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Thursday, August 19, 2021
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St. John's Mission Statement
St. John's is a Christian community that intentionally gathers
to experience God's love through Episcopal worship, education, fellowship, and ministry to the wider community.
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The Thirteenth Sunday after Pentecost
August 22, 2021
Please join us for our celebration of Holy Eucharist at 9:00 am in the church.
- Following the directive of our bishop, we will continue to wear masks during our Sunday liturgies.
- There is a section in the chapel where those who want to be social distanced can safely do so and still be part of the service.
Come, pray, sing, receive Holy Communion,
and join us for fellowship following our liturgy.
Collect for the Thirteenth Sunday after Pentecost
Grant, O merciful God, that your Church,
being gathered together in unity by your Holy Spirit,
may show forth your power among all peoples,
to the glory of your Name; through Jesus Christ our Lord,
who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit,
one God, for ever and ever. Amen.
Readings for Sunday
Joshua 24:1-2a,14-18
Psalm 34:15-22
Ephesians 6:10-20
John 6:56-69
Worship Booklet for the Thirteenth Sunday after Pentecost
If you are not able to attend, please join our livestream service:
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Reflection on John 6:56-69
This Sunday's Gospel is the completion of the Gospel 
we read last Sunday. John writes: "Many of Jesus' disciples heard Jesus speak and they said to one another: "This is too hard for us to understand." Jesus realized that his disciples were grumbling to one another and he questioned his followers. Finally Jesus asked them: "Does this bother you?" He then said to them: "What if you see the Son of Man go up to heaven where he came from? The Spirit is the One who gives life. The words I speak to you are spirit and life." Jesus then says: "You cannot come to me unless the Father wants you to come. That is why I have told you all these things."
Take a moment and put yourself in the disciples' shoes. How would you respond if Jesus were saying all of this to you? Would you be overwhelmed, excited, frightened, or elated? John tells us: "Many of Jesus' disciples turned their backs on Him and went back to their homes." However, Simon Peter approached Jesus and said: "Lord, there is no one else whom we can go to. You alone have the words of eternal life." Peter then affirmed his belief that Jesus truly was God's Holy Son!
Imagine the impact Peter's profession of faith must have had on Jesus. A few minutes before, a good number of people who had been following him turned away from Him. He was not acting as they had expected Him to act and they had walked away from Him. Yet, here was Peter boldly professing his belief in Jesus as the Christ. Peter's strong faith and deep belief in Jesus must have bolstered Jesus' spirit. Jesus was divine, yet He also was human and thus he experienced the same emotions we experience.
Peter's deep conviction that Jesus truly was the Lord was pure gift to Jesus. How deep is your conviction that Jesus is the Lord? I invite you to take a few moments and reflect on that question, then go to Jesus. If you truly do believe in Jesus, profess your conviction and your commitment to Him. If you are uncertain, take your uncertainty and doubts to Jesus. He will hold your hand and lead you closer to Him.
We all may have doubts in Jesus at times. Often these are the times we distance ourselves from Jesus. Yet these are the times when we need to approach Him and talk with Him. We may question Him or perhaps simply sit in His presence and allow Him to wrap us in love and light. We are the ones who leave Him. Jesus will never, ever leave us!
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Altar Flowers
The Altar Flowers are given to the glory of God.
Our Altar Flower donations chart for 2021 is available in  the narthex. If you would like to donate altar flowers in memory of a loved one or in honor of a special occasion please sign up on the chart, or contact Maria at 619-422-4141 or maria@saint-johns.org
The suggested donation for altar flowers is $40.00.
The following dates are available:
October 3 October 10
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Notes from the Men of St. John's Meeting
The Men of Saint John's met on Monday evening at the  home of Rev. Roger Haenke and Cliff Berkowitz. It was an enjoyable evening with 12 men attending.
During our business meeting, we discussed offering to help Sarah Tolley with the memorial reception for our beloved member and friend, Fr. Jack, on August 29th.
We also discussed hosting our First Annual Homecoming Pot Luck on Sunday, September 12th. If the COVID virus can be maintained and infection rates do not continue to increase, we plan to (safely) host a parish pot luck. Our goal is to reunite the parish as one family of faith and celebrate who we are as a parish.
