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Prayer for our Diocesan Convention - November 8-9, 2019
Almighty and ever-living God, source of all wisdom and understanding, be present with those who take counsel in the 46th Annual Diocesan Convention of the Episcopal Diocese of San Diego for the renewal and mission of your Church. Teach us in all things to seek first your honor and glory. Guide us to perceive what is right, and grant us both the courage to pursue it and the grace to accomplish it; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
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Thanksgiving Meal
New Information on our Gift Cards Contribution to the Trolley Trestle (Teenage Foster Apartments)
Dina Chavez, an administrator at South Bay Community Services informs us that a new church has stepped up to cook and serve this dinner this year. The church that usually caters this event can no longer provide this service and St Rose of Lima on H Street in Chula Vista has stepped into the breach. Our contributions in cash and gift cards will go towards providing turkeys, side dishes, dessert and paper supplies for about 50. The date chosen by St Rose of Lima for this event is November 21
st
, the week BEFORE Thanksgiving.
It would be most beneficial if your cash and gift cards were donated by November 17
th.
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Wayne and Cheryl Seppala Performing
Wayne and Cheryl Seppala will be playing
at the Spreckels Organ Pavilion in Balboa Park
on Sunday, November 10 from 2-3 pm.
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Office Closed
The office will be closed on Monday, November 11th,
as we celebrate the Veterans Day Holiday.
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 Bonita Valley Garden Club
The Bonita Valley Garden Club will meet Wednesday November 13 at 9:30 am.
The speaker will be San Diego Port Authority representatives sharing the changes coming to the Chula Vista Waterfront. Please join us for fellowship and education.
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Thanksgiving Blessings in a Bag
Please bring your Blessings in a Bag donations by
Sunday, November 24th
.
Grocery List:
$10 Gift card from any local grocery store or cash donations
Candied Yams
Gravy
Stuffing Mix
Boxed Potatoes
Rice
Canned Vegetables
Cranberry Sauce
Cake Mix
Jello or Pudding Mix
Pie Crust in Foil Pan
Small Bottle of Oil
Aluminum Foil
Any cash and cards that come in after November 17th will go to South Bay Community Services to reimburse St. Rose of Lima for their expenses for the dinner on November 21st..
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Men of St. John's Meeting
The next meeting of the MOSJC is Monday, Nov.18, 6 pm, at
Tim & Gloria Attaway's home. (
619-427-6392) We will all chip-in
for
pizza, so you do not have to bring anything
for
our usual potluck supper.
All men attending services at St. John's are welcome. No dues. This is
an excellent way
for
us to get know, love, and support each other,
and St. John's too. Please come!
Put this on your calendars too. The MOSJC Christmas Party
for all men, their spouses and significant others, is Friday, Dec.13,
6 pm, at
Fr. Jack & Sarah's home.
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Toys For Tots
The 2019 Marine Corps Toys for Tots campaign has begun! Every year the Toys for Tots campaign collects and distributes new, unwrapped toys to unfortunate kids who would not otherwise receive gifts at Christmas. A collection box has been
provided for your donations in Nale Hall.
Let's fill it quickly! They will provide another!
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Silver Tea Service Needed
A memorial service for Barbara Ervin will be held at 2 p.m. on Saturday, January 4. The Women of St. John's will make the coffee and tea for the reception following the service and will clean up afterward.
Does anyone have a silver tea service and/or a samovar that the Women might borrow that afternoon? We would like to make Barbara's memorial special. If you can lend something (we can pick it up that morning), please call Diane Gustafson 619-253-7298 or email
diangus15@aol.com
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Stewardship Pledge Drive for 2020
As you pray and ponder over your pledge to Saint John's for 2020, here are some of the dreams that your Vestry have had. New priest at 75% full-time (Father Tom is serving at 50%). Salary increases for staff. Developing new outreach efforts with Head Start, our neighboring churches and civic groups. Cultivating new coalition partners to revitalize the community surrounding Saint John's. (Our new Marketing Intern, Alexander Contreras, -see article below- will help with this.) Continue to repair and refurbish our facilities: repair and cap the rain gutters and downspouts, trim trees that are weak and those overhanging our roofs, continue to refurbish HVAC system, repair security systems, clean and refurbish the courtyard fountain.
All of these efforts will require money. The current "dream budget for 2020" that our Treasurer and Wardens have been developing to implement the above activities would cost around $30,000 beyond the revenue projected for 2019. The average household income for Saint John's parishioners as reported in the CAT survey is $102,375. If each of those 75 households pledged from their annual income at the average for The Episcopal Church (2.34%), pledge revenues would total $179,668. In 2019, 72 individuals pledged $137,322. Can we do that? Who knows? But it is a dream and a goal worth striving towards.
