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In this week's Family News (Scroll to Learn More):
- Introducing Dr. Don Gordon
- Kings on Lamar: Open House & Reflection
- Welcome to Herb, new Custodial/Maintenance Associate
- WOC August School Supply Collection for ourBridge
- Church-Wide Meeting On September 21
- On the Way, September 25
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Rise Against Hunger: Sign Up Now!
- Invite Your Friends and Neighbors to Rise Against Hunger
- CROP Hunger Walk
- Save the Date: Thursdays on the Town, October 9
- Children's Missions & Music Day, November 8
- Heart Math Tutoring Needs Your Help!
- Furniture Need for a Weekday School Teacher
- Get Your Key Fob!
- Fall Churchwide 2025 Save the Dates
- Prayer List, Sympathy, Thanks, and Celebrations
- Financial Update
- Minister On Call Schedule
- After Hours On Call Schedule
- Staff Contact Info
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Introducing Dr. Don Gordon
Dr. Gordon joins St. John's as Interim Minister
by James Laney
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We are excited to present Dr. Don Gordon as our Interim Minister to serve until a new pastor is called for St. John’s Baptist. Don was recommended to us by the Cooperative Baptist Fellowship of North Carolina, and has served as our Transition Guide advising the Pastor Search Team since May of this year.
Don’s background and interests are varied and intriguing. After earning a B.S. in mathematics from Campbell University and doing graduate work in math at N.C. State, Don felt a call to ministry. He then earned a Master of Divinity with Languages from Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary and began 30 years of service as a full-time church minister, serving as a senior minister for 23 of those years. While serving as a senior minister, Don earned a Doctorate of Ministry from Columbia Theological Seminary. Since his retirement from full-time ministry in 2018, Don has served as interim minister in three North Carolina churches.
In addition to his work as a pastor, Don is a writer and an environmentalist. He is the author of three books — A Concise History of North Carolina Baptists, Prayers of a Pastor, and Psalms for Children — and editor of a fourth, Elevating Preaching 2009: A Collection of Elevating Sermons. He is also the founder and CEO of C3-Christians Caring for Creation, a non-profit organization calling Christians to embrace our role as stewards of creation.
Don has been a faithful alumnus of Campbell University, serving the University as member of the Board of Trustees, member of the Presidential Board of Advisors, and member of the Board of Ministers. He has been active in serving the Cooperative Baptist Fellowship and YMCA in a number of different roles, and is a member of the Board of Directors of Good Faith Media, a non-profit organization offering reflection and resources at the intersection of faith, culture, and democracy through an inclusive Christian lens.
Don is the father of three daughters and has six grandchildren. He is engaged to be married soon and loves pickleball, exercise, and reading good books.
Don begins September 14, and will typically be in the church office on Tuesdays and Wednesdays. His schedule may vary depending on meetings or events he needs to attend at other times. We have called Don in a part-time capacity, about 18-20 hours per week on average. He will not be responsible for all of the duties of a fulltime Senior Minister.
When you see Don, please welcome him to St. John’s!
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Kings On Lamar Open House: Sept. 17 | |
Wednesday, Sept. 17, 4-6 p.m.
Kings on Lamar
323 Lamar Avenue
A reflection and invitation from Rev. Kheresa Harmon:
Donald’s fingers moved deftly, crafting scrap metal into pots and pans sturdy enough to withstand the heat of a campfire, yet simple enough for the nomadic life in one of Charlotte’s many encampments. When you’re poor, hungry, and housing insecure, you get creative. It’s the only way to survive – if you are lucky enough to survive.
Donald’s a survivor. He’s a lucky one whose life on the streets intersected with Harper, a member of Roof Above’s QT Street Outreach Team. It took time, but Donald learned to trust Harper and the women and men who practice the radical compassion of Kingdom ethics and work endlessly to end homelessness in our city.
Today Donald cooks his meals on an electric range in an apartment provided by Roof Above. For the first time in years, Donald feels human.
Donald is like you and me. He is made in God’s image and reflects the image of the Divine in this world God has entrusted to our care. Thank God for the women and men of Roof Above who looked into Donald’s eyes and saw the eyes of God looking back at them. Roof Above gave Donald much more than an electric range and a roof over his head. Roof Above gave Donald dignity and worth.
God is about the business of doing extraordinary things through ordinary people. Liz Clasen-Kelly, Chief Executive Officer of Roof Above, and her team of dedicated women and men, many of whom are volunteers, are those ordinary people used by God to bring about extraordinary things in our city. They are about God’s business of participating in the inbreaking of the Kingdom of Heaven on earth in 2025.
