|
The Word
News from St. John’s, Lafayette Square
The Week of Sunday, October 2
| |
|
|
The Feast of Saint Francis
7:45 a.m.
Eucharist—Sermon by the Rev. Sarah Akes-Cardwell
8 a.m.
Choir Rehearsal (Parish House Fourth Floor)
8:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m.
Nursery (Parish House Second Floor)
9 a.m.
Choral Eucharist—Sermon by the Rev. Sarah Akes-Cardwell
10 a.m.
Speaker Series: Andrew O’Shaughnessy (Togo West Parlor)
Coffee Hour (Plaza, weather permitting, or Parish House Dining Room, Lower Level)
Church School (Parish House Second Floor)
Youth Group (Parish House Second Floor)
Adult Bible Study (Parish House Third Floor)
11 a.m.
Choral Eucharist—Sermon by the Rev. Sarah Akes-Cardwell (Watch here)
Children’s Chapel (Children begin in church; see below)
Noon
Parish Lunch and Coffee Hour: Oktoberfest (Parish House Lower Level)
2 p.m.
Blessing of the Animals (Plaza, weather permitting, or Church)
| | |
|
|
SPEAKER SERIES
This Sunday, October 2, at 10 a.m.
Andrew O’Shaughnessy, Saunders Director of the Robert H. Smith International Center for Jefferson Studies at Monticello and a professor of history at the University of Virginia, will speak on his book The Illimitable Freedom of the Human Mind: Thomas Jefferson’s Idea of a University.
| | |
|
SUNDAY PARISH LUNCH: OKTOBERFEST
This Sunday, October 2, at noon
Sunday lunch at St. John’s is a longtime tradition in which every member and every visitor can participate. It’s a great opportunity to catch up with old friends and make new ones—a time for fellowship and for hearing another’s story. The lunch is held most Sundays in the Parish House. Contributions of $5 for adults and young people 13 and over and $2 for children under 13 are requested to help defray the costs of the lunch. All are welcome.
| | |
|
BLESSING OF THE ANIMALS
This Sunday, October 2, at 2 p.m.
Humans of all ages and pets of any variety are welcome at the annual Blessing of the Animals. We will have a short worship service on the Plaza to celebrate all creatures great and small. Stuffed animals or pictures of animals are also welcome. The Blessing of the Animals is often held in early October to coincide with the Feast Day of St. Francis of Assisi (October 4), who is the patron saint of animals and the environment. Please note: We will gather in the church in case of rain.
| | |
|
FOR CHILDREN
Children are welcome at all worship services.
A nursery for infants and children up to age three is available on Sundays from 8:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. in the Godly Play Classroom #2 on the second floor of the Parish House. You may register children ahead of time here.
Children in pre-K through fifth grade may participate in Church School on the second floor of the Parish House, on Sundays from 10 to 10:50 a.m.
Children from birth through grade 5 are invited to participate in Children’s Chapel, a special liturgy just for them during the sermon at the 11 a.m. service on Sundays. Parents may accompany their children, and are encouraged to do so for those younger than three.
Click here for Children’s Bulletins with coloring pages of stories from this Sunday’s scripture readings.
For more information about our children's ministry, please contact the Rev. Sarah Akes-Cardwell.
| | |
|
YOUTH GROUP
On Sundays from 10 to 10:50 a.m., all middle and high school youth are invited to the second floor of the Parish House for an exploration of life and faith with their peers. For more information about opportunities for youth, please contact the Rev. Shawn Evelyn.
| | |
|
ADULT BIBLE STUDY
This group gathers most Sundays at 10 a.m., using a hybrid approach, with some joining via Zoom and others in person. The group is studying the structure, audience, and themes of the Gospel of Luke. Conversations explore the connections with the Sunday lectionary lessons and sermons. To receive class notes and Zoom login information, please contact Jack Reiffer.
| |
|
UNITED STATES ARMY CHORUS
Wednesday, October 5, at 12:15 p.m.
Our Midweek Music series kicks off with a performance by the United States Army Chorus. Under the direction of Master Sergeant Jason Gottshall, the Army Chorus has maintained a reputation of musical excellence in support of senior government and military leadership as well as inspirational engagement with the American people. The concert is open to the public and free of charge.
| |
| |
|
|
SPECIAL MUSICAL OFFERING
Sunday, October 9, at 11 a.m.
