“Christ is risen! He is risen indeed! Alleluia!” Huh? We say this during the Easter season, but it’s now early August. What does this mean? As we learned in our fourth Summer Sunday Vacation Bible School series, Jesus is risen from the dead (Luke 24:36-49 ESV), and following his resurrection, He appeared to his disciples. Jesus did not leave them in doubt or disbelief, but showed himself to them – even eating a piece of broiled fish!

Sometimes we wish that we could see and touch Jesus like those first disciples, but Jesus tells us this: “Blessed are those who have not seen, and yet have believed” (John 20:29). Jesus tells us that we are blessed because we have not seen, and yet we do believe! This is what the sermon for this past Sunday made clear: we worship and serve a risen Savior who lives and reigns to all eternity.

St. John's congregational leadership continues to closely monitor updates by the State of Virginia and the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) on COVID guidance, the Delta variant, and wearing of mask protocols. The new CDC guidance released on July 27 related to the Delta variant updated their guidance on wearing a mask indoors in public, even if fully vaccinated. 

According to the current CDC tracking levels for community transmission, Fairfax County has just been updated to the level of "substantial transmission." We are thus recommending that everyone, including individuals fully vaccinated against COVID-19, wear a mask in indoor settings. Click here for more information on Fairfax County COVID-19 guidelines.

If you have questions or concerns, please be in touch with the church office.

Here’s what happened in Week 4 of our VBS: We learned that Jesus saves me and gives me life. Our Bible Story was “Jesus Appears to His Followers” in Luke 24:36–49.

Our VBS event will conclude next Sunday, August 8. Everyone is invited to join us for our final Sunday.

Enjoy these fun photos from Sunday's VBS!

Thank you to everyone who helped in any way with St. John’s National Night Out (NNO), which took place last evening on Tuesday, August 3 on the westside property of our church campus. We were blessed with incredibly beautiful weather for this event—thank you, Lord! As we enjoyed reuniting with fellow members, families from our Early Childhood Education Center (ECEC), and Scouting programs, as well as neighbors who live nearby to church, we realize how important these relationships are, especially over the last year and a half. The purpose of National Night Out is to bring neighbors together in order to become better acquainted, and in partnership with local community safety leaders (fire, police, and EMTs), to work together to ensure that our community is a safe place.

Mark your calendars for Sunday, September 12 - Homecoming Sunday at St. John’s! We are rebranding what we used to call “Rally Sunday” or “Kick-Off Sunday,” the start of a new year of Christian learning for all ages, and are calling this “Homecoming Sunday.” Why the change? The last 18 months have kept many people away from their church home, and so we want to invite people to come home to St. John’s on September 12.

Weather permitting, we will hold the event on the westside property of our church grounds. Please watch for more information that will be forthcoming in the weeks ahead. Questions? Please contact Cathy Long, Minister of Connecting on St. John’s Church Council.

Want to make a difference in someone’s life? Join us teaching English online to our immigrant neighbors. Volunteers must commit to teach one online class per week, September 14-November 18. Classes are held on Tuesdays and Thursdays, 10:00-11:30AM and 7:30-9:00PM. Students attend two classes per week; volunteers teach one class per week. 

Small Zoom classes offer the opportunity to build meaningful human connections. Our adult students are eager to learn and extremely appreciative. Training and books are provided. No experience necessary—just a smile and desire to help people from other countries! Click here for more information or email ESL Coordinator Dori McCormick.

Maritza Guerra and family

You are invited to purchase a backpack and supplies or to make a monetary donation ($25 suggested). Checks and supplies can be dropped off the week of August 9 at Koinonia, 6037 Franconia Road, Alexandria (behind Franconia United Methodist Church) during our normal hours of operation. Donations must be received no later than Friday, August 13 to allow the volunteers time to fill the backpacks before distribution on August 14. (Please note that new socks and underwear are always welcome!) Click here to see a list of some of the items students are required to bring on the first day of school.

For your convenience, there is a "Wishlist" on Amazon for the needed school supplies (August Angels Supply List). If preferred, purchases can be shipped directly to Koinonia, 6037 Franconia Road, Alexandria, VA 22310.

Cash donations can be made online (click here) or mail to:

If you would like to help sort supplies and stuff backpacks on August 13, please click here to fill out a volunteer application. Most of the COVID restrictions have been lifted; however, we continue to require the wearing of face masks. NOTE: Youth volunteers who need service hours are welcome to help!

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