MAY 2016

Volume 30.5

St. Johns
United Church of
Christ
St. Johns is a community
of faith centered in Jesus
Christ, seeking guidance
and direction through the
Holy Spirit, and
demonstrating Gods love
to all people in words and
deeds.

An Open and
Affirming
Congregation
503 Stuart Circle
Richmond, Virginia 23220
Telephone: 804.358.9291
Email:
office@stjohnsrichmond.org

Web Site:
stjohnsrichmond.org

Published monthly
2016 St Johns UCC

I am a Pentecost person in my faith. What I mean by

that is that Pentecost is the season when we are
called to go out and ACT OUR FAITH. The disciples
were sent out to be people of faith on Pentecost.
They were no longer students. But they knew that
they were called to step up and BE LEADERS IN
LIVING as Jesus had taught them.
I often say Pentecost is the day we
get kicked out of the nest and called
to FLY.
Pentecost is also half the year, the
season will go from May all way to
the Beginning of Advent, this year
that is November 27th. The liturgical
color we use is green to remind us
that we are in the time of GROWTH. Our texts will ask us over and over to
live out the call to love our neighbor, to be part of creating a just, peaceful loving
world.

Now this winter we have done a wonderful job of reaching out in love and
providing care to people in need through all our CARTAS work but sometimes
just taking care of those in need is not enough - we need to look at the issues
that create the need and work to stop the systemic problems that create the
problems we see.
Many of the small groups said that St Johns
should do SOCIAL JUSTICE work so I
am setting up opportunities for us to hear
speakers from different groups that are doing
social justice work here in Richmond. Over
the summer we will have a few after-worship
forums to allow us to explore the options, so,
that when we have the retreat in September,
we will be ready to choose where we feel called as a church to put our energy.
This is one example of how we are moving forward even
though the retreat has needed to be postponed till
September. Pentecost is coming and, yes that means
summer is upon us but, we will continue to be church and
grow and BE THE CHRISTIANS WE ARE CALLED TO BE.

Pastor Linda

The Messenger / MAY 2016

Help us acknowledge all family members who will be

graduating this spring. Please
forward to the Church Office names,
degrees and future plans of your
graduates.
We will acknowledge them during
worship MAY 22.

The Messenger / MAY 2016

CHURCH LEADERSHIP

The Revitalization Taskforce:

Revitalization Taskforce members consist of
Pastor Linda, Julia Eliades, Desiree McNeice
(Council Chair), Elisabeth Burnette (Council
VP), Helena DeLigt (Council Secretary), Beth
Oxenham (Endowment Chair), Rob Osborn
(Trustees Chair), Karen-Marie Yust
(Facilities Chair), Jeff Hetzer (Finance
Chair) , Scott Siefert (Congregational Life
and Care Chair) and Kristina Gilbert
(Christian Formation Chair).

Pastoral Relations
Committees:
The Pastoral Relations Committees for Linda
and Julia are now up and running. The committees will serve as a liaison between Pastor Linda and the Congregation and Julia and
the Congregation. They will help to keep
open communication between the Pastor
and the congregation. Please feel free to
reach out to any of these people to learn
more about the role of the Pastoral Relations
Committee. They will also be happy to share
your feedback with either Linda or Julia.

Committee
Worship and Music
Lindas Pastoral Relations
Committee
Kristina Gilbert

Julias Pastoral Relations

Committee
Charlotte Quick

Scott Siefert

Lex Tartaglia

Lynn Snyder

Abby Ward

Don Stiegler

Chair

Facilities

Sonny Darnell /Beverly

Lindsey (co-chairs)
Karen-Marie Yust

Finance

Jeff Hetzer

Audit

Chris Ward

Congregational Life and

Care
Christian Formation

Scott Siefert

Admin/Personnel

Elisabeth Burnett

Mission and Outreach

Don Warren

Kristina Gilbert

The Messenger / MAY 2016

OUR RESPONSE TO

S
MAY 8, 2016
There will be a Congregational Meeting Sunday, May 8
immediately following worship service to vote on the following
recommendation from Council:
"To amend the Constitution, Article III (The Church Council),
Section 2 (Membership), to state The Church Council shall
consist of nine (9) members, 18 years of age or older elected
by ballot from the membership at the annual meeting, and the
Minister (s) then in service to the Church.
This recommendation is to reduce the number of members needed to serve on Church Council from twelve (12) members to nine
(9) members. We will also hear the results of the Operational
Audit.

MAY 22, 2016

There will be a Congregational Meeting Sunday, May 22
immediately following worship service to vote on new church
officers for the new church year.