On Sunday, October 9, the St. John’s Choir will offer J.S. Bach’s motet Singet dem Herrn ein neues lied (Sing to the Lord a new song) as part of our 11 a.m. worship service. Among the most ambitious of Bach’s motets, Singet dem Herrn is written for double choir in three movements. Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart was reportedly so deeply moved upon hearing the work on a visit to Leipzig in 1789 that he requested permission to see the music and proceeded to copy out the parts to take back to Vienna. The service will be preceded by a special Speaker Series at 10 a.m. led by music director Brent Erstad and members of the St. John’s Choir.
| | |
|
SIGN UP TO JOIN A MINISTRY GROUP
Our annual Ministry Fair was held this past Sunday, to great success. If you were unable to attend, there is still time to sign up to serve. (Many thanks to Emily Lucio for creating this form!) If you have questions about a specific ministry, please contact Lisa Koehler.
| | |
|
FALL/WINTER COMMUNITY EVENTS RETURN!
After a long season of isolation, everyone is eager to reconnect—and St. John’s community events are a chance to do just that. We offer these events as an opportunity to get to know our clergy better, as well as fellow parishioners. As in the past, events are arranged by parishioners and may be potluck suppers, brunches, cocktail parties, happy hours, picnics, playground gatherings, nature walks, or anything else you might envision.
Would you be a host for a St. John’s community event?
• Hosts determine the date and the type of activity.
• Hosts also establish and advertise the number of guests they can accommodate.
• If you are interested in hosting an event, please contact Holly Sukenik.
We are also still seeking hosts for the October 9 and October 23 parish lunches. Please contact Holly if you are able to help with either date.
| | |
|
STEWARDSHIP 2023
Just as we now start the new program year at St. John’s, welcoming a new priest and regathering for worship, our 2023 Stewardship Campaign also begins. This past year, through the generosity of so many St. John’s members, with one-third of our members increasing their pledges over the prior year, we surpassed our goal and ended up with more than $1.075 million in pledges, from 365 people. Thank you so much for your giving to St. John’s!
This coming year we are asking you to once again pledge as much as you are able, as our church is facing an inflationary environment even as we are doing more to serve the needs of our parishioners and the community beyond. We have welcomed two new fabulous priests, made our music director a full-time position, enhanced our offerings for children and families, and are close to finishing the long process of restoring our building exteriors after the damage from the protests. We continue to develop new offerings for learning, fellowship, and outreach. This fall we are poised to enter an exciting new chapter for our church.
Our 2023 goals are ambitious but achievable. We are seeking to increase the number of pledges to 400 (up from 365) and the pledged dollars to $1.125 million. Any pledge you can make will make a difference—and if you are having a good year and are able to stretch a bit, we would very much appreciate it.
Thank you for being a part of St. John’s. We are pleased to be serving with you this year!
—Toby Stock and Carter Keithley, co-chairs of the Stewardship Committee
|
|
|
ST. JOHN’S BOOK GROUP
Thursday, October 6, at 6:45 p.m., via Zoom
The St. John’s Book Group will meet virtually on Thursday, October 6, at 6:45 p.m. to discuss Cloud Cuckoo Land by Anthony Doerr. This fictional novel is dedicated to “the librarians then, now and in the years to come.” Three intertwined stories feature children on the cusp of adulthood in three different times and places: 15th-century Constantinople, a small town in present-day Idaho, and an interstellar spaceship decades from now. For more information, please contact Janet Edmond.
| | |
|
LATROBE YOUNG ADULTS FELLOWSHIP
Wednesday, October 5, at 7 p.m.
Mark your calendars for a special Oktoberfest Latrobe gathering. We’ll begin with a short Eucharist in the church followed by fellowship together that includes an optional modest seasonal tasting. The Latrobe Young Adult Fellowship at St. John’s Church is an active and engaged group of adults, primarily in their 20s and 30s. We gather at St. John’s at 7 p.m. on the first Wednesday of the month. For more information, contact the Rev. Shawn Evelyn.
| | |
|
SPEAKER SERIES: FALL 2022
The Speaker Series for the new program year will be held Sundays at 10 a.m. in the Togo West Parlor on the first floor of the Parish House. Upcoming speakers and topics include:
October 2: Andrew O'Shaughnessy, Saunders Director of the Robert H. Smith International Center for Jefferson Studies at Monticello and a professor of history at the University of Virginia, who will speak on his book The Illimitable Freedom of the Human Mind: Thomas Jefferson’s Idea of a University.
