APRIL 2015 Volume 29.4

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: stjohnsrichmondoffice@verizon.net

Web Site:

stjohnsrichmond.org

Published monthly

2013 St Johns UCC

From The Pastor Search Committee

At a Congregational meeting on March 22, 2015, St. John unanimously voted to call The Rev. Linda Higgins as our next Senior Pastor. She has accepted our call and will begin her ministry with us on April 13, 2015. We welcome Linda to the St. Johns community.

Linda has been a UCC minister for over thirty years and brings with her a wealth of experience gained while serving churches in four states.

From Rev. Nicholson Dear Members and Friends,

Last weekend was an extraordinary event. It has been more than a decade since you as a congregation went through the process of electing a search committee, went through the long and difficult search process, and called a settled pastor. But you have done it; and done it with faithfulness, patience, and care.

You may not realize it but your search committee met virtually every Tuesday evening over the past year. This placed a tremendous burden on them and their loved ones who had to adjust their schedules and organize their lives around the demands of the task to which they were called and elected. We all owe them a debt of gratitude that I hope you will express to them.

This is my last Messenger article that I will write to you; and that is as it should be. We interims know we are just that, interim minis-ter, only here for a while. Lindas first day will

Welcome!

From Rev. Higgins Dear Members, Friends, Staff and especially the

Search Committee,

Thank You!!!!!! I cannot even begin to tell you how

humbled and blessed I feel by all that you did on Call

Weekend. The Search Committee had impressed me during the process with all of their careful and

discerning work, but then to get to meet all of you and be welcomed. Wow!!! I truly am humbled that you

all care about your church enough to come out on both Saturday and Sunday to meet me and call me to be

your Pastor. The ways in which you took care of me all weekend and the ways you cared for each other was

wonderful to both receive and watch.

I am so excited to be coming to Richmond to be your Pastor. You have made me feel so welcomed already

and I truly am looking forward to getting to know each and every one of you.

With Love and Prayers for you as you walk through Holy Week,

Pastor Linda

be Monday, April 13, and my last day will be Friday, April 24.

There are a few more steps for you and Linda Higgins to take. You of course will be welcoming her into the community of St. Johns in a variety of thoughtful ways. She will need to become a member of the Potomac Association of the United Church of Christ. This will require her to go to the DC area to meet with the Church and Ministry Committee. Once recognized, an installation service will be held here at St. Johns and she will become officially your settled pastor. The installation service and the reception following are a grand time for celebrating her ministry with her and your ministry with her, as together you begin writing the next chapter in the ministry and mission of St. Johns.

So even though a milestone has been reached, the journey lies ahead, and wish you the richest of Gods blessings.

Warmly, Roger

Holy Week And Easter

Maundy Thursday - April 2 7:00 am Communion and Tenebrae Service

Our Communion and Tenebrae (Latin for "shadows" or "darkness")

Service will guide us as we remember the night of Christs last supper and betrayal.

Good Friday - April 3 Noon Prayer Service

Easter Sunday - April 5 11:00 am Easter Worship Service

Join us in the sanctuary at 11:00 am for our Easter Worship Service. The service will conclude with the choir

and congregation singing of the Hallelujah chorus to Handels Messiah.

Noon Celebration of the Resurrection of our Lord!

Gather in the Fellowship Hall to enjoy fellowship and wonderful food prepared by the Congregational Life ministry. Special activities will be provided for the children including our annual Easter egg hunt. We look

forward to seeing everyone as we greet one another with Alleluia! Christ is Risen!

2 The Messenger | APRIL 2015

Every gun that is made, every warship launched, every rocket fired

signifies, in the final sense, a theft from those who hunger and are not fed,

those who are cold and are not clothed. This world in arms is not spending

money alone. It is spending the sweat of laborers, the genius of scientists,

the hope of its children.

Dwight D. Eisenhower, five-star general and the thirty-fourth president of the United States.

Religious people seldom have difficulty finding a scriptural

basis for engaging in conflict. The Old Testament is a history of nations in conflict, and God was on the side of the faithful. The lesson of our Savior, however, is to bridge differences, to trample prejudices, and to bury animosities. To the surprise of most everyone, Jesus came not to lead his people in war, but as the Prince of Peace. Jesus died on a cross, not to defeat the Romans, but to bring the Kingdom of God. As spring awakens the earth, let us be pray-full and courageous. Let us pray that our eyes be opened. Let us see the world as it is and as it yearns to be. Let us pray for understanding, reconciliation, and the end of animosities, some of which have lasted for hundreds of years. Let us pray for ourselves. Let us pray for our neighbors and our enemies. Let us temper our passions and tend to the patient labors of peace.

