The Epistle for September 3, 2025

Dealing with Grief as a Christian

Finding faith through tragedy devotionals on grief

The Epistle for March 25, 2026 St. John's Presbyterian Church in Houston, Texas Holy Week Is Almost Here: Don't Miss a Single Day Dear friends, Holy Week arrives this year with a full schedule, and I want to make sure you know what's coming so you don't miss anything. We actually get started this Saturday. In the morning, from 8:30 AM to 2 PM, we're holding our Quarterly Bible Study in the Session Room. The topic this time is Salvation. Big word. We'll take our time with it. Then at 10 AM, One Hope Preschool is hosting their Easter Egg Hunt out in their courtyard on the West Bellfort side of McPhail Hall. This is a community event, which means a lot of young families will be on our campus that morning. Come say hello if you're around. It's good for neighbors to see us being neighborly. Palm Sunday is March 29 at 11 AM. Come wave a palm branch. I know that sounds a little silly if you've never done it, but there's something about that moment, the whole congregation holding green palms, that gets me every year. Then that same afternoon at 3 PM, we close out our Lenten Arts Series with the final concert of the season. It's been a meaningful run this year. A good way to spend a Sunday. Maundy Thursday is April 2 at 7 PM. This service is quieter than the others. Smaller. We gather around the table where Jesus gathered with his friends on his last night, and we share communion together. If you've never come to a Maundy Thursday service, I'd really encourage you to try it. Something about sitting in that particular darkness makes Easter Sunday morning feel completely different. And then Easter, April 5 at 11 AM. The whole thing. Every bell, every hallelujah, every reason we've been walking through this season together. You are welcome here. Bring someone with you if you can. Peace, Pastor Jon Quarterly Bible Study: Salvation Perhaps the most important question we can ask ourselves is whether we are saved. Paul tells us: “5 Examine yourselves to see whether you are living in the faith. Test yourselves.” (2 Corinthians 13:5). And Peter tells us: “. . . be even more diligent to make your call and election sure . . .” (2 Peter 1:10). But saved from what? What does it mean to be saved? The Christian Education Committee is offering a time for us to explore what is meant by biblical salvation. We will cover the following topics: What is salvation? How are we saved? Can we have assurance of our salvation? Can we lose our salvation? How should salvation manifest itself in our lives? The class will be on Saturday, 28 Mar from 8:30am to 2:00pm. Lunch will be provided. A sign up roster is in the narthex. Please sign up so we know how many people for materials and lunch. Hope to see you there! 🐰 A Morning of Giggles and Golden Eggs! Oh, friends, get ready to wiggle your bunny ears! Our wonderful friends at One Hope Schools are hosting a super-duper Easter EGGstravaganza , and it’s going to be just as sweet as a jellybean! On Saturday, March 28th, from 10:00 AM to 12:00 PM , our community will be filled with the sound of happy feet pitter-pattering through the grass in search of hidden treasures. It’s a morning made for sunshine, smiles, and sharing the joy of the season with all our neighbors. 💖 Be a Special Helper (Sponsorships!) Do you want to help make the magic happen? We are looking for "Egg-stra" special sponsors to help make this day wonderful for all the families in our community! There are five special ways to help, named after pretty jewels and colors: Diamond ($2500) 💎 Platinum ($1000) 🥈 Gold ($500) 🌟 Silver ($250) ⚪ Bronze ($100) 🥉 When you help out, your name or logo gets to go on a big, colorful banner and even on the event t-shirts! You can even have your very own booth at the event to say "Hi!" to everyone. Most importantly, you’ll be helping spread so much love and hope to our local families. ✨ How to Join the Fun It’s as easy as pie! Just take your phone and scan the little QR code on the flyer to sign up. Whether you want to sponsor or just come play, we can't wait to see your happy faces there! Let’s fill the day with kindness and celebrate the beautiful hope that Easter brings to every little heart. A Celestial Grand Finale: The Stars Resonate 3:00 PM this Sunday in the Sanctuary Prepare to be transported beyond the terrestrial as the St. John’s Lenten Arts Series reaches its zenith. Our final concert, aptly titled "The Stars Resonate," promises an afternoon of profound auditory splendor, featuring the