The Epistle of St. John's Presbyterian Church in Houston
July 15, 2026
Dear friends,
I’m on vacation this week and spending some good time with my son as we pack up his storage unit and help him prepare for a big move from New York City to Phoenix. There are plenty of boxes to sort, but I’m grateful for the time together.
While I’m away, I’ll be holding our Summer Quarterly Bible Study in prayer as it begins this Saturday with the Parables study. I hope it will be a rich time of learning, conversation, and fellowship for everyone who gathers.
I’m also deeply grateful to the Rev. Valerie Bell for filling the pulpit and leading worship this weekend. I know you will welcome her warmly.
I’ll miss being with you this weekend and look forward to seeing you when I return to the office this Monday.
Peace,
Pastor Jon
"Parables" ~ Summer Quarterly Bible Study
Join us for our
Summer Quarterly Bible Study, hosted by the
Christian Education Committee, on
Saturday, July 18, 2026, from
8:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. at
St. John’s Presbyterian Church.
People
ages 3 and up are warmly invited to register and participate in a day of learning, fellowship, creativity, and spiritual growth centered on the inspiring theme:
“Parables.”
Throughout the day, participants will explore the stories Jesus told and discover how these timeless teachings continue to shape our faith, challenge our assumptions, and reveal the surprising nature of God’s kingdom.
Children, youth, and adults will enjoy age-appropriate activities, Bible study, discussion, hands-on learning opportunities, and shared fellowship. Lunch and refreshments will be provided.
Whether you are a lifelong student of Scripture or simply curious about the teachings of Jesus, this special day offers an opportunity to grow in faith alongside friends old and new.
Date: Saturday, July 18, 2026
Time: 8:30 a.m. – 2:30 p.m.
Location: St. John’s Presbyterian Church
Ages: 3 and up
Theme:
Parables
Come spend a summer day exploring the stories that continue to transform lives.
Breakfast snacks and lunch will be provided.
If you have questions, please contact Mary Gaber.
Meet Carolyn McEathron,
St. John's Financial Secretary
We are blessed to welcome Carolyn as the volunteer Financial Secretary at St. John’s. Her calm manner and quiet competence have already made a difference in the life of our congregation. We thank God that her friendship with Gerry Jump brought her to St. John’s and that she has now become part of our church family.
Carolyn is a licensed CPA for over 18 years with more than twenty-nine years of accounting experience. She provides a wide range of accounting and tax services, with a focus on small businesses and individuals. As a small business owner herself, Carolyn understands the challenges of starting and running a business. Her firm offers tax planning and preparation, monthly accounting, payroll, software training, and business consulting.
Carolyn is a native Houstonian and long-time Sugar Land resident. She graduated with honors from the University of Houston-Downtown with a B.S. in Accounting and is a member of the Houston Chapter of the Texas Society of Certified Public Accountants. In her spare time, she enjoys time with family and friends, her church, and traveling.
College/Tech Student Update
Ten college/tech students associated with St. John’s will be in school during the upcoming academic year!
One of them is Addie Carrettin, a rising Senior at A&M, majoring in Psychology.
Addie was offered a competitive position in a psychology research lab for the fall semester – hurray, Addie! She also is a volunteer at Breakaway, a nonprofit student ministry organization that gathers every Tuesday night for worship and fellowship, and she meets every Monday night with a Bible study group from her church. Addie just started working as a hostess at Napa Flats Wood Fire Kitchen - if you are in College Station, stop by to say hello! She is not quite sure what she will do after graduation, but she is thinking on it and looking for the Lord’s guidance.
Please keep Addie and the other college/tech students in your prayers.
Celebration
of Holly Darr
Last Saturday, friends gathered at Fadi’s Meyerland Mediterranean Grill to celebrate Holly Darr’s one year of renewed health following her double lung transplant. The lunch went very well, and everyone enjoyed the chance to celebrate this wonderful milestone with Holly. Congratulations to Holly and thanks be to God.
If you have found St. John’s to be a meaningful place of worship and community, you may wish to leave a brief Google review. It is one simple way to help others who are searching for a church home learn a little about our congregation.
Click here to leave a review.
(Currently 4.9 stars from 40 reviews – thank you!)
~*~
We recently received this Google review from Zach, a new member:
"St John's is a lovely and welcoming church that we're very thankful to have found. My wife and I love the traditional liturgy and reverent hymns, the beautiful organ and piano, and the choir! We appreciate the commitment to scripture and the gospel, and how the sermons usually include readings and insights from both the Old and New Testament, and how to consider it within our lives.
There is a Sunday School class for the kids - our son is always excited to show us what they made and tell us about the Bible story he learned that day. The teachers running it are really doing a great job."
...
