The Week of March 28, 2021 |
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Holy Week Schedule at Saint John’s Episcopal Church
March 28th - April 4th
Palm Sunday
The service begins with the Blessing of the Palms
10:15am
Holy Eucharist with Music
Virtual and In-Person options available
The Easter Triduum
Maundy Thursday – Good Friday – Holy Saturday
7:00pm Noon 7:00pm
Virtual and In-Person options available
Easter Day
10:15am
Holy Eucharist with Music
Virtual and In-Person options available
Dear Parish Family:
Blessings in this season of Lent. Given the hopeful signs and the downward trend of reported Covid19 infections in Connecticut, the Vestry has recommended that we resume indoor worship beginning on Palm Sunday, March 28th, at 10:15AM. Those who feel comfortable enough, and safe enough with attending indoor worship are invited to do so. Many of our parishioners have already been vaccinated against Covid19 which reduces the risk of infection significantly. Safety protocols will remain in place which include social distancing, wearing masks, using hand-sanitizers, and no Coffee Hour gatherings. This, I pray, will mark the beginning of our communal worship once again. This is something we have all terribly missed during this time of forced isolation. What better sign for Easter than having live indoor liturgies once again?
So, beginning with Holy Week on Palm Sunday, we will resume indoor worship. I trust this news will move us closer to Easter joy once we make the journey through Holy Week, and finally arrive at the place of Resurrection!
Blessings and Grace in this Season of Lent,
Fr. Wilfredo Benitez+
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Join us this evening at 7:00PM for the final Lenten event in our series.
Thursday, March 25
St. John's Women's group will be presenting a concert in honor of "Women's Suffrage" featuring Dr. Chris Shepard on piano. The program will also feature a couple of selections with baritone, Matthew Tracey. All are welcome to this night of healing and relaxation.
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ZOOM Login Info
Saint John's is inviting you to a scheduled Zoom meeting.
Topic: St. John's Lenten Series 2021
Time: March 25 @ 7:00PM
Meeting ID: 925 4250 2194
Passcode: 938886
Join by phone: +1 929 205 6099
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"Spring Into Undies" Campaign
Final few days before deadline
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Hello Parish Families,
The outreach Committee of St. John's will be participating in the “Spring into Undies” Campaign run by the Undies Project.
The mission of The Undies Project is to provide new underwear to men, women, and children in need to improve their lives. Underwear is the most under-donated, yet most needed, item of clothing. No one should be deprived of the simple daily necessity of clean underwear that many of us take for granted. Hygiene and physical comfort are only a part of this basic human need. New, clean underwear also provides dignity and self-esteem. For many underwear is a necessity, not a luxury.
Together We Can Make a difference
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The money raised will be used to purchase new underwear to lighten the burden for those who are homeless, living in shelters or who are on low incomes No amount is too small to make a difference in the life of someone less fortunate.
Some of the organizations that they work with are: Building One Community, Bridgeport Rescue Mission, CT Institute for Refugees & Immigrants, Inspirica, Homeless Outreach Team (H.O.T), Kids In Crisis. Please see their website for further information this worth cause.
Paula Thompson
Outreach committee
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For those wishing to respond to the note above from Paula, donations for "The Undies Project" can be made to Saint John's Church. Please mail your check to the church to the attention of Ms. Kathy McBride. Please write: "The Undies Project" at the bottom of your check. The Outreach Committee is requesting monetary contributions between $10, $15, $20, or $25. Our Goal is to Contribute $500 to the campaign. The Deadline for this is March 25, 2021.
Thank You!
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Wednesday, March 31 at 7:00 p.m.
A collaborative offering from your Region Missionaries, The Rev. Tuesday Rupp of St. Paul’s, Woodbury, The Rev. Anita Schell of St. Ann’s, Old Lyme, The Rev. Erin Flinn of St. Stephen’s, East Haddam, and The Rev. Norman MacLeod, retired, from Rhode Island (and the creator of this order of worship)
Join Zoom Meeting
Meeting ID: 914 1372 1793
One tap mobile +16465588656,,91413721793# US (New York)
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Dear St Johns Parishioners,
It has been such a long time since we have been able to gather together and many have expressed a sense of loneliness and isolation. So, something to bring us together is coming to St Johns!
