God Gives Moses the 10 Commandments Written on Stone Tablets, Levin (21st Century)

Sunday, March 3, 2024

The Third Sunday of Lent

First Fruits Sunday

Nursery care available in the Parish Hall

9:00 a.m.-11:45 a.m.

Sunday Forum

9:15 a.m.

Parish Hall

Holy Eucharist

10:30 a.m.

Live-streaming on YouTube at 10:30 a.m.

Children's Chapel

Parish Hall

10:30 a.m.

Coffee Hour

Parish Hall

11:45 a.m.

Bulletin Draft



Watch services on YouTube

Listen to sermons

Get involved

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From Amelie with Love

Dear Friends,

Most of you know that during our Wednesday evening programming we’ve been watching video recordings juxtaposing interviews conducted with five generations of parishioners from St. Peter’s and St. John’s Episcopal Churches. What has struck me most about the stories being shared is the importance placed on passing down the wisdom and values of our elders. These are the guardrails and disciplines that have provided for loving, stable relationships, responsible vocations, safe and supportive communities. It is the loss of our communal covenants, some have lamented, that has led to much of today’s societal dysfunction. In other words, the rules of life that once were so uniformly passed on and obeyed are not just burdens, but blessings.

This Sunday, we will be reading the Decalogue from the book of Exodus, better known as the Ten Commandments. In much of our popular religious imagination, the Ten Commandments have become burdens, weights, and heavy obligations. Many see them as encumbrances placed on personal behavior. Most people cannot name all ten, but they are persuaded that at the center of each one is a finger-wagging “thou shalt not.” For others, the commandments are heavy yokes to be publicly placed on the necks of a rebellious society.

Understanding the Decalogue as a set of burdens overlooks something essential, namely that they are prefaced not by an order - “Here are ten rules. Obey them!” - but instead by a restorative announcement of freedom: “I am the Lord your God, who brought you out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of slavery” (Ex. 20:2). We will probably always refer to the declarations that follow this announcement as the “Ten Commandments,” but we can also think of them as descriptions of the life that prevails within the landscape of God’s liberation. “Because the Lord is your God,” the Decalogue affirms, “you are free not to need any other gods. You are free to rest on the seventh day; free from the tyranny of lifeless idols; free from murder, stealing and covetousness as ways to establish yourself in the land.”

The Decalogue begins with the good news of what the liberating God has done and then describes the shape of the freedom that results. In the words of the great preacher and teacher, Tom Long, “If we want to symbolize the presence of the Ten Commandments among us, we would do well to hold a dance. The good news of the God who set people free is the music; the commandments are the dance steps of those who hear it playing. The commandments are not weights, but wings that enable our hearts to catch the wind of God’s Spirit and to soar.”

As we move into this third week of Lent, I invite each of us to pick one, or maybe even two or three of the Ten Commandments and spend some time pondering and practicing the freedom that they offer. As many of you know, one commandment I have trouble keeping is the Sabbath, and my commitment for the remainder of Lent is to practice Sabbath as an act of gratitude for my own freedom, a freedom that many in our world do not have. The freedom to rest. 

In Christ,



Amelie+

It's a First Fruits Weekend

Contribute to Easter Meal Bags



The Christ Ascension food pantry needs black beans, saltines, toilet paper, stews, and soups.

They also hope to put together special Easter bags with canned hams, instant potatoes, sweet potatoes, muffin mix, macaroni and cheese, and Easter candy. Please contribute some of these items along with your usual donations this weekend.

Join us for Morning Prayer in the Parish House Garden Saturday morning at 9:30 a.m.



Collection Times :

Saturday, March 2, 10:00 a.m.- 12:00 p.m.

Sunday Morning, March 3, during church

Sunday Forum During Lent:

The Lenten Lectionary

This Sunday, we continue our Lenten series with reflections on our weekly Gospel themes, facilitated primarily by the day’s preacher. Our rector will lead this week's session, “Turning over the Tables.”

 All are welcome to our informal discussions. Sunday Forum meets each Sunday in the Parish Hall at 9:15 a.m. Nursery Care is available. For questions, please contact Amelie. 

Sunday, March 3

9:15 a.m.

Parish Hall

Nursery Care is available

Wednesday Evenings in Lent:

“St. Peter’s and St. John’s: 

Our Lives, Our Legacies”

On Wednesday evenings during Lent we are gathering in the Parish Hall for a potluck meal at 6:00 p.m. followed by our Lenten program at 6:40 p.m., facilitated by our clergy and lay leaders. A few main dishes will be provided, along with some meat-free sides, so bring your favorite sides, mains, breads, or desserts to  share. If you are unable to prepare food, just come as you are, and bring your friends and family (Nursery care is available).  There is always plenty.

During our program, we will view and discuss video interviews of St. John’s and St. Peter’s members representing various decades in both congregations, allowing their stories to expand our mutual understanding and to enhance our awareness of the diversity of collective experiences. To learn more about the shared history of our two congregations, click here.

Our evenings will end with Compline, concluding by 8:00 p.m. 

A Zoom option is offered by St. Peter’s each week on Tuesdays from 7:30-8:45 p.m.  

We need volunteers to assist with set-up and clean up for meals; many hands make light work. If you can help, please contact Paul Broughton.

