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St. John's Episcopal Church
Welcome to the E-Notes!
February 14, 2018
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ASH WEDNESDAY IS TODAY, FEBRUARY 14
Ash Wednesday, which marks the beginning of Lent,
is Wednesday, February 14.
We will have two services: 12:00 noon and 7:30 PM.
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Lenten service, supper and program begins February 21
Beginning on Wednesday, February 21, we will have a service at 6:00 PM, followed by a light supper of soup and bread, and program for the 6 weeks of Lent. The program will be a discussion of the book
"Walking Home: From Eden to Emmaus" by Margaret Guenther. She says, "The book is a series of meditations on the "walking stories" of Holy Scripture, beginning with the expulsion from Eden. Jesus walked everywhere with his disciples. He was always arriving, on the way somewhere else, or departing. Adam and Eve walked out of the garden, Abraham and Isaac walked up to Mt. Moriah, the Israelites walked for 40 years in the desert, the Prodigal Son walked home barefoot, and the disciples encountered the risen Christ when they walked to Emmaus. If we take the walk of faith, our feet will get dirty, worn and blistered. But the walk demands that we stand on solid ground, that we feel the earth beneath our feet, when we go barefoot from the garden to begin our lifetime of walking." The books are $20 each and are for sale now.
Please read Chapters 1-3 for the first class on February 21.
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At the Annual Parish Meeting last Sunday, Lisa Heller and Susie Pike were elected to the Vestry for three year terms. Monti Zimmerman was elected to serve another one year term. The new Vestry will have a retreat this Saturday and will have its first meeting this Sunday. Many thanks to Lisa and Susie for their willingness to serve on the Vestry, and to all who attended the Annual Parish Meeting.
- The Shrove Tuesday Pancake Supper - a HUGE success!!!
Over 40 people turned out last night for our Annual Shrove Tuesday Pancake Supper. Good food and great fellowship are a wonderful combination! Many thanks go to our cooks - Dave Parker, John Tucker, Katherine Sawyers, and Kristin Tucker - and to all who assisted in other ways. If you missed it this year, make plans now to attend next year. It's always the Tuesday before Ash Wednesday.
- So what's so different about Lent?
When you come to church this Sunday (and all the Sundays in Lent), you will notice several things:
-there are no flowers on the altar; there are dried arrangements
-the color of the hangings is purple, a penitential color
-the flags and baptismal font have been taken away
-we will not use any "Alleluias" or "Halleluias" in the service
-we will be using Rite I, which has different responses than Rite II, which we normally use
-the tone of the service is more somber and penitential as we prepare for Holy Week
-on the First Sunday of Lent (this Sunday) we will use the Great Litany, which is penitential
- What should I do or not do during Lent?
Lent is a time of prayer, fasting and self-denial. It is a time to do a spiritual housecleaning, to see what we need to get rid of in order to have a closer relationship with God. Spending extra time in prayer is important, perhaps adding in daily devotions at a particular time each day. For self-denial, we may give up something that we really enjoy, realizing that we rely on God alone. So every time we thing about this (chocolate, sweets, alcohol, etc.), we remember God provides us with what we need. Fasting can mean not eating for a certain period of time, or not eating meat for a time. For those who can't fast (for health reasons) or who choose not to go without food, we can fast from other things, such as:
-fast from resentment and bitterness
-fast from judging others
-fast from anger and hatred
-fast from discouragement
-fast from overspending
-fast from complaining
Perhaps we can give up some of our TV watching and spend the time saved doing something for someone else. Perhaps we can use the money we might spend at a coffee shop and give it to a charitable organization. Whatever draws us closer to God and gets rid of what gets in our way of loving God and others, is a good thing for Lent.
- Confirmation classes scheduled
If anyone, age 14 or older, is interested in being confirmed when Bishop Jones is here on Sunday, April 22, please let Carol know as soon as possible. The Confirmation classes will meet on Sundays from 10:50 - 12:00 noon, starting on Sunday, February 25 for 5-6 weeks.
The two baskets that we use each Sunday to bring forward our food donations for Western Fairfax Christian Ministries have seen better days. They are falling apart and need to be replaced. If someone would like to donate two new baskets, it would be greatly appreciated. Please talk to Carol if you would like to donate these baskets.
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Bishop Johnston is pleased to announce his appointment of the Rt. Rev. Robert Ihloff as Bishop Associate in the Diocese of Virginia. Bishop Ihloff served as the Bishop of Maryland from 1995 until his retirement in 2007. He will provide key support to the Diocese during the transition between Bishop Ted Gulick's retirement at the end of 2017 and the election of a second Bishop Suffragan later this year. His office will be in Northern Virginia, at The Falls Church.
"In Search for the Second Bishop Suffragan of the Episcopal Diocese of Virginia". The Search/Nominating Committee for the second Bishop Suffragan of the Diocese of Virginia invites you to either of these two sessions for churches in the newly formed South Fairfax Region (which includes St. John's). They are: Saturday, February 24, 10 - 12 pm at The Falls Church in Falls Church Tuesday, February 27, 7 - 9 pm at St. Andrew's, Burke This will be an opportunity to hear about the search process and timeline, to ask questions and to share your ideas for the qualities you wish for in our third bishop. Other listening sessions will be held throughout the diocese.
