The Word

News from St. John’s, Lafayette Square

The Week of Sunday, May 28

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Image by Bill McChesney / cc-by-2.0 (cropped).

This Weekend

The Day of Pentecost


7:45 a.m.

Eucharist—Sermon by the Rev. Rob Fisher


8 a.m.

Choir Rehearsal (Parish House Fourth Floor)


8:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m.

Nursery (Parish House Second Floor)


9 a.m.

Choral Eucharist with Baptism—Sermon by the Rev. Rob Fisher


10 a.m.

Coffee Hour—Pentecost Celebration (Plaza, weather permitting, or Parish House First Floor)

Youth Group (Parish House Second Floor)

Adult Bible Study (Parish House Third Floor)


11 a.m.

Music Festival Service with Eucharist—Sermon by the Rev. Rob Fisher (Watch live on Sunday)

Children’s Chapel (Children begin in church)


Noon

Coffee Hour—Pentecost Celebration (Plaza, weather permitting, or Parish House First Floor)

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CELEBRATING PENTECOST


On the Day of Pentecost, we remember the coming of the Holy Spirit to the disciples and the birth of the early church. At St. John’s, we will commemorate the day with baptisms at the 9 a.m. service and a Music Festival Service at 11 a.m. featuring the Herbert Howells communion service Collegium Regale. Gunnery Sergeant Amy McCabe, principal trumpet of “The President’s Own Marine Band,” will join the combined choirs and organ in leading hymns. Cake and intergenerational family activities will be offered after each of these two special services. Plan to wear red and join us as we celebrate this major feast day.

Pentecost Image: Lawrence OP / CC-BY-NC-ND 2.0

Sunday Reminders

FOR CHILDREN


Children are welcome at all worship services.


A nursery for infants and children up to age three is available most Sundays from 8:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. on the second floor of the Parish House.


Please note: Summer hours begin June 4, Sundays from 10 a.m. to noon.


From September through May, children in pre-K through fifth grade may participate in Church School on the second floor of the Parish House, most Sundays from 10 to 10:50 a.m.


Please note: Church School is now on summer hiatus.


Children from birth through grade 5 are invited to participate in Children’s Chapel, a special liturgy just for them during the sermon at the 11 a.m. service (10:30 a.m. in summer) on most Sundays. Parents may accompany their children, and are encouraged to do so for those younger than three.


Children’s Bulletins with coloring pages of stories from this Sunday’s scripture readings are posted here each week in time for Sunday services.


For more information about our children’s ministry, please contact the Rev. Sarah Akes-Cardwell.

FOR YOUTH


Most Sundays from September through May, from 10 to 10:50 a.m., all middle and high schoolers are invited to Youth Group on the second floor of the Parish House for an exploration of life and faith with their peers. For more information about opportunities for youth, please contact the Rev. Shawn Evelyn.


Please note: Pentecost, May 28, will be the final session of Youth Group until after Labor Day.


Youth in sixth grade and above are also invited to join the Acolytes ministry. Acolytes assist with worship during the 11 a.m. service by serving as torch bearers or crucifers and by helping set the altar for communion. To learn more, contact Nora Haugh.

ADULT BIBLE STUDY


From September through May, this group gathers most Sundays at 10 a.m., using a hybrid approach, with some joining via Zoom and others in person. The group is studying the structure, audience, and themes of the Gospel of Matthew. Conversations explore the connections with the Sunday lectionary lessons and sermons. To receive class notes and Zoom login information, please contact Jack Reiffer.


Please note: From June through August, Bible Study will meet on fourth Sundays at 11:30 a.m., in person and via Zoom, with weekly study materials provided by email.

PRAYER CARDS


You are invited to take a blank prayer card from the narthex (the entrance of the church) and write down something or someone you would like to pray for. You can hand your prayer card to the ushers when they take the collection, and your card will be blessed and prayed over during the week.

LINKS


We look forward to welcoming you to worship, either in person or online.


Directions and Parking

Sunday Livestream and Bulletins (Materials posted in time for the livestreamed service)

Current Masking and Communion Practices

Give to St. John’s

Submit a Parish Announcement (Deadline: Mondays at noon)


Visit www.stjohns-dc.org for more information.

Find us on YouTube and Facebook.

Of Special Note

SUMMER WORSHIP SCHEDULE BEGINS JUNE 4


On Sunday, June 4, we usher in our summer schedule, which remains in use through Labor Day:


7:45 a.m.—Eucharist (spoken)

9:30 a.m.—Speaker Series, when scheduled

10 a.m.—Nursery opens (closes at noon)

10:30 a.m.—Eucharist with music


Church School and Youth Group will not meet during the summer. Adult Bible Study will meet monthly (in person and via Zoom) on fourth Sundays, with weekly study materials delivered via email. Contact Jack Reiffer for details.

SCHOOL SUPPLY DRIVE

Sundays, June 11, 18, and 25


The Refugee Committee is hosting a backpack and school supply drive for 6th- through 12th-grade refugee youth through Lutheran Social Services of the National Capital Area (LSSNCA).


