APRIL 16, 2021
And if God cares so wonderfully for flowers that are here today
and thrown into the fire tomorrow, he will certainly care for you.
Why do you have so little faith?”
Luke 12:28
St. John’s was, at one point of time, a farm. It was a donation of farm land to the glory of God to become a church. The land used to encompass a lot more of Olney, including the parcels now hosting medical offices behind the building and the office building in front of the church.

Most of the land that we live on was once farms, too. A couple of years ago I stumbled on a map published in 1879, showing the district of Mechanicsville, district number 8, or more familiarly, Olney, with all the farm ownership. Our schools and neighborhoods are named, on whole, for prominent farm families. St. John’s cemetery features many of those same family names. 

Over the last covid-year, many of us found a renewed interest in working land. Maybe it was because we had more time, maybe it’s because we wanted to prepare for the possible zombie apocalypse seemingly upon us, maybe it was just some thoughtful reflections on the sacrifices of the Victory Gardens of the past and a way to live into that legacy during our own unexpected trial, but so many of us ended up digging in yards, planting in containers, or learning the ins and outs of a little more sustainability.

St. John’s is looking at ways for this to not be a fad but a renewed way of thinking. How are we stewards to the little piece of God’s creation we have access to? This summer we are looking at shared reading opportunities to explore this question, not only the “why” but the “how.” A micro-farm ministry has been meeting monthly to begin discerning how St. John’s could more sustainably use our property. How can we be better stewards of this land, which in the early 1800s was a farm, and spent the next century being surrounded by farms and serving farmers? How do we nourish Olney, now?

As a beginning to this new work, we are celebrating Rogation Sunday on April 25th, which like more secularly designed Earth Day, is meant to be a time of asking God’s blessing on creation and our attempts to both sustain and cultivate it, survive on it and with it, and for the grace to know best practices and with thanksgiving for the opportunity. We will be blessing seeds and seedlings of any parishioner offering them before the Lord. (You can bring a representative sample, picture, or a pot you plan to plant in.) We will also be blessing the makings of tomato planters for any household, who would like to stay after 10:30 worship, to put together. We request if you would like to participate in our tomato planter project for your home that you sign up HERE so we can plan appropriately for supplies.

Both in-person worship services and our YouTube will feature prayers for creation and our rogation theme. Join us on the 25th to celebrate our heritage and future. We are stewards, cultivators, and benefactors of God’s creation. Let’s pause and prayerfully uphold the land that sustains up.

In Christ,
Mother Shivaun+
Sun, Apr 18, 2021 8:00 AM EST
8AM INDOOR WORSHIP
ST. JOHN'S EPISCOPAL CHURCH, Olney
CREATION SUNDAY SCHOOL
SUNDAY'S @ 9:45am

ZOOM
Meeting ID: 967 598 3901
Passcode: EpiscoKid
Sun, Apr 18, 2021 10:30 AM EST
10:30 AM OUTDOOR WORSHIP
ST. JOHN'S EPISCOPAL CHURCH, Olney
CONFIRMATION CLASS
Confirmation Class, a ten module online course for youth inquiring about faith and preparing for confirmation just has begun. The class meets virtually at 4PM every Sunday. Based on "My Faith, My Life" the class entails independent work online as well as weekly meetings. There is still space for others to join. Please contact Mo. Shivaun as soon as possible to get set up on the new online platform.
SUNDAY MORNINGS @ 9am
Meeting ID: 833 0378 8008
Password: STJEC
ROGATION SUNDAY

Rogation Days, the three days preceding Ascension Day, especially devoted to asking for God’s blessing on agriculture and industry are days of prayer and fasting. A time to remind us that our lives and seasons are in God’s hands.

Rogation Sununday originated in Vienne, France, in the fifth century, when Bishop Mamertus introduced days of fasting and prayer to ward off a threatened disaster, primarily focusing on the planting season to ask for an abundant harvest in light of calamities such as war, disease, bad weather and natural disasters.
ROGATION SUNDAY
Sunday, April 25th
As a part of celebrating Rogation Sunday, St. John's is offering an opportunity to build a tomato planter with the hopes that households will feed themselves with the fruits of their harvest and also will share with our neighbors through our food pantry. The 5 gallon tomato planters and all the supplies will be blessed following the 10:30am service. We have supplies for 22 planters and are requesting one per household. If we have more sign-ups by by April 18th, we will appropriately gather more supplies. Suggested is $15 per planter (no one, however, will be turned away based on donation). Due to planning and supplies, we are requesting households to sign up in advance.

Sign up by Monday, April 19th.
For Rogation Sunday's, Tomato Planters, we are requesting donations of the following:

  • Gallon size Milk / Water containers or jugs
  • Plastic Soda / Water bottles with their tops

A box will be left outside the Solarium doors starting THIS Sunday through NEXT Sunday
to collect the bottles and containers.
graduation_kids.jpg
HONORING GRADUATES
&
GRADE PROMOTIONS
HONORING GRADUATES & PROMOTIONS
Sunday, June 6th

Know someone, family or friend graduating or being promotes this year? Please send an email to Mo. Shivaun with that information. We would love the opportunity to pray over and with our graduates.
SUNDAY COFFEE HOUR
Sundays @ 11am - Noon

Join Zoom Meeting

Meeting ID: 870 3415 1920
Password: STJEC
ESTHER DEEL
Sundays @ 12-1pm

Join Zoom Meeting

Meeting ID: 830 8468 5432
Password: STJEC
FAMILY COFFEE HOUR
Sun. April 18 @ 11:15am

Join Zoom Meeting
Meeting ID: 967 598 3901
Password: EpiscoKid
SUNDAY SCHOOL
PreK-2nd @ 9:15AM
3rd-5th @ 9:30AM

Join Zoom Meeting

Meeting ID: 967 598 3901
Password: EpiscoKid
MONDAY MISSION SOCIETY
Mondays @ 7pm


Join Zoom Meeting

Meeting ID: 894 2092 0635
Passcode: MMS
COMPLINE
Wednesdays Evenings
@ 7pm
Join Zoom Meeting

Meeting ID: 867 2402 6403
Passcode: STJEC
VIRTUAL RECORDING READERS
9am Thursday mornings in the church

*Please remember to wear a mask
for your safety and that of others

Thurs. April 22 - Will Lederer
Thurs. April 29 - Chuck McQueen
IN-PERSON READERS

Sunday, April 18
8am - Chuck McQueen
10:30am - Bill Fleming

Sunday, April 25
8am - ??
10:30am - Nancy Olkewicz
Use this list to pray for the sick,
shut-in, bereaved, or those merely
in need of prayer.


Philip Sardelis
Betsy O'Neil
Dana Glaudemans
Dorcas Taylor
Sean Miller
Diana
Betty
Olivia Rose
Sherine
Ava
The Loudon Family
Michael
Matthew Skube
Frances Hunt
Peter Cheung
Stan Simpson
Beblon Parks
Cheryl
Mary Persinger
Maura Parker
Chris Prinz
For if the willingness is there, the gift is acceptable according to what one has, not according to what one does not have.
2 Corinthians 8:12
*
Mail your gift to:
St. John's Episcopal Church
PO Box 187, Olney, MD 20832
AT-HOME EUCHARIST

To receive delivery of
pre-consecrated Host,
contact the office at 301.774.6999
or request online at
ST. JOHN'S EPISCOPAL CHURCH
3427 Olney-Laytonsville Road
Olney, MD 20832
301-774-6999