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The Bridge
May 14, 2021

The Mission of St. John’s is to be a community of God’s people who heal brokenness, build bridges, and exemplify borderless kindness.
New Service Times Beginning May 23, 2021
9:00 a.m. Holy Eucharist Rite I (in-person in the church)
10:30 a.m. Holy Eucharist Rite II (in-person in the church and Zoom)
1:00 p.m. Holy Eucharist Rite II - Spanish (in-person in the church)
Let's Celebrate!

Sunday, May 23 - The Day of Pentecost

It has been a long time since we were able to gather around the table and break bread together - both liturgically and socially. On this feast day marking the coming of the Holy Spirit, we will joyfully worship inside the church and have a meal together!

Please use the links provided below to register for the service you wish to attend. It is important for us to track the numbers as we move back into the church. As COVID conditions improve, we will expand the numbers; for now, please help us keep everyone safe and healthy.
We will gather outdoors after each service for a meal which will be provided by the church. We do need volunteers to help with each service - setting up tables and chairs, setting out decorations, serving the meal.

If you are able to help, please contact the following for each service:
Margaret Beare 9:00 a.m. service
Sheri Rasmussen 10:30 a.m. service

(click on the name to send an email)
Sunday Worship at St. John's
We worship God in a variety of ways.
This is an in-person service inside the church. Safety protocols will be observed, i.e., masks, distancing, and limited attendance. Please register for this service using the link above.
To participate in our virtual Sunday services, you do not need to have a Zoom account or download Zoom. Simply click the link to join.

You may also join the service by telephone -
dial (346) 248-7799 and enter the meeting ID when prompted.
Meeting ID: 879 9502 6837
The Waiting Room is enabled for this event and is monitored by the Verger of the day. Participants are admitted into the service when the pre-service practice is over and as people arrive.
Please note: Everyone except those people who have an active role in the service will be muted. This is to minimize background noise. At the Prayers of the People, you will be invited to put any prayer requests into the "Chat" and Deacon Victoria will read these at the appropriate time.
The virtual English service will be recorded and video will be posted on the St. John's Facebook page, YouTube, and the St. John's website later in the day. Additionally, a recording of the English sermon will be available. Links to the recordings will be posted on our website (Austin St. John's).
Virtual Coffee and Fellowship

Join friends for a virtual coffee "hour" every Sunday! This begins after the 9:30am service (about 10:15am), so just stay on Zoom when the service ends. If you don't attend the service, you can click on this button to join the fun:
Consider This
Celebrate the Differences!

It is never too late to give up our prejudices.
Henry David Thoreau in Live Good,
Compendium Publishing, 2007
St. John's Notices and Activities
Christian Formation

  • Lectionary Based Bible Study: Wednesdays at 7:00pm (Zoom)
  • Scripture Based Book Study: Thursdays at 10:00am (Zoom)

(please refer to our website austinstjohns.org or to the Christian Formation email sent every Tuesday for more information and links)
Honoring Our Graduates

Graduation time is here, and we’d like to honor all of our graduates—high school, college or other—in the May 28 issue of The Bridge. Parents, or grandparents, aunts and uncles, send your graduate’s name and a brief, one-sentence bio to Fay Jones, Editor by Tuesday, May 25.
Wednesday Morning Grounds Keepers

Every Wednesday morning at 8:00am, a group of dedicated members gather to keep our grounds and buildings neat and clean. You are invited to join them - for a day, for a month, or regularly. Many hands make light work! If you have questions about this ministry, please contact Hal Hughes (click on the name to send an email).
Labyrinth Community Garden

The Labyrinth Community Garden is growing! Spring veggies and herbs are abundant in the leased raised beds. If you are interested in obtaining a bed for you and your family, please contact Patty Arnold (click on the name to send an email).
Office Volunteers - An Invitation

These volunteers staff the Parish office during the week. The office is open on Wednesdays and Fridays from 10am-12pm. Duties include being a presence on our campus, answering the phone, and some light clerical tasks. Currently we are in need of someone to be in the office from 10am-12pm on Wednesday mornings. If you are interested in this ministry, or would like to have more information, please contact Sheri Rasmussen (click on the name to send an email).
COVID-19 Related Information
U.S. Health & Human Services Alert

The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Office of Inspector General is alerting the public about fraud schemes related to the novel coronavirus (COVID-19). Scammers are using telemarketing calls, text messages, social media platforms, and door-to-door visits to perpetrate COVID-19-related scams.

  • Don't share a photo of your COVID-19 vaccination card online or on social media. Scammers can use content you post, like your date of birth, health care details, or other personal information to steal your identity. Be cautious of COVID-19 survey scams. Do not give your personal, medical, or financial information to anyone claiming to offer money or gifts in exchange for your participation in a COVID-19 vaccine survey.

If you suspect COVID-19 health care fraud, report it online or call 800-HHS-TIPS (800-447-8477). TTY users can call 1-800-377-4950. You can see more information by clicking this button:
New FDA announcement
Children 12 to 15 years old eligible for vaccine

The Food and Drug Administration said Monday that children 12 to 15 years old are now eligible to receive a key COVID-19 vaccine as the agency expanded its emergency use authorization for the Pfizer/BioNTech vaccine ... "Parents and guardians can rest assured that the agency undertook a rigorous and thorough review of all available data, as we have with all of our COVID-19 vaccine emergency use authorizations," Woodcock said ... All three makers of U.S.-authorized vaccines — Pfizer, Moderna and Johnson & Johnson — are studying the safety and effectiveness of their vaccines in children, including as young as 6 months.

