St. John's Episcopal Church - Centreville, VA
|
|
Parish News - February 23, 2022
|
|
Dear St. John's Parishioners and Friends:
Next week, on Wednesday March 2, we will begin the holy season of Lent with the observance of Ash Wednesday. It's a time of prayer and meditation, a time of repentance and getting rid of whatever hinders us from living a full and Christian life. Some people give up something like alcohol or chocolate, something that they will miss, and will encourage them to remember that our dependence is on God alone, not on worldly things that we like to depend on. Others take on something, like reading the bible daily, spending more time in prayer, or better nutrition and more exercise. Whatever you take on or give up, it should be something that helps you remember that during this holy season, we are to repent of our sins and ask for God's forgiveness, that we are dependent on God alone.
To lead into the season of Lent, we will have the Annual Shrove Tuesday Pancake Supper on March 1 in the parish hall from 5 - 7 PM. This tradition goes back hundreds of years when people used up any lard or fat they had in their homes before the start of Lent, like making pancakes. Volunteers will be needed to help set up, cook, clean up etc. Please let Dave Parker know ( [email protected]) if you can help. We have the link to the sign up sheet below for those who plan to attend so we know how many to cook for. Donations will be gratefully accepted.
We will then have our Ash Wednesday services at 12:00 noon and 7:30 PM on March 2 in the historic church. St. Anthony's of Padua, one of our Ministry Partners, will join us for the evening service.
During Lent, those who would like to will read and reflect on the book "Soul Stages: Surviving and Thriving in the Second Half of Life" by Christopher Chamberlin Moore. You can order this book on Amazon. The book study will meet on Zoom at 7:00 PM on Wednesday evenings, starting on March 9 and continuing for 6 weeks. As we look toward a time of transition at St. John's, we will reflect on how we have encountered other times of transition in our lives. There is no need to sign up for the book study. The Zoom link will be in the Wednesday E Notes each week. Just click on the link and join us. Please read Chapter 1 for the March 9 class.
We will have our first Sunday in-person service on Sunday, March 6. We will continue to wear masks and socially distance ourselves as much as possible. We will also continue our "safe" way of having communion by using the individual cups for the bread and the wine. I look forward to seeing you all in person on Ash Wednesday and the Sundays following.
|
|
The Rev. Carol Hancock
Rector
|
|
In February, we will have online services only
|
|
The services will be live streamed at 9:30 AM on Sunday morning, and they can be watched later as well. The link to the online service is found below and will be the same link every Sunday. On Saturday, we will resend the link, along with a link for the bulletin and the lectionary class. When we return to in-person services in March, we will continue to live stream the services.
SUNDAY LIVESTREAM LINK:
|
|
PARISH NEWS AND ANNOUNCEMENTS
|
|
Two important announcements were made at the Annual Parish Meeting:
- When you put a donation in the "debt reduction" envelopes that are in the pledge envelope packets, the donation will go to pay off the facilities loan first (to get it paid off more quickly). If you would rather your donation in the "debt reduction" envelopes go to pay down the mortgage, please write "mortgage" on the memo line of your check.
- We have enough money in the restricted flower fund to buy the flowers for Easter. If you would like to make a donation at Easter in memory or thanksgiving or in honor of someone, you can use the "Easter Flowers" envelope in the pledge envelope packets and make a donation to Outreach. Draw a line through "Easter Flowers" and write Outreach, and also write Outreach on the memo line of your check. Please let Catherine Packard in the church office know if the donation is in memory or thanksgiving or in honor of someone. Those names will be acknowledged in the bulletin on Easter Day.
_____________________________________
Lenten program - Our Lenten book study will use the book "Soul Stages: Surviving and Thriving in the Second Half of Life" by Christopher Chamberlin Moore (2021) We will be looking at times of transition and change in our lives, as we look ahead to transition and change at St. John's. Please order your own book, which can be found on Amazon. We will meet on Wednesdays at 7:00 PM on Zoom during Lent, starting on March 9.(Please note the starting date is March 9, not March 2 as was stated last week.) Please read the first chapter of "Soul Stages" for March 9. The Zoom link will be in the E Notes next Wednesday. No need to register! Just read the book and join us on Zoom!
