Coming Sunday, June 7

This Sunday Pastor Andy Bartel brings the message “All That You Can’t Leave Behind.” Services are at 8:00, 9:15, and 11:30 with the last two services being livestreamed on our YouTube channel.

Pride Potluck is Friday, June 5

Join us on June 5 for a Pride Potluck in the Park. We will gather at the Goose Lake picnic shelter to converse and play games. Dinner will begin around 6:30.

Serve Our Neighbor Sunday is this week

We are requesting socks, footwear and bug spray. Please help assemble health and safety kits in between the services. 

Alaska School of Theology

Shelly Rambo is leading a discussion on Trauma Responsive Congregations from June 19-20. This series explores how congregations can become sites for healing in response to the realities of trauma shaping our collective life. It seeks to foster awareness of trauma’s cultural and intergenerational impact, to acknowledge the legacies of spiritual harm enacted within church spaces, and to forge paths of healing resourced by our faith traditions. Drawing on her work with congregations, Shelly Rambo brings interdisciplinary trauma research into conversation with theological reflection, exploring how congregations can draw on resources already present within their traditions to offer trauma-responsive care. Through trauma-informed readings of sacred texts, this series invites people of faith to move beyond quick-fix responses and cultivate ministries shaped by depth, attentiveness, and hope. View the video description here.

Early bird registration prior to June 1 is $100 for both Friday and Saturday. After June 1, the cost for registering for Friday and Saturday is $150. If you wish to participate online only the cost is $75. The online experience will involve both livestream and breakout rooms for discussions.

Childcare is available. If you have questions, contact Colleen Runty. Click here to register.

St. John Garage Sale

Do you have extra clothing, puzzles, books or household items to pare down? We will gladly accept them for St. John UMC's annual Garage Sale to support new well construction in Cameroon. Most any item is accepted; please no mattresses, electronic waste or large appliances. Donations can be dropped off Sunday through Friday, May 31 to June 5, from 10 a.m. - 6 p.m. Learn more and see videos and photos of well construction in our Cameroon June update here.

Join us for the Family Campout at Eklutna

St. John UMC and Chugiak UMC are camping together on June 19 - 22! Eklutna Campground group site B is reserved for our church June 19, 20, and 21. Families and individuals with RVs and tents are invited. Stay one night or all three nights! A donation of $20 per night is suggested. These are non-electric sites. Check-in any time after noon on Friday, June 19. Check-out is by 11 a.m. Monday, June 22. Register here to let us know you are coming!

Saving Us Summer Book Study

Join Lia Slemons and Teri Inch on Wednesday evenings from 6:30-7:30, June 3 – August 5. The author, Katharine Hayhoe, is a Christian and a Climate Scientist. She makes a case for hope and healing in a divided world regarding climate. She has a hopeful message that the most important thing you can do to address climate change is to talk about it. In this book Katharine will teach you how with research and stories. Saving Us gives tools to engage across the political spectrum in a kind way. Class will meet at St. John in Room 160 as well ad using Zoom. To register, contact Teri Inch or the church office.

Sunday Storytelling

Tess Vandiver and Colleen Runty will be hosting space for intergenerational storytelling every Sunday in June from 10:30 -11:20 a.m. We'll be meeting in the Fellowship Hall and new story prompts will be given every week. Come fellowship in a different way.

Greeters needed!

Are you looking for a chance to get involved at St. John, meet new friends, and be a welcoming presence in the community? If any of those apply to you, you’re ready to be a greeter on Sunday mornings! We’re hoping to get as many folks as possible involved, so if you’re available even one Sunday this year, reach out to Pastor Adam at pastoradam@stjohnanchorage.org and they will get you on the schedule!

Worship band song list is growing on Spotify

Our praise band literally ROCKS! Do you love singing along with them on Sundays but are not sure how the song goes? Well, now you can practice ahead of time! Our band leaders post Sunday's songs on a Spotify list a few days before worship. You can view this week’s songs or choose from a growing library of songs the praise band plays here. You'll need a Spotify account to listen (it's free).

Cookies for Sundays

Fellowship time is better with a cookie! Can you help supply cookies for one Sunday? Sign up here to bring 3 dozen peanut-free/nut-free cookies - they can be homemade or store-bought. Cookies will need to be brought to the church by 10 a.m. Sunday, or by noon Friday.

Monthly Mobile Food Pantry

St. John’s Mobile Food Pantry is every 3rd Thursday of the month at 5 p.m. in the church parking lot. The next one is June 18. To volunteer at St. John’s MFP, sign up here.

To find other resources for food in Southcentral, check the Food Bank of Alaska website or F.I.S.H. (Friends in Serving Humanity). For other types of assistance, call 2-1-1 or go to Alaska211.org.

Do you have our church app?

St. John has a church app! Find all the important things in one place – current events, our Giving link, the Connect Card, the newsletter, the prayer chain and more. If you enable notifications, you can receive important announcements such as “Wednesday Night Supper and activities canceled due to snowstorm.” (We promise not to blast out too many notifications.)

Interested? Go to your app store and search for Ministry Keeper. The logo is gold with a black MK (see image above). Or use the links here for Apple and Android. When searching for our church, type in St. John United Methodist Church – and be sure to include the period in “St.” Check it out and let us know what you think!