Here is the reply from Pastor Jon to Zach's review:
"Zach, thank you so much for taking the time to write such a thoughtful review. It means a great deal to all of us.
I especially appreciate your kind words about our worship, music, and preaching. We work hard to keep Christ, Scripture, and the gospel at the center of everything we do, so it is encouraging to know that this has been your family’s experience.
Thank you also for mentioning our children’s Sunday School. Our teachers pour a great deal of love and care into those young hearts, and I know they will be delighted to hear that your son comes home excited to share what he has learned. There are few greater joys for a church than seeing children eager to talk about God’s Word.
Please give our love to your wife and your little ones. We are truly grateful that God led your family to St. John’s, and we look forward to walking alongside you for many years to come.
Grace and peace,
Pastor Jon
Faith in Action Meeting
this Sunday after worship
The Faith in Action Committee will meet this Sunday, July 19, after worship in the Session Room.
Scenes from St. John’s
Photos by Ken Kruger,
St. John's Church Photographer
Healing Hearts
Led by Lisa Sparaco, a licensed clinical social worker and member of our church, Healing Hearts offers a safe, faith-filled place for those walking through grief. The group gathers in the Prayer Room of the Church Office Building to share stories, receive encouragement, and walk together through seasons of loss. As a ministry of St. John’s, its focus is care, prayer, and the comfort of Christian community.
Next Healing Hearts Meeting
Some ideas for Income Tax PLANNING, Volume 1
by Dan Herron
This article is for general educational purposes; please verify the information with the IRS, Social Security Administration, or a qualified tax professional before taking action.
This document is not tax advice. It is for learning about federal income tax ideas and planning NOW for year-end 2026.
This is document 1 of 2. This document discusses income. The 2nd document on deductions and credits will come out next week. This information is probably not for “high earners.”
While you’re having thoughts on income tax for 2026, make a written plan. You can adjust the amounts in your plan each month. The objective is for you to learn things to keep you out of the next higher tax bracket or MAYBE take you down to the next lower tax bracket. Most items must be done in 2026, not in 2027.
Do your plan timely, before it is too late to use. Start now. A plan can help estimate what tax bracket you might be in. Look up the topics.
There are many kinds of 1040 tax forms. Seniors are likely to use the 1040-SR tax form. Choose and print your form from the internet.
Financial things to plan and do, soon:
Social Security…Check for the IRMAA amount you’re paying. Do some research on the amount you’re paying, on your Social Security monthly statement. Look at your 2024 income tax form. Line 11 shows your total income that year. This figure is used by the government for the IRMAA amount you pay in 2026. If your income this year is planned as less than that in 2024, you need to know the tier amounts and file a form W4-V to reduce this higher tier amount you are paying.
The Plan
Some things to put in the new written plan are:
Name and birthdate of you and your spouse. Write in the lines one of these: Married Filing Jointly, Single, or Head of Household. Keep your social security numbers secret.
Use the internet to search for income tax topics, rules, and sample forms.
New tables are available for taxable income levels versus tax percent and also the standard deduction chart. Download and Print these tables.
If your income changed, you picked up a side project, or your filing situation shifted, your withholding estimate from January ’26 may not match reality now in July.
Gold and silver are considered to be “collectibles” with the new rules.
Income (some items): Annual wages and salary. Interest. Several types of capital gains: long term and short term. Dividends. New beginning age for withdrawal of retirement funds. Income from foreign sources. Retirement and RMD payments to you and to your spouse. Your financial firm already knows your RMD amounts. Ask. Gifts. Estate items.
Consider if you are filing your own taxes or using a tax professional. Line up a tax professional now to get more planning help.
Your plan should be organized and written on several pages. Some of the page titles are in this document. Keep up with your plan monthly, and be sure to take the correct actions now and in November,
before the year ends.
These ideas hopefully help you to learn and use the various tax tips that exist.
What I did last year was make a “spreadsheet” with each line item that affected my tax. Group the lines with whatever the source of funds is. I wrote in account names and numbers. I put in a column for the amount from each of these sources. This helped my tax professional to be sure that everything was included and the amounts were written in for verifying and entering onto the tax return.
Updating the plan on a computer file is easier than erasing on paper. In early 2027 your correct amounts will arrive mostly in the mail.
Planning helps your family take advantage of the tax codes. Be sure everything is included and correct. And, perhaps reduce your taxes by your learning the details and rules for your choices.
If you have a relative or youngsters who might need to learn income taxes, help make a plan for them. Do that before your own plan so you have experience on this idea.
Today’s plan will not have many figures in it. It is useful to get things organized correctly and to learn more about your issues on this activity, taxable income.
Keep your plan in a folder. Keep any documents. You don’t have to share your plan with anyone unless you choose to do so.