Wednesdays through March 20

Supper 6:00 p.m.

Program 6:40 p.m. - 8:00 p.m.

St. John's Parish Hall

Nursery Care available

Tuesdays via Zoom

Through March 19

7:30-8:45 p.m.

https://us06web.zoom.us/j/84745953579

Meeting ID: 847 4595 3579

Support our Justice Ministry at Upcoming RISC

Nehemiah Action

At RISC's Nehemiah Action over a thousand people from a wide variety of faith organizations and their friends, family, and neighbors gather to ask public officials to commit to funding to support affordable housing and healthy homes and to end gun violence.  Last year, over 1,000 people showed up to show our city leaders how important these issues are to our community.

Please consider attending and inviting your friends, family and neighbors. 

Tuesday, March 19

6:30 p.m. - 8:30 p.m.

St. Paul's Baptist Church

For more information or for a ride to the Nehemiah Action, please contact Sarah Mattingly.

Men's Bible Discussion

All men are invited to join us for our next session, when we consider Chapter 10 of the Gospel of Luke.  Contact Charles Lee for more information.

Saturday, March 9

9:30 a.m.

Parish Hall

Altar Guild Wants You on Their Team

Altar Guild will provide training and polish brass and silver Sunday, March 10, after church. Grab a cup of coffee and a snack and return to the chancel, where we will go over the protocols for set up and clean up and take a tour of storage areas in the sacristy.  The Altar Guild welcomes your participation and new members! For questions, please contact Lisa Wood.

Sunday, March 10

12:00 noon

Church

Next Vestry Meeting,

Tuesday, March 12,

at 6:00 p.m.

in the Parish Hall

All members of St. John’s Church are welcome to attend vestry meetings as observers. Minutes of recent meetings are posted on the bulletin board in the Parish Hall foyer. Please share your ideas or questions about the life of our parish with a vestry member.

2024 Stewardship Campaign

It Is Not Too Late to Make Your Pledge

We give thanks for the 85 family units who have made their 2024 pledge to St. John’s, bringing us to $238,381 in pledges, which is 95% of our $250,000 goal. Our stewardship theme “Rooted in Abundance" reminds us that we are a mighty forest comprised of ancient trunks and sprightly saplings, each of us contributing our gifts to a world that needs us. 

If you are still discerning your 2024 pledge to St. John's Church, prayerfully consider the ministries of St. John’s you feel called to support.

Whoever you are and wherever you find yourself, you are welcome at St. John’s Church, and we are so glad you’re here.

Our campaign this year is as essential as ever in providing the sustaining and lifegiving support to St. John’s as we grow together in our faith and provide the right resources to support the growth within our community. 

Support the Ministries of St. John's Church

Anniversary Public Reenactment

The St. John's Church Foundation offers a special reenactment in celebration of the anniversary of Patrick Henry's speech, where he delivered the famous words, "Give me liberty or give me death! at the Second Virginia Convention March 23, 1775.

Click here to learn more and to purchase tickets.

Saturday, March 23

1:30 p.m.

St. John's Church

Episcopal Relief & Development

Responds to Israel-Hamas War

Episcopal Relief & Development is partnering with the Al Ahli Hospital, a ministry of the Episcopal Diocese of Jerusalem, to provide emergency support in Gaza following the outbreak of war in the region. Please pray for peace in the Holy Land as they experience violence, and consider making a contribution to the Episcopal Relief & Development Middle East Fund. Support of this fund will help to provide medicine and other supplies and help our partners tend to the physical and psychosocial wounds of all people affected by this conflict.

Read Episcopal Relief and Development's full statement here.

The Collect for Peace

Eternal God, in whose perfect kingdom no sword is drawn but the sword of righteousness, no strength known but the strength of love: so mightily spread abroad your Spirit, that all peoples, especially those of Israel and Palestine, may be gathered under the banner of peace as children of one God; to whom be dominion and glory, now and for ever. Amen.

--adapted from The Book of Common Prayer, p. 815

Sunday Nursery Care Available

9:00 a.m.-11:45 a.m.

Parish Hall Nursery

Children's Chapel

Children’s Chapel meets each Sunday in the Parish Hall during the first part of the service. Children join their parents in church during the offertory so that they can participate in the Eucharist.

For more information, contact the Rev. Anne Lane Witt.

Sundays

10:30 a.m.

The Parish Hall

Eucharistic Visits

We invite those who wish to have communion brought to their homes to contact Amelie.

You may also contact Amelie if you are interested in learning about serving in this important ministry.

St. John's Church

2401 East Broad Street

www.saintjohnsrichmond.org

 The Rev. Amelie Wilmer, Rector

The Rev. Robin Teasley, Interim Assistant to the Rector

The Rev. Anne Lane Witt, Children's Chaplain

The Rev. Deacon JD Dickinson, Deacon

Cabell Jones, Deacon Intern

Patty Duffy, Parish Administrator

Curt Sydnor, Minister of Music

Lora Toothman, Senior Warden

Laura Streat, Junior Warden

Office: 2319 E. Broad Street RVA 23223

804-649-7938

The deadline for submitting copy for the weekly bulletin insert and parish-wide email is Wednesday morning, but earlier is always appreciated. Please send your content to Patty Duffy. Please note that content may be edited to accommodate space limitations and style guidelines.