Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. | |
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The 40-day Lenten season begins today on Ash Wednesday. The cross of ashes reminds us of our own mortality as the words spoken by God to Adam after the fall into sin are now spoken to us: "You are dust and to dust you shall return" (Genesis 3:19). But these ashes imposed on our foreheads are in the form of a cross, pointing us to Jesus who by his death upon the cross and his resurrection has destroyed the power of sin and death. And so our Lenten journey is one of joy as we follow Jesus to his cross and to Easter victory.
"Journey to Joy" will be the theme for preaching during this Lenten season. Please join us for worship today on Ash Wednesday with services that include imposition of ashes and Holy Communion at 12 Noon and 7:30PM.
Note that the evening service at 7:30PM will be live streamed. Please see the Lenten schedule in the articles below for more detailed information about midweek Lenten services, a special online Lenten Bible study, and Lenten devotional materials.
As we enter into this blessed season of repentance and renewal of faith, let us take to heart the invitation from the Lord in his Word: "Return to the Lord your God, for he is gracious and merciful, slow to anger, and abounding in steadfast love" (Joel 2:13).
In Christ,
Pastor Meehan
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Special Lenten Worship Services
The 40-day Lenten season is a time of special devotion for Christians throughout all the world. Please join in these special worship services as we journey to the joy of resurrection and new life in Christ at Easter!
NOTE: livestreaming available for service times with an *
Wednesday, February 14
Noon & 7:30PM* - Ash Wednesday with imposition of ashes
and Holy Communion
Sundays, Lenten Worship Services
10:30AM* - Holy Communion
February 18 and 25, March 3, 10, 17, and 24
Wednesdays, Midweek Lenten Worship
Noon* - Holy Communion
February 21 and 28, March 6, 13, 20, and 27
Thursdays, Lenten Bible Study with Compline
7:45PM - Zoom Class online ONLY (not recorded)
February 22 & 29, March 7, 14, and 21
Sunday, March 24
10:30AM* - Palm/Passion Sunday
(Holy Communion)
Thursday, March 28
7:30PM* - Maundy Thursday
(Holy Communion and stripping of the altar)
Friday, March 29
Noon* & 7:30PM - Good Friday
(No Communion)
Saturday, March 30
7:30PM - Holy Saturday/Great Vigil of Easter
(Holy Communion)
Sunday, March 31
8:00AM & 10:30AM* - Resurrection of Our Lord: Easter Sunday
(Holy Communion)
Easter Breakfast and Easter Egg Hunt between worship services
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Lenten Devotional Booklets
Lenten devotional booklets through Lutheran Hour Ministries (LHM) are available for you to use in your personal and family devotions.
In Lamb of God, we rejoice that God’s Son has come to earth as the eternal Word, Jesus Christ. Throughout John’s Gospel, Jesus is made known to us as both God and Man, full of grace and truth. He has come into the world to seek us out—you and me—to rescue us from the power of evil, and to make us His beloved children forever.
Jesus was born for sacrifice and servanthood. As God’s beloved Lamb, He intimately joined our lives in the flesh, compassionately healing, teaching, and loving us as our Good Shepherd. On the cross, He gave His life for our transgressions, and three days later He rose triumphant in victory over sin, death, and the devil.
These daily Lenten devotions will help strengthen and encourage your faith as you do the same for others. E-devotions for Lamb of God are available at Lamb of God (English) :: E-readers. Hard copies of the Lenten devotional booklet will be available in the Narthex at church starting next weekend.
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Gregorio Allegri’s Miserere, a setting of Psalm 51
As we continue to move through the church calendar year, the next music segment blog from our Director of Music, David Leahey, focuses on the season of Lent. Ash Wednesday marks the beginning of the Christian period of Lent. Today's chapels, churches, and cathedrals will ring to the sound of Gregorio Allegri’s Miserere, a setting of Psalm 51 made famous by its ringing top C for the soprano soloist and by its being restricted for performance only in the Vatican on account of its extraordinary beauty. To read more please visit our website.
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Online Lenten Bible Study
The season of Lent is a time for us to pause and reflect on the work the Lord is doing in our midst. This reflective time is the perfect time to set a part time from a very busy schedule to spend with the Lord and your brothers and sisters in faith. You are invited to join an online Lenten Bible study that will meet on Thursday evenings. Week by week, we will work our way through the Passion narrative of Jesus' suffering and death as found in Mark's Gospel.
Using Zoom as our online gathering space, each evening's session will begin with fellowship and conversation from 7:45-8:00 PM, and the Bible study will begin at 8:00 PM. The evening will close out with Compline, which is prayer at the close of day so that we are done by 9:00 PM. Pastor Meehan and Jennifer Hills will lead the Bible study.
The dates for these sessions are as follows:
- Thursday, February 22
- Thursday, February 29
- Thursday, March 7
- Thursday, March 14
- Thursday, March 21
Zoom login credentials will be shared with those who sign up, so please register in advance! Please click here to register for this class. Questions? Please contact the church office.
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Prospective Member Class
For anyone interested in making St. John's their home congregation, a prospective member class will be held in the Library during the Sunday morning Education Hour starting on Sunday, March 3, at 9:15AM. "Discipleship 101" is a 7-week class that uses Scripture and Luther's Small Catechism to explore both our faith as Lutheran Christians and our life together at St. John's, weaving together visits from our ministry servant leaders with our congregation's mission and vision.
St. John's New Member Team, together with Pastor Meehan, will lead this course. All materials will be provided. Please click here to register or call 703-971-2210.