The UCC has a long-standing history of working with Amenians dating back to the early 1800s. Missionaries of the American Board

of Commissioners for Foreign Missions, the original name of the UCC Wider Church Ministries, worked primarily with the Armenian

community in Anatolia for a century, opening schools and orphanages, establishing hospitals, and preaching the Gospel. Beginning

in 1915, they witnessed and documented the atrocities, and advocated for an end to the massacres.

SERVICE TO COMMEMORATE...APRIL 26 at St. Johns For the 100th commemoration of the genocide, St. Johns will be holding a special worship service on APRIL 26, 2015. This year we will lift up the horrors and the resiliency of people of faith when confronted with such events. Members of St. James Armenian Apostolic Church will join us for worship, bring greetings, offer Lord's Prayer in worship and enrich our understanding. The Rev. Dr. Susan Minasian, Chaplain at Franklin and Marshall College and leader in the movement for reconciliation and admission, will preach. All are invited to gather for Fellowship with Armenian delicacies in the parlor after worship.

100 Years later this Genocide remains in denial and leaves cover for other such events in the world to happen.

3 The Messenger | APRIL 2015

The Armenian Genocide was the Ottoman government's systematic extermi-nation of its minority Armenian subjects from their historic homeland within the territory constituting the present-day Republic of Turkey. The total number of people killed as a result has been estimated at between 1 and 1.5 million. The starting date is conventionally held to be 24 April 1915, the day Ottoman authorities rounded up and arrested some 250 Armenian intellectuals and community leaders in Constantinople. The genocide was carried out during and after World War I and implemented in two phases: the wholesale killing of the able-bodied male population through massacre and subjection of army conscripts to forced labor, followed by the deportation of women, children, the elderly and infirm ondeath marches leading to the Syrian desert. Driven forward by military escorts, the deportees were deprived of food and water and subjected to periodic robbery, rape, and massacre. Other indigenous and Christian ethnic groups such as the Assyrians and the Ottoman Greeks were similarly targeted for extermination by the Ottoman government, and their treatment is considered by many historians to be part of the same genocidal policy.

Armenian civilians, escorted by armed Ottoman soldiers, are marched through Harput

(Kharpert), to a prison in April 1915.

4 The Messenger | APRIL 2015

Please sign up on the lists in the Parlor to help welcome our

CARITAS guests each night.

APRIL CARITAS Volunteers

Please donate snacks for our CARITAS ministry.

April 1 Jeff Michel, Beverly Lindsey

April 2 The Bighinattis

April 3 Rob Osborn, Helena DeLigt

April 4 Laura Totty

April 5

April 6 First English

April 7 First English

April 8 Jeff Michel

April 9 Elisabeth Burnette

April 10

April 11 Sal Anselmo

April 12

April 13 First English

April 14 First English

April 15 Jeff Michel, Bill Watson

April 16 Elisabeth Burnette

April 17 Don Warren

Easter Offering for ACTS ACTS - Area Congregations Together in Service - is a Greater Richmond interfaith mission providing support and resources during periods of financial crisis to prevent homelessness. ACTS serves as a resource to St. Johns UCC and 50+ other regional

congregations, by assessing and assisting people who visit or call the churches seeking financial assistance. Instead of the churches simply offering a hand out, staff is able to refer that person to ACTS who fully assesses the situation face to face while taking the necessary time to listen to each individual and how they got in financial crisis and the best solutions. Since it began assisting clients in the Greater Richmond Area in August 2006, ACTS has financially assisted hundreds of house-holds and given other more appropriate resources to hundreds more. Your support during 2014 enabled 825 people to retain their stable housing within 340 households. That included 332 children under the age of 18 who would have had their lives disruptedoften an indicator of repeated homelessness during their adult years. Your continued financial support is most appreciated by so many in our community who are in crisis. Special monetary offerings will be received on Easter Sunday for ACTS.