On Sunday, November 17, Ingathering Sunday, everyone will be invited to come forward after the sermon and Thankfulness witness to place their pledge cards in the offering plate. If you already have returned your pledge card, there will be a special card in the pew for you to bring forward as a symbol of your financial commitment to Saint John's. Together we will process toward the altar with a sense of abundance and generosity. Now thank we all our God!
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Marketing Intern, Alexander Contreras
Through the auspices of Arizona State University, Alexander Contreras, son of Vestry member Ray Contreras, will be working with the Priest, Wardens and Vestry of Saint John's as an unpaid intern over the coming months on a variety of initiatives:
- To assist in building a better outreach program that is more sustainable and attracts people to the church for the long term
- To recommend new and creative advertising and marketing efforts
- To identify exciting and new opportunities for Saint John's outreach programs
- To network with other churches and community programs to learn from their successes
- To look for potential partnerships for Saint John's that will create more social interest and improve attendance.
If you would be interested in assisting in these efforts, please contact Father Tom.
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Charitable Donations from IRAs
If you're age 70½ or older, you can make up to $100,000 in annual cash donations to IRS-approved charities directly out of your IRA. These direct donations are called qualified charitable distributions (QCDs).
QCDs are tax-free and nondeductible. So, they don't directly affect your tax bill. However, they count as withdrawals for purposes of meeting the required minimum distribution (RMD) rules that apply to traditional IRAs after age 70½.
So, if you haven't yet taken your 2019 RMDs, consider holding off and arranging tax-free QCDs before year end in place of taxable RMDs. That way you can meet your 2019 RMD obligation in a tax-free manner while satisfying your charitable goals at the same time.
Lynn D. Boster, CPA, CGMA
Tax Partner, Vasquez & Company LLP
Parishioner at Saint John's
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Veterans Day 2019
November 11 was originally celebrated as Armistice Day. Armistice Day was designated as the eleventh hour of the eleventh day of the eleventh month (11:00 AM, 11/11/1918), when Germany and its allies officially surrendered and ended World War I ("The war to end all wars"). In 1954 President Dwight D. Eisenhower signed a proclamation declaring that the name was to be changed to Veterans Day in honor of all men and women who had served their country in the Armed Services. Since 1775 until the present, it is estimated that over 48,000,000 men and women have donned the military uniform of the Army, Navy, Marine Corps, Air Force and Coast Guard (and in WWII, Merchant Marine) on active duty, Reserve and National Guard. In today's Overseas Contingency Operations (a euphemism for the international war on terrorism!), since 2001 over 2,000,000 men and women in uniform from the United States deployed to Iraq and Afghanistan and it's operational zones, many of whom have served unprecedented third and fourth deployments. The emotional, psychological and spiritual toll on these men and women and the family members who await their safe return is excruciatingly painful. Unlike some occasions in our history when men were conscripted to serve, all of today's men and women in the Armed Forces are volunteers. However, unlike the wars in Korea and Vietnam, the American public has been overwhelmingly supportive of our troops both deployed and at home. Religious communities are at the forefront of this massive effort by remembering service persons and their families in prayer, warmly embracing them with love and affection, visiting the injured and wounded, sustaining those who are grieving loss, sending "care" packages to those in harms way, and countless other monumental efforts. The Episcopal Church, through the Office of the Suffragan Bishop for Federal Ministries, has endorsed over 130 clergy as chaplains to care for the spiritual needs of the estimated 18000 Episcopalians in federal service. As we approach Veterans Day, each of us at St. John's can add a small measure of support and care for all of our veterans, active duty, retired and discharged, by extending a word of gratitude and appreciation to them for the sacrifices that they and their families are making and have made on behalf of all of us. We can also support programs that seek to aid vets as they integrate back into the civilian communities.
Semper Fideles. Semper Paratus. Pax.
The Rev. Dr. Al Stott (Captain, Chaplain Corps, United States Navy-Ret)
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Calendar of Events:
Office hours are 9:00 am to 3:00 pm, Monday-Thursday.
The office is closed on Fridays.
