St. John's Episcopal Church - Centreville, VA
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Parish News - June 17, 2020
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Dear St. John's parishioners and friends:
I have just finished listening to this week's video by our Presiding Bishop Michael Curry, "Habits of Grace". He quotes a hymn written by The Rev. Henry Emerson Fosdick, "God of grace and God of glory."(Hymn #594) Fosdick wrote this hymn is 1944, during World War II when most of the planet was in chaos. The hymn says:
God of grace and God of glory
On thy people pour thy power;
Crown thine ancient Church's story;
Bring her bud to glorious flower.
Grant us wisdom, grant us courage
For the facing of this hour,
For the facing of this hour.
Lo! the hosts of evil round us
Scorn thy Christ, assail his ways!
From the fears that long have bound us
Free our hearts to faith and praise;
Grant us wisdom, grant us courage
For the living of these days
For the living of these days.
At times like the one we are living in now, filled with anxiety and fear and uncertainty, demonstrations and disease, may we remember that God is with each and every one of us, ready to give us wisdom and courage, if we ask. Let us remember that God holds on to us and will not let us go, as we face these troubling times.
The Rev. Carol Hancock
Rector
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Preparing for Phase II Regathering on Our Church Buildings
Here's the link:
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St. John's is here to help you!
If you or someone you know has a need that the church can help with during this pandemic (going to the grocery store, picking up prescriptions, etc), please do not hesitate to call the church (703-803-7500). Many of us are ready and willing to help, should the need arise. The church is here to help in any way we can.
What else can St. John's be doing to fill your spiritual needs during this difficult time? If you have ideas or suggestions, please let Carol know.
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Every Wednesday, St. John's has a
Service of Evening Prayer
at 6 PM
. It is a peaceful way to end the day, and it's now being held virtually. Here is the link to this evening's service:
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This Sunday, June 21, join us for the service at 9:30 AM, the Adult Lectionary Class at 10:30 AM and the virtual coffee hour at 12:00 noon on Zoom. The links will be sent out in Saturday's email, which will have the link for the service (9:30 AM), the link for the Adult Lectionary class (10:30 AM) and the link for the coffee hour (12:00 noon).
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A few announcements:
Our prayers and sympathy
go to Dan Jones on the death of his mother, Judy Davis, in North Carolina. May her soul and the souls of all the departed, through the mercy of God, rest in peace.
Bob Faithful
is now out of the hospital following surgery and in a rehab facility.
Many thanks
go to Bob Barnes for donating 100 bags of mulch to the church. The date for a "mulch spreading" party will be announced soon.
Many thanks go to
Angela Hadfield
who came up with the idea of having the Vestry take small bags of goodies to our parishioners. Some are bakers and some are deliverers. She has put together a spread sheet and gives us our assignments each Saturday. If you have not yet received yours, you should in the next few weeks. Thanks to Dick Griffith, Susie Pike and Angela who are doing the baking, and to Andrew Wade, Susie, Angela, and Carol who are making the deliveries.
Many thanks go to
David Weir for editing and posting our services on YouTube. He spends a lot of time doing this so we can take part in regular worship together but physically apart. Thanks also go to the readers who are taking part in the services, and to Mandy Hull who finds the appropriate hymns on You Tube that we can use, and plays a prelude and postlude.
Do you have a Book of Common Prayer at home?
As our online services continue, it would be easier for each of you to follow the service and make the appropriate responses if you had your own prayer book at home. Many people do, not just to use for services but also to use its many other resources for personal prayer time. We have extra prayer books at the church, if you would like one. Just let Carol know and we can arrange a "no contact" pick up.
The Prayer list -
If you would like to add someone to the prayer list, please email Carol. The readers who do the readings as well as the Prayers of the People, do their recordings from their homes toward the beginning of the week. If you send a name after the recording has been made, the name might not be on the prayer list until the following Wednesday or Sunday. Also, please note that the prayers of the sick, and those who have died, are read during the services we are posting on YouTube. So they are now "virtual". If you put a name on the prayer list, please contact the church office to have their name taken off the list when they have sufficiently recovered.
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Sermons from the Bishop's Online Chapel
Each week, one of our bishops or a member of the diocesan staff prepares and posts a sermon based on the Sunday's readings that can be used for online services. Here is the sermon posted for this past Sunday. The Rt. Rev. Susan Goff delivered this sermon in Spanish.
Use this
link
to view the video.
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Psychological First Aid
Psychological distress often follows a crisis. You may need support for yourself, your family, and your community....
Here is the link for the webinar:
Scroll part way down, until you see the title "Psychological First Aid", then click.
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ChurchNext Offers a Free Online Class
This course is designed to give you a boost.
We don’t know when this pandemic is going to end, but we can tap into resources to help us deal with it in healthy ways. As we are increasingly tempted to fall into our phones and ask people to wake us when Covid-19 is over, it becomes increasingly important that we maintain healthy habits.
