The Explorer
Volume 9, Issue 7
Website: http://www.stjohnslubbock.org
10 April 2014
The Explorer
Page 2
For people of Christian faith, holiness is defined
by the example Jesus of Nazareth.
He was born not in a place that was holy, but a
stable in Bethlehem was made holy by the life
that began there. He taught and served not on
days that were holy, but on days that were made
holy by the way in which he lived. He died not
with the honor of a holy man, but even his
Open hearts,
crucifixion was made holy by the sacrificial life
Open arms,
that reached its culmination there.
Open minds It was from the raw material of the everyday life, everyday joy, everyday
relationships, everyday hardship and everyday loss that Jesus fashioned
With open hearts, open arms,
holiness.
and open minds, we welcome you to
The week of April 13 is not holy, but it is made holy by the closing 130
St. John’s United Methodist Church
and invite you to join our community of faith,
hours of Jesus’ life which are remembered, re-enacted and honored
for a day, a week or a lifetime.
through its days.
In our decisions and responsibilities, our devotion and worship, our
Weekly Sunday Opportunities
gathering and departing, may Holy Week present us with the raw
material of holiness out of which we may fashion holiness in response to
8:15 a.m.
Holy Communion
God.
9:15 a.m.
Sunday School hour
Peace,
10:30 a.m.
Worship service
11:30 a.m.
University meal
Kevin
5:30 p.m.
United Methodist Youth
1501 University Avenue
Lubbock, Texas 79401
806-762-0123
fax: 806-762-0130
Email: [email protected]
Web: www.stjohnslubbock.org
Like us on Facebook!
Facebook.com/St.JohnsLubbock
Saint John’s Staff
Senior Pastor: Kevin Young
Associate Pastors: Daniel Echols and Ann Akin
Pastor Emeritus: Ted Dotts
Dir. of Music Ministries: Stephanie Council
Organist: Clint Barrick
Business Manager: Emily Johnson
Facilities Supervisor: David Cranford
Childcare Director: Trisha Castillo
Admin. Asst./Editor: Mary Ruth Thurmond
If you know of any St. John’s church
members going into the hospital,
please contact the church office at 762-0123
or [email protected].
If you have changed your phone #, home or
e-mail address, call the church office.
Lectionary Scripture Readings
April 13, Palm/Passion Sunday
Liturgy of the Palms: Matthew 21:1-11; Psalm 118:1-2, 19-29
Liturgy of the Passion: Isaiah 50:4-9a; Psalm 31:9-16;
Philippians 2:5-11; Matthew 26:14-27:66 or Matthew 27:11-54
April 20, Easter Day
Acts 10:34-43; Psalm 118:1-2, 14-24;
Colossians 3:1-4; John 20:1-18 or Matthew 28:1-10
From the Editor: As Holy Week appr oaches, the staff of St. J ohn’s is
experiencing one of our busiest times of year. Kevin is working on at least six
sermons this week (and his newsletter article)! David and John are deepcleaning the church and juggling all kinds of events here including both
internal church activities and many from outside St. John’s. Emily got the first
quarterly contribution statements done this week. Wait until you see and hear
what Stephanie and the Music Department have in store for Holy Week! Kara
is doing a great job of coordinating Palm Sunday. Daniel is taking great care of
the congregation. The office will be closed Monday, April 21. I will be taking
vacation that week (after preparing this newsletter and eight bulletins for the
next two weeks). The next newsletter will come out on Thursday, May 1.
Thank you to our photographers: VelvetLee Finckbone, Kara Wischmeyer, and
Margie Sorley! Thanks to our contr ibutor s: Kevin Young, Emily Johnson,
Sue Hudgins, Andrea Beaudin, Mallory Miller, Margie Sorley, Nancy
Clopton, and Kara Wischmeyer. Thanks again to all the Mer r y Mailer s,
Office Volunteers, Proofreaders, Minions, and Scapegoats! This church
wouldn’t function so well without all of you!
Next newsletter deadline:
Friday, April 25.
