Do you want to know what ministries, activities and classes Saint John's has to offer? Join us upstairs at the Festival of New Beginnings in the Gallery and Fellowship Hall at 10 a.m. and at noon on Sunday, August 24. Learn about fall classes, children's programs, youth programs, senior adult programs, music, mission and more.

For a preview of fall classes, click here.

For more information, contact Kate Harrington at [email protected] or (512) 565-2511, Hilary Marchbanks at [email protected] or (512) 452-5737. 

Blessing of the Backpacks - August 24

Saint John's will hold its annual Blessing of the Backpacks during worship on Sunday, August 24. Students heading to school this fall are welcome to have their backpacks blessed during children's time at either the 9 a.m. or 11 a.m. service.

All those who will teach at Saint John's beginning or continuing in the fall will be invited forward at the end of the service to be blessed and sent. This is a way to recognize and anoint our teachers in faith formation. 

New school year, new children's classes begin

Fall Sunday School classes for kindergarten through fifth grade kick off at 9:55 a.m. on Sunday, August 24 with music time in the Chapel. Teachers will then lead the children to their classrooms. Pre-school children ages three and four will be in Room 105.  Parents and grandparents, after you drop off your children on this morning, please register at the "Children's Ministry" table outside the Chapel.

Answering the need for a fresh Bible study that incorporates how we live in faith today as well as how we read the Bible in context, the Covenant Bible study has been released by Cokesbury (the curriculum division of the United Methodist Church). Covenant is a 24-week study that teaches us how God's covenant is created, lived and trusted by God's people. Practical scripture readings each week combined with weekly small group DVD lessons and discussion might make Covenant just what you are looking for as a way to spend time in the Word. Opportunities to participate in this study and many other studies will be showcased at the Festival of New Beginnings on August 24. For more information, please contact Hilary Marchbanks at [email protected] or (512) 452-5737.

The City of Austin will begin installing a sidewalk on the west side of Wynona, directly across from the Saint John's entrance, on Monday, August 18. The work is estimated to take two and a half weeks.The work will take place Monday thru Friday, and perhaps Saturday. Sunday parking on the west side will be available during that time. However, it will not be available weekdays and possibly Saturdays.

The emphasis for Hope Food Pantry for August is salt, pepper, cooking oil and flour. Please deliver items to the "Hope Food Pantry" shelves in the Gallery on Sunday. Monetary donations are also accepted with checks payable to Saint John's and "Hope Food Pantry" written in the memo line. If interested in volunteer opportunities, contact Sheri Jones at [email protected] or (512) 452-5737.

It is August, and those who are active in the music ministry at Saint John's are at the ready to begin a new season of singing and playing music for services throughout the year. Have you had an inkling to join one of these music ensembles? There is always room for more singers, ringers and guitar pickers. You are invited to expand your own worship experience by considering participating in one (or more!) of our music groups. All you have to do is make your interest known to the various directors, and each can share more details with you. Please see the list below of the groups and their rehearsal times. Feel free to contact any of the directors below about joining.

Chancel Choir: 6:30 - 8 p.m. on Wednesdays. Starts August 13.

All voice parts are welcomed (sopranos, altos, tenors, basses). Cina Crisara, director

Trinity Singers: 6-6:30 or 7 p.m. for two Wednesdays prior to a Sunday service. This is a choir for women. Starts August 27. Cina Crisara, director

Saint John's Singers: 8-8:30 p.m. on two Wednesdays prior to a Sunday service.This group is designed for more experienced singers. By invitation. Starts August 20. Cina Crisara, director

Cokesbury Choir: 10:30-11:30 a.m. on Wednesdays. Year-round.

This group is for Senior Adults and travels to nursing homes, retirements centers. Jeanette Ball, director [email protected]  512 338-4344

Jones Handbell Choir: 5:45-6:30 Starts August 20. 

George Frock, director; contact [email protected] 

Spirit Singers: 9:50-10 a.m. Sundays in the chapel. For children, Grades K-5. Starts August 24. Rebecca Witte, director; contact [email protected]  

For more information, please visit stjohnsaustin.org/choir.  

Caps for Kids

It's August in Texas, but when the weather starts to cool, warm caps will be needed at the Montopolis Friendship and Community Center in East Austin.

Please use knitting needles, size 9 or 10. Cast on 56 stitches. First Row: Knit 2, purl 2 - repeat across. Following rows: Knit the knit stitches and purl the purl stitches, for 9 or 10 inches. Gather at top. Choose a color and knit a cap, or two or three.

Saint John's has long played a  part in service and support of Montopolis.  Some programs offered by the center are Early Childcare, Mother's Day Out, Sales Room (good used clothing and household items), Wesley Nurse and Senior Activities Project. 

For more directions, or questions, email [email protected], or call Catherine Foster at 512-453-2486.

A message from the Green Faith Team

The fast paced lifestyle of the American population has caused us to become dedicated patrons of the bottled water industry. It is estimated that Americans alone buy 29.8 billion plastic water bottles per year. Yet, besides the short time we spend with each bottle of water we consume, how much do we know about  the birth, life, and death of the plastic water bottle. Click here to visit the Green Faith Team page.

Have you been looking for a way to get to know other Saint John's members better? Do you love dinner parties?  If so, Dinners of 8 is for you.

This longtime Saint John's favorite invites participants to enjoy dinner in groups of eight - four pairs - approximately once a month for four months. Each pairs rotates to dine with different people each time. Every month one of the pairs is assigned to be the "host" for that month and decides whether to hold the dinner at their house or to eat out.  If dining at home, the host is responsible for the main dish.  The others are assigned to bring vegetables, salad, bread and desserts.  If dining out, the host chooses the location and each party pays their own way. 

Dinner dates are September 27, October 25, November 15 and December 13, 2014. 

You can sign up as a pair or as a single to be matched with someone else.  You can also sign up as an alternate in the event a participant can't make one of the dinners.  Once sign up is complete you will receive a packet of information that details your rotation format.  If you know there is a date you cannot make, please note that on the sign up sheet so you won't be assigned to host that night.

Sign up by August 31 in the Gallery or contact Kerri Rowland by phone 512-423-0073 or [email protected]. Bon Appetit!

Award-winning author Maya McIlvain will lead a study of her novel, Stein House, at Saint John's during three gatherings in August and September.

Myra and her husband, Stroud, were active members at Saint John's several years ago. At the time, Myra was known as a writer of many of the Texas state historical markers, as well as author of tour-guide books for different areas of the state. 

In the past few years, Myra has written historical novels about the early days of Texas history. Stein House, her most recent work, is about a German family who comes by ship to Indianola on the Gulf coast and establishes a boarding house. 

The book was awarded Best General Fiction Book for 2014 by the Texas Association of Authors.

Please note: Dates for the study are August 14, August 28 and September 4 at 6:30 p.m. Sign up in the Gallery; books may be purchased at the church for $20 (which Myra will autograph). For more information, contact Jeanette Ball at (512) 452-5737 or [email protected].