2015

Stuart Circle Parish

Good Friday Blood Drive April 3, 2015 2:00 7:00

Location:

Fellowship Hall, Grace Covenant Presbyterian Church 1627 Monument Avenue

Parking in alley behind the church

Participating Churches The Cathedral of the Sacred Heart , City Church, First English Lutheran Church

Grace Covenant Presbyterian Church, St. Jamess Episcopal Church, St. Johns United Church of Christ

5 The Messenger | APRIL 2015

Journeying with Jesus This month, our children will be learning about Easter and celebrating the good news that Jesus is risen, and then beginning to explore stories about Jesus life and ministry. Because the Easter story is so important, the Toddler and Primary classes will spend two weeks (April 5 and 12) on this theme. Jr. Youth will remain in worship on Easter Sunday and then explore the resurrection story on April 12. There will be no classes for children on April 19; older children will remain in worship and younger children will have the option of remaining or departing after the childrens moment for play and crafts. April 26, the Toddler and Primary classes will go back to the beginning of Jesus ministry and explore the calling of Jesus disciples. Jr. Youth will begin a series focused on the parables Jesus told and their meaning for us today. Faith Place (9:45-10:45 a.m.) will meet on April 12 and April 26.

Gleaning Hope with Ruth One of the beloved stories of scripture is that of Ruth, who left her homeland to support her mother-in-law after great tragedy struck their family. Her perseverance and commitment are often held up as a model for faithful living. Yet the story of Ruth is not just an example of family commitment and renewed romance. Come discover new ways to look at this old, old story and explore how Ruths choices might offer us hope when we face difficult circumstances.

Proposed Constitution Discussion Forums During times of transition, we have opportunities to talk about who we are, where we are going, and how we are want to live out our mission and purpose. To this end, Church Council appointed a task force to review and revise the St. Johns constitution, and the Council has now approved a new version of the constitution for congregational consideration. The new version of the constitution does several things. It clarifies the roles of officers It eliminates the Audit Committee and moves that

responsibility into other areas. It reflects our current practices with regard to

membership, It proposes that we move from two-year to three-year

terms for Council members It permits flexibility in the size of Council and committees

to reflect the realities of a smaller congregation.

We invite you to read the proposed draft of the constitution and then attend one of two conversation

forums to discuss these two questions:

Does this constitution reflect what you want St. Johns to be and stand for?

Are there any parts of the constitution that

you do not understand or have questions about?

The forums will be held Wednesday, April 8, 6:30-7:30 p.m.

and Sunday, April 12, 9:00-10:00 a.m.

(breakfast included). You can find a copy of the proposed revised constitution on the website (www.stjohnsrichmond.org), or pick up a paper copy in the Parlor or Narthex.

Congregational Breakfast

April 12, 2015 9:00 am

6 The Messenger / APRIL 2015

...from the President March was a busy month for Council and members of the Congregation!

Rev. Linda Higgins: During the meeting in late February, Council voted to present Rev. Linda Higgins to the Congregation as a candidate for Senior Pastor of St. Johns UCC. During the meeting on March 9th, a call agreement including financial arrangements was approved. The date of March 21st and 22nd were set to have Rev. Higgins join us for her call sermon. The Council and Search committee planned a glorious weekend and Rev. Linda Higgins was unanimously approved as the new Pastor of St. Johns UCC. My thanks to all who participated and made all the festivities possible. She will join us on Monday, April 13th as our Pastor and Rev . Roger Nicholson will be with her in transition for a couple of weeks in April. Rev. Nicholson will preach his last official sermon with us on April 12th.

A special thanks to our Search Committee who worked with such commitment for the past 16 months to bring Rev. Higgins to us.

Palm Sunday and Holy Week: Our Palm Sunday parade was great and a wonderful experience for all. This is an old tradition for St. Johns, one that many of us have been a part of for years. Our Easter celebrations are before us. Please join us for Maundy Thursday services at 7:00 pm, and Good Friday at Noon in the sanctuary and Easter Sunday worship at 11:00 AM.

Constitution: The Council voted to present the revised Constitution to the congregation on May 10 at a Congregational Meeting. There will be two sessions for the committee to present the document to the congregation for questions and discussion. The first one will be Wednesday, April 8 at 6:30 in the Fellowship Hall and the second will be with Breakfast on Sunday, April 12th at 9:00 am . I urge all members to make every effort to attend one of these presentations.

New Council Members: This is the time of the year that present council members are re-elected and new members are added to the council. We have four spots available and would like to see one of you submit your name in nomination. There will be a nomination/suggestion form in the bulletin for the next couple of weeks, please fill one out for yourself or someone you would like to see on Church Council. The election will be on May 10th.

St. Johns Players: St. Johns Players will be presenting their annual Cabaret on Saturday, April 25 and 26. This event is a fund raiser and all proceeds go to St. Johns UCC annual budget. We are in need of some volunteers to serve as ushers and to help serve the dinner on Sat. night. Please see Tony Sharpenstein or Betsy Bighinatti. Tickets are available on line, or in church on Sundays. Please purchase one soon!