Then, we discuss the possibly of hosting a Chula Vista Community Yard Sale Fundraiser. Interested people would purchase a spot (or two) in our church parking lot. The MOSJ would sell BBQ'd food items during the sale. The date has not been determined.
Looking towards the future, to support our mission as Veteran/Military Friendly Congregation, we want to promote and help with The Annual Marine Corps Toys for Tots Drive during the Christmas Holiday season.
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In Remembrance of Rev. Jack Tolley
August 16th marked the one year anniversary of Rev. Jack 
Tolley's death, and on August 29th, the anniversary of his Celebration of Life. Because of the pandemic, Sarah could not hold a luncheon to honor Jack.
Sarah will be hosting our Social Fellowship in Nale Hall after our church service on Sunday, August 29th to remember and honor Jack's life.
During our social time, we will move across the courtyard to the Grave's Pavilion for the dedication of the newly created Rev. Jack Tolley Memorial Library.
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Hospitality
Please join us for hospitality after the Sunday morning worship service.
If you would like to host a Sunday, you may sign up on the poster in Nale Hall or by calling or emailing Maria at 619-422-4141 or maria@saint-johns.org
Refreshments should be individually portioned or wrapped, or served by a server who is the only one touching the serving implements.
Current Available Dates:
September 5 September 19
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Centennial Celebration
2022 will be our Centennial Year! 
Our Centennial Liturgy will be on September 18, 2022.
In 1922, we were founded as a mission of St. James Episcopal Church and two years later chose the name
St. John's.
We need to start planning for our celebration!
In planning our celebration, we will need your help on the following committees:
- Communications and Publicity
- Gala and Fundraiser
- Liturgy
- History and Archives
Lynn Young, Diane Gustafson and John Will have been sorting through many documents and photos on the history of St. John's. If you know some of our history please let them know.
Would you be interested in helping with any of these committees?
Do you have ideas of how we can celebrate this important milestone?
Please contact Maria Love in the parish office by calling 1-619-422-4141 or emailing maria@saint-johns.org
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OUTREACH & EVANGELIZATION
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South Bay Pride Arts and Music Festival
St. John's will be represented with a booth at the 
South Bay Pride Arts and Music Festival, on Saturday August 21, 12 noon-10 pm, at Bayfront Park,
980 Marina Way, Chula Vista.
We will have a table and tent set up so that we can speak with attendees about our wonderful Parish, and invite them to come to our church. If you are interested in volunteering, please contact Jeff Bates (jefbates@icloud.com) or the parish office (maria@saint-johns.org).
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ECS Head Start Program at St. John's
ECS Head Start provides high quality early childhood and family education programs at no cost to eligible families and their children, ages 0-5.
We welcome:
- Low Income Families
- Children With Special Needs
- Foster/Kinship Families
- Families Experiencing Homelessness
- SSI or TANF Recipients
In-Person Services
In-person preschool services provided in daily sanitized classroom environments located throughout the South Bay San Diego area.
Distance Learning Option
Tablet provided for live instruction with our preschool teachers via Zoom, Face Time, or video call.
Meals Provided
Healthy balanced meals and snacks that promote wellness and development provided for your child.
APPLY NOW FOR THE FALL (invite your family and friends)
ECS Head Start
(619) 422-1642
Lic #: 376600897
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Outreach Collections
St. John's Outreach Committee meets monthly to discuss our parish Outreach activities.
We will continue our ongoing collections for:
- Blankets - Coordinated by Denise Czer and Sarah Tolley There is a great need for blankets
- Pill Bottles - Coordinated by Sally Elliott
A financial donation for postage would be appreciated - Eyeglasses - Coordinated by Norma Dunn
- Greeting Cards - Coordinated by Norma Dunn
- Emergency Food Pantry - Coordinated by Maria and Joe Love
Items may be brought to Nale Hall on Sundays when we gather for worship. You may also bring your items to church during our weekday office hours, Monday through Thursday from 9am to 3pm. Ring the doorbell, and you will be buzzed in to leave your items outside Nale Hall.
If you do not feel comfortable driving, please contact the parish office, and we will find a volunteer to pick up the items from your home.