Keep the Good News coming! mrt
The Explorer
Page 3
Praying with the Prayer Shawl Ministry
The Prayer Shawl Ministry at St. John’s knows a little
bit about prayer. We pray for people and their situations
as we knit or crochet shawls and other items. When we
got started, we read a book called Knitting into the
Mystery: A Guide to the Shawl-Knitting Ministry by
Susan S. Jorgensen and Susan S. Izard. Jorgensen says:
I knit my first shawl… for a woman whose
husband of six months had been killed in a car
accident. While I knitted, I prayed to enter her
grief; I prayed light into every stitch; I prayed
that she be healed. I prayed that she be
comforted; I prayed that she would come to see
her grief as an expression of her love, that the
two were inextricably bound, one to the other….
Since then, I have knit shawls to celebrate
friendship and connections, I have given shawls
to people who are moving, to women who are
getting married, to people who need physical
and psychological healing, to people in
transition, to my children just “because.”
These are the reasons that we create shawls too.
Sometimes we know the person for whom we crochet or
knit. Sometimes the Spirit moves us to use a certain yarn
and we make one for our closet. When we do this, we
nearly always find an unexpected need for that shawl
very quickly. When we complete a shawl, or a scarf, or
any item, we gather at our weekly sessions and we bless
our handiwork and the person who is to receive it. Here
is our prayer. After the “Blessed Be” with the name of
our recipient if known.
Prayer of Blessing
by Janet Bristow
May God’s grace be upon this shawl…
warming, comforting, enfolding, and embracing.
May this mantle be a safe haven…
a sacred place of security and well-being…
sustaining and embracing
in good times as well as difficult ones.
May the one who receives this shawl
be cradled in hope, kept in joy, graced with peace,
and wrapped in love.
Blessed Be!
Finance Report
March 2014 budget contributions:
Average monthly contributions 2014:
Monthly budget requirements:
Shared giving year to date:
Shared giving commitment 2014:
$38,719.39
$35,742.91
$64,959.58
$884.00
$85,727.00
Looking Ahead
Holy Week at St. John’s
Page 8
United Methodist Youth
Page 6
Committee meetings
Connexions, Monday, April 14, 5:30 p.m., Room 122
Funday
Wednesday, April 16, 9:00 a.m., Garden Room
April showers bring May flowers!
Join us for snacks, board games, devotion,
and a light lunch (just $5 for lunch!).
RSVP by noon, Tuesday, April 15, for lunch only.
People of Faith Against the Death Penalty
Wednesday, April 16 (Jose Villegas)
Prayer vigils are held at 5:45 p.m., at St. John’s.
St. John’s On Tap
Have you heard? St. John’s is launching an off-site
discussion group that looks at current events from a faithbased perspective. Do you know someone who enjoys talking
theology but doesn’t have an outlet for authentic and judgment
-free conversation? All are welcome to attend, whether you are
coming from a specific faith tradition or perhaps are more
philosophical in your approach. Grab an interesting headline,
invite a friend, and come hang out on the first and third
Sundays of each month, 7:00 p.m., at The Lantern Tavern
(3502 Slide Rd).
Lubbock Liberty Workshop Candidate Forum
will be Monday, April 21, 7:00-9:30 p.m., in the Garden
Room. Tis will be a forum for City Council candidates
only. There are eight candidates from Districts 1, 3, and 5
who may attend. The event allows time for opening
remarks (3-4 minutes) from each candidate and 30second responses on approximately ten questions.
Childcare is available upon request (Please call 762-0123
for more information. This will be a free event, and all
are welcome.
Interfaith Dialogue
Tuesday, April 22, 12:00 noon, Room 122
United Methodist Women
Page 6
Theology Group
Wednesday, April 23, 6:15 p.m., Room 212
Country-Western Dance Lessons
and FREE Dance!
Page 4
Soul Sisters
Page 6
The Explorer
Our Trustees at Work
Page 4
St. John’s 101 meets in the chur ch libr ar y ever y
Sunday morning from 9:15-10:15 a.m. Hosted by Rev.
Young, this class provides a casual no-pressure setting in
which St. John’s guests can ask questions and learn about
St. John’s and the United Methodist Church. Join us on
any Sunday.
The 2014 altar flower calendar is available in the
church office. Altar flower arrangements are $68. To sign
up, please come by the office, call us at 762-0123, or
e-mail [email protected].
There Shall Be No Poor Among Us
by Faye Wilson
Doors have been repaired and refinished.
The Bible says
that God has a passion for the poor.
We claim this passion
for ourselves,
for our churches
and for our families.
We firmly believe
that one day soon
we will boldly say,
“There are no poor among us,
because God has granted us all
riches in Christ Jesus.”