Veteran's Day Holiday-Office Closed
Monday, November 11
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Tuesday Night Bible Study
Tuesday, November 12, 6:00 pm
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Bonita Valley Garden Club
Wednesday, November 13, 9:30-12:00
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Morning Prayer and Bible Study
Wednesday, November 13, 9:30-11:00 am
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Choir Practice
Wednesday, November 13, 5:30-7:00
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Sunday, November 17
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Men of St. John's Meeting
Monday, November 18, 6:00 pm
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Vestry Meeting
Wednesday, November 20, 6:00-8:00 pm
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Daughters of the King
Thursday, November 21, 10:00 am
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Prayers
We Are Available in Your Time of Need
If you have a pastoral emergency when the parish offices are closed,
Prayer List
Today and every day include some time for prayer, for yourself,
for your church family, and for those in need.
For our Military
Matt, Drew, Cody,
Cameron,
Chariti,
Mark,
Sean, Jonathan,
TK,
Christopher,
Timothy,
Jeremy,
David,
Jonathan,
Nick,
Jamal,
Matt, Daniel,
Jocelyn, Devon,
Taylor, Jorge, Katherine, Sebastian and Richie.
For Strength in Time of Need
Scott, Betty, Rob, Florence, Eva,
Dee and Barb,
Paul and Marilyn,
Nancy, Gabriel, Abraham, Nicole,
Jamie and Paula, Ryan, Ricardo, Phil and Anne.
Those unable to come to services, but thankful
for their continuing connection with Saint John's,
especially Lois, Roland
and
Juanita.
For All Affected by Wildfires
Oh God of all Creation, we call on you in our time of fear and danger to quieten our minds, activate our loving, and to help us to cast our nets ever wider to assist your children placed in harm's way. We pray for the families, businesses, livestock, and people who have lost their homes and livelihoods and for those still in the path of danger. We pray for all of life who call these places home. We ask your blessing on fire crews, first responders, municipal governments, nonprofits, and medical personnel who attend to the immediate and long-term needs of our friends and neighbors. And we pray for rain and favorable wind to quench the fires and bring healing to our scarred land. In all things may we continually give thanks for all your hands have made, in the name of Jesus, the One whose outstretched hands invite us into compassionate community.
Amen.
For Churches in Transition in our Diocese
Christ Church, Coronado
St. Paul, Palm Springs
St. Margaret's, Palm Desert
St. John's, Chula Vista
St. David's, San Diego
All Saints', Vista
Holy Cross, Carlsbad
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Opportunities For Service
Pill Bottle Ministry
Did you know that in developing countries, the pill bottle and cap is often more expensive than the medication inside. You can donate your empty prescription bottles! Just drop off your empty prescription bottles in our collection bucket located in the foyer- no need to peel the information off. Our volunteers will take care of that for you! We will wash them and ship them to Matthew 25: Ministries. Matthew 25: Ministries accepts donations of empty plastic pill bottles for inclusion in shipments of medical supplies and for shredding and recycling. Our pill bottle program fulfills the dual needs of improving medical care in developing countries and caring for our environment.
Please note that we can currently only collect the clear orange prescription bottles. We have found that the others do not benefit the program.
Thank you for your support!
Emergency Food Pantry:
Jesus said, "Feed my sheep." John 21:17
The South Bay Community Services
"Emergency Food Pantry" needs donations every month. It's easy to donate! We will focus on a different food category each month. Pick up a flyer from the narthex, carry in your car until your next trip to the market, purchase the food, and place it on the table in Nale Hall before the end of the month.
During the month of October, our featured items will be soup, ramen noodles and crackers.
Thank you for your support!
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Scripture Readings For This Week
Readings for Sunday, November 10, 2019
Job 19:23-27a
Psalm 17:1-9
2 Thessalonians 2:1-5, 13-17
Luke 20:27-38
Readings for Wednesday Morning Prayer
Psalm 119:97-120
Revelation 18:21-24
Matthew 15:29-39
Celebrant's Schedule
Here is our upcoming celebrant's schedule:
Sunday, November 10
Presider: Rev. Cathey
Gospel: Rev. Cathey, 8:00
Fr. Jack, 10:00
Sermon: Rev. Cathey
Sunday, November 17
Presider: Fr. Tom
Gospel: Rev. Cathey, 8:00
Fr. Jack, 10:00
Sermon: Fr. Tom
Sunday, November 24
Presider: Fr. Tom
Gospel: Rev. Cathey, 8:00
Fr. Jack, 10:00
Sermon: Fr. Tom
Weekly Bible Study
and Morning Prayer
Tuesday night Bible Study meets on
Tuesdays from 6-7:30 pm
in the youth room.
For information, please contact Mike Gollihur
Every Wednesday, Saint John's will have Morning Prayer at 9:30 am and Bible Study from 10 am to 11.