virtuosic talents of Trio Oriens . This isn't merely a performance; it is a curated pilgrimage through the cosmos of human emotion, blending the fiery passion of the Southern Hemisphere with the ethereal mysteries of the celestial spheres. The program is a masterwork of stylistic breadth. We begin with Astor Piazzolla’s Four Seasons of Buenos Aires , where the trio will navigate the sultry, syncopated rhythms of Nuevo Tango , demanding a rigorous mastery of chromaticism and rhythmic drive. This is followed by the evocative, contemporary textures of Jenny Xiong’s And the Remnants of a Temple for piano trio , a piece that invites us to find sacred echoes in silence and structure. Finally, we ascend with a transcendent arrangement of Gustav Holst’s The Planets , a work of immense harmonic complexity and planetary grandeur that will surely vibrate through the very rafters of our sanctuary. Witness the symbiotic interplay between I-Ling Chen's crystalline piano phrasing, Olive Chen's resonant, soulful cello lines, and the soaring, lyrical brilliance of guest violinist Aija Izaks . Their technical precision and interpretive depth offer a rare opportunity to experience chamber music at its most sublime. ⚠️ Important Schedule Note Please note a departure from our usual schedule: to accommodate the majestic scope of this finale, the concert will commence at 3:00 PM on Sunday, March 29th, 2026 . Join us at St. John’s Presbyterian Church for this celestial encounter. Let the music serve as your final Lenten meditation, guiding you toward the light of the coming season through the resonance of the stars. Easter Lilies For $12 take one home Sign up sheet in narthex Help bring a visual feast to our sanctuary this Easter by purchasing an Easter Lily to adorn our worship center. It is a beautiful reminder of what our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ provides to each of us – fragrant and splendid grace. Offered by the Brookwood Community, these lilies will have 4 or more blooms on each stem and reach a height of 18-20 inches. As many of you know, Brookwood provides an educational environment that creates meaningful work, builds a sense of belonging, and awakens genuine purpose in the lives of adults with disabilities. This is a wonderful mission outreach for us. At $12 per plant, we ask that you place your check made payable to St. John’s Presbyterian Church in our collection basket with ‘lily purchase’ marked in its memo section. They will also be available for purchase on Easter Sunday if not all of them are claimed. First come, first served since only 36 have been ordered. Food Train for Scenacia Jones’ Family One of the quiet strengths of a real church community is that when someone is struggling, people step in and help. Meals appear. Prayers rise. The burden becomes shared. Right now, Scenacia Jones’ son Nyjel is experiencing increased health problems , and the family is carrying a heavy load. Our congregation is organizing a Food Train so that meals can be delivered to help support them during this difficult time. If you would like to help, you can sign up to provide a meal for the family. It is a simple act of kindness that can make a long week much easier for someone walking through a hard season. To participate, please sign up using the link below or contact: Mindi Stanley mstanley@bcm.edu 832-247-4086 Use this link to sign up for the Food Train for Scenacia Jones’ family . PCHAS Luncheon - Register Now - Details Below "Hope Outlives Hardship" is the theme for the annual luncheon for PCHAS at the Lakeside Country Club (100 Wilcrest Dr., 77042). The April 16th one-hour noon-time program provides an update on the many services PCHAS provides in Texas, Louisiana and Missouri through heartwarming examples of how lives are changed. St. John’s ties to PCHAS go back many years, but especially since partnering with their Single Parent Program beginning in 2012. Do you feel a sense of pride when someone in the community comments or asks about these duplexes? We hope to fill (at least) two tables (of 10-11 guests) for this annual major fundraising event here in Houston for PCHAS. Special diets are available on request. Yes, you will have an opportunity to donate toward this amazing ministry should you so choose, but it is not required! Many who have attended in the past have already received email or snail-mail notifications. More information will be in the Epistles and announcements during worship services through mid-April. Those interested in attending are asked to register either directly to Marla Endieveri at the PCHS Office