On Saturday there is the St. John's Breakfast at 8 am in McPhail Hall
and presbytery's FOCUS event at 9 am at First Presbyterian Church,
4647 Preston Avenue, in Pasadena. Pasadena First is also hosting a
Presbytery Wide Youth Rally on Sunday at 4 pm. The youth will donate
used cell phones to a shelter for women so if you have a used cell
phone put it in the box provided in the narthex.
This Sunday, October 3, is World Communion Sunday. This special
service was started in 1936 as a sign of the the unifying power of
Christ in the Lord's Supper, and that in Christ all Christians are
one, regardless of nationality, race, or ethnicity. The Presbyterian
Church (U.S.A.) also marks this special day by a call to peacemaking,
urging us to be followers of the Prince of Peace. One concrete way
that we do this is with the Peacemaking offering. The Peacemaking
offering invites each congregation to find ways to promote peace
within the congregation and the community.
The theme for the 2010 Peacemaking offering is "Celebrate Christ, Our
Peace." Our congregation will retain twenty-five percent of the
offering it receives to use for local ministries of peacemaking within
the church and its community. Twenty-five percent is used by
presbyteries and synods, and fifty percent is used by the General
Assembly ministries through the Presbyterian Peacemaking Program.
Please prayerfully consider what you will give to the Peacemaking
Offering this Sunday.
This Sunday evening I will teach an Inquirer's Class in my office from
7-8 pm. Those who want to know more about St. John's are invited to
come to this class.
We have special events planned the next two Sundays after worship. We
will celebrate a Dedication Service of the courtyard cross, honoring
Nancy Flowers, on October 3, in the courtyard, immediately after
worship. The cross was Sean Coughlen's Eagle Scout Project and will be
recognized as well.
The next Sunday, October 10, you are invited to a Committal Service
for Travis Brown and Eleanor Brown in the Columbarium after worship on
October 10. Also, the evening of the 10th is our Stewardship Kick-Off
Potluck Dinner at 5 pm in Fellowship Hall with Rev. Mike Cole,
Executive Presbyter, as our guest speaker. Plan to attend and bring
your best dish to share.
We had hoped to have new carpet installed in the sanctuary by November
13 when we host the presbytery meeting. However, due to the slow
nature of the process, we will wait until January to install the new
carpet. In the meantime, we will shampoo the sanctuary before the
presbytery meeting. By the way, Bill Ehrenstrom and Mary Hughes are in
charge of planning and organizing our efforts that day. Mark November
13 on your calendar and plan to be at the church to help that day. We
will need many people working together for things to run smoothly.
St. John's will host a fall festival on October 31 at 4 pm, and invite
the local community. Trunks are needed! Please contact Mary Sterner or
Dave Nelson for more information.
Also on October 31, during the 10:30 am service, we will have an
Anointing Service for Healing. Anyone who has a special concern for
healing - whether physical, mental or emotional - is welcome to come
forward for prayer after the sermon. A few elders will support the
prayer and I will use olive oil on my finger to mark your forehead
with the sign of the cross. If you'd prefer the prayer but not the
oil, just cross your arms when that time comes and say "prayer only."
We had a very positive response from those who came forward for this
prayer during the summer. Tony Benn says it made a positive difference
in his life. The session plans to offer this special service on the
5th Sundays. Since October 31 is the next 5th Sunday that is when we
will do it. Healing on Halloween is a powerful proposition.
Peace of Christ be with you,
Pastor Jon
--
St. John's Presbyterian Church
5020 West Bellfort / Houston, TX 77035
T. 713.723.6262 / F. 713.723-4015 / Email: office.sjpc@gmail.com
Worship Service: Sunday, 10:30 am / Sunday School: 9:00 am
