Prayer List

Please keep in your thoughts and prayers all of our shut-ins and the following members, David Hummel, Alison Armstrong, Glenda Prescott, Brooke (McDonald) Hall, Barbara & Mel Cunningham, Mary Lou Hostetler, Jeanette Morris, Sandra Donson, Machele & John West, Dick Boyd, Kate Hannum Rose, Debi Snow, Kathy Wilson, Judy Armstrong, Braxton Picklesimer, Vicky McGee, Virginia Lavelle, Brenda Simross, Paula Hatfield, Roland West, Ron Gordon, Donna & Loren Hewitt, Harriett Applegate, Bill Jansheski, Charles Meyers, Robin Lyn Green, Esther Gillham, Mike Boyce, Relna Cornell and the Lee family.

Please call the church office if you know of any sick or hospitalized members. Remember if you want someone on the prayer chain, you can fill out a card and drop it in the offering plate.

Keep The Bells Ringing at St. John’s United Church of Christ

Goal: $ 35,000.00 As of May 24, 2020: $ 10,870.00 Still needed: $ 24,130.00

Thank You!

Dear Friends in Christ, Thank you for your cards, prayers, and well wishes, they have helped to strengthen me during this difficult time. Thank you for your gifts in memory of Ralph; he will be greatly missed by all of us. Thank you Rev. Mark for your helpful words and prayers for me and my family. Helen McGaughy and Family

June Worship Service Duties Ushers Chair – Larry Jones Bill & Sharla Miller Brenda Pursley Kelsie Pursley

Please Note: To all members that are currently listed on

the greeter, usher, liturgist rotation

You will not need to serve until the time

we can have indoor services again. If you

are listed to serve as an usher and feel safe

to do the drive-in services, please call

Frank Davis at 740-323-2160 for

information. Thank you!

The 2020 June Chimes

Financial Update Monthly Faith Promise goal $ 9,002.59 Income as May 24, 2020 $ 7,672.00__ Month to Date Balance ($ 1,330.59)

Dear members and friends of St. John’s:

Ring ring, click, beep!

“I can’t come to the phone right now, but if you leave a message, I will get back with you ASAP!” How many times have you heard this when you really needed to reach someone?

That someone almost always gets back to you. But sometimes, for one reason or the other, the message just doesn’t get through.

In this time of social distancing, pastors have been visiting regularly with their church members and friends on the phone, Skype, Zoom, or other apps.

Many years ago, my dear friend Max called to pray with me, when I was going through a particularly difficult time. And I have been doing the same for him and others, ever since.

Three ministers were discussing prayer in general and the appropriate and effective positions for prayer. As they were talking, a repairman was working on the phone system in the background.

One minister shared that he felt the key was holding your hands together and pointing them upward as a form of symbolic worship. The second suggested that real prayer was conducted on your knees. The third suggested that they both had it wrong—the only position worth its salt, was to pray while stretched out flat on your face.

By this time the phone man couldn't stay out of the conversation any longer. He interjected: "I found that the most powerful prayer I ever made was dangling upside down by my heels from a power pole, suspended forty feet above the ground!"

Whatever prayer position we prefer, our Lord and Savior will always be there to intercede for us. There are no constraints. When that triangular connection is made between Jesus, ourselves and the one we are praying for, our prayers immediately go to work. Even when we can’t meet face to face, our voices are always heard and the message gets through.

As your pastor, it is a priority for me to stay in touch with you during these times we are apart. Please know that I have been calling and leaving messages on phones and at email addresses.

If you would like to call or email me, please don’t hesitate to reach out, especially if we haven’t visited in a while. It is always my great joy and blessing to hear from and have a prayer with you. And don’t forget that there is a prayer service streaming live every Thursday evening. It can be accessed on our Facebook link at, www.stjohnsnewark.org.

In Christ’s love, Rev. Mark Phone Communion

At St. John’s, we have a time-honored tradition of taking Holy Communion to persons in their homes. Since person to person pastoral visitors are restricted, I am planning to reach out to our members and friends for phone communion. As we gather at the table of the Lord with the elements in front of us, I will pray over and bless them, and have the words of institution on the phone. Then we will receive the bread of life and cup of blessing together. This celebration of the sacrament is being scheduled throughout the month of June. If you and your family would like to participate, please contact me by phone or send an email.