We are starting a Book Group. We will meet on the first Wednesday of each month, beginning on May 5, at 7PM for one hour. The prescribed book, which we would have read, will be discussed during this hour. The meeting will be held on Zoom so that even those who do not drive at night can be part of the Group. The topic of the books we will read need not be spiritual, but rather of interest to a wide reader base. I hope you feel as excited as we are about this new ministry at St Johns. Please feel free to invite your older children to join or, if you have friends who might be interested. This is a good vehicle to even include family and friends who may not attend St. Johns.
The first book we will read, is a new publication, “The Saint Makers,” Joe Drape. This is a true story of a priest from Kansas who died during the Korean War who has been presented for consideration for sainthood. The process is long and complex, but very interesting. Do you believe in miracles? Read the book and please join us on Zoom on May 5 at 7PM.
The book is available on line or at bookstores. You will have to purchase your own copy, or loan it from your library, as the books will not be available through St Johns.
Yours in Christ,
Fr Sandy Key
Denise Wade
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Bishops United Against Gun Violence
Statement on the Atlanta Spa Shootings
March 18, 2021
As participating bishops in Bishops United Against Gun Violence (BUAGV), a network of over 100 Episcopal Bishops dedicated to overcoming gun violence in our nation, we offer the following statement from BUAGV as our statement on the tragedy in Atlanta.
Faithfully,
The Rt. Rev. Ian T. Douglas The Rt. Rev. Laura J. Ahrens
Bishop Diocesan Bishop Suffragan
Bishops United Against Gun Violence
Statement on the Atlanta Spa Shootings
On Tuesday, another white man who should not have had a gun shot and killed seven women and one man at massage spas in the Atlanta area. Six of his victims, all women, were of Asian descent. The gunman had been a patron of at least two of the spas where the massacre took place; and in the aftermath of the shootings, he confessed, saying that he considered the women at the spas to be a sexual temptation he needed to eliminate because of his Christian faith.
It is hard to know what to decry first in the toxic stew of racism, misogyny, religious violence, and gun culture. Most basic, perhaps, is the fact that the alleged killer bought his weapon just hours before the attacks began. The sale was entirely legal, showing yet again that standards for gun purchasing and ownership across our nation are far too lenient. Day after day, innocent people pay the price.
In addition to the need to enact sane gun legislation, we must eradicate from our culture the racist, misogynist ideas that lead white men to perceive Asian women as sexual objects. Such demeaning stereotypes that turned deadly in Atlanta on Tuesday are rooted in this country’s centuries-long history of anti-Asian laws and policies. In the past year, these old hatreds have been revived by mendacious politicians and misguided people who have attempted to exact retribution from Asians and Asian Americans for the origin and spread of the COVID-19 virus. Women have borne the brunt of these lies: Stop AAPI Hate reports that in the last year, Asian women have reported hate incidents 2.3 times more often than Asian men.
As Christian leaders and bishops, we are particularly disturbed that the alleged shooter’s Christian faith is reported to have fueled his desire to murder the women in massage spas whom he believed were sexual temptations. It grieves us that the Christian faith we profess can be twisted and deformed in ways that give rise to violence, particularly to gun violence, by white Christian men against women and people of color. Christian churches, regardless of theology or denomination, must explicitly reject the idea that God wants Christian men to dominate or kill other human beings. Such is not the way of Jesus. Such is not the way of love.
We extend our profound sympathies to the families of the victims of this shooting, and we are praying for everyone who has been touched by this brutality. As we have repeatedly emphasized, we pray not to avoid taking action, but to prepare for it. Please join with us in reaching out to the Asian American people in your congregations and communities. Join us too in helping to raise awareness of the ways in which men in this country objectify women, particularly Asian women, and leave them vulnerable to trafficking and gender-based violence. And join us in advocating with your United States Senators to pass these essential pieces of legislation now before them that can help prevent gun violence and save lives:
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ECCT Annual Spring Training & Gathering |
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9th ANNUAL SPRING TRAINING & GATHERING - VIRTUAL EVENT
Tuesday, April 6 through Saturday, April 17, 2021
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All group activities at St. John's, apart from the Sunday morning in-person services, remain canceled until further notice. These include outside groups and ministries using our facilities. |
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Children & Teen Video Chat
Sundays at 10 AM!