Amen.
Thank you, St. John’s,
from the Food Voucher Volunteers
Glass blocks have replaced bathroom windows on the
west side of the building.
The food voucher volunteers thank the congregation for
their generous contributions to the food voucher program.
We are very grateful for your support of this very
important ministry. Your support allows us to continue
reaching out to our neighbors in need to give them a hand
up during difficult times.
Country-Western Dance Lessons
and FREE Dance
And two comfortable benches now grace the outside
sanctuary entrance. Other projects are in various stages of
completion.
will not be held on Good Friday, April 18, but y’all come
back, hear, on Friday, April 25! This is now a weekly
event in St. John’s Garden Room every Friday at
7:00 p.m. Bring a pair of leather-soled boots or shoes. The
first hour will be the lesson and then we will free dance
until we get kicked out! Please contact dancer and teacher
extraordinaire Oren Grossman for more information or to
sign up: 214-912-8375 or [email protected].
It’s just plain fun!!!
The Explorer
Page 5
John Baxter
Jordan
Baptized
Sunday, April 6
Pictured from the left:
Michael, John, and Emmett
Jordan, Marie Cox, and
Rev. Kevin Young.
FROG!
Forever
Rely
On
God
The Children’s Sunday School
classes are growing
by leaps and bounds!
The Explorer
Page 6
Regional Interfaith Conference
Soul Sisters
On Saturday, April 26, the Lubbock Interfaith
Association will host its first Regional Interfaith
Conference at the Holiday Inn Park Plaza. This will be an
opportunity for a unique interreligious experience.
The keynote will be given by Rabbi Ted, Pastor Don,
and Imam Jamal, the Interfaith Amigos, known for their
unique blend of humor and spiritual wisdom. They are
authors of two books, Getting to the Heart of Interfaith,
and more recently, Religion Gone A stray: W hat W e
Found at the Heart of Interfaith. The conference will have
multiple interest sessions. Lubbock Interfaith Dialogue,
hosted by St. John’s since 1985, will be represented at one
of these sessions. The closing event will be a unity
celebration with eight traditions and perspectives. The
event begins with registration at 9:45 a.m. and concludes
at 4:30 p.m. The registration forms are available in the
St. John’s office or online from Mary Vines at
[email protected].
On Saturday, April 26, the total group will go to Clay
Café, 5102-60th St., from 10:00 a.m.-1:00 p.m. Bring
your Soul Sisters (daughters, moms, sisters, girlfriends,
or adopt one for the occasion!). Come and explore your
creative side! Clay Café needs a headcount so RSVP to
the church office by noon on Friday, April 18.
On Saturday, May 3, the small group will go to IHOP
at 10:00 a.m.! Mary Ruth Thurmond will lead the
devotion.
United Methodist Women
The Dora Harris Circle will meet Wednesday, April
23. Mary Vines and Deborah Bratcher will lead the
program on poverty. All women are invited. Our
meetings always begin at 9:30 a.m., with coffee and
refreshments, and a short business meeting will follow
the program. Please join us!
The Dorothy Manning Circle has a plan! We will be
celebrating
Mildred Wylie’s birthday, on Thursday, April
Everyone in Ministry
24, at 6:30 p.m. The plan is to brown bag it and go to
We would greatly appreciate any donations of bags of Crownpoint or Mackenzie Place to have dinner with
Easter candy to help us with the childr en’s Easter egg Mildred. This is all tentative pending on how Mildred is
hunt. Please give your donations to VelvetLee Finckbone feeling. RSVP to 762-0123 by 4:30 p.m., Wednesday,
by April 13.
April 23.
We need more teachers for our children’s Sunday
School classes! Please contact Kar a Wischmeyer for
more information!
The Missions Committee is planning a mission trip to
UMCOR’s Sager Brown Depot in Baldwin, Louisiana, for
June 14-19, 2015. To reserve a spot or for more inforAre you going to camp at Ceta Canyon this summer?
mation, contact Cindy Martin, Karon Nelson, or Craig Be sure to register by Tuesday, April 15, to get the best
Rutherford.
discount!
Sunday, April 13: Rev. Kevin Young is coming!