I could share a blank copy of a 2025 plan which is an Excel document. It is a work in progress. If you would like to see it, my email address is
iseriesse@yahoo.com. Just ask.
There are videos on these tax topics. Some are excellent. Search “Senior Survival Playbook” for a list of several informational topics. Forms and information can be studied and downloaded. The idea is to make a plan so you know what’s coming and take timely advantage of tax rules. The tax tables are necessary to view. If your taxes seem too high, seek knowledge and help in a timely manner, in 2026.
Perhaps we could have a church class on “introduction to income tax?” Part 2, covering deductions, will be available soon.
Good Planning,
Dan Herron
...
Editor’s Note:
This article is shared for general educational purposes and should not be treated as personal tax, financial, or legal advice. Tax rules vary according to individual circumstances and may change. Readers should verify all information with the IRS, Social Security Administration, or a qualified tax professional before taking action.
Form W-4V is used to request voluntary federal income-tax withholding from certain government payments. Requests to lower an income-related monthly adjustment amount following a qualifying life-changing event are generally made through Form SSA-44. Information concerning gifts, retirement withdrawals, precious metals, tax brackets, and IRMAA calculations should receive professional review.
With hearts united in hope, we lift these names into the healing presence of God.
- Cathy, Cindy Bergman’s sister, health
- Family of Harriet Harper
- Gayle Morales, friend of Alice Rubio, recovering from hip surgery
- Jessica Ivete Robles, friend of Alice Rubio, awaiting a kidney transplant
- Shirley Boyd, on the death of her nephew
- Family of Connie Brown
- Phyllis Freeman, receiving hospice care in the Dallas area
- Scenacia Jones and family
- Tom Edmondson, recovering from spinal surgery
- Holly Darr, health concerns
- Kelsey Wiltz, health concerns
- Madalyn Rodgers, sister of Kathleen Captain
- Joe Sanford
- Scott Moore
- Alice Rubio
- St. John’s college students
- Raina Bailey and the families in our PCHAS homes
- One Hope Preschool families and staff
How Can We Pray for You?
If you would like to add a name to the prayer list or keep a current name listed, please reply to this email and let us know. Thank you for helping us care for one another through prayer.
Happy Birthday
Victoria Gorby and Drake Ragan (July 15)
Jennifer Burnham (July 16)
Rose Muanza and Donna Fraser (July 17)
Kathleen Captain and Mike Swint (July 20)
Rebecca Amador (July 23)
Lawrence Johnson (July 24)
Flo Logan and Linda Herron (July 25)
Scenacia Jones (July 26)
Eliora Lehna Caspa (July 28)
Happy Anniversary
James and Libby Adams (July 1)
Brad and Fran Urquhart (July 27)
Doug and Teresa Darr (July 29)
Thursday, July 16
- 5:00 pm Exercise Class in Building 2
Saturday, July 18
- 8:30 am “Parables” Summer Quarterly Bible Study
Sunday, July 19, 8th Sunday after Pentecost
- 9:30 am Sunday School for Adults, Systematic Theology, Session Room
- 11:00 am Worship Service, live in sanctuary and on Facebook
- 1:30 pm Book Study, Zoom
- 3:30pm Girl Scouts in Session Room and Room 203
Coming Events
- Sat, July 18, Quarterly Bible Study (new format for all ages)
- Sun, Aug 9, Blessing of the Backpacks
- Thurs, Oct 1, BIM Gala
Church Calendar Online
Stories Jesus Told
That We're Still
Figuring Out
July 26 – "The Buried Treasure"
- OT: Proverbs 2:1-5 (Search for wisdom like hidden treasure)
- NT: Matthew 13:44 (Man sells everything for field with treasure)
August 2 – "Ten Girls and One Door"
- OT: Song of Solomon 5:2-6 (Beloved knocks, but the bride delays)
- NT: Matthew 25:1-13 (Wise and foolish bridesmaids)
August 9 – "The Final Accounting"
- OT: Amos 5:21-24 (Let justice roll down like waters)
- NT: Matthew 25:31-46 (Sheep and goats: when did we see you?)
Church Office Hours & Contact Information
The church office is open Monday through Thursday from 10:00 a.m. to noon. Pastor Jon is typically available Monday and Tuesday mornings, Alvina Hamilton serves on Wednesdays, and Linda Herron staffs the office on Thursdays.
For assistance, call 713-723-6262.
To submit prayer requests or articles for the Wednesday Epistle, email Pastor Jon and include “Epistle” in the subject line.
Church Website & Calendar
Visit our website for worship information, ministries, and church news:
www.stjohnspresby.org
For upcoming events and schedules, see the church calendar:
www.stjohnspresby.org/events
- To add an event to the calendar or submit an article for
The Epistle, email Pastor
Jon.
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