JANUARY 2015

Volume 29.1

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

Good News!
The Rev. Roger Nicholson has accepted the call to be our short-term interim
minister! He will begin his work with us on Monday, January 12, 2015 and will
preach for the first time on Sunday, January 18.
Roger is a retired minister in the Presbyterian Church (USA), one of the
UCCs sister denominations in the Reformed tradition. He has served interims
in five other congregations and has 40+ years of experience in congregational
ministries and denominational administration. He also has special training in
interim ministry, pastoral care of adults and children, and spiritual direction.
Roger sees the church as a community of Gods people gathered together
and empowered by Gods Spirit to proclaim the love and power of God
through word and action. He has a love for preaching [and] the use of language to open up the mystery of faith and brings openness and affection
toward all kinds of people and a willingness to listen and to learn, as well as
a willingness to guide and direct.
Roger is married to Pam and they have two adult children and a three year
old grandson.

On Sunday, January 18, the congregation will have an

opportunity to get to know Roger before worship at a
special congregational breakfast from 9:30-10:45 am.
This will be an informal meet-and-greet occasion.

2 The Messenger | JANUARY 2015

...from the President

The New Year is upon us and my greatest

wish to all is peace on earth and blessings
to the community of St. Johns. We are a
strong community which pulled together
during Advent in the absence of an Interim
Minister and provided everyone with a very
meaningful time.

I would like to thank everyone who

participated in our many church activities
during the year. It shows what a committed
group pf people we are who love, care about and choose to call
St .Johns their home.
The church looks absolutely beautiful thanks to Sonny and his team
who did their magic to our beautiful sanctuary. Greening Day started
with a wonderful community lunch and then on to our task.
Our worship and communion services have been absolutely beautiful
and many thanks to Julia, Bryan, Ginna and Karen Marie who
worked so hard to make them perfect. Our visiting preachers added a
special touch! Our special visitors during the Childrens moment were
so very meaningful! The Fellowship Tea was beautiful and a special
thank you to all who provided the wonderful food!
The council continues to update our Constitution/Bylaws and will be
bringing this document to the congregation sometime in early 2015.
The search committee has been working very hard and we the
congregation are so grateful to such a dedicated and committed
group. We anticipate that we will have a new pastor sometime in
2015.
We are on to another year with much hope and renewed spirit. Rev
Roger Nicholson, our new short term Interim Pastor will be joining us
in the pulpit on January 18th. We will have a meet and greet
breakfast at 9:30 am that morning and the service at 11:00 am.
Please make every effort to be there!
Happy New Year to all!
Betsy Bighinatti
Council President

Members of Church Council

Betsy Bighinatti, President
Desiree McNeice, Vice President
Marjorie Barbour, Secretary
Bryan Anderegg
Laura Totty
Jeff Hetzer
Arthur Dewey
Vivian White
Helena DeLigt
Bill Watson
Karen-Marie Yust
Ginna Minasian Dalton

Preaching Schedule
We are blessed to have members of our church who
bring the gifts of preaching to us during this interim time.
For January 4th, Epiphany Sunday The Rev. Beverly
Lyndsey will preach and offer Communion. Then on
January 11, The Rev. Dr. Lex Tartaglia , who has been
serving as consultant to the Search Committee, will
preach. There will be no Communion that week as we
will return to our previous pattern of communion on the
first Sunday of the month. Our Interim will guide us to
process our future pattern.

We give our thanks for the leadership during this time to

The Rev. Karen -Marie Yust, Dr. Julia Eliades, Ms.
Erin Burnette, The Rev Alexa Slonin and The Rev
Andrew Terry (Rev. Terry represents Richmond Hill)
for their care and inspiring sharing of their gifts of
worship. We have indeed been blessed and nurtured by
them all. Any thanks would only be complete by including Mrs. Shirley Townsend, our Music Director and
Organist, our choir, Sal Anselmo and without a doubt
Sonny Darnell of the Altar Guild and his team.

Worship Teams:
Have you noticed the smiling faces that welcome you
on Sunday morning? The sound for worship? The
acolytes? The offertory leaders? Well all of these
people support and lead worship. They are organized
into teams that serve two weeks in a row on rotating
basis. There are five teams. So every 10 weeks a new
team works for two Sundays
We are praying that someone will be led to be the
coordinators of these well organized teams. Would you
be willing to make a call to each captain once a week to
make sure all remember. Then, if there's a vacancy you
have the privilege to fill it! Please contact Ginna
Minasian Dalton 703-869-0191 or
gmdalton2001@gmail.com
Peace
Ginna Minasian Dalton Chair of Worship and Music

Pledges & Offering Envelopes

Please make final 2014 contributions
no later than January 15, 2015

Please pick up 2015 offering

envelopes in the Parlor.