here in N.W. Houston(832-241-5921), or on-line (marla.endieveri@pchas.org); by calling or texting Shirley at 713-598-0818; by calling or texting Ann Hardy at 713-240-2690; or by leaving a message at the church office (713-723-6262) no later than April 11. Please consider attending this special time of fellowship and hope! One Great Hour of Sharing special offering Around the world, millions of people lack access to sustainable food sources, clean water, sanitation, education, and opportunity. The work done in support of the causes supported by One Great Hour of Sharing (OGHS) — disaster, hunger, poverty, climate change, and immigration/migration and refugees — serves individuals and communities in need. This work provides people with safety, sustenance, and hope. This Offering helps to improve the lives of people in these challenging situations. Envelopes are at the back of the sanctuary. Important Notice:McPhail Hall Temporarily Closed We recently discovered that several ceiling tiles had fallen in McPhail Hall. Unfortunately, additional tiles fell later in the week. While we have cleaned the area and secured the immediate surroundings, our top priority is the safety of our congregation and guests. Therefore, all events scheduled in McPhail Hall are canceled until further notice while we investigate the cause and ensure the space is fully safe for use. We apologize for the inconvenience and will provide updates as soon as we know more. Men of the Church The next meeting of the Men of the Church will be 1 April at 6:30 PM in the Session Room. Come for a time of study and service projects that benefit the church. Healing Hearts: A Ministry of Care and Encouragement Healing Hearts will meet in the church office building in the Prayer Room of the church office building. Healing Hearts is a grief and bereavement support group. Led by Lisa Sparaco , a Licensed Clinical Social Worker and member of our church, this group will provide a safe and faith-filled space for sharing stories, receiving encouragement, and walking together through seasons of loss. This is not a therapy group, but a ministry of care and prayer for all who grieve. Next Meeting for Healing Hearts Monday, March 30th, 11:00 AM to 12:00 Noon in the Prayer Room Prayer List With hearts united in hope, we lift these names into the healing presence of God. Glen Risley, recovering from surgery Scenacia Jones family Gerry Jump, Brazos Towers Family of Sue Benn Tom Edmondson, recovering from spinal surgery Holly Darr, health concerns Karen Alsbrook, health Kelsey Wiltz, health concerns Glen Risley, health concerns Madalyn Rodgers, Kathleen Captain's sister Joe Sanford, Scott Moore and Alice Rubio Those looking for a job St. Johns College Students Raina Bailey and the families in our PCHAS homes One Hope Preschool families and staff Caring for One Another in Prayer Our prayer list is a vital way we support one another, lifting up joys and concerns before God. From time to time, we update the list to ensure it reflects current needs. If a name has been removed and you would like it added back, please reply to this email and let us know who they are and why you would like them included. Your input helps us pray more intentionally and stay connected to those in need of ongoing support. Thank you for being part of this ministry of care and intercession. Prayer List Update – How Can We Pray for You? As part of our commitment to intentional and meaningful prayer, we periodically refresh our prayer list to ensure we are staying connected with those who need support. If you or someone you previously requested would like to remain on the prayer list, or if you have a new name to add, please reply to this email and let us know. We are grateful for the opportunity to pray with and for you. Happy Birthday Madeline Graeter (March 29) Olive Mfobujong (March 30) Happy Anniversary Tad and Andra Mulder (March 25) Church Calendar Thursday, March 26 5:00 pm Exercise Class in Building 2 Saturday, March 28 8:30 am Quarterly Bible Study, Session Room 10:00 am One Hope Preschool Easter Party, Courtyard Sunday, March 29, Palm Sunday 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 on Zoom 3:00 pm Lenten Arts Series, Sanctuary Coming Soon Saturday, March 28 , Quarterly Bible Study: Salvation, 8:30 am Saturday, March 28 , One Hope Easter Party, Courtyard, 10 am Sunday March 29 , Palm Sunday, Lenten Arts Concert, Trio Orients, 4 pm Monday, March 30 , Healing Hearts, 11 am Wednesday, April 1 , Men’s Group, 6:30 pm Thursday, April 2 , Maundy Thursday Service, 7 pm, Sanctuary Sunday, April 5 , Easter