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Please click on the following link or visit the St. John's website (www.saint-johns.org) for more information on our Outreach Ministries:
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Veteran/Military Friendly Congregation
As you may already know, LCDR Roberto Johnson was deployed on August 12th. Please remember to keep Roberto and the military men and women of the USS Essex in your prayers. In addition, please remember and pray for their families, especially Rachel and Maggie Johnson.
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Wednesday Morning Prayer and Bible Study
Join us for Wednesday Morning Prayer and Bible Study 
on Wednesdays at 9:30 am as a Zoom meeting.
Please contact Rev. Roger ( revroger@saint-johns.org)
to be included in the Zoom meeting.
The Morning Prayer guide can be found here:
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Daughters of the King Prayers
If you have a special prayer request for Daughters of the King, you are invited to fill out a prayer card, found in the narthex. Drop your prayer request in the church-shaped box or in the offering plate. These requests are confidential and are separate from our printed parish prayer lists.
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Parish Prayer Lists
Birthday and Anniversary Prayers
We would like to acknowledge and pray for anyone celebrating a birthday and/or anniversary in the coming week. Please let us know by Thursday of the prior week so that we can get it in the Sunday liturgy. If you have a picture of you that we could post for your birthday and/or a wedding photo or current photo for those celebrating an anniversary, please email it to us - it would be great to allow everyone to see you.
Our Parish Prayer Intentions
Today and every day include some time for prayer, for yourself,
for your church family, and for those in need.
For our Military
Matt Jensen, Drew Shorkey, Cody Crossland, Cameron Ronie, Chariti Paden, Mark Stanfield, Sean Robinson, Jonathan Martinez, TK Nguyen, Christopher Lindshield, Timothy Lindshield, Jeremy Colton, David Sanchez, Jonathan Baldera, Nick Wyatt, Jamal Warner, Matt Hernandez, Daniel Getreu, Jocelyn Hernandez, Devon Strunk, Taylor Harrold, Jorge Zuazua, Katherine Milam, Sebastian Morales, Richie Lebron, Roberto Johnson and the crew of USS Essex.
Almighty God, we commend to your gracious care and keeping
all the men and women of our armed forces at home and abroad. Defend them day by day with your heavenly grace;
strengthen them in their trials and temptations;
give them courage to face the perils which beset them;
and grant them a sense of your abiding presence
wherever they may be; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
For Strength in Time of Need
Scott Hunter, Steve Magill, Gary & Shirley McCarren, Ann Lindshield, Don Budde, Jr., Liz Dewar and family, Roland Cheney and family, Joanna Ward, Denise Eddleman, Chase Dunn, Cookie Tichonchuk, Bernie and Pam Poindexter, Lyne C., Kim B., the Mount family, Arnold Andreasen, Julie Brzeczek and John Messmore.
O God of heavenly powers,
by the might of your command you drive away from our bodies
all sickness and all infirmity:
Be present in your goodness with your servants,
that their weakness may be banished and their strength restored;
and that, their health being renewed, they may bless your holy Name; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
Cycle of Prayers for the Church
In the Diocesan Cycle of Prayer, we pray for the clergy and people of
St. Andrew's by-the-Sea in San Diego.
In the Anglican Cycle of Prayer, we pray for the Anglican Church of South America.
In the Military Cycle of Prayer, we pray for the crew of USS Makin Island (LHD 8).
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A Prayer for the People of Afghanistan
Eternal God, hear our prayer for the peoples of Afghanistan. There is a profound humanitarian crisis. Countless people, mostly women and children, are now fleeing and vulnerable. The lives of many are now endangered. The hopes of many are forgone. Send your Spirit, Lord, to rally the resolve of the nations of the earth to find pathways to save human lives, protect human rights, and to resolve the hardships of those seeking refuge, asylum, and safety. Hear our prayer for the peoples of Afghanistan. This we pray as followers of Jesus, the Prince of Peace. Amen.
The Most Rev. Michael Bruce Curry
Presiding Bishop and Primate
The Episcopal Church
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Prayer Quilts
The leaders of the Prayer Quilt Ministry would like to remind
you that there are many quilts available for anyone in need
of prayer and support. This important ministry brings comfort and healing to many people who are suffering with illness.