October 9: Brent Erstad (pictured), St. John’s Director of Music and Organist, who will speak on Bach’s motet, Singet dem Herrn ein neues Lied (Sing to the Lord a New Song), BWV 225, which will be included in the 11 a.m. service that day.
October 16: Susan Behrends Frank, Curator, The Phillips Collection, who will speak on the recent exhibit of paintings from Pablo Picasso’s Blue Period.
October 30: An Afghan Family Reflects. More than a year ago, the world watched as Kabul fell to the Taliban, and many in our church asked how we could help. Since February 2022, St. John’s has partnered with two other churches to support a resettled Afghan family through the Sponsor Circle program. Join us for a conversation with the father of this family about his life in Afghanistan and the family’s experiences settling in northern Virginia. This conversation will be a personal reflection on what it was like to be evacuated from Kabul and rebuild life in the United States.
November 13: Mike Molina, Head of School at the Bishop John T. Walker School for Boys in Southeast Washington, will update St. John’s on the resilience of the school during the pandemic, the school’s plans for the academic year, and highlights of the school’s impact through its first graduating class—kindergartners from the school’s inception who completed high school last spring. St. John’s plays an active role in the development of the school through financial support and the school’s annual Christmas book drive. Several St. John’s parishioners serve as BWS Board members, partners, and staff.
December 4: Jake Flack, Associate Director for Museum Education, Ford’s Theatre, will talk about the history of the theater, Lincoln’s assassination, and the theater’s current programming.
|
|
|
FAITH AND SCIENCE AT ST. JOHN'S
Tuesday, October 11, at 7 p.m.
Are you interested in questions around faith and science? A group will gather virtually on Tuesday, October 11, at 7 p.m. to explore the theology of Teilhard du Chardin. We will use the text by John F. Haught The Cosmic Vision of Teilhard de Chardin as the starting point for our discussions. For more information or to join the group and get the Zoom link, please contact Joanne Hutton.
| | |
|
|
VISITING CHOIR
Sunday, October 16, at the 11 a.m. service
On the morning of October 16, we will welcome the choir of the Royal Hospital School in Suffolk, UK, to sing for the 11 a.m. service. Historically nicknamed “The Cradle of the Navy,” RHS is a co-educational boarding and day school with strong ties to the British navy. We’re pleased to welcome the choir and members of the school community to St. John’s as they tour in Washington, DC.
| | |
|
CELEBRATING LONGTIME STAFF MEMBER KAYE EDWARDS
Sunday, October 16, at noon
After 23 years on staff at St. John’s, Kaye Edwards, St. John’s beloved Assistant for Church Growth, will retire next month. But fortunately for everyone, she will remain with us as a member of the parish. No one can replace Kaye, but we are also fortunate that Lisa Koehler will be taking on many of Kaye’s duties. Please join us for a reception on Sunday, October 16, at noon to celebrate Kaye and her many years of service to St. John’s.
| | |
|
CHORAL EVENSONG
Wednesday, October 19, at 5:30 p.m.
Steeped in the beauty of the Anglican tradition, Evensong meets us at the even point between the active day and the restful night. Evensong will be sung by the St. John’s Choir on the third Wednesday of each month through May, beginning at 5:30 p.m. Parking validation is available in the C & C Parking Garage at 818 Connecticut Avenue, NW. A validation ticket can be obtained from an usher before or after the service. Please mark your calendar and plan to join us for this special offering.
| | |
|
FALL YOUTH EVENT
Saturday, October 22, 10 a.m. to noon
We are inviting all youth and families to meet at Homestead Farm in Poolesville, Maryland, for a special morning of great fall fun including apple picking, pumpkins, and even a chance to pet some animals. Enjoy cider and shop local produce. Admission is $3/person, and you pay for whatever you pick. For more information, please contact the Rev. Shawn Evelyn, Associate for Parish Life.
| | |
|
VOLUNTEERS NEEDED
Saturday, October 22
Did you know that there are at least 4,400 unhoused people in Washington, D.C., and many believe the total to be substantially higher? Through the Grace’s Table ministry, St. John’s helps meet the needs of this population by preparing and serving a hot meal once a month at Grace Episcopal Church in Georgetown. Our next date to host is Saturday, October 22. We need both cooks and volunteers to serve! Please contact Elizabeth Field to volunteer.
| | |
|
BAPTISMS
The next dates for Baptism and required pre-baptismal classes with the clergy at St. John’s are as follows:
Sunday, November 6, 11 a.m. (Class: Saturday, November 5, 10 a.m.)
