From the Priest in Charge

for June 2023

In last month’s newsletter, I began what I intend to be a series of articles regarding the Episcopal Church—an introduction of practices essential to understanding our worship at St. John Divine. The information is a follow up to a group study that I offered on Wednesday evenings during Lent for parishioners new to the faith and for those looking for a “refresher course” in the Episcopal Church.



In this issue, I will explore the beginning of the Episcopal Church in the United States. I will try to do that with a simple timeline.

l. Jesus commissions his disciples to “make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, Son and Holy Spirit”.

2. Disciples are impowered by the Holy Spirit at Pentecost.

3. Followers of Jesus stop observing Jewish Sabbath Day and start observing Sunday – the day Jesus rose from the dead.

4. Early Christians commemorate the resurrection by receiving and partaking of bread and wine as Jesus did at the Last Supper.

5. Christians call this Holy Eucharist.

6. Early Christians have no prayer book and, in their services, chant and sing Psalms and make up prayers.

7. Persecution of Christians begins in A.D. 64 with Roman emperor Nero.

8. Christianity goes beyond the Jewish community through missionary journeys of the disciples.

9. In A.D.313, the Roman Emperor Constantine gives Christianity official status and the worship, no longer held in secret, becomes standardized.

10. The Reformation, which lasted from 313 until the l6th Century, sees the Church under the control of Rome and the pope. (Around A.D. 1000 the Eastern Orthodox separates from Rome, denying papal authority.)

11. In 1534, the Roman Catholic Church severs its alliance with The Church IN England and the Church IN England becomes the Church OF England.

12. In 1607, with the colonization of Jamestown, VA, the Episcopal Church is born.  

13. In 1784, the American Episcopate has its beginnings when The Rev. Samuel Seabury is consecrated as the first Episcopal bishop in the United States by the Scottish Episcopal Church. (It is not possible to be consecrated by the Church of England because that necessitates acknowledging the supremacy of the King in England.)  

14. In 1787, an act of the English Parliament allows the consecration of William White and Samuel Provost by English Bishops at Lambeth Palace, and the American Episcopate continues.

15. On the thirteenth day in June, 1981, at Christ Church in Lexington, KY, a bishop consecrates Lee Miller to become a priest in this One Holy, Catholic and Apostolic Church. 

Father Lee

Rector Search Updates

Video Updates

New Rector Call Status 2: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iN8cie-i01Y

New Rector Call Status 1: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6medC2V91hM

We Want to Know Your Story!

Dear Parishioner:

As you know, we recently agreed to move forward with the HolyCow! Consulting to help us plan our future. You have been selected to participate in the first step, which is to conduct a congregational assessment. This assessment will provide a clear picture of who we are as a church and what directions are most important for our future. The tool we will use is the Congregation Assessment Tool (CAT), which will provide key indicators of our congregational health, along with areas of challenge and potential growth. It will help us to collect and understand the range of views that exist at St. John the Divine and the possibilities, willingness, capacity and energy, for moving our ministry into the future. 

If you have provided us with a current email address, within the next few days, you will receive a unique web link to complete the assessment online. If you would prefer to take the assessment using a paper copy, please stop by the office, and we will provide one for you along with a self-addressed stamped envelope. If incapable of travelling to the office, kindly let us know and we will mail it.

NOTE: If there is only one email address for all members of your household, it may be tempting to have one person take the survey on behalf of the family. However, please be sure your spouse and all young adults living in your home have an opportunity to complete the survey. INDIVIDUAL INPUT is key to our gaining insight into overall perceptions and experiences. 

Please set aside enough time to answer all the questions. This will take about thirty minutes. All survey responses are strictly anonymous. 

Thank you for your willingness to be a part of this congregational assessment and for helping to build St. John the Divine’s future. 

In Christ,

Clare E. Thompson, Chair: cgina51@yahoo.com | 917-754-4966

Don Fisher: dfisher@stjohndivine.com | 727-560-8876

Doug Roderick: daroderick5@aol.com | 843-283-2941

Dennis Accardo: ddaccardo1968@gmail.com | 516-592-1709

From Your Health Ministry

Blood Pressures will be taken after the 8 o'clock and the 10 o'clock services on the Last Sunday of the month.

In last month's Revelations B.E. F.A.S.T. .......To Reduce Stroke Impact was given....

This month, please test yourself and see if you remember what each letter meant.....B.........E........F.........A.......S.......T..

