St. John's Episcopal Church - Centreville, VA
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Parish News - August 4, 2021
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Dear St. John's Parishioners and Friends:
The Rev. Steven Charleston is an Alaskan and Native American Anglican priest who offers regular postings on Facebook of thought, insight and introspection. I thought this one that he recently posted was particularly good, particularly in these times that we are living in.
"Hold on, when things get difficult, when things start to slip beyond your grasp, hold on to your faith, hold on to what you believe, when you watch the world around you go off center, when the diagnosis is what you feared, hold on, hold on to the love of those who care for you, hold on to the love of the Spirit, to all of your ancestors who are gathering to help you, hold on, in seasons of joy and in times of sorrow, hold on to your deepest beliefs, to your highest ideals, hold on and never let go, hold on and trust the power of the sacred, the promise made to you long ago, the vows of two hearts that cannot be separated, hold on to the rock of your salvation, and you will come safely to the other side, safely to the place prepared for you from the beginning. Hold on."
The Rev. Carol Hancock
Rector
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PARISH NEWS AND ANNOUNCEMENTS
The numbers for June are in!!! Each month we track the number of people who watch the Sunday morning and Wednesday evening services online. In June, between 15 and 26 people watched the Sunday service online each week. When added to the 19 to 29 people who attended Sunday services in person each Sunday, our attendance was between 42 and 45 people each Sunday in June. We are reaching a good number of additional folks by posting our Sunday services online. Our Wednesday evening services are only online and we average between 8 and 11 people who watch the service. Having both in person and online services is the wave of future to reach the most people. Many thanks to our IT folks and video recorders who keep our services online.
Bishop Porter's class for the laity - Begins late August/early September
Weekly one-hour sessions via Zoom
In Bishop Porter's fall online class for laity, he'll explore "remembering our Christian calling even as we confront the difficulties we face." To structure the conversation, the group will use a book by Ron Rolheiser, Wrestling With God: Finding Hope And Meaning In Our Struggles To Be Human. Day and time of sessions are to be determined. If you wish to participate, please contact Anita Lisk. See full class description.
WFCM requests backpacks
Western Fairfax Christian Ministries has asked St. John's to provide 15 girls backpacks for Lees Corner Elementary School. These backpacks would be for elementary school girls. Solid colors are preferred in pink, yellow, purple or turquoise. The backpacks need to be delivered to the school next week. You can drop them off at the church anytime this week or on Sunday morning. We have received 13 backpacks so far and we need at least 2 more. Thanks to all who have provided backpacks.
News about our bell - We have been informed by the Navy that we can no longer ring the bell that has been on loan to us from the Navy, and that has graced the front of St. John's for almost 60 years. The new policy of the Navy is that these bells (not just ours but all those loaned to churches and schools) are now artifacts. They can no longer be rung or be outside subject to the weather due to the possibility of damaging them. The bell will be taken down on August 19 and returned to the Navy. If you would like to take any pictures of the bell, please be sure to do it before August 19. (For a short history of our bell, please see below, or you can read about it in our St. John's history book, "St. John's at the Crossroads", on page 96).
We are beginning our search for a new non-profit group to use the parish hall during the week. If you know of any group looking for space, please tell them to contact Carol at St. John's (703-803-7500). We need to spread the word as widely and as quickly as possible. There are flyers on the back table in the church if you know of someone to send it to or a public bulletin board to post it.
We need YOU!!! Do you like children and want to share your love of Jesus with them? Can you read a story to a few children? Can you help them with a craft if all the directions are provided? Can you play a DVD? If so, YOU can be a Sunday School teacher! We want to start our Sunday School class on the first Sunday in October and the class will meet on the first Sunday of every month. You can sign up to do it just one time....or several times. But we can't have this class without your help. All we need is you! Please tell Carol if you can help.
If anyone is interested in the Education for Ministry program, which meets once a week for 9 months and is a four year program, we WILL be starting a class in September. Please let Carol know if you are interested in joining the class. The tuition is $375 per year. We will probably meet on Tuesdays or Thursdays from 3:30 - 6:00 PM at the church.
Sacred Ground is a 10 week class on racism, sponsored by the Episcopal Church. It consists of readings and online videos as homework for each session. If you are interested in joining an online class, Virginia Theological Seminary will be hosting two classes starting on September 21, one during the day and one at night. Go to www.vts.edu and type "Sacred Ground" in the search box.
No nursery - There will be no nursery provided on August 8 and 15.
David Thompson, our Ministry Partner Administrator, is on vacation and out of the office until August 17.
A short history of our bell - In the early 1960's, Admiral Ronald Woodaman thought St. John's needed a larger bell than the one that was currently being used, which was a small railroad bell. He contacted the Historical Department of the US Navy and asked for their help in locating a bell for our use. The curator authorized the bell from the USS Whitney to be given to us on an "indefinite loan". The USS Whitney was at Pearl Harbor on December 7, 1941, the day Pearl Harbor was attacked. In 1948, the Whitney was sold for scrap and the bell was put in storage. The bell has graced St. John's Church for almost 60 years. It has called people to worship for several generations. With the Navy's policy of protecting its more recent artifacts, we must return the USS Whitney bell to the Navy to be preserved for decades to come.
