A reminder that on the recommendation of Bishop Smith and according to the new guidance from the CDC, as well as in recognition that Florida has seen a significant rise in COVID cases in recent weeks, we ask that all parishioners, regardless of vaccination status, resume wearing masks in church and at all indoor parish events.

To kick off our School's 70th anniversary year, St. John's Episcopal School faculty and staff are "Celebrating the Mission" through acts of kindness, character and compassion. In their opening week, they've served each other through shared knowledge and experience, as well as looked beyond to help the local community.

SJE partnered with Feeding Tampa Bay to acquire and assemble more than 100 Hurricane preparedness kits (over 1,200 pounds of food and goods!) for families in need in the community. The event began with a brief presentation about the impact that Feeding Tampa Bay has had in the community, particularly in the last year and a half, and how the faculty and staff's work on campus can have a ripple effect that spreads wide throughout the Tampa Bay area.

This project kicks off the "Seven Days of Service" initiative, where the SJE community will complete a service project once a month for the next seven months. The seven concept pays homage to it being the School's 70th year, and the projects will vary across types of service and areas of Tampa.

Save the date! The annual Father's Ministry camping trip will be November 5 and 6 at Lakewood Retreat, 25458 Dan Brown Hill Road, 34602 in Brooksville. Don't miss this popular St. John's tradition! Contact Kaivon Madani with questions and to RSVP.

Thank you for your clothing and food donations over the past weeks. Every Monday, Fr. Michael and his wonderful helpers take them to Metropolitan Ministries. You might have noticed that some of them were blessed during the offertory this past Sunday. Keep 'em coming!

On Tuesday, September 14, the Women’s Mid Morning Bible Study will begin a study of the

first and second letters of Paul to the Thessalonians using the study guide Paul for Everyone, Galatians and Thessalonians by N. T. Wright. They will meet in the Lowry

Room on alternate Tuesdays, gathering at 10:00 a.m. for fellowship, followed by the lesson from

10:15 to 11:15 a.m. Father Michael Cannon will lead the first session covering 1 Thessalonians,

1-2:12.

For more information, contact Sally Wiley at wiley48sm@gmail.com or 244.4497. All women of the Parish and those whom they would like to invite are welcome to join them as the group delves into Paul’s earliest extant correspondence.

Love INC, the nonprofit supported by St. John's and 14 other member churches in the Tampa area needs your help! Please see the specific needs below and contact Evan Smith at 222.2250 or esmith@loveinctampa.org to help.

Love INC is also holding a breakfast fundraiser on October 12. Click here or on the graphic to the left to see more!

Questions? Contact Deacon Kathleen.

Fr. Fred and Linda Robinson wish to announce to the St. John's Church family a pilgrimage they are leading to the Holy Land. This spiritually-oriented pilgrimage/tour is co-sponsored by BesTouR and The Saint Bartholomew Travel Society of the Church of the Redeemer. The travel society is contracting with Amer Shehadeh, Tour Operator of BesTouR, Israel, to lead us on a pilgrimage to the most important pilgrimage sites associated with Jesus Christ's earthly ministry. In addition, the itinerary includes a crossing into Jordan for visits to Mount Nebo, Madaba, Petra, and the traditional site of Jesus's baptism. BesTouR is the No.1 travel agency in the Holy Land with 30 years of experience leading pilgrims to the holy sites. The pilgrimage brochure is available on the BesTouR website. Please direct inquiries to lindarobinsonsrq@gmail.com, 941.914.2688, or see Linda Robinson in the parish hall on Sundays for a brochure.

It's back! Mark your calendar for St. John's Annual Canoe Trip, Saturday, September 18! We will gather at Canoe Escape for a half day of fun on Tampa's beautiful and winding Hillsborough River!

Meet us at Sergeant's Park, 12702 US 301, Thonotosassa, 33592 at 9:00 a.m.. We'll pay at the office before launching our vessels for a 4.5 mile journey downriver and finish at Morris Bridge Park about noon -- pack a lunch!