Junior Warden's Report

There is always something going on for the Jr Warden. Each week something else needs attention and we have been able to cover it with not too many problems or expenses, however, we are now faced with a large AC expense that is coming up soon. We lost one of the AC units that cools and heats the Parish Hall back in February. So far it has been cool enough to maintain the temperature with one unit. The new unit to replace the broken one should be arriving by the end of May (12 weeks delivery from the manufacture) and we need to pay the bill upon installation. This brings up our appeal for donations of any size to help pay for this repair. The AC unit is $23,600 pluus the modifications needed for removal and install.  

This is another $3,000. WE NEED YOUR HELP! We cannot operate with one unit through the summer heat and this is MUST repair. Please donate whatever you can afford and mark it for (NEW AC) on your check or envelope. If you have any questions or suggestions on how to cover this expense please see me or Don Fisher.  

Blessings and keep this much needed project in your prayers,

Steve Van Loan

Jr. Warden

Ramblings of an Over-Caffeinated, Sleep Deprived, Child Rearing, Millennial:

Printers and Copiers Conclusion

Hello everyone! I am happy to announce Vestry has chosen to work with Brandon Business Machines (or BBM) for our new Printers and Copiers. For those who do not know, BBM is a long-standing vendor for SJD in our technology needs. They provide us our online security for our network and firewall, additionally they support our computers with maintenance and quality control, and they have sold us many machines for our use, for instance new computers, monitors, the projectors in the sanctuary, and more. We are excited to expand our relationship with BBM to include Printers and Copiers, as we have always been enthusiastic about their services.

This change goes into effect in August, once our current machines’ contract ends. Once we have made our final payment, we will begin the transition to BBM’s new machines. BBM has assured us that they will handle the return of our old machines to their proper owners (as they are leases) and install our new machines. For those who wish to know, BBM uses Copystar by Kyocera machines, which are solid machines that we look forward to learning and operating soon.



I want to thank SJD’s Finance Committee & Vestry, Cheryl Savini, Don Fisher, and all the Sales Reps that we have worked with to make this decision happen.

Thank you all for your support,

Tristan M. Warner

Media & Tech Specialist 

The Story Behind the Name

Lee Roy Selmon Expressway

Lee Roy Selmon was the 10th son of sharecropper parents. He was born in a small home on a dirt road in Eufaula, Oklahoma. Selmon was the first player taken by the expansion Tampa Bay Buccaneers in the team’s inagural National Football League draft in 1976. The defensive tackle was the overall first pick and went on to lead the team’s worst-to-first rise to the National Fotball Conference championship game four years later. A two-time All American at the University of Oklahoma, and six-time Pro-Bowl selection with the Bucs, Selmon is a member of the College Football Hall of Fame (1988) and was Tampa Bay’s first inductee into the National Football League Hall of Fame in 1995.

After his gridiron career, he remained in Hillsborough County, first as a bank executive and then with the University of South Florida’s Athletic Department, where he took over as director in 2001. He died on September 4, 2011, at the age of 56.



As a tribute to Selmon, the Tampa Hillsborough Expressway Authority named the Crosstown Expressway after him. The first segment of the toll road extending from Gandy Boulevard to downtown Tampa opened in 1976.

In God's Grace and Peace,

Aubrey V. Thompson

Head Verger

Back to School - Wimauma Elementary School

Outreach Focus for June & July

Hello, St. John Divine family,

I am Brenda Roshaven and I am the Outreach contact for the months of June and July.

I have been in contact with Wimauma Elementary School. They are very excited to be the school that we will be blessing with school supplies for our “Back to School” outreach this year.

Wimauma Elementary is a neighborhood school for pre-k through fifth grade, located just south of route 674. They are a Title 1 school because of the number of students receiving lunch assistance. For many of these wonderful kids, the gift of a new backpack and other school supplies will be a significant blessing.

There will be a table in the parish hall where you can leave donations. The school is asking for any school supplies including bookbags, pencils, crayons and other items. A detailed list will be provided.

Donations of money can be given also. Some of you may enjoy shopping for the children. I know I do, while for some of you, a financial donation is more feasible. Indicate on the donation that it is for Wimauma Elementary. You may make a check out to SJD, write Wimauma Elementary on the memo line, and put it in the offering plate.

Jesus said what we do for the least of these we do for Him.

Be Blessed,

Brenda



Divine Jewelry Shoppe

1. Beginning June 7th the shop will begin Summer Hours which will be 9 to 12 on Wednesdays (just closing one hour earlier).
2. Please remember we now accept purses and jewelry
3. Beginning immediately the shop will open on Sundays at 9:30 a.m.
4. Come check out our newest inventory
5. We received some REAL jewelry and encourage you to come check it out.

