“Race and Grace”
Worship for June 14: Loving My Neighbor – who is different from me
Jesus calls us to love our neighbor as ourselves. The parable of the Good Samaritan illustrates that there are no boundaries (racial, ethnic, etc.) regarding who is my neighbor. But how can I love my neighbor if I don’t know his or her need? How can I show love when I’m not aware of my neighbor’s hurts, frustrations, and pain, as well as my neighbor’s gifts and strengths?
Today we begin a new series, “Race and Grace.” We seek to hear the voice of the Lord as He calls us to reject racism in all of its forms. We seek to follow Jesus in His call to act and speak in love for our neighbor who is different from us.
Pastor Mike provides a video introduction to this series here: https://youtu.be/sisw6FNbxZk
Please go to this page (https://stjohnslutheran.net/live-streaming-worship-at-st-johns/) for information regarding the service and to link to the live stream itself.
Children’s Resources for June 14
Please click on this link to download a children’s church lesson for parents to lead. https://stjohnslutheran.net/wp-content/uploads/2020/06/Childrens-Church-June-14.pdf
Click on this link for information on talking to children about racism:
In-Person Worship Update
In-person worship at St. John’s will resume on Sunday, June 28 at 8:30 AM and 10:30 AM (please note time change for this service). There will be a soft opening on June 21 at 9:30 AM for church and school staff, some worship volunteers, and the task force to ensure that safety changes are working properly before we fully open on the 28th. This service will be live streamed from the church so those at home can see how things are being done. Beginning June 28th the 10:30 AM service will be live streamed from the church each Sunday.
What are some of the changes you can expect? The chairs will be set up pew style from back to front with 6 feet a spacing between each row. We will have one-way flow of traffic with everyone entering through the main doors and exiting through the side front doors. The church will be filled from the front to the back with the assistance of ushers. There will be a spacing of 3 empty chairs between individuals or family groups.
Please bring a face covering with you or one will be provided when you arrive. Hand sanitizer will also be provided before entering. The doors will be propped open. All items have been removed from the seat pockets. We will not be using hymnals, Bibles, or bulletins. Everything will be up on the screens. Since we will be wearing face coverings there will be singing and some responsive reading.
The podium and altar will be placed in the chancel (above the steps on the stone floor). Some band members will play from that area as well. The distance of the chancel to the front row of chairs allows the pastors, readers, and band members to not wear face coverings while they are speaking or singing in the chancel.
When Holy Communion is celebrated it will be administered to one side of the church at a time to maintain social distancing. The pastor will drop the wafer into the communicant’s hand to avoid contact. There will be one tray with all red wine and one tray with all white non-alcoholic wine. There will be enough space between the cups to prevent touching other cups. The common cup will not be used. Gluten free wafers will be on the stand next to the pastor in separate cups. Instructions will also be given during the worship service.
We will not be having Children’s Church or Coffee Hour at this time. There will be a Children’s Message in the 10:30 AM service, although children will stay with their family and not be invited forward. The Cry Room and Balcony will be closed. There will be some chairs on the patio and the outside speaker will be on for those who need to leave the service for a time.
Cleaning will be done between the two services. This is the reason for shifting the second service to 10:30 AM. Once the floor waxing and cleaning is finished next week a recording will be posted showing what the new set-up looks like. If you are not yet ready to return to in-person worship or are not feeling well on a given Sunday, please stay home and watch the live stream. Thank you to all those serving on the task force and for your prayers as we prepare for in-person worship.
Wednesday Night Worship on June 17
We are continuing our walk through the Gospel of Matthew, seeking to grow in understanding God’s Word and what it means in our lives today. This Wednesday, June 17, we’ll be looking at Matthew 4:1-11, the temptation of Jesus in the wilderness. After the Father powerfully declares Jesus’ identity at His Baptism, Satan attacks His identity. What can we learn for our own lives from Jesus triumph over Satan’s temptations?
Ongoing News and Information
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