Sunday Sunday, May 31 , CE Brunch: Senior Sunday and Teacher Appreciation Saturday, June 20 , Quarterly Bible Study (new format for all ages) Church Calendar Online For other dates, see St. John’s Calendar online: https://www.stjohnspresby.org/events/ LENTEN SERMON SERIES Wilderness Sabbath: Six Weeks of Desert Wisdom Concludes this Sunday March 29 – Palm/Passion Sunday "The Road to the City" OT: Isaiah 50:4-9a (The servant's suffering) NT: Matthew 21:1-11 (Triumphal entry) and Matthew 26-27 (Passion narrative) Six weeks in the desert. Six weeks of sand and silence and the kind of stillness that strips you down to what's actually true. This Sunday, March 29th, the road leads out of the wilderness and straight into Jerusalem. "The Road to the City" is where our Wilderness Sabbath series ends, and it ends the way Holy Week always ends: with palm branches and shouting and a crowd that has no idea what's actually coming. We'll sit with Isaiah's Suffering Servant and then walk with Jesus through Matthew 21, from the parade to the passion, from the hosannas to the shadows of what follows. It's a lot to hold in one morning. That's the point. If you've been with us through Lent, you know this journey has asked something of us. This Sunday asks a little more. Come ready for that. Tap Here to leave a quick Google Review for St. John's Presbyterian Church 👉 Tap here to leave a review: [ Direct Google Review Link ] (Currently 4.9 stars from 37 reviews – thank you!) Resurrection Disruptions Coming Soon to St. John's New Sermon Series Starts on Easter Sunday! Most Easter sermons make a promise the people in the pews already know is hard to keep. Death is defeated. Christ has risen. Hallelujah. And then Monday arrives. And the diagnosis is still real. The grief hasn't lifted. The loss is still just... there. This Easter season at St. John's, we're going to be honest about that tension. The sermon series is called "Resurrection Disruption: When Death Gets Interrupted," and the central claim is this: Easter Sunday announces something more specific than "death lost." What it announces is that death got interrupted. Mid-sentence. A clause inserted into the story that changes everything after it, without pretending the story was never started. That might sound like a small distinction. I promise it isn't. We're going to spend eight Sundays together, from Easter all the way through Pentecost in mid-May, tracing this pattern across both the Old and New Testaments. Ezekiel in a valley of dry bones. Thomas with his hand near a wound. Three men walking out of a furnace not smelling of smoke. Disciples huddled in a locked room while the risen Jesus stands in the middle of them. Each week is a disruption story. Each week God shows up for someone who wasn't ready, wasn't expecting it, and probably wasn't facing the right direction when it happened. That pattern matters. Because most of us, if we're honest, aren't facing the right direction most of the time either. The series runs Easter Sunday through the Day of Pentecost, and the eight messages follow the shape of grief in a way that surprised even me when I saw it. We start with the disorientation of early Easter morning and end, eight weeks later, with the disciples finally breathing out what God breathed into them. The arc moves from receiving to sending, from silence to fire, from a sealed tomb to a wide open street. If you've ever wondered whether faith has anything real to say to people who are actually suffering, these eight weeks are going to give you a lot to hold onto. Bring a friend. Bring whoever in your life is carrying something heavy this spring. We'll start where we always start, at an empty tomb, and see where the risen Christ takes us from there. Church Office Hours and Contact Info Our church office is normally open Monday through Thursday, from 10:00 a.m. to noon. Pastor Jon is typically available on Monday and Tuesday mornings, Alvina Hamilton serves on Wednesdays, and Linda Herron staffs the office on Thursdays. If you need assistance outside of these hours, please don’t hesitate to call us at 713-723-6262. To submit updates for the Prayer List or contributions to the Wednesday Epistle , kindly email Pastor Jon directly . Put "Epistle" in the subject line to make sure it gets in the Epistle. Church Website and Calendar Online Our church website: https://www.stjohnspresby.org/ For dates, times, and events, see St. John’s Calendar online: https://www.stjohnspresby.org/events/ Email Pastor Jon to request an addition to the church calendar or to add an event or article to The Epistle. 

