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July Calendar of Events
• Sundays: Sunday school
classes meeting via Google
Meet or Zoom
• Sunday, July 5: Drive-In
Communion Service 9:00 AM
• Saturday, July 11: Shade
Tree Sermon Series 7:00 PM
• Sunday, July 12, 2020:
Outdoor Worship Services
9:00 AM
• Monday, July 27: Single
Board Meeting via Google
Meet
• Wednesdays: Fellowship
Groups meeting via Google
Meet or Zoom
God’s Sorting by Rev. Darren Walker
Children are amazing. Without education, basic life skills or language,
they learn and grow and develop. Imagine if you were dropped in an
unfamiliar culture where you did not speak the language or know anyone
and were told to flourish? Being around these amazing people helps me
to remember how awesome God is.
Every baby has a unique set of fingerprints, no matter how tiny the
fingers. One of my grand daughters is almost three. She was coloring on
a piece of paper the other day. I have no idea what she was drawing but
she was very definite what color was to be scribbled where on that paper.
What looked random to me seemed to be a plan by her. It reminded me
of a time I was volunteering at the elementary school helping to
administer some sort of skills test. Each child was given an assortment of
sticks and asked to sort them. Most of the children sorted the sticks by
color or by length. A few sorted the sticks by color and length. There
was one little boy who did neither. I thought he had maybe not
understood and asked him if he was through sorting. He said “Yes.” “So,
these are sorted?” Again, he said “Yes.” I asked him to explain how they
were sorted. He showed me “These are the sticks that are smooth. These
are the sticks that are rough.” This little boy had heard the same
instructions as the other children but he had seen something no one else
had seen.
Children may not have the experience to understand or the vocabulary to
express themselves in the most sophisticated way, yet, but that does not
mean they have nothing to contribute. Sometimes, that innocence and
simple approach to life can help us grownups to cut through our nonsense
and focus on what is important. It is also a reminder that just because we
may not understand what God is doing in our lives that does not mean
there is no plan. God has plans and dreams for every one of us. Are we
open to trying to discover those plans, especially when God is “sorting”
things in a way we were not expecting?
Grace and Peace,
Inside this issue __________________________
Spotlight Feature ....................... 3
What a Wonderful World ......... 4
In the Image of God................... 4
Creation ..................................... 5
Understand God’s Creation ..... 6
Creativity in Action ................... 6
God’s Creation - Sunflower ...... 7
Prayer Team Devotional ........... 8
Women’s Bible Study ................ 8
Administrative News ................. 9
Coloring Page…………………10
Follow the Dots..………………11
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Spotlight on Our Trustees, Their Projects Part 1 - Our Sanctuary by Dorothy Newcombe
Arriving at St John’s on Sunday morning, occasionally we enter our Sanctuary carrying the weight of worry from any one of innumerable potential causes. We take a seat in one of the pews, survey our surroundings, and gradually, little by little all of our tensions begin to fade away.
This effect is by design, created by an assemblage of our Lord’s earthly assistants working devotedly and tirelessly behind the scenes to assure our House of Peace will bring peace to us all. The Lord is here, but He is everywhere. Here we can feel His presence, elsewhere maybe not so much.
The Sanctuary structure must be well maintained and safe, but of equal importance is a visual ambiance which allows tranquility to wash over us all. We little consider and scarcely know the monumental efforts behind this result.
The transformation of our Sanctuary began years ago when Johnnie Kovar alerted us to hail damage on our roof. Our insurance company was contacted, a representative arrived on site and from ground level made a laughably insufficient estimate. Numerous attempts to negotiate a more reasonable sum were ignored. We hired a legal firm from Houston which culminated in a full day of Legal Mediation - an excruciating process whereby opposing interests occupy separate rooms with legal representatives striding from one to another waiting for someone to blink. They blinked. We netted enough to cover legal fees as well as install new 30 year roofing on the Sanctuary, all campus buildings, and the parsonage too! Thank you Steve Stephenson, Charley Cherry, Pastor Darren for your cleverness, pluck and endurance.