Thank you once again for your support of this Church Fundraiser.   

Barbara & Jackie

Sponsoring Flowers

Sponsoring flowers for Sunday is a wonderful way to celebrate, honor, or remember a special person or an event, such as a birthday, anniversary, or achievement. Only $30 is the recommended donation for such an occasion. There is also opportunity to contribute to the purchase lilies for Easter.

Flowers used on Sunday are subsequently arranged in smaller bouquets, which are taken to people in hospitals or to those who are homebound. Although many recipients thoughtfully return vases to be used again, there is currently a shortage. The Flower Guild needs quart and pint size vases; however, they do not need bud vases. Anyone having some to donate, may bring them to church and leave them on the counter under the large bulletin board in the parish hall. They will be much appreciated.

The Flower Guild is looking for a few adventurous men and women, with talent they may not know they have, to arrange flowers for God's house. No experience is required. Guided training is provided. Anyone wishing to discover your hidden talent may email yoniece@yahoo.com or call/text at 941-545-8132.

Grief Support June 2023

The Box and the Ball

Grief is a tricky thing to explain. Everyone grieves differently, and there’s certainly no timeline that lets you know how you’re supposed to feel. To show this, Lauren Herschel shared an analogy that explains how grief changes over time and why it can still bubble up randomly. Her analogy — and the pictures she drew to explain it.

In the beginning, the ball is huge, you can’t move the box without the ball hitting the pain button. It rattles around on its own in there and hits the button over and over. You can’t control it – it just keeps hurting. Sometimes it seems unrelenting. Over time, the ball shrinks — but every now and then, it still hits the button. Maybe you see someone who reminds you of your loved one. Maybe a certain song plays on the radio. Maybe it comes out of nowhere. Over time, the ball gets smaller. It hits the button less and less but when it does, it hurts just as much. It’s better because you can function day to day more easily. But the downside is that the ball randomly hits that button when you least expect it. You will always grieve, but over time it will affect you less and less in your daily lif

The Grief Support Group at Saint John Divine offers more than just discussions for those who have lost someone. Grief is a natural process. It isn't a disorder or an illness. You may be grieving about anything you've lost, whether it's a loved one or a job or something that had meaning for you. We meet every month on the 2nd and 4th Mondays at 10:00 AM in the Wirick Room in the Banner building. When you feel the need, we can be there for you.

New Round of Foyer Groups

Our current round of Foyer Groups is coming to an end and we are ready to start a new rotation! (Foyer Groups, a longstanding Episcopal tradition, are small gatherings of parishioners who meet away from the church setting to share simple meals or activities and enjoy fellowship. They have no agenda—the intention is to have fun and get to know one another better. The uniqueness of the Foyer Group is its lack of formality and its focus on community.)

People who participated in earlier rounds report they thoroughly enjoyed the opportunity to spend some leisure time with fellow church members who they may not have met otherwise. 

Our next rotation will begin in June and run through December 2023. Each group will be comprised of approximately six people – a number that can be easily accommodated in any setting. Hosting responsibilities will rotate among the groups’ members so no one is overburdened. Participants are asked to commit to meet monthly if possible (if not, at least three times during the six-month timeframe). 

These are the upcoming Foyer opportunities:

• In-Home Supper Groups - Usually the meal is a potluck so the responsibility of preparing the food is shared. However, it is fine for the host/hostess to provide the entire meal if they prefer. It is also okay to “order in” instead of cooking. 
• Games Groups - Each host/hostess works with the group to determine whether they meet in the afternoon or evening. He/she also provides snacks or dessert and determines what game(s) will be played. 
• Eating Out Groups - Each host/hostess works with the group to determine whether to eat out for lunch or dinner and then chooses a restaurant that is a reasonable distance away.

Don’t miss the next round! Sign up for the group of your choice at the kiosk table in the Parish Hall. 

If you have questions or suggestions, please contact a member of the organizing team: Linda Duhn at lduhn06@gmail.com, Linda Floyd at lfloyd21@tampabay.rr.com, Doug Roderick at daroderick5@aol.com or Jackie Winder at jtw5496@gmail.com. 

Monthly Breakfast on Summer Hiatus

The members of the Breakfast Team love what they do. This past season (Oct., Nov., Jan., March and April) we served 277 breakfasts ( 53, 68, 48, 38 and 50). All who participated seemed to really enjoy themselves. Our net income for the season was $157.93 which has been donated to the Church’s Hospitality Fund. We enjoy bringing this ministry to SJD and look forward to being back in October.

Joy Johnson, Team Leader

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