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Online Service Videos
As we return to in-person worship, it will be important for us to continue our ministry of having our services online for those who cannot or choose not to come to church. Our videos are also sent out by parishioners to friends and family in other states. We need several people to take turns recording the service on Sunday mornings. Instructions will be given. Please join us if you can help with this ministry. We need several people so it doesn't fall on the shoulders of one person every week. Please let Carol know.
You may be on YouTube. As we are now recording our services in the church and posting them on YouTube, you might be recorded in the service, particularly when you are going up to communion or returning to your seat. If this is a problem for anyone, please let Carol know.
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OUTREACH
Western Fairfax Christian Ministries has put out their list of the foods that they need the most. You can bring your non-perishable items to the church on Sunday mornings, or drop them off in the box outside the door by the breezeway during the week and they will be delivered to WFCM.
· Canned garbanzo beans (low salt preferred)
· Canned kidney beans, red beans, and black beans (low salt preferred)
· Canned pasta
· Pasta Sauce (low salt preferred)
· Canned Tuna and Canned Chicken
· Flavored pasta/rice
· Mashed Potatoes
· Oatmeal (Quaker Oats Healthy Old Fashioned Oatmeal)
· Canned vegetables (corn, carrots, spinach, beets) (low salt preferred)
· Canned Pineapple (no sugar added preferred)
· Tomato Paste (low salt preferred)
· Toiletries: Toilet paper, shampoo, conditioner, feminine pads, deodorant, baby wipes, shaving cream, mouth wash (NOTE: we are not currently in need of diapers due to our partnership with Greater DC Diaper Bank. Please only donate larger size pull ups or wipes if you want to donate items for babies.)
At our last Food Drive we collected and donated to WFCM over $800.00 which goes directly to buy lunch meat, cheese and fruit. These are particularly needed/used at their youth summer programs.
Outreach Opportunity to Help Our “Neighbors”
The Western Fairfax Shepherd Center is still accepting volunteer drivers to support clients who need help getting to appointments, shopping trips (for food), and to deliver food from WFCM to clients. Please contact the Shepherd Center at 703-246-5920 or email [email protected] and copy Deacon Steve at [email protected].
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Can you be a Sunday service reader or usher? We welcome, need, and value your help! The lector will read the 2 lessons and the psalm. The usher will hand out bulletins and bring the elements and offering to the altar. If you would like to do either of these, CLICK HERE to sign up on SignUp Genius.
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Altar Flower Sign Ups - Flowering plants are welcomed.
The Sign Up is designed for you to enter your name, and how you wish your flower donation to appear in the Sunday bulletin. (Wedding anniversary, in memory of someone - something special you want to remember by providing flowers.)
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Service of Evening Prayer - Virtually
Every Wednesday, St. John's has a Service of Evening Prayer. It is a peaceful way to end the day, and it's now being held virtually. Here is the link to this evening's service:
Wednesday, August 4
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THE ADULT LECTIONARY FORUM - IN PERSON & ON ZOOM
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Last Sunday's recorded service: The Tenth Sunday after Pentecost, August 1, 2021
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SUNDAY WORSHIP & EDUCATION
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THE ADULT LECTIONARY FORUM - HELD EACH SUNDAY
All are invited to join in, following the Sunday service, in the library. Or use the link to the Lectionary Forum via Zoom, in case you cannot attend in person, found above.
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We can prepare our hearts & minds by reading ahead
for the Sunday Service lesson
The Eleventh Sunday after Pentecost
August 8, 2021
The First Reading: 1 Kings 19:4-8
An angel comforts a despairing Elijah, preparing him for 40 days at the mount of God.
The Psalm: 34:1-8, page 627, BCP
The Second Reading: Ephesians 4:25–5:2
Paul pleads with the Ephesians to treat each other with care and love, because rancor grieves the Holy Spirit.
The Gospel: John 6:35, 41-51
When the religious leaders of his time question the language Jesus uses for himself, he cites Scripture to help them understand who he is and why he has come.
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Online Contributions
to St. John's
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St. John's now offers three buttons for online donations via Tithe.ly. You may use the buttons below to go directly to Tithe.ly, or you may download the Tithe.ly app on your phone or tablet.
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The Pledge payment button may be used only to make your pledge payment (after signing up to be a pledger, which may be done at any time in the year. See Carol or Vestry)
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The Facility Campaign button may be used only for any contribution for the facility's buildings and grounds, or special facility campaigns.
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The Donation button may be used for any other type of donation to St. John's. To designate a special purpose (i.e. Organ Fund, Ministry Partner payments, etc.) please send a note to [email protected].
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Clarity
The voice of God is a persistent voice; it’s a voice that comes to us not just once (lest we should miss it) but again and again, until at last we are ready to grasp its meaning and respond to its call. So often, when we finally arrive at a place of clarity, we recognize that this call has not come to us in an instant, but has been gradually growing inside us and has finally come to its fullness.
-Br. David Vryhof
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and the office number is 703-803-7500.
May our ministry together spread God's love to all whom we encounter.
- Carol
The Rev. Carol Hancock, Rector
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Please note: If you choose to unsubscribe below, please be aware that you will no longer receive either St. John's sermons or E-Notes, which are sent weekly. If you do unsubscribe and later want to be added back in, that needs to be done through the provider, Constant Contact. Please email St. John's office with the request: [email protected].
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