On Sundays, June 11, 18, and 25, we will be collecting supplies at a table on the plaza in front of the church, before and after the 10:30 a.m. service. In case of rain, you will find the table under the portico of the church facade. Contact Lacy Broemel with questions.


Items needed include: New backpacks, pencil boxes or pouches, boxes of colored pencils, #2 pencils; black, blue, and red pens; highlighters, erasers, glue sticks, scissors, three-ring binders (2- to 3-inch), binder dividers with tabs, packs of college-ruled paper, packs of graph paper, spiral notebooks, packs of 3x5 index cards, basic calculators, and rulers (with both inches and centimeters).

SISTERS AT ST. JOHN’S GROUP SURVEY

Calling women of all ages!


Are you a woman who attends St. John’s? We would love for you to join the Sisters at St. John’s, a group for women of all ages. We also want to hear from you about what you might want from this group; please take a few minutes to answer our survey.


Questions? Contact Emily Lucio.

Upcoming Events

ST. JOHN’S BOOK GROUP

Thursday, June 1, at 7 p.m., in person and via Zoom


Please join us Thursday, June 1, at 7 p.m., in person or via Zoom, for a discussion of Demon Copperhead by Barbara Kingsolver, which shared the 2023 Pulitzer Prize for fiction. Set in the mountains of southern Appalachia, Demon Copperhead is the story of a boy born into poverty with a resilient spirit. Inspired by Charles Dickens’ David Copperfield, this American story mirrors the anger, compassion, and ultimate transformation of a generation of lost boys into survivors. For more information, please contact Janet Edmond.

CAY BUSER ORDINATION

Saturday, June 3, at 2 p.m. in Baltimore

* Please note the corrected date.


All are invited to the ordination to the Sacred Order of Priests of Cay Buser on Saturday, June 3, at the Cathedral of the Incarnation in Baltimore. Cay is a longtime parishioner and choir member at St. John’s. She is also the mother of Vestry member Carl Ward. Cay will be one of several in the Diocese of Maryland ordained to the priesthood that afternoon. Members of our Parish Choir will sing at the service. Cay hopes to continue working in the Maryland Division of Corrections where she was a teacher, principal, and administrator for almost 40 years. She will return as a chaplain, and looks forward to working with the incarcerated populations. Join us in celebrating this special occasion in Cay’s life and the life of the wider church.

FAMILY MEETUP AT HAINS POINT

Saturday, June 3, from 9:30 to 11:30 a.m.


Picnic Area D, 2301 Ohio Drive, SW

(Rain date: June 10)


Spend the morning outside with families from St. John’s. We’ll gather at picnic tables near the playground at the end of Hains Point. We’ll provide coffee, juice, and breakfast snacks. Most of our time will be open-ended to build community. Kids can play, while babies lounge and parents connect. We’ll have a brief, family-friendly prayer service at 10:30 a.m. You’re encouraged to bring blankets, chairs, water bottles, and outdoor games. Please contact Rev. Sarah with questions. An RSVP is suggested but not required.

LATROBE YOUNG ADULT BRUNCH

Sunday, June 4, after the 10:30 a.m. service


The Latrobe Young Adult Fellowship will meet for brunch on Sunday, June 4, after the 10:30 a.m. service. All in their 20s and 30s are invited for food and fellowship. Gather on the Plaza around 11:30 a.m. For more information, contact the Rev. Shawn Evelyn.

JOIN ST. JOHN’S IN CELEBRATING PRIDE

Saturday, June 10, at 1:45 p.m.


Capital Pride events return to the District next month, and St. John’s will be marching in the Pride Parade with a contingent from the Episcopal Diocese of Washington. All are welcome. We will meet at St. Luke’s Episcopal Church (1514 15th Street, NW) before heading to the parade staging area. To learn more about the parade or the LGBTQ+ Fellowship at St. John’s, contact Anthony Pegues.

SPEAKER SERIES SCHEDULE


Please note the new time beginning Sunday, June 4, as we shift to our summer worship schedule.


The Speaker Series is held on occasional summer Sundays at 9:30 a.m. in the Togo West Parlor on the first floor of the Parish House. An audio recording will be available on our website the week after each talk. Visit the Speaker Series webpage for more information. Upcoming speakers and topics include:


June 4: More than a year since the invasion of Ukraine, the need for humanitarian aid and support for the people continues. St. John’s Refugee Committee invites you to learn more about the needs of Ukrainians. Judi Garrett, the Chief Operating Officer of the Jewish Relief Network Ukraine (JRNU), will speak about the organization’s work providing life-saving support to tens of thousands of Ukrainians, including those who have been displaced from their homes and those who have lost their jobs and other sources of income.


June 11: Re-Valuing Women Hymn Writers—Women have always been making sacred music, but they are underrepresented in our hymnals. Their contribution lies in the stories they tell from the margins, away from the narratives of dominant power. In this talk, our own Lyn Loewi will look at the poetry women have brought to our understanding of the Sacred. From the 9th-century Greek Orthodox nun Kassia to newly written hymns, women have expanded our language for God, remembered the stories of biblical women, and spoken for other discounted voices in society. Lyn Loewi is Associate Organist at St. John’s and also President of the Women’s Sacred Music Project, started in Philadelphia in 1995 to honor the 20th anniversary of the ordination of women.