Our Sanctuary floor was sinking - 4” in only one year. Per a structural engineer’s evaluation, ten supporting piers were required to stabilize the floor and drainage had to be reworked. This was a gargantuan strain on the budget. Luckily, our Trustees had some ideas. Because St John’s is a historic structure, our team applied for and received Grant money from the Georgetown Historic Preservation Association to help mitigate the costs, enough to cover fully half of the foundation repairs.
Along with the Grant came the possibility for a tax liability credit - a process applying wizardry which allows a tax free entity (our church) to sell what would be our tax credit for actual cash. Whose genius realized this? Credit Steve with research and discovery. In order to sell our tax credit, The Texas Historic Commission required three complex steps, each demanded six pages of typed text along with photos of the project and pertinent documentation. These were jointly compiled by Steve and Mary Lou. This marathon of tedious effort eventually morphed into spendable funds covering almost 25% of the $74K renovation costs and, incidentally, into much of the splendor surrounding us now.
While still working on the fund securing projects above, they tackled the interior renovation. John Aleman suggested a color scheme which is, coincidentally, Swedish colors honoring our cultural history. Our Trustees interviewed over a dozen contractors, selected the best and work began. Trustees were on site daily, checking progress, moving pews.
Finally, walls, ceiling, trim work and exterior mortar - complete. A beautiful sight, but we weren’t through. Steve searched and found beautifully carved solid mahogany doors, two of which have already been installed at the entrance to the narthex. The door frame needed replacing as well, and the gorgeous, original, totally irreplaceable stained glass window above the doors had to be temporarily removed. This was a heart stopping, breath holding, teeth clinching process, but it was accomplished safely.
Three additional doors destined for the East side of the Sanctuary are currently on order. Each person wishing to make a donation for the doors will have his/her name engraved on a plaque to be placed nearby. Details to come. Our current Trustee roster: Charley Cherry - chairman, Mary Lou Wells, Ricky Young, Woody Thompson and Bob Radford. Steve Stephenson “Honorary Trustee”. In addition to this group there are many extra helpers, some of whom will be mentioned in an article next month.
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What a Wonderful World by Kathryn Price, Director of Family Ministry
When one considers how vast and
overwhelmingly awesome God’s creation is,
words don’t come easily. So, I would like to use
someone else’s words that express how deeply
grateful I am to be alive in God’s Wonderful
World.
“I see trees of green, red roses too/I see them
bloom for me and you/ and I think to myself,
What a wonderful world
I see skies of blue and clouds of white/ the bright
blessed day, the dark sacred night/ and I think to
myself, What a wonderful world
The colors of the rainbow, so pretty in the sky/ are
also on the faces of the people going by/ I see
friends shaking hands, saying “How do you do?”/
They’re really saying “I love you”.
I hear babies cry, I watch them grow/ They’ll
learn much more than I’ll ever know/ And I think
to myself….
What a wonderful world!
Louis Armstrong
In the Image of God by Andrew Taylor, Director of Youth Ministry
"So God created mankind in his own image, in the image of God he created them; male and female he created them. " Genesis 1:27 There's a great deal of theology wrapped up in the
"Imago Dei," or what it means to be made in the image
of God. One of the ways that I have most easily been
able to relate to the Imago Dei is in God's role as
creator. Creation is an intrinsic part of what it means to
be human. A great deal of our lives revolves around
creating and recreating the world around us. From
turning raw ingredients into finished products like meals
and art to creating community and relationships around
ourselves, the human condition is one of constantly
creating.
Part of the Christian walk is realizing that we are co-
creators alongside God and our fellow human beings.
When God created, all things were made good. Sin
entered into the world, and began to corrupt this good
creation. Our role, as followers of Christ, granted the
image of the Creator, is to labor alongside the Creator in
moving creation back toward the good that God made it
to be. We are like apprentices, unpracticed and unskilled
next to our Master. Luckily, though, we have the best
Master, who is always offering us guidance in how to
make the changes that will return God's work to
perfection.
As individuals, I believe that our Master has tasked each
of us with a small piece of God's great masterwork. Like
a production line, each of us is tasked with creating a
small piece that serves the greater whole, one that we
could never hope to create alone. What piece have you
been tasked with? And how does it fit with the pieces
that the people around you have been tasked with?
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Creation: Look What God Made by JoAnne Gaytan, Nursery Manager & Children’s Coordinator
Look around. STOP right there! What are you
looking at?
