Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. | |
After appearing to his disciples, showing them the wounds of his hands and feet, even eating a piece of broiled fish, the risen Savior then "opened their minds to understand the Scriptures," as we heard in the Gospel lesson for the Third Sunday of Easter (Luke 24:36-49). The risen Savior must open our minds also that we may know and trust that He is the fulfillment of all that is written of Him in the Law, the Prophets, and the Psalms.
Jesus is the center of all Scripture - everything points to Him, as the sermon for this past Sunday revealed). Like those first disciples, we also are witnesses of these things!
In this blessed Easter season, may our minds be open to the presence, the power, and the peace of Christ who is risen, who is risen indeed. Alleluia!
Pastor Meehan's Blog - April 2024
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Reminder: Voting Day Coming Soon
Congregational Voters' Meeting Sunday, April 28
Through a series of town hall meetings, our congregation has been discussing a proposed renovation and expansion plan for our church facilities. Whether or not we move forward with this project will be determined by a congregational vote.
Click here to view the architect's PowerPoint presentation.
The voters' meeting to consider the proposed renovation and expansion has been set for Sunday, April 28. This meeting will be held immediately following the morning worship service and will take place in the Sanctuary. Please note that our congregational bylaws do not allow for absentee or proxy voting, and so voting will be in-person and by secret ballot. All voting members of St. John's congregation are strongly encouraged to attend. Watch for an email with further information about this upcoming meeting. Please make every effort to be present on Sunday, April 28 and participate in this important decision for our congregation!
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Please check out the short video below from Pastor Meehan discussing the proposed renovations. | |
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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BEING SJLC - Our New Quarterly Newsletter!
On Friday, April 19, check your email for the first edition of our new "Being SJLC" quarterly newsletter which highlights the first quarter (January, February, and March) of 2024. This quarterly newsletter introduces and reminds us of St. John's traditions and practices within our congregation and answers to the five "Joining Jesus on His Mission" questions. It's new. It's us. It's all good news.
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Scrapbooking Event April 19 and 20
Our scrapbooking group will be having a special 2-day event to benefit Operation Smile. It will start on Friday, April 19 from 1PM-9PM and continue Saturday, April 20 from 9AM to 9PM. Please email Kathy Sullivan if you are interested in learning more or wish to attend. Registration is required.
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Praying in Color
We will gather this Saturday, April 20, in the Church Library to Pray in Color. This form of prayer helps us focus on listening to the Lord through His Word by capturing the prayer conversation onto paper with simple tools like markers, pencils, cut-outs, stencils, etc. It's neat to see the prayer expressed on paper (no artistic talent needed here) but the experience of conversing with the Lord is the rich part. Plus sharing the experience is quite enriching too! All supplies are provided.
If you are new to this prayer form, please arrive at 9:30AM for orientation. Our hour of prayer begins at 10:00AM.
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Olive Wood Carvings
George Ghanem will be at St. John’s on Sunday morning, April 21, with a display of handmade olive wood religious carvings from Bethlehem and Jerusalem available for purchase. Carvings will include nativity sets, crosses, Christmas ornaments, candle holders, and angels. The carvings are handmade by Christian families in Bethlehem who rely on sales for their daily bread. Proceeds go to support these artists. Items may also be ordered online.
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Administrative Professionals Day is April 24
Administrative Professionals Day is observed on the Wednesday of the last full week in April each year. This year, that date is Wednesday, April 24. As we say thank you to those who serve in our own church office, we recognize Michelle May, St. John’s Church Administrator and Jennifer Smith, St. John’s Financial Administrator. Both work diligently and faithfully to ensure smooth daily operations of our church office and congregation.
You are invited to express your appreciation to both Michelle and Jennifer for the good work that they do in behalf of St. John’s congregation.
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SJLC Workday 2024
You are invited to join your fellow SJLC men for WORKDAY 2024 on Saturday, May 4. We will meet in the St. John's Fellowship Hall at 9:15AM for a devotion, a t-shirt will be issued, and the teams will be assigned. This event is an opportunity to do something positive for our community. Everyone who participates will receive a Thrivent t-shirt to wear the day of the event. You can respond and indicate your Team preference via CCB or email Rodney Smith.
TEAM 1: Koinonia - shampoo rugs
TEAM 2: Franconia Elementary School – move bike rack and install latticework under the ramps to their trailer
TEAM 3: Early Childhood Education Center (ECEC) -Assemble playground car and clear/improve walking path through woods
TEAM 4: St. John’s - replace hard to reach lighting
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National Day of Prayer
Thursday, May 2, is the annual National Day of Prayer when many devote themselves to pray for our Nation. This annual observance was established 72 years ago in 1952 by a joint resolution of Congress and signed into law by then President Harry S. Truman.
In 1988, the law was amended and then signed by President Ronald Reagan establishing it on the first Thursday of each May. This day reminds us that prayer has been part of our nation from the beginning, and it is a call to stand humbly before our Lord and seek His guidance, grace, and healing.
Here at St. John's, we observe this day encouraging all to take time out to pray for our nation. You can do this individually, but we especially encourage you to gather in His name with SJLC brothers and sisters on May 2 at 7:00PM on Zoom. Led by the St. John's Prayer Team, we will pray for numerous categories under the theme "Lift Up the World, Light Up the World" (2 Samuel 22:29-31). To join in, please register here for the Zoom link.
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St. John's ECEC Playground Update
Over the course of the last year, the Early Childhood Education Center (ECEC) Board of Operations, in conjunction with the Campus Projects Team, has been working steadily to receive quotes and gather information on renovating our playground. We interviewed 3 companies and received multiple proposals, finally deciding on a company named Playground Specialists, they are a local company based in MD that has been in business over 20 years.