Important Reminders

BAPTISMS


The next dates for Baptism and required pre-baptismal classes with the clergy at St. John’s are as follows:


Sunday, May 28, at 9 a.m. (Class: Saturday, May 27, 10 a.m.)

Sunday, November 5, at 9 a.m. (Class: Saturday, November 4, 10 a.m.)

Sunday, January 7, 2024, at 9 a.m. (Class: Saturday, January 6, 10 a.m.)


If you are interested in baptism for yourself or a child, please contact Lisa Koehler. Please note that the parents or grandparents of children being baptized must be active, pledging members of St. John’s. Adults interested in baptism must also attend an Adult Inquirers’ Class, offered each fall and spring, and be active, pledging participants in the life of the parish.

JOIN A MINISTRY GROUP


Whatever your interests—worship, outreach, Christian formation, music, pastoral care—we always have room for more volunteers. If you feel drawn to serve at or through St. John’s, please contact Lisa Koehler.

Prayer List

Our prayers are requested for the special needs and concerns of this congregation, especially:


THOSE WHO ARE SICK, RECOVERING, OR GRIEVING:


From our parish: Margo Arnold and Dolph Hatfield.


Friends and family of our parish: Danny Albano (Joanne Hutton), Barbara Virginia Abalos Branes (Joanne Hutton), LaKeshia Bryant (GeeGee Bryant), Zelie Church (Norma Jean Reck), Billy Beardsley Conderman (Margo Arnold), Samantha Carlson (Kim Carlson), Charlotte Crowley Junilla (Margo Arnold), Sharon Diehl (Alex Stolar), Ed Eder (Joanne and Powell Hutton), Reagan Eudy (Alfred Thesmar), Pamela Evelyn (Shawn Evelyn), Patricia George and Joseph George (Kelle George), Grace Grifferty (Kerri Stelcen), Linda Young Gsell (Rick Young), Jackie Hanson (Brent Erstad), Margaret Harrell (Bud Harrell), Doug Holy (Joanne Hutton),Charles Jones (GeeGee Bryant), Jack (Marta Cook and Cal Trepagnier), Jim Kasson (Rob Fisher and Sarah Wood), Olivia Kehoe (Kat Kehoe), Kathy Devlin Kelly (Wendy J. Fibison), Lynne Kessler (Mary and Carl Raether), Lori LaPoint (Brent Erstad), Chase Lasbury (Garrett Russo), William Markiewicz (Matthew Taylor), Tammy McCleaf (Matthew Taylor), Barbara and John McGraw (Mary and Carl Raether), Scott (Marta Cook and Cal Trepagnier), William Singer (Emily Lucio), Evan Sweeney (Mary and Carl Raether), Lou Thesmar (Alfred and Hilary Thesmar), Sallie and William Wilkie Thompson (Cecelia Thompson), Carole Walker (Pamela Venzke), and Theresa Weber (Kerri Stelcen). 


THOSE WHO ARE IN THE HOSPITAL:


Friends and family of our parish: Pat Morris (Will Morris) and Amy Tejral (Jill Dowell).


THOSE WHO ARE IN HOSPICE CARE:


Friends and family of our parish: Carol Bradley (Larry and Krista Bradley), Henry Farrington (Wendy J. Fibison), and Melanie Markiewicz (Matthew Taylor).


THOSE WHO ARE IN ASSISTED LIVING:


From our parish: Eve Atkeson, Jack Kinsey, Barney Malloy, Marcella Odom, Becky Schergens, and John Whitmore.


Friends and family of our parish: Wilma Daubs (Kay Gilley) and Cawley Scott (Robyne Johnston).


THOSE WHO HAVE DIED:


Friends and family of our parish: Christopher Angelil, May 21 (Paul Barkett).


THOSE IN OUR PARISH BEING BAPTIZED ON MAY 28:


Peter Charles Holder, Graham Alexander Kosobucki, Amara Chinonyerem Owunwanne, Helen Marion Slattery Stock, Alexander Charles Stuart, and Marie Sebelle von Hafften.


THOSE IN OUR PARISH CELEBRATING A BIRTHDAY THIS WEEK:


Maria McGregor, Rob Mosbacher, Jr., Jacquelyn Papish, Georgia Rawlings, Andrew Tierney, Abigail Traxler, and David Trebing. 


THOSE IN OUR PARISH CELEBRATING AN ANNIVERSARY THIS WEEK:


Austin and Lilian Johnson, Katherine and Scott Raab, and Katherine and Nate Rawlings. 


THOSE ON THE FRONT LINES:


Friends and family of our parish: Janie Abernethy (Elizabeth Lewis and David Abernethy), Philip L. Faris (Caroline and Steve Faris), and Hugh Yeomans (Debby Hailey).


Please help us keep this list updated: Contact us with corrections, additions, and updates on status.

Do you need to publicize a parish event or a parish-wide notice? Click here for our online submission form. Please submit information three weeks in advance of the event to allow adequate time to spread the word.

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