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Christ endormi pendant la tempete, de la croix
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The Fifth Sunday after Pentecost
Sunday, June 24
Nursery 9:45 a.m.-11:15 a.m.
10:00 a.m. Holy Eucharist
Children's Chapel, Keeper's Cottage
11:15 a.m. Coffee Hour, Parish Hall
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Dear Friends:
Greetings from sunny (and much cooler) California!
As many of you know, I have spent this past week in Los Angles to celebrate my son Carter's graduation from UCLA and my mother's 80th birthday. These were joyous occasions, with family members traveling from all around the country to attend.
Getting families together can bring great joy, but this often requires organizing a lot of moving parts and that can cause some stress! At several points last weekend, either traffic or wrong directions or limited parking caused delays and confusion....at one point I feared I was going to miss my son's graduation altogether! (You can imagine the perfect storm that created.) All ended well, thanks be to God. But still...
In our gospel reading for today, we hear the familiar story of Jesus calming the stormy seas after his disciples rouse him from his sleep at the helm of the boat. When he stirs in response to his disciples' cries, he doesn't tell them to have no fear. Instead, he invites them to examine why they are afraid - in essence, to consider how and why they have let the windstorm rule their reality - and calls upon them to have a measure of faith that will accompany them and their fears and help to restore their vision.
How's the weather in your world this week? Are there any storms raging that have you feeling overwhelmed with anxiety or fear? Where might you find help amid the storm? How might God be inviting you to shift your attention in a way that helps you recognize that the storm does not have the final word? Instead of experiencing fear and anxiety as bullies that leave us feeling helpless, how might it be to receive them as messengers who invite us to refocus our vision? How would it be to pray that God would turn your anxiety into energy for moving forward?
In the words of one writer, "Truth is, all is well. Truth is, peace makes itself at home in chaos. From the standpoint of old perceptions, we see only danger, but sleeping within us is the gift of broader vision and a steadiness that calms the quaking roar."
Have faith,
With acknowledgment to the late Kayla McLurg.
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The Wednesday Evening Formation Group Can't Stop; Won't Stop
Now Studying the Prophet Habakkuk
Do you ever find yourself wondering whether or not God is listening? Through the study of the book of the prophet Habakkuk, explore this dilemma and increase your understanding of God's unflagging presence, even in the midst of injustice and doubt. Bring your own Bible (or borrow one from us) for this series led by the Rev. Amelie Wilmer and the Rev. Deacon David Curtis.
Wednesdays June 27, & July 11
6:30 p.m.--Supper
7:00 p.m.--Discussion
Parish House
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Summer Hymn Sing
Hymns from Around the World
In the world of food, we sometimes limit ourselves to a small range of choices. It's good to have foods and recipes we know and love. It can also be wonderful to discover a new dish.
In the wide world of hymns, it's satisfying to sing what we know and love. But it can be a delight to discover a new song (and it might even become a favorite). God's people praise God in cultures different from our own.
At "Hymns from Around the World" we will sing hymns that are likely new to many and also some that are familiar. We might even discover a gem hidden in plain sight. That's one way we may expand and enrich our image and understanding of God.
St. John's will provide dinner with an international flair beginning at 5:30 p.m. and afterward, we will join our voices --singing songs from our Episcopal Hymnal 1982 and Wonder, Love, and Praise, as well as songs from other lands and cultures. Maybe you'll discover a new favorite hymn or a new favorite recipe.
Bring your family, invite your friends, and share the joy and love that permeates St. John's.
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Stars and Stripes Picnic
Bring your friends!
Celebrate the major part our church played in events that led to the United States' declaration of its independence at our annual Stars & Stripes picnic, featuring fried chicken.
Sue Schutt sure would appreciate your help setting up, serving, and cleaning up.
Sunday, July 1
11:15 a.m.
Parish Hall
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Property Meeting
The property committee will meet at
5:30 p.m. in the Library,
Monday, July 9, to plan their July 28 work day and to discuss other maintenance and repair issues around the grounds. Please attend if you are interested; contact
Jamie Isaacs with questions.
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about the
Annual Young Ad
ul
ts Picnic
All young adults and their families and friends are invited to the annual Young Adults Summer Picnic
. Sandwich supplies and water will be provided. Please bring a picnic side or dessert to share. While drop-ins are welcome, it would be helpful to
let Amelie know if you plan to attend.
Sunday, July 15
Following the 10:00 service (noon-ish)
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Summer Saturday Contemplative Services
During the summer, St. John's is offering an evening service the second Saturday of each month. The service includes Holy Eucharist, meditative music, a quiet, candlelit atmosphere, and the rite of healing.
We hope you find this service to be a relaxing supplement to your Sunday morning worship. Please invite friends who prefer a more contemplative form of worship in the early evening.
Saturdays
July 14 & August 11
5:30 p.m.