Spring is a busy and exciting time and a new beginning; I hope you will all travel on this journey with me and the rest of the congregation.

Peace to all Betsy J. Bighinatti

President

Next Church Council Meeting April 20, 2015

The next Church Council meeting is scheduled for Monday, April 20, at 7:00 pm.

7 The Messenger | APRIL 2015

April Lectionary

St. Johns Financial Picture YTD as of 2-28-15

2015 Budget Budget YTD Actual YTD

Income

Pledge Payments* $110,500 $18,333 $16,470

Cash Offerings $11,000 $1,833 $2,317

Other Income (Endowment Contributions $126,700 $29,008 $27,672

Parking Lot Rental, Wedding Income, etc.)

Development Fund $36,000 $6,000 $1,146

Total Income $284,200 $55,174 $47,605

Expenses

Personnel 187,846 29,608 19,943

Committees 27,685 4,614 4,240

Operations/Maintenance 116,140 22,285 27,644

Local Benevolences 7,650 2,583 1,302

Other 9,600 - -

Development Fund 36,000 6,000 $0

Total Expenses 384,921 65,090 53,129

Income/Expenses Total (100,721) (9,916) (5,524)

surplus (deficit)

NOTE:

1. Income includes a total of $85,000 annual contribution from Endowment Fund ($7083 monthly)

2. Annual Deficit to be covered by Endowment Fund and General Reserve Fund

3. 2015 Pledge Budget is $110,000. 55 pledges for $118,000 Were pledged.

Easter

April 5, 2015

Isaiah 25:6-9 Psalm 118, 1-2, 14-24

1 Cor. 15:1-11 Mark 16:1-8

Second Sunday of Easter April 12, 2015

Acts 4:32-35 Psalm 133

1 John 1:1-2:2 John 20:19-31

Third Sunday of Easter April 19, 2015

Acts 3:12-19 Psalm 4

1 John 3:1-7

Luke 24:36b-48

Fourth Sunday of Easter April 26, 2015

Acts 4:5-12 Psalm 23

1 John 3:16-24

John 10:11-18

8 The Messenger | APRIL 2015

The annual St. Johns Basement Sale will be held on

Saturday June 6, 8:00 am till 1:00 pm.

Here is your opportunity to do some Spring-Cleaning

of closets and corners!

Bring books, DVDs, dishes, toys, small appliances (in working condition), pictures,

and gently used childrens clothing (NO CLOTHES FOR ADULTS).

You can bring donations to the church basement

(clearly marked BASEMENT SALE). Thanks for your donations and for your help! See Dorothy Cook or Laura Siff if you have any questions

The Church Council, according to our Constitution, has many tasks. Among them

are:

Encouraging the spiritual life and welfare of the congregation and its participants

Evaluating the effectiveness of St. Johns ministries

Engaging in short and long range planning

Assisting and supporting the pastoral staff

Church Council is currently seeking self-nominations and recommendations for new Council members. If you think you

might be called to serve, or know someone else who might have gifts for leadership, please fill in the form below and mail it to 503 Stuart Circle, Richmond, VA 23220..

I recommend the following person (or myself) for

consideration to serve on the St. Johns Church

Council:

_____________________________

Come and say THANK YOU

to Rev. Nicholson at a Special Reception on

Sunday, April 12 at Noon

9 The Messenger | APRIL 2015

St. Johns

Flashback! A Musical Cabaret of Songs from

SJCP

St. Johns Community Players Present

Saturday, April 25 @ 7:30 & Sunday, April 26 @ 3:00 pm Seating for Theatre Only Tickets: $10 Adults * $8 Students

Saturday, April 25 Dinner @ 6:00 Show @ 7:30 pm $20 Advance Payment Required

Dinner reservations must be placed by Thursday, April 23 Call the Box Office to Make Your Reservations 358-9291

or pay on-line at http://stjohnsrichmond.org/st-johns-players

April Meeting

April 17 - 19, 2015 Kiptopeke State Park

Cape Charles, VA Beach

Trails

Birding

Fellowship

Discussion

Meals

$65 per person

See Cheryl Goode for more information.

Equality Virginia Dinner April 18th

As in previous years, St. Johns is sponsoring a table at this years Equality Virginia Commonwealth Dinner, which honors the LGBT community and particular individuals and organiza-tions throughout Virginia who have promoted LGBT equality. The event includes a pre-dinner reception (cash bar), a silent auction, the dinner, and after-dinner dancing. This years dinner is the evening of Saturday, April 18th at the Convention Center. The cost for a non-profit such as St. Johns is $925 for a table of 10, or $92.50 per ticket, instead of the regular price of $125 per ticket. If you are interested in attending, please contact Jeff Jacobs, at jjacobs@dtiglobal.com or (202) 361-9887.