Our newly formed Garden Committee is up and running......and planning for the spring planting season! Committee members Gail Weirich, Bev Milunec, Mimi Spear, Susan Davis and Dick Griffith have met to plan a small garden to raise some "easy to grow" vegetables. They plan to have 3 raised beds on the patio and will begin planting in early May. If you would like to help with the garden, or want to learn more about it, please contact Mimi or Bev who are the co-chairs. Vegetables that are raised will be donated to Western Fairfax Christian Ministries.
A Celebration of the Life of Helen Rusnak has been scheduled for Saturday, April 9. Time and location TBD.
We will be sending in an order for engraved bricks soon. If you would like to purchase a brick in honor or in memory of someone to be put in our "Walkway of the Saints", please let Carol know by March 1. The forms are in the church office and the cost is $75.
We are in need of someone to help write and follow up with grants that we might be eligible for. Each week, Tom McDermott receives lists of available grants. He looks through them and sees what St. John's might be eligible for. We then need someone to follow up with that information, see what documentation and grant writing is required, and then get it sent in before the due date. Interested in helping? Please contact Tom McDermott or Dave Parker.
The last recorded Wednesday service of Evening Prayer is today. Next Wednesday we will have the Ash Wednesday services and then the recording of the Evening Prayer services will be discontinued. This is due in part to the amount of time it takes do put together, record and post the service, and the low number of people who watch it. The service can be done by a lay person. If anyone is interested in taking on this ministry, please let Carol know. It is possible that this service might be restored when a new permanent Interim/Priest-in-Charge/Rector is called and if there is more interest in having this service. The last two years of recorded services can be found on the St. John's YouTube channel.
|
|
SAVE THE DATE!
SUNDAY - April 3, 2022 - 5 PM
A Gathering to Celebrate the Ministry of The Rev. Carol Hancock
As many of you know, Carol will be taking a long-awaited sabbatical following her last Sunday, Easter Sunday, as St. John's Rector, and then will enter into her next chapter of life, her retirement.
The celebration will be held in the Parish Hall (lower level), and will be a catered dinner, dessert and tribute for Carol.
Reservations: If you wish to attend, please send Susie Pike a note with number of attendees, and a check for the cost of $25 per adult (nothing for children if attending with an adult, just let Susie know they are coming) to cover the meal costs. Checks should be sent to Susie Pike at her home at: 15334 Oakmere Pl, Centreville 20120, or dropped off at the church office. Susie should receive payments by March 18.
We are excited for Carol that she will be able to take her long-planned sabbatical and wish to show her how much she is appreciated, loved, and will be missed, at the dinner event.
|
|
SPECIAL REQUEST
A video tribute for Carol is being developed. If you have any pictures of Carol you would like to include please email them to me. If you wish, you can also email me a short video of your thoughts on her departure. Request your video be no more than a minute long. Please have any pictures and videos sent to me NLT March 18th. My email address is:
David Weir and Sandy Jones are assembling a video and photo tributes for Carol. If you have any photos you would like included, please email them to David at [email protected] or Sandy at [email protected]. Please have all videos and photos sent no later than March 18th.
|
|
*Wood Bundles For Sale*
The price is still nominal at $5 per bundle and the bundles are located outside the breezeway. Donations can be put in the envelopes provided and put in the secure adjacent mailbox.
Andrew Wade
The Church that Stacks Together, Stays Together!
The "seasoned" wood is selling out fast and we don't have a lot left. If you need some firewood to get you through the chilly days of March, please buy them now!
We anticipate having at least one more ‘log splitting’ day on Mt. Gilead Green, sometime in the next month or two. Please be on the lookout for follow up announcements.
|
|
|
A Lot of Wood
has been bundled recently, many thanks to the efforts of the team, some of whom are shown here.
