The Word from St. John's Church (Week of April 12, 2020)

Maundy Thursday Virtual Agape Meal

Thursday, April 9, 7:00-7:30 p.m. | Online via Zoom

Please join us in observing Maundy Thursday with a virtual Agape Meal, an ancient practice of Christian fellowship that echoes the Last Supper Jesus had with his disciples. We will be guiding you through this Agape Meal with prayer, scripture reading, a homily, and chanted Psalms via Zoom. Prepare to have with you some food for a meal. A meatless meal is to be preferred. The setting should be austere and the foods sparse and simple. Appropriate foods include soup, cheese, olives, dried fruit, bread, and wine or juice. We look forward to drawing close to Jesus with you this Thursday night at 7:00 p.m. via Zoom . Please contact the Rev. Savannah Ponder for the links to participate .

Theology in Troubled Times

Friday, April 10, 7:00 p.m to 7:45 p.m. | Online via Zoom

In this period of pandemic, nothing seems quite as it was, and much seems unsettling. To address the issues and concerns that some of you may have -- and where God may be in this -- we are offering a course to explore "theology in troubled times", led by the Rev. Will Morris, beginning Good Friday, April 10 ( thereafter on Sunday evenings at 7:00 p.m., starting on Sunday, April 19). Please contact the Rev. Will Morris for the links to participate or for more information.

Join us on YouTube this Easter Day

Sunday, April 12

Worship with us on Easter, virtually! Click on the YouTube image above to participate. There will be music, prayer and preaching. You may choose to participate at your usual service time (7:45 a.m., 9:00 a.m. or 11:00 a.m.), or any other time you like. Feel free to share the link with others.

Stations of the Cross

Click on the image below

Reflections and Updates from the Rector

Click on the image below

Bible Study

Sunday, April 12 at 10:00 a.m. | Online via Zoom

The Bible Study led by Jack Reiffer will meet at 10:00 a.m. online on Sunday via Zoom . Please contact Jack Reiffer and the Rev. Jane Hague for the links to participate .

St. John's Youth

Sunday, April 12 at 10:30 a.m. | Online via Zoom

The youth will meet at 10:30 a.m. on Sunday via Zoom . Please contact the Rev. Savannah Ponder for the links to participate .

Children's Program

Sunday, April 12 at 12:00 noon | Online via Zoom

The children's program will take place at 12:00 noon on Sunday via Zoom . Please contact the Rev. Savannah Ponder for the links to participate .

Noonday Service

Monday to Friday, 12:10 p.m. to 12:40 p.m. | Online via Zoom

In keeping with St. John's tradition to have worship every weekday, we will meet via Zoom for a noonday prayer service from 12:10 p.m. to 12:40 p.m., led by both clergy and lay leaders. There will also be an opportunity during this service to share your intentions and petitions. (Limited to 100 people.)

Click here to join the Noonday Service

Meeting ID: 769 172 375

Click here for a copy of the Noonday Service Bulletin

Click here for a copy of the Book of Common Prayer

Pastoral Care

The COVID-19 pandemic is affecting our St. John's community in many ways. St. John's parishioners have expressed the desire to help their neighbors during this difficult time. Please use this form to let us know if you:

Can provide support for someone in need or
Are in need of support.

We will do our best to connect those in need with those who are able to help. If you are not comfortable using this form, please send us an email at help@stjohns-dc.org with your name, contact information and details of the type of support you can give or the support you need.

In addition to this direct support from parishioners, our Rector, the Rev. Rob Fisher, has an emergency fund for those who may be in need of financial assistance. If you are in need of financial assistance or would like to contribute to the emergency fund, please reach out directly to the Rev. Rob Fisher .

Prayer List

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

Those who are sick or recovering:

From our parish: Nelda Johnson, Bob Patchell, Randall Roe, Alfred Thesmar, Dace Vidins, Jeff White, and Neil Wilson.

Friends and family of our parish: Niels Beck (Michelle Mangrum), Rachael Buckley (Chrystal Martin), Tom Burkart (Pamela Venzke), Cay Buser (Carl Ward), Ana Carases and Jacobo Carases (Kaye Edwards), Clark (Clark Ervin), Brian Cohen (Jane Hague), Carl Edwards (Lauren Edwards), Harry Davis (Mary & Carl Raether), Karl Dornemann (Deb Dornemann), Bobby Doyle (Alex Pappas), Geri Lucas Haji (Judy McKevitt), Courtney Jordan Hillman (Erika Northcutt), Lucas Hunt (Matthew Taylor), Vera Hyncik (Holly Sukenik), Edwarda Johnson (Wande Johnson), Amy Lowenthal (Andrew Tomlinson), William Markiewicz (Matthew Taylor), Tammy McCleaf (Matthew Taylor), Kevin Milstead (Andrew Tomlinson), Timothy Mullins (Jim Mullins), Zach Newton (Andrew Tomlinson), Judy Nicola (Cynthia Walker), Fred Parker (Gay and Bob Pasley), Grace Parnham (Karis and TJ Parnham), Ginger Parra (Leila Taaffe), Cawley Scott (Robyne Johnston), Zoe Taaffe (Leila Taaffe), Mimi, Elizabeth Hutton and Rob Tinworth (Joanne and Powell Hutton), Gabriel Van Oyen (Carolyn Crouch).

