Kay Greer was kind enough to provide us with some fantastic photos from the recent Souper Bowl Sunday event. I just returned from a BIM Board meeting and all the churches responded generously to this opportunity for supporting our common ministry of providing food for the hungry in our midst. We also have several church members who volunteer at BIM each week. Keep up the good work.
We had an interesting discussion of a book - Missional Renaissance: Changing the Scorecard for the Church by Reggie McNeal - at our Session meeting last night. The Session will continue to work with this book as we do some strategic planning. The author suggests we change the scorecard of the church to include more than just amount of dollars received and number of people in worship. For instance, what if we kept a scorecard of how many hours were volunteered in service to the community? That would likely drive more people into service. This is an example of what the author means when he says the question the church should be asking is "How can our church be a blessing to the community?"
Of course, the first step in answering that question is to decide how we define our community. Some churches have a narrower definition of the community than we do. We tend to follow the example Jesus presented in the Good Samaritan parable and say that any person in need is our neighbor. That approach has advantages and disadvantages. The disadvantage is that we may get overstretched and lose effectiveness. The advantages are that we have more of city-wide and even global perspective on outreach. We work in our own neighborhood through BIM and reach out to the city through the Seafarer's Ministry and Small Steps and bless the world through the Anchor House ministry and our installation of clean water systems in Haiti and Cuba. We help fund and provide teacher training for the Lulwanda Children's Home in Ghana and this summer our youth will go to Guatemala to help build a house for a local pastor there.
We are already a "missional church" as defined by McNeal in that we are more outward focused than inward focused. The second shift he describes, which is "from program development to people development," is the hardest shift according to the author. We are moving in that direction with the new "contemporary issues" class I lead each Sunday. The Session will explore other ways we may make the shift toward developing people within and beyond our congregation for living a spiritual life in this world. That is what we are getting at in our mission statement when we say our mission is "to make disciples and meet human needs." One human need we will need to meet is the need to be growing in a relationship with God, to be helping people find what Paul calls "Christ in you - the hope of glory."
Last Sunday I mentioned a book called Glimpses of Eternity: Sharing a Loved One's Passage from This Life to the Next by Raymond Moody, MD. I recommend this book to anyone who wants to feel less anxious about their own death or who has questions or concerns about the process of death or a loved one who has died. Once upon a time I may have felt less inclined to appreciate the stories Moody shares but I have seen and heard and experienced things over the years that leads me to find this book fascinating and appropriate for Christians. It restores a sense of spiritual wonder about life that is too often lacking in our lives. It would be interesting to read the gospel stories of Jesus' post resurrection appearances and compare them to the contemporary stories in this book. Whether Christians or not and regardless of color or creed or cultural background the stories of shared death experiences are remarkably similar. One result of the experience is a greater sense of peace and less fear of death. One thing I learned from these stories is that no one leaves this life alone. There always seems to be a previously deceased family member waiting in the wings to show the dying person the way to heaven which to say the way home. With that final question answered we are free to serve God without fear in this world. That is what John Calvin meant when he said, "We are saved to serve." That's one of my favorite Calvin quotes and one of my favorite Presbyterian theological revelations. What a relief!!
Peace of Christ be with you,
Pastor Jon
Dear church members and friends of St. John's,
The author, named Dennis, tells how he once presented some of the ideas from his book to a group of elderly retired Roman Catholic nuns. One sister raised her hand and said: "But what about the story of the sheep and the goats? It says right there that the sheep go to heaven and the goats go to hell."
Dennis then asked how many in the group had done what Jesus talked about in that passage and fed a hungry person, clothed a naked person, or visited a person in prison? All the sister raised their hands. Dennis said: "That's wonderful! You're all sheep." Then he asked, "How many of you, even once in your life, have walked by a hungry person, failed to clothe a naked person, or not visited someone in prison?" Slowly, all the sisters raised their hands. Dennis said, "That's too bad. You're all goats."
The sisters looked worried and perplexed. Then suddenly one very old sister's hand shot up. She blurted out, "I get it! We're all good goats!"
