"To know Christ and to make Him known . . . " | |
The Weekly Sunday Bulletin of St. John’s Episcopal Church | |
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Something that was emphasized for me this week was the importance of seeking encounters and experiences in the world today. Travelling and music festivals are just two of the ways in which I feel my generation most popularly seeks encounters (and neither are wrong). Then again, the lax attitudes towards and legalization of marijuana and psychedelic drugs points to a need in our society to experience something “real” or mind-altering for the sake of self-improvement.
Of course, none of these things are new to the world, but their continued popularity points to the larger fact of human experience that we are always seeking out meaning, purpose, and contentment. We tend to also seek experiences that might already confirm what we think and know, hence the creation of echo chambers both in real life and on-line. Our faith in Jesus Christ presents us with an encounter with the one who made us and loved us first before anyone else. This is a very real encounter because we believe that He is still living.
This importance of encounter was talked about in the context of evangelism and the fact that we Christians have a history of evangelism through information. In this age of both mass information and needed encounters, how does a Christian get a word in edgewise? Perhaps we need to encounter Jesus Christ once again ourselves. The Gospel, while it is information as good news, is news about the encounter of God Incarnate with His people. This is life-changing news because it confronts us with an encounter that should motivate us more than any trip, abroad or in the home, can provide. It is the fullness of what is real and true and beautiful in this world offering us a very personal relationship, because it comes from the One who knows us.
Some questions to leave you with to meditate on: When was the last time you encountered Jesus Christ? What do you believe about what God has done, what He is doing, and what He will do in your life? How can I best witness to my encounter with Jesus to others?
Yours in Christ,
Fr. Zach
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The Readings
Isaiah 5:1-7
Psalm 80:7-14
Philippians 3:4b-14
Matthew 21:33-46
Join us for Sunday Worship at 8:00 am and 10:00 am in the church or remotely on Zoom and Facebook.
8:00 am - Rite I Holy Eucharist
Zoom: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/83803451202
Facebook Live Stream: https://www.facebook.com/stjohns1745
Bulletin: Rite I After Pentecost
No Sunday School this week - Sunday School Calendar
10:00 am – Rite II Choral Eucharist
Zoom: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/86739553648
Facebook Live Stream: https://www.facebook.com/stjohns1745
Bulletin: Rite II Baptism
Music
Opening Hymn: 400 All creatures of our God and King, verses 1-3, 7
Sequence Hymn: Come thou fount, of every blessing, vs 1-2
Offertory Anthem: "You are loved" by Bonnie Masi
Communion Hynn: LEVAS 151 One Bread, One Body
Closing Hymn: 495 Hail, thou once despised Jesus
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HARVEST FAIR GIFT BASKETS | |
The Gift Basket Raffles are very profitable and a fun event at our Harvest Fair.
Please HELP US so that we can continue to financially support our church and the charities that need us, too!
Ways to help:
- Monetary donation ($25, $50, $100, $150)
- Make a gift basket
- Purchase items for a gift basket
- Donate a gift certificate
Click to download form, then put completed form in the basket at the back of the church:
HARVEST FAIR BASKET FORM
Please contact Chris Boccia with any questions at (631) 245-2252
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Saturday, October 7th at 5:00 pm in the Garden of Blessings
We invite you and your leashed or small caged animal companions (or bring a photo of your pet) for a special blessing in honor of St. Francis of Assisi, Patron Saint of Animals. Join us in the Garden of Blessings. All are welcome!
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SPECIAL OFFERING FOR CURATE | |
We are collecting a Special Offering this Sunday, October 8th for our Curate's Discretionary Fund in thanksgiving for Fr. Zach's ordination. Clergy often use their discretionary funds to help those in our community in need of immediate assistance.
Please make check's payable to "St. John's Church" with "Fr. Zach" or "Curate" written in the memo.
You may also mail your check to:
St. John's Church
Rev. Zachary Baker, Curate
12 Prospect St
Huntington, NY 11743
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LONG ISLAND HARVEST FESTIVAL & COLUMBUS DAY PARADE | |
For parking and transportation purposes please keep in mind...
Huntington's annual Columbus Day Parade will take place this Sunday, October 8th. Main Street will be closed beginning around 11:30 am. The parade will march west along Main Street past St. John's Church from the John J. Flanagan Senior Center near the YMCA.
Also, The Long Island Fall Festival is happening this weekend in Hecksher Park. On Sunday it will be open from 11 am - 9 pm.
