February 3 | Annual Meeting, Election of Vestry, and Reception
Sunday, February 3 at 9:45 a.m.
Note: Voting for vestry candidates will be the first order of business, so please arrive on time.
Vestry Candidates
Richard Metzger, Senior Warden
Paul Barkett, Junior Warden
Vestry (voting for 3):
Desirée Davis Stolar
Lauren Edwards
John Herzog
Nora Rigby
Chase Rynd
Leila Taaffe


Parish Reception at the Decatur House to follow the 11:00 a.m. service. 
Join the St. John's community at the Annual Parish Reception immediately after the 11:00 a.m. service at the Decatur House on H Street. We will gather to celebrate the re-opening of the Parish House as well as a promising 2019 with all parishioners and newly elected vestry members of St. John's Church. We will also honor Hayden Bryan after eighteen years of faithful service to St. John's as Executive Director for Operations. There will be wine and non-alcoholic beverages in addition to heavy hors d'oeuvres. All are welcome! Valet Parking will be extended to 2:30 p.m.

The Nursery and Valet Parking will be extended to 2:30 p.m.
February 6 & 7 | Outreach Opportunity at Cardozo
Cardozo Education Campus is looking for volunteers to meet with students and review their report cards. The conferences will take place on Wednesday, February 6, and Thursday, February 7.

Training is provided. Volunteers can contribute as little as an hour or two or a full day or days, depending on their time constraints. The first day, February 6, is set aside for the International Academy. On that day, fluency in another language, especially Spanish, is helpful but not required. St. Johns parishioners have participated in these conferences in the past and have found them to be a rewarding way to support DC students. 
Contact Livy More  for more details or to receive sign-up materials.
February 6 | First Wednesday Concert
Wednesday, February 6
12:10 p.m.-12:45 p.m.
A Baritone on Broadway: Songs from the Golden Age and Today with baritone Bob McDonald and pianist Lisa Gibbs Smith

Please consider joining us during your lunch break on the First Wednesdays of the month, through June, and bring a friend. See full season details on the church website at www.stjohns-dc.org. Each concert is ticketless, free of charge, and held in the nave of our historic church.
February 6 | Latrobe: Trivia Night!

Wednesday, February 6 at 7:00 p.m.
Trivia Night!

Trivia night is back! Join us at 7:00 p.m. for a celebration of the Holy Eucharist followed by dinner and an evening where you get to show off just how much you know. For more information, please contact the Rev. Andy Olivo. All are welcome! 
February 7 | St. John's Book Group
The St. John's Book Group will meet on February 7 at
6:45 p.m. The group will discuss  The Immortalists by Chloe Benjamin.

If you like to read and meet with others who like to read and talk about books, the Book Club is for you. The meeting will be held in the Teen Classroom on the second floor of the Parish House.  If you have questions or would  like more information, please contact Leila Taaffe .
St. John's Refugee Committee
Upcoming Events 

Sunday, February 10, following the 11:00 a.m. service
Parish Lunch hosted by the Refugee Committee, and prepared in part by Sadiq and Fazia, a refugee couple we have supported over the past year. Please come and enjoy Afghan food and listen and ask questions when Sadiq tells us about his family's journey to the DMV.

Sunday, February 17, after the 11:00 a.m. service
The next Refugee Committee meeting will be the Togo West Parlor, Sunday, February 17 after the 11 am service. Please join us to discuss our goals and budget planning for 2019.

Friday, March 8, 7:00-11:00 p.m. 
A Celebration of Women Refugee Entrepreneurs. On International Women's Day, join One Journey as they celebrate the success, tenacity and resilience of women refugee entrepreneurs. The evening event will feature cuisine by refugee chefs with Foodhini, coffee by Sudanese Refugees, and more inspiring stories from incredible entrepreneurs. Tickets can be purchased here or you can make a donation if you are unable to attend but would like to support the effort.

Interesting Reading/Videos
  • The documentary film Displaced, which was shown at the U.S. Institute for Peace in December, does an excellent job describing the refugee crisis of the Rohingya in Bangladesh. View the film here.
     
  • The Great Decisions program is America's largest discussion program on world affairs. The program provides background information and policy options for the eight most critical issues facing America each year and serves as the focal text for discussion groups across the country.  One of 2019's topics is Refugees and Global Migration. 
February 15 | Parents' Night Out

Just in time for Valentine's Day - Parents' Night Out at St. John's!

