I love collects. Church collects are the prayer that begins every Sunday service after the priest says “the Lord be with you,” and the congregation responds “and also with you.” The priest then says, “let us pray…” and there follows the prayer for that day and the following week: that prayer is called a collect. Us clergy and laity who pray the Daily Office (Morning Prayer, Noonday Prayer, Evening Prayer or Night Prayer, also called Compline) say that collect prayer throughout the week as well, so we get to know the prayer really well, potentially saying it up to fifteen times! Collects usually follow a particular formula: naming God, thanking God for something, and asking God for something else. Then the prayer concludes with a trinintarian tribute to the Almighty God: Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. 

Collects typically tie in the themes for the Sunday Eucharistic readings or incorporate the time of year. This past Sunday gives a prayer that continues until tomorrow, which to me outranks every other prayer; of all 52 weeks of the year: every holy day, saint day, Christmas and Easter, no… in my opinion, this prayer takes the cake. 

Almighty and everlasting God, you are always more ready to hear than we to pray, and to give more than we either desire or deserve: Pour upon us the abundance of your mercy, forgiving us those things of which our conscience is afraid, and giving us those good things for which we are not worthy to ask, except through the merits and mediation of Jesus Christ our Savior; who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen.

Oh. My. Goodness. This prayer captures my entire theology in one prayer! For my chalice article this week, I would like to pull apart this collect. It starts off with a simple title for the divine: Almighty and everlasting God. We acknowledge God being all powerful and existing outside of time. The collect names God as always more ready to hear than we to pray. This prayer just named that God will always be with us, always stand by us, always be present - despite whether we're calling out to God or not! God is always ready, on standby if you will. God is STEADFAST.

Give[s] more than we either desire or deserve. God is overflowing with blessings. God’s generosity does not stop with what we need. God continues to give us, even when we stop asking. God does not work on merit. God is ABUNDANT. 

Pour upon us the abundance of your mercy. I love that language. That phrase: pour upon us. It gives me the imagery of God’s gift of water. I think back to a few weeks ago when Fr. Duncan baptized one of God’s littlest creations and he poured from the carafe the warm, living water that would be used to bring a child into God’s family. It’s not enough that God is merciful. God saturates us with forgiveness. God gives us a wide berth. God knows we are trying our best because God is COMPASSIONATE. 

Forgiving us those things of which our conscience is afraid, and giving us those good things for which we are not worthy to ask. God is aware of shame existing in our society. I truly believe God condemns shame. One should not have to be in fear of God not forgiving us, even the most egregious offenses, if we truly lament. God is not a punisher; God will not allow us to feel we are unworthy of asking for something because of our sins and transgressions. God loves you UNCONDITIONALLY. 

One of my Lenten practices that I think is relatable to us through this article is the spiritual practice of writing a collect. Name God, thank God for something God did for you or helped you realize recently, and ask God for that thing that you may be afraid to name. Let your recent unfolded life inform your prayer language and may you be transformed by the beauty of words which God has given you, to share back with God.

The gifts of God for the people of God, given back to God, to the glory of God. As you continue to discern your stewardship areas to God’s church of time, talent, and treasure, may you continue and in a deeper way experience God’s steadfastness, abundance, compassion, and unconditional love each day going forward. 

God loves you, St. John’s loves you, and your clergy love you.

Your sibling in Christ,

Fr. James

Join us for Sunday Worship at 8:00 am and 10:00 am in the church or remotely on Zoom and Facebook.

8:00 am - Rite I Holy Eucharist

Zoom: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/83803451202

Facebook Live Stream: https://www.facebook.com/stjohns1745/live_videos/

Bulletin: Rite I After Pentecost

No Sunday School this week

10:00 am – Rite II Choral Eucharist

Zoom: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/86739553648

Facebook Live Stream: https://www.facebook.com/stjohns1745/live_videos

Bulletin: Rite II After Pentecost - Fall

The Music

Opening Hymn: WLP 740 "Wade in the Water"

Sequence Hymn: 538 God of mercy, God of grace

Offertory anthem: "God's Grace" original song performed by Bonnie & Gianna Masi

Communion Hymn: "We Adore You, Lord Jesus Christ" (Taize)

Closing Hymn: 567 Thine Arm, O Lord, in days of old

Sunday, October 9th at 7:00 pm

Pianist Alex Pryrodny, our very own Artist-in-Residence, teams up with award-winning tap dancer, Alex MacDonald for an evening of piano and tap in our beautiful, historic church.

