We congratulate Fr. James Reho, who has just accepted a call to become Rector of St. Catherine’s Church in Temple Terrace, Florida. Fr. Reho has served as Chaplain for St. John’s School, with preaching and celebrating responsibilities on Sundays for the parish, since the summer of 2019. his last Sunday with us will be 23 January, when he will preach and celebrate at both the 8 and 10 AM celebrations of the Holy Eucharist. There will be receptions for him and Lori following both services.

A “purse“ will be presented to him on that Sunday. If you would like to contribute to this financial gift for Fr. James, click here, adding the note or instruction, “Fr. Reho‘s Purse.” You may also send in a check made out to St. John’s with “Fr. Reho‘s Purse“ in the memo line, to St. John’s Episcopal Church, 906 S. Orleans Ave., Tampa, FL 33606.

We thank both Fr. James and Lori for their contributions to our common life, we will miss them, and pray Godspeed as they follow God’s call to St. Catherine’s.

Our 2021 Christmas service schedule is out! Join us for any of these wonderful celebrations of the holiday!

4:00 p.m. – Children’s Christmas Pageant with Holy Eucharist, Rite II

6:00 p.m. – The Holy Eucharist, Rite II, with the Choir of St. John’s

11:00 p.m. – The Holy Eucharist, Rite I, with the Choir of St. John’s (pre-service string quartet music begins at 10:30).

10:00 a.m. The Holy Eucharist, Rite II, with congregational singing

The 12 days of Christmas have within them several major feasts, some of which are little known by the average churchgoer. Of course, everyone knows of the Feast of the Nativity of our Lord Jesus Christ, which falls on 25 December, and the Feast of the Epiphany, which falls on 6 January, and which we will celebrate with the Eucharist at 10:00 a.m., ending Christmastide. We will also celebrate the Feasts of St. Stephen on 27 December with a Eucharist at 10:00 a.m. (transferred from the 26th because it falls on a Sunday), St. John on 28 December with a Eucharist at 10:00 a.m., the Holy Innocents on 29 December with a Eucharist at 12:15 p.m., and the Holy Name on 1 January, with a Eucharist at 10am. These wonderful feasts give shape to the 12 days of Christmas and provide a depth of meaning to our celebration of the Incarnation. Won’t you join us as we observe the fullness of the season?

Start out the new year by joining your parish family in a food packing event on Sunday, January 2 in the Parish Hall immediately following the 10:00 a.m. service. Your Clergy and Vestry have decided to allocate the proceeds from our Thanksgiving offering to fund this special event, but we still need you to be the hands and feet of the operation – to pack these meals for our hungry neighbors. The event is organized by Kids Against Hunger (www.kahflorida.org) and all meals will go to the Dominican Republic. We anticipate packing an amazing 15,000 meals in just 90 minutes of work, which is enough to feed a small school for about a year.  There are no special skills needed – just show up and have fun serving the Lord!  If you can’t attend the event but would like to support the effort financially, you are welcome to send a check into the office earmarked for Kids Against Hunger. Please contact Fr. Cannon if you have any questions. Learn more at this video link:  A Glimpse Into a Pack-a-Thon - Bing video

Our next Parish Brunch will take place this Sunday, December 19 following the 10:00 a.m. service. Chef Dave and his team will serve egg strata (made by Erika Cannon), and continental-style treats. A huge thanks to Keri Power and Shawn O'Brien for all their help!

Interested adults are invited to join us for an in-person Advent study, in the Lowry Room between services on Sundays from 8:50 to 9:50 a.m. This will be a video-based study, Light of the World, by internationally renowned scholar, teacher and author Dr Amy-Jill Levine, University Professor of New Testament and Jewish Studies at Vanderbilt Divinity School. Bring your coffee and join the conversation! For more information, contact Deacon Kathleen at kmoore@stjohnstampa.org or 785.9400.

The St. Bartholomew Travel Society is excited to announce its much-anticipated pilgrimage/tour August 31 through September 14, 2022 to four Balkan countries: Croatia, Slovenia, Montenegro, and Bosnia & Herzegovina. These countries are visually stunning and contain several UNESCO World Heritage sites. This all-inclusive program

promises to be both spiritually and culturally enriching. Departure on August 31 will be from Church of the Redeemer to Miami International Airport.

Look for more details at a table in the courtyard beginning this Sunday, November 28. Questions? Please contact Linda Robinson at lindarobinsonsrq@gmail.com or 941.914.2688.

Cornerstone Kids and our fellow parishioners had a blast at their annual Christmas party last week!

Appreciated securities make a fantastic gift to the Operating Fund, the Endowment, or the Building Fund. You may be eligible to take advantage of a two-fold tax savings. First, you avoid paying any capital gains tax on the increase in value of your stock. In addition, you receive a tax deduction for the full fair market value of the stock on the date of the gift. Mr. John Edgar, our Parish Administrator, is available to help you make a gift of stock both quick and convenient. Please contact him at 259.1750.

