The latest from St. John's, Clearwater

March 19, 2024

St. John's Episcopal Church

to love, to serve, to grow in Christ

From the Eagle's Nest

Jesus’ Foolishness Saves Us

April Fool’s Day, which lands on the day after Easter this year, used to be something of a high holy day in my household, at least it was when my kids were teenagers and lived at home. It’s a day of reversals. When they were young, they started out with pranks like swapping the sugar in the bowl with salt, and the salt in the shaker with sugar. But as they grew older, they like to indulge in irony and the unexpected reversal. Like the time last year when Jamie called her mother and me in tears because of the awful haircut she gave herself and the terrible job the hairdresser did trying to fix it…not!

It amuses me that April Fool’s Day always seems to land on or close to the holiest, most solemn season of the Christian calendar. I wonder if God isn’t in a way playing a little joke on us?

Can it be that the most frivolous day if the year landing right after Holy Week isn’t trying to tell us something? When I look at the scriptures more closely, especially the ones that talk about his last supper and foot washing in the upper room and began to meditate on the what Jesus was doing that night before his crucifixion, I realized something important. Jesus is a fool.

Continue reading HERE

May God go with you in all you do!

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A HUGE THANK YOU to each and everyone of you for answering our call and for continuing your pledges and generously giving extra during these difficult times.

Worship

Our service will be live streaming on FaceBook and YouTube at 9:00 am on Sundays.

To watch on You Tube: click HERE for Maundy Thursday

To watch on You Tube: click HERE for Good Friday

To watch on You Tube: click HERE for Easter Sunday

If you can't watch live, you can watch it at another time by going to St. John's FaceBook page and click on Videos.

This week's readings:

Maundy Thursday

March 28, 2024

7:00 pm

Exodus 12:1, 11-14

Psalm 116:1, 10-17

I Corinthians 11:23-26

John 13:1-17, 31b-35

Good Friday

March 29, 2024

12 noon

Isaiah 52:13-53:12

Psalm 22

Hebrews 4:14-16; 5:7-9

John 18:1-19:42

Easter Day

March 31, 2024

9:00 am

Acts 10:34-43

Psalm 118:1-2, 14-24

I Corinthians 15:1-11

John 20:1-18

NEWS, MINISTRIES, AND UPCOMING CHURCH EVENTS!

Holy Week Schedule

Maundy Thursday, March 28–Foot Washing, Stripping of the Altar, Holy Eucharist, 7 pm

Good Friday, March 29 – Good Friday Liturgy – 12 Noon

Holy Saturday, March 30, short Prayer Book service prior to turning the church for Easter - 9 a.m.

Easter Sunday , March 31– Festival Holy Eucharist – 9 a.m.

If you would like to submit an article for the enews, please send the complete article and any links, photos, etc. to Jan Davis - jandavis.stjohns@gmail.com.

The deadline submission for the Tuesday enews is Monday, 3pm.

Palm Sunday

Updates - St. Paul's Lutheran Church

St. Paul's Wednesday Contemplative Worship will move to St. John's beginning on April 10, 7:15pm. That night will be Taizé Prayer with a joyful celebration fitting the Easter season. There will be an oboist, a harpist and a flute to accompany the service. A reception after the service will be held in the Parish Hall. Mark you calendars!

St. Paul's will move their Sunday worship to St. John's beginning Pentecost Sunday, May 19 with combined worship and fellowship together after the service.

St. Paul's Taize Prayer Service, Wed., April 10th, 7:15pm

St. John's Sanctuary

Immediately following the Taize Prayer service on April 10, there will be a "Dessert" fellowship provided in the Parish Hall. We ask that parishioners form both congregations sign up and provide HOMEMADE desserts (No store bought!) i.e. - pies, cakes, lemon bars, etc.- perhaps a favorite recipe to talk about?

It's all about "Fellowship Together!"

Good Neighbors - Volunteers Needed!

If anyone is interested in helping, the following services are needed:

Drivers for daily food pick-ups

Breads and sweets need to be sorted daily

Sorting food in dry goods room daily

Assemble boxes for delivery daily

Break down cardboard boxes for recycling

Cleaning refrigerators inside and out

Sweeping and mopping floors

If interested in any of the above services, please contact Carol Jefford at 315-212-0479.