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PARISH OFFICE CLOSED MONDAY | The Parish Office will be closed on Monday, October 9th in observance of the holiday. | |
SOCIAL JUSTICE ACTION NETWORK TRAINING | |
After spending most of this year focused on our Parish History project, we expect to finish it in December and are getting ready to re-engage in our broader justice mission. As we resume this work, we are asking not only our members but also the entire parish to stop just talking about social justice and actually do social justice. This is an invitation to join the training being provided by Abraham’s Table of Long Island to form Beloved Community Action Networks for this purpose.
There are three training sessions on Zoom on Wednesday, October 11, 18 and 25 from 7:00-9:00PM and you will need to register for them by October 9.
The registration link is: https://bit.ly/AT_Action-Network_Registration.
The project was launched on September 6 and the training is the next step to help organizations like us form an Action Network.
Working primarily with religious congregations (including St. John’s) and other community-service organizations, Abraham’s Table proposed the creation of Action Networks to spread the message of anti-hate throughout Long Island in response to a 40% rise in bias incidents here in just one year. These Action Networks would serve a two-fold purpose: first, to educate their communities about the importance of creating the Beloved Community in which all people are accepted as and for who they are; second, to teach them how to respond respectfully and responsibly to hate crimes and incidents that may occur in their communities. Perhaps as a result of Sacred Ground, at St. John’s we see a more positive message of love (instead of anti-hate), the love that Jesus taught us and expects of us as we work to make ‘Becoming Beloved Community’, in the words of our Presiding Bishop Michael Curry, a reality.
Please contact Heather Kress at hkress44@gmail.com for more information.
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HEALING SERVICE IN OCTOBER | |
Please join us for a safe and loving offering of prayer and healing on Thursday, October 12th at 7:00 pm.
We believe that not only does Jesus still heal today, but that healing is one of the most powerful ministries of evangelization. Jesus never preached the Gospel of the kingdom of God without demonstrating the kingdom through signs, wonders, and miracles, with healing as the most frequent demonstration of God’s love.
Healing services at St. John’s will include a time of worship and praise, proclamation of the Gospel and preaching, corporate prayer for healing ending with individual prayer teams for healing. Come prepared for breakthrough!
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The Ingathering for United Thank Offering (UTO) will be on Sunday, October 15.
Please be generous in supporting this great ECW mission. UTO is entrusted to receive the offerings, and to distribute the 100% of what is collected to support innovative mission and ministry throughout The Episcopal Church and Provinces of the Anglican Communion:
GRATITUDE
“In ordinary life, we hardly realize that we receive a great deal more than we give, and that it is only with gratitude that life becomes rich.”
–Dietrich Bonhoeffer
Gratitude is a Christian virtue. It helps us love more deeply and be more present to the Holy Spirit at work in the world.
GIVE thanks to God for your blessings.
MAKE an offering for each blessing.
YOUR BLESSING becomes a blessing for others.
2023 Grant Awards Given
Please make checks payable to “St. John's Church" with "UTO" written in memo. Envelopes for UTO can be found on the table at the back of the church or in your bulletins October 15th.
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Our annual Harvest Fair will take place on Saturday, October 21st 10am to 4pm.
Ways you can HELP US TO HELP OTHERS:
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Purchase Raffle Tickets - Raffle tickets went out in the mail last week. More books are available in the Parish Office.
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Invite your friends and family to shop, dine and visit our beautiful, historic church.
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Make a craft – woodworking items, Christmas decorations, homemade soap, sachets or potpourri are just suggestions. Use your creativity!
We need your SILENT AUCTION DONATIONS!
ITEM SUGGESTIONS:
- Use of your vacation home or timeshare
- Golf at a private country club
- Bottles of good to excellent quality wines
- Bottles of premium champagne
- Dried flower arrangements
- NEW electronic items ie: laptops, ipads
- New framed prints
- Personal items such as new designer bags
- Jewelry
DAY DESTINATION SUGGESTIONS:
- Wine tasting
- A day at a private beach club
- Breweries
- Tickets to shows at local venues, ie: Paramount, Engeman Theater, Tiles Center
- Day spa certificates
- Gym\Message certificates
- Restaurant certificates to your favorite places
- Hotel stays for 1 or 2 nights, ie: Marriott, Oheka Castle or other resorts
- Tickets to sporting events: Jets, Yankees, Mets, Giants, Islanders
To volunteer or learn more, contact Carol Goldbaum, ECW President.
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The Ecclesiastes study will begin October 30th. We will be using Jacques Ellul's Reason for Being: A Meditation on Ecclesiastes as a background guide. Purchase is not required but recommended and supplements from it will be provided. Participants are asked to have read over Ecclesiastes beforehand and personal notes and meditations on it are highly encouraged.
We are sold out of copies in the office, but you could currently purchase a new edition at Amazon for $39: Reason for Being: A Meditation on Ecclesiastes, or at Thrift Books for $29.98: Reason for Being: A Meditation on Ecclesiastes.