In November 2023 we invited the congregation to “Meet us at the Playground” to see for themselves the issues plaguing our play area. The issues were so dire that the playground no longer met the Virginia Department of Education state code of compliance. The final proposal, totaling $264,154.50, was brought to the congregational voters' meeting in December 2023 and was approved with ECEC and SJLC splitting the cost. ECEC paid the initial deposit of $132,077.25.
Renovations began on April 8 and should be completed by April 26! SJLC will pay the remaining balance from the Capital Improvement Fund once complete. The new playground is projected to last the next 20 years.
Please join us for a ribbon cutting ceremony on Wednesday, May 1 at 5:30PM.
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Circuit Ascension Day Worship Service on May 9
Bethany Lutheran Church and Preschool in Alexandria, a sister congregation of St. John's within our Circuit, will host an Ascension Day worship service on Thursday, May 9. Circuit pastors will lead the worship service, and all of our congregations within Circuit 9A are being invited to attend this festival service.
The good folks from Bethany invite you to a pulled pork dinner that will be held from 6-7PM, followed by the worship service at 7:30PM. If you are planning to come to the dinner, please RSVP by contacting the church office at Bethany, office@bethany-lcms.org or 703-765-8255. We look forward to celebrating the Ascension of Our Lord with brothers and sisters in Christ on May 9!
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Annual Ladies Tea
Creative Fellowship is happy to be hosting the Annual Ladies Tea once again.
Make plans now to attend on Saturday, May 18, 3 - 5PM, in the Fellowship Hall. Delectable and savory offerings, as well as tea, will be served. Bring your daughter, granddaughter, neighbor, best friend, or relatives. Everyone is welcome!
Click here to RSVP. Ladies are $14 and young ladies (12 and under) are $7.
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St. John’s Softball Team
Are you a softball enthusiast or looking for a fun outdoor activity to participate in? Are you between the ages of 15 and 100? Do you miss playing lacrosse or baseball? St. John’s Lutheran Church Coed Softball Team is actively seeking more players. We currently have a pool of about 10 men and 5 women who regularly juggle hectic work schedules and family time to participate one night per week. We play two back-to-back games on Thursday (usually alternate dates are currently Tuesday or Wednesday, TBD) evenings.
The season officially begins in May 2024, and we play under the Adult Fairfax County Softball rules. The season runs for about 8 weeks and there are playoff games as well. The schedule usually wraps up by the 4th of July weekend. If you are interested in playing this year, please contact Jim Burroughs, 571-305-0150 or at sogcomando@gmail.com. All skill levels are welcome!
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St. John's Kids Summer Camp
Outdoor Activities | Led by Licensed Teachers | STEAM Activities
Calling all school-aged child adventurers! Join us for an unforgettable summer at our Kids' Summer Camp filled with exciting outdoor activities, with creative arts and crafts, STEAM activities, and endless fun. Don't miss this fun opportunity to create lasting memories. Sign up now and let the adventure begin! 8:30AM - 4:30PM.
Dates:
- June 24-28
- July 8-12
- July 15-19
- July 22-26
- July 29- Aug 2
For more information visit our website or email us.
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St. John's Endowment - Seeking Grant Proposals
The St. John's Endowment Fund is blessed to have over $15,000 available to distribute this year. The Endowment Committee is seeking your input for how you would like to see the money distributed. Your recommendations can help fund outreach and in reach ministries above and beyond those funded by the church's operating budget. A CCB form has been created to collect your inputs - "Endowment and Memorial Grant Recommendation." If you have any questions, please contact Mark Gilbertson, Endowment Committee Chair.
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Sale of the Alexandria Office Building Update
Dear Sisters and Brothers:
Christ is risen! He is risen indeed! Alleluia.
The former district office building was officially sold. Last week all the paperwork was signed, and the closing is final. We rejoice and give thanks for the many years of mission and ministry that came from that office and look forward to new opportunities at our new office in Henrico, Virginia.
Throughout the process, we have strived to share the most information with you as our partners in ministry. To that end, I am sharing the final numbers and how the SED's Board of Directors has determined to utilize those funds for the sake of the Lord and His mission in the Mid-Atlantic area of the LCMS.
- $1.1 Million: The final sale of the former office building.
- $125,000: The SED BOD has directed me to use a portion of the sale to reimburse the District, not to exceed $125,000, for costs related to the sale, including relocating, compensating departing staff, calling new staff, etc.
- 10%: The Board has directed that a tithe be given of the remaining funds. The tithe is to be shared between the District and Synod's work, including the LCMS Wellness Initiative, SED Student Aid, and SED Student Debt Reduction.
- For the sake of the health of the District's overall financial picture to support ministry work for many years to come, the remaining funds will be invested in the LCMS Foundation.
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Interest from this investment will be used to support mobilizing witness and empowering wellness in the SED. These funds and the vital and necessary mission partnership support from each of the congregations in the SED contribute to the District's collective mission to connect people with Jesus so that lives are transformed, and God's Kingdom grows.
Special thanks to each of you for your prayers, encouragement, and support. May the Lord be praised in all we do, and may we be faithful and courageous stewards of the gifts and opportunities He places before us.
President Bill Harmon
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Looking Ahead
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April 28 - Congregational Voters' Meeting in the Sanctuary immediately following the worship service.
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May 19 - Festival of Pentecost as we celebrate the outpouring of the Holy Spirit.
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May 26 - Festival of the Holy Trinity. We will have a Sabbatical Blessing for our Director of Discipleship, Jennifer Hills, as this will be her final Sunday before her 3-month sabbatical begins.
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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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