the calling of the apostles peter and andrew
, duccio
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Epiphany Supper
with St. Peter’s, Richmond
This Friday
This Friday evening, the congregations of St. John’s and St. Peter’s Episcopal Churches provide a sneak-peak at a joint Lenten program focused on the shared history of our two congregations and on opportunities for creating Beloved Community in support of the Episcopal Church’s ministry of racial reconciliation.
We hope to see you for a potluck supper (main dish provided) followed by a sing-along of hymns and songs from across the decades and a preview of our Lenten Series, “St. Peter’s and St. John’s: Our Lives, Our Legacies.” Please bring your favorite side dish and join us for an evening of good food, good singing, and good fun. All are welcome!
Friday, January 17
5:30 p.m. Potluck Supper
6:30 p.m. Hymn Sing
The Parish Hall
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This Sunday, January 19, 2020
The Second Sunday after the Epiphany
8:15 a.m. Eucharist (no music)
9:15 a.m. Adult Forum, Parish Hall
10:30 a.m. Holy Eucharist
Children’s Chapel, Keeper’s Cottage
11:45 a.m.
Coffee Hour, Parish Hall
12:30 p.m. Hospitality Meeting, Parish Hall
4:30 p.m. Transformation Group, Library
Nursery
is available in the Parish Hall from 9:00 a.m. to 11:45 a.m.
Please note that this email might be clipped in some browsers;
be sure to click "view entire message," if necessary.
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From Amelie, with Love
Dear Friends:
This week I have had the unfortunate fortune of being the recipient of the meals, prayers, and TLC that our congregation offers when one of our members is sick or injured or recovering from surgery. Early in the week, I took a bad fall and injured my leg, and for several days now, have not been able to get around without a walker. Immediately, I received offers from the Pastoral Care team and parishioners to help with loading and unloading my car, running errands, and delivering meals and groceries to my home.
Usually when I invite people over, I have my little routine of checking the house —at least the public parts. Is everything relatively neat and clean? Laundry hanging anywhere? Kitchen counters cleared? Magazines and books straightened? And yet this week, those who came to call on me simply had to get what they got – and sometimes it wasn’t as orderly as my ego would like them to appear!
So when I began to consider our Gospel reading for this Sunday, the part that stood out for me the most was an exchange that Jesus has with his first disciples. He asks them, what are you looking for? And in instead of answering him, they ask, “Where are you staying? And he invites them to “come and see."
We have only our imaginations to guess what they find when they visit Jesus at home.
It is likely the Sabbath, because it appears they stay overnight. Do they see him interacting with family? Praying over the Sabbath meal? Singing a psalm? Laughing at a joke? Telling stories? Do they see him sharing leftovers with the hungry? Talking to marginalized people on the way home? Figuring out what to do about a widowed neighbor or a depressed friend? Do they hear some of his teaching, or is just seeing how he lives on a random day life-changing enough?
Whatever they experience, it is interesting or moving enough for them to tell some others about it, and to give them the same invitation to come and see.
It has often been said that the most effective way of witnessing to others about the transforming love of Jesus has little to with what we say but how we live, day by day. As we anticipate the celebration of Martin Luther King, Jr. next Monday, I have been pondering this. While it is true that MLK said powerfully inspiring things, it was the way he walked through life, and the people who came to see it, that made him the man we honor this week.
So I wonder, once again, what would people come and see if they followed me to my home? Or to yours? What would they notice about our daily life? What evidence of our faith and values would they see...and want to share?
In the revealing light of Epiphany,
Amelie
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Adult Forum Advent Series,
“Seeing God in a New Light”
This week, Dr. George Ganham of the Holy Land Christian Solidarity Cooperative, a fair-trade initiative near Bethlehem, will be our guest.
Sundays (except January 26, Annual Meeting Day)
9:15 a.m.
Parish Hall
Nursery care is available.