All are invited to join us on Thursday, April 9 at

10:30 am at the Valentine Museum for a

tour.

Call Lynda Merry at 756-0270 for information

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 nursery or contact Sonny Darnell at 743-7528 or

kenandsonny@comcast.net $45.00 for two beautiful bouquets.

April 5 April 12 April 19 April 26

Welcome

Team Leader

Lynn Snyder

Lynn Snyder

Bill Watson

Bill Watson

Sound System

Mark Atkinson

Mark Atkinson

Acolytes

Hank,

Cammie, Eddie Allen

Hank,

Cammie, Eddie Allen

Savannah, Ashley

Quick

Savannah, Ashley

Quick

Lay Reader

Kristina Gilbert

Rob Osborn

Ashley Quick

Sal Anselmo

Fellowship Hosts

Easter

Celebration

Elisabeth Burnette

Scott Siefert

Chris and Abby Ward

Nursery Helpers

TBA

Chris & Abby

Ward

Laura Totty

Marjorie & Justin

Barbour

Tellers Rob Osborn

Tony Sharpenstein

Rob Osborn

Tony Sharpenstein

Sonny Darnell Dorothy Cook

Sonny Darnell Dorothy Cook

Facilities Bill Watson

Bill Watson

Altar Guild Erin Burnette, Georgianne

Stinnett All to help

Cheryl Goode Arthur Dewey

Sonny Darnell Dorothy Cook

Bryan Anderegg Johanna Gilbert

Flowers Easter Lilies

Fellowship Coordinator: Sal Anselmo 358-1696 Tellers Coordinator: Bud Higgins 301-5059 Lay Readers Coordinator: Sal Anselmo 358-1696 Altar Guild Coordinator: Sonny Darnell 743-7528 CARITAS Coordinators: Don Warren Richard Bighinatti

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!

April Birthdays

1 Rene Chrysler 2 Dale Totty 11 Micah Dalton 16 Desiree McNeice 20 Charlotte Ford

23 Huldah Anderson 29 Anne Lohmann Palmen 30 Betsy Bighinatti 30 Theresa Caraher 30 Jerry Simonoff

2015

1

5 pm Card Ministry

CARITAS

2

11:30 am NA Meeting

7:00 Maundy Thursday Service

CARITAS

3 Noon Good Friday

Service

2-7 Stuart Circle Blood Drive

CARITAS

4

CARITAS

5

10 am Choir rehearsal

11 am Worship

12:30 pm Easter Celebration

CARITAS

6 Office Closed

CARITAS

7

10:00 am Staff Meeting

11:30 am NA Meeting

5:30 Finance Comm.

CARITAS

8

5 pm Card Ministry

6:30 pm Congregational Forum/Constitution

CARITAS

9 10:30 am

The Fellowship

11:30 am NA Meeting

7 pm Choir Rehearsal

CARITAS

10

Office Closed

CARITAS

11

1:00 pm SJP

CARITAS

12 9:00 am Breakfast

9:45 am Constitution Forum 10 am Choir rehearsal

11 am Worship Noon Reception for

Rev. Nicholson CARITAS

13

Rev. Higgins first day in office.

CARITAS

14 .

10:00 am Staff Meeting

11:30 am NA Meeting

CARITAS

15

5 pm Card Ministry

CARITAS

16

11:30 am NA Meeting

7 pm Choir Rehearsal

CARITAS

17

Office Closed

CARITAS

18 8:30 am Indian Orthodox

Equality Virginia Dinner

19 Womans Retreat

9:45 am Faith Formation 10 am Choir rehearsal

11 am Worship

20

7 Church Council

21

10:00 am Staff Meeting

11:30 am NA Meeting

22

5 pm Card Ministry

23

11:30 am NA Meeting

7 pm Choir Rehearsal

24

Office Closed

6:00 pm SJP Dress Rehearsal

25

9-2:30 Church World Services Meeting

6:00 Cabaret Dinner 7:30 Cabaret show

26 9:30 am Faith Formation 10 am Choir rehearsal

11 am Worship - Dr. Susan Minasian

preaching 3:00 Cabaret

27

28

10:00 am Staff Meeting

11:30 am NA Meeting

29 30

MAUNDY THURSDAY GOOD FRIDAY

WOMANS RETREAT