Dear St. John's Family,

Welcome to Sunday morning! This is the day that God has made and we will rejoice and be glad in it!

We are so excited to return to in-person worship outdoors at the church this morning at 10 am! Please plain to join us!

Masks will be required for those who attend in-person, regardless of vaccination status, as a way of keeping the most vulnerable among us safe. (Remember, those under 12 cannot yet be vaccinated yet and are increasingly more vulnerable to the disease, as are those who cannot be vaccinated for health reasons and those who have certain preexisting conditions.)

Participants are asked to bring their favorite folding chair, sunscreen, and an umbrella (to provide shade from the sun and in case of inclement weather).

Holy Communion will be offered using prepackaged elements.

We will not immediately resume offering refreshments after service, but plan to do so as we become more comfortable.

If all goes well, we will continue with outdoor services through July and August and hope to return to in-person worship in the sanctuary around September 12. These plans are tentative and we ask for your patience and flexibility as we move forward with our regathering process.

We will continue livestreaming the service for those not yet ready to return to in-person services. To celebrate Holy Communion, please have some bread or a cracker and some juice (whatever you have will work and God will be OK with it). To participate, you can watch via our Facebook page at

https://www.facebook.com/stjohnsuccgr/,

via our YouTube channel at

http://alturl.com/etrte,

or watch on our website at

https://stjohnsuccgr.org/.

There are links below this message to the order of service, the weekly Journal, a children's bulletin for the week's lectionary readings, a youth Bible Study, an Adult Bible Study, and a devotional guide for the week. Please share these resources with your family and friends and know that we are joined together across any distances or difficulties that might separate us.

Our weekly Bible Study class that normally meets on Sunday mornings at 9 am will take a break during the month of July and return on Sunday, August 1, at 8:45 am in-person at church. There will be an option to participate by Zoom for those who aren’t ready to return to in-person.

We are able to provide all of these wonderful services because of your continuing generosity and support. This is a difficult time for many, but if you are able to give to support our ministries, please so do. You can make a donation or set up regular giving by clicking here: http://www.stjohnsuccgr.org/give. You can also simply mail your check to the church.

St. John’s UCC
1934 Bridge ST NW
Grand Rapids, MI 49504

Thank you for your continued faithfulness in supporting St. John's.

Let us continue to hold each other and the entire world close to our hearts and to the heart of God in prayer.

With love and hope,

Pastor Wes

Sunday Bible Study

https://static1.squarespace.com/static/51294ee7e4b03f854ee99725/t/6144918e2a65b9660818c42a/1631883662124/Sunday+Bible+Study+09192021.pdf

Youth Bible Study

https://blogs.elca.org/faithlens/

Children's Bulletin

https://static1.squarespace.com/static/51294ee7e4b03f854ee99725/t/614491bde311e230fbf875bb/1631883709803/Children%27s+Bulletin+09192021.pdf

Weekly Journal