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Fellowship Hospitality Meeting Sunday, January 19
Everyone who has been involved in fellowship and everyone who is interested in becoming involved in this fun and important ministry that provides refreshment for coffee hours and special events is invited to attend a planning meeting in the Parish Hall
this Sunday, January 19, at 12:30 p.m.
For more information,
contact Susan White.
Sign-up to host Coffee Hour
Our Fellowship leader, Susan White, reports that a sign-up sheet for 2020 Sunday coffee hours is now available in the Parish Hall. You and a group of your friends can commit to hosting a coffee-hour just once or on a recurring basis. Act fast; slots fill quickly.
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Wednesday Evening Programming
Wednesday evening formation continues next week at 7:00 p.m. in the Parish House Library. During the season of Epiphany, we are reading
Evolution of the Word by Marcus Borg, which presents a chronological reading of the New Testament, beginning with the earliest letters of Paul. Next week, we will discuss chapter 2.
Books are available for all participants, and copies of weekly assignment are available in the Parish House on Sundays and via email upon request. Light snacks will be provided, and you are welcome to bring some to share.
For questions and assignments, please contact Amelie.
Wednesdays through February 19
7:00 p.m. Discussion Group
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2020 Annual Meeting
St. John's will hold its Annual Congregational meeting on
Sunday, January 26, 2020, at 11:15 a.m. in the Parish Hall.
The vestry will report on our accomplishments over this past year and present the budget for 2020. In addition, members of St. John's will vote for the new candidates to serve a three year term on the vestry. That morning, there will be
only one service at 10:00 a.m.,
immediately followed by the meeting, which will include a potluck brunch.
Vestry Nominees, 2020
The following members of St. John's have been nominated to serve a three year term on the vestry.
To learn how to become a member so you can vote, please contact
the Rev. Amelie Wilmer.
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Mike Broda
and his wife, Liz, have been active members of St. John’s since 2016. They were married by Amelie on July 21, 2018, in a wonderful service at the church. Mike is active with the Young Adults group, the St. John’s A/V Club, and a number of outreach ministries, including Laundry Love.
Growing up in Ohio, Mike was raised in a small UCC church where his parents remain active. He and Liz moved to Richmond five years ago from Detroit when Mike was offered an Assistant Professor position in the School of Education at VCU. He is a social scientist who teaches courses in statistics and research design.
What Mike loves most about St. John’s is the welcoming spirit that inhabits the church and congregation. He loves the sense of community and commitment to service that defines what we do.
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Mary Garner DeVoe
is a cradle Episcopalian and grew up at All Saints in Richmond. After graduating from Collegiate she attended Rice University in Houston, Texas, and began a forty-year journey along the Gulf Coast and mid-Atlantic. Her career in real estate fulfilled a calling to serve people as she cored and launched numerous franchises and “turn around” offices for the largest real estate company in the world. She has been active in parishes in Texas, Louisiana, and Washington, D.C. Last year she moved back to Richmond. She and her husband, Bob Calongne, visited St John’s for Christmas Eve and knew they had found home. She is passionate about inviting friends to services and events at St. John’s and can often be found in our kitchen.
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Joni McKeen
grew up in the eastern part of Henrico County attending a number of churches. As a young adult, she joined the Catholic faith and was a member of Our Lady of Lourdes, St. Benedict's, and eventually found a home with Church of the Redeemer when her life as a parent began. She was very active in the church then, finding comfort in the extended family. With a growing family and a demanding career, serving for many years at Bank of America as a Sr. Vice President in the Technology and Operations division, and currently managing the same area at Capitol One, she found herself drifting from church over time.
As life is winding down, with her family having families of their own and the career not so demanding, Joni has begun to reconnect again with her faith. Her partner in crime, Jim Carpenter, and she were both seeking a church home. He was in Chesterfield, and she was in Hanover; St. John's was in the middle. They knew from the first 8:15 service they attended that they would be back. She and Jim have been attending for some time now, both having renewed their commitments and becoming members of St. John's by being received into the Episcopal Church this past fall. They have been active in Parish Workdays, staffing our table at the Irish Festival, and, most recently, leading the Brunswick Stew Sale at Fancy Me Mad. Joni feels blessed to be a part of such a wonderful community and is committed to doing all she can to support the church. She and Jim reside in Hanover County where they enjoy their ever-growing family.
