Join us this Sunday at 10:15AM in person or online
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Dear friends in Christ,
The two greatest saints of the Christian church are St. Peter and St. Paul. They are the patron saints of Rome, where they were both martyred, and as such their commemoration has been a joint affair since antiquity. A good many churches and other institutions are dedicated to both Peter and Paul, our own National Cathedral among them!
Sunday’s lessons will elaborate the stories of both of these men. They were deeply flawed individuals, and yet God used them in their weakness to spread the Gospel to the ends of the earth. To accomplish this, Saul of Tarsus, the persecutor of the church, and Simon Peter, who denied Jesus three times, both underwent a profound conversion. They came to their faith in the risen Christ not through self-reflection, the pangs of conscience, an ineffable transcendent experience, or any human persuasions. Rather, each had a direct encounter with the risen Lord.
In some measure, the same is true of every believing person. It is common to assume that the kind of spectacular confrontation that knocked poor old St. Paul to the ground is the only way in which our Lord makes himself known to us. Far from it.
Christ encounters us in many ways. He makes himself known in Scripture, which we are bidden to read, mark, learn, and inwardly digest. All of Scripture points toward Christ, who is the Word of God, whether it is read in church or the Bible by your bedside, preached from the pulpit, or prayed through the words of the Prayer Book (which are almost entirely a quotation of paraphrase of the Bible). Our prayers, the creeds, and the sacraments all bring Christ directly to the threshold of our hearts, if only we are able and willing to welcome him.
We do not have to be either the rock on which the church is built or the Apostle himself to follow in their footsteps and to know Christ and make him known. As the second verse of our hymn number 676, There is a balm in Gilead, puts it:
----------If you cannot preach like Peter,
----------if you cannot pray like Paul,
----------you can tell the love of Jesus
----------and say, "He died for all."
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Yours faithfully in Christ, |
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UTO Blue Boxes and envelopes are still available on the table in the narthex (front porch) of the church and outside the library. UTO is short for United Thank Offering, which is a ministry of the Episcopal Church for the mission of the whole church. Through UTO, individuals are invited to embrace and deepen a personal daily spiritual discipline of gratitude, giving thanks to God for daily blessings and making an offering by placing spare change or cash each day into a UTO Blue Box. We will plan to collect all Blue Boxes by the Sunday after Ascension Day, May 29. 100% of what is collected supports innovative mission and ministry throughout the Episcopal Church and the Anglican Communion. Please join us in this ministry of gratitude.
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St. John’s Community Foundation Grantee Highlight:
Bartlett Arboretum & Gardens
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For over 50 years, the Bartlett Arboretum & Gardens has provided sanctuary to the greater Stamford community. As caretakers of this 93-acre living museum, the Bartlett Arboretum strives to connect with Stamford's diverse community to foster a sense of belonging and ownership. In 2022, with the support of the St. John’s Community Foundation, the Bartlett is embarking on a professional landscape training program for immigrants and aspiring landscape professionals from low-income households. This program will not only help the Bartlett continue to build a welcoming and inclusive community that reflects the diversity of Stamford, but promote conservation and principles of sustainable landscape management to a new generation of professionals. |
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Prayers and Financial Support for Ukraine |
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The crisis in Ukraine continues, and our prayers are with not only those on the front lines and in the peace talks, but also if not especially with the millions who have been displaced. Working through the Action by Churches Together Alliance, Episcopal Relief & Development will provide cash, blankets, hygiene supplies, and other needed assistance to Ukrainian refugees. If you feel moved to contribute to these humanitarian relief efforts, please do give via ERD’s website: https://support.episcopalrelief.org/ukraineresponse.
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The “Paint and Sip for Haiti” event, which was originally scheduled for April 28, has been postponed.
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Tuesday Afternoon Bible Study |
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Open Thursdays and Saturdays: 10:00 am - 3:00 pm
The Community Thrift Shop welcomes new, almost new, and gently used clothing, home goods, and jewelry donations. All proceeds from the Thrift Shop are donated to nonprofit charities serving those in need.
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Recent Prayer Requests for Healing of Body, Mind and Spirit. |
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Please keep these persons in your daily prayers:
Ben, Carol, Daniel, Ed, Kedley, Lloyd, Marc, Terrence, Jon, Ann, Henri, Sharon, Erin, Dante, Anthony, Marie-Anne, Martha, Nessa, Angela, Gweneth, Toni, Jordan, Gabriella, Cindi, Barbara, Andrew, Jeffrey, Theadeen, Latoya, Christine, Murdena, Aidee, Anthony, Mitch, Jacob, Roslyn, Collin, McKenna, Andy, Errol, Emman and Bill. Please send all prayer list requests for the bulletin to the Parish Administrator, Kathy McBride, at kmcbride@stjohns-stamford.org.
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To give to St. John's Episcopal Church, you can make your donations electronically or you can simply mail in your check to the church office if you would rather not use the online giving tool. Our Parish Administrator, Kathy McBride, is receiving the mail and doing the banking as usual.
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Forward Day By Day is the Episcopal Church's own discipleship publication! As disciples, followers of Christ, daily prayer and reflection grounds us in God's love and gives us strength and clarity to confront our weaknesses, put our trust in God and listen to where God is calling us to serve. Available online for-free!
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