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St. John's Episcopal Church
Welcome to the E-Notes!
March 14, 2018
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Today, March 14, is the one month anniversary of the mass school shooting in Parkland, Florida. The Episcopal Bishops Against Gun Violence have called for a Day of Lamentation to be observed today. We will include a litany against such violence, as well as prayers for those affected by gun violence, in our 6:00 PM service tonight. (See the statement from the House of Bishops below.)
- Lenten Service, Supper & Book Discussion continues this evening, Wed., March 14.
On Wednesdays in Lent, we 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 is a discussion of the book "Walking Home: From Eden to Emmaus" by Margaret Guenther. It's not too late to join in.
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Holy Week and Easter - Services and Events
- Holy Week is the most sacred time of the church year. It is not possible for us to celebrate Jesus' resurrection at Easter without walking with him through the events of Holy Week - his betrayal by a friend, the Last Supper, his arrest, trial and crucifixion. You are invited to join us for the following Holy Week and Easter services:
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Wednesday, March 28 - 6:00 PM service, light supper at 6:30, and last Lenten
discussion at 7:00 PM
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Maundy Thursday - March 29 - 7:30 PM service of Holy Eucharist, foot washing
and stripping the altar
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Good Friday, March 30 - services at 12:00 noon and 7:30 PM (music at the
evening service only)
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Easter Vigil, March 31 - service at 8:00 PM will include lighting of the new fire, renewal of baptismal vows, and the first Eucharist of Easter
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Easter Day, April 1 - services at 8:00 AM and 10:30 AM
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- Help for Holy Week services is needed
We will have a service on Maundy Thursday, two services on Good Friday, the Easter Vigil on Saturday, and two services on Easter Day. If you are an LEM, crucifer, lector, usher or torch bearer, we need your help! These services are posted on the online sign up sheet (thanks to Sandy Jones!) so please sign up. Many thanks to those who signed up to be readers on Palm Sunday. I will have your readings available for you this Sunday.
If you would like to donate funds toward the purchase of flowers for Easter, please use the envelopes on the back table in the church. Be sure to include the information about who the flowers are in memory or honor of, or if this is in thanksgiving. Those names will be included in the Easter bulletin.
On Saturday, March 24, at 9:00 AM, volunteers are needed to make palm crosses for Palm Sunday. Volunteers are also needed to fill plastic Easter eggs with candy for the Easter Egg Hunt on Easter morning. Many hands make light work!
Donations of
wrapped candy are needed for our Easter Egg Hunt. You can drop off your donations at the church anytime between now and March 24.
WE DO NOT NEED ANY MORE PLASTIC EGGS. Just candy.
Many thanks go to Marcia Evans for the baskets she donated to collect food for WFCM.
You may remember two years ago when we had beautifully carved animals and hand craved jewelry for sale from African Team Ministries. On Sunday,
April 8 and April 15, we will have a new assortment of jewelry and animals for sale. These beautiful items are made by craftsmen and women in Africa. The proceeds will go to provide drip kits for communities in Kenya who are experiencing a severe drought. Drip kits get water directly to the roots so crops can grow better with less water. Many people are dying every day due to lack of water. African Team Ministries is working hard to alleviate the suffering caused by the drought.
Brent Kiefer, a sophomore at Paul VI High School in Fairfax, is organizing a blood drive to be held at St. Andrew the Apostle Catholic Church, 6720 Union Mill Road in Clifton, on Saturday, April 14 from 9:15 am - 1:30 PM. Brent suffered from leukemia as a child and was dependent on blood products. He now is organizing blood drives to ensure that everyone who needs blood can get it. The blood drive is through Inova Blood Donor Services. To donate, visit
www.inovablood.org .Click on "Donate Now", then click on "Make an Appointment", then "Locate a Blood Drive". Use Sponsor Code 8044 and select the time you would like. A photo ID is required. Allow one hour for blood donation. Let's support this young man's effort to increase the community's blood supply.
Although its still cold outside, it's time to start signing up your children for the Shrine Mont Summer Camps!. Shrine Mont is the Episcopal Camp and Conference Center for the Diocese of Virginia and is located in Orkney Springs in the heart of the Shenandoah Valley. A variety of camps are offered for different ages and abilities. Camps are also offered for those with special needs. There is a need for counselors as well. Interested? Visit Shrine Mont online at
www.shrinemontcamps.net
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- Update from the Search and Nominating Committee for a second Bishop Suffragan
The Search and Nominating Committee for the second Bishop Suffragan for the Diocese of Virginia is working hard. They have hosted many "listening sessions" around the diocese to hear from Episcopalians about what qualities they would like to see in a new bishop. They would like to hear from YOU with any ideas, suggestions, questions, etc. that you might have. You can contact the committee at
[email protected]
The committee has a page on the diocesan website where you can find updates about the committee's progress. Go to the diocesan website at
www.thediocese.net
Under "Bishop's" click on the link to the Bishop Suffragan Search. We will also have an insert in this Sunday's bulletin about the search process.
