Get ready for St. John’s Rally Day 2021!  Our annual ministry showcase and celebration will be this Sunday, September 12, after the 10:00 am service. We invite all parishioners and friends to get “A Taste of St. John’s,” enjoying food prepared by our resident chef, Dave Kenyon, and his team as you visit stations to learn about our different ministries and decide where to best serve in the year ahead.

We will also have a photographer on hand to take pictures of parishioners to add to our online directory on Realm. We encourage you to take advantage of this opportunity to improve our directory!

And don't forget, the nursery is open at both the 8:00 and 10:00 a.m. services for kids three and under!

It's back! Mark your calendar for St. John's Annual Fathers Canoe Trip, this Saturday, September 11! All are invited to gather at Canoe Escape for a half day of fun on Tampa's beautiful and winding Hillsborough River!

Meet us at Sergeant's Park, 12702 US 301, Thonotosassa, 33592 at 9:00 a.m.. We'll pay at the office before launching our vessels for a 4.5 mile journey downriver and finish at Morris Bridge Park about noon -- pack a lunch!

New this year: prepayment is required! Visit their website to purchase your spots. Cost is $56 per canoe (includes shuttle back to our vehicles) and accommodates up to two adults and two children, or one adult and three children. Youths 13 and up may canoe without an accompanying adult. Single person kayaks are also available.

Kids will get our "Critter Sightings" worksheet to check off along the way: expect to see turtles, osprey, herons, and plenty of sunbathing gators. Most of the trek is canopied, but be sure to bring your hats and sunblock.

Contact Kevin Kellar at kcwkellar@yahoo.com with questions. Contact Fr. Fred to inquire about financial assistance.

See you on the river!

An anonymous matching gift of up to $20,000 is being given to St. John’s with the challenge that we raise another $20,000 through parish contributions. The gift has been designated for our capital expenses, since we have had several unexpected expenses this year and anticipate several more in the near future.

If you would like to contribute toward this challenge gift, helping us reach a final goal of $40,000, make your check out to St. John’s Church, with memo: Matching Gift; or, if you prefer to give a gift of stock, contact Laurie Lawther, our Financial Administrator, at llawther@stjohnstampa.org or by phone at 727.510.0836 for guidance on how to do that. Gifts for our capital expenses are above and beyond our pledges to the Operating Fund. And don’t forget, we will be coming back to you soon for your important pledge for 2022!

Thanks be to God and to the donors for these generous gifts!!!

Join us for the return of our annual St. John’s Family Bingo Night on Friday, September 24, from 6:00 to 7:00 p.m.! The event is free, and open to families of all ages. In response to the ongoing pandemic, we have shortened the event to one hour (masked)—but we hope to have an awesome night of family fun together! RSVP to Children’s Minister Ayana Grady to let us know that you are coming.

Fr. Fred and Linda Robinson invite you to learn more about a spiritually-oriented pilgrimage they are leading to The Holy Land. Please contact Linda at lindarobinsonsrq@gmail.com or 941.914.2688 for more information. Brochures also are available from Fr. Fred in the parish office.

Love INC invites you to join them for a breakfast event on October 12 to learn more about their mission and celebrate their volunteers! Click on the flyer to the left to read more, or register on their website.

The annual Fathers Ministry camping trip will be November 5 and 6 at Lakewood Retreat, 25458 Dan Brown Hill Road in Brooksville. Don't miss this popular St. John's tradition! Contact Kaivon Madani with questions and to RSVP.

The St. John’s Church Fathers Ministry seeks to strengthen the unique bond between fathers and their children, while developing camaraderie between fathers within the church community. The ministry pursues its mission by hosting/assisting in annual activities such as: the Fathers Camping Trip, enjoyed by fathers and their children in the fall and the Canoe Trip in the Spring/Summer. Other activities include providing cooking services at the annual Parish Picnic and the Shrove Tuesday pancake supper. The Fathers Ministry also hosts occasional social gatherings and welcomes opportunities to collaborate with other

family‐oriented church ministries.

Sunday School for kids in pre-K through 5th grades will begin on September 19 during the 10:00 a.m. service. Children should join us in the Parish Hall at the beginning of the service, and then they will rejoin their parents in the church during the Peace. For our littler ones three and under, the nursery is open at both services. And our monthly Family Services begin on September 26! So much for kids and families to enjoy!

6th through 12th graders! This Sunday, September 12, is Meet Matt at EYC: the Sequel! Our Diocesan Youth Minister/Camp Director Matt Bowers will be at both Middle School (5:00 to 6:00 p.m.) and High School (6:00 to 7:00 p.m.) EYC in the Parish Hall! It's going to be an awesome night of fun and faith--invite your friends! 

Our new St. John’s Family Service Band is having its first practice THIS Sunday, September 12, at 4:00 p.m. in the Parish Hall! Please bring your instrument (and/or voice), and practice beforehand! The first Family Service of the year will be on Sunday, September 26, at 10:00 a.m. in the Parish Hall!

Our next Outdoor EYC is NEXT Sunday, September 19, from 4:30 to 6:00 p.m. outside of Connelly House! We'll have a fun afternoon of fun, faith, and friends. Please bring a chair and your face mask!

You can check out St John’s EYC pictures, and stay updated on events through our St John's EYC Instagram here. 

Join our Remind EYC group text to stay up to date on EYC happenings by clicking here (from your phone)!

Below is the flyer for New Beginnings, the Diocese's youth retreat. The registration link is here, and you can click on the flyer to enlarge it.

Click here for our event calendar for September!

