Christian Formation and Education September 16, 2020 The Mission of St. John’s is to be a community of God’s people who heal brokenness, build bridges, and exemplify borderless kindness.

Stepping onto Sacred Ground Becoming Beloved Community You are invited to participate in a series of conversations titled Stepping Onto Sacred Ground. Dates: The conversation sessions will begin on Tuesday, September 22 and meet every two weeks until Tuesday, November 17. Time of Day: There will be two Tuesday groups, one at 10-11:30am and the other 7-8:30pm. Why: To "strive for justice and peace among all people, and respect the dignity of every human being" (BCP, p.305) requires us to explore who we are in society. We will explore the historical roots of racism and the current realities that continue the injustices of systemic racism. Participants will study assigned readings and videos prior to each session to enhance the learning experience. As our guiding principle, we will honor Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.'s vision of the redemptive power of love to create the "Beloved Community." The Episcopal Church embraces this ideal as a way to "restore all people to unity with God and each other in Christ." (BCP, Outline of Faith, p.855). The Sacred Ground series will create a safe, respectful, and holy space in which we can begin a journey of discernment. There will be time for listening and for speaking. All opinions will be respected without judgment. For more information, please contact John Williams (jfwilliams29@yahoo.com, 512-924-0591), Ann McLemore (Revann@austinstjohns.org, 769-257-2377), or Victoria Mason (DeaconVic@austinstjohns.org, 512-297-5953). The Mission of St. John's Episcopal Church is to be a community of God's people who heal brokenness, build bridges, and exemplify borderless kindness.

Lectionary Based Bible Study - Zoom Each Wednesday, at 7:00 p.m., we will look forward to worship by focusing on the lectionary readings for the following Sunday. Note that the Waiting Room is enabled for this meeting, so somebody logged into the St. John’s account must be present to admit people into the meeting. This is to protect the meeting participants from any possible "trolls" who might try to interrupt our Bible study. The meeting facilitator will admit you to the meeting as quickly as possible. Also, the lectionary page link for the specific week is posted on the web site with links via Facebook, for both English and Spanish lectionaries. These are posted under the “Resources for Online Worship” (English) or “Recursos para el culto en línea” (Spanish) header on the web site homepage. Use this button to join the Zoom meeting via computer, tablet, or smartphone:

Click here to join Lectionary Bible Study

Or join the meeting by phone. Dial +1 346 248 7799 and enter the following information when prompted: 813 2691 4726

Thursday Morning Fellowship - Zoom This Thursday we will continue studying the Gospel of Luke, using the book ”A Journey with Luke” edited by Marek P. Zabriskie. Each week we will read a section of the Gospel and a meditation by a chosen spiritual leader, then discuss questions about the reading and how we respond to it and the meditation. There are some copies of the book still available to be picked up in the parish hall, or they can be ordered from Forward Movement or Amazon. If you have a problem getting a book, call Elaine Jackson at 512-832-5663, so we can figure things out. We will try to begin promptly. Welcome back to the Bible! Note that the Waiting Room is enabled for this meeting, so somebody logged into the St. John’s account must be present to admit people into the meeting. This is to protect the meeting participants from any possible "trolls" who might try to interrupt our study. The meeting facilitator will admit you to the meeting as quickly as possible. Use this button to join the Zoom meeting via computer, tablet, or smartphone:

Thursday Morning Fellowship

Or join the meeting by phone. Dial +1 346 248 7799 and enter the following information when prompted. Meeting ID: 821 5253 7149

 Only Rev. Ann and essential support staff will be in the Chapel for the streaming of services as we continue to follow the direction of government officials and the guidance of our Bishop. Episcopal Diocese of Texas COVID-19

All meetings and activities at St. John's are temporarily suspended. Ministry continues. All St. John's meetings will be held virtually (via Zoom). We will post a notification here, on Facebook, and on our website when this restriction has been lifted.

Fay Jones, Editor (fay@austinstjohns.org)

St. John's Episcopal Church P. O. Box 81493, Austin, TX 78708-1493 Virtual Sunday Services 10:00 am in English (Facebook and website) Mediodía en español (Facebook y sitio web)

For more information about events at St. John’s, please visit our website at www.austinstjohns.org