Cost is $56 per canoe (includes shuttle back to our vehicles) and accommodates up to two adults and two children, or one adult and three children. Youths 13 and up may canoe without an accompanying adult. Single person kayaks are also available.

Kids will get our "Critter Sightings" worksheet to check off along the way: expect to see turtles, osprey, herons, and plenty of sunbathing gators. Most of the trek is canopied, but be sure to bring your hats and sunblock.

Contact Kevin Kellar at kcwkellar@yahoo.com with questions. Contact Fr. Fred to inquire about financial assistance.

See you on the river!

As the new school year approaches, your generous support is requested for the children of Cornerstone Kids. The goal is to raise $1,000 to cover the cost of backpacks and school supplies for 25 children by August 22. You can donate online here or we welcome your check in the plate on Sunday or delivered to the office. Please note on the check that the gift is for Cornerstone. Questions? Contact MC Jenkins.

Male volunteers are urgently needed for the Kairos Ministry to go into prison with Father Michael and Dave Wheaton. The commitment is not small, but is finite, and the rewards from the experience will be priceless. Contact Fr. Cannon for scheduling information and more. There will be six training sessions leading up to the weekend, which is November 11 through 14. Thanks to those who have already volunteered to help!

Additionally, there will be a women’s weekend held at Hernando Correctional Institution September 30 through October 3. MC Jenkins is privileged to serve on this ecumenical team of volunteers. More details to come as to how our church can support these two efforts!

All are invited to participate in the upcoming Holy Conversations fellowship. This is a time of rich reflection and engagement among parishioners seeking to deepen their spiritual journey. Visit our website to see a video of what parishioner Hugh Cruse had to say about the program.

The group will connect via Zoom for six conversations. This is an opportunity to get to know others within our church family, share moments of laughter, create connections, and deepen our faith. The group will begin the first week in August. If you would like to be a part of the group, please contact Lori Reho at lori.reho.2019@gmail.com or 239.745.1656, or call the church office at 259.1570.

Today's "Face of Evening Prayer" is Director of Children, Youth, and Family Ministries Ayana Grady. Ayana said of her participation:

The Nursery will reopen this Sunday, August 15. Children under three are welcome to come play at both the 8:00 and 10:00 a.m. services!

6th through 12th graders! Join us this Sunday for our EYC Kickoff (Messy Games Night), our first EYC of the 2021 -2022 school year. The Messy Games Night will be a combined EYC (6th through 12th grades). Due to rising COVID cases, we will stay completely outdoors.

There will also be an EYC Parents Meeting this Sunday, August 15, from 4:00 to 4:30 p.m. in of the Parish Hall. We will go over our fall calendar, and discuss our upcoming EYC events!

Moving forward, we will have masked EYC every Sunday in the Parish Hall, with middle schoolers (6th through 8th graders) from 5:00 to 6:00 p.m., and high schoolers (9th through 12th graders) from 6:00 to 7:00 p.m. each week! 

Calling all students (pre-K to college)! Bring your backpacks to church this Sunday, August 15 at the 10:00 a.m. service to be blessed for the upcoming school year. We will provide special laminated St John's backpack tags so that you can remember that God's love (and the support of this congregation) are always with you--wherever you go!

The Wednesday Afternoon adult formation group continues on Zoom on Wednesdays from 2:00 to 3:00 p.m. The group studies the work of a variety of Christian writers; group discussions are lively and substantive. All are welcome. For more information contact Deacon Kathleen at kmoore@stjohnstampa.org or 785.9400.

The Chapel Altar Flowers are available on September 26. Flowers and the candle adorning the High Altar and flowers at the Chapel Altar on Sundays and Holy Days are financially supported by individuals and families in memory of departed loved ones or in thanksgiving for blessings received.

If you would like to make a memorial or give a gift in thanksgiving, contact us at parish@stjohnstampa.org or 259.1570.

Contact Laurie Lawther at llawther@stjohnstampa.org to set up.