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From the Prayer Journal of Fr. Jack Tolley
Bob & Penny Milam sent me this by author
Thomas Merton titled, "Thoughts in Solitude." Merton
was an American Roman Catholic Trappist Monk.
He was born in 1915 and passed on in 1968, He was
a writer, theologian, mystic, poet, social activist, and
scholar of comparative religion. His autobiography,
"The Seven Story Mountain," is rated as one of
the best non-fiction books of the century. The
source of this information is Wikipedia's Free
Encyclopedia.
Blessings, love, and hugs, Fr. Jack.
"The Bells of the Lord"
Bells are meant to remind us that God alone is good, that
we belong to Him, that we are not living for this world.
They break in upon our cares in order to remind us that
all things pass away and that our preoccupation are not
important. They speak to us of our freedom, which responsibilities
and transient cares make us forget. They are the voice of our
alliance with the God of heaven. They are the voice of our
alliance with the God of heaven. They tell us that we are His
true temple. They call us to peace with Him within ourselves.
The bells say; business does not matter. Rest in God and
rejoice, for this world is only the figure and promise of a world
to come, and only those who are detached from transient things
can possess the substance of eternal promises.
The bells say:
we have spoken for centuries from the towers of the great churches.
We have spoken to the saints, your fathers; in their land.
We
called them, as we call you.. to sanctity.
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Meet Your Vestry:
Lynn Young
How many years have you been at St. John's?
(Lynn) At different times, about 10 years total.
How long have you been on Vestry?
6 months.
How did you become interested in Vestry?
Two parishioners talked to me about serving on the Vestry. I had been involved in the lay leadership of another church and enjoyed it, so I decided to apply to be on the Vestry.
What aspects of being on Vestry do you like best? Is there anything you'd like to change?
I like working with others for the good of the church and I really enjoy and admire my fellow Vestry members.
Has anything surprised you about being on Vestry?
The many different issues we review and/or work on for St. John's. I was also surprised by the many, many hours the Wardens spend serving St. John's. We owe an immense amount of gratitude to them.
How much time does Vestry take per month?
Some months, only 3-4 hours- others with more projects/reading, it might be 6-10 hours.
Do you have any advice for someone considering Vestry?
Try it! You'll learn about the business side of the church and you'll be making a wonderful contribution.
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The Vestry
Karen Duignan-Senior Warden
(619) 470-1647
David Dennehy-People's Warden
Terry Farrelly - Treasurer
Pamela Brittain
Ray Contreras
Diane Gustafson
Mark Jordan
Jim McDevitt
Judy McKay
Lynn Young
Calling Committee
Tim Attaway
Lynn Boster
Alice Burnham
Bob Dunn
Jane Ferguson
Helena Livingston
Lynn Young
Approved Minutes for the September 25th Vestry meeting can be found here:
Approved Minutes for the October 23rd Vestry meeting can be found here:
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To our Saint John's Family:
Here is your weekly newsletter highlighting important events at St. John's Episcopal Church. You can also find news about St. John's at
www.saint-johns.org.
We welcome your feedback, photos, and news items. Contact Maria Love at 619-422-4141 or
maria@saint-johns.org
.
Please submit your announcements by Tuesday of each week for inclusion in the Enews and Sunday bulletin.
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Emergency Contact Information
If you had a medical emergency at church on Sunday morning, would the Wardens or church
staff know who to contact? If you would like to add someone to St. John's emergency contact
list in case of such an emergency, please contact Maria, our parish secretary (619-422-4141 or
maria@saint-johns.org). A sign-up sheet will also be available in the church lobby to collect this information. Please provide your name, the name of your emergency contact, their relationship to you, their phone number and/or their email address. This is one more way we can show how we love one another.
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Reporting Misconduct
As part of our ongoing commitment to creating a safe haven for everyone, our diocese trains people in the prevention of misconduct and encourages all to report misconduct. All reported incidences are taken seriously and investigated thoroughly and confidentially. If you believe you have experienced misconduct of any kind, please contact Mr. John Seitman, (jseitman@pacbell.net), 858-793-4555 or Ms. Equilla Luke, (aequilla@icloud.com), 760-583-0485.
Safeguarding God's People
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May the Lord bless you and keep you.
May God's face shine upon you and be gracious unto you.
May God give you the grace never to sell yourself short;
Grace to risk something big for something good;
Grace to remember that the world is too dangerous for anything but truth
And too small for anything but love.
So, may God take your minds and think through them;
May God take your lips and speak through them;
May God take your hearts and set them on fire.
-William Sloane Coffin
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Contact Information
phone: 619/422-4141
pastoral care: 619/483-7883 |
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