Enjoy time by yourself or with your valentine while your children enjoy dinner and activities at the church with trained childcare professionals. This Friday night program is free for all children of the parish family (infants through age 10). All we ask is that you sign up by noon on Wednesday,  February 13 so that we will have an adequate number of attendants and that you pick up your children before 9:00 p.m. when the doors will be locked. Please fill out the sign up form here or email Savannah, Assistant for Ministries to Children, Youth, and Families. 
February 16 | Grace's Table
Please join us in providing a hot meal to the homeless and underserved at Grace's Table. Grace's Table, an outreach ministry, of Grace's Episcopal Church in Georgetown, is a fellowship that provides and shares a meal at 11:30 a.m. on Saturdays to the homeless and near homeless. Volunteers purchase and prepare the food, and then gather with guests to eat, and socialize together.  The 60 minutes together each Saturday includes the reading and discussion of a biblical passage. Guests and volunteers take turns reading and participating in discussion with great enthusiasm and insight. A menu will be provided, from which volunteers can select food contributions. Volunteers can be reimbursed for food expenses. Parking is available at meters on the street, or at a lot adjacent to the church, for a $10 fee. For more information, please contact Robin Schwartz or Chuck Schwartz
February 23 | Community Building Event
The next community building event will be held Saturday, February 23, from 6:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m. Parishioners Robin and Chuck Schwartz, who live on 15th Street across from McPherson Square, will host a Tex-Mex Potluck supper. Space is limited to 16 guests. Please contact Robin if you can attend or for more information. 
Parishioners continue to host fellowship opportunities on a neighborhood basis and also events open to all parishioners. These events may be potluck suppers, brunches, cocktail parties, happy hours at local restaurants, picnics, or wherever our creativity leads us.  If you are interested in participating by hosting or organizing an event, please contact Holly Sukenik at hsukenik@hotmail.com.
Stewardship of Creation: Calling Interested Parishioners
Last summer the 79th General Convention of the Episcopal Church recognized the care of God's creation as a priority. The church's triennial Convention affirmed that "as individuals and communities of faith, The Episcopal Church needs to be an example by making intentional decisions about living lightly and gently on God's good earth." Presiding Bishop Michael Curry has also called on the Episcopal Church to take bold action to address the climate crisis, reminding us that we are all trustees and stewards of God's good creation. 

What would it mean for our parish and for each one of us to take seriously the charge to be faithful stewards of God's creation in 2019? If you might be interested in thinking through these questions, and in being active to ensure our community honors this charge, please be in touch with Joanne Hutton, and we will find an opportunity to begin those conversations.
March 8-10 | Sixth Annual Women's Retreat
You are invited to join the women of St. John's at a special weekend retreat on March 8-10  at the Dupont Memorial House in Rehoboth Beach, DE. Our featured leader and speaker will be the Rt. Rev. Mariann Edgar Budde, Bishop of Washington, following the theme of "The Power of Love."  The weekend is a wonderful opportunity to connect more deeply with other St. John's women, rest, rejuvenate, and dig more deeply into your own spirituality.  The retreat house is warm and inviting and the food is delicious. Located just a couple of blocks from the beach, there is downtime on Saturday afternoon to walk, rest and commune with other women. 

Reservations will be secured by sending in a $285 check (includes room and food), payable to St. John's Church and with "Women's Retreat" noted in the memo section of the check. In preparation for the weekend, please read Presiding Bishop Michael Curry's The Power of Love.  The deadline for sending your check to secure a place is Thursday, February 28. Space is limited, so please sign up as soon as possible. For more information, please contact Lisa Kirchenbauer.
March 23 & 30 | Spring Adult Inquirers Class
If you would like to be baptized, confirmed, or received into membership in the Episcopal Church at St. John's, join the 2019 Spring Adult Inquirers' Class. The two-day class will meet on Saturdays, March 23 and March 30, from 8:45 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. both days. The Rev. Bruce McPherson, Interim Rector and the Rev. Andy Olivo, Assistant Rector, will lead the sessions. Anyone - newcomer or longtime parishioner - interested in learning more about our Christian faith and life, the Episcopal tradition, and the ministry of St. John's Church, is encouraged to attend. 

