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Giving Thanks | A Letter from the Wardens
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Dear Parishioners,
This Sunday will be a very special day in our common life and we hope you will make it a priority to be in church. Bishop Mariann will be with us for the day, will preach at all three services, and speak at the Forum at 10:00 a.m. At the 11:00 a.m. service, she will confirm or receive 21 individuals; it will be a very significant day for them and an important reminder of the vibrancy of St. John's Church.
After the 11:00 a.m. service, Bishop Mariann will be joined by our former rector, Luis León, to officially rededicate our renovated Parish House. And to top it off, we'll finish with a light lunch to celebrate our confirmands and our newly renovated space. It will be a great day in the life of St. John's Church.
This is also a time of the year when we give thanks for our many blessings. As you know, the past year has been challenging due to the renovation of the Parish House. The staff of the church has borne most of the burden of this difficult period. They have had to relocate and work in temporary quarters during the week, carry out their responsibilities on Sunday, and then, finally, move back to a semi-finished Parish House - all without missing a beat. The Vestry is deeply grateful for the staff's commitment to maintaining the normal life of the church during this period. In appreciation, the Vestry has added a couple of extra, well-deserved days off. The Parish Office will close at 12:30 p.m. on Tuesday, November 20 so that the staff can attend a Thanksgiving luncheon, and it will remain closed through the holiday weekend. We hope you, too, will take a moment to thank the staff for their dedication.
We look forward to seeing you on Sunday.
Richard Metzger, Senior Warden
Paul Barkett, Junior Warden |
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November 18 | Bishop Mariann Budde Visits St. John's
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The Rt. Rev. Mariann E. Budde will visit St. John's on Sunday, November 18.
Here is the schedule for the morning:
- 7:45 a.m. - Holy Eucharist and Sermon
- 9:00 a.m. - Holy Eucharist and Sermon
- 10:00 a.m. - Speaker Series: "The Dynamics of Change in Parish Life."
- 11:00 a.m. - Holy Eucharist, Sermon and Service of Confirmation and Reception
- 12:30 p.m. - Reception in the Parish House with a short Rededication ceremony. The Rev. Dr. Luis León will also be present and a light lunch will be served.
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November 18 | Parish House Rededication
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 After more than a year, the Parish House renovation is nearing completion. We are all excited to be returning to normal operation in the updated space that has been the center of our operations for generations. While we think that everything is organized and planned out, there will in all
likelihood be some interruptions in Parish operations.
We want you to be aware of the timing of our return, as we understand it today.
The Rededication of the Parish House is Sunday, November 18, following the 11:00 a.m. service to coincide with the visit of Bishop Mariann Budde and the Rev. Dr. Luis León.
This will be a grand celebration honoring those who will be confirmed on November 18 and at the same time giving thanks for all the hard work that has resulted in the beautifully renewed Parish House. A light lunch will be served.
We are grateful to so many who have contributed to the renovation project: to Chase Rynd and Sharon Park who chaired the Renovation Committee; to Michelle Mangrum and the firm of Shook, Hardy and Bacon for contributing office space for the staff; to the Hay-Adams Hotel and the AFL-CIO for contributing space for nursery and church school activities; to Hayden Bryan for being our eyes and ears as the project progressed; to Holly Sukenik for helping parishioners
find new ways to socialize and fellowship at community dinners; and to the many parishioners, choir members and staff who have persevered through the inconveniences.
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November 18 | Nursery Moves to the Parish House Basement
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The Parish House basement is confirmed to be ready for nursery to take place there this Sunday, November 18. When trying to access the space via the elevator, use the elevator doors marked BASEMENT REAR (BR) to avoid the construction area.
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November 18 |
St. John's Orchestra in Residence Performs Beethoven's Sixth "Pastoral" Symphony
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Sunday, November 18 at 5:00 p.m. in the Nave
St. John's Orchestra in Residence, the Ars Nova Chamber Orchestra (ANCO), will perform the first of their two season concerts. The 90-minute program will include Mozart's Overture to Don Giovanni, selections from Berlioz' Les nuits d'été ("Summer Nights") with soprano Tracy Labrecque-Pearson, and Beethoven's Sixth Symphony "Pastoral."
ANCO is an innovative 30-member ensemble that performs as a full orchestra without a conductor using chamber music techniques. Tickets are available at the door for $20 for general admission and $5 for students or via ancoselfconducted.org. For St. John's parishioners and friends, three tickets for the price of two are available through the music office.