And it's been selling like hotcakes!
|
|
|
OUTREACH and VOLUNTEER OPPORTUNITIES
|
|
The Katharine K. Hanley Family Shelter is located nearby and currently house up to 12 families onsite, 12 families in hotel sites and serve over 40 families in their prevention and rapid rehousing programs. Seeking volunteers for:
- On-call movers: 3-4 volunteers with a pick-up truck or U-Haul Rental Truck, must be able to lift and move furniture and other household items.
- Volunteer Delivery Driver (VDD): Provides essential help in getting items to community members, residents, and Shelter House Program Participants. This position requires a working vehicle, license, and personal ability to navigate to new places.
- Volunteer On Call Moving Assistant (VOCMA): Requires the ability to lift, carry, and drive. They work directly with residents who are moving out of shelter or relocating This position does not include the transportation of people. (Ages 18+)
- Volunteer Shelter Assistant (VSA): A versatile position that participates in
onsite tasks such as cleaning, organizing, and various hands-on activities depending on the needs of the shelter determined by the Building Manager and/or Community Coordinator. (Ages 16+)
- If you are interested in any of these opportunities, please contact Rev. Deacon Steve at [email protected] who will coordinate with KKHFS Community Coordinator to get you started. Note: positions may require training from the KKHFS particularly those involving direct contact with clients.
|
|
Western Fairfax Christian Ministries updated list of the foods that they need the most. You can bring your non-perishable items to the church on Sunday mornings, or drop them off in the box outside the door by the breezeway during the week and they will be delivered to WFCM.
Most needed items in the food pantry this month, Feb 2022:
- Canned Vegetables (low salt spinach, collard greens, corn)
- Juice (100% Fruit in plastic containers)
- Syrup - Jelly/Jam
- Flavored Rice/Pasta - Canned Pasta
- Pasta Sauce - Tomato Paste
- Canned Pineapple
- Jello/Pudding
- Dried Lentils
- Maseca flour - Sugar
- Granola Bars and Individual Snacks (chips, crackers)
- Condiments and Salad Dressing (family size not miniature packs)
- Baby Cereal and Baby Food
- Similac Baby Formula (Blue Label/Advance)
-
Toiletries: Toilet paper, shampoo, conditioner, deodorant, feminine pads, body wash, (NOTE: we are not currently in need of diapers size 0-4 due to our partnership with Greater DC Diaper Bank. Please only donate larger size diapers, larger size pull ups, or wipes if you want to donate items for babies.)
The Western Fairfax Shepherd Center is still accepting volunteer drivers to support clients who need help getting to appointments, shopping trips (for food), and to deliver food from WFCM to clients. Please contact the Shepherd Center at 703-246-5920 or email [email protected] and copy Deacon Steve at [email protected].
|
|
|
Sign Up: Sunday service reader or usher We welcome, need, and value your help! The lector will read the 2 lessons and the psalm. The usher will hand out bulletins and bring the elements and offering to the altar. If you would like to do either of these, CLICK HERE.
|
|
|
|
|
Sign Up: Altar Flowers
Please indicate how you wish your flower donation to appear in the Sunday bulletin. (Wedding anniversary, in memory of someone - something special you want to remember by providing flowers.) CLICK HERE
|
|
|
|
|
Service of Evening Prayer - Virtually
Every Wednesday, St. John's has a Service of Evening Prayer. It is a peaceful way to end the day, and it's now being held virtually. Here is the link to this evening's service:
Wednesday, February 23
|
|
|
|
|
The Adult Lectionary Forum - IN PERSON & ON ZOOM
|
|
|
|
SUNDAY WORSHIP & EDUCATION
|
|
THE ADULT LECTIONARY FORUM - HELD EACH SUNDAY
All are invited to join in, following the Sunday service, in the library. Or use the link to the Lectionary Forum via Zoom, in case you cannot attend in person, found above.
|
|
We can prepare our hearts & minds by reading ahead
for the Sunday Service lesson
The Last Sunday after the Epiphany
February 27, 2022
The First Reading: Exodus 34:29-35
Moses is transformed by his close relationship with God. May we all be so close to our Father’s face that our very visage would be affected.