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St. John's Book Club #3 Forming
A group of St. John’s members is interested in starting a third book club with an initial focus on social justice/racial reconciliation topics.
We'll discuss details and logistics (how often to meet, meeting location, first book, meeting facilitation and format) at an "interest meeting" Sunday, February 2, during coffee hour following the 10:30 a.m. worship service.
Please contact
Louise Lee
with questions or suggestions.
Sunday, February 2
11:45 a.m.
Parish Hall
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Young Adults
Annual Super Bowl Party
We don't know who's playing yet, but we know where the party is.
St. John's Young Adults invite everyone in their 20s to 40s-ish to join them at a Potluck Super Bowl Party on Super Bowl Sunday beginning at 6:00 p.m. at the home of Mike and Liz Broda.
Please bring a side dish or dessert to share, as well as your beverage of choice.
Sunday, February 2
6:00 p.m.
The Brodas' home
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Next Evening Contemplative Service, Saturday, February 8
St. John's offers an evening service the second Saturday of each month at 5:30 p.m. Each service includes Holy Eucharist, contemplative music, a quiet, candlelit atmosphere, and the rite of healing.
We hope you will find this service to be a relaxing supplement to your Sunday morning worship. Invite friends who prefer a more contemplative form of worship.
Also, please consider serving at this service when you sign up for your service slots.
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Who Will Win
This Year’s Chili Cook-off?
Will Andy Pillsbury remain the King of St. John’s Chili for three years running, or is a new ruler waiting in the wings? Could the new champion be you? Bring your concoction to vie for the title, or just show up to taste and weigh-in on the decision. The challenge is on.
Sunday, February 9
11:45 a.m.
Parish Hall
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Sign-up to Sponsor Altar Flowers
There’s a new altar flower sign-up sheet in the Parish Hall. Please help yourself. Once you have reserved your date(s) please confirm dates with and provide sponsorship details to
Patty Duffy.
The fee is $55, and you can pay via cash, check, or Paypal.
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Gentle Yoga with Andrea Bleck-Smith
Join Andrea Bleck-Smith for a class meant for those who enjoy moving more slowly and who are looking to maintain or increase strength and flexibility.
We focus on moving joints and muscle groups, alignment, and breath awareness to maintain and restore balanced body function.
Each class ends with relaxation to balance the body.
$54 for the 6-week session or $10 drop-in per class.
Thursdays at 4:00 p.m.
The Parish Hall
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Register Now
for the First-ever LGBTQ+
Diocesan Retreat
Join us at Shrine Mont on August 21
st-23
rd and deepen your walk with Christ in a spiritual space designed by our community, for our community, sponsored by the Diocese of Virginia.
Come and share your whole self with God and the Church without pretenses: start new friendships with people across our Diocese, deepen existing relationships, be at peace in the presence of God and your fellow siblings. The theme is “Bringing Our Whole Selves: Exploring the Vital Gifts the Queer Community Offers to the Church.” Our keynote speaker will be the Rev. Elizabeth Edman, Episcopal priest and author of
Queer Virtue: What LGBTQ People Know About Life and Love and How It Can Revitalize Christianity.
For more information and register,
click here. Don’t wait; registration ends May 10, 2020, and space is limited!
For questions about the retreat and scholarships,
click here.
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Spotlight on Outreach
St. John's is committed to living our Baptismal Covenant
to seek and serve Christ in all persons,
loving our neighbor as ourselves
and respecting the dignity of every human being.
Ongoing Opportunities
Join the $5 Club
:
Pledge to spend at least $5 a month on non-perishable foods to feed others. Bring your donations on the first Sunday of each month, or deposit them in the basket at the rear of the church at any time.
