Posts by John Holmes (Page 5)
February 2023 Newsletter
Drawing Nearer to God Here we are “again” in the month of February and I’m still trying to settle into 2023. I am realizing more and more that it is true that the older we get the faster time seems to go. In just three short weeks the Church will be entering into the Lenten season beginning with Ash Wednesday (the 1st day of Lent). During the time of Lent, Christians are called into deep spiritual reflection in preparation for Easter,…
January Newsletter 2023
Many Thanks To God For His Blessings! (Reflecting Back while Forging Forward) Naturally, this is the time of year (the last week in 2022) when many of us reflect on the past year, and as I look back, the one thing that comes into view is God’s many blessings. God has enriched Evelyn and me through calling us to Saint John and we are so thankful. All of you have expressed the truest love and Christian hospitality toward us, which…
Christmas Banquet 2022 PICS
On December 5th, Saint John held its annual Christmas Banquet. What can I say other than it was a wonderful time had by all. Evelyn and I took a good amount of pics of the even (about 200) — so, I’ll just let the pics tell the story from the centerpieces that adorned the tables all the way to Santa who made a special appearance. The night ended with silent night, which stilled our spirits and filled all of our…
December 2022 Newsletter
What A Beautiful Mess On my way into the office this morning, I passed through the space in the educational building where Bible study occurs. On most days, it’s orderly and everything is in its place, but as of late the space is a beautiful mess and I love it. It’s a mess with preparation for the Christmas worship service that the children are getting ready to for. The same can be said for the Darby building, which has decorations…
November 2022 Newsletter
Bringers of the Good News of Jesus Christ! I’ve always found that during Autumn there is a certain kind of spirit among people everywhere that is kinder, gentler, and just overall more peaceful and loving than other times during the year. I believe that this is because of the types of celebrations that families and friends enter into during this upcoming season of hope, joy, peace, and love. Clearly, I’m talking about the Advent season, which points to Christmas when…
October 2022 Newsletter
Spread Some Joy! “Therefore if you have any encouragement from being united with Christ, if any comfort from his love, if any common sharing in the Spirit,a if any tenderness and compassion, then make my JOY complete by being like-minded, having the same love, being one in spirit and of one mind” (Philippians 2:1-2). Throughout the past month I noticed that the back of the bulletin was getting quite full of upcoming activities at Saint John. I must say that it brings my heart joy that we…
September 2022 Newsletter
Fruit Bearing Christians The above Scripture uses metaphor (symbols) that are intended to remind the reader of a future tree of life similar to the one in the Garden of Eden. However, it is not just speaking about a literal tree that bears fruit but a symbolic tree that represents God and His people. Think of it this way: The tree itself is a symbol for the life-giving breath of God while the leaves represent God’s people. Lastly, the fruit…
August 2022 Newsletter
Introduction A Day of Worship or a Life of Worship? I think it’s safe to say that for most people, when they hear the word “worship,” they think of Sunday worship service. This makes sense because Sunday “worship” has been embedded into the Christian culture ever since the early church was formed, and yes—there is evidence in the New Testament that the Christians gathered for worship on Sunday, which they considered the Lord’s Day (1 Cor. 16:1-2; Rev. 1:10). The…
July 2022 Newsletter
One Year Together & Another Year in Front of Us! What an odd headline to start this newsletter off. Usually you see headlines like that at the beginning of the new year; however, the truth is that July 4th marks our first full year together, and I hope you can say that it has been a wonderful year because that is how Evelyn and I feel. A lot has happened this past year at Saint John and much of it…
June 2022 Newsletter
The Joy of Saint John & The Heartbreak of God’s People During the last few days of every month, I take some time to mediate on what to write about for the upcoming monthly Saint John Newsletter. During my meditation, I reflect on recent events that are happening in the life of the church at Saint John, and I also reflect on what is going on in the world. I must say that when I think about Saint John and…
May 2022 Newsletter
Looking Forward to Everyday Christianity On April 17th Saint John had a wonderful Easter worship service that celebrated the resurrection of Jesus Christ. Without a doubt, it will be remembered as the highlighted worship service of the year—as it should be. So, how do you follow that? You don’t, which is why I preached on the idea of “mundane Christianity” the following week. If you missed it, the sermon is now uploaded on the website (check it out when you have a…
April 2022 Newsletter
SPRING TO LIFE!! Spring is notorious for new things—namely for its abundance of life. It is a time when God begins to redress His creation with blossoming flowers in the fields, the trees begin to show their leaves, and it’s as if God calls the birds in the sky to sing a new song that can be heard as the sun rises in the morning. Yes, Spring is certainly a beautiful time of year! However, for the Christian, the central…