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We Are Here For You!
As the pandemic restrictions loosen and  we carefully gather in person at St. John's, we would like to remind you that we are here for you!
If you, a family member, neighbor or a friend are interested in celebrating a significant event in your spiritual life, please know that you are welcome.
We would be honored to be a part of your Baptism, Holy Communion, Marriage, Renewal of Vows, QuinceaƱera, Anointing of the sick or Eucharistic visit.
At St. John's, no matter who you are or where you are on your spiritual journey - you are welcome here
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We Are Available in Your Time of Need
If you have a pastoral emergency when the parish offices are closed,
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STEWARDSHIP AND ADMINISTRATION
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Vestry Meeting, August 25
All St. John's parishioners are invited to attend Vestry meetings. Our next Vestry meeting is on Wednesday, August 25th at 6:00 pm. Please contact Rev. Roger or Maria in the office and we will send you the Zoom link for the meeting.
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Stewardship Reflection
What is stewardship and when do we think about it? Once a  year when we fill out a pledge card - or weekly when we write a check to the church? Stewardship includes our time and our talents, as well as our treasure. Ideally stewardship is our ongoing commitment - those things we do as we try to follow the path that Jesus laid out for us. Sometimes we wander off the path but then we come back. I've been known to hide a bit when I'm being called to share time or talents, but sooner or later, I have to answer!
When Reverend Roger asked me to consider being the Junior (or Peoples') Warden, I immediately thought of four reasons why I couldn't do it, but he said, "don't give me an answer now - just prayerfully consider it." So when I really settled down and prayerfully considered it, I realized my immediate reaction (ways to say no) was not the answer, but rather just an excuse. There was no reason to say no and an infinite number of reasons to say yes - so I did.
The challenge of the pandemic made it difficult for me to connect with you in person, but now that we are back to in-person as well as virtual church, I have enjoyed seeing many of you on Sundays and I look forward to that day when we can all be together again in our beautiful sanctuary.
I urge you to inventory your talents and the time you can commit - it doesn't have to be a lot of time, and if you're willing to say yes, you will receive far more than you give. Opportunities for service abound - ushering on Sundays, being a money counter, arranging flowers to enhance our sanctuary for the Sunday service, preparing the altar (Altar Guild), serving as an acolyte during Sunday services, bringing communion to parishioners who are homebound, helping in Sunday School or the Nursery. Daughters of the King, a women's prayer order in the Episcopal Church has a chapter at St. John's and we welcome new members! We have several committees that are forming to help with our Centennial in 2022 - service on these committees is vital but short term, culminating in a wonderful celebration next fall.
I look forward to the opportunities we will have this next year as we continue our faith journey.
In service,
Lynn
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The Vestry
David Dennehy, Senior Warden
Lynn Young, Junior Warden
208-695-7735
Bill Cheney, Treasurer
Terry Farrelly, Assistant Treasurer
Diane Gustafson, Clerk
Pamela Brittain
Tom Brzeczek
Ray Contreras
Jane Ferguson
Alejandra Valdez-Beer
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Upcoming Events at St. John's
South Bay Pride Art and Music Festival at Bayfront Park |
12:00 pm-10:00 pm
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Saturday, August 21
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Vestry Meeting |
6:00 pm
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Wednesday, August 25 | |
Remembrance of Rev. Jack Tolley
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9:00 am
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Sunday, August 29
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Parish Office Hours and Contacts
As our staff are now fully vaccinated, we are permitted to open our parish office.
Masking and social distance should be maintained when visitors are present.
The Parish Office will be open 9:00 am to 3:00 pm, Monday through Thursday.
Please call the parish office if you have any questions or concerns
(619-422-4141).
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Rev. Roger's Office Hours
Rev. Roger will be working half-days in the office on Monday, Tuesday, Thursday and Sunday; and all day Wednesday and Friday. He will be available by appointment. Please call the office (619-422-4141) to schedule an appointment.
In case of a pastoral emergency, Rev. Roger may be reached on his cell phone at 619-301-0724.