No matter what it is, God created it! Sometimes
we forget that everything we have comes from
Him.
Our theme for July’s session of Take-Out VBS is
“Creation: Look what God made!”
It is designed for kids through 5th grade, but any
age can enjoy it. It’s a lesson we all need repeated
at different times throughout our lives. We will
be discussing God’s creation story, and then
talking about his different “masterpieces” like the
sun and moon, animals, plants and lots more. I
am especially thankful that he made people! He
made all of us and decided we were good, and
precious in His sight!!
We will talk about all of these and more, sing
some songs, old and new, and make some of our
own creative masterpieces! Boxes will be
available on Saturday, July 11th at the Shade Tree
Sermon, and on Sunday, July 12th at the Outdoor
Worship Service. Make sure you sign up so we
have an idea how many boxes we need.
Here is the link to sign up: July VBS Take-Out
Church Link
If you have pictures of your every day life,
celebrations, or get-togethers, send them to
Michelle at [email protected]
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I never really understood how we were made in
God’s image, I mean I understood, but not fully
comprehended that fact. Think about it, as you
grow in your faith, can any new Christian truly
comprehend God’s creation? Not to mention that
each of us are so different from any other
individual, but we are ALL made in God’s image.
So, how do we come to terms with this awesome
thought of being made in God’s image?
First, we realize we are all God’s children. He
loves each and every one of us for exactly who
we are, after all, God made us the way we are so
He must love what He made. I have come to
believe that each of us are a different aspect of
the God of the universe. As soon as I had kids, I
realized what that statement of being made in
God’s image must look like for Him.
Ashley and Renee are twins, but they could not
be more different from each other. Each of them
have a different part of my personality. Alex
does as well. The twins, being mirror twins, each
have a “side” of my personality. It is truly
amazing to watch these two individuals, who
were born from me but have different aspects and
characteristics of me and their father, grow into
such incredibly beautiful children of God.
I imagine that is how God looks at each of us.
We don’t look alike, we don’t act alike, but we
are ALL a part of the God who created us. Just
imagine.
Understanding God’s Creation by Michelle Cousineau, Communications Coordinator & Executive Secretary
Creativity in Action by David Pencil, Director of Music Ministries
They say necessity is the mother of invention, and we are certainly living through some
unprecedented times where finding creative solutions to problems is essential. Creativity is a
wonderful gift from God, and one of the ways in which we can see the character of our creator God
through his creations. As a musician myself, creativity is an essential part of my livelihood. It's part
of what working in music, or any of the arts, I find so exhilarating. So, as we take time to marvel at
God's creation around us, let's not forget that he has planted the seed of a creator in all of us, so that
we could use our talents and inventiveness to bring about new things to be enjoyed and shared with
one another. I encourage you, in the midst of all of the trials this difficult time brings, to appreciate
the creativity of all those who have found new ways to survive and thrive. May we all seek to use
our creativity in the service of one another in the days ahead, to the glory of God.
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God’s Creation - the Sunflower by Carolyn Henry, Congregational Care Coordinator
On my daily morning walks, I pass a yard which
has sunflowers growing in it. When I was growing
up, our garden contained sunflower plants, and I
have always been fascinated by them.
As everyone knows, sunflowers keep their “face”
turned toward the sun from morning until night.
They face the east in the morning, awaiting the
rising sun, and face the west at night. One
advantage of this is that the position makes adult
plants warmer. The warmth attracts more
pollinators, therefore making the plant more
prolific.
The sunflower is native to North and Central
America – yet it is the national flower of Russia.
Sunflowers are a natural emblem of sunshine, are
beautiful and happy flowers said to have healing
powers to uplift and inspire. A sunflower
arrangement conveys joy and optimism.
Sunflowers produce nutrient dense seeds, which
are an excellent source of beneficial fats, protein,
vitamins and minerals. They are rich in the
antioxidant Vitamin E. They can be added to just
about anything to add unique flavor, or simply
eaten as a snack. Sunflower oil also has many
properties that make it widely sought after as
cooking oil. It also has an anti-inflammatory
benefit, and can reduce cholesterol levels.
