St. John's Episcopal Church - Centreville, VA |
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Parish News - April 21, 2021 |
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Dear St. John's Parishioners and Friends:
A Message from the Bishops of Virginia Following the Verdict in the Chauvin Trial
Then Jesus said, “If you continue in my word, you are truly my disciples; and you will know the truth, and the truth will make you free.” John 8:31-32
Verdict.
From the Latin versus dictum, “to speak the truth.”
It doesn’t always work out that way, but it did today.
Truth is the foundation, the bedrock.
Truth brings accountability.
Accountability brings alignment with values.
Alignment brings justice
(and her twin sister, mercy).
Justice brings peace.
Peace is impossible without truth.
“The truth will set you free,” said Jesus.
May this verdict encourage and embolden us all
to speak truth, to accept accountability,
to align our lives with our deep values,
to demand justice and to extend mercy,
that all may enjoy the blessings of peace and freedom.
For this we pray, tonight and always.
Keep watch, dear Lord, with those who work or watch, or weep this night, and give your angels charge over those who sleep. Tend the sick, Lord Christ; give rest to the weary, bless the dying, soothe the suffering, pity the afflicted, shield the joyous; and all for your love’s sake. Amen.
The Bishops of Virginia
May we all continue to work for an end to racism, for justice and equality for all people, and to follow the ways of Jesus Christ our Lord.
The Rev. Carol Hancock
Rector
(Please see the statement from the Presiding Bishop below, regarding the Chauvin trial.)
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"We give thanks for the ordination to the diaconate of The Rev. Steve Busch last Monday and pray for his continued ministry among us." |
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The Episcopal Diocese of Virginia
On Monday, April 19, the Rt. Rev. Susan E. Goff ordained Steven Busch, along with six others, at All Saints' Church, Richmond.
He is ordained as a Vocational Deacon and continues his ministry at St. John’s. The Rev. Carol Hancock attended as his clergy presenter, and Mary Johnson as his lay presenter.
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Cleaning the Church & Planting the Easter Flowers
At some point, in the not-too-distant future, we will again be able to hold services inside the church. Now that it's all spic and span, and the front flower bed has new flowering plants installed, thanks to the following folks, we will be more ready to open the red front door!
A big thank you to: Dave and Penny Parker, John and Kristen Tucker, Marcia Evans, Marie McDermott, Beverly Taylor, Andrew Wade, Lisa Heller, Susan Davis, Larry and Susie Pike, who worked like crazy last weekend to get it all accomplished!
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We need some help...
For the past 13 months, David Weir has digitally put together two services every week. The service, the sermon, the readings, the prayers and the music all come from various locations. He puts them all in the right spots and puts it on YouTube for all the parishioners and others to watch. This takes about 10 hours each week. Due to an increased work load, David will stop editing these services at the end of May. Our heartfelt thanks go to David for the amazing work he has done to put our services online.
It is now time for David to hand this off to someone else (or a team of people) so we can continue to have an online presence. It is now time for others to take over. We would like to continue to record the services until we have in-person worship in the church. Hopefully, that will be soon. Once we are in the church, we would like to livestream the service so those who are not able or do not yet wish to come to the church can watch the service online. It would be helpful to have a "team" of people willing to take this on, so it doesn't all fall on one person. (I have heard from another church's tech person that we can use an ipad or iphone and with a free software program, we can put in on Facebook live.) If you have some expertise in this area, or are willing to learn how to do this, please let Carol know as soon as possible. It is important for us to keep an online presence as we are reaching people outside of our congregation.
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Annual Parish Meeting
Our Annual Parish Meeting will be held on Sunday, May 2 at 11:00 AM on Zoom. We will hear some reports and elect several Vestry members. Committee reports were sent out last month. Pease join us for this important meeting. We can elect up to 7 people for the Vestry so if you are interested, please let Carol know. Here is a bit about the four candidates who are running:
Robert (Bob) Faithful began attending this church in 2010. This would be a third term on the Vestry for Bob. He previously served from 2012-2014 as the Senior Warden. He served on the Vestry from 2016-2019. Bob has participated in the Education for Ministry classes 1, 2 and 3. He lives in Centreville and is retired from 37 years of Federal service in the US Air Force and the Department of the Interior. His past career has been in law and management. He is a grateful member of this Church.
Tom Jones - My wife, Mary, and I moved to Northern Virginia in 1987, having been transferred here by my employer. We initially attended The Church of the Good Shepherd in Herndon for a few years, then joined St. John’s. We have now been at St. John’s for well over 25 years. I graduated from The University of South Carolina, served in the US Army, and then started my career in the insurance claim industry. I retired from The St. Paul Insurance Companies as Regional Manager of Medical Professional Claims, encompassing a six-state region. Mary retired from Fairfax County Public Schools. We have two adult children, and five perfect grandchildren. Previously, I served on the Vestry, as well as Junior Warden, at St. John’s – Shandon, in Columbia, South Carolina. I was nominated for Senior Warden; however, a job promotion required a transfer, and it would have been unfair to accept the responsibilities of Senior Warden, only to vacate the job in a noticeably short period of time. In the other parishes where we have lived (New Orleans, Raleigh, & St. Paul) I have worked with the EYC, assisted as a chalice bearer, and served as Lector. Serving is a way of giving back our time and talent for God’s blessings bestowed upon us. I would hope that, in some manner, I would serve as a positive influence for the mission of St. John’s Centreville.
