Vol. 80 Issue 4 | Week of January 24-30, 2022 |
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The Freedom to Choose
You enjoy your freedom. Not that long ago, you were going where you wanted and doing what you wanted by exercising your freedom to choose.
Yet, through the past two pandemic years, your choices have been limited. Just how tired of this oppressive pandemic are you? After two years of wearing face coverings, living in isolation, homeschooling, working remotely, Zoom calls, virtual worship, washing your hands, reading contrasting information, hearing of deaths and critical illnesses, waiting on vaccines and boosters, listening to needless misinformation, and outright lies, etc., how many choices do you have left?
One book I would make required reading for every human (if I could) is Man’s Search for Meaning, by Victor Frankl. According to a survey by the Book of the Month Club and the Library of Congress, this is one of the ten most influential books in the history of the United States. Frankl traces his experiences as a prisoner in Nazi prison camps during World War II. His prescribed approach to handling oppressive situations is to identify a purpose in life to feel positive about – a purpose that provides meaning and contributes to the lives of others and then immersing yourself in that vision by imagining how the situation could be different by pursuing that outcome. This is a freedom to choose.
One of the most important statements in Frankl’s book is: “Everything can be taken away from a man (person) but one thing, the last of the human freedoms - to choose one's attitude in any given circumstances, to choose one's way.”
Robert Frost ended his classic poem, ‘The Road Not Taken,’
“Two roads diverged in a wood, and I –
I took the one less traveled by,
And that has made all the difference.”
Jesus encouraged, “Do not let your hearts be troubled. You believe in God, believe also in me.” (John 14:1)
To choose belief rather than trouble is a choice that influences your attitude.
To choose belief is to embrace steadfastness and endurance
Embrace your freedom of choice.
Shalom,
Dennis W. Foust
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Worship on Sunday, January 30, 2022
This Sunday, we welcome Rev. Amy Chilton, PhD to the St. John's Pulpit as our proclaimer. We have been grateful to be able to get to know Amy and her daughter Vija as members of St. John's for the past several years and look forward to hearing from Amy again in the pulpit.
Amy is a native of the Pacific Northwest, and completed her MDiv at Fuller’s Seattle Campus. After earning her PhD in systematic theology and philosophy she teaches as an adjunct at Fuller Seminary, Pasadena, CA, and visiting assistant professor of religion at Wingate University, Wingate, North Carolina. She is an ordained minister in the American Baptist Churches USA.
We will worship together in-person and online at 10:30am. Hope to see you there or welcome you virtually!
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Welcoming Jenny Godfrey!
As Mallory Brown is now working remotely and only part-time, we are glad to introduce Jenny Godfrey to you.
Jenny is now working in the Administrative Assistant office on a temporary basis from 9:00 to 3:00 Monday through Thursday and 9:00 to 12:00 on Friday. You can reach her by phone at 704-333-5428, ext. 11 or by email at office@sjcharlotte.org.
Jenny has lived in the Charlotte area for over 15 years. She is originally from Columbia, SC, and has a Master's Degree in Social Work from the University of South Carolina. She has many years of experience working with senior adults as a social worker. She is currently enrolled at Central Piedmont Community College in the Business Administration program with a focus on Human Resources. She enjoys spending time with her dog and traveling.
Help us welcome Jenny!
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Youth Sunday on February 13
Every year, we celebrate the young people of our church on Youth Sunday.
This year, we will have Youth Sunday on February 13 during morning worship. Their commitments and dreams inspire us as they reveal their commitments to God’s vision for the world.
Please join us for worship on this special Sunday!
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UPDATED GUIDELINES BY ST. JOHN’S COVID-19 TASK FORCE
The rise in the Omicron variant of COVID-19 has caused CDC and other agencies to update guidelines. Because several households in the life of St. John’s have been diagnosed with COVID in January and because we always want to err on the side of caution on behalf of our preschoolers and persons at risk, our COVID-19 Task Force has updated our congregational guidelines.