Lastly, I found that when a sunflower gets old, it
no longer moves. It continues to face east,
awaiting the rising sun. This position makes it
more likely to have its seeds scattered, so that new
sunflowers can sprout and grow.
What if we, like sunflowers, and instead of keeping
on our face toward the sun, kept our face toward
Jesus from morning until night. Wouldn’t this, as
in the case of the sunflower, make us much more
productive as Christians? Wouldn’t this help to
share our “seeds” with those around us, and to
“grow” new Disciples.
And it reminds me of the song “Turn your eyes
upon Jesus”
“O soul are you weary and troubled?
No light in the darkness you see?
There’s light for a look at the Savior
And life more abundant and free
Turn your eyes upon Jesus
Look full in His wonderful face
And the things of earth will grow strangely dim
In the light of His glory and grace”
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Saturdays July 11 - August 1, 2020
7:00 PM
St. John’s UMC Magnolia Tree
Bring your own chair/blanket as we fellowship at
a distance and listen to the Word of the Lord.
I hope you are all enjoying our beautiful summertime! Under normal circumstances we would be getting together about now for our Summer Bible Study series. Since that is not an option right now, we will still connect and share electronically!
We had great success and uplifting testimonials last month with our “The Message” email connection. This time we will do something simple, easy and inspirational. We want each of you to share your favorite Scripture or Bible story and the importance it has had in your life.
We all have at least one and a good story to accompany it. You can write a few simple lines or go into a detailed story...you choose. At this time, I just need a “show of hands” as to who is interested in participating. Just let me know at [email protected]. When I get the complete list of names I will then assign each with a date on the calendar to share.
Now more than ever I feel we need to stay connected, uplift one another, and stay in The Word. Hope you all can join us!
Women’s Bible Study by Carol Nygaard
The guru of all St. John’s knowledge, Michelle Cousineau, informed me that the theme for the July
newsletter is God’s creation. Normally, I just write what I feel the Good Lord has led me to write.
Fortunately for all concerned, He agreed with Michelle: His creation is a great topic, and my little mind
now has theme-specific thoughts. One side effect of cabin fever is the absolute joy at seeing the outdoors. I
am doing some indoor DIY stuff, and when I opened the drapes last evening, the sun was setting, and it
was SUPERB! I could not help but say out loud “Good job, God!” The beginning and ending of each day
are marked by the Creator with a specifically spectacular array of colors. And no matter how many sunrises
and sunsets you see, the sight never gets old. It’s like God’s little “Good Morning” and “Good Night” to
each and every person on earth. How lovely.
Blessings,
Martha Arizpe
Prayer Team Note by Martha Arizpe, Prayer Team Chairperson
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MAY 2020 FINANCIALS
2020 Income $237,828
2020 Expense 237,685
Net +$143
WE ARE DOING
AWESOME
FINANCIALLY! THANK
YOU TO EVERYONE
WHO IS HELPING TO
MAKE THIS POSSIBLE!
WE COULD NOT DO
THIS WITHOUT YOU!
Even though we can’t meet in person,
we are still meeting online. Please be
sure to get your attendance numbers to
Christine for all your virtual and in
person meetings. Send to
Join us in the back
parking lot and tune
your radio to 88.9 FM
Drive-In Communion Service
Sunday, July 5, 2020 at 9:00 AM
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ST. JOHN’S UNITED METHODIST CHURCH
St. John's has been a part of the Georgetown Community for over 140 years. We started as a group of Swedish immigrants who joined together in their homes to study, worship and pray and built our first church building in 1882. At that time, we were known as the Swedish Methodist Episcopal Brushy Church (Svenska Metodistkyrkan at Brushy). The original church stood at the intersection of Westinghouse Road and FM 1460. Our church cemetery is still at this location. In 1906 we moved to town, to our present home at 311 E. University Avenue, and in 1938 we changed our name to St. John's Methodist Church. In 1968, when the Methodist Church joined with the Evangelical United Brethren Church, St. John's became St. John's United Methodist Church. Come join us and share in our rich history and heritage of celebrating God's love.
St. John’s United Methodist Church 311 E. University Avenue Georgetown, TX 78626 Phone: 512-863-5886
Website: www.stjohnsumc.cc
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