To read the entire article, click here:
If you need access information for vaccine registration, please go to the church website: Austin St. John's vaccination information.
COVID Safety Guidelines from Austin Public Health

Austin-Travis County is currently in Stage 3
click the image to view the color coded guidelines
Please click this button to read the latest suggested guidelines to stay safe and healthy during the pandemic:
CDC Interim Public Health Recommendations for Fully Vaccinated People

"This set of public health recommendations for fully vaccinated people will be updated and expanded based on the level of community spread of SARS-CoV-2, the proportion of the population that is fully vaccinated, and the rapidly evolving science on COVID-19 vaccines.

For the purposes of this guidance, people are considered fully vaccinated for COVID-19 ≥2 weeks after they have received the second dose in a 2-dose series (Pfizer-BioNTech or Moderna), or ≥2 weeks after they have received a single-dose vaccine (Johnson and Johnson (J&J)/Janssen)."

Click on the chart to read the article and see larger view:
Regardless of vaccination status or stage, individuals need to continue to follow the additional requirements of local businesses, venues and schools, as the Health Authority Rules remain in place through May 18.
Community Notices and Activities
Memorial Service Honoring George Floyd
May 25, 2021, 8:00 p.m. EST (7:00 p.m. Austin)

A group of bishops, including Presiding Bishop Michael Curry, will hold a virtual memorial service to mark the first anniversary of the murder of George Floyd on May 25.

The multi-diocesan effort will include prerecorded liturgy, messages and music, including a prayer of lament filmed in George Floyd Square in Minneapolis, Minnesota.

The service is intended to honor the memory of Floyd as an individual, but also as one of many people of color who have been killed by police in the United States, and also to honor the national movement to end police brutality and systemic racism.

To read more about this service, please click this button:
The pre-recorded service, featuring a reflection by Presiding Bishop Michael Curry, will air on May 25 at 8 p. m. EST on the Facebook page of the Diocese of Indianapolis. Click this button to go to the Facebook page for the Diocese of Indianapolis to view the service:
Caring for Each Other
For Prayer and Pastoral Care

St. John's is interested in meeting the pastoral needs of our community. If you have prayer requestsCli please contact  Sheri Rasmussen. If you need pastoral care please contact Mthr. Minerva or Deacon Victoria. If you would like the Daughters of the King to include you in their prayer list, please contact Sandra Ward.
If you find that your situation is causing financial, spiritual, or emotional difficulties, or if you are in need of food, do not hesitate to call Deacon Victoria (512-297-5953) or contact Mthr. Minerva (RevMinerva@austinstjohns.org).

We are a church family; when a family member needs assistance we want to try and help that member.
Our Gathering Policy
Our facilities are available for use at 25% capacity. We continue to require masks and social distancing for all in-person worship services and other gatherings in which persons who are not fully vaccinated may be present. An air purifier will be operated in our facilities.

  • Fully vaccinated means:
  • Pfizer and Moderna – 2 doses plus a two-week waiting period
  • Johnson & Johnson – 1 dose plus a two-week waiting period

The Parish Office is open on Wednesdays and Fridays from 10am - 12Noon. Please wear your mask and practice social distancing when coming to the office.
Our Vestry
Ms. Paula Foy, Senior Warden
paf57@hotmail.com
Mr. Hal Hughes, Junior Warden
hhughesjr@austin.rr.com
Ms. Sandra Welles, Treasurer
sandraewelles@gmail.com
Class of 2022
Ms. Paula Foy
Mr. Hal Hughes
Sra. Rosalinda Rodriguez
Class of 2023
Ms. Jessica Glasebrook, Clerk
Mr. Steve Kriechbaum
Ms. Sandra Welles
Class of 2024
Ms. Maria Caballero
Sr. Alfonso Hernandez
Ms. Sandra Ward
Our Staff
The Rev. Minerva Camarena Skeith, Rector
revminerva@austinstjohns.org

The Rev. Victoria Mason, Deacon
deaconvic@austinstjohns.org
Ms. Fay Jones, Director of Communications
fay@austinstjohns.org

Mr. Philip Riley, Choirmaster and Organist
philip.riley@earthlink.net

Sr. Alfonso Hernandez, Spanish Music
alficapone2099@hotmail.com
Please visit our website (Austin St. John's)
for other ways to make a donation.
Fay Jones, Editor (fay@austinstjohns.org)
St. John's Episcopal Church
11201 Parkfield Drive
P. O. Box 81493, Austin, TX 78708-1493
Sunday Services
8:00 am        In-Person Holy Communion Rite I, English (Indoors)
9:30 am        Virtual Liturgy of the Word Rite II, English (Zoom)
11:15 am        In-Person Holy Communion Rite II, English (Outdoors)
1:00 pm       In-Person Holy Communion Rite II, Spanish (Outdoors)
For more information about St. John’s Episcopal Church, please visit our website at www.austinstjohns.org