Worship With Us This Sunday - The First Sunday in Lent
February 21
Join us on Sunday, February 21. Worship will be livestreamed from our sanctuary at 9:00 a.m. Worship will be posted online on Facebook, YouTube, and our Worship Page. If you would like to be put on the list for attending services as space becomes available, please write here. We are able to open these services to 15 people each week on a rolling basis..
Visit www.stjohns-dc.org for more information.
Cathedral Discussion with Bishop Mariann Budde and Dean Randy Hollerith
Sunday, February 21 at 7:00 p.m. | Online via Zoom
In light of the recent events at the National Cathedral involving their guest preacher Max Lucado, Bishop Mariann invites all who wish to speak of their experiences in the church as LGBTQ+ persons and their allies to join her and Dean Hollerith on Sunday, February 21 at 7:00 p.m. EST. Click here to register for the discussion.

Read Bishop Mariann’s full letter here which explains the situations and includes many powerful statements of people across the diocese responding to the invitation made to Lucado to preach at the Cathedral.
Bishop Walker School Annual Dinner
Tuesday, February 23
Virtual Happy Hour at 6:00 p.m. and Virtual Program at 7:00 p.m.
The Presiding Bishop, the most Rev. Michael Curry, to speak and Yo-Yo Ma and Ysaÿe M. Barnwell to perform. You are invited to cocktails with the Rev. Rob Fisher and his wife, Sarah, at 6:00 p.m.

Now is your chance to see Presiding Bishop Michael Curry, Yo-Yo Ma, and Ysaÿe M. Barnwell while helping one of St. John’s long-time ministries at a time when its need is great and its mission is resonating more than ever! Click here to buy tickets for the annual dinner on February 23 for Bishop John T. Walker School, which serves boys from under resourced DC neighborhoods east of the Anacostia River. 
This year's fundraiser will be virtual, but tickets will start at a more accessible $150, and the same special dinner and wine is available for pickup at most ticket levels. All St. John’s parishioners are invited to a pre-dinner virtual happy hour at 6:00 p.m. with the Rev. Rob Fisher and his wife, Sarah.
Spring Adult Inquirers' Class
Thursdays | March 4, March 11, and March 18 | 7:00 p.m. to 8:30 p.m.
Online via Zoom
The 2021 Spring Adult Inquirers’ Class will be held via Zoom on three Thursday evenings, March 4, March 11, and March 18, from 7:00 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. The Rector, the Rev. Rob Fisher, will lead the class. The sessions are designed for those who wish to find out more about St. John’s and our ministry, as well as for those who are seeking baptism, confirmation, reception into the Episcopal Church, or reaffirmation of baptismal vows, as well as weddings and baptisms. Our faith, the history and tradition of the Church, and the spiritual life of the Episcopal Church, and of St. John’s, will be explored. The Zoom sessions will include breakout groups that provide a relaxing, engaging way for participants to get to know each other. 

Those who complete the class may take part in a Service of Confirmation, Reception and Reaffirmation on a date to be determined. Please contact Kaye Edwards to register for the class or for more information.
St. John's Speaker Series Schedule
Sundays | February 21, February 28, and March 7
11:00 a.m. to 11:45 a.m. | Online via Zoom
Part 2 in a 3-Part Series on Andrew Johnson.

Join us Sunday, February 21, from 11:00 a.m. to 11:45 a.m., for a discussion led by Elizabeth Varon, American historian and Langbourne M. Williams Professor of American History at the University of Virginia. For the second installment in the series on Andrew Johnson, she will speak on his impeachment and the legacy of the Civil War.. Following the discussion, there will be opportunity for Q&A.
Once you register, you will receive a confirmation email with the Zoom link for the meeting.
Save the date for upcoming St. John's Speaker Series events.
Part 3 in a 3-Part Series on the Presidency of Andrew Johnson.

February 28: Brenda Wineapple, author of The Impeachers: The Trial of Andrew Johnson and the Dream of a Just Nation. She will speak about the book, concluding the series on Andrew Johnson.
March 7: Edward Watts, Chair and Professor of History at the University of California, San Diego. He will speak on why Rome's Republic fell and how it might have saved itself.
Pathways Through Lent
St. John's Church has successfully created and evolved many elements of its ministries during these months of the pandemic. For Lent this year, we are encouraging everyone to take advantage of the several weekly gatherings and postings as part of our Pathways through Lent. Weekly prayer services, Holy Habits podcast, Sunday gatherings and worship, the messages we get from our clergy—all of these combine to offer opportunities for reflection, gathering, and prayer. We are also publishing parishioner reflections on Monday and Friday mornings.
Sung Compline
Thursdays at 8:00 p.m. | Livestreamed on Facebook and YouTube.

