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Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.

Jesus' parable of the wedding feast in the Gospel lesson for this past Sunday is a reminder to us that we, too, have received an invitation to the King's banquet. How will we respond? Nothing could be more important! Our King even provides us with the proper attire. He graciously gives us the "garments of salvation and the robe of righteousness," which have been dipped in the cleansing blood of Jesus. As we consider all of this, what is our response?

The sermon on Sunday calls us to offer our selves, our time, and our possessions in thanksgiving to the Lord. May the Lord be glorified in our lives and our lives be instruments of blessing to help our neighbor, who is Christ in our midst.

In Christ,

Pastor Meehan

Pastor Meehan's Blog - October 2023

"Whose Land Is It?"

In light of recent world events, the Christian may be asking how to respond to all of this. An article, linked below, was written by Rev. Dr. Reed R Lessing, faculty member from Concordia Saint Paul in St. Paul, MN, and appeared in The Lutheran Witness (2006). The article does a great job of discussing the history of the land of Israel, as well as God’s purpose and plan for the nation of Israel.  

Click on the link in the box below to read the entire article.

The prayer below was written by Rev. Nabil Nour, a Lutheran pastor in South Dakota, who is ethnically Palestinian. He grew up in the Holy Land, near Mount Carmel.

Dear Lord Jesus Christ, Prince of Peace, we humbly come before You, seeking Your divine intervention in the land of Israel and Palestine, where hostilities have caused suffering and pain to Your children. We pray for an end to the conflicts that have divided communities, families, and nations. Grant wisdom and understanding to leaders and individuals on all sides, that they may find peaceful resolutions to their differences. Soften the hearts of those filled with anger and hatred, replacing their bitterness with compassion and empathy. Lord, we ask for Your protection over the innocent, who often bear the heaviest burden of these conflicts. Provide comfort to those who have lost loved ones and heal the wounded, both physically and emotionally. May Your Spirit of peace and reconciliation descend upon the land and our hearts, bringing unity and harmony where there is division. Let the people of Israel and Palestine and the surrounding regions find the strength to forgive and the courage to build a future filled with hope and cooperation. We place this situation and all conflicts into Your merciful and pierced hands, knowing that with Your guidance, even the most entrenched hostilities can be transformed into a lasting peace. In Your loving and gracious name, we pray. Amen.

Fall Stewardship Series in October

"The Grace of Giving" is the theme for St. John's Fall Stewardship series which began on Sunday, October 8 and concludes on Reformation Sunday, October 29. The key Scripture verse for this series is from 2 Corinthians 8:7: "But since you excel in everything - in faith, in speech, in knowledge, in complete earnestness and in the love we have kindled in you - see that you also excel in this grace of giving."

Each of us has been entrusted by God with managing what belongs to God: our selves, our time, and our possessions. "The Grace of Giving" seeks to help the members of our congregation grow in managing God's resources, all in response to what God in Christ has done for us. Information about this process has been sent out via email to each household in the congregation, and for those who need it, hard copy mailings are also available. Please review this carefully and prayerfully discern how you will support the mission and ministry of our congregation.

This 4-week series will conclude with commitments for ministry in 2024 being dedicated on Reformation Sunday, October 29, for the Lord's kingdom work in our congregation, community, and world. Please join us for a Chili Cook-off at 12 noon on Sunday, October 29 to conclude our Fall Stewardship series - sign up in the Narthex at church. Questions? Please contact Jim Burroughs, St. John's Treasurer or Jennifer Smith, St. John's Financial Administrator.

New Giving Platform

St. John's is in the process of transitioning to a new giving platform. The new platform will offer more features that will help to properly track and acknowledge the many gifts we receive from our members and community. In the upcoming weeks, keep an eye out for more information on how this positively affects the ways in which you can give to SJLC.

If you already have a recurring gift set up through CCB, please watch for an email from us soon that will help you to move your offerings from the current platform to our new platform. If you have any questions, please feel free to reach out to our Financial Administrator, Jennifer Smith (703-971-2211).

We appreciate your patience and assistance during this transition!

Praying In Color

We will gather again on Saturday morning, October 21 in the Church Room 307 & 309 for a special time of praying in this unique way. This prayer form has us listening to the Lord through scripture and placing prayers onto paper using simple shapes, color, and even words. All supplies are provided. This is a great way to take some time to reflect and be still before the Lord in this busy autumn season. If you are new to this prayer form, please arrive at 9:30AM for orientation. Our hour of prayer begins at 10:00AM. No sign up is needed.

Mighty and Mysterious Colossians

New Christians in first-century Colossae were not all that different from Christians today. They, too, struggled to understand who Jesus is, how Jesus alone reconciles us to God, and why things aren't perfect in the Church.