I love Dennis's commentary on page 49 at this point. He says,
"That sister did get it. She understood that language about heaven and hell is symbolic language. Heaven and hell are not specific geographical places. They are symbols of inner realities, of states of being. All of us who have felt alienated, unloved, overwhelmed by shame or helplessly caught in an addiction know what it's like to be in hell. And all of us who have been welcomed home, who have seen our goodness reflected in the affirming eyes of another or who have been loved into recovery know what it's like to be in heaven. We all have wheat and weeds within us, sheep and goats. The kingdom of God is within us, and we're all good goats."
Throughout the book the authors - Dennis and his children - do a remarkable job of addressing serious theological themes in the format of what appears to be a book for older children. I think each of us is a child at heart so this book is for all of us. Too many adult Christians still harbor the childish image of God as the Great White Grandfather in the Sky who sends some people to hell when they die and lets others enter the joys of heaven.
We do well to remember that ALL language about God is symbolic. Human words can never clearly convey all the truth there is to know about God. In the end, a healthy reading of the Bible that takes seriously the symbolic language it employs about God may end up falling back on a song some of us learned in the nursery of our church when we were knee high to a grasshopper. That song conveys the gist of what the Bible wants to say about God and puts it in the form of a catchy tune: "Yes, Jesus loves me. Yes, Jesus loves me. Yes, Jesus loves me. The Bible tells me so." Jesus here represents God.
Peace of Christ be with you,
Pastor Jon
--
Reserve on your calendar Vacation Bible School on June 26-30, 2011. The theme of VBS will be "Galactic Blast."
Mark your calendar for a Lenten study called "Journey Through the Stations of the Cross." It will start on 27 Mar with five stations, add five more on 3 Apr, and add the final three on 10 Apr. The time will be 4:30-6:30pm. The stations will also be available during the week on Tue mornings from 8-11:30 and Wed evenings 6-7:30. All thirteen stations will be available on Palm Sunday, 17 Apr, from 1-5pm.
Dear church members and friends of St. John's,
Last Sunday was a good one as we had an Anointing Service for Healing. We will have an Anointing Service for Healing each fifth Sunday of the year so the next one will be on May 29. There were a couple dozen or so people who came forward for anointing last Sunday. They may have come seeking healing for themselves or someone they love and the healing they sought may have been physical, emotional, financial, relational, or another kind of healing. This service of healing is a good addition to our worship services.
We also had our annual congregational meeting during the service last Sunday. I appreciate Brad for his Nominating Committee update, Curtis for his 2010 budget recap and Tad, Lindsey and Evan, who presented this year's budget and the pastor's terms of call. The church staff is grateful to the congregation for the modest cost of living increase for us you approved in this year's budget. We work hard to be servant leaders and appreciate your recognition of our time and effort on your behalf.
On a more personal note, I appreciate the congregation's support of me and my family. We are happy in Houston and I am honored to serve as your pastor at St. John's Presbyterian Church. I think we are a good fit and look forward to growing this church with your help and support. Toward that end, the Session will be studying Reggie McNeal's book Missional Renaissance: Changing the Scorecard for the Church. I ask for your prayers for me and the Session as we seek to lead the congregation toward growth this year.
Speaking of the Session, this Sunday we will complete our 2011 roster as Sean Coughlen is ordained and installed as the Youth Elder for 2011 and Mike Alexander is installed as an elder on the Session. They join an energetic and capable group of elders and they will contribute to our success this year. St. John's is blessed with a large number of highly gifted and capable lay leaders. That is why our congregation enjoys such a fine reputation within New Covenant Presbytery.
This Sunday is Souper Bowl Sunday so plan to stay after worship in warm McPhail Hall for some delicious soup. Youth group members will be standing at the sanctuary exits with empty pots into which you may place cash or checks that will be used to purchase food for our local food pantry called Braes Interfaith Ministries (BIM). Each $1 you invest in BIM returns $27 in food purchases for the hungry. This is possible because BIM purchases food at a market reduced price through a government program for this purpose. So plan to give generously to BIM on Souper Bowl Sunday. (I think there may be a football game on Sunday evening in Dallas this Sunday if I am not mistaken. ;-)
In the meantime, stay warm and stay focused and prepare your heart for our First Sunday Communion Service this Sunday. The sermon text is Matthew 5:13-20 and the sermon title is "Salt and Light." Jesus says in the text: "You are the salt of the earth." Bruce Malina translates this as "You are the catalyst to get things cooking." What kind of soup are we cooking this Sunday? Stone soup. Bring what ingredients you have to the kitchen and they will be added to the mix. Or you may do like me and just show up and enjoy the end result. It reminds me of Hank Williams song, "Hey good lookin', what ya got cookin'? How's about cookin' something up with me?" Let's get cookin' for Christ right about now. There is no better time to be a catalyst get things cooking for Christ. It's now or never. It's always now or never.
