Welcome to the E-Notes!

May 24, 2017 


                                                          Sculpture on copper, of Vietnam
 
   
We can prepare our hearts and minds by 
  reading ahead for the  
 
Sunday Service lessons 
   
Sunday, May 28, 2017 
   
The Seventh Sunday of Easter 
     
The First Reading:
Acts 6-14
Jesus promises the Holy Spirit to his followers and they see him ascend into heaven.
 
The Epistle:  
1 Peter 4:12-14; 5:6-11
The Christian life will not be free of suffering, but God equips each believer to meet temptation and trouble through his mercy and grace.
 
The Psalm:  68:1-10, 33-36
 
The Gospel:
John 17:1-11
Jesus prays to the Father on behalf of his disciples, both those with him then and us today, that God would be glorified in our lives and that we would know him. 
 
 
__________________
 
THE ADULT LECTIONARY FORUM
MEETS EACH SUNDAY IN THE LIBRARY,
FOLLOWING THE SERVICE,
 
FROM 10:50 - 11:50 am 
___________________

CHILD CARE IS 
PROVIDED IN THE NURSERY  
(Rm. 205) 
During the Service
 
   Joint Sunday School
  Each week, St. John's children join
 with three of our Ministry Partners: 
Fairfax Chinese Christian Church, 
Wellspring United Church  of Christ
& Grace Baptist Church 
 for Sunday School 10:50  - 11:45 AM .  
 
We  offer 3 classes:
  PreK- 2nd grade: Rm. 205;
 3rd - 8th grade: Rm. 215;
The Progressive Dinner,  held last Saturday night...

Many thanks go to Penny Parker for organizing the Progressive Dinner held on May 20. Thanks also to those who hosted groups in their homes - Craig Staresinich, Courtney and Kristi Sargent, David and Julie Weir, and Tom and Marie McDermott. Additional thanks go to all who provided the food. It was a wonderful evening of fun, food and fellowship. If you missed it this year, be sure to sign up next year!
 
OUR NEW WEBSITE IS UP AND RUNNING!!!
Many, many thanks go to Terry Barnes and Catherine Packard for all their hard work on setting up our new website! It has the same website address as our old website...
www.stjohnscentreville.org
 It's easy to use, more current, and is alot less expensive than our former provider. Check it out !!!
***
Memorial Day Service
Again this year, we will have an outdoor service of readings and prayers on Monday, May 29 at 12:00 noon to remember all who have died in service to our country. We will gather at the bell, weather permitting. Please join us.
***  
Education for Ministry
Interested in learning more about the EfM program? Join us for an informational meeting on Sunday, May 28 at 12:00 noon in the library. You will not need to make a commitment at that time. Please let Carol know if you are interested. EfM is a program for adult Christian formation through theological education and reflection written by the School of Theology at the University of the South, Sewanee, TN.  We would like to start an EfM group at St. John's if we have the 6-12 people necessary to start a group. All that's needed is a desire to learn and grow in your faith. There is a good amount of reading to be done each week, but no tests. The topics of study are Old Testament, New Testament, Church History, and Theology. The entire program is 4 years, but each participant signs up for a year at a time. Interested? There are brochures in the breezeway explaining the program or you can speak with Carol. If we have enough interest, we would like to start a group here in September.
***
Parents of Young Children
Our "Parents of Young Children's Group" will meet again on Saturday, June 3 at 5:30 PM for a potluck dinner and fellowship at the church (room 207/208). Please bring your children and something to share for the potluck. Soft drinks, water, and paper products will be provided. Feel free to invite friends or neighbors who might like to join us. Please RSVP to Carol (stjohnscvpriest@gmail.com) so we know how many to plan for.
***
Outdoor Service and Picnic Sunday
We have had to postpone our joint outdoor service and picnic, scheduled for June 4, with several of our Ministry Partners until the fall.
***
Graduations
If you or someone in your family is graduating from high school, college or graduate school, please let Carol know so we can share the accomplishment with the parish family. If they have plans for their "next step", please share that as well. We congratulate the following graduates:
     Kristen Tucker - Bachelor's degree is Outdoor Recreation from George Mason University (daughter
           of Val and John Tucker)
     Erin Peake - graduated from Christopher Newport University (daughter of Tanya Peake)
     Cecelia Sellars - will attend William and Mary College after high school graduation (daughter of
            Teri and Frank Sellars)
     Alexa Williams - graduated from Christopher Newport University (granddaughter of Susan Woods)
***
Summer is coming!
Many of you may be heading out of town for part (or all) of the summer. Please remember to pay your pledge or contribution before you leave. The bills that the church needs to pay will keep on coming in throughout the summer, just like they do at home. Please pay your pledge before you leave on your summer vacation so the church can pay its bills.
***
We have a new mailbox, and new mailing address.
The new mailbox is right near the front door of the Breezeway, and is very secure. Please start sending your mail, including your pledges, to our street address: 5649 Mt. Gilead Road, Centreville, VA  20120. Note that the address on your pledge envelopes is the PO Box, so you will need to change that if you mail in your pledge. We have some address labels on the back table that you can use for your pledge envelopes.
***
Your Vestry at work
Your elected Vestry members meet once a month to discuss and make decisions about the business of the church. Through hard work and research, they have found many ways to save money, so your contributions go farther. Here are some of the ways we are saving money:
   -getting rid of our post office box and having all mail delivered to the church
   -our new website through the diocese is much cheaper than our old website
   -new security alarm system
   -new copier with a less expensive contract
   -changing companies for our property insurance
   -not having to pay taxes on our utilities
Please thank your Vestry members for their hard work and commitment to St. John's.
***
 