- Lenten Quiet Day offered by the Episcopal Church Women
A Lenten Quiet Day will be offered on Thursday, February 22 by the Episcopal Church Women at Roselyn Conference Center in Richmond. The theme is "The Life of Faith in Four Songs" and will be led the Bishop Susan Goff beginning at 9:30 AM. The cost is $35 which includes lunch. For more information, contact Mary Holly Bigelow at
[email protected] or call 804-285-2598.
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Again this year, Virginia Theological Seminary has teamed up with the Society of St. John the Evangelist to provide a Lenten program. "Meeting Jesus in the Gospel of John" provides an online opportunity for you to watch a short daily video, ponder the verse for the day, and then write or draw something you want to remember in your journal. Journals can be downloaded from the website. To sign up to receive the daily videos and other resources, go to
www.meetingjesusinjohn.org (I have been watching the short (2-4 minute) videos each day and have pondered the questions they raise. They are quite good and I highly recommend them for your personal daily devotions during Lent. - Carol)
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OPPORTUNITIES
If you are interested in the trip to Israel in January 2019, you need to contact Andrew Wade
[email protected] as soon as possible.The trip is filling up fast and there is a limit of 40 people. Each person planning to go must make a reservation with St. George's College in Jerusalem and make a $500 deposit. We will be traveling with parishioners from Emmanuel Episcopal Church in Delaplane.
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St. John's Recycling Fundraiser
***Have you gotten a new phone lately? Consider donating the old phone to St. John's!
Protect the environment and clean out those used electronic items that clutter closets & drawers!
Nothing to buy! Nothing to sell! Just bring in the used electronic items that you have replaced or that have broken. We will package the items and send them to Eco-Phones for recycling. Eco-Phones pays us for these items -
working or not. Here's what we're collecting:
cell phones - ipads & tablets - inkjet cartridges
Eco-Phones will
not accept desktop computers and is
no longer accepting laptops.
Bring your items to the church and place them in the
"Eco-Phones" box in the breezeway. If you have any questions contact Penny Parker at 703-791-3482 or
[email protected]
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SIGN UP HERE TO
SERVE
as LEM, Crucifer, Lector, Usher, Verger, Torch Bearer at a Sunday Service.
You will receive an automatic reminder a few days in advance. (
If you would like to become an altar server, please see the Rev. Carol Hancock.)
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SIGN UP HERE TO
BRING SNACKS
for coffee hour after the Sunday Service in the Breezeway.
click here:
You will receive an automatic reminder a few days in advance. Coffee hour is an important part of fellowship - staying connected with each other and welcoming newcomers.
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SIGN UP HERE TO
SUPPLY FLOWERS
for a Sunday service throughout 2018.
click here:
You may sign up here to donate the flowers to be used on the altar for each of the Sundays in 2018. Click to read additional info before signing up.
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We can prepare our hearts and minds
by
reading ahead for the Sunday Service lessons.
THE FIRST SUNDAY IN LENT
February 18, 2018
9:30 AM
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The Baptism of Jesus, David Bonnell
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The First Reading:
Genesis 9:8-17
God makes a promise to Noah on behalf of all humanity and creatures to come. Never again will he destroy the whole world by water. His mercy is symbolized by a rainbow.
The Second Lesson:
1 Peter 3:18-22
Despite the dangers of water and flooding, God saved Noah and his family. Even now, God saves through the risky waters of baptism, drawing a new people out of the flood waters to himself.
After Jesus's baptism by John, Jesus faces testing by the Evil One; filled with the Holy Spirit, and given grace and attendance by God's angels, Jesus withstands the assaults, remains victorious, and begins preaching.
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THE ADULT
LECTIONARY FORUM
MEETS EACH SUNDAY IN THE LIBRARY,
FROM 10:50 - 11:50 am
___________________
CHILD CARE IS
PROVIDED IN THE NURSERY
Each week, St. John's children
join with three of our Ministry Partners:
Fairfax Chinese Christian Church,
Wellspring UCC
& Grace Baptist Church
for Sunday School
10:30 - 11:30 A
M
We offer 3 classes:
PreK: Rm. 205;
K - 6th grade: Rm. 207/208;
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Reminder
Every Wednesday evening, we have a service of Holy Eucharist and healing at 6:00 PM. The service is about 30 minutes. It is a perfect alternative for those who cannot come to church on Sunday mornings, as well as a good spiritual boost in the middle of the week. Come join us!
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God's love was revealed among us in this way: God sent his only Son into the world so that we might live through him. In this is love, not that we loved God but that he loved us and sent his Son to be the atoning sacrifice for our sins." I John 4:9,10
Love's Self-offering
We don't have to earn this; this is a love that is given. It's a reality that, like grace, is both unearned and undeserved.
-Br. Keith Nelson
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and the office number is 703-803-7500.
May our ministry together spread God's love to all whom we encounter.
- Carol
The Rev. Carol Hancock
Rector
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