On Tuesday, September 14, the Women’s Mid Morning Bible Study will begin a study of the

first and second letters of Paul to the Thessalonians using the study guide Paul for Everyone, Galatians and Thessalonians by N. T. Wright. They will meet by Zoom for the month of September on alternate Tuesdays, gathering at 10:00 a.m. for fellowship, followed by the lesson from 10:15 to 11:15 a.m. Father Michael Cannon will lead the first session covering 1 Thessalonians, 1-2:12.

For more information, contact Sally Wiley at wiley48sm@gmail.com or 244.4497 or Pat Wilson at patwilson68@tampabay.rr.com. All women of the parish and those whom they would like to invite are welcome to join them as the group delves into Paul’s earliest extant correspondence.

The Wednesday Afternoon adult formation group continues on Zoom on Wednesdays from 2:00 to 3:00 p.m. The group studies the work of a variety of Christian writers; group discussions are lively and substantive. All are welcome. For more information contact Deacon Kathleen at kmoore@stjohnstampa.org or 785.9400.

We continue to accept donations of food, clothing, games, and other items in the blue barrels. As you will have noticed, some of the donations will be brought forward during the offertory during our services to be blessed and then taken to Metropolitan Ministries.

The Church Altar Flowers are available on October 3. Flowers and the candle adorning the High Altar and flowers at the Chapel Altar on Sundays and Holy Days are financially supported by individuals and families in memory of departed loved ones or in thanksgiving for blessings received.

If you would like to make a memorial or give a gift in thanksgiving, contact us at parish@stjohnstampa.org or 259.1570.

Contact Laurie Lawther at llawther@stjohnstampa.org to set up.

Go to www.stjohnstampa.org and click on "Give Now" on the right side of the top blue bar. The church now has the ability to accept credit and debit card payments, along with checking/savings account payments. To make a pledge or pay in some other way, click on "Stewardship" in the top website menu.

In the 'To' field of the text type 73256, then in the message, type SJE. You will receive a text back immediately with a link to complete the payment.

Laurie is available to walk you through any of these methods by email at llawther@stjohnstampa.org or call her at the parish offices at 259.1570. If you prefer, you may also call John Edgar in the parish offices and he will fill out a pledge card for you.

September 9, Peyton Foley, Colby Way, Pam Heller, Mason Cruse, Traver Smith, Logan Drumsta

September 10, Don Goodheart

September 11, Mimi Leroy-Marler, Karen Chastain, Charlie Williams, Charlcy Griffin

September 12, Robert Norton, Robert Lowke, Jill Wankelman, Elizabeth Pento, Patrick Whittlesey, Charlene Whittlesey, Olivia Hasselbach, Meaghan Robertson

September 13 Greg Hearing, Tom Reed, Ansley Graff

September 14, Mary Beth Carastro, Kate Graves, Monica Tappan, Jerry Williams, Ken Walker, Jacqueline Thomson, Chris Carnahan

September 15, Mary Jo Shenk, Barbara Taylor

The Men's Interactive Bible Study meets every Thursday at 11:45 a.m. to study the readings for the coming week and for fellowship. The group will convene in person in the Lowry Room for those who are comfortable. If you prefer to continue joining virtually, email John in the parish offices at jedgar@stjohnstampa.org for the link.

The Holy Eucharist (Rite I), 8:00 a.m., Church, followed by Coffee Hour Fellowship

The Holy Eucharist (Rite II), 10:00 a.m., Church, on Facebook Live, and our website, followed by Rally Day!

Bulletins and other resources are available here. Click here for the readings, St. John's follows Track 2.

The Contemporary Women's Bible Study (CWBS) group does a weekly virtual study on Tuesday evenings from 6:00 to 7:00 p.m. This is a Zoom meeting, so if you are interested in participating, contact Deacon Kathleen at 785.9400 or kmoore@stjohnstampa.org; or Sally Thompson at tampasal@gmail.com or 254.3009 for the link.

In addition to welcoming in-person attendance at the 8:00 and 10:00 a.m. Sunday services, St. John's streams our 10:00 a.m. services live on Facebook. Access the stream at our page at https://www.facebook.com/stjohnstampa/. The stream is also live on our website. Please access the most current safety guidance here.

The audio for sermons is here. New sermons are uploaded by Monday each week. Bulletins for Sundays are here, each week's bulletin is uploaded to this page by Saturday. Click here to find the readings for this coming Sunday (St. John's follows Track 2). You can also see Sunday services on our YouTube channel, they are uploaded each Sunday by mid-afternoon.

The parish offices are open from 8:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. Monday through Thursday. Email us at parish@stjohnstampa.org or call 259.1570 to speak with John Edgar if you have questions.

Our clergy, staff, and fellow parishioners stream evening prayer daily Monday through Saturday at 4:00 p.m. on Facebook Live. Intercessory prayers are invited in the comments during the feed.

Compline is offered by the brothers of the Society of St John the Evangelist on their web site at www.ssje.org on Tuesday, Thursday, and Friday at 8:30 p.m EST.

If you have any questions or trouble using the online services noted above, please contact Lee Lowry by replying to this email, or John Edgar at jedgar@stjohnstampa.org. You can also contact the clergy member or parishioner who is the contact for each ministry. 

Father Robinson: 941.350.0043

If you are someone who is able to help your fellow parishioners with errands and other means of support, please contact Fr. MIchael at mcannon@stjohnstampa.org. Conversely, if you are a parishioner who needs help, please also contact Fr. Michael at email at mcannon@stjohnstampa.org or by phone at 864.320.7116. He will match needs with resources so we are able to help one another in Christ's name.