St. John's United Methodist Church

09/08/2026

"Jacob & Sons" / "Joseph's Coat"
(from Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat by Webber and Rice)

Vocals: Judy Gilmore, Molly Means & Pastor Lane
Piano: Dr. Terry Bayers

09/08/2026

💙 Love This Place Update
Our Love This Place projects are moving forward, thanks to the incredible generosity of the St. John’s family!

The Covered Walkway project is now underway, and this fall we’re preparing for two more major projects:

🔐 Campus Security Improvements
New exterior door locks and a new Keypad/Card Reader system for the two main FLC entrances are planned for October.

🏠 Sanctuary & Campus Roofing
We’re preparing to reroof the Sanctuary’s shingle and flat roof sections, along with additional flat roofs on portions of the Narthex and Covered Walkway. Contractor selection is underway, with work anticipated this fall.

Together, these first three projects represent an investment of approximately $70,000 in our campus.

And here’s where we stand as of the end of July:

💙 $148,992.82 in combined funds received
🔨 $10,963.54 in combined expenses to date
🙏 $140,323 in Love This Place pledges still to be received

Thank you, St. John’s, for continuing to Love This Place through your generosity and support. These investments are more than projects. They’re a way we care for the place where we gather, worship, serve, and welcome our community.
We’re excited to see what comes next!

09/08/2026

Safe Sanctuaries 💙
What a great turnout for Safe Sanctuaries training! 🙌
Thank you to everyone who showed up, participated, and helped us strengthen our commitment to creating a safe, welcoming place for children, youth, and vulnerable adults at St. John’s.
Safe Sanctuaries is more than a policy. It’s part of how we live out our calling to care for one another. We’re grateful for everyone who helps make St. John’s a place where people can belong, grow, and thrive. 💙

09/06/2026

11am Worship - Every family has a story and some families are more complicated than others. This Sunday, we begin "It’s Complicated: The Surprising Story of Joseph," exploring the generations of favoritism, rivalry, and unresolved wounds that shaped Joseph’s family. Yet God continued to work through them. Join us as we consider how our family history may shape us without determining us and how God’s grace can interrupt old patterns and create new possibilities.

Let us know you're worshiping with us and share prayer requests at stjohnsbr.org/here. Give online at stjohnsbr.org/give. Download the worship guide from stjohnsbr.org/worship. Permission to stream music covered by One License A-732159 and CCLI License 20233858.

09/05/2026

📖 New Fall Bible Study: The Bible with and Without Jesus
How can Jews and Christians read the same biblical texts and come away with different understandings?
This fall, join us for a six-week study of The Bible with and Without Jesus (Participant’s Guide) by Amy-Jill Levine and Marc Zvi Brettler. Together, we’ll explore Jewish and Christian interpretations of familiar Scripture and discover how these perspectives can deepen our own reading of the Bible.

📅 Tuesdays at 6:00 p.m.
Beginning September 15
Led by Margaret Sprunger, Rhonda Tucker & Angeletta Gourdine

📅 Thursdays at 10:30 a.m.
Beginning September 17
Led by Jami Prince
📚 Book: $18

Scholarships are available.

👉 Register here: https://stjohnsbr.churchcenter.com/registrations/events/3822120

09/04/2026

This Sunday, we kick off our new worship series, "It’s Complicated: The Surprising Story of Joseph." Explore how family history shapes us and how God works through our complexities. It's also Grocery Bag Sunday so bring items for The Shepherd's Market. Click on to view this week's newsletter.

Email from St. John's United Methodist Church We hope to see you Sunday! Here’s What We’re Looking Forward to in Worship This Sunday Every family has a story. Some families carry traditions and treasu

09/04/2026

Way to go Ted! We appreciate your dedication to The Shepherd's Market.

09/04/2026

🛠️ Love This Place: Covered Walkway Project
Exciting progress is underway on one of our Love This Place projects!
Work began August 24 on the Covered Walkway, stretching from the FLC Entrance Portico to the Narthex and along the side entrance to the Sanctuary.
D & M Home Maintenance is soft wash and pressure washing the surfaces, making needed repairs, and finishing the project with two coats of premium paint.
We’re excited to see this well-used part of our campus getting some much-needed care and attention—and we can’t wait to see the finished project!
💙 Thank you, St. John’s, for helping us continue to Love This Place!

09/03/2026

Acolyte Moment 🕯️💛
We had an extra-sweet moment recently as one of our kids made her acolyte debut! She did a wonderful job carrying the light into worship and helping lead our church family in this special way.
We loved seeing one of our youngest disciples take on a new role in worship, and we’re so proud of her and all our children! At St. John’s kids are not only welcome in the service and have their own special place (the Prayground), they take an active role in the service. 🕯️💛

09/02/2026

The flowers on the altar this past Sunday were given by Susan Teddlie in memory of her mother, Elizabeth Stirling Kochan, who died Labor Day weekend 1989.