There is a suggested donation of $20 at the door or presale using the following link:

TAPS & KEYS TICKETS

>>>MORE ABOUT TAPS & KEYS

St. John's Spirituality Group labyrinth walk will be on Saturday, October 8th. We will meet at St. John's at 10 am to carpool to St. Philip Neri Church in Northport to walk their labyrinth. Afterwards, we will have lunch in Northport. Everyone will pay for their own lunch. There is no cost for the labyrinth walk. 

To RSVP, please contact Patti Aliperti at silverymoon33@yahoo.com, or click on the following link to register:

LABYRINTH WALK REGISTRATION FORM

Our annual Harvest Fair will take place on Saturday, October 22nd, 10am to 4pm.

St. John's Harvest Fair needs your SILENT AUCTION DONATIONS!

ITEM SUGGESTIONS:

• Use of your vacation home or timeshare
• Golf at a private country club
• Bottles of good to excellent quality wines
• Bottles of premium champagne
• Dried flower arrangements
• NEW electronic items ie: laptops, ipads
• New framed prints
• Personal items such as new designer bags
• Jewelry

DAY DESTINATION SUGGESTIONS:

• Wine tasting
• A day at a private beach club
• Breweries
• Tickets to shows at local venues, ie: Paramount, Engeman Theater, Tiles Center
• Day spa certificates
• Gym\Message certificates
• Restaurant certificates to your favorite places
• Hotel stays for 1 or 2 nights, ie: Marriott, Oheka Castle or other resorts
• Tickets to sporting events: Jets, Yankees, Mets, Giants, Islanders

The Thrift Shop needs DESIGNER BOUTIQUE CLOTHING & WHITE ELEPHANT BRIC-A-BRAC

Sunday, October 9th at 11:15 am

We are offering Acolyte training for new acolytes. Any child or youth interested in becoming an acolyte please meet Fr. James on October 9th at the front of the church by the piano following the 10 am service.

New acolytes learn by shadowing experienced acolytes at the 10:00 am services. This is a wonderful way for our youth to serve our parish and received community service hours.

St. John's Children's Choir sings for special services during the year. If your child enjoys singing with others or solo, plays an instrument, or just loves to worship through song, please reach out to our music director, Alex Pryrodny at rurikbird@gmail.com, stop by the piano after the 10 am service,  or use the following link to sign up:

SIGN UP FOR CHILDREN'S CHOIR

Help us Help our Friends in Christ

Donations Needed

There will be an open suitcase in the back of the church for the following much needed items which we will bring with us on our journey:

• Toiletries – hotel size – small – we have to carry with us
• Toothpaste/toothbrushes/shampoos/soap/lotions/ deodorant/sunscreen
• Masks
• Socks (all sizes, preferably white)

 MISSION TRIP to Arizona

October 24 – 30 2022

Thank you for keeping the 8 of us who are traveling in your prayers:

Deacon Claire

Fr. James Reiss

Ken Denker

Paula Dodge

Bob McGonagle

Jan Stebbins

Stephanie West

Judy Wohrle 

In October, our Spirituality Group meetings will move to 5pm in person, in the Canterbury Corner. We meet on the 2nd Thursday of each month. On October 13th, we will discuss and reflect on "Wisdom."

Yoga & Meditation - Saturday, Novmeber 12th at 12 noon in the Great Hall.

All are welcome! 

We believe that not only does Jesus still heal today, but that healing is one of the most powerful ministries of evangelization. Jesus never preached the Gospel of the kingdom of God without demonstrating the kingdom through signs, wonders, and miracles, with healing as the most frequent demonstration of God’s love.

Healing services at St. John’s will include a time of worship and praise, proclamation of the Gospel and preaching, corporate prayer for healing ending with individual prayer teams for healing. Come prepared for breakthrough!

Please join us for a safe and loving offering of prayer and healing on the following dates. All Services will begin at 7:00 p.m.

October 13

November 10

December 8: Special Blue Christmas Healing Liturgy

Join St. John's Youth Group! 

Our next meeting will be on Sunday, October 16th, 6:30-8:00 pm at Trinity Episcopal Church, 130 Main St, Northport, NY.

Anyone in grades 7 through 12 are welcome to participate in Youth Group activities at St. John's and our youth partner parishes, Trinity, Northport and St. John's, Cold Spring Harbor.

Please contact Fr. James at jreiss@stjohnshuntington.org or Ford Spilsbury at fordspils@gmail.com for more info about Youth Group.

Sign-up for Youth Group using this link:

https://forms.gle/qUbsrEEDwvxyBzRP6 

YOUTH GROUP CALENDAR

Please join us at St. John's for Evensong, an ancient traditional Anglican/Episcopal service of evening prayers, psalms, biblical readings and canticles, chanted in a choral setting. In collaboration with Alex Pryrodny and St. John's Choir, Fr. James will officiate our monthly Service of Evensong on the fourth Thursday of the month. Please join us Thursday, October 20 at 7:00 pm in the church.