St. John's Presbyterian Church in Houston  Invitation to Worship Fifth Sunday in Lent March 22, 2026 This Sunday we are sitting with one of the strangest images in all of Scripture. A valley full of dry bones. Not just a few bones scattered here and there. The prophet Ezekiel describes very many bones, and they were very dry. That detail matters. Whatever hope there had been, it had been gone a long time. God asks Ezekiel a question that sounds almost cruel: "Can these bones live?" Ezekiel, to his credit, does not pretend to know. He says, "O Lord God, you know." That is one of the most honest things anyone ever says in the Bible. And I think it's the right answer for most of us on most days. Some of you are carrying something dry right now. A relationship that went quiet. A faith that used to feel alive but lately feels like going through the motions. A dream you buried so carefully you stopped looking at the spot where you put it. Lent is a good season for that kind of honesty. And then we will turn to John 11, where Jesus stands outside a tomb, four days too late by any reasonable measure. Martha says what we would all say. "Lord, if you had been here..." She means well. We all mean well when we say something like that to God. What she does not yet know is that being four days late is not a problem for the one who called himself the resurrection and the life. Jesus wept. I never want to rush past that. Two of the shortest words in the New Testament, and they carry more weight than whole sermons. Then he said, "Lazarus, come out." That is what we are gathering around this Sunday. The God who breathes into dry bones. The God who calls the dead by name. The Spirit that blows through the wilderness and stirs things that have gone still. Our organist Alina Klimaszewska will open worship, and we will sing the old hymn dating back to the Year of Our Lord: 1707, "Come, Holy Spirit, Heavenly Dove." That hymn, composed by Isaac Watts, has been honest about cold hearts and dying devotion for about three hundred years. We will be in good company. Worship begins at 11:00 AM. Our Sunday morning Bible Study meets at 9:30 AM if you want to come early and dig in before the service. We are at 5020 West Bellfort Avenue in Houston, zip 77035. If you have questions, call us at (713) 723-6262. Come as you are. Dry bones welcome. Peace of Christ be with you, Pastor Jon Burnham St. John's Presbyterian Church, Houston 5020 West Bellfort Avenue Houston, TX 77035 (713) 723-6262 P.S. The service will be live-streamed on our church website and on our St. John's Facebook page . St. John's Presbyterian Bulletin March 22, 2026, Fifth Sunday in Lent Gathering Prelude, Alina Klimaszewska, organ *Call To Worship, The Rev. Dr. Jon Burnham Leader: Can these bones live? People: Only you know, O Lord. Leader: Can what is dead rise again? People: Only you can breathe life into dust. Leader: Come, people of God, breathe deep, People: The Spirit moves over the valley of the dead. Opening Prayer *Hymn 279 Come, Holy Spirit, Heavenly Dove 1 Come, Holy Spirit, heavenly Dove, with all thy quickening powers; kindle a flame of sacred love in these cold hearts of ours. 2 In vain we tune our formal songs; in vain we strive to rise; hosannas languish on our tongues, and our devotion dies. 3 Dear Lord, and shall we ever live at this poor dying rate? Our love so faint, so cold to thee, and thine to us so great! 4 Come, Holy Spirit, heavenly Dove, with all thy quickening powers; come, shed abroad a Savior's love, a nd that shall kindle ours. Prayer of Confession, Ann Hardy, Liturgist God of the living, we confess that we have made peace with death. We see bones and assume the story is over. We see tombs and forget you roll away stones. We have given up on relationships, on dreams, on the possibility that what is dead in us might live again. Forgive our settled despair. Forgive the ways we've stopped hoping, stopped trying, stopped believing in your power to resurrect what we've buried. Breathe on these dry bones. Raise us to life. In Jesus' name, we pray. Amen. (Silent Confession) Assurance of Pardon *Glory Be to the Father, Hymn 581 *Passing the Peace The Word Prayer for Illumination First Scripture Reading, Ezekiel 37:1-14 The hand of the Lord came upon me, and he brought me out by the spirit of the Lord and set me down in the middle of a valley; it was full of bones. He led me all around them; there were very many lying in the valley, and they were very dry. He said to me, “Mortal, can these bones live?” I answered, “O Lord God, you know.” Then he said to me, “Prophesy to these bones, and say to them: O dry bones, hear the word of the Lord. Thus says the Lord God to these bones: I will cause breath to enter you, and you shall live. I will lay sinews on you, and will cause flesh to come upon you, and cover you with skin, and put breath in you, and you shall