The Church Messenger
October 18, 2019
Message from Rev. Tom Ferguson

Dear Friends:
Very soon you should receive the mailing announcing our annual fall Stewardship campaign. Our congregation’s Stewardship Weekend will be Saturday, November 2 and Sunday, November 3. We ask that you plan to attend worship that weekend, when we will have our Stewardship Service, where we prayerfully lay the gifts of our time, treasure, and talents on the altar as we commit to support the mission and ministry of St. John’s Church. Like last year, to honor and recognize all our Worship services, we will be having a festive reception after the Saturday 5 PM and Sunday 8 AM & 10 AM services. We will also be holding a Halloween Party for our Sunday School children on November 3 after the 10 AM service, giving them one more opportunity to wear their costumes!
Our Stewardship Process reflects biblical understanding of Christian stewardship, and our prayerful response to offer not just of our financial resources, but of our time and our talent in support of God’s mission and ministry. We are able to follow where God is calling us by so many volunteering of their time in support of our mission and ministry.

While we have been blessed with a bequest, we have restricted its use and capped the amount that may be used for operations, in order to continue to be good financial stewards. Through our Stewardship Campaign, Golf Tournament, Christmas Fair, and other fundraisers, we continue to raise nearly 95% of our operating budget. We hope to close out this year with a slight operating surplus.

As a member of St. John’s Church, we look forward to you joining us at one our services on November 2-3 to make your financial commitment as an act of worship as part of our Stewardship Weekend.

In Christ the Servant,

Fr. Tom
FALL BIBLE STUDY
Our Fall Bible Study will be held October 30 th , November 6 th , November 13 th , and November 20 th . We will meet in the Parish Hall from 6:30-7:45PM. Each session will open and close with prayer, and we will examine a different bible passage each week.

This year’s topic: Is that REALLY in the Bible?  We will look at four different biblical stories that are some of the strangest, perplexing, and outright weirdest parts of the Bible. As we do, we will also ask how God might still be speaking to us even in these passages.

Coffee, tea, and light snacks will be provided. Up first on October 30: in time for Halloween, the story of the Witch of Endor (1 Samuel 28: 3-25) when King Saul consults a medium to conjure up the dead prophet Samuel.

If you would like to have childcare provided so you may attend, please RSVP to the office by October
23 rd .
HALLOWEEN
Once again, the Men’s Group will be hosting a Halloween celebration at St. John’s (details to follow). Please consider making a donation of candy for this fun evening. You can leave your donation in the narthex, or drop it off during office hours (Tues.-Fri., 9am-2pm). Thank you for supporting this celebration!


CAPE KIDS MEALS

Again this year, St. John's Church members will be packing meals for those children in the Bourne and Sandwich elementary schools who receive free or reduced lunches during the school week, and who may go home to little or no food on the weekends. We pack on the 2nd Wednesday of each month at Upper Cape Tech High School in Bourne, in the cafeteria. We begin packing promptly at 5:30PM and will be finished by 6:00PM. Parking can be tricky. There is a small parking lot at the top of the drive on your right, but if it is full, you'll need to go to the back parking lot and then walk through the building to the cafeteria. Please feel free to email Mary Carlson at mcarlson3159@gmail.com or call 508-681-8047 with questions.
PARENTING & TECHNOLOGY WORKSHOP

The Parenting & Technology workshops with Janell Hoffman start THIS MONDAY at Town Hall. There is still space, Please follow this link to register now.

Janell Burley Hofmann is the author of the book, iRules: What Every Tech-Healthy Family Needs to Know About Selfies, Sexting, Gaming and Growing Up. She is also a speaker and consultant on topics like technology, media, health, relationships and personal growth. Janell Burley Hofmann engages readers, clients and audiences in relevant and meaningful conversations igniting personal empowerment, awareness and purpose. Janell serves families, schools and communities in a partnership that will positively impact the lives of children and teens.

SUNDAY SCHOOL

There will be a Halloween Party after the 10 am worship on November 3. Children are welcome to wear their costume one more time and we will have fun snacks and games!

YOUTH GROUP
The Youth Group will meet Sunday, October 27th after church to hike "The Knob" in Falmouth. Please RSVP to Christine by October 20 so we can plan transportation.  https://www.alltrails.com/trail/us/massachusetts/the-knob-at-quissett-harbor-trail  

Upcoming activities include:Shopping for "Dress a Live Doll" and a craft night to make items for the Christmas Fair.


MIDDLE SCHOOL RETREAT, NOVEMBER 15-17

The Diocese is organizing a retreat at the Barbara C. Harris Camp. There will be small group workshops, indoor and outdoor games, worship that gets you both moving and thinking, a live band, and above all, time away from the stress of everyday life, so that we can pay a little more attention to the Spirit of God! Please let Christine Hudson know ASAP if your child is interested in participating.
CHRISTMAS IS COMING . . .
Preparations are already underway for our 2019 Christmas Fair. Sponsor letters are available from MIB Kelly, Nan Crossland, or from the office (Tues.-Fri., 9am-2pm). Items marked "Gently Used Christmas" can be dropped off in the narthex, or during office hours as well. Our next organizational meetings will be as follows:

Sunday, Oct. 20 9:00AM Parish Office
Sunday, Oct. 27 9:00AM Parish Office

Cookie Boxes vs. Baked Goods Table
For Cookie Boxes , we are asking 24 people to sign up on the list to make 5-6 dozen of the same cookie without nuts. We then assemble one of each of the 24 cookies in a box and tie it with a bow. These cookies should be delivered to the church by 9AM Friday morning, November 29 th , 2019.