The Flower Ministry has an opening for flower 5:30 p.m., snack supper; 6:00 p.m., Rev. Kev and Holy
delivery to our homebound members on the third Sunday Week; 7:00 p.m., parents pick up youth.
of each month. Please call the office at 762-0123 for more
NO UMY on Easter Sunday!
information!
UMY returns Sunday, April 27!!!
Please check our Facebook group or the Sunday
SAVE THE DATES!
bulletins for upcoming UMY activities!
Family Promise: June 29-July 6, September 28-October 5
Fiesta Domingo (Sundays): J une 22, August 17, October 26
Workdays at the South Plains Food Bank (Satur days):
May 3, September 13, November 22
Happy April Birthdays!
If you are not listed, please call
the church office and let us know.
(We promise we won’t ask your age!)
Apr 2 Trish Castillo
Apr 3 Robin Hackett
Jamie Sorley
Apr 4 Ember Cutting
Apr 5 Dominique Comiskey
Apr 6 Ethan Lindley
Apr 7 Charlotte Sessom
Gini Woodard
Laura Young
Apr 10 Heather Hutson Malik
Tess Jackson
Apr 11 Brennan Morton
Apr 13 Evelyn Davis
Tanner Holligan
Apr 16 Sharna Horn
Lisa Viator
Apr 17 Mildred Wylie
Apr 18 Jason Baker
Apr 19 Henry Couch
Joe Nuckolls
Rosemary Prumer
Apr 21 Elizabeth Burrell
Roy Wilson
Apr 24 Casey Elliott
Apr 25 Jim Heavner
Apr 27 Griffin Kennedy
Apr 30 Philip Cammack
Richard Simpson
Dennie Treat
The Explorer
Page 7
Church Calendar
New on the prayer list: Trey Lehman, Charlotte Ann Ellingson, Lois
Brunjes, and the families and friends of Bug Dycus and Bill Kearse.
Thank you, St. John’s! We raised $595 for One Great Hour of Sharing on
Sunday, March 30.
From Casey Elliott: Dear St. John’s, We are finally home from tour, and I
wanted to thank you so much for your warm show of support for me and
the Sea Chanters Chorus! To be able to see and visit with so many of my
dearest friends all in one night was a rare treat, and it gave me so much
joy. Upon returning home, I received my St. John’s Explorer in the mail,
and was filled with delight to see your bright smiling faces again in the
pictures! Leaving Lubbock was so bittersweet, and I miss you all the time.
I’m sorry the show was on a Wednesday (again!) and some of you had to
skip rehearsal to attend—please pass along my gratefulness to your
director!! Love always, Casey Elliott.
Thank you very much to the Golden K Kiwanis who gave a very generous
donation to the Tuesday Food Voucher program.
Family Guidance and Outreach Center of Lubbock: Apr il 26:
Sixteenth Annual Blue Ribbon Rally Car and Bike Show in the Depot
District. For more information, please call the Center at 747-5577.
Family Promise of Lubbock would like to invite you to a fr ee
community lunch on Thursday, May 8, from 11:45 a.m. to 1:00 p.m., at
First United Methodist Church, 1411 Broadway. This lunch will be an
opportunity to learn more about the mission of Family Promise in its
service to homeless families. Volunteers from your congregation and
other congregations will be recognized at this event. Participants will also
have the opportunity to provide overnight shelter by making a
contribution to Family Promise. RSVP to Family Promise at 744-5035 by
May 2.
From the South Plains Food Bank: $1 pr ovides food for four meals!
Your gift multiples to help hungry neighbors. Today you have a great
opportunity to make your donation go further and help our hungry
neighbors! When you give right now to the South Plains Food Bank,
every dollar multiplies five times in food value to help even more hungry
people right here in our community. This amazing opportunity is possible
because we will combine your gift with wholesome food we rescue from
manufacturers and grocery stores, and food we receive from generous
partners. It’s a great way to make an even bigger impact on the fight
against hunger today. Thank you for caring
David Weaver, Jr., CEO, South Plains Food Bank.
Host a Christian high school exchange student! Chr istian volunteer s,
with or without children at home, are needed to host Christian
international high school students for the 2014-2015 school year. The
students speak English, are covered by medical insurance, have spending
money for their personal expenses, and hope to arrive in August for
enrollment in their new high school. For more information, please contact
Yvette at SHARE!: 800-941-3738, [email protected], or visit
sharesouthwest.org. SHARE! is a non-profit international high school
exchange program.