Beginning October 30th & 31st, Bible Study will meet regularly on Mondays at 6:30 pm on Zoom (https://us02web.zoom.us/j/83373971746) and Tuesdays at 11:00 am in person in the Guild Room. The material covered each Monday evening will be covered on the following Tuesday morning.
Please reach out to Zach with any questions, (631) 427-1752, ext. 104.
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"Sing to him, sing praises to him,
and speak of all his marvelous works."
(Psalm 105:2)
Lift your voice and sing with St. John's Choir! We are looking for singers of all vocal types and levels who want to enhance our worship experience through music. We meet on Sundays in the choir room at 9:15 am to robe and warm up for the 10 am service. Rehearsals are usually on Sunday afternoons and two Thursday evening each month. There are also opportunities to sing at our Healing and Evensong services.
If you are interested please reach out to our Music Director, Alex Pryrodny, or feel free to join us on Sunday morning at 9:15 am in the choir room.
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Please join us at St. John's for Evensong, an ancient traditional Anglican/Episcopal service of evening prayers, psalms, biblical readings and canticles, chanted in a choral setting. Please join us Thursday, October 26th at 7:00 pm in the church.
All are welcome! Join us to pray for our broken world in need of healing, through the gift of music!
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All are welcome at Morning Prayer. We meet Monday through Friday at 9:00 am via Zoom.
Our short prayer service is followed by some fellowship and discussion. Feel free to join us occasionally to listen and pray, or come more often to participate as a leader or reader, and to start your day with your focus on Christ and a deeper connection with your friends at St. John's.
Join us via Zoom: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/86041146543
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On Wednesdays, the church is open from noon to 1 pm for noonday prayer which starts at 12:15 pm. All are welcome. | |
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The Thrift Shop is open regularly on Tuesday, Thursdays & Saturdays, 12 - 3 pm.
To volunteer or find our more, please contact Mary Beth Dieterle, (631) 427-1752, ext 106.
Donations welcome. We accept donations of new or gently used clothing, accessories, and household items. Please no books, furniture, out-dated electronics, or damaged items.
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HOPE MINISTRY COLLECTIONS | |
HOPE Ministry at St. John’s Huntington
Hearts Offering Passionate Encouragement
Outreach for Our Community Friends in Need
Please join me (Deacon Claire) in collecting personal care and toiletry items for those in need in our community.
There is a box in the back of the church for your donations.
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REGULAR MINISTRY MEETINGS | |
Prayer Shawl Ministry - Monthly meetings are on the 1st Thursday of each month in the Guild Room. Please contact Noelle DeLorenzo or Lynn Hansen for more information.
Racial Reconcilitation & Social Justice Minsitry - For more information contact Heather Kress.
Spirituality Group - Next meeting will be on Thursday, October 5th at 5 pm in the Guild Room. Contact Patti Aliperti.
St. Hilda's Guild (Sewing & Crafting) - Weekly on Tuesdays, 12:30 - 3 pm in the Guild Room. Contact Sue Hartman.
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ALTAR FLOWERS & THE PERPETUAL LIGHT | |
If you would like to remember a loved one or give thanks for an important event with altar flowers or Perpetual Light, please complete an Altar Flower Form and return it to the Parish Office with your check made payable to "St. John's Altar Guild."
ALTAR FLOWER ORDER FORM
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PRAYER CONCERNS FOR ST. JOHN'S | We pray for those going on the Iona, Scotland pilgrimage: | |
| Annina
Cathy
Claire
Duncan
Evan
James
Jaime | Jane
Jo Ann
Johanna
Leslie
Liz
Liz
Lois | Mary Beth
Mary Beth
Michele
Noelle
Rob
Sean
Sue | | |
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We pray for: Amy, Kate, Cheryl, Caitlin, Patti, Gladys, Anthony, Christian, Richard, Jim, Irene, Sean, Richard, Barbara, Christine, Amy, Kim, Suzanne, Cole, Luke, Leslie, Edith, Jane, Dina
We join The Episcopal Church in prayer for the health of our Presiding Bishop Michael Curry.
Altar Flowers are a gift of Linda Elliot in loving memory of her beloved parents, Frank and Clara Elliot.
The Perpetual Light is given in loving memory of Donald Keith by his sister, Evelyn McCarthy.
Please send your prayers or updates to prayers@stjohns1745.org, call Coral in the Parish Office, 631-427-1752, option 1, or click on the link below and complete the online form:
PRAYER LIST FORM
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Thank you for volunteering to serve. | |
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St. John's Episcopal Church
12 Prospect Street
Huntington, New York 11743
(631) 427-1752
stjohns1745.org
STAY CONNECTED
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