Praise the Lord for the glory that belongs to him.
Bring an offering and come into the courtyards of his temple
Psalm 96:8
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Grace & Peace,
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Our nation’s school calendar has, for more than 100 years, been based upon the needs of an agrarian society. With fewer people being tied to the land and farming, summer vacations filled the void. From this perspective summer is now seen as a time to relax rather than a time to work.
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Yet, busyness seems to pervade the summer months. We try to cram as much activity as possible into this finite time frame. Then returning to our routine, we wonder why we are not as refreshed as expected. It may not seem fruitful, but slowing down can be a good thing. We can actually accomplish more by slowing down.
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A resource that has helped me do just that is
https://www.pray-as-you-go.org/home/
This Jesuit community offers a daily reflection and prayer that you can access from their mobile app or via the website. It will help you to slow down, and in slowing down you will be able to accomplish more.
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Pray as You Go suggests
“It takes time to enter into a time of prayer and retreat. Time to begin to allow yourself to feel at home in a new routine. Time to adjust to a change of pace. Time to let your deeper hopes and desires come to the surface. Time to meet God in this place now.
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The good news is that there is all the time in the world available. Even in the midst of a busy summers' day, there is time enough to relax and let God do everything that God wants to do. So don't rush, but enter into this time asking God for the gift of wholehearted confidence and trust in God's care, especially during these days.”
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The Pray As You Go app is intended to accompany you as you travel to work, school, or just in your busyness. Each weekday and once on the weekend, an Ignatian prayer session of 10-12 minutes is offered; this prayer time is based upon a different Bible passage and each day follows a familiar pattern.
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There are many ways of finding quiet prayer; this is just one that has blessed my days. I encourage you to explore Ignatian prayer and other forms of contemplative prayer. There is bound to be a way, either with stillness or with activity, that will help you to slow down, find God, and in doing so accomplish more.
Peace,
Henry+
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The Altar Guild
is a ministry - it is a gift of time and talent to serve God in His house. It is a great privilege to serve God in this way. Each week at St. John's the love of God is encountered through the beauty of the liturgy. The Altar Guild's careful preparation and care of the sacred vessels of worship are a critical piece in making that encounter happen. St. John's Altar Guild Ministry is a volunteer group of the parish whose ministry is to care for the altar, vestments, vessels, and altar linens of the parish. Members prepare the sanctuary for services and clean up after.
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For anyone looking to participate in a quiet ministry where there is no "public speaking" and are looking to find a more quiet, reflective ministry, Altar Guild would be a great fit.
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Currently, Altar Guild has six teams with three people per team who work for a period of two weeks about five times per year. Duties include setting up before and cleaning up after worship services on Sunday mornings at 8 and 10 a.m. The ministry also sets up for special services as well as holiday services.
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Altar Guild offers a training period for each new member, followed by more training with your group. There are also written instructions for each service. Set up for the Sunday 8 a.m. service is generally done beforehand on the previous day where the church and sanctuary is completely quiet. You are alone in the sanctuary working by the altar, marking the Bible and handling the holy vessels. It can be a very spiritual time.
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Please email Crannough Jones at crann72@yahoo.com or Betsy O'Neil at ebjdoneil@comcast.net if you are interested in becoming a part of Altar Guild or would like more information about the ministry.
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A donation of $50 is requested
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We are excited to offer opportunities to give flowers that will decorate the altar. Altar flowers can be donated in memory of or in honor of family members or friends, and will be listed in the Sunday Bulletin. Parishioners interested in donating altar flowers can do so at
www.stjec.org/give
or by contacting the church office.
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Vacation Bible School sign-ups are a roaring success with 60+ kids signed up for the week. We are still looking for adults and teenagers to sign up to volunteer. If you are interested, please sign up using our
VOLUNTEER FORM
so we are sure to have your correct information. Our volunteer training will be
August 26th, after church from 11:15-12:15
, followed by a time of decorating the undercroft and parish hall.
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Also we are seeking some additional supplies for our week:
- paper towel/toilet tubes
- stethoscopes and blood pressure kits (if you put your name on it, we will return it)
- Sidewalk chalk, balls, jump ropes, and other outdoor toys
- cheap salad spinners (we will be using them for paint, so you won’t want it back)
- dry beans
- plastic grocery bags (for the kids to reuse, recycle and weave)
- blank cards and envelopes (for the kids to design)
- Gallon zip lock bags, snack sized zip lock bags
- Tubs of vanilla icing, food coloring, chocolate pudding cups, oreo cookies, gummy worms, goldfish crackers (big containers), Cherrios (nut free varieties), raisins, dried cranberries, pretzel sticks, mini marshmallows, chocolate chips, graham crackers, chocolate bars, regular marshmallows
- Printable hanging name tags
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We also are accepting monetary donations to help defray the costs of VBS. While participants have a small fee, no child is turned away because they are unable to pay, and we keep the costs comparable with other VBS programs in the area. All physical donations can be dropped off in the Sunday School classroom in the undercroft and monetary donations can be placed in the plate or made online, with VBS donation in the memo.
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In Christ,
Mo. Shivaun+
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Thank you for your support!
We are looking forward to a wonderful week at VBS camp.
DARE TO BE DIFFERENT
sign-up to volunteer with
Vacation Bible School
August 27-31
9am-12:15pm
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This year, as in past, St. John's is working with St. Peter's to sponsor a collection of school supplies for students. The list of supplies by grade is posted on the bulletin board in the Parish Hall. If you would like to be a blessing to these school children, please place your donations in the basket marked
"
SCHOOL SUPPLY
"
located outside the rector's office.
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Requested items include: crayons, glue sticks, #2 pencils, dry erase markers, 3 ring binders and composition books.
NO backpacks.
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For the list of supplies, please visit
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Our companion animals are an important part of our lives. When they are ill we can be conflicted about asking for prayers. In the Sunday Service Bulletins you will see a new section within our daily devotions asking for prayers for all creatures great and small. This is a place where we can hold your companion animals in our own devotions. Like the prayer list, names will remain active for 30 days,
and can be renewed as needed.
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Prayers in the BCP can easily be adapted to address the needs and concerns of our companion animals. Our own concerns and grief can affect us as much as they do when it is any family member. God loves all of God’s creation so lift up all of creation in prayer.
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AUGUST 12
7pm Taize Service
AUGUST 15
Vestry Meeting @ 6:30pm
AUGUST 16
Mindful Yoga with Lori
7-8:15pm
AUGUST 19
7pm Taize Service
AUGUST 23
Mindful Yoga with Lori
7-8:15pm
AUGUST 27-31
Vacation Bible School
9am-12:15pm
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SUNDAY, AUGUST 12
8AM
Phil Reiff
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10AM
.
EM Chalice/Reader
Alan Soukup
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EM Intinction Cup
Roberta Ridenour
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Lesson 2
Bree Bruemmer
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Prayer Lector
John Ellis
.
Crucifer
.
Torch Bearer
.
Ushers
David & Alexa Huey
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Counters
Stephen Simpson
Selva Selvarajah
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ST. JOHN'S EPISCOPAL CHURCH
3427 Olney-Laytonsville Road
Olney, MD 20832
301-774-6999
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