Eckhart Tolle writes in his book A New Earth, "Some egos that perhaps don't have much else to identify with easily survive on complaining alone." (p. 61) If that statement applies to someone you know then it may also apply to yourself. It's hard to be be salt and light when our mouths are full of harsh words and our minds are full of empty chatter. I wonder if that's what Jesus was getting at?
Peace of Christ be with you,
Pastor Jon
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Ann Sivia Kumala Quiser, age 96, died Wednesday, January 27, 2011 at Holly Hall Christian Retirement Community in Houston, Texas. She had been a resident of Holly Hall Christian Retirement Community for ten years, eight months and twenty-seven days. She died one day short of her ninety-seventh birth. Ann was born in Virginia, Minnesota on 1-28-1914 to Axel and Susanna Kumala. She married George Quiser in 1931.
She is survived by a daughter, Ardell Stimson, Houston, Texas and a son, David Quiser of Cook, Minnesota. She was preceded in death by her son Myron and his wife Lorna, and three brothers and two sisters. She has eight grandchildren and thirteen great grandchildren.
Ann took pleasure in her Finnish heritage and the ability to speak, write and read this difficult language and made several trips to Finland to connect with her Finnish roots.
For everything there is a season, and a time for every matter under heaven: a time to be born, and a time to die; a time to plant, and a time to pluck up what is planted; a time to kill, and a time to heal; a time to break down, and a time to build up; a time to weep, and a time to laugh; a time to mourn, and a time to dance; a time to throw away stones, and a time to gather stones together; a time to embrace, and a time to refrain from embracing; a time to seek, and a time to lose; a time to keep, and a time to throw away; a time to tear, and a time to sew; a time to keep silence, and a time to speak; a time to love, and a time to hate; a time for war, and a time for peace. (Ecclesiastes 3:1-8)--
Dear church members and friends of St. John's,
We had a good All Committee Day and first Session meeting last Saturday. We focused on Reggie McNeal's book Missional Renaissance. The committees are off to a good start under the able leadership of these Elders:
Administration/Personnel: Franklin Caspa; Evan Harrel
Caring:Mary Hughes
Christian Education: Bill Ehrenstrom; Libby Adams
Evangelism: Kathleen Captain; Jennifer Durand
Fellowship: Aaron Jacobsen
Finance/Stewardship: Lindsey Sen-Roy; Tad Mulder
Outreach: Phyllis Freeman; Kathie Hartzog
Property: David Wintersgill
Worship: Jeanne Leach; Sean Coughlen
Here is a highlight of our first Session meeting, which was compiled by our Clerk to Session, Mary Herlitz:
● Elected Kathleeen Captain as Treasurer
● Elected Mary Herlitz as Clerk to Session
● Elected Libby Adams, Bill Ehrenstrom and Kathie Hartzog to the 2011 Nominating Committee
● Elected Tad Mulder to a 3-year-term as Trustee, class of 2013
● Elected David Wintersgill and Phyllis Freeman as Commissioners
for the February 5, Presbytery Meeting.
● Session received the resignation of Max Kattner and began the necessary steps to fill the vacancy in the Class of 2012.
● Session will meet on the 2nd Wednesday of the month.
● Communion will be served the first Sunday of each month plus Ash Wednesday (March 9.)
● Anointing for healing services will be held on the fifth Sunday.
Our Annual Congregational Meeting is this Sunday during worship. While printed copies will be available this Sunday you may preview the reports online by pointing your browser here. The financial statements and budget are not available in the online report but will be available in printed form this Sunday. In addition, the Nominating Committee will recommend Mike Alexander to fill the unexpired term of Max Kattner who has resigned from the Session due to ongoing problems with his back.
