If you're looking for inspiring reading material this week, check out Ayana's article for The Southern Cross, our diocesan magazine! She writes about her experiences, her faith journey, and her family.

First Sunday of the month Virtual Coffee Hours will begin on September 6. Watch the Scroll for more information!

FINDING GOD IN THE NEW NORMAL

St. John’s Parish-Wide Zoom Special Event

August 8, 2020

3:30 to 5:00 p.m.

Speakers, including Sharon Stoll, Sally Wiley, and Fr. Michael Cannon

Group Conversations

Songs

Reflections

Prayer

Introduction to Upcoming Future Programs by Dr. Hal Wiley - Holy Conversations/Holy Relationships

Contact Sharon Stoll for further information and to get the Zoom link at harpwings@aol.com

Presented by the St. John’s Cursillo community.

All are invited!!!

Connect is the third pillar of Invite - Welcome - Connect. Paul’s letter to the Romans tells us that we are all members of the Body of Christ and that everyone of us has special gifts to contribute and to receive. In the Connect mode we are intentionally helping each other find those special gifts. Good connection answers the questions “Where do I belong?” and “How do I belong?” If a person cannot answer these questions, then there is little likelihood that they will stay in the church. Out the back door they go! The task requires “Holy Listening,” which is the practice of hearing and honoring another’s story as it unfolds and then discerning what gifts and interests, hopes and fears, are embedded, so that meaningful connections can be made. The task for the church is to create and maintain healthy spaces of belonging in response to the guidance of the Holy Spirit. Fellowships, prayer and study groups, worship, and ministries are some of the categories where we find our place within the church and in the Body of Christ. For us to flourish as a connection-oriented community requires empowering lay persons to think creatively.

1 - Name one lay person who was an “ambassador” to you and helped you find your place at St. John’s

2 – Name two areas of connection that are vital to your sense of belonging here at St. John's

3 – Give three ideas (or as many as you can) for building a more connection-oriented church

Please send responses for Fr. Michael at mcannon@stjohnstampa.org.

The parish offices have reopened. Regular hours are 8:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. Monday through Thursday, however most staff and clergy are still working from home, so please make an appointment with the staff or clergy member you wish to meet with to be sure they are available. Email us at parish@stjohnstampa.org or call 259.1570 to speak with John Edgar if you have questions.

The new Forward Day by Day devotionals for August, September and October have arrived! Here is how you can pick one up:

1. Stop by the parish offices Monday through Thursday between 8:00 a.m. and 4:00 p.m.

2. Take one from the rear of the Church on Sunday.

3. Email John Edgar at jedgar@stjohnstampa.org or call the office at 259.1570 and he will place a copy in the mail for you.

The Cornerstone Kids after-school program, a long-time outreach partner of St John's, is making plans for a return to face to face classes beginning September 8. To allow for smaller class groups with social distancing, the program is in need of 2 additional instructors/tutors. These positions provide academic assistance to the at-risk students of Cornerstone, including tutoring in academic areas related to the core curriculum and assisting students with their school homework assignments. Hours are Monday through Thursday, 2:30 to 5:30 p.m., during the regular school year.

To learn more about Cornerstone Kids Inc, go to www.cornerstonekidsinc.org; for more information about the tutor opportunities, contact MC Jenkins at bucsjenkins@aol.com or call Deacon Kathleen at 785.9400.

As the new school year approaches, your generous support is requested for the children of Cornerstone Kids. The goal is to raise $1,500 to cover the cost of backpacks and school supplies for 35 children. Please put your check- made out to St. John’s- in the alms basin, drop it off in the parish offices, or mail it to the church (906 South Orleans Avenue, 33606) by Sunday, August 23. You can also give online at our website, select “Cornerstone Kids” from the drop down Fund menu. Contact MC Jenkins with questions at BucsJenkins@aol.com.

The Sunday Adult Formation Group continues to meet via Zoom each Wednesday from 2:00 to 3:00 p.m. Generally, each session includes a short presentation followed by group discussion. Topics are suggested by the group. The group is beginning a study of Diana Butler Bass's book, Broken We Kneel: Reflections on Faith and Citizenship (2nd edition).

All are welcome; if you have not previously attended the Wednesday afternoon sessions, contact Deacon Kathleen at kmoore@stjohnstampa.org or 785.9400 for the login information.

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

Laurie is available to walk you through any of these methods by email at llawther@stjohnstampa.org or a phone call at 259.1570.

August 6, Joseph Salzer, Deborah Jones, Chad Mellon, Oz Osborne, Madden Morales

August 7, Elly Straske, Tom Fluharty

August 8, Mary Leugers, Carolyn Yelverton, Kathleen Purdy, Henry Moore

August 9, Abby Childon, Cece Lane

August 10, Julie Norton, Mary Ellen Collins, Dee Ayala

August 11, Tom Cassedy, Lucy Scarritt, Jill Johnson, Will Sunich, Harrison Sunich

August 12, Richard Arcuri, Mia Carastro, John Rabbitt, Marie McClelland, Darryl Petters

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. Email John in the parish offices at jedgar@stjohnstampa.org for the link to join.

Choral Morning Prayer, 10:00 a.m., at Church and on Facebook Live. 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 is doing a weekly virtual study on Tuesday evenings from 6:00 to 7:00 p.m. The current study is the Acts of the Apostles. This is a Zoom meeting, so if you are interested in participating, you will need to register. Contact Deacon Kathleen at 785.9400 or kmoore@stjohnstampa.org; or Sally Thompson at tampasal@gmail.com or 254.3009.

The group will meet by Zoom from 2:00 to 3:00 p.m. If you would like to join them, contact Deacon Kathleen at kmoore@stjohnstampa.org for login information.

St. John's continues to stream our 10:00 a.m. services on Facebook Live on Sundays. Access the stream at our page at https://www.facebook.com/stjohnstampa/.

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 have reopened. Regular hours are 8:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. Monday through Thursday, however most staff and clergy are still working from home, so please make an appointment with the staff or clergy member you wish to meet with to be sure they are available. Email us at parish@stjohnstampa.org or call 259.1570 to speak with John Edgar if you have questions.

Fr. Connelly streams evening prayer daily Monday through Saturday at 3:00 p.m. on Facebook Live. Intercessory prayers are invited in the comments during the feed or email Fr. Connelly.

Nightly compline is offered by the brothers of the Society of St John the Evangelist on their web site at www.ssje.org.

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. 

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 be matching needs with resources so we are able to help one another in Christ's name.