Holy Week begins this Sunday with Palm Sunday. The children's choir will sing twice during the Palm Sunday worship service and lead us in the palm waving processional.
Holy Week continues next Thursday, April 21, as we celebrate Holy Week with a Maundy Thursday Service including a celebration of the Lord's Supper and a Tenebrae (dimming of the lights) Service. Then on Good Friday at 2:35 pm you may join me at Salem Lutheran in Good Friday service as I present a mediation on "Father, into your hands ..." about Jesus last words from the cross. Holy Week concludes with two services on Easter Sunday as the youth lead a Sunrise Service at 7:00 am followed by a Continental Breakfast, Sunday School at 9:00 am and a Worship Service at 10:30 am.
For the next two Sundays we will receive One Great Hour of Sharing offering which we will receive on Palm Sunday and Easter Sunday. The Presbyterian Hunger Program receives 36 percent while the Self-Development of People and Presbyterian Disaster Assistance each receive 32 percent.
Last Saturday our Presbyterian Women hosted the PW Spring Gathering with about 150 women from all over our presbytery. In addition, the Freemans led a work group to Texas City to work on Hurricane Ike restoration. Both of these projects were very successful.
At our Session meeting last night we joyfully received two new members. Alvina Hamilton joined by transfer of letter from University Presbyterian Church in Houston. She is a widow and has one grown son. Alvina has years of experience serving as an elder in the Presbyterian Church. Her primary ministry is serving as Director of the Annunciation Orthodox School in downtown Houston.
Phil Westmoreland, baptized and reared here at St. John's, returns now as an active member by reaffirmation of faith. We are happy to welcome Phil back into the life of our congregation as his family has provided leadership in our faith community for many years. Phil does general and versatile handyman repairs inside and outside. His church references are the Bunnells, Freemans and Nelsons. Phil may be reached at 713-715-9499 or 713-723-4105. Call him if you need help around the house.
In addition to receiving these new members, the Session heard two impressive presentations on new ministry ideas for our congregation. John Freeman presented the idea of our church starting a ministry to special needs children which would also enhance our outreach to youth. This vision was very appealing to the Session and we want to continue praying and working toward starting something in this area of ministry.
Aaron Jacobsen presented the concept of our church providing a community garden in the open land on our church property by West Bellfort between our parking lot and the parking lot of Westbury United Methodist Church. We will present this idea to a presbytery committee as a grant proposal and seek funding for it. We see it as a way to bless our community. Speak to Aaron or another Session member for more details.
Here is one final thought from the Session's discussion of the book Missional Renaissance. Who is our church's competition? Neighboring churches? Think bigger. Lakewood Church? Not big enough. We are not competing against other churches. We are competing with the powers of darkness in this world. Our church's mission is much much larger than we ever imagined. Let's expand our vision.
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