First Fruits Sundays
:
First Sunday of every month. Bring non-perishable food items to church for donation to the Christ Ascension Food Pantry.
Items most needed are canned tuna and chicken, dry or canned beans, low sodium veggies, hot and cold cereal, canned spaghetti sauce, and spaghetti noodles. On this month's First Fruits Sunday, you donated 210 pounds of food toward our goal off 4,000 pounds in 2020.
Next First Fruits Sunday—Sunday, February 2
Important Note:
Recently, the clientele at the food pantry has doubled; therefore, Christ Ascension greatly appreciates additional food donations.
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Many thanks to everyone who has made their pledge of time, talent, and treasure to support our ministries in 2020. So far, 81 families have pledged $189,627, bringing us over 100% of our goal. We are especially grateful for the 23 families who have pledged to St. John’s Church for the first time this year and for those families who pledged $9,150 in matching funds to help us meet our goal. For those who are still discerning your pledge, please consider how you are being called to create “wonder in all” of our shared life, then fill out and return your pledge card, either by mail or by placing it in the offering plate. Extra cards are available in the back of the church.
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A Note about Pastoral Appointments and Emergencies
To schedule an appointment with one of our clergy, please
contact Amelie
directly at her
email
or her voicemail at 649-7938; you will hear from her or another member of our clergy staff within 24 hours.
If you have an emergency, please contact Patty Duffy at 649-7938, and she will ensure a more immediate response.
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Volunteer at Re:Work Richmond
New volunteer opportunities are continually being identified at Re:Work Richmond, the East End employment initiative that St. Peter's Episcopal Church has launched through a collaboration of churches and community organizations. You are invited to complete one of the "Good Neighbor Network" cards available in the Parish Hall. Place your completed forms in the basket provided. For more information,
contact Diana Vasquez
.
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The Market at 25th Street
Community Rewards Program
Please support the new Market at 25th Street, which provides a full array of nutritious foods and vital services to the East End neighborhood.
The market has recently initiated a rewards program for area churches, agreeing to contribute 3% of all purchases made by their members. Cards are available at the market’s service desk, or
enroll by clicking here.
Simply write St. John’s in the organization line when you enroll, and all your purchases will count toward St. John’s monthly rewards.
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Sign-up at Kroger
for the Good of St. John’s
St. John's participates in Kroger's Community Rewards program, receiving funds based on a percentage of total purchases made with Kroger cards linked to St. John's. To link your card, sign up
here.
Use account code 81386 and click "Search.” Funds received support St. John’s ministries, and we are grateful.
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Next Vestry Meeting,
Tuesday, February 11,
at 5:30 p.m.
in the Parish Hall
All members of St. John’s Church are welcome to attend vestry meetings as observers. Minutes of recent meetings are posted on the bulletin board in the Parish Hall foyer. Please share your ideas or questions about the life of our parish with a vestry member.
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Prayer Group & Sunday Prayers
Bring your prayers to the Wednesday morning prayer group. Pray with us silently or aloud as the Spirit leads you, and let us surround you with love and prayers. Find sacred silence and hear the still, small voice of God. Simply stop by the Keeper's Cottage any Wednesday at 10:00.
Prayer ministers also offer individual prayers Sundays during communion at the 10:30 a.m. service.
Wednesdays
10:00 a.m.
Keeper's Cottage (to the left of the church)
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Strategic Plan Information Available
The Power Point presentation of this year’s Strategic Plan
, including our goals and objectives and the tasks we have identified to accomplish them,
is available here.
Hard copies are available in the Parish Hall.
We encourage you to view the slides and provide input as we work together to implement our shared vision for St. John’s in the year to come.
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St. John's Church
2401 East Broad Street
Office: 2319 E. Broad Street RVA 23223
804-649-7938
The deadline for submitting copy for the weekly bulletin insert and parish-wide email is
Wednesday morning
, but earlier is always appreciated. Please send your content to
Patty Duffy
. Please note that content may be edited to accommodate space limitations and style guidelines.
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