(215) 855-5489 | Worship every Sunday @ 10:15 a.m.
(215) 855-5489 | Worship every Sunday @ 10:15 a.m.
Read the latest news for our church.
Mar 26, 2025
Spring has begun, and Holy Week is fast approaching! Below, please find information from the St. John’s Elders on planned services and events. Whether you’ve celebrated this special season with us for many years, or are joining us for the first time, we look forward to sharing this time with you.
Mar 25, 2025
March 30
Fourth Sunday in Lent
Sunday Morning Worship at 10:15 am
Connect3 at 10:45 am
Stewardship at 11:30 am
Fellowship at 11:30 am
Artist Series Chorus at 1:00 pm
April 2
Wednesday Night Live!
Community Meal from 5:45-6:45 pm
Lenten Study at 6:15 pm
United Ringers at 6:15 pm
Children’s Choir at 6:15 pm
Holden Evening Prayer at 7:00 pm
Artist Series Chorus at 7:30 pm
Chancel Choir at 8:30 pm
April 6
Fifth Sunday in Lent
Praying Hands Stitchers at 9:00 am
Sunday Morning Worship at 10:15 am
Connect3 at 10:45 am
Fellowship at 11:30 am
Confirmation Class at 11:45 am
Artist Series Chorus at 6:00 pm
April 9
Wednesday Night Live!
Community Meal from 5:45-6:45 pm
Lenten Study at 6:15 pm
United Ringers at 6:15 pm
Children’s Choir at 6:15 pm
Holden Evening Prayer at 7:00 pm
Artist Series Chorus at 7:30 pm
Chancel Choir at 8:30 pm
Mar 19, 2025
St. John’s Love
St. John’s UCC, you sure know how to roll out the Welcome Wagon! I have felt such warmth, enthusiasm, support, and love in my short time here. I can only imagine – and trust – that visitors, guests, and neighbors experience the same “St. John’s Love” when they come through our doors. I’m excited to work together and to continue to, as your banner outside proclaims, “Draw the circle wide.”
Amazing Staff and Leaders
You have a wonderful, gifted, and committed staff. They are helping me learn the ropes, get oriented, and have even shared their secret stashes of tea and sweets! We are working on clarifying processes and procedures, and beginning to identify some priorities as we go. I know you’ll continue to support them as we find a new rhythm, and strengthen the foundations for the collective vision and mission which will unfold in this time.
The Ministerial Staff has been a blessing. Andrew’s musical leadership and deep theological grounding is truly magical. Pastor Tom’s gentle, wise presence has been a gift and I’m grateful for our partnership. And your leaders? You are in good hands, church!
Listening As a Priority
Pastors talk. A lot. (I mean, it makes sense. We are paid to use our words!) We preach. We pray. We teach. I will still do all those things (and by the grace of God, not be too long-winded about it). But I also want to listen.
One of my priorities for the next months is to listen. To listen to folks who are here and participating. To listen to those who are feeling at the margins, looking in, unsure about how or if to engage, and have their own stories to tell. To listen to our neighbors and the Lansdale community. I want to listen to you. I want to hear who you are, what you love, what you long for, and ways you have been touched or shaped by St. John’s UCC.
This will happen over time, and not overnight! Along the way, I will be inviting people to “Listening Sessions.” Some of these will be open to anyone. Some will be focused on particular groups or identities or interests. (I’ll start with children and youth, because I believe we are always strongest when we center the voices and experiences of our young people.) So, stay tuned for some of these conversations. I can’t wait to hear from you!
Blessings,
Pastor Linda
ps. Folks are asking what to call me. Pastor Linda, Reverend Linda, or Linda – are all fine!
Mar 11, 2025
March 16
Second Sunday in Lent
Sunday Morning Worship at 10:15 am
Connect3 at 10:45 am
Fellowship at 11:30 am
Artist Series Chorus at 1:00 pm
March 19
Wednesday Night Live!
Community Meal from 5:45-6:45 pm
Wind Ensemble at 6:00 pm
Lenten Study at 6:15 pm
Children’s Choir at 6:15 pm
Holden Evening Prayer at 7:00 pm
Artist Series Chorus at 7:30 pm
Chancel Choir at 8:30 pm
March 23
Third Sunday in Lent
Confirmation Class at 9:00 am
Sunday Morning Worship at 10:15 am
Connect3 at 10:45 am
Fellowship at 11:30 am
March 26
Wednesday Night Live!
Community Meal from 5:45-6:45 pm
Lenten Study at 6:15 pm
United Ringers at 6:15 pm
Children’s Choir at 6:15 pm
Holden Evening Prayer at 7:00 pm
Artist Series Chorus at 7:30 pm
Chancel Choir at 8:30 pm
Feb 28, 2025
We are excited to announce, that on Sunday November 17th, the members of St. John’s voted the Rev. Linda Noonan as our new Senior Pastor! Rev. Noonan is serving out her contract with her current church and will start her call with St John’s in March 2025.
Feb 25, 2025
March 2
Transfiguration Sunday
Rev. Hilary’s Last Sunday
Stitchers at 9:00 am
Sunday Morning worship at 10:15 am
Connect3 at 10:45 am
Fellowship at 11:30 am
March 5
Ash Wednesday
Community Meal at 6:00 pm
Worship Service at 7:00 pm
March 9
First Sunday in Lent
Rev. Linda Noonan’s First Sunday
Sunday Morning worship at 10:15 am
Connect3 at 10:45 am
Fellowship at 11:30 am
Confirmation Class at 11:45 am
Artist Series Presents: Riverview Early Music at 4:00 pm
March 12
Wednesday Night Live!