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Beware of Scam Emails & Phishing Attempts
If you receive a suspicious email from an address that seems to be Rev. Roger or another parishioner asking for a favor, it may be a phishing attempt. Scam emails mimic addresses we are familiar with and are very often full of grammatical errors.
Rev. Roger will never email you asking for funds or financial support by way of gift cards. If you receive an email that seems suspicious, do not open it or respond to it. Delete it immediately.
Phishing is a cyber attack that uses disguised email as a weapon. The goal is to trick the email recipient into believing that the message is something they want or need - a request from their bank, for instance, or a note from someone in their company - and to click a link or download an attachment.
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Your weekly newsletter highlights important events at St. John's Episcopal Church. You can also find news about St. John's at www.saint-johns.org.
We welcome your feedback, photos, and news items. Contact Maria Love at 619-422-4141 or maria@saint-johns.org.
Please submit your announcements by Tuesday of each week for inclusion in the Enews.
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Refugee Housing Needed
If you or someone you know has housing connections
in the wider San Diego area and could advise a local Lutheran church that is providing housing to several refugee families, please contact:
or call 619-464-4211.
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Good News Festival
On December 3 - 4, 2021, the Episcopal Diocese of 
San Diego will welcome Presiding Bishop Michael Curry to Southern California for a celebration of good news. With interactive outreach projects, workshops, live discussion panels, youth offerings, and an evening of celebration at the beautiful Town and Country Resort, this is the perfect time to get away and enjoy some good news.
Who's your "One?" Inviting friends, family, and neighbors to the Good News Festival is an important part of making this event a true celebration of good news. Join us in committing to invite your "One," one person you know who needs to hear the good news of Jesus. You can find materials to help invite "your one" to the Good News Festival on the website. The flyers are available for download, but printed materials will also be provided to churches for broad distribution.
Join us in prayer for the Good News Festival.
Loving God, Author of life, in You we live and move and have our being. We ask that you revive us again in your mighty Spirit as we prepare our hearts for The Good News Festival. Inspire us to reach out to those who do not know you, and welcome them with open arms, without judgement, so that all may embrace your Good News, answer your call, and dance together with joy. We ask this in Jesus' name. Amen
The Town and Country Resort in San Diego is the venue for the Good News Festival. The resort recently completed a multimillion-dollar transformation, making it the perfect place to celebrate some good news. Discounted room rates are available when you book through www.thegoodnewsfestival.com.
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Resources for Emotional Support
The coronavirus (COVID-19) outbreak is changing life for all of us. You may feel anxious, stressed, worried, sad, bored, depressed, lonely or frustrated in these circumstances.
You're not alone!
Find resources to connect with real people that can help, here.
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EDSD Statement of Commitment
As part of the Jesus Movement and the Episcopal Diocese of San Diego, we pledge to love our neighbors and protect the most vulnerable among us, remembering our baptismal vows to "strive for justice and peace among all people, and respect the dignity of every human being." We live these pledges out by actively engaging in dismantling racism. For many of us, this will mean learning more about our racial identity, listening to those who have experienced racial prejudice, speaking out against racism, and showing up alongside those in our community working to change unjust systems in our society. We also live out this pledge at worship during this pandemic, by wearing face-coverings, respecting distancing guidelines, foregoing the common cup and refraining from congregational singing.
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Episcopal Relief and Development
What Would Love Do: 1000 Days of Love
Love calls us to care for our neighbors and for our enemies. Love calls us to attend to those in prison, to those who are homeless, to those in poverty, to children, immigrants and refugees.
What would love do? To you, who so generously support the transformative work of Episcopal Relief & Development, love calls you to continue to sow seeds of lasting change
Visit Episcopal Relief and Development: One Thousand Days of Love to see how you can help.
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Reporting Misconduct
As part of our ongoing commitment to creating a safe haven for everyone, our diocese trains people in the prevention of misconduct and encourages all to report misconduct. All reported incidences are taken seriously and investigated thoroughly and confidentially. If you believe you have experienced misconduct of any kind, please contact Mr. John Seitman, (jseitman@pacbell.net), 858-793-4555 or Ms. Equilla Luke, (aequilla@icloud.com), 760-583-0485.
Safeguarding God's People
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Contact Information
phone: 619/422-4141
pastoral care: 619/301-0724 |
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