live; and you shall know that I am the Lord.” So I prophesied as I had been commanded; and as I prophesied, suddenly there was a noise, a rattling, and the bones came together, bone to its bone. I looked, and there were sinews on them, and flesh had come upon them, and skin had covered them; but there was no breath in them. Then he said to me, “Prophesy to the breath, prophesy, mortal, and say to the breath: Thus says the Lord God: Come from the four winds, O breath, and breathe upon these slain, that they may live.” I prophesied as he commanded me, and the breath came into them, and they lived, and stood on their feet, a vast multitude. Then he said to me, “Mortal, these bones are the whole house of Israel. They say, ‘Our bones are dried up, and our hope is lost; we are cut off completely.’ Therefore prophesy, and say to them, Thus says the Lord God: I am going to open your graves, and bring you up from your graves, O my people; and I will bring you back to the land of Israel. And you shall know that I am the Lord, when I open your graves, and bring you up from your graves, O my people. I will put my spirit within you, and you shall live, and I will place you on your own soil; then you shall know that I, the Lord, have spoken and will act,” says the Lord.’ Anthem Sermon Scripture, John 11:1-45 Now a certain man was ill, Lazarus of Bethany, the village of Mary and her sister Martha. Mary was the one who anointed the Lord with perfume and wiped his feet with her hair; her brother Lazarus was ill. So the sisters sent a message to Jesus, “Lord, he whom you love is ill.” But when Jesus heard it, he said, “This illness does not lead to death; rather it is for God’s glory, so that the Son of God may be glorified through it.” Accordingly, though Jesus loved Martha and her sister and Lazarus, after having heard that Lazarus was ill, he stayed two days longer in the place where he was. Then after this he said to the disciples, “Let us go to Judea again.” The disciples said to him, “Rabbi, the Jews were just now trying to stone you, and are you going there again?” Jesus answered, “Are there not twelve hours of daylight? Those who walk during the day do not stumble, because they see the light of this world. But those who walk at night stumble, because the light is not in them.” After saying this, he told them, “Our friend Lazarus has fallen asleep, but I am going there to awaken him.” The disciples said to him, “Lord, if he has fallen asleep, he will be all right.” Jesus, however, had been speaking about his death, but they thought that he was referring merely to sleep. Then Jesus told them plainly, “Lazarus is dead. For your sake I am glad I was not there, so that you may believe. But let us go to him.” Thomas, who was called the Twin, said to his fellow disciples, “Let us also go, that we may die with him.” When Jesus arrived, he found that Lazarus had already been in the tomb four days. Now Bethany was near Jerusalem, some two miles away, and many of the Jews had come to Martha and Mary to console them about their brother. When Martha heard that Jesus was coming, she went and met him, while Mary stayed at home. Martha said to Jesus, “Lord, if you had been here, my brother would not have died. But even now I know that God will give you whatever you ask of him.” Jesus said to her, “Your brother will rise again.” Martha said to him, “I know that he will rise again in the resurrection on the last day.” Jesus said to her, “I am the resurrection and the life. Those who believe in me, even though they die, will live, and everyone who lives and believes in me will never die. Do you believe this?” She said to him, “Yes, Lord, I believe that you are the Messiah, the Son of God, the one coming into the world.” When she had said this, she went back and called her sister Mary, and told her privately, “The Teacher is here and is calling for you.” And when she heard it, she got up quickly and went to him. Now Jesus had not yet come to the village, but was still at the place where Martha had met him. The Jews who were with her in the house, consoling her, saw Mary get up quickly and go out. They followed her because they thought that she was going to the tomb to weep there. When Mary came where Jesus was and saw him, she knelt at his feet and said to him, “Lord, if you had been here, my brother would not have died.” When Jesus saw her weeping, and the Jews who came with her also weeping, he was greatly disturbed in spirit and deeply moved. He said, “Where have you laid him?” They said to him, “Lord, come and see.” Jesus began to weep. So the Jews said, “See how he loved him!” But some of them said, “Could not he who opened the eyes of the blind man have kept this man from dying?” Then Jesus, again greatly disturbed, came to the tomb. It was a cave, and a stone was lying against it. Jesus said, “Take away the stone.” Martha, the