Sunday, January 8, 2023, 9 a.m. (Class: Saturday, January 7, 10 a.m.)
Sunday, February 19, 11 a.m. (Class: Saturday, February 18, 10 a.m.)
Sunday, April 16, 11 a.m. (Class: Saturday, April 15, 10 a.m.)
Sunday, May 28, 11 a.m. (Class: Saturday, May 27, 10 a.m.)
If you are interested in baptism for yourself or a child, please contact Lisa Koehler. Please note that the parents or grandparents of children being baptized must be active, pledging members of St. John’s. Adults interested in baptism must first attend an Adult Inquirers’ Class (see above) and be active, pledging participants in the life of the parish.
| |
|
Our prayers are requested for the special needs and concerns of this congregation, especially:
THOSE WHO ARE SICK, RECOVERING, OR GRIEVING:
From our parish: Ezra Lagera George, Robert Kirchenbauer, John More, and Glenn Reichardt.
Friends and family of our parish: Sarah Baker (Pamela Venzke), Barbara Virginia Abalos Branes (Joanne Hutton), LaKeshia Bryant (GeeGee Bryant), Jackson Bryce (Livy and John More), Billy Beardsley Conderman (Margo Arnold), Charlotte Crowley Junilla (Margo Arnold), Harry Davis (Carl and Mary Raether), Wendy Addiss Dellar (Joanne Hutton), Sharon Diehl (Alex Stolar), Reagan Eudy (Alfred Thesmar), Pamela Evelyn (Rev. Shawn Evelyn), Janet Fischer (Ann Gardner), Linda Young Gsell (Rick Young), Jackie Hanson (Brent Erstad), Charles Jones (GeeGee Bryant), Olivia Kehoe (Kat Kehoe), Lori LaPoint (Brent Erstad), Chase Lasbury (Garrett Russo), Melanie Markiewicz and William Markiewicz (Matthew Taylor), Tammy McCleaf (Matthew Taylor), Kathryn McGraw (Mary and Carl Raether), Lynda Michaelis (Wendy Fibison), Judy Nicola (Cynthia Walker), Carl Raether, Jr. (Allie Raether), Cawley Scott (Robyne Johnston), Scott (Marta Cook and Cal Trepagnier), Samuel S. Spaulding (Diane Spaulding), Lou Thesmar (Alfred and Hilary Thesmar), Carole Walker (Pamela Venzke), William Wilkie Thompson (Celia Thompson), and Marsha Walston (Robert Carroll).
THOSE WHO ARE IN THE HOSPITAL:
From our parish: Elizabeth Thompson.
Friends and family of our parish: Britt Neff (Julie Neff-Lippman)
THOSE WHO ARE IN HOSPICE CARE:
Friends and family of our parish: Henry Farrington (Wendy Fibison).
THOSE WHO ARE IN ASSISTED LIVING:
From our parish: Eve Atkeson, Jack Kinsey, Barney Malloy, Marcella Odom, Becky Schergens, and John Whitmore.
THOSE WHO HAVE BEEN BORN:
From our parish: John Albin Hailey, September 28.
THOSE IN OUR PARISH CELEBRATING A BIRTHDAY THIS WEEK:
Marta Cook, Nicole Crochet, Caroline Davis, Oliver Evans, Juliet Faris, Deborah Fuller, Susan George, Chuck Hagel, Peter Hailey, Budd Hallberg, Dolph Hatfield, Meg Hauge, John Herzog, Matilda Jeffries, Wande Johnson, Kenny Kraft, Clayton Lewis, Aurie Lucio, Nancy Martin, Michael Neufeld, Zachary Northcutt, Rachel Oster, and Chris Wall.
THOSE IN OUR PARISH CELEBRATING AN ANNIVERSARY THIS WEEK:
Jeanne and Keith Arnold, Kate and Nick Hailey, Carolina and Rob Mosbacher, Jr., Jim and Michele Mullins, Edward and Lacey Szczepanik.
THOSE ON THE FRONT LINES, ESPECIALLY:
Friends and family of our parish: Janie Abernethy (Elizabeth Lewis and David Abernethy), Sandra Brown (Becca Brown), Nathan Cobb (Livy and John More), Philip L. Faris (Caroline and Steve Faris), Yee Houston (Quin Woodward Pu), Marta Kochanska (Livy and John More), Amanda and Blake Tidwell (Willy Wolter), and Bill Wolter (Willy Wolter).
Please help us keep this list updated: Contact us with corrections, additions, and updates on status.
| | | | | |