We St. Johnsians are invited to see firsthand the inbreaking of the Kingdom of Heaven on earth next week. Please join your ministerial staff and deacons as we step onto the holy ground that is Kings on Lamar on Wednesday, September 17, beginning at 4:00 p.m. Kings on Lamar is Roof Above’s new project adjacent to our church campus. Working within and with our community, Roof Above has transformed former Kings College dormitories into places of opportunity for men in transition into long-term stability. Imagine that! Through the hands of Roof Above, God has transformed ordinary dorms into extraordinary homes of hope for men who so desperately need it!
Come and see it for yourself! Drop in and tour the new facility. Meet our new friends. Look into their eyes and see the eyes of Jesus looking back at you. Your life will never be the same again.
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| | OurBridge for Kids School Supply Drive Ends on September 15 | |
The Women of the Church are sponsoring a collection of school supplies and gently used or new school uniforms for our ministry partner ourBridge for Kids from now through September 15.
Our Bridge for Kids provides resources and out-of-school programs specifically designed for immigrant and refugee children and their families. Their goal is to address the social service gaps and help newly arrived children and their families adapt, develop a sense of belonging, and thrive in Charlotte.
Drop off bins will be available in the Giving Nook beginning this Sunday.
We are collecting the following items for the age and size range of K-8:
- Backpacks
- Binders, folders notebooks, and lined paper
- Dry erase markers, crayons, colored pencils, pens and pencil cases
- White, navy or red polo shirts
- Khaki or navy pants and shorts
I was a stranger and you welcomed me” Matthew 25:35. Help us extend a loving hand to these children as a new school year starts!
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Welcome to Herb
New Custodian/Maintenance Associate
Please join me in giving a warm, hearty SJBC welcome to our new part-time Custodial/Maintenance Associate, Herb Parrott! Herb is no stranger to SJBC, as he worked with our beloved Don Swofford for years and continues to work with Selina. He has even previously helped the church with event set-up. Herb started on September 2. He works in the afternoons, Monday through Thursday, as well as on Sundays until 2 pm in our facilities. Welcome, Herb!
Jason Benton
Chair of the Personnel Resource Team
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Church-Wide Meeting On September 21 to Help Define Our Senior Minister Profile | |
We received 133 wonderful and thoughtful responses to our Survey to define your wishes for our next Senior Minister! This was a great response. The next step is a congregational meeting in Broach Hall on September 21 after worship. A simple lunch will be provided and we ask that you reserve a spot so we know how many to expect. During this interactive meeting, we will present the Survey results and discuss in table groups to allow all a chance to participate, and to further refine any input on key priorities for the Search Team.
Childcare with a separate kids' lunch will be provided. Please note on your reservation how many children will attend.
Please reserve your spot by Sept. 15 here.
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On the Way to House of Pizza: September 25 | On the Way will go to House of Pizza on Thursday September 25 at 11:00 am. In addition to pizza, their menu includes salads, sandwiches, and pasta. We will meet at the restaurant 3640 Central Ave. Please email Lee Gray LGray@sjcharlotte.org if you plan to participate. |
Rise Against Hunger - September 28 | |
We’re coming together to pack 15,000 meals for families in need around the world!
Partnering with Rise Against Hunger, an international humanitarian organization, we’re joining a global movement to end hunger by empowering communities, nourishing lives, and responding to emergencies. Since its founding, Rise Against Hunger has packaged and distributed over 600 million meals to countries worldwide.
This is a unique, family-friendly way to make a real impact — join us and be part of something bigger!
Register Today by visiting the link here!
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Help Invite Our Neighbors!
A Personal Invitation is THE BEST WAY to Reach Friends & Neighbors
You, yes YOU, can play a key role in extending an invitation for family members, friends, and neighbors to join us at our Rise Against Hunger event.
Follow these easy steps:
- Save the image below to your computer or phone
- Copy the below promotional text
- Go to your favorite social network, like Facebook or Instagram. (Bonus points if you share to your neighborhood's Facebook Group or on NextDoor).
- Upload the photo and paste the copied text in the caption/post area.
- Hit share! It's that easy!
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Promotional Text to Copy and Paste:
Hello! I am volunteering at an upcoming community service event to help fight world hunger. It's called Rise Against Hunger. We're going to be packing 15,000 meal kits that will be used to provide immediate nourishment for those facing hunger around the globe.