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Please join us for a video chat with kids and teens. We’ll pray, check in on how we’re doing, share a Bible story, and share gratitudes together.
Sundays at 10:00 AM
The Zoom meeting info will be sent out on Sunday morning.
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Godly Play Sunday School
Sundays at 10:00 AM
The Zoom meeting info will be sent out on Sunday morning.
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Helpful Information on Covid19 Vaccinations in Connecticut |
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Dear Parish Family,
As we make our way out of the darkness of Covid19, here are some helpful websites with updated information on Covid19 in Connecticut, and scheduling your vaccination. I was happy to learn (while visiting some of our elderly members on Ash Wednesday) that some had already been vaccinated. Cases are starting to go down in Connecticut, however Stamford remains in the Red zone. Please continue to observe safety protocols, and wear your face masks. I hope you will find this information helpful. There is light at the end of the tunnel.
Blessed Lent,
Fr. Wilfredo+
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Fr. Wilfredo is giving away a ton of books, and other items, from his office. If you would like any of these, please make an appointment with Kathy McBride to stop by. A contribution to Saint John’s, or a charity of your choice, for anything you take would would be appreciated. 🙏🏽 |
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Bon Samaritain Sponsor a Child Program |
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The Haiti Committee has launched a new online bulletin board for Haiti with 31 children who need sponsorship for the 2020-'21 school year. It costs $80 to sponsor a child’s tuition or $150 for tuition, books and uniform.
Please consider sponsoring a child. No contribution is too small! You can sponsor online by visiting https://stjohns-stamford.org/give/ Click on the blue GIVE button and select Bon Samaritain School and Clinic in the "Give To" box; or see Sheelagh or any member of the outreach committee for further info.
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An invitation to join me in Daily Prayers |
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I am happy to offer you a new opportunity to enhance your prayer life. Every morning, Monday through Friday, on my Coffee and Morning Prayers Podcast you find an offering of various prayers and scripture readings. I invite you to click on the picture below and join me in this next step in our common prayer life as we seek a new and exciting way to find a spot for God in our busy lives.
Blessings,
Sandy+
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Saint John’s Church Racial Healing Group
Mission Statement
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In pursuit of living the love of God with hearts open to all, the Racial Healing Program Group at St. John’s Church seeks to deepen our calling as the beloved community through an active dedication to anti-racism within St. John’s, Stamford, and beyond. As a multigenerational and multi-ethnic church, we seek to go beyond being a welcoming and inclusive place of worship to actively dismantle racism through creative ministry, healing dialogue, justice, and public programs.
Anyone wishing information on the work of the Racial Healing Group please contact Ms. Jackie Bembridge: jackiebembridge@gmail.com
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Tuesday Bible Study: Gospel of Matthew
Note new Zoom link
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Join Fr. Sandy on Tuesdays at 2pm online via Zoom for a Bible Study on the Gospel of Matthew. Below is the info:
Meeting ID: 243 991 8700
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Have You Seen These Services?
Click on any of the images below to watch and listen
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Prayers for our parishioners
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A Prayer in a Time of Coronavirus |
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Click on the banner below to read the prayer |
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Dear Parish Family:
Faced with the unfortunate circumstances of having to keep our church closed, in order to help curb the spread of Covid-19, it is imperative that your pledge be either mailed to the church, or better yet, that you make your donations electronically. Please see the instructions below on how to do this.
Our expenses won’t go away even if we’re not having live worship, so I ask that we all be mindful of this. If you have any questions or concerns, please contact Ms. Kathy McBride, our Parish Administrator. Our vestry, and parish family, will be much appreciative for your efforts.
God’s Grace and Peace,
Fr. Wilfredo+
NOTE: 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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UPDATE
Our total for the year is 746lbs.
The Food Bank of Lower Fairfield remains in desperate need for donations. Please continue to help in any way you can.
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All group activity at St. John's is cancelled until further notice including outside groups and ministries using our facilities.
Stay updated with meditations, readings, music and sermons by visiting our Facebook page or our website.
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St. John's Office Hours
The Church office is currently closed to public access.
However you may leave a message at 203-348-2619 -
our Parish Administrator, Kathy McBride is checking the messages
many times a day and will respond right away!
Prayer List
FORWARD DAY BY DAY
This 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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