St. John's team of youth and adults will be traveling to Guatemala with the organization Presgov. They will be working in San Jose el Idolo, a community outside the town of Mazatenango, working with a local youth group on projects such as painting and helping with a manse that is under construction. Work days will be June 7-9, and June 10 will be a day for sightseeing in Guatemala City. Our group will be staying in a hotel in Mazatenango. Participants must be 14 and up, have updated vaccinations, and have a valid passport. For information you may contact Mary Sterner.
Last Saturday 14 of our youth members and friends participated in a "Lock-In" at the church from 9 pm until 9 am. The youth had a great experience and appreciate the leadership of Mary Sterner and their youth group advisors, Aaron Jacobsen and David Nelson for their time and dedication.
Peace of Christ be with you,
Pastor Jon
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Here is our Schedule for All-Committee Day this Saturday, January 22.
8:30 am - Continental Breakfast in Fellowship Hall, All committee members are invited
9:00 am - Opening activities and presentation around the theme of "Missional Renaissance"
9:30 am - Committee meetings in Building II
11:30 am - Final gathering and reporting in Fellowship Hall
Noon - Lunch for Session members only
1-3 pm - Session Meeting in Session Room
Our theme for Saturday will be "Missional Renaissance" and it is based on making these three shifts.
Dear church members and friends of St. John's,
A video of our Presbyterian Youth Fellowship produced play during the Christmas Eve Early Service is now on YouTube at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jSC2hVICG4A -thanks to Bob. This video is unlisted so you need this link to see it. Click and remember what you saw or see what you missed. PYF will have a lock-in this Saturday night in Fellowship Hall from 9 pm to 9 am.
Last Sunday was our first day with the new carpet in the sanctuary. The new carpet looks great. Thanks to all who were involved in this project.
Happy Birthday to Charlotte and Vera both of whom turn 90 this week. Charlotte's birthday was Tuesday and Vera's was Wednesday. Congratulation to both of them!
Here is our Schedule for All-Committee Day this Saturday, January 22.
8:30 am - Continental Breakfast in Fellowship Hall, All committee members are invited
9:00 am - Opening activities and presentation around the theme of "Missional Renaissance"
9:30 am - Committee meetings in Building II
11:30 am - Final gathering and reporting in Fellowship Hall
Noon - Lunch for Session members only
1-3 pm - Session Meeting in Session Room
Our theme for Saturday will be "Missional Renaissance" and it is based on making these three shifts.
Looking ahead, on Sunday, January 30 we will have or annual Congregational Meeting after worship.
Peace of Christ be with you,
Pastor Jon
--
Dear church members and friends of St. John's,
We had a productive budget meeting last night hosted by the Stewardship and Finance Committee. Moderators of the various committees were present. We ended the year in better financial shape than we expected but we still face a potential shortfall due to the loss of some generous members who have died in the past couple of years. The Session will determine the final 2011 budget during their meeting on January 22 and will present it to the congregation during our annual congregational meeting on Sunday, January 30 following worship.
Last Sunday's service in Fellowship Hall was very good. It's nice to see everyone sitting closer together in the sunlight afforded through the large windows in McPhail Hall. This Sunday we will be back in the sanctuary for our first Sunday with the newly installed carpet.
During worship this Sunday, January 16 we will celebrate the Ordination and Installation of Elders. Jennifer Durand and David Wintersgill will be ordained and installed to a three year term of service. Libby Adams, Kathie Hartzog and Tad Mulder will also be installed to a three year term of service. Evan Harrel will be installed to fulfill the remaining two years of service of Lois Stowell's unexpired term on the Session. Youth Elder, Sean Coughlen, is out of town this Sunday and will be ordained and installed later to a one year term of service. The oncoming elders will have several constitutional questions to answer as part of the installation service and the congregation will have these two questions to answer this Sunday.
(1) Do we, the members of the church, accept Libby Adams, Jennifer Durand, Evan Harrel, Kathie Hartzog, Tad Mulder and David Wintersgill as elders of St. John's Presbyterian Church, chosen by God through the voice of this congregation to lead us in the way of Jesus Christ?