In St. Paul's letter to these Christians he had never met, he doesn't say they should stop asking hard questions. He doesn't tell them to stop searching God's Word, to stop seeking spiritual wisdom, or to stop striving for unity within the Church. Instead, Paul takes the focus off of their questions and struggles and on to the Gospel of the mighty and mysterious God: the same God who created the universe revealed Himself among us and reclaimed us as His own through His Son, Jesus.

Join us on Sunday mornings as we walk through God's Word to the Colossians. Though many things will remain mysterious until we see our Savior face-to-face, participants will discover that God fills them right now in every way through the mighty and mysterious Body of Christ, the Church.

Mighty and Mysterious Colossians begins Sunday, November 5, and is a six-week Bible study that includes six weeks of personal study that encourages readers to dig deep into Scripture and apply its truth to their lives. This new class will be led by Jim Burroughs. Jim has been teaching our teens for many years and is sharing his gift with our adults for this course. The book for the class is $13.00 and can be purchased in advance through the registration link. Click here to register for this class.

2024 Lutheran Witness Subscriptions

CURRENT LUTHERAN WITNESS SUBSCRIBERS

Lutheran Witness Renewal Packets for 2024 have been sent out in the mail to all current Lutheran Witness subscribers. Please update and return the information by Thursday, October 26.

CONGREGANTS WHO WISH TO SUBSCRIBE TO THE LUTHERAN WITNESS

Interested in subscribing to the Lutheran Witness Magazine? Now is the time to act! Please click here to sign up through CCB. Sign up will be available until Friday, October 20. Subscription is $20.50/year and can be paid at www.sjlc.com/give. Choose Lutheran Witness from the designation dropdown menu.

Reformation Sunday



Looking ahead to the final Sunday of this month, we will celebrate the Festival of the Reformation on Sunday October 29th. As we give thanks for how the Holy Spirit worked so powerfully through Dr. Martin Luther and the Reformation movement of the sixteenth century, we continue to affirm the truth that we are saved by God's grace alone, through faith in Jesus Christ alone, made known in holy Scripture alone. Red is the liturgical color for the Festival of the Reformation, and so you are encouraged to wear red to church on October 29.

College Care Packages NEED GOODIES

Our Teens will be assembling and mailing out care packages for our SJLC college students on Sunday.

We need more treats for our college youth! Please help us by donating something to our SJLC college youth. Use this link to sign up to donate goodies for our college students. All donations are due by Sunday, October 22.

Trunk or Treat Candy Donations

We are accepting Halloween candy donations for our SJLC & ECEC Trunk or Treat. Please make sure all donations are nut-free. This means no peanut butter candy. All donations can be left in the church office or given to Jennifer Hills. All donations should be dropped off by Sunday, October 29.

Trunk or Treat

Join us Monday, October 30 at 6:00PM for a combined SJLC and ECEC Trunk or Treat! We’re looking for families or SJLC ministry groups to work together to host a trunk for a Trunk or Treat. This is a combined event for our families at SJLC and our ECEC families. This is a wonderful opportunity to meet and mingle with these two groups of people.

Here’s how to host a trunk for Trunk or Treat!

Step 1: Pick your trunk's theme: Trunk or Treat Car Sign Up

Step 2: Bring your trunk and decorate with the provided decorations*

Step 3: Greet our guests and hand out candy

Step 4: Have a good time with our ECEC/SJLC family and friends

*Candy and decorations will be provided, or choose your own theme and provide your own decorations.



For questions or more information, please contact Jennifer Hills or 703-971-2210.

SEMINAR: Social-Emotional Toolbox for reaching and teaching children dealing with trauma 

Saturday, November 4, 2023, 9:30AM-3:00PM.  At St. John’s Lutheran Church, 5952 Franconia Road, Alexandria, VA 22310.

• Spotting trauma: Understanding the signs and what they may mean 
• Mindfulness: Practices to bring awareness to the body and mind to help reduce suffering 
• Narrative therapy: Construct a storyline that helps you understand options for change 

Register Here, Cost is $35 that includes lunch and snacks. 

SPEAKERS: 

Dr. Margaret Wong is in private practice as a licensed clinical and licensed school psychologist at Ashburn Psychological & Psychiatric services.

Craig Gordon is a Licensed Professional Counselor (LPC) and Nationally Certified Counselor (NCC) who works with adults, couples, teens, and families with anxiety-related disorders at Consider Mindfulness LLC in Tysons Corner, VA.

Julie D'Ann is a certified Life Transformation Illumination Guide & Dream Builder Coach through the Mary Morrissey Brave Thinking Institute.

Remembering the Faithful Departed  

In the days leading up to the Festival of All Saints on Sunday, November 5, our congregation has a long tradition of remembering loved ones who have died in the Lord during this past year. You are invited to write names in the Book of Remembrance found on the podium in the Narthex, or you may submit names via email to the church office, which will then be written in our Book of Remembrance.

Please email names to office@sjlc.com. “Blessed are the dead who die in the Lord henceforth…” says the Spirit, “that they may rest from their labors, for their deeds follow them” (Revelation 14:13). 