PLEASE NOTE:
June 5 will be the
installation of new
officers and a time of thankyou for all that have served
this past year.

If you were an officer last

year (i.e. on Council, Trustees
or Endowment), or are coming
on as an officer this year, we
need you to be present on
June 5.
If you are unable to attend,
please speak with Pastor
Linda.

ACTS

Thanks to your generosity, we were able to collect

$1,298 to give to the ACTS program during the month of
March. Additionally, St. Johns was very well represented by
having a FULL TABLE of supporters at the ACTS Annual
Fundraising Dinner on April 28!

CARITAS

Thanks to everyone who assisted with our

CARITAS Ministry February 13 through April 15, 2016. Many,
many hours were volunteered by our congregation (as well as
donations of food and clothing) to make sure that the homeless guests were well taken care of.

ONE GREAT HOUR OF SHARINGThanks to your

generosity, we were able to collect $1,247 to give to the One
Great Hour of Sharing campaign.

STRENGTHEN THE CHURCHAnd...coming up on

May 15 please plan to support this special offering
[Strengthen The Church] which will be collected on Pentecost
Sunday, May 15. This offering supports church growth, pastoral and lay leadership development, youth and young adult
ministries within conferences and administered by Local
Church Ministries.

Bon Air Interfaith Dialogue

You are invited to attend an interfaith dialogue sponsored by
local Jewish, Christian and Muslim communities. The
interfaith discussions focus on Encountering the Stranger,
Living into Our Faith Imperatives.
May 5 7:00 pm at the Islamic Center of Virginia
(1241 Buford Road)
May 19 7:00 pm at Or Ami (9400 W. Huguenot Rd)

Richmonders Involved to Strengthen Our

Less than 10% of people in the most
distressed neighborhoods of the East Communities
End and Northside of Richmond have
traditional full-time employment. 27%
of Richmond households pay more
than 50% of their income for housing.
In Henrico, 16 elementary schools
did not pass their reading state tests
in 2015.

THE GREAT NEHEMIAH

ACTION
Monday, May 2, 7pm
St. Paul's Baptist Church,
4247 Creighton Road,
Every year, RISC holds the
largest public meeting in greater Richmond, gathering over
1,500 people to discuss ways we can address these issues.
These are problems that people of faith are called to confront.
In order for us to see justice in our community we must be like
Nehemiah and gather great assemblies of our own. Join with
us on May 2 to stand for justice in Richmond and Henrico!

The Messenger / MAY 2016

ADULTS

YOUTH AND CHILDREN

Adult Forum (Sundays, 9:45-10:40 a.m.)

Childrens Faith Formation

May marks the end of our year exploring world religions and
interfaith relations. As we wrap up, we have one more major world
religion to consider, as well as a chance to consider the variations
within our own Christian faith tradition that can lead to conflict.

Our children wrap up the regular church school year with one
more look at a world religion, Mothers Day and Pentecost celebrations, and more stories of peacemaking from the bible.

Come be part of the last four conversations, 9:45-10:40 a.m.

Sundays in the pastors study.

May 1 Michael
McLaughlin, religion
professor at St.
Josephs University,
will discuss Buddhism
and Buddhist-Christian
relations.

Faith Place (Sundays, 9:45-10:40 a.m.)

May 1 Elisha and Aram
May 8 The Ark of the Covenant
May 15 Pentecost
May 22 Jealousy between Brothers
May 29 Visions of Peace

Church School (Sundays, 11:15 a.m.)

May 1 Stories about Buddhism
May 8 Mothers Day activities
May 15 Pentecost activities
May 22 Isaac and the Well
May 29 Respecting Others

May 8 & 15 KarenMarie will help us

explore evangelical and
fundamentalist Christian
movements.

National Youth Event Fundraising

May 22 Pastor Linda will lead

St. Johns UCC Craft Fair & Yard Sale

us in a wrap-up with a
discussion of the UCC
statement of faith and how our
own tradition shapes our faith
and attitudes toward other
religions.

June 4th
10 a.m. 2 p.m.

Vendors and yard salers welcome! To reserve a

table, contact Pastoral Associate Julia Eliades,
358-9291 ext. 12 by May 29.

Wednesday
Night Study
(6:00-7:30 p.m.)
People read the bible in
many different ways. Do
you wonder what makes
the bible relevant today
and why there are so many
different kinds of theologies? If so, join with other inquiring minds on
Wednesday evenings to explore what Christians have said about
who God and Jesus are and what the Holy Spirit has to do with
them. Led by Julia Eliades.