Community Meal at 5:45 pm
Adult Education at 6:15 pm
United Ringers & Children’s Choir at 6:15 pm
Holden Evening Prayer at 7:00 pm
Artist Series Chorus at 7:30 pm
Chancel Choir at 8:30 pm
Feb 20, 2025
St. John’s is about to enter an exciting new chapter with the arrival of our new Settled Lead Pastor, the Rev. Dr. Linda Noonan. But before we open this chapter, I would like to take a look back to recognize and acknowledge where we have been and how far we have come.
St. John’s has been on a journey not completely unlike the people with Moses – St. John’s members and friends have been wandering through the wilderness for an extended time. While it may feel like 40 years, at times over the last two and a half years, many St. John’s folks have been presented with arduous and even exhausting challenges. Yet, upon deeper reflection, there is something worthwhile and even precious about this time.
A time in the wilderness cuts through the unhelpful chatter in our collective minds – it brings what is necessary to actually live into much deeper clarity. While the purpose of the church hasn’t changed over the last few years, the way we “do” church, in many aspects, has. I have observed that St. John’s folk have learned through this wilderness time to be much less focused on the externals of what we do— and to accept the need to adapt in order to keep moving forward.
A time in the wilderness requires everyone at St. John’s to not just address the “how” of being the church. It leads us to ask the “why” questions – questions like: why do we want to update our technology? Why is it important to have Christmas Eve service at a certain time? Why do we need to invest in our ministry team positions? All these questions and more get at the root of what it means to “be the church” in this day and age.
Traveling through the wilderness also tests our relationships at times. When it feels like the stakes are high – and they certainly are for a wilderness people – the friction that may be barely perceivable in times of plenty rises to the surface. In the church, thank God, the people of the church also come to realize, through grace, that these relationships are what will keep us alive. These relationships, which have grown over many decades, become even more vital when a people realizes how much is at stake and how much interdependence is involved in the very act of reaching “the Promised Land!”
So, as we emerge from the wilderness, let St. John’s proclaim that we see the Promised Land, and we are moving together with a vision that invites all to journey and to dwell with us. A Promised Land that only God can fulfill. Peace!
Pastor Tom Adil,
Acting Lead Bridge Pastor
Feb 11, 2025
Feb 16
Sixth Sunday after Epiphany
Prayer Shawl Sunday
Sunday Morning Worship at 10:15 am
Connect3 at 10:45 am
Fellowship at 11:30 am
Seeker’s Class at 11:45
Feb 19
Wednesday Night Live!
Herald Due Date
Community Meal at 5:45 pm
Adult Education at 6:15 pm
United Ringers & Children’s Choir at 6:15 pm
Holden Evening Prayer at 7:00 pm
Artist Series Chorus at 7:30 pm
Chancel Choir at 8:30 pm
Feb 23
Seventh Sunday after Epiphany
Confirmation Class at 9:00 am
Sunday Morning Worship at 10:15 am
Connect3 at 10:45 am
Fellowship at 11:30 am
Feb 26
Wednesday Night Live!
Community Meal at 5:45 pm
Adult Education at 6:15 pm
United Ringers & Children’s Choir at 6:15 pm
Holden Evening Prayer at 7:00 pm
Artist Series Chorus at 7:30 pm
Chancel Choir at 8:30 pm
Feb 07, 2025
Adult Education Class with Pastor Tom Adil is held every Wednesday at 6:15 pm in the Pastor’s Study.
Adult Education Class will discuss “A Hole in the World” by Amanda Held Opelt. Books are available for $15.
When Amanda Held Opelt suffered a season of loss – including three miscarriages and the unexpected death of her sister, New York Times bestselling writer Rachel Held Evans – she was confronted with sorrow she didn’t know how to face.
Her search for answers led her to discover that generations past embraced a robust array of rituals that served as vessels for pain and aided in the process of grieving and healing. Today, many of these traditions have been lost as religious practice declines, cultures amalgamate, death is sanitized, and pain is averted.
During discussion everyone works on drawing mandalas! If you have missed the reading, you can listen along to the discussion and share your own stories while we draw.
See You There!
Jan 27, 2025
Feb 2
Fourth Sunday after Epiphany
New Council Vote
Confirmation Class at 9:00 am
Stitchers at 9:00 am
Sunday Morning Worship at 10:15 am
Connect3 at 10:45
Congregational Dinner at 11:30 am
Feb 5
Wednesday Night Live!
Herald due date
Community Meal at 5:45 pm
Adult Education at 6:15 pm
United Ringers & Children’s Choir at 6:15 pm
Holden Evening Prayer at 7:00 pm
Artist Series Chorus at 7:30 pm
Chancel Choir at 8:30 pm
Feb 9
Fifth Sunday after Epiphany
Council Installation
Enlightener due date
Sunday Morning Worship at 10:15 am
Connect3 at 10:45 am
Fellowship at 11:30 am
Confirmation Class at 11:45 am
Artist Series Chorus at 1:00 pm
Feb 12
Wednesday Night Live!
Soup Sale Prep at 9:00 am
Community Meal at 5:45 pm
Adult Education at 6:15 pm
United Ringers & Children’s Choir at 6:15 pm
Holden Evening Prayer at 7:00 pm
Artist Series Chorus at 7:30 pm
Chancel Choir at 8:30 pm
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