The Messenger | JANUARY 2015

Circle Center Adult Day Services

Generous Response to Angel Tree

On December 14 through the wonderfully generous support

of St. Johns congregation, $712.00 was raised for Circle
Center Day Services. If you would still like to make a
donation, we are continuing to collect funds for the center
through January 4th. St. John's played a founding-role for the
Circle Center, which provides day services to frail and elderly
adults while their caregivers go to work; they also help to
educate and support the caregivers. $50 provides a lunch for
one person for a month, $60 provides 5 showers for those
who are no longer able to shower at home. Checks can be
made payable to St. Johns UCC (Circle Center in the memo
line) and can be placed in the offering plate or mailed to St.
Johns. Thank you again for your support

Thank you for your most

generous response to the Angel
Tree requests for gifts for our
adopted St. Johns families this
year. Those who received your
donations want to express their
deeply felt gratitude for your
giving. Their appreciation will last
long after the Christmas season is
over.

CARITAS Here Soon

Our congregation has once again agreed to be an INTAKE
CENTER for CARITAS February 14th through April 17, 2015.
The CARITAS guests will be gathering in our Fellowship Hall
every evening (approx. 4-7pm). We will need lots of volunteers to accomplish our mission of extravagant welcome to
these, our neighbors. Watch for more information and signup sheets.

Exploring Faith through Art

Adults meeting 9:45-10:45 on Sundays will continue to
explore the good news of Jesus birth and early life through
the artwork of John August Swanson. Swanson is known for
his vibrant details and interpretive flourishes. Join the
discussion January 4th and 11th.

Again, thank you!

Christmas Fund
We are continuing to collect funds through January 4th for our
Veterans of the Cross. Funds are used to provide supplemental
monies for pension and health insurance premiums to lowincome retirees as well as emergency assistance to clergy and
lay employees and their families throughout the year. Please
consider giving a gift to help care for those who have cared for
us during their lifetime of ministry to our churches.

Parking Lot Pays Off!

St. Johns youth raised over $350 parking cars for the annual
Dominion Christmas Parade. They plan to use the monies they
collected for youth activities and in support of the church.

Back to Old Testament Times

After celebrating Epiphany on January 4 and Jesus baptism on
January 11, children in the Toddler, Primary, Jr. Youth and
Faith Place classes will return to their study of characters in the
Old Testament. From
mid-January through
February, the focus
will be Moses and the
Israelites. Watch for
burning bushes and
10 commandment
tablets to appear!

4 The Messenger | January 2015

St. Johns Financial Picture YTD as of 11-30-14

2014 Budget

Budget YTD

Actual YTD

Income
Pledge Payments*
Cash Offerings
Other Income
(Endowment Contributions
Parking Lot Rental, Wedding Income, etc.)

$127,000
$22,000
$122,850

$116,417
$20,167
$120,262

$103,978
$13,514
$128,218

Total Income

$271,850

$256,846

$245,710

Personnel
Committees
Operations/Maintenance
Local Benevolences
Other

166,549
22,191
122,390
7,300
9,600

154,826
20,342
113,871
7,258
7,250

152,506
18,326
96,604
5,572
7,250

Total Expenses

328,030

303,547

280,258

Income/Expenses Total
surplus (deficit)

(56,180)

(46,701)

(34,548)

Expenses

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. 2014 Pledge Budget is $126,000. 56 pledges for $118,000 Were pledged.
Year to date have received $103,978

January Lectionary
Readings
Second Sunday after Christmas
January 4, 2015

Jer 31:7-14

First Sunday after Epiphany

January 11, 2015

Isaiah 42:1-9

Second Sunday after Epiphany

January 18, 2015

Isaiah 49:1-7

Third Sunday after Epiphany

January 25, 2015

Isaiah 9:1-4

Ephesians 1:3-14

John 1:10-18

Acts 10:34-43

Matthew 3:13-17

1 Cor. 1:4-9

John 1:29-42

1 Cor. 1:10-18

Matthew 4:12-23

Psalm 147:12-20

Psalm 29

Psalm 40:1-11

Psalm 27:1, 4-9

The Messenger | November 2015

Chili Pot Luck Lunch

January 4, 2015

Our traditional chili competition has

morphed into a chili potluck and recipe
swap this year! This will allow for all those
who love a good bowl of chili to contribute
and taste! On January 4th, bring a pot of
your favorite chili to share after
congregational worship. Stay to enjoy a good meal and help with de-greening the
sanctuary, and dont forget to bring copies of your chili recipe to pass out!
Contact Helena DeLigt at hdeligt@comcast.net or Kim Vann by email at
dancinbearklv@yahoo.com for more information.