This course can help us ponder ways we can tap into our faith as a resource for us and others.
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OUTREACH TO OUR COMMUNITY
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Western Fairfax Christian Ministries
With schools being closed
items
are being included for
breakfast and lunch food for kids
(primarily single servings that do not require a stove). The bags will also include bread, fresh fruit and items already in our pantry that come daily from grocery stores.
HOW TO HELP WFCM FAMILIES DURING COVID-19
WFCM is pre-bagging food
to continue to provide all clients with food.
They are
not accepting individual small donations from homes.
If you would like to donate food items,
please order food and toiletry items online and ship them directly to WFCM's office in Chantilly or
donate online
.
Here is the link that takes you directly to WFCM's 'wish list' on Amazon:
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Fairfax County Health Department Neighbor to Neighbor Program
In response to COVID 19, the Health Department has set up a Neighbor to Neighbor Program for residents 60 and over who need to have someone pick up groceries and medications for them. Contact Fairfax County Aging, Disability and Caregiver Resource Line at 703-324-7948.
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SUNDAY WORSHIP & EDUCATION
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The Adult Lectionary Forum
*
Now being held virtually via Zoom. All are invited to join in, following the virtual Sunday service. The links to the Forum and the service are sent out in a separate email on Saturdays.
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We can prepare our hearts & minds by reading ahead
for the Sunday Service lesson
The Third Sunday
after Pentecost -
June 21, 2020
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The First Reading:
Genesis 21:8-21
Emnity springs up between the family of promise and the family of flesh; while Hagar and her son are abused and banished, God provides for them.
page 709, BCP
The Second Lesson:
Romans 6:1b-11
In Jesus’ death the cords of sin and evil that entangle humanity were broken — these powers have no sway over us.
The Gospel:
Matthew 10:24-39
Following the God revealed in Jesus is a fearsome thing, but God notices and remembers each one who loves him.
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Forward Day by Day
, a daily devotional normally available in the breezeway, is now here for May/June/July. If you would like one to be mailed to you, please call Carol or send an email.
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Prayers for Justice, Reconciliation and Peace
The Deacons of the diocese put together a booklet of prayers for justice, reconciliation and peace. Click on the link to access the prayers.
We encourage you to please stay current with your pledge and contributions to St. John's. Our bills continue to come in and need to be paid. You can mail your contributions to St. John's at 5649 Mt. Gilead Road, Centreville, VA 20120. If you would rather give online, please use the Tithe.ly button below.
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Online Contributions to St. John's
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St. John's now offers three buttons for online donations via Tithe.ly. You may use the buttons to go directly to Tithe.ly, or you may download the Tithe.ly app on your phone or tablet.
The
Facility donation
button may be used for any contribution for the facility's buildings and grounds, or special facility campaigns.
The
Pledge contribution
button may be used to make your pledge payment
after signing up
to be a pledger,
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which may be done at any time in the year. (See Carol or Vestry)
The
Donation button
may be used for any other type of donation to St. John's. We are just now adding the Donation button, so it is not yet active.
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Diocesan Resources
The Diocese of Virginia has posted on its website (www.thediocese.net) many resources for individuals and clergy to use during this time when we cannot gather together for worship and Christian Education. On the opening page of the website, you will see "Covid 19 Resources" in the upper right hand corner. This page includes statements by Bishop Susan Goff, some church financial resources, tips about recording services online, and Christian Education resources to use at home. One resource is entitled "Do Faith at Home" and has ideas for adults and children
https://www.dofaithathome.org/
Every week
, Presiding Bishop Michael Curry broadcasts a short reflection entitled, "Habits of Grace". He has encouraging words of hope and love for all of us during this difficult time. They are 4-5 minutes long. You can watch the videos at
https://episcopalchurch.org/habits-of-grace
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Reflections
Perfection
Jesus promises us the power of love, but this conversion to love is more than a lifetime’s process. You are a work in progress. Jesus’ work of perfection in us is gradual.
-Br. Curtis Almquist
A Prayer for the Power of the Spirit among the People of God
God of all power and love,
we give thanks for your unfailing presence
and the hope you provide in times of uncertainty and loss.
Send your Holy Spirit to enkindle in us your holy fire.
Revive us to live as Christ’s body in the world:
a people who pray, worship, learn,
break bread, share life, heal neighbors,
bear good news, seek justice, rest and grow in the Spirit.
Wherever and however we gather,
unite us in common prayer and send us in common mission,
that we and the whole creation might be restored and renewed,
through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
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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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Please note:
If you choose to unsubscribe below, please be aware that you will no longer receive either St. John's sermons or E-Notes, which are sent weekly. If you do unsubscribe and later want to be added back in, that needs to be done through the provider, Constant Contact. Please email St. John's office with the request: [email protected].
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