal services in connection with Helene relief efforts. Such attorneys can register with the state bar here. Please contact Todd Stillerman with any questions.
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NAMI Walk
Come join your church family and one of our residential ministry partners, National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI), on Saturday, October 26 for a mental health awareness walk at The Mint Museum - Randolph. Contact Amanda Morrison with questions at Amorrison@sjcharlotte.org. Click HERE to join our team or support our team by donating.
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Prayers, Thanks, and Celebrations
Current Prayer Concerns: Pauline Funderburk, Charles Gordon, Arnold Philemon, Jeck Warren
Continuing Prayer: Shirley Ballard, Tom Bryson, Kathleen Bumgardner, Carolyn Hall, Mary Rickenbaker, Shelly Zeigler
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Financial Update
2024 Full Year Budget: $1,211,000
Income Received Through October 6: $822,753 (68%)
Western North Carolina Disaster Relief Fund
Received through October 6: $8,700
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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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Russell Nelson, Minister for Worship & Music - (980) 228-6244 (cell)
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Mallory Brown, Media Coordinator - 704-477-3349 (cell)
- Chloe Hall, Children's Choir Director
- Noel Lance, 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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