Those who are in rehabilitative care:

From our parish: Max Hudgins and Marcella Odom.

Those who are in the hospital:

From our parish: Bobbie Falk.

Friends and family of our parish: Ray Barkett (Paul Barkett), Julie Howell (Cynthia Walker), Peabody Hutton (Joanne and Powell Hutton), Phyllis Lambert (Will Morris), Chase Madar (Rob Fisher), Peter Meister (Thom Sinclair), Gina Robinson (Matthew Taylor), and Travis Rogers (Robert Carroll).

Those who were born:

Friends and family of our parish: Eliza Harper Cole who was born April 5, 2020.

Those in our parish celebrating a birthday this week: Alyssa Ackerly, Judy Campbell Bird, Andrea Charters, Aileen Dunne, Will Duthe, Martha Ellison, Sloan Evans, Elizabeth Field, Christopher Gardner, Chris Gorud, Bill Josey, Kristie Hansen, Hunter Hardinge, Carolyn Harris, Susan Herrington, Hugh Kieve, Shawn Maher, Bruce Perkins, Will Simonds, Svetlana Tibbits, Cecilia Wakely, and Sarah Wood.

Those in our parish celebrating an anniversary this week: Lilibet and Chuck Hagel and Mary and Carl Raether.

For all affected by the coronavirus pandemic, especially:

From our parish: Kevin Kelley.

For those on the front lines, especially:

Friends and family of our parish: Sandra Brown (Becca Brown) and Yee Houston (Quin Woodward Pu).

Those serving in the Armed Forces including those who are deployed, and for the Armed Forces Ministry of the Episcopal Church:

Friends and family of our parish who are deployed: Peter T. Watson (Wendy Fibison).

Pathways Through Lent

Pathways Through Lent , St. John's daily online devotional, is now live and will run through Easter Day. Published and produced by members of our greater church community, the reflections offer opportunities to meditate on Lenten themes through lectionary readings and shared experiences.

Note: if you were subscribed to Pathways in 2019, you should automatically begin receiving devotionals; if you would like to sign up for the daily email, please subscribe here .

Book Group

Thursday, May 7 at 6:45 p.m. | Online via Zoom

The St. John's Book group will meet on Thursday, May 7, at 6:45 p.m. via Zoom to discuss When We Were Arabs: A Jewish Family’s Forgotten History by Massoud Hayoun. If you love to read, please join us for an evening of discussion and socializing.

For more informatio n and for links to participate, contact Leila Taaffe .

Upcoming Baptism Date

Sunday, May 31 at 11:00 a.m.

PENDING

The next dates for Holy Baptism and Class are:

Baptism: Sunday, May 31, 11:00 a.m.

Class: Saturday, May 30, 10:00 a.m.

If you are interested in having a child baptized, or in baptism for yourself, please contact Kaye Edwards.

St. John's on LinkedIn

As many of you know, LinkedIn is the top online business networking platform, with over 630 million registered members. While used primarily to list career and business interests, it also allows you to list (and link) outside interests, memberships and affiliations, including places of worship. As part of our outreach into the community and world of work, we invite you to list your membership (and roles) at St. John's, which will both allow others who might be interested in St. John's to connect with you, and also show our interest in, and relevance to, the world of work.

We have set up a St. John's LinkedIn page , and would welcome congregational participation in building out and populating the page.

To help with that or with any questions, please contact the Rev. Will Morris.

Thinking about Science and Faith

POSTPONED

The Science and Faith study group, slated to start March 30, will find a new time frame for an organizational gathering, as we move further into our new disciplines and rhythms of life. You may wish to go ahead and spend time with this text: Science and Faith: a New Introduction by John F. Haught, Paulist Press, 2012. Contact Joanne Hutton with questions .

The Care of Creation Group

Bird Walk at Huntley Meadows Park

POSTPONED

Birding at Huntley Meadows park, originally envisioned for March 28, will need to be postponed for another, safer time. Note that the park has been closed, in concert with Governor Northam's orders to limit exposure to Covid-19. We will look forward to doing this event in the future when it is once again safe to assemble.

St. John's South Africa Trip to the Kwasa Centre

POSTPONED

The St. John's mission trip to South Africa this summer will not take place due to COVID-19. Please keep the Kwasa College ( www.Kwasacollege.org ) in your prayers during these difficult times.