sister of the dead man, said to him, “Lord, already there is a stench because he has been dead four days.” Jesus said to her, “Did I not tell you that if you believed, you would see the glory of God?” So they took away the stone. And Jesus looked upward and said, “Father, I thank you for having heard me. I knew that you always hear me, but I have said this for the sake of the crowd standing here, so that they may believe that you sent me.” When he had said this, he cried with a loud voice, “Lazarus, come out!” The dead man came out, his hands and feet bound with strips of cloth, and his face wrapped in a cloth. Jesus said to them, “Unbind him, and let him go.” Many of the Jews therefore, who had come with Mary and had seen what Jesus did, believed in him. The Word of the Lord for us today. Thanks be to God. Sermon, Breath in Dry Bones The Rev. Dr. Jon Burnham *Hymn 286 Breathe on Me, Breath of God 1 Breathe on me, Breath of God; fill me with life anew, that I may love what thou dost love, and do what thou wouldst do. 2 Breathe on me, Breath of God, until my heart is pure, until with thee I will one will, to do and to endure. 3 Breathe on me, Breath of God, till I am wholly thine, until this earthly part of me glows with thy fire divine. 4 Breathe on me, Breath of God, so shall I never die, but live with thee the perfect life of thine eternity. The Apostles’ Creed, Prayers of the People Lord’s Prayer Welcome and Announcements Offering *Doxology, Hymn 609 *Prayer after the Offering Sending *Hymn 291 Spirit, Spirit of Gentleness (verses 1, 2, and 4) Refrain: Spirit, spirit of gentleness, blow through the wilderness, calling and free. Spirit, spirit of restlessness, stir me from placidness, wind, wind on the sea. 1 You moved on the waters; you called to the deep; then you coaxed up the mountains from the valleys of sleep; and over the eons you called to each thing, "Awake from your slumbers and rise on your wings." (Refrain) 2 You swept through the desert; you stung with the sand; and you goaded your people with a law and a land. When they were confounded with idols and lies, then you spoke through your prophets to open their eyes. (Refrain) 4 You call from tomorrow; you break ancient schemes; from the bondage of sorrow the captives dream dreams. Our women see visions; our men clear their eyes. With bold new decisions your people arise. (Refrain) *Benediction Postlude Announcements Food Train for Scenacia Jones’ Family Scenacia Jones’ son Nyjel is having increased health problems. We are organizing a “food train” of meals for the family. If you would like to help, please sign up at the link below or contact Mindi Stanley at mstanley@bcm.edu or 832-247-4086. [ Link to sign up for Food Train for Scenacia Jone's family. ] Quarterly Bible Study: Salvation Perhaps the most important question we can ask ourselves is whether we are saved. Paul tells us: “5 Examine yourselves to see whether you are living in the faith. Test yourselves.” (2 Corinthians 13:5). And Peter tells us: “. . . be even more diligent to make your call and election sure . . .” (2 Peter 1:10). But saved from what? What does it mean to be saved? The Christian Education Committee is offering a time for us to explore what is meant by biblical salvation. We will cover the following topics: What is salvation? How are we saved? Can we have assurance of our salvation? Can we lose our salvation? How should salvation manifest itself in our lives? The class will be on Saturday, 28 Mar from 8:30am to 2:00pm. Lunch will be provided. A sign up roster is in the narthex. Please sign up so we know how many people for materials and lunch. Hope to see you there! Lenten Arts Series, March 29. 3 pm, NEW TIME! (Not 4 pm) Trio Oriens will once again present a program of exceptional beauty and artistry. Remember the NEW TIME, and don’t miss this final concert of our Lenten Arts Series. One Hope Preschool Easter Baskets. One Hope is collecting pre-filled, age-appropriate Easter eggs for their Ester Egg Hunt on March 28. All are invited. Our donations will bring joy to little egg hunters. Donations accepted until March 26. Join Us for Our One Hope Schools Eggstravaganza! Mark your calendars for March 28th — it’s going to be an egg-citing day filled with fun, smiles, and plenty of Easter surprises for the children of all ages and families of our Westbury community! This is a FREE community event, and we’d love your support. If you or your business would like to sponsor, please reach out. Your sponsorship helps us create a magical experience for our families and keeps this special event possible Let’s make this Easter unforgettable together. PCHAS Luncheon - Register Now - Details Below. "Hope Outlives Hardship" is the theme for the annual luncheon for PCHAS at the Lakeside Country Club (100 Wilcrest Dr., 77042). The April 16th one-hour noon-time program provides an update on the