For more information or to register, please contact Kaye Edwards, Assistant for Church Growth (202-347-8766, ext. 317). Those who participate in this class, or have completed another inquirers' class, may attend a Service of Confirmation, Reception, and Reaffirmation of Baptismal Vows at Washington National Cathedral on May 11, 2019.
Submit a Devotional for Pathways Through Lent

It's time to think about your contribution to our daily Lenten devotional. We invite you to share your thoughts on the season of Lent by writing a brief reflection. Submissions only need be about 250 words long and can be inspired by the scripture verse of the day or some other Lenten or spiritual topic.  Submissions are due by Friday, February 22, 2019  so that the devotional can be ready by March 6 (Ash Wednesday). Please  email the Rev. Andy Olivo  to choose a date or for more information.
The Parish Lunch Schedule
February 3 - Annual Meeting and Reception at Decatur House

February 10 - Refugee Committee
The Parish Lunch on February 10 will be hosted by the Refugee Committee, and prepared in part by Sadiq and Fazia, a refugee couple we have supported over the past year. Please come and enjoy Afghan food and listen and ask questions when Sadiq tells us about his family's journey to the DMV.

February 17 - Available for Hosting

February 24 - 2018 Holy Land Pilgrims welcome back 2019 Pilgrims
We are happy that our Sunday Parish Lunch tradition has resumed. If you have not participated in the past, please begin a new tradition of your own and plan to come to our Parish lunches at 12:15 p.m., after the 11:00 a.m. service. It is one of the best fellowship opportunities at St. John's and a way to meet new friends, both members and guests, and to catch up with old friends. Hosts are needed. Gather your friends and family to help plan, cook, and serve in our new kitchen!

To sign up or ask questions, contact Holly Sukenik, the lunch coordinator, (or at 202-332-2952) or the Parish Office at 202-347-8766.
Be Cautious of Scam Emails
Please do not respond to emails sent from Bruce asking for money or gift cards!

It has come to our attention that a number of parishioners have received emails claiming to be from Bruce, asking for money or iTunes gift cards. The persons responsible have created fake email addresses so that it looks like it is from Bruce at first glance. Please do not respond to these messages. Report them as spam to your ISP and delete them immediately.
An Easy Way to Help Others
When you travel, bring back unopened toiletry items for homeless shelters. Place them in the basket in the connector between the Church and the Parish House.
Update from the Rector Search Committee
The Rector Search Committee has completed its site visits and will be conducting final interviews in Washington with five semi-finalists across January and February. From there, the committee will present two to three candidates to the Vestry for ultimate determination. The progress of the committee can be followed on the Rector Transition page of St. John's website. Please continue to pray that the Holy Spirit guides us throughout the Rector Search process.

The Rector Search Committee
Hilary West (Chair), Krista Becker, Betsy Danello, Clark Ervin, Wendy Fibison, Andrew Hunt, Powell Hutton, Frank Klotz, Michelle Mangrum, Sara McGanity, Ralph Olson, Lisa Russo
Prayer List
Those who are sick or recovering:
From our parish:  Sarah Agnew, Martha Ellison, Frank Klotz, Jimmy Lowe, Bob Patchell, LaFleur Paysour, Gordon Richmond, Diane Spaulding, and Samuel Watson.

Friends and family of our parish: Yvonne Allen (Nikki Allen), Bonni Ashburn (Kaye Edwards), Jim Bailey (Mike Becraft), Cindy Beukema, (Ellen Parke), Barton Edwards Bruce (Kaye Edwards), Rachael Buckley (Chrystal Martin), John Frew Carter (Margo Arnold), Lane Carter, Ellen Cromwell-Cecrle (Carolyn Becraft), Bill Clark (Clark Ervin), William Frew Conderman (Margo Arnold), Sambar Datta (Ashley Culbertson), Bobby Doyle (Alex Pappas), Henry Farrington (Samuel Watson), Ted Fibison (Wendy Fibison), Kate Fisher (Katherine Kehoe), Elisabeth Fisher (Ellen Parke), Allison Gardner (Elizabeth Gardner), Antonina Gawel (Margaux Polanski), Joe Heitzler (Mike Becraft), Lucas Hunt (Matthew Taylor), Lucien Johnson, Jr. (Wande Johnson), John Linton (Cay Buser), Linda Linton (Cay Buser), William Markiewicz (Matthew Taylor), Tammy McCleaf (Matthew Taylor), Hattie McDowell (Ellen Parke), Timothy Mullins (Jim Mullins), Judy Nicola (Cynthia Walker), Jerry O'Hagan (Lance Jensen), Jonathan A.I. Olowu (Elizabeth Leach), Lisa Pell (Mike Becraft), Diane Sinclair (Pat Dalby), Elizabeth Soyster (Debby Hailey), Jacob Stein (Samuel Watson), Dick Van Orden (Ellen Parke), Henry and Sandy Welles (Donna Welles), John Wilson (Neil Wilson), Sonya Wilson (Neil Wilson), Peter Winkler (Betty van Iersel), Jim Wolter (Willy Wolter), and Kristen Wyckoff (Pat Dalby).