- Bishops give support to youth confronting violence
- Episcopal House of Bishops Meeting in Retreat Accepts Statement on Gun Violence
The House of Bishops of the Episcopal Church met in retreat at Camp Allen in Navasota, TX. On March 7, the House of Bishops unanimously accepted the following statement on gun violence.
"I call heaven and earth to witness against you today that I have set before you life and death, blessings and curses. Choose life so that you and your descendants may live." (Deuteronomy 30:19)
At this critical moment young people of the United States are inviting us to turn away from the nightmare of gun violence to the dream of choosing life. The young people of Parkland, Florida are calling for elected officials to:
Others are seeking to:
- ban the sale of bump stocks
- raise the age to 21 years to purchase firearms
- challenge the National Rifle Association to support safe gun legislation.
We, the bishops of The Episcopal Church, wholeheartedly support and join with the youth in this call to action.
At the same time, we acknowledge that black and brown youth have continuously challenged the United States to address the gun violence that they and their communities are experiencing. We repent that, as bishops, we have failed to heed their call.
As bishops we commit to following the youth of the United States in their prophetic leadership. To that end we will observe a
day of Lament and Action on March 14, one month to the day after the shooting at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School. (Bishops United Against Gun Violence:
http://bishopsagainstgunviolence.org
We pledge ourselves, and we invite our dioceses, to participate in the "March for our Lives" on March 24 in Washington DC and in cities and towns across the United States. We recognize the urgency of this moment and we recommit to working for safe gun legislation as our church has called for in multiple General Convention resolutions.
https://episcopalarchives.org/cgi-bin/acts/acts_topic_search.pl?topic=Gun+Control In addition, we pledge ourselves to bring the values of the gospel to bear on a society that increasingly glorifies violence and trivializes the sacredness of every human life.
We will walk with the youth of the United States today and into the future in choosing life.
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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. I also recommend the Lenten Meditations booklet from Episcopal Relief and Development that are available in the breezeway. They are faith-filled stories from a variety of authors. Carol)
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OPPORTUNITIES
- Update on 'Footsteps of Jesus' Program; Trip to the Holy Land Jan. 29 - Feb. 7 2019
We now have 27 parishioners registered with St. Georges College in Jerusalem. We are excited that so many have decided to make this voyage. Here is an updated schedule for planning / budgeting purposes:
April 2018 - Group Flight Information
May 2018 - Joint Parish Educational Meeting at St. John's in Centreville
Fall 2018 - Joint Parish Educational Meeting at Emmanuel in Delaplane
November 2018 - 50% payment due to St. Georges
December 2018/January 2019 - Joint Parish / Send off Dinner (and final information)
January 29 - February 7, 2019 - Pilgrimage
Lee Johnson lee.johnson1973@gmail.com
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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 FIFTH SUNDAY IN LENT
March 18, 2018
9:30 AM
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Kansas Summer Wheat, photograph
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John 12:24 Very truly, I tell you, unless a grain of wheat falls into the earth and dies, it remains just a single grain; but if it dies, it bears much fruit.
The First Reading:
Jeremiah 31:31-34
God vows that he will make a new covenant with his fickle people, and this new order will sustain their relationship, both individually and corporately. He will provide for them more help than they have had, and God hopes that they will turn their hearts toward him.
The Epistle:
Hebrews 5:5-10
Jesus showed through his humility during his earthly ministry that it is through submission and obedience that God gives glory. Jesus did not consider equality with God something to be grasped, but took the form of a servant.
Not only Jews were interested in what Jesus was up to, but also people of the Israelite family. As this began to happen, Jesus knew that his death was coming soon. All his work and convictions would come to a head against the evil of the world.
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THE ADULT
LECTIONARY FORUM
MEETS EACH SUNDAY IN THE LIBRARY,
FROM 10:50 - 11:50 am
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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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Prayer for the Human Family
O God, you made us in your own image and redeemed us through Jesus your Son: Look with compassion on the whole human family; take away that arrogance and hatred which infect our hearts; break down the walls that separate us; unite us in bonds of love; and work through our struggle and confusion to accomplish your purposes on earth; that, in your good time, all nations and races may serve you in harmony around your heavenly throne; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
For the Human Family, page 815 in the Book of Common Prayer
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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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