I hope you can join me! There will be a free lunch! This is the perfect way to engage your entire family in a unique community service event! We'll even have an ice cream truck on hand for sweet treats after the event!
It's on Sunday, Sept. 28, at St. John's Baptist Church, 300 Hawthorne Lane, Charlotte, NC. Lunch starts at 11:30am, and meal packing is 1-3pm.
You can get more information and register at:
https://stjohnsbaptistchurch.org/event/rise-against-hunger-experience/
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Save the Date: Thursdays on the Town
Thursdays on the Town for Parents will meet on Thursday, October 9 at 6:00 p.m. at Urban District Market.
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Children's Missions & Music Day
K-5th graders are invited to participate in CBFNC’s Children’s Missions and Music Day on Saturday, November 8 at First Baptist Statesville. Sponsored by the CBF Children’s Ministry team, the day features station rotations, including music (singing, instruments, and interpretive movement), Bible study, missions activity, and games; worship; and an ice cream celebration. The event is free, and children bring their own bagged lunches. I hope that our church will participate. If your child would like to participate, please let Kheresa know by September 28.
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Can You Help?
Weekday School staff seeks assistance
A member of our WDS staff is a first-time homeowner and is in need of a washer, dryer, and kitchen table. Would you please consider donating your gently used appliances and/or furniture? Contact Kheresa Harmon for more information.
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Get Your Church Key Fob!
Maintain your access to the church while ensuring the safety and security of our campus
As you know, St. John's has many doors, and it feels quite porous on Sunday mornings with all of them unlocked. The Safety and Security Task Force is trying to balance our desire to be hospitable with our need to be safe and secure. While we have greeters assigned to certain doors, it is not easy to staff every door, and sometimes volunteers do not report for their duty. (Our God is forgiving!)
Therefore, in the future, you may find that a fob would come in handy. On Sunday mornings, if you arrive at an unattended, locked door, you will still be able to get in via the Broach or Main Entrance by using a fob. (The Narthex doors will be open starting at 10 am.)
Here is how to order your fob today!!
- Key Fob forms can be found outside of Amanda's Office, in the Main Entrance Lobby, and the Broach Entrance Lobby Newsstands.
- Please fill out the form and place it in the white After Hours/Sunday Morning drop box beside Amanda's office.
- You may pick up your new key fob the following Sunday from the Reception Office behind the Sanctuary near the 5th Street Entrance. You can also pick it up by contacting Amanda and coming by the church office during the week.
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| Heart Math Tutoring Needs Your Help! | | |
Join St. John’s Baptist Church in supporting CMS students with just 1 hour per week as a volunteer tutor! Heart Math Tutoring is looking for volunteers to help provide foundational math skills and confidence to elementary students being nominated for the program in the 2025/26 school year. Read more details below and sign-up here.
1 hour per week with the same student
Fun, hands-on, game-based curriculum provided
On-site coordinator present during all sessions to support
Basic math (counting, comparing numbers, addition and subtraction)
Choose the school, day, and tutoring time that work best for your schedule.
Want more information before you sign up? Join a Volunteer Information Session on Sept. 3rd or Sept. 17th.
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Fall 2025 Churchwide Save The Dates: |
- Fall Festival Sunday, October 26
- All Saints Sunday, November 2
- NAMI Walk Saturday, November 8
- WDAV Lessons & Carols, December 2
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Prayer List, Sympathy, Thanks, and Celebrations | |
Current Prayer Concerns:
Mary Jo Breckenridge, Carl Phillips, Joe Trull
Continuing Prayer:
Anna Lynn Kearse, Mary Rickenbaker
Sympathy:
Continue to remember the family of Ken Sanford - Judy, Tim, Scott, and Jeannette in your prayers. We will honor Ken’s life and ministry in the St. John’s Sanctuary on Friday, September 12th at 2:00 pm.
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2025 Full Year Budget – $1,241,000
Budgeted Income thru August 31 - $827,333
Actual Income Received thru August 27- $802,636
Global Missions Offering - $23,000
Income Received thru August 27 - $18,170
| | Minister On Call Schedule |
- Sept. 8 - 14: Kheresa
- Sept. 14 - 21: Lee
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Staff Contact Information
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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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Noel Lance, Minister for Worship & Music
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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
- Chloe Salmeron, Children's Choir Director
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Liza Tindall, Media Coordinator
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