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Thursday, December 17, 2020
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Fourth Sunday of Advent
Lord,
as you reveal to us by an angel
that your eternal Word took flesh on our earth
when the Virgin Mary placed her life
at the service of your plan
fill our hearts with your love.
Lift our minds in watchful hope
to hear the voice which announces his glory
and opens our minds to receive the Spirit
who prepares us for his coming.
We ask this through Christ our Lord. Amen.
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Advent 2020
Advent season in which the church celebrates the coming of Jesus at Christmas and prepares for the return of Christ at the Second Coming.
Advent is a time of active waiting and preparation. It is a season of opening our lives and souls with longing expectation and renewed hope.
For your personal preparation of prayer, beginning December 17th through December 23rd:
Evening Prayer for the Home with The Great O Antiphons of Advent
Mention is made of the O Antiphons as early as the 6th century. These seven antiphons were sung at the beginning and again at the end of the Song of Mary, the Magnificat, at evening prayer, as an immediate preparation for the celebration of the Nativity of Jesus Christ. This practice has continued in Anglican, Lutheran, and Roman Catholic communities and homes where Advent evening prayer is celebrated.
Each antiphon presents an image of God inspired by the texts of the Hebrew Bible, an image that also serves to highlight the work of the Savior, Jesus Christ. The rich images presented in the antiphons call out for God's saving presence in the world today, that saving presence recognized by Christians in the Word made flesh, Jesus of Nazareth.
What many Christians know as the metrical hymn, "O come, O come, Emmanuel" (Hymnal 1982, No. 56) came quite late in Christian history, first appearing in 1710 in a Roman Catholic hymnal published in Cologne, Germany. It has been paired with a chant tune of the 15th century known as VENI EMMANUEL.
Fourth Sunday of Advent, December 20th:
Preparation and decoration of the church for Christmas
(those who feel comfortable, following the health guidelines
will gather at the church)
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Christmas Eve
A Festival of
Nine Lessons & Carols
of Christmastide
December 24, 2020
7:00 p.m.
Please Join Us!
St. John's Episcopal Church
Chula Vista, CA
This livestreamed service may be found on our website:
This evening's Festival Of Nine Lessons and Carols, a bridge between Advent and Christmastide, follows the format of the service at King's College Chapel in Cambridge, England. It was first introduced there in 1918 and has been broadcast live on Christmas Eve by the BBC since 1928.
The service includes carols and readings from the Bible. As the service begins, the prayers of the people are sought for those in need at Christmastime as accounts of God's redemptive acts unfold in the lessons which follow. These nine lessons begin with the account of God's confrontation with evil (represented by the serpent in the narrative of the Garden of Eden), continue with the prophecies of the Messiah who will bruise the serpent's head, and conclude with the fulfillment of these prophecies as recorded in the Gospels. Each lesson is followed by a carol chosen to enhance its message.
Christmas Day
9:00 am
Liturgy of the Word with Christmas music, prayers and Spiritual Communion
Livestreamed from the church
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Christmas Flowers
Our church will be decorated with beautiful poinsettia 
flowers for Christmas. If you would like to honor your loved ones in our worship bulletin on Christmas, please email or call the office (maria@saint-johns.org; 619-422-4141) with your requests:
In honor of ____
or
In memory of _____
or
In thanksgiving for _____
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Toys For Tots 
Thanks to your generosity, we were able to give
Toys for Tots a check for $340.
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You Are Needed!
The Vestry of St. John's will have two open  positions in 2021.
The Vestry serves as the Board of Directors for St. John's Parish. According to the Bylaw of the Parish, the Vestry has the duties for the temporal business and affairs of the Parish.
The Vestry meets (usually) on the Fourth Wednesday of each month at 6:00pm. The place of the Vestry meeting is designated by the Vestry (during this pandemic, the Vestry meets virtually on Zoom).
If you would are willing to serve as a member of the Vestry, please complete the short Vestry Member Biography. Completed nominations and biographies should be submitted to Rev. Roger. Election of the Vestry members will occur at the St. John's Annual Meeting on Sunday, January 24, 2021 at 10:30am.
Thank you for considering to serve St. John's Parish
Vestry Member Biography 2021
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Our Sunday Worship Services
Because of the rising number of coronavirus cases placing us in the Purple (worst) Zone,
we cannot gather in the church for in-person worship.
We will continue to gather virtually for our worship service of the Word of God and Spiritual Communion. Our service will be livestreamed on the internet.
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Scripture Readings For the Week
Readings for Sunday, December 20, 2020
Canticle 15 Magnificat, Luke 1:46-55
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Wednesday Morning Prayer
Join us for Wednesday Morning Prayer and Bible Study 
on Wednesdays at 9:30 am as a Zoom meeting.
Please contact Rev. Cathey (revcat@gmail.com)
to be included in the Zoom meeting, or to update your info, if she does not have your current email.
The Morning Prayer guide can be found here:
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Prayers
Birthday and Anniversary Prayers
We would like to acknowledge and pray for anyone celebrating a birthday and/or anniversary in the coming week. Please let us know by Thursday of the prior week so that we can get it in the Sunday liturgy. If you have a picture of you that we could post for your birthday and/or a wedding photo or current photo for those celebrating an anniversary, please email it to us - it would be great to allow everyone to see you.
We Are Available in Your Time of Need If you have a pastoral emergency when the parish offices are closed,
Prayer List
Today and every day include some time for prayer, for yourself,
for your church family, and for those in need.
For our Military
Matt, Drew, Cody, Cameron, Chariti,
Mark, Sean, Jonathan, TK, Christopher,
Timothy, Jeremy, David, Jonathan, Nick,
Jamal, Matt, Daniel, Jocelyn, Devon, Taylor,
Jorge, Katherine, Sebastian, Richie and Roberto.