All are welcome! Join us to pray for our broken world in need of healing, through the gift of music!

Bible Study meets Mondays at 6:30 pm and on Tuesdays at 11:00 am on Zoom with Fr. Duncan and Fr. John.

Monday Zoom Link: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/83373971746

Tuesday Zoom link:https://us02web.zoom.us/j/82553627635

Knowing God in the Created World - For hundreds of years, people have wondered what we can know about God based on the evidence of the world in which we live. Prof. N.T. Wright asserts that to answer this question with fidelity requires putting Jesus back in the middle of the question. The line of thought explored in this course seeks to do just that.

To preview to the course go to:

https://www.udemy.com/course/knowing-god-in-the-created-world

Login: dbu632@gmail.com

Password: GodsLove12

This joint ministry with St. John's, Cold Spring Harbor and Trinity, Northport, of fostering relationships amongst young adults within our community is not a simple project, but one we’re willing to take on. We plan on starting slow this Fall with monthly brunches, the first Sunday of the month. This is geared towards young adults who are 21 and older. This will later be accompanied by Spirituality on Tap/Pub Theology events to be released at a later date.

Our next brunch will be on Sunday, November 6^th

They will all start at 12:00pm, at different brunch locations throughout the township. 

Contact Fr. James at jreiss@stjohnshuntington.org to learn more and sign up for notifications.

Wednesdays & Thursdays at 12 - 1pm

To continue to be welcoming neighbors in the village, St. John's Church opens its doors to Huntington during the week!

On Wednesdays - Noonday Prayer will start at 12:15 for any who are interested in attending this brief in person service.

On Thursdays - The sanctuary will be open for individual prayer and quiet contemplation. On some Thursdays, you may hear our Music Director and Artist-in-Residence, Alex Pryrodny, play an interlude of contemplative music.

If any one feels called to join in this ministry and help expand it, please reach out to Fr. James at jreiss@stjohnshuntington.org . All are welcome!

St. John's Thrift Shop is open on Tuesdays, Thursdays, & Saturdays, 12-3pm.

HELP! Volunteers continue to be needed - If you wish to become a volunteer, please contact Mary Beth Dieterle, (631) 427-1752, ext 106.

Donations welcome. We accept donations of new or gently used clothing, accessories, and household items. Please no books, furniture, out-dated electronics, or damaged items.

The Prayer Shawl Ministry is actively making shawls!

We meet in person on the 1st Thursday of each month. Our next meeting is November 3rd.

If you have interest in joining or have yarn to provide, please contact Noelle at ndelorenzo217@gmail.com

Confirmation is the sacrament when individuals choose to confirm the promises that were made for them at their baptism. The church recognizes one’s full membership and it is the day a bishop seals one with gift of the Holy Spirit. 

Confirmation classes start in January, meeting an hour before Youth Group, and the Rite of Confirmation will take place at the Cathedral of the Incarnation in Garden City this May. Anyone interested in Confirmation in the Spring of 2023 should attend Youth Group meetings and activities. For information about Confirmation, please contact the Parish Office, info@stjohns1745.org.

Just a reminder that all parish events and building use must be submitted to the Parish Office. Notices for events to run in the Chalice, to post on the website and social media must be received by the Parish Administrator by noon on Tuesdays. We are looking to finalize the fall calendar to coordinated our many events and start to spread the word about all the great programs and ministries here at St. John's.

CLICK HERE TO VIEW ST. JOHN'S CALENDAR

We pray for Susan, Jack, Charise, Spencer, Matt, Ernest, Sue, Wylie, Tom, Debra, Christina, Ursula, Victor, Melissa, Olivia, Annie, Tom, Allison, Chyah, Mary, James, Dylan, Jake, Jeff, Shannon, Kelsey, Justin, Patti, Richard, Cole, Edward, Christine, Fred, Patricia, Hal, Carmen, Ignacio, Anita, Amy, Katherine, Briton, Cheryl, Edith, George, Patty, Gabriel, Siobhan, Danielle, Matt, Jane, Harry, Denise, Barbara, Edith, Ana, Angel, Gladys, Richard, Christian, Anthony, Barbara, Bodhi, Tom

Altar flowers are given this week in loving memory of Clara and Frank Elliot by Linda Elliot, and Josh and Amelia Mehta.

Altar flowers are given this week in loving memory or Anna Mayer, by her granddaughter, Elizabeth Butler

Please send your prayers or updates to prayers@stjohns1745.org or call Coral in the Parish Office, 631-427-1752, ext. 101.