Message of the Week

Lisa Girimonte, Preschool Director

My favorite memories as a child were back to school shopping for new school supplies, new school clothes, and of course the change of the seasons. We are back to a new year at the preschool with 65 students attending. We have 31 families that are new to St. John’s Preschool

this year, many of which have recently relocated to North Carolina.

As for the seasons, we still have summer weather here in my now adopted state, but you can sense the changes coming. The street lights come on sooner, the nights are cooler, and we think of sweater weather that is coming soon. Ecclesiastes 3:1 tells us “there is a time for everything, and a season for every activity under the heavens.” We at the preschool take such delight in every new season as we experience it through the eyes of the children in our charge. The excitement of a child that recognizes their name for the first time, the delight of a toddler who starts talking more each day, and my favorite thing is when I hear a child tell their parents how much fun they had at school that day!

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"Match.com for Ministry"

Comes to St. John's!

We urge EVERYONE at St. John's

to take this short, enlightening survey!

However long you've been a part of St. John's, this survey

will help you reflect on the talents and interests

God has given you; and help you consider how best to use your unique gifts as part of this parish community.

TAKE THE SURVEY ONE OF THREE WAYS:

It takes just 4-6 minutes to complete.  

• Save time on Sunday! 

          Click here to take the survey NOW.

• Bring your smartphone or tablet to church on Sun, Sept 18. (We know. It's a stunning turn in church policy!) At the close of worship, we'll invite you to get online and complete the survey, with instruction and tech assistance provided.

• If you don't have a "smart" device or don't like online surveys, we can collect your responses on paper and enter them into our Ministry Match app on your behalf.



St. John's Soloists - Meets This Saturday!

The Soloists welcome any solo female parishioner, whether single, divorced, or widowed. We provide safe yet fun social opportunities for solo women to meet each other and build helpful relationships.

The first fall gathering of St. John's Soloists will be the third Saturday, Sept. 17, starting at 5:30 p.m. For starters, we will meet again at my house (Helen Holt) and enjoy a potluck dinner. I hope we can rotate to different members' homes during the year. 

Additionally, I'd like to encourage each of you to support the annual CROP Walk fundraiser in which St. John's has participated for 43 years. Last year, our congregation raised nearly $4,000 for the effort, adding to the more than $20,000 raised by all Wake Forest CROP Walk teams. Of that amount, 25 percent stayed local supporting Tri Area Ministry and Hope House, Inc. Starting this year, a portion of the proceeds will also go to the Wake Forest Community Table, led by our own Joy Shillingsburg.

Questions? Please contact Helen Holt, hwholt09@gmail.com.

PRAYground

Sunday, Sept 18 at 5 PM

Informal, conversational worship for all ages

5 PM Eucharist in the Columbarium

We'll talk about the story of Jesus "feeding the 5000" (Lk.9:10-17) and how God asks us to relate to our possessions. 

5:30 PM Dinner

Mac & Cheese will be the main dish.

PLEASE BRING:

• camp chairs or a blanket for worship
• a side dish to share for dinner

St. John's Hikers - Join us Sat morning!

September is finally here, making us think of blue skies, falling leaves, and fewer mosquitoes! It also makes hikers think about long walks in the woods, which the St. John's hikers will resume Saturday, Sept. 17, on the MST trail.  

Our last hike in May completed the second half of the MST section between Hwy 50 and the Boyce Mill Rd dead-end.Our upcoming hike will start at the MST parking lot just before the Rolling View Campground entrance and go east back to NC 98, about 6 miles in and out. The address is 3400-3490, State Rd 1807, Durham, NC 27703

Carpoolers will meet at the church at 8:30 a.m.; self-drivers meet at the Trailhead parking lot just off Baptist Road a little before 9 a.m. 

"Crash": Weeks 1-3 Recap!

We are exploring how the Lord's Prayer imagines God's Kingdom coming to the earth. As God's Kingdom meets the kingdoms of the earth, there's going to be a "crash" of values and interests. We're exploring the

crash of God's Kingdom and ours in the story of Creation in the Garden of Eden and Adam and Eve.

Each week we learn a little bit more about each other and the Bible. We look forward to seeing the youth at our next meeting on September 18th at 6PM after PRAYground. (PRAYground worship is from 5-5:30PM). We usually play outside and grab a light dinner or snack with those attending PRAYground from 5:30 - 6, and then head to the EYC room in the basement of the preschool building for our meeting starting at 6 PM.

A special opportunity is available for our youth that will be attending the morning service on the 18th at 9:30 AM. We could use your help to provide basic "tech support" for 10-15 mins during our launch of our new "Ministry Match" app at St. John's that day. (It's an online survey that helps people identify their gifts, talents and interests and where those might match up with opportunities to be involved with ministries at St. John's.) If any of our youth are interested, please email Mo. Sarah at rector@stjohnswf.com

Mike Phelps & Christina Kastendike

Creation Season Book Club

Continues on Wed, Sept 21 from 7 - 8:15 PM

Join us this Creation Season for a 3-session book club facilitated by Gena Renfrow, featuring “The Book of Hope” by Jane Goodall and Douglas Abrams.

Wed, Sep 21 -- discuss pp. 104 to end

Hybrid gatherings -- in person (Parish Hall) and on Zoom followed by Compline (night prayers)

Questions? Contact Gena Renfrow at esrenfrow@gmail.com

Habitat for Humanity

We are thrilled to join our neighbors and partner churches for two Habitat work days on October 1 and October 15 to complete home preservation projects on six homes in Wake Forest!

If you would like to learn more details about the projects and register for one or both days go to the registration link at right or contact Joy  Shillingsburg (before Sept 22) outreach@stjohnswf.com [or after Sept 22: Ken Marsh kenelmm@gmail.com or Kenille Baumgardner KenilleB@gmail.com]