The Psalm: 99, p. 728, BCP
The Second Reading: 2 Corinthians 3:12-4:2
What Good News that Jesus Christ reveals the fullness of God to us in a human life. Out of God’s great love, we glimpse his hope for creation.
The Gospel: Luke 9:28-43a
As we grow in relationship with God through Jesus Christ, we come to know more fully and closely the God who is our Savior and the lover of our souls.
|
|
Online Contributions
to St. John's
|
St. John's now offers three buttons for online donations via Tithe.ly. You may use the buttons below to go directly to Tithe.ly, or you may download the Tithe.ly app on your phone or tablet.
|
|
|
The Pledge payment button may be used only to make your pledge payment (after signing up to be a pledger, which may be done at any time in the year. See Carol or Vestry)
|
|
The Facility Campaign button may be used only for any contribution for the facility's buildings and grounds, or special facility campaigns.
|
|
The Donation button may be used for any other type of donation to St. John's. To designate a special purpose (i.e. Organ Fund, Ministry Partner payments, etc.) please send a note to [email protected].
|
|
Beyond the Silhouettes
When I was in elementary school, back in the day when Washington’s Birthday and Lincoln’s Birthday were separate holidays, our classrooms would be decorated with silhouettes of the two famous presidents throughout the month of February. Art projects during the month often included making silhouettes of our own. Of course we also learned stories about the Father of our Nation and about Honest Abe. The stories were often told as morality tales -- be as brave as George Washington, be as honest as Abraham Lincoln. The stories we learned were simple, clear and as black and white as the silhouettes that decorated our walls.
Living in black and white was easy. Complexities were overlooked. All shades of gray, never mind anything approaching color, were eliminated. Our heroes were presented as perfect icons, without flaws, without shadows, without the entanglements that make us human. It wasn’t until much later that I learned about the political machinations in which each of our heroes were caught, or Washington’s disastrous first military campaign or Lincoln’s ongoing battles with depression. Beginning to see these men in living color didn’t diminish my admiration for what they accomplished, but increased my gratitude for their actions. They were fully human in all their complexity, just like me, and they accomplished much because of (not in spite of) it.
These days, as people of our nation and wider world continue on a path toward greater and greater polarization, we can be tempted to reject the complexity of other human beings. We might want to remove all shading and reduce others to simple black and white silhouettes. Living in that kind of black and white is easy. Ignoring the complexities in the lives of other people and rendering them as flat as a piece of silhouette paper is easy. And it is as destructive as it is easy, because it strips others of their humanity; it ignores the image of God in which they are made.
Jesus said, as we heard in our Gospel reading yesterday, “Love your enemies, do good to those who hate you, bless those who curse you, pray for those who abuse you. Do to others as you would have them do to you.” (Luke 6:27-28, 31). To love is to see people in living color, in all their wonder and woundedness. To love is to see people in multiple dimensions, in all their complexity and complicity. To treat others as we would like them to treat us, and not to treat them in ways that we ourselves don’t want to be treated, is to honor the depths of our shared humanity.
God, grant us the grace to see more than black and white cutouts, but to look for the depth, the dimensionality, the color and shadow and shade in each human being. Grant us the honesty to see each person for whom you created them to be, and the bravery to live in a bigger, more colorful world. Amen.
Bishop Susan Goff
|
|
Devotion
We cannot satisfy the needs of the heart with outward things. It is the heart devoted to God that produces the fruit of holy action.
-Br. Lucas Hall
|
|
and the office number is 703-803-7500.
May our ministry together spread God's love to all whom we encounter.
- Carol
The Rev. Carol Hancock, Rector
|
|
|
|
|
Please note: If you choose to unsubscribe below, please be aware that you will no longer receive either St. John's sermons or E-Notes, which are sent weekly. If you do unsubscribe and later want to be added back in, that needs to be done through the provider, Constant Contact. Please email St. John's office with the request: [email protected].
|
|
|
|
|
|
|