All proceeds will support St. Johns trip to the

UCC National Youth Event in Orlando, FL

Venders signed up so far

Tupperware, Oragmi Owl, Essential Oils, Stampin Up

The Messenger / MAY 2016

40 YEARS OF SERVICE TO THE COMMUNITY

A BRIEF HISTORY:
Forty years ago, St. Johns, as a member of the Stuart Circle Parish Churches
began to worry about their older members and neighbors who were no longer
able to attend church, or if they did attend, they learned there were other issues
that concerned them: isolation, health, safety, and meals. Our church members did not just talk about it, but came up with a plan a plan
that was the beginning of Circle Center Adult Day Services. In 1976, Cathedral of the Sacred Heart, First English Evangelical Lutheran,
Grace Covenant Presbyterian, St. Jamess Episcopal and St. Johns United Church of Christ formed an alliance to help Richmonds elderly
population. Stuart Circle Center was born! The daily program opened with 6 participants and 2 staff members; they met at First English
Lutheran. Today, Circle Center supports 80+ seniors, six days a week at a location near Willow Lawn.

NUTS AND BOLTS:

The Center provides care 6 days per week and is located on West Marshall Street, across from Willow Lawn in a modern, handicapaccessible facility. Services include on-site Registered Nursing care, including medication management; 2 meals and 2 snacks per day, help
with daily living needs, a wellness program with everything from weight lifting to chair aerobics; a memory support program for dementia;
professional social work services, as well as educational programs and support groups for family caregivers.

A STORY:
Circle Center supports people like Ella and Bev. Ella is 97 years old and lives with her daughter Bev who at 67 is retired. Bev noticed her
mother was slowing down. Sitting in her chair all day just watching out the window. A friend recommended Bev take a look at the Center.
She liked what she saw, but wasnt sure about her mother and she was worried about the cost ($75 per day)!

The Centers social worker, Jay, spoke to her about their Needs Based Scholarship Program and how if Ella and Bev could pay a few days,
the Center would be able to help them finish out the week. Bev still worried about how her mother would adjust to attending the Center, but
after her first week her worries were goneher mother came home with stories about her new friends, the staff who did all sorts of crafts and
exercises with them: she had her life back. According to Bev, it was life-changing they now had something to talk about over dinner. Her
mother looks forward to coming to the Center and Bev can help out at her church now that she is retired.

INVITATION TO TOUR:
If you really want to understand Circle Center, stop by and ask for a tour, if you are a caregiver or live with someone who may need
assistance, Circle Center can help. You will be impressed with what you see: older adults, some disabled, some healthy, but all of them
actively engaged, all of them having a good day. Singing, playing games, lifting weights in their chairs, eating nourishing food, smiling at
each other.
Or maybe you need a place to hold a meeting Circle Center has a great conference room available. Or perhaps you have a few hours a
week and would like to volunteer, or youre a member of a group that likes to volunteer; the Center is fortunate to have many regular
volunteers who work and play with the participants doing crafts, playing scrabble or checkers, helping to serve lunch or a snack. Or maybe
youd like to share your own skills or interests. Volunteers and supporters are a vital component of Circle Centers success.
So call Circle Center at 804-355-5717 to setup an appointment to come on over and visit us at 4900 West Marshall Street! Experience
what adult services looks like and feels like!

Forty Dollars for Forty Years!

WE, St. Johns, helped build a community where all older adults and their families have the support and resources to live together with purpose and dignity. 2016 Celebrates 40 years of service for Circle Center!
Consider donating to the Forty Dollars for Forty Years! campaign. Place your donation in the offering
plate and clearly mark your check Circle Center. Thank you for your support.

The Messenger / MAY 2016

May Worship Schedule

DATE

SCRIPTURE

THEME/Sermon Title

HYMNS

Another goodbye

May 1

Psalms 67
Luke 24:44-53

Introit 256
Offering:595
Peace: 57

One in Love

May 8

Acts 16:16-34
John 17:20-26

361
427
475

Spirits Gift

May 15

Acts 2:1-21
Romans 8:14-17

391
286
266

Romans 5:1-5
Proverbs 8:1-4, 22-31

Wisdoms Call

May 22

1
740
277

I Kings 18:20-39
Luke 7:1-10

What Calls You to Faith?

May 29

289
256
290

Strengthen The Church (STC) is a special mission offering

to reimagine and build the future of the UCC. Shared at the
conference and national levels, STC largely supports youth
ministries and full-time leaders for new churches in parts of
the country where the UCC voice has not been heard.

Special Offering
May 15, 2015

As God calls our congregation to be the "church" in new

ways, your generosity will plant new churches, awaken new
ideas in existing churches and develop the spiritual life in our
youth and young adults. STC funds will also be used
to award grants to help congregations communicate the
"God is still speaking," message. St. Johns will receive the
STC offering on Pentecost Sunday, May 15, 2016.