Questions? Contact Director of Music Michael Lodico (202-347-8766).
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The Speaker Series is held at 10:00 a.m. on the following Sundays in the Parish House Parlors:
November 18
Bishop Mariann Budde, Bishop of Washington. Bishop Budde will address "The Dynamics of Change in Parish Life."
The Sunday Speaker Series for December will concentrate on "Ethics in the Public Square."
December 2
Rabbi Jesse Paikin, Rabbinic Fellow, Sixth and I Synagogue
December 9
Danielle Brian, Executive Director, Project on Governmental Oversight
December 16
Dr. Timothy Sedgwick, Professor of Christian Ethics, Virginia Theological Seminary
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November 19 | Outreach
Opportunity
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First quarter report card counseling will take place at Cardozo School on November 19. Volunteers can participate for as little as an hour or two or for the entire time. Training is provided. Fluency in Spanish is useful but by no means necessary. Parishioners have found this activity to be a very positive way to support DC students. For more information, please contact Livy More (202-291-8783).
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Annual Christmas Gift Drive
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The annual Christmas Gift Drive is here! As in past years, we are partnering with Advocates for Justice and Education, Bishop Walker School, Southeast White House, and St. John's Community Services to bring joy to children in need this holiday season. Each child has provided a wish list of toys, books, or clothes that he or she is hoping to find underneath the Christmas tree this year. If you prefer to shop for your own gifts, please pick up an angel with a child's wish list from the tree in the Parish House. Alternatively, you can select from a number of preselected gifts on our Amazon Wish Lists and ship the gifts directly to the church.
Directions for accessing and using the Amazon Wish Lists are as follows:
- From the Amazon home page (www.amazon.com), select "Accounts & Lists" (top right of the screen) and then "Find a List or Registry"
- Search for "St. John's Church-DC"
- Click on an organization name (left side of the screen)
- To select the gift(s) you would like to purchase, select "Add to Cart"
- When you have finished shopping, select "Proceed to Checkout"
- During checkout, be sure to select the shipping address for the church.
Please ensure that your gifts are delivered by Wednesday, December 12. Gift distribution will begin on Monday, December 17, so it is important that all gifts are delivered in time. You can also help by joining us to wrap the gifts on the weekend of December 15 (details to follow). If you have questions, please contact Jeff and Katie Hantson. Thank you in advance for your generosity this holiday season! |
St. John's Refugee Committee
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Opportunities to be involved and to give
Sunday, December 9
The next Refugee Committee meeting will be the Parish House Parlor on Sunday, December 9.
Sunday, November 18, 2:00-5:00 p.m.
Refugees' First Thanksgiving Dinner
Every year, the Ethiopian Community Development Council hosts a Thanksgiving dinner for refugees who are celebrating their first Thanksgiving in the United States. The dinner is held in Arlington.
The St. John's Refugee Committee will participate as a group. We would love to have you join us for the afternoon shift. We will caravan from the church to 903 S. Highland Street, Arlington, VA at 2: p.m. They will use volunteers for a variety of tasks, including:
- Cleaning up throughout and after the event,
- Signing volunteers and guests in throughout the day,
- Kitchen assistance on day of event,
- Running a small children's room throughout the event
If you can join us, please contact Leila Taaffe.
Tuesday, November 27, 6:00-8:30 p.m.
Film Screening - Voices of the Sea
Please join the One Journey Festival for a free screening of PBS POV's Voices of the Sea. The film will be followed by a panel discussion on the global refugee crisis and a short Q&A session. Panelists will tell their stories and navigate the dizzying complexities of the refugee crisis. Please RSVP here.
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A Request for Help
For many years, Afghans who aided the American military - many as interpreters - were granted Special Immigrant Visas (SIV). The SIV program, which was enacted in 2009, "saves the lives of Afghan interpreters and support staff who stood shoulder-to-shoulder with Americans in the field, putting themselves and their families at risk to help our soldiers and diplomats accomplish their mission and return home safely." Without the passage of new legislation, the program cannot continue to issue visas.
Sen. Jean Shaheen (N.H.) has introduced the "Afghan Allies Immigrant Act of 2018." This bill, which has bi-partisan support in the Senate, would allow 4,000 additional SIV visas to Afghan interpreters who are seeking refuge here. There is a similar bill in the House of Representatives.