De-greening the Church will follow right after the Cook off !

The First
Wedding
of 2015 at
St. John's
Meredith Snow and Brian Daley
Rehearsal and Wedding
on Friday
January 2, 2015
(rehearsal at 10:00 am and
wedding at 6:00 pm)
150 guests

Snowy
Weather
Should we get winter weather
and are forced to cancel worship,
please watch for our listing
on channel 12 TV,
or
call the churchs main phone number at
(804)358-9291
and listen to the recording,
or
check your email for an e-blast.

Welcome
Chris!
Chris Ward
joined
St. Johns in November, and we are so
blessed to have him in our church
family! Chris was born in Minnesota, but
grew up in Connecticut. He came south
to attend the University of Richmond and
has lived in Virginia ever since. Chris
works at Capital One in the Finance
department, and when hes not chasing
Alex around with Abby, he enjoys
movies, cooking, and golf.

St. Johns Community Players has had a very busy and successful 2014 and we are so
grateful for all your support.

St. Johns Players

Richmond, Virginia

This spring, we will present our annual Cabaret.

Our Strolling Cabaret has a performance in honor of Valentines Day.
We will present our Childrens Theater production this summer.
And our main stage production in November will mark the 10th
anniversary for our community theater. We will be bringing back one of our most
successful shows from the past and will make that announcement further into the
year. Thank you again for your continued support!

Fellowship Nursery
Welcome Sound Acolytes
Lay
Team
System
Readers Hosts Helpers
Leader

Facilities

Altar
Guild

TBA

Justin Barbour

Erin Burnette
Geogianne
Stinnett

Jan. 4

Justin
Barbour

David
Pittman

Sean
Barbour

Betsy
Bighinatti
Sarah Allen

Jan. 11

Richard
Bighinatti

Chris Ward

Josh Lyle

Sal Anselmo Cheryl Goode

Erin Burnette

Abby Ward
Chris Ward

Richard
Bighinatti

Cheryl Goode

Jan. 18

Richard
Bighinatti

Chris Ward

Josh Lyle

Scott Siefert
Trey Lyle

Laura Totty

Laura Totty

Richard
Bighinatti

Sonny Darnell

Jan. 25

Lynn Snyder

Dan Mascher

Cammie,
Eddie Allen

Helena
DeLigt
Cheryl Goode

Don Warren

Marjorie and
Justin
Barbour

Fellowship Coordinator:
Tellers Coordinator:
Lay Readers Coordinator:
Altar Guild Coordinator:

Sal Anselmo 358-1696

Bud Higgins 301-5059
Sal Anselmo 358-1696
Sonny Darnell 743-7528

Jeff Jacobs

Tellers

Charlotte
Quick

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!

January 4

January 11

January 18

January 25
Chris and
Abby Ward

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.

2015
1
11:30 am NA Meeting

2
Office
Closed

10 am Wedding Rehearsal
6 pm Wedding

10 am Choir rehearsal

11:30 am NA Meeting
11:30 am NA Meeting

11 am Worship /
COMMUNION
NOON Chili Lunch
De-Greening the church

11

5 pm Card Ministry
7 pm Choir Rehearsal

Office
Closed

14

15

16

17

5 pm Card Ministry

11:30 am NA Meeting

11 am NA Anniversary
Party

7 pm Choir Rehearsal

Office
Closed

21

22

23

24

5 pm Card Ministry

11:30 am NA Meeting

5:30pm Worship/Music
5:30 Search Com

12

9:45 am Faith Formations

13
.

7 pm Church Council
10 am Choir rehearsal

11:30 am NA Meeting

11 am Worship

5:30 Search Com

18

19

20

9:00 am Congregational
Breakfast

9:30 Meet Rev.

Nicholson

10
8:30 am Indian Orthodox
Church

11:30 am NA Meeting
7 pm Choir Rehearsal
5:30 Search Com

9:45 am Faith Formations

10 am Choir rehearsal

Office
Closed

11 am Worship

25

26

27

28

29

30

9:45 am Faith Formations

11:30 am NA Meeting

11:30 am NA Meeting

10 am Choir rehearsal

5 pm Card Ministry

11 am Worship

7 pm Choir Rehears

JANUARY BIRTHDAYS
6
8
10
10
14
14
20

Frieda Walsh
Kathy Freise
Judy Brown
Stephanie Workman
Hank Allen
Suzanne Foltz
Fritz Will, IV

21
22
23
24
25
25

Maude Ganzert
Bruce Miller
Vicky Lyle
Bryan Etter
Joachim Altenkirch
Charlotte Quick

Office
Closed

31