St. John's Episcopal Church - Centreville, VA
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Parish News - November 17, 2021
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Dear St. John's Parishioners and Friends:
In a recent letter to Episcopal congregations, our Presiding Bishop Michael Curry said this:
"As Episcopalians and as people of faith, we enter Advent as the time of the year when we prepare our hearts to welcome Christ anew into our hearts, into our lives, into the life of the world. It is a time when we recommit ourselves to following Jesus of Nazareth and his way of love. We do this despite the hardships we face as individuals and citizens, despite the tangled roots of injustice that cling to our limbs, despite the war and violence that displaces our neighbors, and despite environmental disasters that ravage our hometowns and cities. We, as faithful people, will prepare our hearts for the return of light to the world."
With the celebration of Thanksgiving next week, followed by the First Sunday of Advent three days later, it is a time for hope and gratitude and joy, as we gather first with family and friends and thank God for all our blessings, and then turn our hearts to prepare ourselves for the coming of the Christ child.
It is our light in the midst of darkness, our joy in the midst of pain.
You can sign up to receive daily meditations throughout Advent from "The Living Compass" by clicking on this link:
The Rev. Carol Hancock
Rector
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PARISH NEWS AND ANNOUNCEMENTS
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We are searching for a new non-profit group to use the parish hall during the week. If you know of any group looking for space, please tell them to contact David Thompson at St. John's (703-803-7500). We need to spread the word as widely and as quickly as possible. There are flyers on the back table in the church if you know of someone to send it to or a public bulletin board to post it. We have put an ad on Craigs List. If you know other websites, social media, or other places where we could advertise (preferably for free), please let Carol know. Without this income from a group using the parish hall during the week, we will have financial difficulties down the road.
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Our Annual Pledge Campaign for 2022 - If you have not already returned your pledge card for 2022, please prayerfully consider what your pledge will be in response to God's great goodness and mercy and return your pledge card as soon as possible. To date, we have received 41 pledges for a total of $213,372. Last year, we had 47 pledgers for a total of $215,565. Thanks go to those who have returned their pledge cards to support St. John's financially in 2022.
Annual Diocesan Convention - Last Friday and Saturday, the Diocese of Virginia held its 227th Annual Convention on Zoom. Attended by well over 400 clergy and lay delegates from the 179 congregations in this diocese, the convention discussed and voted on 13 resolutions and 8 changes to the Constitution and Canons. We heard reports and meditations from our three bishops as well as the new diocesan staff person for Racial Justice and Healing. You can read a summary of all that happened at convention by clicking on the link below.
Veteran's Day was November 11 and we wanted to honor and remember the military service of those at St. John's:
Steve Busch - US Marine Corps, Lieutenant Colonel, 1976-1997
David Kantor (deceased) - US Coast Guard, Captain, 26 years
Walt Cooner - US Air Force, Colonel, 1974-2000
Susan Davis - US Navy, Commander, 1971-1995
Bruce Davis - US Navy, Lieutenant, 1967-1979
Dick Griffith - US Army, Sargent 1st Class, 1961-1972
Monti Zimmerman - US Army, Colonel, 1985-2016
Bob Faithful - US Air Force, Captain, 1974-1978
Steven Spear - US Navy, ETR 2, 1968-1974
These additional names came in after the list was printed last week.
Lee Griffith - US Navy, Lieutenant Commander, 20 years
Beth Griffith - US Navy, Commander, 20 years
David Weir - US Army, SSG
Thank you for your service to our country!
Congratulations go to Debbie and Steve Naughton on the birth of their grandson, David Killian Naughton, Jr., on October 30. David's delighted parents are David and Brooke Naughton who are living in North Dakota.
Our Neighbor's Child - Again this year, we will be providing an opportunity to purchase specific gifts for Christmas for children in need. More information will be forthcoming later this month.
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Dulles Intl. Airport Rotary Club to welcome guest speaker from St. John's - Meg Crossett, President of the D.C. Candlelighters
Our very own Meg Crossett, the President of the D.C. Candlelighters, will be speaking to the Dulles Intl. Airport Rotary Club on Friday morning, December 3rd, at 7:30 a.m. The breakfast meeting will be held at the Hilton Washington Dulles Airport, located at 13869 Park Center Rd., Herndon, VA 20171. The D.C. Candlelighters 501c3 supports families of children fighting cancer. Please come and learn about this important topic and support one of our long time parishioners. This is a free breakfast to guests. The meeting starts promptly at 7:30 a.m. and ends at 8:30 a.m.
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*Wood Bundles Now For Sale*
The price is still nominal at $5 per bundle and the bundles are located outside the breezeway. Donations can be put in the envelopes provided and put in the secure adjacent mailbox.