For sale! St. J ohn’s UMC’s 1993 15-passenger van. 1993 model with
80,000 miles. Call Roy Goodloe at 777-4357.
Palm/Passion Sunday, April 13, 2014
8:15 a.m. Communion service
9:15 a.m. Sunday School hour
10:30 a.m. Worship service
11:30 a.m. University meal
5:30 p.m. United Methodist Youth
Monday, April 14, 2014
5:30 p.m. Connexions Work Group
7:30 p.m. Boy Scout Troop 406
Tuesday, April 15, 2014
9:00 a.m. Staff meeting
12:45 p.m. Sanctuary time for FV clients
1:30 p.m. Tuesday Food Vouchers
7:00 p.m. PFLAG
7:30 p.m. Joyful Noise
Wednesday, April 16, 2014
9:00 a.m. Funday
5:45 p.m. Prayer vigil (Jose Villegas)
5:45 p.m. Choristers
6:00 p.m. Prayer Shawl Ministry
6:00 p.m. Chrismon Beaders
7:30 p.m. Chancel Choir rehearsal
Stations of the Cross
Thursday-Saturday, April 17-19, 7:30 a.m.-7:30 p.m.
Maundy Thursday, April 17, 2014
9:30 a.m. Quilters
7:00 p.m. Maundy Thursday service
Good Friday, April 18, 2014
7:00 p.m. Good Friday service
Easter Day, Sunday, April 20, 2014
7:00 a.m. Easter sunrise service
9:15 a.m. Easter all-church potluck brunch
10:30 a.m. Easter worship service
NO United Methodist Youth
7:00 p.m. St. John’s On Tap
Monday, April 21, 2014—OFFICE CLOSED
7:00 p.m. Lubbock Liberty Workshop candidate forum
Tuesday, April 22, 2014
9:00 a.m. Staff meeting
12:00 p.m. Interfaith Dialogue
12:45 p.m. Sanctuary time for FV clients
1:30 p.m. Tuesday Food Vouchers
5:30 p.m. Legal Clinic
7:30 p.m. Joyful Noise
Wednesday, April 23, 2014
9:30 a.m. UMW Dora Harris Circle
5:45 p.m. Choristers
6:00 p.m. Prayer Shawl Ministry
6:00 p.m. Chrismon Beaders
6:15 p.m. Theology Group
7:30 p.m. Chancel Choir rehearsal
Thursday, April 24, 2014
9:30 a.m. Quilters
6:30 p.m. UMW Dorothy Manning Circle
7:30 p.m. Joyful Noise
Friday, April 25, 2014
7:00 p.m. Country Western Dancing
Saturday, April 26, 2014
10:00 a.m. Soul Sisters at Clay Café
THE EXPLORER
Non-Profit Org.
U.S. Postage
PAID
Permit #513
Lubbock, TX
St. John’s United Methodist Church
1501 University Ave.
Lubbock, TX 79401
RETURN SERVICE REQUESTED
St. John’s United Methodist Church
Mission Statement
The mission of St. John’s United Methodist
Church is to worship and serve God with open
hearts, open arms, and open minds. To
respond to this calling, we will nurture each
other in the Christian faith, we will work so
that all people can experience God’s love, and
we will examine critically and respond
prayerfully to the difficult issues that face us.
Holy Week at St. John’s
Palm/Passion Sunday, April 13
Easter Sunday, April 20
Stations of the Cross
Easter sunrise service, 7:00 a.m.
Thursday-Saturday, April 17-19, 7:30 a.m.-7:30 p.m.,
Room 122
St. John’s is proud to present “Stations of the Cross”
by St. John’s member and artist Annette Reasoner.
Come and see this all-new exhibit in the Garden Room.
Please come as your schedule permits
for a time of meditation and to view original artwork
by Annette. Allow 20 to 30 minutes
to complete the progression through the stations.
Maundy Thursday
Footwashing service
April 17, 7:00 p.m.
Good Friday service
April 18, 7:00 p.m.
Easter potluck brunch
9:15-10:15 a.m. (No Sunday School)
Bring your favorite food to share.
Drinks will be provided.
Please use disposable containers
to help with clean-up.
Children’s Easter egg hunts
Kindergarten and younger, 9:45 a.m.
1st-5th grade, 10:10 a.m.
Easter worship service, 10:30 a.m.