Please plan to give generously!

The Messenger / MAY 2016

GUIDED

THE ST. JOHHS FELLOWSHIP

May 15, 2016

Everyone is invited!
~Immediately following the worship service ~
~On the side lawn (weather permitting)~
~Bring a dish to share~
~Games for young and old alike!!!~

May 2, 2016 5:30 - 6:30

St. Johns Reiki Room
Available for anyone who has completed Reiki I training

Summer Worship Time

(10 am) will begin on June 5!

Fellowship Coordinator:
Sal Anselmo 358-1696

May 1
Welcome
Team
Leader

Bill Watson

May 8
Bill Watson

May 15
Doug Waldrop

May 22
Doug Waldrop

Richard Bighinatti

Tellers Coordinator:
Bud Higgins 301-5059
Lay Readers Coordinator:
Sal Anselmo 358-1696
Altar Guild Coordinator:
Sonny Darnell 743-7528

Sound
System

Mark Atkinson

Mark Atkinson

Jeff Michel

Jeff Michel

Tellers

Rob Osborn
Daniel Martin

Rob Osborn
Daniel Martin

Betsy Bighinatti
Scott Siefert

Betsy Bighinatti
Scott Siefert

Liturgists

Choir

Bryan Etter
Barbara Etter

Betsy Bighinatti
Beverly Lindsey

Sal Anselmo

Facilities

Richard Bighinatti

Richard
Bighinatti

Joe McGregor

Joe McGregor

Altar Guild

Erin Burnette
Georgianne
Stinnett

Arthur Dewey
Cheryl Goode

Dorothy Cook
Sonny Darnell

Johanna Gilbert
Bryan Anderegg

Fellowship
Hosts

Jennifer and
Daniel Martin

Flowers

May 29

David Pittman

Please find a substitute if you

are unable to perform your
ministry and contact your
team coordinator AND the
office to let them know who
will be filling in for you.
Thank you for making our
church ministries run
smoothly!

Erin Burnette
Georgianne
Stinnett

Pot Luck Lunch

Lee and Peggy

Ford

To volunteer to be a Liturgist or
Fellowship Host sign up on the sheet in
the Parlor!

To order fresh flowers to be placed

on the altar in honor of a special
occasion or person or in
remembrance of someone, please
sign-up on the flower chart on the
bulletin board in the hallway near
the Pastors Office or contact
Sonny Darnell at 743-7528 or
kenandsonny@comcast.net
$45.00 for two beautiful bou-

2016

May
1

9:45 Faith Formation

11 am WorshipCommunion

5:30 pm REIKI share

5:30 pm Finance

5 pm Card Ministry

11:30 am NA Meeting

6:30 pm Council

6:00 pm Con. Life

6:00 pm Adult
Bible Study

6:00 pm May
Banquet

10

9:45 Faith Formation

11 am Worship

11:30 am NA Meeting
6:30 Revitalization

Noon Congregational
Meeting

15
9:45 Faith Formation
11 am Worship
Noon Pot Luck Lunch
Strengthen the Church
Offering
22
9:45 Faith Formation
11 am Worship

Recognize graduates
Recognize teachers

Noon Congregational
Meeting

Office Closed

11

12

13

5 pm Card Ministry

11:30 am NA Meeting

Office Closed

6:00 pm Adult
Bible Study

5:30 pm Worship &

Music

14
11:00 am Stuart/Mosby
Historical Society
Ceremony

7:00 pm Choir
.

16
6:30 pm Council

17

18

19

20

21

10:00 am Staff

5 pm Card Ministry

11:30 am NA

Office Closed

8:00 am Indian Orthodox

6:00 pm Adult
Bible Study

7:00 pm Choir

28

11:30 am NA Meeting

SJP

.SJP

SJP

23

24

SJP

10:00 am Staff
Meeting
SJP
11:30 am NA Meeting
SJP

29

30

31

11 am Worship

Memorial Day
Office Closed

10:00 am Staff

25

26

27

5 pm Card Ministry

11:30 am NA Meeting

Office Closed

6:00 pm Adult
Bible Study

7:00 pm Choir

SJP

SJP

11:30 am NA Meeting
SJP

10
15
15
22
23
24
25

Cameron Higgins
Mason Viergever
Trey Lyle
Henry Martin
Sharon Voelcker
Travis Schaefer
Ginny Davis

26
28
29
29
29
30

Emilye Pittman
Don Stiegler
Elisabeth Burnette
Beth Stiegler
Lilyth Voelcker-Via
Jennifer Martin