Koinonia Holiday Baskets Program

Supporting our local social service agency, Koinonia, is a long-standing tradition at St. John’s. The holiday baskets program provides the food so that the needy area clients which Koinonia services can share a special meal with their families during the holidays. This year, St. John’s plans to contribute 8 baskets of food at Thanksgiving and again at Christmas.

Since we are back to meeting in person, we are once again asking the congregation to contribute specific food items to make up a bountiful holiday meal for Koinonia clients. For Thanksgiving, all food will be due by Sunday, November 12, at 10AM. Place your items on the table on the Fellowship Hall stage marked “Koinonia Thanksgiving Baskets.” Please sign up online through CCB to choose the food item(s) you wish to contribute. If you have any problems making your choice(s) online, please email the Church Office or call 703-971-2210 and someone will be able to help you. The Christmas Baskets food contribution signup information will be posted starting November 13.

We are also accepting financial donations starting Oct 4 through the end of the month for the food gift cards which accompany each basket, at both Thanksgiving and Christmas. To contribute, click here and then drop down to the designated offering for "2023 Koinonia Holiday Baskets." Any funds received in excess of what is needed for the food basket gift cards will be donated to the Koinonia food pantry during December. Thank you for your generosity!

St. John’s 28th Annual Craft and Bake Sale

Saturday, November 11, 2023, 9 AM – 3 PM

Just 4 weeks to go until the St. John’s Annual Craft and Bake Sale! Are you thinking about what to make for our Bake Sale? What would others enjoy? What do you like to make and bake? 

• Cookies and bars of all varieties are always in demand. 
• Cupcakes and small cakes meet the needs of small families or those who want to limit the tempting treats in the house. 
• You can make a regular size cake, cut it in half and package each half separately – that works when you don’t have a small cake pan. 
• If muffins or quick breads, like banana or pumpkin bread, are what you love to bake, our Bake Sale customers will snap them up. 
• Yeast breads are always a big hit, and our selection is usually limited, so if this is where you shine, those yeast breads or rolls are a welcome addition. 
• If you are a candy maker, please favor us with homemade candy of your choice. 
• Novelty treats like cake pops or chocolate covered spoons for hot chocolate are popular. 
• Finally, any sweet and/or salty snacks appeal to a large number of our customers. 

Maybe you can’t decide on one thing to make? You can make multiple items; they will all be welcome. Whatever items you make will find their way home with our Bake Sale customers to be enjoyed and shared.

Proceeds from the Craft and Bake Sale benefit people locally and globally. Bethany House of Northern Virginia is one of the local charities supported when you shop the St. John’s Craft and Bake Sale. Bethany House is a Christian ministry helping women and their children who are escaping domestic violence. This organization provides the support and care necessary for health, dignity and transitioning into lives without abuse.

Next week's article will provide information on how to package your items. Meanwhile, check out St. John’s Facebook page for photos of our Craft Sale from prior years as well as a sneak peek of some of this year’s crafts.

If you have questions, please contact Cathy Schreiner or Karen Kemmet at 703-973-5358 (cell).

ESL Classes Are Underway

More than 150 adult immigrants are currently studying English online and in person as part of St. John's ESL program. Our students hail from 40 different countries. The largest groups by country are: Afghanistan, 21%; El Salvador, 10%; Mexico, 9%; Republic of Korea, 5%; Chile, 5%; Peru, 4%; Vietnam, 3%; and Yemen, 3%.

They speak 19 different primary languages, including: Spanish, 46%; Dari/Pashto, 17%; and Arabic, 10%. About 44 percent have university educations, and 34 percent have high school or trade school education.

We are grateful for the 34 caring volunteers from St. John's and elsewhere who provide this much needed service to our immigrant neighbors. Our students are so appreciative!

If you want to learn more, you're invited to observe a class. Click here for more information, go to or contact ESL Coordinator Dori McCormick

Task Force to Study Community Garden for St. John's

St. John's Church Council gave approval at its October 8th meeting to form a Task Force to do a feasibility study for placing a community garden on the westside area of our church campus. The idea was brought to the Church Council as a follow-up from Pastor Meehan's summer sabbatical that focused on caring for God's creation. A growing number of congregations, including some in our immediate area, have community gardens in place already, and so there is much to learn from their experience.

The Task Force will study this idea and report back to the Church Council, which would then bring this before the congregation. If you would like to serve on the Task Force, please contact Pastor Meehan.

Looking Ahead

• ECEC Back to School Night - October 19
• Reformation Sunday - October 29
• Chili Cook-Off - October 29 (12 noon in Fellowship Hall after worship service)
• Trunk or Treat - October 30
• All Saints Sunday - November 5
• Executive Meeting - November 6

Important Links

• Facebook Live for viewing live services or educational opportunities as well as those previously recorded.
• YouTube for viewing church services
• Click here for the bulletins

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