Andrew Wade
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Reminder, the Western Fairfax Christian Ministry Thanksgiving food boxes are due back to St. John’s by Thursday (tomorrow)
We will need to deliver the boxes to the collection site, Centreville United Methodist Church, on Saturday, Nov 20th between 8:00 - 9:00 AM. Volunteers will pick the boxes up from the church on Friday and deliver them to CUMC early Saturday morning. If you took a box and have not yet returned it with the food requested from WFCM for Thanksgiving, please bring it to the church by Thursday. Many thanks to those who filled these boxes!
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Western Fairfax Christian Ministries has put out their list of the foods that they need the most. You can bring your non-perishable items to the church on Sunday mornings, or drop them off in the box outside the door by the breezeway during the week and they will be delivered to WFCM.
· Canned garbanzo beans (low salt preferred)
· Canned kidney beans, red beans, and black beans (low salt preferred)
· Canned pasta
· Pasta Sauce (low salt preferred)
· Canned Tuna and Canned Chicken
· Flavored pasta/rice
· Mashed Potatoes
· Oatmeal (Quaker Oats Healthy Old Fashioned Oatmeal)
· Canned vegetables (corn, carrots, spinach, beets) (low salt preferred)
· Canned Pineapple (no sugar added preferred)
· Tomato Paste (low salt preferred)
· Toiletries: Toilet paper, shampoo, conditioner, feminine pads, deodorant, baby wipes, shaving cream, mouth wash (NOTE: we are not currently in need of diapers due to our partnership with Greater DC Diaper Bank. Please only donate larger size pull ups or wipes if you want to donate items for babies.)
Outreach Opportunity to Help Our “Neighbors”
The Western Fairfax Shepherd Center is still accepting volunteer drivers to support clients who need help getting to appointments, shopping trips (for food), and to deliver food from WFCM to clients. Please contact the Shepherd Center at 703-246-5920 or email [email protected] and copy Deacon Steve at [email protected].
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Sign Up: Sunday service reader or usher We welcome, need, and value your help! The lector will read the 2 lessons and the psalm. The usher will hand out bulletins and bring the elements and offering to the altar. If you would like to do either of these, CLICK HERE.
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Sign Up: Altar Flowers
Please indicate how you wish your flower donation to appear in the Sunday bulletin. (Wedding anniversary, in memory of someone - something special you want to remember by providing flowers.) CLICK HERE
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Service of Evening Prayer - Virtually
Every Wednesday, St. John's has a Service of Evening Prayer. It is a peaceful way to end the day, and it's now being held virtually. Here is the link to this evening's service:
Wednesday, November 17
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THE ADULT LECTIONARY FORUM - IN PERSON & ON ZOOM
All are invited to join in, following the Sunday service. Here is the link to the Lectionary Forum via Zoom, in case you cannot attend in person:
PLEASE NOTE LINK updated
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Last Sunday's recorded service: All Saints' Day, November 14, 2021
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SUNDAY WORSHIP & EDUCATION
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THE ADULT LECTIONARY FORUM - HELD EACH SUNDAY
All are invited to join in, following the Sunday service, in the library. Or use the link to the Lectionary Forum via Zoom, in case you cannot attend in person, found above.
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We can prepare our hearts & minds by reading ahead
for the Sunday Service lesson
The Last Sunday after Pentecost
November 21, 2021
The First Reading: Daniel 7:9-10, 13-14
Daniel’s dreamlike prophetic vision depicts the conflict between good and evil, and a crushing blow against one source of evil.
The Psalm: 93, p. 722
The Second Reading: Revelation 1:4b-8
John begins the Book of Revelation with a hymn of praise to Christ.
The Gospel: John 18:33-37
Pilate perceives Jesus through the lens of earthly power, which Jesus repeatedly rejects.
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Online Contributions
to St. John's
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St. John's now offers three buttons for online donations via Tithe.ly. You may use the buttons below to go directly to Tithe.ly, or you may download the Tithe.ly app on your phone or tablet.
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The Pledge payment button may be used only to make your pledge payment (after signing up to be a pledger, which may be done at any time in the year. See Carol or Vestry)
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The Facility Campaign button may be used only for any contribution for the facility's buildings and grounds, or special facility campaigns.
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The Donation button may be used for any other type of donation to St. John's. To designate a special purpose (i.e. Organ Fund, Ministry Partner payments, etc.) please send a note to [email protected].
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Serve
Caring for people who are hungry or homeless or imprisoned is not only our duty; it is also our joy. It is a privileged way of serving God, because it mirrors an essential aspect of God’s own character. God is biased towards the poor and bestows special favor on the dispossessed – and asks us to do the same.
-Br. David Vryhof
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and the office number is 703-803-7500.
May our ministry together spread God's love to all whom we encounter.
- Carol
The Rev. Carol Hancock, Rector
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Please note: If you choose to unsubscribe below, please be aware that you will no longer receive either St. John's sermons or E-Notes, which are sent weekly. If you do unsubscribe and later want to be added back in, that needs to be done through the provider, Constant Contact. Please email St. John's office with the request: [email protected].
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