The Current M a r c h 2 0 1 7 Volume 3, Issue 4 April 2017 St. John s Organ Project Update The removal team from Holtkamp Organ Company will arrive on May 8 or 9. Look for pictures of the removal coming soon! We ve raised $63,215.00 of our $70,000 goal. We will be paying the bill in installments throughout the summer, so it isn t too late to add your donation. If you missed the organ recital or didn t get to see us in the news, visit www.stjohnslubbock.com/organproject to hear what you missed! The St. John's sanctuary before the remodel and new organ installation. The old organ went to a church in South America where it would be played and appreciated. Photos from when the organ was installed in 1991.
Music Ministries St. John s family, Great things are happening at St. John s! The music ministries have had a busy month and are looking ahead to great things this summer! Enjoy an update about all things music! Mu Phi Epsilon Music Ministry Workdays Members of the TTU Mu Phi Epsilon Chapter have come over three times this semester to help us keep our choral music organized by stamping, numbering, taping boxes, and all while smiling! Mu Phi Epsilon is a service fraternity whose aim is the advancement of music in the community, nation, and world through promotion of musicianship, scholarship, therapy, and education, with an emphasis on service through music. Their mission is to: Foster the ideals of service to school and community Develop an awareness that artistic gifts are to be shared Promote high scholarship, musicianship, and friendship through service Provide opportunities for strong artistic and personal abilities Thank you to Mu Phi Epsilon for your service! 1
Spring Handbell Workshop St. John s hosted 25 ringers from the area, including ringers from Second Baptist and Lakeridge UMC, for a handbell workshop on April 22. Our clinician, Karen Thompson, led us through a day of reading five new pieces which concluded with an informance. Karen is the founding and current President of Concert Bells of Fort Worth, and is a well-known composer of handbell music. Two of the pieces we learned at the workshop were her compositions! To learn more about our clinician or the workshop visit: www.stjohnslubbock.org/handbellworkshop. I am so proud of the work that our Joyful Noise Handbell Choir did, both to host, and as ringers. Our next ring is on June 4 at 10:30 a.m. for Pentecost Sunday. See you there! 2
Holy Week Recap It would take me several pages to express fully my appreciation for everything that happened at St. John s during Holy Week. Many worked hard to make that week everything that it was, but I want to acknowledge the musicians that I got to work with in Cherub, Chancel, Joyful Noise Handbell Choirs, Clint Barrick, and the guest musicians that joined us for Holy Week. I am thankful for their efforts to attend extra rehearsals and services. I am grateful that St. John s is a congregation that supports great music so we can continue to have quality music in worship. Recordings from the Rutter Requiem on Good Friday, and excerpts of music from Easter Sunday are online at: www.stjohnslubbock.org/music. 3
Children s Musical The musical will be Sunday, July 16, during the 10:30 a.m. worship service (no early service that day.) You will not want to miss it! The musical is open to anyone K-12. Auditions are May 22 at 5:30 p.m. with rehearsals July 10-14 (8:30-12:30 p.m.) and July 15 (8:30-12:00 p.m.) To sign up for an audition time or for more info visit: www.stjohnslubbock.org/musical. Spirit Wind We are excited to host Spirit Wind for a concert on Sunday, June 11, at 7:00 p.m. They have their tour bus for transportation and the youth are providing a meal. We have hotel rooms booked for them that night, so if you would like to donate money to help fund those rooms, please drop it by the church office or place it in the offering plate. (Include "Spirit Wind Hotel" in the memo of your check.) Please join us on the evening of June 11 for great music! Spirit Wind will also use our building for their Pre-Tour Rehearsals June 4-8. We have hotel and meals covered, but if you are willing to help with transportation we could use some volunteers. We are looking for drivers June 4-8. Times for those dates will be determined as we get closer. If you are interested in driving please email Justine Halamicek at j.halamicek@stjohnslubbock.org. Thank you! Justine Halamicek Director of Music Ministries j.halamicek@stjohnslubbock.org Bible Verse of the Month Joshua 1:9 NIV: Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged, for the LORD your God will be with you wherever you go. 4
March for Science Rev. Kevin Young represented St. John's at a Stand Up for Science Rally on Saturday, April 22, as others around the country held similar events in support of science and its importance. Rev. Young shared the following comments that day: I am here with others from St. John's United Methodist Church to say that not one thing about faith is strengthened by believing a bunch of things that are demonstrably, empirically, factually false. There is a lot of harm, however, both in religion and society that is being caused by dogma and policies that are guided by faith that may be well-intentioned but are not well-informed. Enough is enough. If it's true, it's true, whether for science or faith. I believe, in 2017, #ItsTime to clear the deck of religious and public leaders who simply deny evidence. It's time to be guided by that which is true. Faith and science are not enemies. 5
