From the Rector

Dear friends, 

Another tough week. When it’s hard to find words, or when beautiful words can be comforting, I offer this prayer from our Book of Common Prayer. It’s used for Evening Prayer but applies to any and all time, like a school shooting or another school shooting. Let us pray:

“Keep watch, dear Lord, with those who work, or watch, or weep this day, and give your angels charge over those who are affected by the school shooting in Oakland and hurricane Ian . Tend the sick, Lord Christ; give rest to the weary, bless the dying, soothe the suffering, pity the afflicted, shield the joyous; and all for your love’s sake. Amen.

-adapted, Book of Common Prayer, Evening Prayer II

Peace,

Karen+

Worship This Sunday:

Sunday, Oct 2nd, 10:00am – Holy Eucharist

 at St. John's

LIVE STREAM WORSHIP SERVICE

BULLETIN

We continue to wear masks for our indoor services. 

************NEWS FLASH!**********

  St. Stephen’s church doors will be open every Sunday for worship. Services will continue to alternate with St. John’s but the live-stream from services at St. John’s will be projected at St. Stephen’s. Come to St. Stephen’s every Sunday!

Tuesday, October 4, 4:30pm,

St. Francis Day

- Pet Blessing

Outdoors under the sycamore tree at St. John's.

Invite your family and friends!

(please keep dogs on a leash) 

Donations for Hurricane Ian relief 

If you would like to contribute funds directly to Episcopal Relief and Development for preparing and providing emergency funds for hurricane relief, click below:

https://support.episcopalrelief.org/hurricane-relief/

Centering Prayer Retreat

The Rev. Amber Sturgess is leading a Centering Prayer retreat at All Saint's Carmel, Nov. 11-13. This is a beautiful and rewarding opportunity to learn more about and practice Centering Prayer!  For more information click on the flyer below. 

Centering Prayer Retreat

New Bible Study

Acts: Catching up with the Spirit 

We are doing a six-week study on the book of Acts with Biblical scholar, Matt Skinner.

Tuesday evenings via Zoom beginning Oct 4th at 7pm.

https://us02web.zoom.us/j/87517609914

Wednesday mornings at 11:00am, in person at St. John’s.

Books are available for purchase for $14 each.  Pick up your book at St. John’s after the service this Sunday or on weekdays (coordinate with Rev. Karen to arrange pick-up time.)

Join us for our first annual harvest dinner fundraiser! Come join with your friends, family, and our beloved community for an evening of fun, food, and fellowship.

• When: 5 – 8:30pm | Sunday October 9, 2022
• 5-6pm: Reception, pumpkin decorating, and silent auction
• 6-7pm: Dinner
• 7-8pm: Dancing, pie auction, last chance at silent auction.
• 8-8:30pm: Announcing winners.

• Where: The New Labyrinth at 7269 Santa Teresa Blvd., San José, CA 95139

• How: Tickets are $25/adult and $5/child — buy them through our PayPal page here using your debit or credit card, or drop off a check at the office.

• What:
• Kegs and drinks donated by Rob van der Molen
• Grilling by Andy Lief and Trygve Thorsrud
• Harvest centerpieces from the community garden
• Pie auction with pies by Rowena Dizon-Burger, Jessica Dickinson Goodman, Janet Thorsrud, and more. Bidding starts at just $25!
• Basket auction with goodies from baker Akiko Mizhashi; delicacies from baker Kristen van der Molen; a bird basket from Janet Thorsrud; and more.
• Silent auction with kayaking lesson with Paula Scotney-Castle; website support Jessica Dickinson Goodman; a small project from Andy Lief and Vaquero Construction; original from artist Debbie Wolf; electrical work (hanging lights, etc) and computer upgrades from Trygve Thorsrud; a beautiful quilt from Terre; training and installation support from beekeeper Gavin; a baking lesson from Janet Thorsrud; a lovely watercolor from artists Susan Zaballos; and more!

If you’d like to donate an item to the silent auction or help to set-up or take-down the event, please reach out to the event co-chairs Janet (thorsrud@sbcglobal.net) and Jessica (jessica.dickinson.goodman@gmail.com).

Harvest Festival Pie Raffle Sign-Up Sheet

***We need more pies and baskets!***

Also if you have questions about volunteering, Ideas, or donations please contact Janet using the information above

Poem from the Garden

We had our first rain

of the season on

Sunday, thick and just

stormy enough to

settle the dust and

make the sages start

to perk up from their

grey-leafed summer slumber.

It may not rain

for weeks again, but

it was a beautiful

reminder that

plants need water, food and

light to grow; like us.

— Jessica Dickinson Goodman 

“We could learn a lot from Crayons.  Some are sharp, some are pretty, and some are dull.  Some have weird names, and all are different colors. But they all have to live in the same box.”

-author, anonymous, contributed by Hal.

Kudos to:

-Susan, Janet, and Robin for designing a sign for our labyrinth.

-Janet and Jessica for continued planning for the Harvest Festival.