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Final Inquirer's Class Meets July 15
The 16 participants in this year's inquirer's class invite your prayers as they explore the tradition of the Episcopal Church and the reaffirmation of the Baptismal Covenant.
Sunday, July 15
4:00 p.m.
The Parish Hall
Child care is provided.
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Do You Want to Serve
During Church?
Our Lay Eucharistic Ministers, Acolytes, and Ushers are essential to our worship services. There is no time commitment outside of the Sunday service you already attend. We especially encourage our young members, ages 8 and up, to consider being acolytes.
We will hold training sessions after the service on the following dates.
July 22 - Lay Eucharistic minister training
August 5 - Usher training
August 12 - Acolyte training
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Summer Book Study
with Sarah Price
Our parish summer book study,
Stranger God: Meeting Jesus in Disguise
by author Richard Beck,
is a great way to live deeply into our ordinary-yet-extraordinary lives of faith while staying connected to our intern Sarah Price during her travels to Church Divinity School of the Pacific and General Convention.
Sarah will lead a four-week Wednesday night study based on the biblical, theological, spiritual and practical lessons from the book. Each session will meet in the Parish House, beginning with a light meal at 6:30 p.m. followed by book study at 7:00 p.m.
You can begin reading the book at your own pace over these next several weeks; Sarah will also be reading and will post inspiring, thought-provoking quotes as she encounters them to encourage our reading. Look for an update each week with a link to her journey through the book and a peek into her learning and formation on the West Coast.
For
those who prefer to read on a schedule, the in-person conversations will work through the sections of the book as follows:
July 18
: Learning to Open the Eyes of our Heart [Introduction and Part I, "Entertaining Angels"]
July 25
: Sharpening our Emotional and Spiritual Eyesight [Part 2: "The Emotional Battlefield"]
August 1
: Theological Visioning and Re-Visioning [Part 3: "I Shall Be Love"]
August 8
: From Vision to Action [Part IV "Practicing Hospitality" and Part V "How to Save the World"]
Copies of the book are available for borrowing in the parish office.
For more information please
Click here to purchase the book in Kindle or paperback format.
Wednesdays, July 18-August 8
6:30 p.m. Dinner
7:00 p.m.
Discussion
Parish House
Where does the world need love this week? Where do you experience the love of Christ?
You can listen to Sarah's reflection
here:
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Next Vestry Meeting
Tuesday, July 10,
at 5:30 p.m. in the Parish Hall
All members of St. John's Church are welcome to attend vestry meetings as observers. Minutes of recent vestry meetings are displayed on the bulletin board in the Parish Hall foyer. Please share your ideas or questions about the life of St. John's Church with a vestry member.
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Spotlight on Outreach
St. John's is committed to living our Baptismal Covenant--
to seek and serve Christ in all persons,
loving our neighbor as ourselves and respecting the dignity of every human being.
Join the $5 Club!
Pledge to spend at least $5 a month on non-perishable foods to feed others. Bring your donations on the first Sunday of each month, or deposit your donations in the wicker basket at the rear of the church anytime. Remember that while we might take a vacation this summer, hunger does not. Thank you for your generosity in supporting First Fruits. Your living out the Gospel allows others to go to bed without being hungry.
First Fruits Sundays
: First Sunday of every month. Bring non-perishable food items to church for donation to the Christ Ascension Food Pantry. The food bank especially needs soup, pasta, and canned fruit. In May we collected 181 pounds of food, bringing our year-to-date collection to 623 pounds, meeting 41.5% of our goal 41.7% of the way into the year. Well done! Next First Fruits Sunday--July 1, 2018
Laundry Love
: Third Saturday of every month. Help do your neighbors' laundry at the laundromat at 25th & Nine Mile. Next Laundry Love Day--July 21
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Reserve Your Spot
in the Van Headed
to Karla Hunt's Ordination
Karla Hunt, a long time member of St. John's, will be ordained as a vocational deacon
Saturday, September 29,
at Christ and St. Luke's Episcopal Church, Norfolk.
St. John's is renting a 15 passenger van to provide transportation for those who wish to attend.
We will leave promptly at 7:45 a.m. from St. John's and should return to Richmond by 4:00 p.m.
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Prayer Group & Sunday Prayer
s
Bring your prayers to the Wednesday morning prayer group. Pray with us silently or aloud as the Spirit leads you, and let us surround you with love and prayers. Find sacred silence and hear the still, small voice of God. Simply stop by the Keeper's Cottage any Wednesday at 10:00.
Prayer ministers also offer individual prayer Sundays during communion.
Wednesdays
10:00 a.m.
Keeper's Cottage (to the left of the church)
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St. John's Church
2401 East Broad Street
Office: 2319 E. Broad Street RVA 23223
804-649-7938
The deadline for submitting copy for the weekly bulletin insert and parish-wide emailis Wednesday morning, but earlier is always appreciated.
Please send your content to Patty Duffy. Please note that content may be edited to accommodate space limitations and style guidelines.
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