NEWS FROM CHURCH COUNCIL:

Church Council did meet on Monday, May 18, in a face-to-mask meeting at the church.

From the Treasurer: Frank Davis

April giving was up by $1100.

Sunday, 5/17, Total attendance was 129,

Giving to the bell fund was $355

Cash-in-plate offering was $283

Faith Promise giving was $2,197

Numbers are much higher than usual.

From the Pastor: Rev. Mark Katrick

May start having communion over the phone with the shut ins.

Interesting idea of Prayer Walks outside

Maybe we can do one later this summer at Dawes or someplace

From Mission and Outreach: Owen Lee

Gifts were given locally to help with the Pandemic Relief:

$407 to the Licking County Food Pantry

$309 to the Covid 19 Relief Fund

From Personnel: Robin Lyn Green

Office Summer Hours will start in June, 9 am to Noon, week days

Mondays and Fridays – Kim Workman will be in the office and Anita Chirdon

will be working from home.

Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Thursdays – Anita Chirdon will be in the office.

From Christian Education: Elaine Gard

A motion was made not to have Vacation Bible School in the church this summer.

The Mission Trip has been cancelled.

From Property: Tom Lawyer

The new water line has been installed.

We need to connect the downspout drains to the water line.

Concrete work needs to be done to the sidewalk in the front.

Pot holes in the driveway need to be addressed before winter.

The company which installed the outdoor sound system is trying to fix all the problems.

New Business:

We need to have equipment to do the streaming Prayer Service on Thursday evenings.

Right now Julie Kroah’s cell phone is being used.

Information is being gathered.

Outdoor services will continue through the month of June.

Foundation Fund:

A Foundation Fund was set up for Ralph S. and Helen C. McGaughy.

THE AFTERNOON CIRCLE – The Afternoon Circle will not meet again in June. But we will be working on our project for Colleen’s Prayer Walk. You will be contacted about making a stepping stone at home, and if you choose to do that, all materials and instructions will be brought to you. And you will receive by mail, the monthly “Letter for My Princess” to use for meditation this month. It’s been a long time since we met. But we will again, hopefully soon. In the meantime, stay safe and healthy.

A Pandemic Journal – I have been keeping a small journal of what St. John’s is doing during this Pandemic. I have kept notes on Sunday services, Council decisions, the week-day workings, along with some pictures. I would like to hear from YOU about your experiences with and feelings about St. John’s during this time. I hoping we can leave this in our Archives so future members of our Church Family know what this was like and how God helped us through. You can email me at jerlgard@windstream.net , mail it to my home 1212 Berwyn Lane, Newark, or leave it in my drawer outside the Church Office. Thank you. Elaine Gard

GRADUATION SUNDAY was on May 17, 2020

Congratulations!

High School Graduates

Reagan Dooley- Heath High School

High School Diploma- Graduation with a 3.97 GPA

Daughter of Mike Dooley & Rebecca Swartz

Reagan will be going to Ohio Dominican University

and won the Presidential Scholarship.

Reagan was a member of choir (which was going to go to state

competition), lettered on the bowling team, Sectional Champs,

was 1st Team All LCBL, Member of National Honor Society

all through High School.

Colleen Kroah- Newark High School – High School Diploma

Daughter of Ken & Julie Kroah Colleen will be attending the University of Akron

to study Biomedical Engineering

Colleen was a Class Valedictorian, a member of National Honor Society,

Quiz Team, Student Council, Band, Jazz Band, Swim Team, Key Club

and the French Club President.

Madison Snider – Sheridan High School – High School Diploma

Daughter of Chris & Peg Snider

Granddaughter of Janet Snider

Madison will be attending the University of Kentucky

to pursue a degree in Nursing

Sarah Snider – Sheridan High School – High School Diploma

Daughter of Chris & Peg Snider

Granddaughter of Janet Snider

Sarah will be attending the University of Kentucky

to pursue a degree in Nursing

Riley J. Taylor – Newark High School- High School Diploma

Son of Nancy & Jeff Taylor

Grandson of Charlotte Kinser

Riley will be attending Ohio Northern University to study

Manufacturing Technology/Mechanical Engineering.