New this year during Lent: sung compline by the St. John's Choir on Thursday nights, beginning February 18, at 8:00 p.m. The service will be livestreamed on Facebook and YouTube. Click here for a copy of the Thursday sung compline bulletin. For more information, please contact the Rev. Savannah Ponder.
Lenten Reflections
Sent as email Monday and Friday mornings.

If you were subscribed to the reflection list-serv in 2020, you should automatically receive these again this year. If you would like to begin receiving the devotions this year, please subscribe here.
Spoken Compline
Tuesdays at 8:00 p.m. | Online via Zoom.

Compline is a service for the completion of the day or night prayer. Click the button below to join us at 8:00 p.m. on Tuesdays for this peaceful liturgy as our day ends. Click here for a copy of the Tuesday spoken compline bulletin. For more information, please contact the Rev. Savannah Ponder.
Centering Prayer
Wednesdays at 7:30 a.m. | Online via Zoom.

Centering Prayer is a form of Christian prayer that allows us to experience God’s presence within us. Join us as we quiet our mind and begin our day with 20 minutes of silent prayer together. No experience needed. Contact Thom Sinclair for more information or for the link to participate.
Holy Habits Podcast
Sent as email Saturday mornings (beginning February 20).

Holy Habits is a podcast from St. John’s, Lafayette Square journeying through Lent. In these conversations, we explore the disciplines we need to live our faith here and now. This is an exploration into the shape of a life well-lived, that is, a life oriented to receiving the gift of belonging in God’s life. The Holy Habits podcast will be sent to the same list as our weekly eNewsletter The Word. Click here to subscribe. 
Virtual Coffee Hour
Sunday, February 21 at 10:00 a.m. | Online via Zoom
Join us Sunday at 10:00 a.m. to socialize, catch up, and talk about the service. Send a message here for the link to participate.
Bible Study
Sunday, February 21 at 10:00 a.m. | Online via Zoom
The Bible Study led by Jack Reiffer will be held on Sunday at 10:00 a.m. online via Zoom. Please contact Jack Reiffer for the link to participate.
Youth Group for Grades 6-12
Sunday, February 21 at 11:00 a.m. | Online via Zoom
The youth will meet on Sunday, February 21, at 11:00 a.m. via Zoom. Please contact the Rev. Savannah Ponder for more information.
Church School for Children
There will be no Church School for Children this Sunday, February 21. Please contact the Rev. Savannah Ponder for more information.
Please click below for the Children’s Bulletin with coloring pages of stories from this Sunday’s scripture readings.
Book Group
Thursday, March 4 at 6:45 p.m. | Online via Zoom
The St. John’s Book group will meet on Thursday, March 4, at 6:45 p.m. via Zoom to discuss Black Wave: Saudi Arabia, Iran, and the Forty-Year Rivalry that Unraveled Culture, Religion, and the Collective Memory in the Middle East by Kim Ghattas. The story explores the rivalry between Saudi Arabia and Iran, sparked by the 1979 Iranian Revolution and fueled by American policy. If you love to read, please join us for an evening of discussion and socializing.

For more information and for links to participate, contact Janet Edmond.
Stewardship Update
We’re nearing the end of a strong stewardship season, though of course we’ll still accept & welcome pledges for weeks/months to come. Currently we have 326 pledges, 20 more than at this time last year and nearing last year’s year-end number of 336. We have also hit more than $964,000 in pledged dollars. Last year at this time we were nearly $50,000 less than that. And we are $20k above where we were at the end of last year’s tracking in the summer. By the way, we had 23 out-of-state households pledging so far this year, up from 14 last year. Nearly 94% of our fellow parishioners pay off their pledges in full, which is wonderful! If you haven’t yet had the chance to do that for 2020, I hope you’ll try to do so. Thank you to everyone who made all of this possible, and especially to those who were able to dig a little deeper this year, as well as those who have never pledged before and decided to join in for 2021.

If you know someone new to St. John’s who is intimidated by the stewardship process, please suggest they reach out to me here as I am happy to talk about it. This coming year we’ve mapped out the calendar so as to give us a better chance at reaching an even higher goal. A few years ago, St. John’s was regularly reaching more than $1m in pledges each year, and we think we can get back to those numbers in the near future. We also hope to offer a zoom discussion on planned giving sometime this spring, as our members often have questions about this subject. And a small team will be working together soon to improve the online giving and pledging process, as it is still a bit confusing. I should add—if you’re interested in joining the stewardship committee this year, please reach out! Please contact the Stewardship Committee here with any questions.

