Blog

Advent 2018 - "Great Expectations"

By:  Rev'd Dr. Johnny Jeffords

The new Christian year begins this Sunday with the first Sunday of Advent. The season of Advent precedes the Festival of Christmas as a time of spiritual preparation for the coming of the Christ into the world. That’s just what the word Advent means, “coming, arrival, approach.”

So much of this season is about the things we always do. Tradition is wrapped tightly around Advent/Christmas. We bring out the greenery, the Chrismon tree, the Advent wreath, and those colored candles (it’s rose, not pink!).

Preparing for Advent

By:  Rev'd Mimi White

We are swiftly approaching a magical time of year. With anticipation and wide-eyed wonder, we await the birth of baby Jesus. Saint Francis was the first to recreate this holy event with a nativity scene. He designed this to increase his experience of the nearness of Christ, as a part of worship. Since that time, we have celebrated Jesus’ birth with living nativities, nativity pageants, and miniature displays reenacting the story found in the Gospels.

Called Charge Conference for Nelson Woods

By:  Rev'd Dr. Johnny Jeffords

Called Charge Conference

Tuesday, November 13, 6:30pm, Room 205

A Charge Conference has been called to vote on the sale of Nelson Woods Retreat Center.

On the Shoulders of Giants - Stewardship 2018

By:  Rev'd Dr. Johnny Jeffords

St. John’s is a community of faith with a long history. We’re grateful for the witness of those who’ve gone before us. It is their stories, and their faithfulness to the mission of the Church in the times in which they lived that gives us this moment for St. John’s to be what it is here and now.

Back to Sunday School 2018!

A new season of Sunday School starts back on September 9 with fantastic offerings for all ages!

A Deep Dive Into Methodism

By:  Rev'd Dr. Johnny Jeffords

Over the next several months, the Pastor’s Adult Sunday School Class will focus on Methodism during a time of great ferment in the life of the denomination, as the Church seeks to find a way forward on how it shall or shall not be fully welcoming of our LGBTQI sisters and brothers.

Congregational Care

By:  The Clergy Team

Congregational Care is an important part of “watching over one another in love,” building relationships, and embodying the love of God to one another. It is a ministry of all Christians, lay and clergy, and is a part of our Wesleyan heritage.

We were never created to “go it alone.” We were designed to share life together.

After God’s Own Heart - The Paradox of David Summer Worship Series Begins June 17

By:  Rev'd Dr. Johnny Jeffords

Our Summer worship series is soon to begin and invites us to sit with one of the most compelling figures in the whole of Biblical literature, David, a man whom scriptures describes as one “after God’s own heart.”  We all know some of David’s story.  It’s very episodic.  No differently than any one of us can or should be defined by the best or worst thing we’ve done, neither can David.  Brought together our stories say more than just who we are, they bear witness to the ways God has been with us in them and through them.

Compassionate Kids: VBS Moves to Evening

By:  Rev'd Rebekah Gienapp

This year, St. John’s is making a big change to our Vacation Bible School. We’re having VBS in the evening! In the past, many families haven’t been able to participate because of work schedules, so we’re excited to offer this new option.

Carrying the Fierce Urgency Forward: The Intersection of History and Future

By:  Rev'd Dr. Johnny Jeffords

For this Lent, our focus has been upon activating our faith as a deepening of our witness, both personal and corporate.  It is through the lens of the 50th anniversary of the death of Rev’d Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. and his words, originally meant to confront and inspire, that we’ve been able to ground ourselves ever more deeply in the mission of justice. This justice, grounded deeply in a biblical faith, informs our path this Lenten season.