Riley was a Class Valedictorian and participated

in Marching Band and Symphonic Band.

He was a Boy Scout since 1st Grade

and was awarded his Eagle Scout rank on December 19, 2019.

Trevor Williams – Upper Arlington High School – High School Diploma

Son of Pete and Stephanie Williams

Grandson of Janet Snider

Trevor will be attending the University of Cincinnati

to pursue a degree in Computer Science

College Graduates

Katie Joyce Adams (Beck) - The Ohio State University

Bachelor of Science Degree in Social Work

Wife of Kyle Adams, and mother of 3yr old daughter, Addilynn

Daughter of Barb and Brad Beck Katie plans to obtain her license and work in a nonprofit foster care agency

Jesse Thomas Chirdon - Otterbein University

Bachelor of Science Degree in Systems Engineering

Son of Chuck and Anita Chirdon

Brother of Danielle Chirdon

Grandson of Martti and Elli Saari

Jesse was chosen for the

Engineering Leadership and Service Award

and is now working for Daniels Industrial Services.

Shelby Anne Hewitt

The Ohio State University – Fisher College of Business

Bachelor of Science Degree in Business – Marketing

Graduated magna cum laude with a 3.86 GPA

Daughter of Kevin Hewitt

Granddaughter of Loren and Donna Hewitt Shelby is seeking a career in Marketing or Sales

and wants to travel the world.

Graduate School

Caitlyn Garner The Ohio State University, College of Medicine,

School of Health and Rehabilitation Sciences

Master of Science in Health Rehabilitation Sciences (Medical Dietetics)

Daughter of Dick and Pamela Tulloss

Caitlyn plans to be hired as a Sports Dietician

Dr. Nyssa Lee Snow-Hill

South Carolina University on December 14, 2019

PhD in Clinical Psychology

Daughter of Debra Snow

Nyssa plans to work in a hospital with research and with patients.

She is currently in Chicago working on her post doctorate license.

May 31 Confirmation Sunday – as scheduled. Join us for the Confirmation ceremony of this year’s class.

Sign up for the “STORIES OF JESUS” VBS. Due to social distancing this will be a pick up or a delivered VBS event. Between May 31 and June 28, we will have one lesson packet each week for 5 weeks. You can pick up each weeks packet at church Sunday morning or have it delivered on Monday. Each lesson packet will include a Bible story, songs, crafts and activity pages.

Our original plan for VBS “BIG FISH BAY” has been cancelled.

The mission trip to Big Creek has been cancelled. They are not allowed to host out of state groups at this time.

Sunday School Classes

Adult class – Canceled at this time. Bible Discovery Zone Canceled at this time. Nursery care and Pre-school class Canceled at this time.

St. John’s United Church of Christ 285 W. National Drive Newark, Ohio 43055

Worship & Classes! 8:00 a.m. – Outdoor Drive-In Service 10:30 a.m. – Outdoor Drive-In Service Volume 20 Number 6 Address Service Requested

ALL CHURCH SERVICES THROUGH JUNE 28, 2020 WILL BE OUTDOOR DRIVE-IN SERVICES. JULY’S EVENTS TO BE DETERMINED AT THE END OF JUNE.

All church events listed are subject to change based on current health guidelines. Join our One Call Now program to be notified by phone in a timely manner. Name__________________Phone No. _______________

Main Office Phone Rev. Mark Katrick - Pastor Todd Baldosser 740-323-2407 rev.katrick@windstream.net Organist/Choir Director www.stjohnsnewark.org 295C Goosepond Rd. scarlatti35@hotmail.com Newark, OH 43055

Anita Chirdon Charles Bruah Julie Kroah Administrative Asst. Church Sexton Christian Education Director stjohnsunited@windstream.net 740-975-2699 stjohnsucc.ce@windstream.net

U.S. Postage PAID

Non-Profit Org. Newark, Ohio

Permit No. 103