News

The LOFT is our new Adult Faith Formation space. We usually meet in the Activity Room on Sunday mornings at 9:00 am. Please take note of our Advent schedule. Coffee and tea are available. November 23 – December 7 are open to adults, youth, and children. We hope you will join us!

November 23

Fear-Holding Ornaments – Intergenerational for all ages

The angel Gabriel’s greeting to Mary— “Be not afraid!— is easier said than done. Thankfully, God meets us in our fear, exactly where we are, and bears the burden with us. In this session we’ll think about those things that seem too big, too scary, or too impossible in our lives. Each of us will create an ornament to remind us that God is with us when we are afraid.

November 30

Luminarias – Intergenerational for all ages

Luminarias (“paper bag lanterns”) originated in 16th century Spain as small bonfires (“luminarias”) used to light the way for people traveling to midnight mass.  The tradition was later adopted in Mexico and later New Mexico. Symbolically the lights were believed to guide the spirit of the Christ Child to peoples’ homes. Who bears the Christ-light for you, not only during the season of Advent, but all year long?  Because we often see God most clearly in the divine light others carry, we will decorate our luminarias with the names and faces of people who bear the Christ-light for us.(Feel free to bring printed or photographed pictures of people – church members past and present, historical figures, faith leaders, family members, friends – to glue to your luminarias. Or decorate as the Spirit moves you!  Pictures will be available as well as all supplies.)

December 7

Placing Ourselves in the Manger Scene – Intergenerational for all ages

We will use clay to imagine placing ourselves at the scene of Jesus’ birth. What posture would we take? What gifts would we bring? What does it mean to witness to the birth of Jesus, Emmanuel (God-with-us)? Come and play with clay and enter the story.

December 14

Christmas Show and Tell

At this time of year, our thoughts often turn to past Christmas seasons. Memories of happy times spent with friends and loved ones can brighten our spirits and enhance the joy of celebrating Jesus’ birth. Bring your photos and special mementoes to share as we “Show and Tell” our Christmas memories.

December 21

Re-Membering Christmas – Singing Our Way Through

It’s so easy to get caught up in the consumerism and competition of Christmas – who can buy the best gifts, who makes the biggest spread. In addition, Christmas can be a time of relational strain – isolation or family division. In our short time, we will share favorite Christmas carols and look at the history of some of the beloved favorites.

No LOFT December 28

A meeting will be held after each service this Sunday, November 23, to review the 2026 budget.

8:00 am attendees: Meet in the library following the service.

10:15 am attendees: Meet in the Assembly Hall following the service.

Please note that the congregational vote for the 2026 budget will be held on Sunday, December 7. We appreciate your participation!

“Come to me all who are weary
and carry heavy burdens,
and I will give you rest.

Take my yoke upon you and learn from me,
for I am gentle and humble in heart,
and you will find rest for your souls.

For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.”

Matthew 11: 28-30

Care for the Caregiver, taught by Rev. Tom Adil, MDiv, LPC, Bridge Support Pastor

Welcome to a journey of hope, hardship and the heart’s resilient capacity to get through it all with love. This class offers an in-depth look at the many complex issues that being a caregiver brings.  The class will develop provides tips, strategies and offer a biblical rationale for creating a sustainable path for those caring for family members or others needing help with daily living.

We will review the needs of those (especially) older adults who require care because of a serious health condition or disability. Because one third of Americans will have a disability at some point over the span of their life, the class also applies to other situations in which caregiving is needed.

The class will meet at 9:00-9:45 each Sunday in the Fireside Room beginning on October 12 and ending on November 2. At the end of the course, we will share available caregiving resources and the accumulated information developed throughout the course regarding self-support.

Class 1: Caregiving responsibilities and needs, faith perspectives, and unanticipated opportunities to delve deeper into a practice of prayer to assist each caregiver manage their own needs. Special circumstance, caregiving for a family member with a mental health challenge.

Class 2: A review of the need for self-care and ways to develop support for the caregiver. Common areas of stress for the caregiver and costs associated with assuming the role of caregiver. What works? – Sharing ways with each other how to take care of yourself.

Class 3: A review of the need for self-care. Special circumstances: Caregiving for persons with dementia; caring for a spouse.

Class 4: A review of the need for self-care. Special circumstances: Caregiving for a parent; caregiving for a grown child with a disability.

More about The LOFT

Famine is now at unprecedented levels in Gaza. Help us support World Central Kitchen as they seek to scale up production to one million hot meals a day. The church will match the first $1,000 contributed.

Click here to make a tax-free gift online now. 

Or mail a check to:

St. John’s UCC, 500 W. Main Street, Lansdale, PA 19446

Donate to Gaza

We are excited to share that starting this fall, we will be offering two Sunday services: 8 am and 10:15 am. While the services will be very similar in format and style of worship, you can expect a quieter, more contemplative atmosphere at 8 am.

We look forward to sharing more worship and programming updates soon. In the meantime, please make note of the schedule transition below. Enjoy the rest of your summer!

Important Dates

➡️ Through August 31: One service at 9:30 am

➡️ Sunday, September 7 (Celebration & Water Sunday): One service at 10:15 am to welcome everyone back from summer travels!

➡️ Every Sunday starting September 14: Two services at 8:00 am and 10:15 am

St. John’s will be recognizing graduates from high school, college, grad school, etc, on June 8th, during the 9:30 am worship service. If you would like your graduate’s name to be included, please call or email the church office by Wednesday, June 4th with information about your grad. Thanks!

We are currently seeking St. John’s members interested in mentoring individuals who wish to join our church family. 

Mentors will aid in the acclimation process and participate in the “new member” dinner on Sunday, May 18th at 5PM. Additionally, mentors are invited to join us on “new member” Sunday, June 1st. 

To express interest in becoming a mentor, please contact one of the Pastors or Chriss Bodde.

With Gratitude,

Chriss Bodde
Elder Chair 

[email protected] 

Maundy Thursday is the day in Holy Week when we remember Jesus’ last supper in the Upper Room with his disciples on the night before he was crucified.

This is a ritual remembrance of Jesus’ last supper with his disciples. It is meant to not simply reenact the biblical story, but to enter into it with our own lives, loves, losses, and hopes. Questions focus on things like: sharing our thanksgivings, remembering a time when someone offered their life or sacrificed for someone else, our covenant with God’s larger family, etc. Dinner will include the breaking of bread and sharing of the cup (what we now call “communion”).

We will offer hand washing or foot washing for anyone who would like to do this – it is completely optional. We recall the ways in which the washing of feet before a meal was usually done by servants. But Jesus broke that convention by washing the feet of the ones he loved. In doing this, he modeled servant leadership.

So we can prepare the space, please sign up in advance.

RSVP for Maundy Thursday