Western Fairfax Christian Ministries
WFCM has reminded us that their shelves can become almost empty during the summer months. Please remember those who are hungry when you do your grocery shopping and donate nonperishable food items to WFCM when you come on Sundays. You may put your donations in the baskets by the front door. WFCM is extremely grateful for our support.
***
Job Opportunity
Good Shepherd Episcopal Church on Braddock Road in Burke is looking for a full time parish administrator. If interested, call the church at 703-323-5400.

***  
 
Would you like to contribute
ALTAR FLOWERS FOR a SUNDAY SERVICE, in thanksgiving,
or in memory of someone? colorful_tulips.jpg
 
How to contribute: (1) Purchase or grow cut flowers - we have vases for you to ar range your cut flowers in. We use 2 vases flanking the altar. (2) Purchase 2 flowering plants th at will be later planted in the church garden or (3) Call a florist and have 2 arrangements delivered to the church. When you click below, further info is provided.

ALL ARE MOST GRATEFULLY ENJOYED & APPRECIATED!      Click below. 

SIGN UP HERE TO
SERVE
as LEM, Crucifer, Lector, Usher, Verger, Torch Bearer at a Sunday Service.
   

click here:
ALTAR SERVERS 2017 
  
You will receive an automatic reminder a few days in advance. ( If you would like to become an altar server, please see the Rev. Carol Hancock.)

SIGN UP HERE TO
BRING SNACKS
for coffee hour after the Sunday Service in the Breezeway.

 click here: 
 
You will receive an automatic reminder a few days in advance. Coffee hour is an important part of fellowship - staying connected with each other and welcoming newcomers.


SIGN UP HERE TO
SUPPLY FLOWERS 
for a Sunday service throughout 2017.


click here:
You may sign up here to donate the flowers to be used on the altar for each of the Sundays in 2017. Click to read additional info before signing up.
 

 
Reminder
Every Wednesday evening, we have a service of Holy Eucharist and healing at 6:00 PM. The service is about 30 minutes. It is a perfect alternative for those who cannot come to church on Sunday mornings, as well as a good spiritual boost in the middle of the week. Come join us!

Detach
Detachment is living life as something to be cherished, not clung to. Detachment is to hold your life with open palms, not clutching at anything that gets in the way or that could become idolatrous; not clutching at anything that will not last beyond the grave. For everything there is a season, and then it passes.
 
 
My email address is stjohnscvpriest@gmail.com,
and the office number is 703-803-7500.  
May our ministry together spread God's love to all whom we encounter.

       - Carol
       The Rev. Carol Hancock
       Priest-in-Charge 

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