Importantly, in the recent meeting of our COVID-19 Task Force, it was brought to light that cloth masks offer much less protection against the new or Omicron variant. We would recommend the use of N-95 or KN-95 masks instead of cloth masks for worship and daily life.
Click below to read the updates!
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A Centennial Year Of Celebrating & Envisioning
Our 100th Anniversary is March 26, the date of the formal organization of the church in 1922.
How are we celebrating?
Our Anniversary Celebration Service, “A Covenant Community of Faith Celebrates,” will be on Sunday, March 20. However, we will be celebrating this milestone of the church throughout the year.
Click below to access a full schedule of events for the winter and spring of 2022.
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Welcoming Rev. Jonathan Lee Walton, PhD
February 20 During Worship
Throughout our history, St. John’s has enjoyed a close relationship with Wake Forest University. We are a founding church for Wake Forest University School of Divinity and are privileged to welcome the Dean of the School of Divinity, Rev. Jonathan Lee Walton, PhD, into the St. John’s Pulpit on Sunday, February 20.
Walton is a social ethicist whose scholarship focuses on evangelical Christianity and its
relationship to mass media and political culture. Dean Walton's work and insights have been featured in several national and international news outlets including the New York Times, CNN, and the BBC.
We look forward to welcoming Dean Walton to St. John's on February 20!
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To St. John’s Current and Prospective College Students
The Martha Miller and J.P. Hackney Trust Fund was created through the will of Mildred Hackney Smith and provides grant money for St. John’s members (or children of St. John’s members) who plan to attend Furman University, Wake Forest University or Wingate University.
If your plans for college next year include one of these three schools, you may wish to apply for one of the Hackney grants. The deadline is March 31.
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Can you volunteer with the Backpack Ministry?
Volunteer for 1 hour each month and help relieve a child’s hunger!
We need someone to pack food backpacks on the 4th week each month. You can pack anytime between Saturday and Wednesday afternoon (at the church).
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January 29 Basketball Game Schedule
- 6u Co-Ed – 12:30 pm @ St. John’s
- 8u Boys (Short) – 1:45 pm @ St. John’s
- 8u Boys (Sorzano) – 11:00 am @ St. Paul Baptist
- 8u Girls – 11:15 am @ St. John’s NO 10:00 am Game
- 10u Boys – 9:00 am @Mulberry Baptist
- 15u Girls - BYE
- 18u Boys – BYE
- 18u Girls – BYE
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Prayer Concerns, Thanks, Sympathy |
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Shirley Ballard, Katherine Barr, John Bragg, Tamara Edwards, Caroline Godsey, Tish Philemon, Brad Sifford, Carole Ann Simpson, Don Swofford, Elma Thomas, Dee Turner
We express our sympathy to the family of Martha Moore in her passing on January 18. We will gather in the St. John’s sanctuary on Tuesday, February 1 at 2PM to celebrate Martha’s life and ministry. This service will be live-streamed and a receiving line will follow the service at the front of the sanctuary to allow you to express your love to the Moore family.
We celebrate with Natalie & Chase Bailey and big sister Kate on the arrival of their son and little brother, Dean Chase Bailey, IV, on January 21, 2022! All are doing well!
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Financial Ministry Plan Report |
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Week of January 20-24: $9,309
Income through January 24: $82,565
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You can make contributions, view your giving history and pledge status, as well as update your pledge and giving information anytime by accessing your personal Realm profile online or via the Connect App. |
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Ministers On-Call Schedule
Jan 24-30: Dennis Foust
Jan 31-Feb 6: Kevin Gray
Staff Contact Information
Dennis Foust, Senior Minister - 704-359-7234 (cell); 704-333-5428, ext. 12
Lee Gray, Minister for Congregational Care - 704-451-1309 (cell); 704-333-5428, ext. 15
Allison Benfield, Minister for Spiritual Growth - 828-448-8412 (cell); 704-333-5428, ext. 18
Kevin Gray, Minister for Music and Worship - 803-524-0287 (cell); 704-333-5428, ext. 14
Jacquelyn McAbee, Church Administrator - 434-579-1177 (cell); 704-333-5428, ext. 20
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