Those who are in the hospital:
From our parish: Max Hudgins and Dace Vidins.

Friends and family of our parish: Julie Howell (Cynthia Walker), Aiden Mylnikov (Lindsey Bowen), Conyers Thompson, Jr. (Joanne Hutton), and Larry Watson (Catherine Outten Olivo).

Those who have died:
Friends and family of our parish: Rosemary Mariner, who
died January 25.

Those in our parish celebrating a birthday this week: Michael Andrews, Alex Anikeeff, Thomas Arrasmith, Susanna Blair, Gloria Burkhardt, Audrey Corcoran, Betsy Danello, George Ehrich, Elijah Greene, Lawrence Greenhoe, Lucy Kehoe, Graham Keithley, Lisa Kirchenbauer, James Lowe, Jim Mullins, Pam Perkins, Lon Ratley, Laurel Tierney, and Brenda Wolter.

Those in our parish celebrating an anniversary this week:  Gabrielle and Simon Beaumont and Emma and Neil Wilson.

Those who are deployed:
Friends and family of our parish: Mary Formanek (Annie Formanek). 
This Sunday's Schedule
7:45 a.m.
Holy Eucharist with Homily - The Rev. W. Bruce McPherson

8:15 a.m.
Parish Choir Rehearsal

8:30 a.m.
Nursery Opens (through 2:30 p.m.) 

9:00 a.m.
Choral Holy Eucharist with Sermon - The Rev. W. Bruce McPherson

9:45 a.m.
Annual Parish Meeting in the Nave

10:10 a.m.
St. John's Choir Rehearsal (4th Floor)

10:45 a.m.
Church School (2nd Floor)

11:00 a.m. 
Choral Holy Eucharist with Sermon - The Rev. W. Bruce McPherson

12:15 p.m.
Parish Reception (Decatur House)

12:30 p.m.
St. John's Choir Rehearsal (4th Floor)

1:00 p.m.
Oraciόn Vespertina

2:30 p.m.
Nursery and Valet Parking Close
Speaker Series Schedule
The Speaker Series is held at 10:00 a.m. on the following Sundays in the Togo West Parlor:

February 10
Mark Updegrove, President and CEO of
The Lyndon B. Johnson Foundation. He will speak on George H.W. Bush: President and Patriot.

February 24
Warren Finch, Director George H. W. Bush Presidential Library

March 3
Peter Bergen, CNN National Security Analyst and terrorism expert. He will speak on An Update on Terrorism.

March 10
Jeremy Ben-Ami, Executive Director of J
Street, an organization that advocates for policies that advance shared US and Israeli interests.
Upcoming 
Baptism Dates
The next dates for 
Holy Baptism are:

* February 17, 11:00 a.m. 
* April 28, 11:00 a.m. 
* June 9, 10:30 a.m. 

If you are interested in having a child baptized, or in baptism for yourself,
Flower Deliveries
Help brighten the day of parishioners who can't be with us by taking them flowers, located in the side chapel. A card is attached to each vase with contact information. Thank you for checking to see if a delivery address is convenient for you.

Flowers need to be delivered on 11th Street, NE, Washington, DC.
In Case You 
Missed it...
Listen now to past Sunday Sermons and Speaker Series.

St. John's Church, Lafayette Square
1525 H Street, NW
Washington, DC 20005
P: (202) 347-8766
F: (202) 347-3446