many services PCHAS provides in Texas, Louisiana and Missouri through heartwarming examples of how lives are changed. St. John’s ties to PCHAS go back many years, but especially since partnering with their Single Parent Program beginning in 2012. Do you feel a sense of pride when someone in the community comments or asks about these duplexes? We hope to fill (at least) two tables (of 10-11 guests) for this annual major fundraising event here in Houston for PCHAS. Special diets are available on request. Yes, you will have an opportunity to donate toward this amazing ministry should you so choose, but it is not required! Many who have attended in the past have already received email or snail-mail notifications. More information will be in the Epistles and announcements during worship services through mid-April. Those interested in attending are asked to register either directly to Marla Endieveri at the PCHS Office here in N.W. Houston(832-241-5921), or on-line (marla.endieveri@pchas.org); by calling or texting Shirley at 713-598-0818; by calling or texting Ann Hardy at 713-240-2690; or by leaving a message at the church office (713-723-6262) no later than April 11. Please consider attending this special time of fellowship and hope! Elder Shepherding Circles update (March 21). Earlier this year our Session spent time together on retreat reflecting on what kind of church St. John’s is called to be in this season of our life together. One conviction kept rising to the surface. We want to be a congregation where people are truly known and cared for, not just greeted at the door on Sunday morning. In a busy world where it is easy to drift apart without meaning to, we believe the church can be one of the places where people stay connected in real and personal ways. Out of that conversation the Session began what we are calling Elder Shepherding Circles. Each elder has been given a small group of households in the congregation with one simple purpose: to stay in touch. About once a month an elder may send a text, make a phone call, write an email, or even drop a note in the mail. The message is not complicated. We are thinking about you. We are praying for you. We are glad you are part of St. John’s. Healing Hearts for March. Monday, March 30, 11:00 am. St. John’s is proud to support this healing ministry. One Great Hour of Sharing Special Offering. Around the world, millions of people lack access to sustainable food sources, clean water, sanitation, education, and opportunity. The work done in support of the causes supported by One Great Hour of Sharing (OGHS) — disaster, hunger, poverty, climate change, and immigration/migration and refugees — serves individuals and communities in need. This work provides people with safety, sustenance, and hope. This offering helps to improve the lives of people in these challenging situations. Envelopes are at the back of the sanctuary. Happy Birthday Layla Pennycuff (March 1) Laith Assad (March 3) Offiong Glover (March 5) Kyra Noons-Adams (March 6) Mark Swindler (March 14) Gloria Glover (March 17) Madeline Graeter (March 29) Olive Mfobujong (March 30) Happy Anniversary Jim and Lynne Austin (March 10) Kerry and Mary Gaber (March 22) Tad and Andra Mulder (March 25) Prayer Concerns Nyjel Bennett-LaGrone and his family, health concerns Gerry Jump Family of Sue Benn Tom Edmondson, recovering from spinal surgery Holly Darr, health concerns Karen Alsbrook, health Kelsey Wiltz, health concerns Glen Risley, health concerns Madalyn Rodgers, Kathleen Captain's sister Joe Sanford, Scott Moore and Alice Rubio Those looking for a job St. Johns College Students Raina Bailey and the families in our PCHAS homes One Hope Preschool families and staff Calendar Sunday, March 22, 5th Sunday in Lent 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 4:30 Pack 8 Meeting, Exercise Room Tuesday, March 24 5:00 pm Exercise Group, Building 2 Thursday, March 26 5:00 pm Exercise Class in Building 2 Saturday, March 28 8:30 am Quarterly Bible Study, Session Room 10:00 am One Hope Preschool Easter Party, Courtyard Sunday, March 29, Palm Sunday 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 on Zoom 3:00 pm Lenten Arts Series, Sanctuary Coming Events Mon, March 30, Healing Hearts, 11 am Wed, April 1, Men’s Group, 6:30 pm Thurs, April 2, Maundy Thursday Service, 7 pm, Sanctuary April 5, Easter Sunday Sun, May 31, CE Brunch: Senior Sunday and Teacher Appreciation Sat, June 20, Quarterly Bible Study (new format for all ages)

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The church newsletter of St. John's Presbyterian Church in Meyerland and Westbury

The newsletter of St. John's Presbyterian Church in Westbury, Meyerland, Houston

Dos tradiciones cristianas, una misma fe: Lo que toda familia debe saber antes de elegir iglesia en Houston

Una Iglesia Cristiana Cerca de Usted en el Suroeste de Houston