(2) Do we agree to encourage them, to respect their decisions, and to follow as they guide us, serving Jesus Christ, who alone is Head of the Church?
Prayerfully consider how you will answer these questions to the congregation and the implications of your answers. As we will see demonstrated in our scripture readings this Sunday, working together in ministry can be a very productive venture when we encourage one another, respect one another's decisions, and follow those who are elected to guide us, serving Jesus Christ, who alone is Head of the Church. This was true for the partnership between Paul and Sosthenes which produced the letter we know as 1 Corinthians. It was also true for Simon who brought his brother, Simon, also known as Peter, to meet Jesus. I wonder who you will bring to meet Jesus at St. John's this Sunday?
All Committee Day is coming up next Saturday, January 22, 8:30 am. Mark your calendar and plan to join us as we kick off the new year.
Our young people will kick off their new year with a Youth Lock-In on Saturday evening, January 22, from 9 pm - 9 am in Fellowship Hall.
Georgiana is at home after surgery at Methodist Hospital in the Med Center. Lelia is still at St. Luke's and Lee is at Seven Acres. Remember them all in prayer. Remember Léonie in prayer as she is in Haiti on a mission project this week sponsored by the Herdon United Methodist Church in Virginia.
Peace of Christ be with you,
Pastor Jon
--
Dear church members and friends of St. John's,
This Sunday our worship service will be in Fellowship Hall. Carpet is being installed in sanctuary. The carpet installers are working on it now and it looks good with the stained glass windows.
During worship this Sunday in Fellowship Hall we will commission Léonie for her mission trip to Haiti next week. This next water project is sponsored by the Herdon United Methodist Church in Virginia. Léonie has been to Camp Hopewell for training and to Haiti with two of their members who asked her to join them on this team. We will keep Léonie and her mission team in prayer next week and commission her during worship this Sunday.
After worship this Sunday, January 9, the Session will gather in the Session Room for "Draft Day" to go through the church rolls and see whom will be recruited to serve on which committee. If you are interesting in serving on a particular committee please speak to me or the moderator of that committee. Here are the moderators of each committee for 2011. Keep these leaders and their ministry teams in prayer as they begin their work on All Committee Day on the morning of Saturday, January 22.
Administration/Personnel: Franklin Caspa; Evan Harrel
Caring: Mary Hughes
Christian Education: Bill Ehrenstrom; Libby Adams
Evangelism: Kathleen Captain, Jennifer Durand
Fellowship: Aaron Jacobsen
Finance/Stewardship: Lindsey Sen-Roy; Tad Mulder
Outreach: Phyllis Freeman; Kathie Hartzog
Property: Max Kattner; David Wintersgill
Worship: Jeanne Leach; Sean Coughlen
During worship on Sunday, January 16 we will celebrate the Installation and Ordination of Elders. On Sunday, January 30 we will have or annual Congregational Meeting after worship.
Don has been in the hospital this week and hopes to go home tomorrow. Georgiana is likely to stay through the weekend at Methodist Hospital in the Med Center. Lelia is still at St. Luke's and Lee is at Seven Acres. Max is home after surgery last week and says his back feels much better now. Thanks be to God for that! Remember them all in prayer.
The beginning of a new year is a good time to renew our commitment to Christ's church. This Sunday would be a great one to "come back to church" if you haven't been in a while. We will be worshiping in Fellowship Hall and that always gives worship a fresh feeling. We also have considerable church school classes at 9 am. Join us this Sunday and pick up a friend and bring them with you as well.
Peace of Christ be with you,
Pastor Jon
--
2011 at a Glance
Women's Events
February 24
Jade Buddha Temple
April 28
Zoroastrian Center of Houston
May 15
An-Nisa Hope Center
Faith Tours and More...
February 26-27
Sacred Songs, Sacred Sites, "OnSite/InSight"
In partnership with Houston Arts Alliance
March 12
Faith and Cultural Bus Tour--Chinatown and Beyond...
In partnership with Asian Pacific American Heritage Association
May 1, May 8
Religions of the Silk Road
In partnership with IFest
Youth Events
March 3
"ifaith"
June 21-23
Dialogue Events
November 3
Greater Houston Annual Amazing Faiths Project Dinner Dialogues
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