Our hearts go out to all of the victims of the recent tornadoes in the Mississippi Valley, the Southeast, and the Midwest. If you wish to make a donation through the Church to help the victims, make your check out to St. John’s Church, with the memo Tornado Relief Fund. Our donations will be sent to Episcopal Relief and Development, which is working with various local agencies dealing with this crisis.

Cornerstone Kids Inc, an after-school program for children aged 5 to 11 years in the Tampa Heights area, is seeking a new Executive Director to lead the daily operations for the program. This is a full-time, year-round administrative position. Cornerstone Kids is a 501 (c)3 non-profit program that has served the Tampa Heights community for almost 30 years. Its mission is to assist at-risk, inner city children in their spiritual, educational and emotional development in a safe, secure and nurturing environment, focusing on homework assistance/tutoring, reading and math, technology, mentoring, nutrition, and social-emotional development. Staff consists of 5 teachers, a cook, and a small pool of volunteers. Qualifications include a BA/BS degree in business, education or related field; experience in leading youth development operations,; and five or more years of experience in licensed child care and/or educational program management, employee supervision, grant administration, budget accountability and professional development. The position is open until filled. St John’s is a long-time partner and supporter of the Cornerstone program, which is housed at St James-House of Prayer Episcopal Church. For more information, contact Deacon Moore at 785-9400 or kmoore@stjohnstampa.org.

The church buildings will be closed for maintenance from Monday, December 20 through midday on Wednesday, December 22. Please feel free to email staff and clergy with any immediate needs.

We will also be closed for the Christmas holiday from noon on Christmas Eve to Wednesday, December 29. For the New Year's holiday, we will close at noon on New Year's Eve and will reopen on Tuesday, January 4

Members of the Contemporary Women's Bible Study met Saturday at Robin Johnson’s house for holiday fellowship and a Christmas cookie swap!

St John's 2021 Christmas Pageant Cast! Don't forget that our Pageant dress rehearsal is THIS Saturday, December 18, from 10:00 a.m. to noon in the Church. Snacks will be provided in the Parish Hall! If you have not selected your child's Pageant costume yet, please meet Ayana at Connelly House at 9:15 a.m.

Check out the pictures from this past weekend's service day at Metropolitan Ministries!

Do you have activities going on? Let Ayana know, she'd love to be there!

Our 2022 Youth Mission Trip is now open! We will be serving in New Orleans from Thursday, June 2 through Thursday, June 9. The cost is $550 per person. We will sign for 30 service hours, and a $100 deposit will secure your spot!

Don’t forget to follow our EYC Instagram to stay up to date on current and upcoming events. we are taking a break from the One Minute Devotionals until the New Year, when it will become a monthly addition to our EYC Instagram, but we

Join our Remind EYC group text to stay up to date on EYC happenings by clicking here (from your phone)!

The Women’s Mid Morning Bible Study has concluded their fall study of the first and second letters of Paul to the Thessalonians. The group will break for Advent and Christmas, resuming meeting on Tuesday, January 11. The venue is yet to be decided. They will be studying 1 and 2 Timothy and Titus for the first half of 2022. More information will be forthcoming.

To learn more, contact Sally Wiley at wiley48sm@gmail.com or 244.4497 or Pat Wilson at patwilson68@tampabay.rr.com. All women of the parish and those whom they would like to invite are welcome to join them.

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.

Flowers and the candle adorning the High Altar and the 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 on one of the dates below, contact us at parish@stjohnstampa.org or 259.1570.

January 2 – Flowers at the Chapel Altar

January 9 – Flowers at the Church Altar

January 16 – Flowers at the Chapel Altar

January 23 - Candle in the Sanctuary Light

January 30 – Candle in the Sanctuary Light

The next Love INC 101 session will be held on Wednesday, December 15 from noon to 1:00 p.m. on Zoom. If you would like more information about volunteer opportunities at Love INC (St John’s is a founding partner church), you may register on the Love INC website. Go to www.loveinctampa.org and click on "Upcoming Events. Questions? Please call Evan Smith, Love INC Executive Director, at 407.221.1931 (cell) or contact Deacon Kathleen at 785.9400.

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.

December 16, Bridget Wiese, Andrew Mason, Samuel Shoukry

December 17, Lynn Rydene, Jackson Andrews, Dennis Carr

December 18, John Webster, Ronnie Goodheart

December 19, Paul Keesling, Sandy Murray, Lora Hulse, Marilin Espino-Maya, Evan Lick, Keith Bexley

December 20, Rosalyn Gibbs, Grayson Leal, Bob Gaudsmith, Walker Martin, Ivy Gustafson, Nate Lacktman, Taylor Moore

December 21, none

December 22, Tricia Hancock, Stephen Swindal, Pat Wilson, Zigmund Bereday, JoAnna Hall, Anne Williams, Eric Stoll

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., in the Church and on Facebook, and our website, followed by Coffee Hour Fellowship

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

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 our most current safety guidance here.

The audio for sermons is here. New sermons are uploaded by Tuesday 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 Friday (open Fridays starting December 3). 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 to 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.