Please contact Senators Orrin Hatch (Utah) (202) 224-5251 and Chuck Grassley (Iowa) (202) 224-3744 to communicate your support for the legislation.
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December 5 | First Wednesday Concert
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Music of the Season
Episcopal High School
12:10 p.m.-12:45 p.m.
Please consider joining us during your lunch break on the First Wednesdays of the month, through June, and bring a friend. Each concert is ticketless, free of charge, and held in the nave of our historic church.
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December 5 | Latrobe: Holiday Dinner and White Elephant Gift Exchange
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7:00 p.m. at St. John's Parish House
Celebrate the holiday season with your young adult family! Join us at 7:00 p.m. for a service of Holy Eucharist followed by a holiday feast! We will also have a white elephant exchange, so bring a fun or silly wrapped gift ($10 or less, please!). To RSVP or to get more information about the Latrobe Fellowship,
please contact the Rev. Andy Olivo
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December 6 | St. John's Book Group
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The St. John's Book Group will meet on December 6 at 6:45 p.m.
The next meeting dates and books are as follows
- December 6: Fire in the Lake:
The Vietnamese and The Americans in Vietnam by Frances FitzGerald
- January 3: News of the World by Paulette Jiles
- February 7: 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 Parish House Parlors.
If you have questions or would
like more information,
please contact Leila Taaffe
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December 9 | St. John's Advent Party
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Hark! Join St. John's for Advent Revelry on Sunday, December 9 from 5:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m. in the Parish House Parlors. There will be food, fun, and entertainment for all ages. Holiday music presented by the St. John's Choir Quartet and all carolers present. Nursery care will be available from 4:45 p.m. until 7:15 p.m.
YOUR RSVP IS REQUESTED BY DECEMBER 2.
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December 24 |
SAVE THE DATE for the Christmas Pageant
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The annual Christmas Pageant will take place on Christmas Eve at 4:00 p.m.
The service prelude of
anthems and carols will begin at 3:30 p.m. Children ages three and up are invited to participate in the Pageant as an Angel, Shepherd, or Friendly Beast. All children who wish to participate must attend the rehearsal on Saturday, December 22 from 9:00 a.m. to 11:00 a.m.
Contact Savannah Ponder, Assistant for Children and Youth for more
information.
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Update from the Rector Search Committee
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The Rector Search Committee has completed its initial webcast interviews and has progressively narrowed the list of candidates in order to perform site visits across November and December; subsequent in-person interviews are expected to occur thereafter in order to recommend finalists to the Vestry for ultimate consideration. The progress of the committee can be followed on the Rector Transition page of our website. Please continue to pray that the Holy Spirit guides us throughout the Rector Search process.
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, and Lisa Russo. |
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Sunday Parish Lunches Return in January 2019!
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We know everyone is eager to continue our important Sunday
Parish Lunches. The Parish House renovation is almost finished, but the basement and kitchen are among the last parts to be completed. It is uncertain when the kitchen and dining room will be ready, and the holidays are almost here. To be safe we will plan to begin Parish Lunches with the new year beginning January 13, 2019. Please start thinking about hosting a parish lunch: be among the first to celebrate! Watch for our signup sheet.
In addition we will continue our popular potluck events in homes. Please contact Holly Sukenik if you want to reserve a date or have any questions.
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Stewards of Life Abundant: Transformative Generosity
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You will be enriched in every way for your great generosity, which will produce thanksgiving to God.
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2 Corinthians 9:11
As Biblical scholar Walter Brueggemann points out, the Bible starts out with a liturgy of abundance
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a song
of praise for God's generosity. It keeps saying, "It is good, it is good, it is good, it is very good." Filled with God's generosity, Jesus went around to people suffering from scarcity-
of health, of acceptance, of power, of understanding
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and replaced it with a gift of abundance. Jesus is well-schooled in the transformative generosity of God and in the conviction that if you share your bread with the neighbor, the world will be
made new. He knows that generosity isn't something you just think about, it's something you do.
Stewardship presumes blessing and abundance. Jesus sums up the purpose of his ministry this way: that we
"may have life, and have it abundantly." Our job is discernment of the ways in which all of us, including the church, already have "far more than all we can ask or imagine." Then the real work of stewa
rdship becomes embracing generosity
in the spirit of Jesus
as a way of life. How is this way of life transformative for you?
Have you prayerfully and carefully considered making a pledge to St. John's for 2019?