Go to www.stjohnstampa.org and click on "Give Now" on the right side of the top blue bar. The church now has the ability to accept credit and debit card payments, along with checking/savings account payments. To make a pledge or pay in some other way, click on "Stewardship" in the top website menu.

In the 'To' field of the text type 73256, then in the message, type SJE. You will receive a text back immediately with a link to complete the payment.

Laurie is available to walk you through any of these methods by email at llawther@stjohnstampa.org or call her at the parish offices at 259.1570. If you prefer, you may also call John Edgar in the parish offices and he will fill out a pledge card for you.

August 12, Richard Arcuri, Mia Carastro, John Rabbitt, Marie McClelland, Darryl Petters

August 13, Adelaide Few, Mike Foley, Cary Brown, Grace Andrews, Darren Milling

August 14, Ken Hyatt, Carson Tappan, Michael Eachon, Lee Peterson, Bradley Mackie, Judith Coffey, Ed Sprenkle, Tripp Baker

August 15, Mary Jane Schenck, Jan Elliott, Grace Tellekamp, Parker Fluharty, Jessica Thaxton

August 16, Megan Kelly, Zachary Smith

August 17, Joey Peel, Michael Sunich

August 18, Charlie Crumpton, Edwin Mills, Carson Weekley, Scott Decelles, Annelise Pederson, Reid Nelson

The Men's Interactive Bible Study meets every Thursday at 11:45 a.m. to study the readings for the coming week and for fellowship. The group will convene in person in the Lowry Room for those who are comfortable. If you prefer to continue joining virtually, email John in the parish offices at jedgar@stjohnstampa.org for the link.

The Holy Eucharist (Rite I), 8:00 a.m., Church, followed by Coffee Hour Fellowship

The Holy Eucharist (Rite II), 10:00 a.m., Church, on Facebook Live, and our website, followed by Coffee Hour Fellowship

Join us at this service for our Backpack Blessing and the restart of children's Sunday School!

Bulletins and other resources are available here. Click here for the readings, St. John's follows Track 2.

The Contemporary Women's Bible Study (CWBS) group does a weekly virtual study on Tuesday evenings from 6:00 to 7:00 p.m. This is a Zoom meeting, so if you are interested in participating, contact Deacon Kathleen at 785.9400 or kmoore@stjohnstampa.org; or Sally Thompson at tampasal@gmail.com or 254.3009 for the link.

In addition to welcoming in-person attendance at the 8:00 and 10:00 a.m. Sunday services, St. John's streams our 10:00 a.m. services live on Facebook. Access the stream at our page at https://www.facebook.com/stjohnstampa/. The stream is also live on our website. Please access the most current safety guidance here.

The audio for sermons is here. New sermons are uploaded by Monday each week. Bulletins for Sundays are here, each week's bulletin is uploaded to this page by Saturday. Click here to find the readings for this coming Sunday (St. John's follows Track 2). You can also see Sunday services on our YouTube channel, they are uploaded each Sunday by mid-afternoon.

The parish offices are open from 8:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. Monday through Thursday. Email us at parish@stjohnstampa.org or call 259.1570 to speak with John Edgar if you have questions.

Our clergy, staff, and fellow parishioners stream evening prayer daily Monday through Saturday at 4:00 p.m. on Facebook Live. Intercessory prayers are invited in the comments during the feed.

Compline is offered by the brothers of the Society of St John the Evangelist on their web site at www.ssje.org on Tuesday, Thursday, and Friday at 8:30 p.m EST.

If you have any questions or trouble using the online services noted above, please contact Lee Lowry by replying to this email, or John Edgar at jedgar@stjohnstampa.org. You can also contact the clergy member or parishioner who is the contact for each ministry. 

Father Robinson: 941.350.0043

If you are someone who is able to help your fellow parishioners with errands and other means of support, please contact Fr. MIchael at mcannon@stjohnstampa.org. Conversely, if you are a parishioner who needs help, please also contact Fr. Michael at email at mcannon@stjohnstampa.org or by phone at 864.320.7116. He will match needs with resources so we are able to help one another in Christ's name.