Wednesday Morning Bible Study

There will be NO class on Wednesday, March 27.

Class will resume on Wednesday, April 3.

Our bible study meetings begin at 10:00am every Wednesday. We start with devotion/reflection lead by a volunteer. Someone also volunteers to provide a small snack. We begin with discussion of the presented reflection. After the discussion, we read and reflect on the daily reading found in Forward Day by Day. We then look at the readings that coincide with what will be read on the following Sunday. We try to cover the Old Testament, Gospel and Epistle readings as time permits. At times the discussion can be quite lively. We usually have 8-10 attending with one or two joining by Zoom. We conclude our study with intercessory prayer.

Our Zoom link is:

Wednesday Morning Bible Study

Peace and Faith

Bob

Belcher Elementary Donations

The Daughters of the King want to collect donations for Belcher Elementary School this year. The school has a large number of students living in poverty, and they are very grateful for the help we have given them in the past. In order of priority, these are the items they need the most.

Toddler sizes and larger PullUps, or other brands training pants.

Boys underwear sizes 3-12

Children’s pants, all sizes

Shoes, size 1 and larger, up to adult sizes 7, 8 and 9

Thank you in advance for your generosity!

Thank you,

Karen Campanaro

The Lunch Pals program pairs students with PCS volunteers who meet for 30 minutes once a week during the student’s lunch. Through one-on-one interaction and attention, this program encourages students to be more communicative, practice good behavior, and invest in their learning by providing a supportive adult figure to students. A volunteer mentor supports a positive attitude towards school in order to achieve academic success and to help the student experience improved self-esteem.

Mentors must go through a 1-hour long training workshop and register as a Level 1 volunteer with Pinellas County Schools. Mentor workshops are hosted across the county and online.

Here is the link for register for a mentor workshop or see other dates/times/locations HERE

You can register as a volunteer at this link: HERE

Thank you for being a dedicated supporter of Belcher Elementary School and Pinellas County Schools as a whole.

Sincerely,

Jennifer Lamont

Family & Community Liaison

Belcher Elementary School

e: lamontj@pcsb.org

p: (727) 538-7437 ext. 2001

Weekly Schedule

Healing prayers are offered at the altar, after the service, on the third and the fifth Sunday of every month.

Thrift Shop Hours

Tue. Thu. & Sat. 9:30 am- 3:30 pm

Hand Bell Choir - Church Sanctuary

Tuesdays, 6:00 pm

Voice Choir - Choir Room - 2nd story Adm. Bldg

Tuesdays, 7:00 pm

Retirees - Parish Hall

Second Monday of the month 10:00 am

Wednesday Morning Bible Study -

Parish Hall - Wednesdays 10:00 am. Zoom link: Wednesday Morning Bible Study

Wednesday Evening Study:

Rug Hookers - Parish Hall

Thursdays 10:00 am.

Men's Cursillo Grouping- Parish Hall

Thursdays 7:00 am.

Children's Sunday School

Contact Miss Mary Mary Anders

Thrift Shop Volunteers & Donations Needed!

The Thrift Shop is looking for volunteers to work the front desk. There are two shifts - Tuesday, Thursday & Saturday, 9:30 am - 12:30 pm or 12:30 pm to 3:30 pm. (Through August 31, Tuesday & Thursday, 9:30 -12:30pm). Please contact Caroline Barnett

if you are interested. (727) 459-3650.

The Thrift Shop is in need of donations. If you have any small kitchen counter top appliances, kitchenware, dishes, tools, small household items, etc., please drop them off in the donation shed at the back of the church property.

Prayer Chapel

The Chapel is open for anyone wishing individual prayer. Everyone is welcome to go to the Chapel to receive prayer with a member of The Daughters of the King. The Order of the Daughters of the King is an Order of Women that take vows to Extend Christ’s Kingdom by Prayer, Service and Evangelism. Prayer requests are held in strict confidence. Please feel welcome to come to the Chapel and Pray.

Join us in the Parish Hall immediately following the 9am service!!