For Strength in Time of Need
Scott, Betty, Anne Marie, Bernie,
Christy, Judith, Gloria, Dyan, Marla, the Milam family,
Steve, Dawn, Gary and Shirley,
and for all first responders, medical professionals,
essential workers and their families.
For the repose of the soul of Jeff Walker. May light perpetual shine on him.
Cycle of Prayers for the Church
In the Diocesan Cycle of Prayer, we pray for the clergy and people of Holy Cross in Carlsbad.
In the Anglican Cycle of Prayer, we pray for mission agencies and their ministry throughout the Anglican Communion, including the Mothers' Union around the world.
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A Prayer for Change and Grief
Blessed Jesus,
you knew the messiness and confusion of human life.
We cry out to you for mercy,
because our world is in peril, and we are afraid.
In the quiet
we sense you are here,
and you are loving us into a future we cannot see.
We ask that your ever-present love may help us feel our feelings,
rather than trying to escape them.
In time,
help us to understand what our grief has to teach us
about who we are and who we are still becoming.
Here and now we claim our desire
to live with the fullness of presence.
We want to receive dreams and longings,
even while we honor the tenderness of this moment.
We want to be sustained in hope,
open to the mystery of your grace.
We trust that is your desire for us too.
So may your wisdom flow through each one of us,
that in your companionship we may find everything we need
to be your people,
now and always.
Amen.
The Rev. Kay M. Houck
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2020 Stewardship Campaign
It is with gratitude for the abundant grace received by our God, that St. John's gives thanks for all the gifts you have given to our family of faith.
Stewardship Results Update
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2020
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2021
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Number of pledges
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70
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49
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$141,033.00
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$108,370
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Time and Talent responses
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71
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Pledge Envelopes
2021 pledge envelopes are available in the office. 
If you would like to receive yours by mail, please call or email Maria in the office
(maria@saint-johns.org/619-216-5220).
If you have been mailing in your pledge checks, you can continue to do so without a pledge envelope- your account will be credited correctly, with or without an envelope.
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Prayer Quilt Ministry
The leaders of the Prayer Quilt Ministry would like to remind  you that there are many quilts available for anyone in need of prayer and support. This important ministry brings comfort and healing to many people who are suffering with illness. Please contact Diane Gustafson directly ( diangus15@aol.com) or through the office ( maria@saint-johns.org).
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Upcoming Events at St. John's
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December 20
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10:00 am
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Preparation of the Church
for Christmas
| | December 24 | 7:00 pm | A Festival of Lessons and Carols
Christmas Eve -Virtual
| | December 25 | 9:00 am | Christmas Day Service - Virtual | |
December 24 & 25
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Office Closed
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December 31 & January 1
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Office Closed
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January 24, 2021
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10:30 am
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Annual Meeting
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Episcopal Relief and Development
What Would Love Do: 1000 Days of Love
Love calls us to care for our neighbors and for our enemies. Love calls us to attend to those in prison, to those who are homeless, to those in poverty, to children, immigrants and refugees.
What would love do? To you, who so generously support the transformative work of Episcopal Relief & Development, love calls you to continue to sow seeds of lasting change
Visit Episcopal Relief and Development: One Thousand Days of Love to see how you can help.
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Current office hours are 9:00 am to 3:00 pm, Monday through Thursday.
If you need assistance, please email Maria Love:
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Rev. Roger's Office Hours
Rev. Roger will be in the office Monday, Tuesday and Thursday afternoons, and all day Wednesday and Friday. He will be available by appointment. Please call the office (619-422-4141) to schedule an appointment.
In case of a pastoral emergency, Rev. Roger may be reached on his cell phone at 619-301-0724.
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EDSD Statement of Commitment
As part of the Jesus Movement and the Episcopal Diocese of San Diego, we pledge to love our neighbors and protect the most vulnerable among us, remembering our baptismal vows to "strive for justice and peace among all people, and respect the dignity of every human being." We live these pledges out by actively engaging in dismantling racism. For many of us, this will mean learning more about our racial identity, listening to those who have experienced racial prejudice, speaking out against racism, and showing up alongside those in our community working to change unjust systems in our society. We also live out this pledge at worship during this pandemic, by wearing face-coverings, respecting distancing guidelines, foregoing the common cup and refraining from congregational singing.
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The Vestry
David Dennehy, Senior Warden
Terry Farrelly, Treasurer
Diane Gustafson, Clerk
Pamela Brittain
Tom Brzeczek
Ray Contreras
Muriel Kulikowski
Jim McDevitt
Judy McKay
Lynn Young
Vestry Minutes, 11-18-20
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To our Saint John's Family:
Here is your weekly newsletter highlighting important events at St. John's Episcopal Church. You can also find news about St. John's at www.saint-johns.org.
We welcome your feedback, photos, and news items. Contact Maria Love at 619-422-4141 or maria@saint-johns.org.
Please submit your announcements by Tuesday of each week for inclusion in the Enews and Sunday bulletin.
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Reporting Misconduct
As part of our ongoing commitment to creating a safe haven for everyone, our diocese trains people in the prevention of misconduct and encourages all to report misconduct. All reported incidences are taken seriously and investigated thoroughly and confidentially. If you believe you have experienced misconduct of any kind, please contact Mr. John Seitman, (jseitman@pacbell.net), 858-793-4555 or Ms. Equilla Luke, (aequilla@icloud.com), 760-583-0485.
Safeguarding God's People
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Contact Information
phone: 619/422-4141
pastoral care: 619/301-0724 |
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