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Town Hall Meetings Next Month
Plan to participate in one of the town hall meetings next month to learn more about the proposal to renovate and expand our church facilities. Design drawings are posted in the Narthex at church, so please review and study these to see what our architect has proposed. The drawings have been presented to St. John's Campus Projects Team (CPT) as well as the Church Council, and both groups have given their approval. The next step is to bring these to the members of our congregation, which is the purpose of the town hall meetings next month in March. Your participation and input is crucial to this process! There will be both in-person as well as virtual town hall meetings, and our architect (John Recny) will be at each meeting to help answer questions. Each meeting should last approximately one hour.
Town hall meetings will be held as follows:
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Sunday, March 3 at 12 Noon (in-person) - This meeting will take place in the Fellowship Hall immediately after the 10:30AM worship service. Food and child care will be provided. Please sign up in advance so we know how many to plan for. If you signed up in the Narthex this past Sunday, your name has been added to the CCB sign-up form. No need to sign up again. Sign up here or through the SJLC app.
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Monday, March 11 at 7:00PM (virtual) - This meeting will take place on Zoom. Log-in credentials will be supplied to those who register to participate. Sign up here or through the SJLC app.
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Tuesday, March 19 at 7:00PM (virtual) - This meeting will take place on Zoom. Log-in credentials will be supplied to those who register to participate. Sign up here or through the SJLC app.
If you have questions or concerns, you are welcome to reach out to Mike Waring, Campus Projects Team chair or Denise Canter, Congregational President.
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Teen Bowling
Teens are invited to an afternoon of bowling on Sunday, February 18, at Bowlero in Alexandria. The cost for the afternoon is $20 and includes 2 hours of bowling and lunch. We will leave after church, and teens should be dropped off and picked up at the bowling alley. Click here to sign up for bowling.
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The Resolution for Men Bible Study
On Wednesday, February 21, 2023, the SJLC Men's Group will begin The Resolution for Men Bible Study. The men's study group will meet on Zoom once a month on the 3rd Wednesday, from 8:00-9:00PM for eight sessions from February to September in 2024.
This study was inspired by the resolution challenge featured in the movie COURAGEOUS. The resolution contains 12 commitments related to characteristics that all men of God want to pursue, such as responsibility, faithfulness, honor, justice, forgiveness, integrity, and courage. In early October we will hold a Resolution Ceremony on the St. John's lawn by the three crosses with family and friends. The men and their families will be presented with resolution certificates.
If you are interested in joining this study or have questions, please email SJLCMen@sjlc.com or contact Greg Miller or Joe Godwin to sign up and get a copy of The Resolution for Men book and study guide.
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Salaam Isa Mission Society Prayer Breakfast
Despite the many challenges we see each day in the news, we invite you to read and pray with faith, hope, and love. Learn more about why we pray for Muslims and how to share the love of God with Muslim friends.
The Prayer Breakfast will be on Saturday, March 2 from 9 – 10:30AM in the Fellowship Hall. The focus will be on praying for the Muslim world during Ramadan, March 10 – April 8. For questions please email Yvette or Greer.
Please click here to register.
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NEW Sunday Morning Adult Education Class
Join us for a new Sunday Morning Bible study beginning Sunday, March 3 at 9:15AM. "Provoking Proverbs: Wisdom and the Ten Commandments" is a 10-lesson Bible study that probes the Book of Proverbs in the context of The Ten Commandments and discovers a unique view of the wisdom contained in the book. Each of the ten chapters - one for each of the commandments - offers thought-provoking questions and activities that help readers shed light on that commandment and its application in their lives. Lay Deacon (in training) Eric Klanderman will lead this class. Click here to register and purchase your copy of the material.
Learn that we are called to fear, love, and trust the Lord because He first forgives, loves, and treasures us.
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Missionary Spotlight Updates
Did you know that St. John's has the honor and blessing to support families who work around the world representing The Lutheran Church Missouri Synod by serving the Lord through missionary work? We recently received two updates from the Mantey and Wasmund Families.
Mark and Megan Mantey serve the Lord in Africa, while Matt, Dee Dee, and their girls Lily and Olivia Wasmund have been traveling to schools in Taiwan to help continue the beautiful Christmas traditions and by helping to design original Sunday School material for schools across the Asia region.
If you would like to read more about these families, help support them through Mission Central, and/or make a donation through LCMS please click on the following links.
The Mantey Family
The Wasmund Family
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Financial Update
The December 2023 financial report closes out 2023 and the operating budget fared better than expected with a loss of $21,805 versus an expected loss of $62,311. Although operating revenue was not as high as anticipated, ministry leads practiced financial restraint and kept costs lower than expected. I truly hope our congregation will be blessed in 2024 as we tackle a challenging budget with a projected shortfall in income. Please prayerfully consider steps to meet the challenge in 2024.
The ECEC dipped into savings to pay half of the cost of renovating the playground up front. The $132,077.25 cost was not part of the budget for 2023 and explains the majority of the negative budget experienced by the ECEC. The operating budget of St. John's Lutheran Church has a dedicated line item for capital improvements and the remaining $132,077.25 will be paid for out of the capital improvement line item which leaves approximately $15,000 remaining.
May God bless you all for your abundant generosity!
More details are posted in the narthex or may be obtained from Jim Burroughs, Minister of Finance.
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Looking Ahead
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February 21 - Midweek Lenten Worship Services begin
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February 22 - Midweek Lenten Bible Study classes begin
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Important Links
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Facebook Live for viewing live services or educational opportunities as well as those previously recorded.
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YouTube for viewing church services
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Click here for the bulletins
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