Baked Goods for the bake sale table can contain nuts. If your donated item contains nuts, please label it with type of nut (i.e. Pumpkin Walnut Bread). These items can be pies, cookies, breads, brownies, bar cookies, candy items, or any special family homemade edible item you wish to donate. In the past we have had jellies/jams, honey, fresh cranberries, infused oils, and layered jars with recipe directions. If you have a suggested price in mind, feel free to put it on your item. Please plan to drop off your baked/other goods for the Bake Sale Table by 2PM on Friday, November 29 th , or Saturday morning, November 30 th by 9AM . Any and all donations are greatly appreciated!
163 MAIN STREET, ST. JOHN'S PRE-SCHOOL $1.00 BAG SALE
We are looking for volunteers to man the $1.00 per bag sale at the former Pre-School, 163 Main Street, on November 9, 10, and 11 from 10:00AM-2:00PM. Please call Dee McLaughlin at 508-221-4973 if you are interested in helping with this sale.  
FAITH AND SCIENCE CLIMATE ACTION FORUM - OCTOBER 26th
Leaders from Religion, Science, Government, and Advocacy Groups will come together at St. Christopher’s Church in Chatham on Saturday, October 26 th for a free event open to all to consider how faith and science can offer practical answers to the growing number of extreme weather events hitting the Cape and Islands. For additional information, go to stchristopherschatham.org.

CARING FOR CREATION

"The Episcopal Church and Climate Change: Through the care of creation, we safeguard the integrity of creation and sustain and renew the life of the earth." ( https://www.episcopalchurch.org/creation-care )


Creation Quote for your Meditation
We shall awaken from our dullness and rise vigorously toward justice. If we fall in love with creation deeper and deeper, we will respond to its endangerment with passion.

--Hildegard of Bingen (1098-1179)

Suggestion for Personal Action
Learn how to greenscape your yard.

https://www.epa.gov/sites/production/files/2014-04/documents/greenscaping - the easy way to a greener healthier yard.pdf

HUGS FROM HOME UPDATE
Our Quilters welcome your help making lap size quilts for our retired Veterans, the McCarthy House, and full size quilts for newly deployed Air Force Members in Afghanistan. We will be meeting on Mondays at 2 PM (through the remainder of October) and Wednesday evenings at 5 PM.  Beginning on November 4 th , the Monday quilting group will switch over to crafting for the St. John’s table at the Christmas Fair. Bring your crafting supplies and we can all craft together. If you have a glue gun, a smile, and some Christmas Spirit, let’s have some fun. Regular twice weekly quilting groups will resume in January as we will take the month of December off.

 Last weekend, Fr. Tom blessed 20 quilts and they are being distributed to the VA Hospital in Brockton by George Challies this weekend. Well done all quilters/sewers!!

PRAYER SHAWL MINISTRY

Prayer Shawls are one of the many ways that a congregation helps share the healing presence of God. We have revived this pastoral ministry here at St. John's and will meet monthly on Mondays, with our next meetings to be held in the Parish Hall on November 4, and December 2. Prayer Shawls can be either knitted or crocheted and we have patterns available. The pattern for knitting recommends 3 skeins of Lion Brand Homespun Yarn and size 11 or 13 needles. Once we have some finished shawls, we will bless them during our worship service.

Shawls will be given to people by Father Tom when he is aware of someone, or a member of our congregation makes him aware of someone who could benefit by a physical reminder of God's love.

If you have any questions or are unable to come on Mondays, please talk with Rev. Barbara Peterson at 781-910-1323 or email her at revbap@aol.com.
WE ARE NOT ALONE

Grief visits all of us at one time or another in our lives. If you are grieving anyone or anything, you are invited to join others on the 3rd Sunday of the month at the Church O ffices at 11:30AM . Our next get together is on Sunday, October 20th. Please feel free to phone or email Rev. Barbara Peterson at 781-910-1323 or revbap@aol.com for questions of simply to talk.
FAMILY WORSHIP SPACE

Our nursery is now equipped with video and sound! This allows families to stay together with space for children to explore and play while the parents are still able to see and hear worship and be able to know when to come upstairs to receive communion.
Connect with God - Bible Reading Plan
The best way to connect with God is through reading the bible. The 'Bible Challenge' is a convenient, online way to engage in daily Bible study, go to the  Bible Challenge website .

You can also access a list of easily accessible background materials to the books of the Bible, go to the  Center for Biblical Studies website .
Give to St. John’s While Shopping Online Through Amazon!!
St. John’s is now registered through Amazon Smile! Every time you purchase something through Amazon, they will donate an amount to St. John’s Episcopal Church. We have already started earning money in our Amazon account based on purchases you are making already! But you must sign up!
How does it work? Go to  smile.amazon.com . It will ask you what organization you would like to designate. Type St. John’s Episcopal Church into the search box, and look for St. John’s Episcopal Church, Sandwich, MA. Click on that.
It’s that easy! There’s only one catch: For St. John’s to be the beneficiary of your shopping,  you must shop through smile.amazon.com , not through the regular amazon.com portal. (The prices are the same!)
UPCOMING EVENTS
Sunday, October 20th, Christmas Fair Planning, 9:00AM
Sunday, October 20th, We Are Not Alone, 11:30AM, at the Church Office
Monday, October 21st, Parenting & Technology, 6:30PM, Sandwich Town Hall
Monday, October 28th, Parenting & Technology, 6:30PM, Sandwich Town Hall