Honoring Melba In April, Melba Rickman decided to retire from her position as church office volunteer. She has served in this role each Tuesday afternoon for almost 15 years. On April 11, the church staff had a celebration in honor of Melba s service to St. John s. Thank you Melba for your work! 6
Student Ministries Dear St. John s Family, Student Ministries has had some exciting things happen in the month of April, and we have even more exciting events coming in the near future! On Easter Sunday, the Children s Ministry hosted an Easter Egg Hunt which was a wonderful success. Thanks to such a caring congregation we were able to have an abundance of Easter Eggs for all of the children who were in attendance. Also, the youth in our Confirmation class are beginning to wrap up their Confirmation course and will be completed with their course by May 28. The Confirmation class will be recognized on Sunday, June 4, during the service. If you would like any information regarding Student Ministries, please do not hesitate to contact me. Grace and Peace, Shiloh L. M. Morris Associate Pastor of Student Ministries St. John's UMC, Lubbock 806-762-0123 (office) Graduation Sundays May 14 at 10:30 a.m. University Graduation Recognition May 21 at 10:30 a.m. High School Graduation Recognition Join us as we celebrate our university and high school graduates during these worship services. Are you a graduate? Contact the church office at openminds@stjohnslubbock.org so we have an accurate list. We don't want to leave anyone out! We would like to recognize graduates from December 2016, May 2017, and August 2017. Graduates are invited to wear their graduation regalia for their graduation service. Confirmation We are excited to announce that our Confirmation Class of 2016-2017 will be recognized for completing the Confirmation course on Pentecost Sunday, June 4. Please join us to celebrate! There will be no 8:15 a.m. service on Pentecost Sunday. 7
Youth Spotlights Allison Sessom, a senior at Monterey High School, was awarded a scholarship by the Mackenzie Masonic Lodge #1327. The Mackenzie Masonic Lodge 2017 Scholarship Awards Ceremony was held Sunday, April 23, at the Scottish Rite Event Center, where the Lodge presented a total of six scholarships to area graduating seniors who were chosen from a field of 77 applicants. Scholarships were awarded based on GPA & rank; ACT/SAT scores; leadership in school and/or community; extracurricular activities; work experience; letters of recommendation; and personal essays about future plans for college/career. Former Mayor Tom Martin presented the awards and asked each recipient if they wanted to make a few remarks, so shy Allison stepped up to the microphone and gave a gracious and delightful impromptu speech. Congratulations Allison, the whole congregation is so proud of your accomplishment! We would also like to congratulate Emily Sessom for excelling at Monterey throughout her freshman year. She loves her classes and teachers, enjoys band and practicing her trumpet, and she is proud to be taking a computer course for dual credit through The University of Texas at Austin. She inherited her dad's love of science, since she is following a STEM endorsement. Great job! 8
LIA Event Lubbock Interfaith Association will host a special event, a guest speaker on the Jain religion on Saturday, May 6 at 3:00 p.m. at Covenant Presbyterian Church located at 4600 48th Street. The speaker will be Dr. Premchand Gada. Dr. Gada will be providing us a rare opportunity to hear firsthand from a follower of Jainism. If you would like to attend, simply contact LubbockIA@att.net or call 792-9060. Your RSVP is needed so that we can provide adequate seating. We hope to see you there! Easter Sunday Attendance 2016: 314 Easter Sunday Attendance 2017: 380 9
SUMMER ACTS OF PRAISE Have you ever considered sharing your musical gifts on Sunday mornings? We are looking for volunteers to offer acts of praise this summer. The act of praise is presented in the 8:15 and 10:30 services. If needed, an accompanist will be provided for you. We have openings May-August. Visit the website below for more information or to sign up! https://www.stjohnslubbock.org/summeraop Email j.halamicek@stjohnslubbock.org for more information. 10
Coming up in May Sunday, May 14 at 10:30 a.m. - University Graduation Recognition Sunday, May 21 at 10:30 a.m. - High School Graduation Recognition Thursday, May 29 - Monday, June 1 - Texas Annual Conference Share your news with us Share your joys and celebrations with us so we can share them in our next issue of the Current. To have an article, announcement, event, and/or pictures included in next month s newsletter, please email all materials to the church office by no later than Tuesday, May 29. Also, if someone you know isn't receiving the newsletter and would like to, please have them email the church office at openminds@stjohnslubbock.org. Please hold the following people in prayer: Members: Family of Genoveve Garza Rubio Family of Verba Smith Stan Sedgwick St. John's Homebound Friends and Family: Mandi Stanley Haylee Scheiber Alex and Ace Gonzales Maria Sellers Food Voucher Clients