St. John's Family News

Week of December 30, 2024-January 5, 2025 | Vol. 84, Issue 1

www.stjohnsbaptistchurch.org | @sjbccharlotte

2Church Calendar | Give Online | Realm Log-In | Usher Schedule Greeter Schedule | Men's Shelter Sign Up | Nursery Schedule | Room in the Inn Sign Up

In this week's Family News (Scroll to Learn More):


  1. Christmas Is Just Beginning
  2. Happy Birthday!
  3. Room in the Inn: Sign up here
  4. News for Children & Their Families
  5. Upcoming Events for Children & Their Families
  6. Weekday School Enrollment Open
  7. Basketball Game Schedule
  8. Prayer List, Sympathy, Thanks, and Celebrations
  9. Financial Update
  10. Minister On Call Schedule
  11. Staff Contact Info

CHRISTMAS IS JUST BEGINNING         

by Rev. Dennis W. Foust, PhD, Senior Minister


Several decades ago, I came across the writings of The Rev. Howard Thurman, PhD. He was an influential spiritual leader whose teachings guided the initiatives that came to be called the social justice movement. His theology of radical non-violence shaped approaches for The Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., PhD and several others. 


Dr. Thurman was Dean of Rankin Chapel at Howard University from 1932 to 1944. In 1944, he and Dr. Alfred Fisk co-founded one the first interracial, interdenominational churches in the United States. In 1953, he became dean of Marsh Chapel at Boston University. 


One of my favorite writings by Howard Thurman is entitled, ‘The Work of Christmas.’ I share his words with you this week as we transition into a New Year and from Christmas toward Epiphany.


“When the song of the angels is stilled, 

when the star in the sky is gone, 

when the kings and princes are home,

when the shepherds are back with their flocks,

the work of Christmas begins:

to find the lost,

to heal the broken,

to feed the hungry,

to release the prisoner,

to rebuild the nations,

to bring peace among the people,

to make music in the heart.”


Beloved, Christmas is just beginning. 


To the future!


Shalom! 

Happy Birthday!


Happy birthday on December 30 to Hampton Dietz. He is the son of Tammy and Alan Dietz.

Have you signed up?


Room in the Inn hosting at St. John's runs through Friday, March 14, 2025. We need volunteers like you to sign up to make this happen successfully.


Please contact Dale Johnson at 704-454-8931 or Alice Wirz at 704-222-6208 if you have any questions on any of these tasks.


Sign up below.

Sign Up to Serve

Calling All Families with Children!


There will be a meeting with all families with children immediately following worship on January 12 in the Church Lounge.


Additionally, we need help with snacks for Sunday School. Please help us provide nutritious snacks for our children, ages 2+. Donations of Goldfish Crackers, Welch’s Fruit Snacks, and juice boxes (apple, preferred), are needed. You may leave snack contributions in Kheresa’s office.

Do you know about the Weekday School or wish to learn more?


The Weekday School (WDS) is a children’s educational ministry supported and guided by Rev. Kheresa Harmon, the WDS Board, the WDS team, the church team, and the parent community. Its mission is to provide an equal balance of learning, play, and guidance in each child’s growing relationship with God.


The Weekday School enrollment is now in progress for next school year and there are several openings NOW in the 2s and 3s class for the rest of this current school year.


Who can enroll?


The WDS is open to families with children 6 months to 6 years old during the school year. There are 6 classes: Infants (six to 18 months), Toddlers (18-24 months), Twos, Threes, Fours, and TK (children who will be five Dec.).


Please see more information below in our flier and reach out to Lydia Olmsted, the Director, at weekdayschool@sjcharlotte.org for more info.

Weekday School Info Here

Basketball Game Schedule


January 4 

  • 6u Co-Ed – 10:00 am @ St. John’s
  • 8u Boys Cardella – 11:00 am @ St. John’s
  • 8u Boys Allen – 8:30 am @ St. Stephen UM 
  • 8u Girls – 12:00 pm @ St. John’s
  • 10u Boys Short – 1:15 pm @ St. John’s 
  • 10u Boys Barnhardt – 2:15 pm @ St. John’s
  • 10u Girls – 3:15 pm @ St. John’s
  • 12u Girls – 12:00 pm @ Mulberry Baptist
  • 18u Girls – 5:30 pm @ Calvary Church

 

January 11

  • 6u Co-Ed – 1:00 pm @ St. John’s
  • 8u Boys Cardella – 3:00 pm @ St. John’s
  • 8u Boys Allen – 2:00 pm @ St. John’s
  • 8u Girls – 2:45 pm @ Sardis Presbyterian
  • 10u Boys Short – 3:45 pm @ Providence Baptist
  • 10u Boys Barnhardt – 11:00 am @ Mulberry Baptist
  • 10u Girls – 4:15 pm @ Hickory Grove Harris 
  • 12u Girls – 11:30 am @ Providence Baptist
  • 18u Girls – 11:00 am @ Charlotte Prep Academy

Prayers, Thanks, and Celebrations 


Current Prayer Concerns: Shirley Ballard, Ric Bridges, Beth Gray, Martha Kiker, Arnold Philemon, Ken Sanford, Jane Starnes


Continuing Prayer: Nancy Burgess, Pauline Funderburk, Carolyn Hall, Mary Rickenbaker, Anne Sutton, Jeck Warren

Financial Update


2024 Full Year Budget: $1,211,000


Income Received Through December 30: $1,153,934 (95%)


2025 Draft Budget (Total Expenses): $1,233,000


2025 Pledge Goal: 150 Commitments, $900,000

2025 Pledges Received: 128 Commitments, $823,400


2024 Pledge Total: 140 Commitments, $884,000

Pledge Here

Staff On-Call Rotation



  1. Dec. 30-Jan. 5: Russell 
  2. Jan. 6-12: Lee 
  3. Jan. 13-19: Denni
  4. Jan. 20-26: Kheresa

Staff Contact Information


  • Rev. Dennis Foust, PhD, Senior Minister - 704-359-7234 (cell); 704-333-5428, ext. 2012
  • Rev. Lee Gray, Minister for Congregational Care - 704-333-5428, ext. 2015; 704-451-1309 (cell)
  • Rev. Kheresa Harmon, Minister for Children & their Families - 704-333-5428, ext. 2018; 910-890-3392 (cell)
  • Russell Nelson, Minister for Worship & Music - (980) 228-6244 (cell)
  • Mallory Brown, Media Coordinator - 704-477-3349 (cell)
  • Chloe Hall, Children's Choir Director
  • Noel Lance, Organist
  • Amanda Morrison, Church Administrator - 704-333-5428, ext. 0
  • Lydia Olmsted, Weekday School Director - 704-333-5428, ext. 2039

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St. John's Baptist Church | 704-333-5428 | 300 Hawthorne Lane, Charlotte, NC 28204 | stjohnsbaptistchurch.org