Toby Stock,
St. John's Stewardship Committee Chair
Baptism at St. John's
To give families options during this extraordinary time, and until St. John's is open for full Sunday services, the Rector will discuss options to a church service with families, including baptisms at home (and preferably outdoors) or a private baptism at the church. All baptisms must comply with health and safety guidelines. The parents or grandparents of children being baptized must be active, pledging members of St. John’s. Adults interested in baptism for themselves must attend the Rector’s Adult Inquirers’ Class and be active, pledging participants in the life of the parish.

The Rev. Savannah Ponder will lead a required pre-baptism class on Thursday, April 8, at 7:00 p.m. If you are interested in baptism and would like to register for the class, please contact Kaye Edwards. 
COVID-19 Pandemic Service and Giving Opportunities
Direct volunteer service or requests for help:

Please send an email to help@stjohns-dc.org with your name, contact information and details of the type of assistance you would like to contribute or that you need. We are matching volunteers with those requesting help for practical support during the pandemic, such as grocery shopping. 

Financial Assistance: 


  • To support members of parishes in the Diocese of Washington who suffer from food insecurity and other hardships, the diocese has suspended the Annual Bishop’s Appeal for the diocesan budget and has replaced it with a Covid-19 Emergency Relief Appeal.  You can make a gift on the diocesan website at this link: https://www.edow.org/about/giving.
In case you missed it
Visiting Loved One's in the Church Columbarium
If you would like to visit a loved one in the columbarium, please contact us here to arrange a time for your visit.
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: Eve Atkeson, Bobbie Falk, Barbie Harper, Susan Herrington, Nelda Johnson, Jim Mullins, Bob Patchell, Quin Woodward Pu, Dace Vidins, and Jeff White.

Friends and family of our parish: Diane Bender (Peter Odom), Marsha Bonnett (Kerri Stelcen), Barbara Virginia Abalos Branes (Joanne Hutton), Caroline (Wendy Fibison), Harry Davis (Mary and Carl Raether), Wendy Addiss Dellar (Joanne Hutton), Karl Dornemann (Deb Dornemann), Bobby Doyle (Alex Pappas), Jimmy Gallagher (Joanne Hutton), Frances Givhan (Gay and Bob Pasley), Elaine Gravatt (Margo Wiegenstein), Courtney Jordan Hillman (Erika Northcutt), Vera Hyncik (Holly Sukenik), Tom Kiernan (Joanne Hutton), Phyllis Lambert (Will Morris), William Markiewicz (Matthew Taylor), Sherill Mason (Kaye Edwards), Betty Maudlin (Susan Welch), Tammy McCleaf (Matthew Taylor), William Scott Miller, Jr. (Johnathan Miller), Julia Morris (Will Morris), Timothy Mullins (Jim Mullins), Judy Nicola (Cynthia Walker), Wendy Paeth (Margo Wiegenstein), Ginger Parra (Leila Taaffe), Carlen Powell and Anthony Ramsey (Virginia Bader), Cawley Scott (Robyne Johnston), Ashley Sukenik (Holly Sukenik), Zoe Taaffe (Leila Taaffe), and Richard Van Horn (Kaye Edwards).

Those who are in rehabilitative care: 

From our parish: Marcella Odom.

Friends and family of our parish: Jean Hailey (Gary and Debby Hailey)

Those who are in the hospital: 

Friends and family of our parish: James Hodges (Matthew Taylor), Julie Howell (Cynthia Walker), Chase Madar (Rob Fisher), Edith Menzel (Richard Metzger), Floyd Moye (Joanne Hutton), Owen Thomas (Kwasa Centre Partners), Travis Rogers (Robert Carroll), and Mary Seidman (Nora and Hap Rigby).

Those who are in hospice care:

From our parish: Jimmy Lowe.

Those in our parish celebrating a birthday this week: Meg Beasley, Krista Bradley, Jamil Bussie, Pat Czerwonky, Christine Davies, Callie Ervin, William Generous, Alma Paty, Molly Raab, Charlotte Rhodes, Wiley Simonds, Stephen Smith, Tripp Whitbeck, and Kris Zeller.

Those in our parish celebrating an anniversary this week: Alyssa and Will Ackerly, Anita and George Diliberto, and Amanda and Eric Eversole.

For those on the frontlines in the coronavirus pandemic, especially:

Friends and family of our parish: Janie Abernethy (Elizabeth Lewis and David Abernethy), Sandra Brown (Becca Brown), Nathan Cobb (Livy and John More), Chris Gardner (Ann Gardner), Yee Houston (Quin Woodward Pu), and Marta Kochanska (Livy and John More).
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