For those of you who have already pledged, our Committee and our Church thank you!
For a pledge card, please contact Evangeline Gravina (202-347-8766 ext. 301). |
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Our prayers are requested for the special needs and concerns of this congregation, especially:
Those sick or recovering:
From our parish: Jimmy Lowe, Bob Patchell, and Brenda
Wolter.
Friends and family of our parish: Yvonne Allen (Nikki
Allen), Bonni Ashburn (Kaye Edwards), Jim Bailey (Mike
Becraft), Rachael Buckley (Chrystal Martin), Judi Campbell
(Brenda Wolter), John Frew Carter (Margo Arnold), Lane
Carter, Ellen Cromwell-Cecrle (Carolyn Becraft), Bill Clark
(Clark Ervin), William Frew Conderman (Margo Arnold),
Dona Coultice (Betty van Iersel), Sambar Datta (Ashley
Culbertson), Henry Farrington (Samuel Watson), Ted Fibison
(Wendy Fibison), Elisabeth Fisher (Ellen Parke), Nancy
Francisco (Ellen Parke), Allison Gardner (Elizabeth Gardner),
Tyrone Gayle (Jessica Sanchez), Anne Harrington (Anne and
Robert Harrington), Joe Heitzler (Mike Becraft), Rosemary
Mariner (Carolyn Becraft), 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), Susie Pappas (Alex Pappas), Lisa
Pell (Mike Becraft), Moon Sa (Richard Metzger), Elizabeth
Soyster (Debby Hailey), Jim Tatosian (Pat Dalb
y), Henry and
Sandy Welles (Donna Welles), and Peter Winkler (Betty van
Iersel).
Those who are in the hospital:
From our parish: Max Hudgins, Gordon Richmond, and Dace Vidins.
Friends and family of our parish: Robert Hohman (Wendy
Fibison), Julie Howell (Cynthia Walker), Aiden Mylnikov
(Lindsey Bowen), Conyers Thompson, Jr. (Joanne Hutton), and
Larry Watson (Catherine Outten Olivo).
Those who were born:
From our parish: Grace Rose Parnham, who was born
November 8.
Those in our parish celebrating a birthday this week: Merrell Cherouny, David Kirchenbauer, Robert Kirchenbauer,
Mary Landrieu, Evan Lyerly, Chip Sherrill, Holly Sukenik,
Jane Tingley, Frances Tyler, Andrew Usher, Chip Usher, and
Emma Wilson.
Those in our parish celebrating an anniversary this week: Jennifer Agiesta and Paul Hortenstine, Mary Jane Checchi and John Culver, Sylvia and Doug Estes, and RJ and Chip Lyerly.
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7:45 a.m.
Holy Eucharist with Homily - The Rt. Rev. Mariann E. Budde, Bishop of Washington
8:15 a.m.
Parish Choir Rehearsal (4th Floor, Parish House)
8:30 a.m.
Nursery opens (Parish House Basement)
9:00 a.m.
Choral Holy Eucharist with Sermon - The Rt. Rev. Mariann E. Budde, Bishop of Washington
10:00 a.m.
Speaker Series: The Rt. Rev. Mariann E. Budde, Bishop of Washington (Parlor)
10:10 a.m.
St. John's Choir Rehearsal (Nave)
10:45 a.m.
Church School (2nd Floor, Parish House)
11:00 a.m.
Confirmation, Choral Holy Eucharist with Sermon - The Rt. Rev. Mariann E. Budde, Bishop of Washington
12:15 p.m.
Parish House Rededication and Reception
12:30 p.m.
St. John's Choir Rehearsal (4th Floor, Parish House)
1:00 p.m.
Oraciόn Vespertina
5:00 p.m.
St. John's Orchestra in Residence Concert (Nave)
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Vestry Nominations Now Accepted
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The next dates for
Holy Baptism are:
* December 9, 9:00 a.m.
* January 13, 9:00 a.m.
* February 17, 11:00 a.m.
If you are interested in having a child baptized, or in baptism for yourself,
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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 Emerson Street, NW, Washington, DC and Chesterfield Road, Rockville, MD.
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Listen now
to past Sunday Sermons and Speaker Series.
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St. John's Church, Lafayette Square
1525 H Street, NW
Washington, DC 20005
P: (202) 347-8766
F: (202) 347-3446
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Copyright © 2018. All Rights Reserved.
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