David Parker - I am a recently retired stage-hand after having worked on staff at Wolf Trap Center for the Performing Arts for nearly 30 years. My wife, Penny, and I live in Manassas and have been members of St. John’s since the mid 80’s. Our two daughters, Rebecca and Sarah, were both baptized and confirmed at St. John’s and our oldest, Rebecca, was married there. My ministries include singing in the choir, helping out with a variety of handyman projects, especially electrical, and organizing the annual pancake supper. I served on the vestry once before in the 90’s.
Durinda Smith - My family and I have lived in the Virginia Run community in Centreville for 32 years and I have been regularly attending services at St John’s since 2015. I have served as an usher at the Sunday morning services and served on the Altar Guild for the past few year. I also participated in the Education for Ministry program with Carol and 5 other parishioners. In serving on the vestry I hope to help continue the good works of the current vestry and do what I can work for our church and community.
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Graduations
As we begin the season of graduations, we want to recognize those from our St. John's family who are graduating from high school, college, or with other post-graduate degrees. Let us know where you are graduating from and what your plans are for the coming year. We want to celebrate your accomplishments! Please send your information to Carol.
The Bishop's Learning Series
Bishop Porter Taylor’s online classes continue with a new course beginning in May and June. There are class times specifically for clergy and lay participants.
Evangelism as Storytelling
Classes for clergy and laity starting early May
We are our story. Stories are how we make meaning. When people asked Jesus complex questions, he answered with stories. To that end, evangelism is about storytelling. We are commissioned to go and tell the Good News, which is the story of what God has done, is doing and has promised to do in us, with us and through us. This class will focus on sharing our stories with one another in a safe container. At the end of the course, discussions will include how evangelism as storytelling can be incorporated into a church's life in ways that draw people into a similar activity.
Join the Diocesan Creation Care Task Force
Members of the Diocese are invited to apply to serve on the Creation Care Task Force for the Diocese of Virginia. The Task Force is responsible for developing programs that meet strategic vision and goals. It is the conviction of the Diocese that this group represent a depth of diversity in Creation Care experience, parish, school or organization, geography, age, racial and cultural, as well as experiential diversity. The Task Force will be comprised of 15-20 people. Terms will be staggered. Those serving will be appointed by the Bishop. Please submit applications to [email protected] by Tuesday, May 18, 2021.
Statement from our Presiding Bishop awaiting the Chauvin trial verdict
This is a tense and troubled moment, as we await the jury’s verdict in the trial of Derek Chauvin for the killing of George Floyd.
Please pray for the soul of George Floyd, for his family, and for everyone everywhere who has suffered because of the sin of racism and oppression. Pray for all the people of Minneapolis/St. Paul. Pray for this nation that we may find the ways of both justice and healing. Pray for us all.
Whatever comes with the verdict, there is no celebration. Nothing will bring George Floyd back to his family or his community back to us. The struggle continues.
If the verdict does not establish guilt, and even if it does, our pain persists and our grief goes on.
May we not be paralyzed by our pain, our fear, and our anger. May we learn, as the Bible teaches, to “love not in word and speech but in truth and in action,” truth and action that leads to justice and healing.
Let us pray,
O God, you have bound us together in a common life. Help us, in the midst of our struggles for justice and truth, to confront one another without hatred or bitterness, and to work together with mutual forbearance and respect; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
God bless you.
Presiding Bishop Michael Curry
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Be a Sunday service reader, from anywhere!
During this time of covid, St. John's holds a Sunday morning prayer service which is "aired" on Sunday mornings at 9 AM. The readings are
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...pre-recorded, and several parishioners have been doing a great job doing them, from different venues - no matter where they are! We welcome, need, and value your help! If you would like more information on how to do this, click here for the info page on SignUp Genius. Please sign up a week before the Sunday you would like to read, so we can get the readings to you and you can get your recording to David Weir by Thursday.
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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:
Wednesday, April 21
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The link to the Sunday service is sent out each Saturday as usual. Then join us for the coffee hour from 10:00 - 10:30 and the Adult Lectionary Class at 10:30 AM on Zoom. The links will be sent out in Saturday's email to all.
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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 Fourth Sunday of Easter
April 25, 2021
The First Reading:
Acts 4:5-12
Taken prisoner for healing a crippled man on the Sabbath, Peter testifies that Jesus is the source of both healing and salvation.
The Psalm: 23, page 612, BCP
The Second Reading:
1 John 3:16-24
Jesus calls us to an obedience that involves both our words and our deeds.
The Gospel:
John 10:11-18
As the good shepherd, Jesus knows which sheep are under his care and defends his flock even to the point of death.
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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 below to go directly to Tithe.ly, or you may download the Tithe.ly app on your phone or tablet.
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The Pledge payment button may be used only to make your pledge payment (after signing up to be a pledger, which may be done at any time in the year. See Carol or Vestry)
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The Facility Campaign button may be used only for any contribution for the facility's buildings and grounds, or special facility campaigns.
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The Donation button may be used for any other type of donation to St. John's. To designate a special purpose (i.e. Organ Fund, Ministry Partner payments, etc.) please send a note to [email protected].
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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.
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Bishop Brooke-Davidson's
Meditation for the Third Sunday in Eastertide
"I write this meditation as our country awaits the verdict in the Chauvin trial, as Minneapolis erupts over another killing of a young Black man by a police officer, as reports of mass shootings roll in one after the other from Indianapolis, Kenosha, Austin..."
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Reminder
Every day we will be reminded that life is too much for us to navigate alone. And God will greet us with a reminder from our past, to give us the clarity of trust we need for now. Or God will greet us with a visitation from the future, the paradoxical gift of faith. And that will make all the difference. Jesus assures us, “I am with you always”: past, present, future.
-Br. Curtis Almquist
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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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