Church Office Hours: 10:00 a.m. - 2:00 p.m., Mon-Thurs; and by appointment

Call for Vestry Nominations

It is time to plan for the election of St. John's new Vestry members (Class of 2029), and we are seeking nominees. If you are interested in being considered as a nominee (or want to nominate someone else, with their permission), please complete the Nomination form linked below. Nomination forms are due no later than Sun., March 22, 2026. If you have questions about the nomination process or what is required of a Vestry member, please email VestryNominations@stjohnsec.org. The Vestry Nominating Committee members are: Gordon Knox, Lucia Martin, Dawn Rea, Marsha Trant, and Ken Wireman.

Nomination Form (.pdf)

Nomination Form (.docx)

On the Feast of George Herbert

Today, the Church commemorates George Herbert, a 17th-century Anglican priest, poet, and pastor. I first encountered Herbert’s poetry in my very conservative, Baptist college while taking a great books seminar. Little did I know that this would be a key moment in my discernment toward becoming an Episcopal priest, as it exposed me to a part of the beauty of our tradition as found in poetry. We sing several texts of his in our hymns today.

As a rector of a small, rural parish, Herbert devoted himself to prayer, the care of his parishioners, and the steady, unseen work of love. He walked the lanes to bring the sacraments to the sick. He rebuilt his little church. He wrote poems not for acclaim but as prayers—wrestling honestly with God about doubt, pride, joy, resistance, and grace. After his death, those poems were gathered and published as The Temple, and they have nourished Christians ever since. I keep a well-worn copy on my shelf at home and return to it often.

Herbert’s work reminds us of something essential: the Christian life is not about platform but about presence. It is not about recognition but about responsiveness to God.

In one of his most beloved poems (and one of my favorites), “Love (III),” Herbert imagines the soul shrinking back in shame, only to be gently welcomed by Christ, who insists, “You must sit down… and taste my meat.” It is a vision of grace that feels especially fitting for us as a Eucharistic people. We come hesitant, distracted, sometimes burdened—and Christ receives us still.

For Herbert, poetry and pastoral ministry were not separate callings. Both were offerings. Both were ways of paying attention. Both were acts of love.

In a world that measures worth by visibility and impact, Herbert’s life offers a quiet corrective. The work of tending a parish. The work of prayer. The work of showing up for neighbors. The work of shaping words carefully and truthfully. These things matter. They matter not because they make us impressive—but because they make us faithful.

As St. John’s carries on in its life of worship, service, and witness in our own particular corner of the world, Herbert’s example invites us to ask: What would it mean to embrace the small, holy work right in front of us? Where is Christ meeting us in the ordinary rhythms of parish life? Lent is an opportune time to notice this.

May we, like George Herbert, offer what we have—our words, our work, our very selves—as “a broken altar” that God, in mercy, is pleased to make whole.

Grace and peace,

Derek+

This Weekend's Readings: Second Sunday in Lent

Genesis 12:1-4a; Psalm 121; Romans 4:1-5, 13-17; John 3:1-17 lectionarypage.net

Adult Connect Lenten Series: "Witness at the Cross"

Sundays thru Mar. 22, 10:10-10:50 a.m.; Auditorium

Join us for an engaging Lenten program focused on the cross of Jesus. Amy Jill-Levine's book, "Witness at the Cross," offers a fresh take on those who bore witness to the crucifixion, and how we might "behold the cross" in different ways. Each Sunday will focus on one of the chapters with a short video and group discussion. Reading is encouraged but not required to participate! Books are available for pick-up at the church office or at the next few weekend worship services, for a suggested donation of $20.

Labyrinth Walking in Lent

We encourage you to incorporate walking the Labyrinth into your involvement with "40 Miles in 40 Days – Give Your Heart Feet” during Lent. The Labyrinth Planning Committee is offering Open Walks on Saturdays and Sundays, with brochures to guide your walk available in the Labyrinth kiosk. You can also download the meditations here. Walk with love!

While we encourage you to walk St. John's Labyrinth at any time, if you visit during school hours, please come to the Church Office for a visitor's badge. We also recommend avoiding the timeframe of 3:00 to 3:45 p.m. due to the school pick-up traffic.

If you prefer to walk indoors, St Andrew's Episcopal Church (Parish House; 2892 MD Route 97, Glenwood, 21738) has a beautiful indoor labyrinth and welcomes all to visit for self-guided walks from noon to 2:00 p.m. on Wednesdays in Lent (excluding Holy Week). Information booklets will be available.

Time is running out to sign up for the Progressive Dinner! Sign up no later than March 5th. Events are family-friendly! This year, we will be offering Adults-only and Family-friendly cocktail parties (5:30-6:30 p.m.) to allow those parents with children to meet other adults in the parish. Then, there will be two tracks for dinner: one family-friendly with dinner and dessert in parishioners' homes (6:30-8:30 p.m.) and a second in our traditional format with dinner in parishioners' homes (7:00-8:30 p.m.) followed by dessert in St. John's Auditorium (9-10 p.m.). We hope you will plan to attend! Cocktail Party and Dinner Hosts are needed. Find details via the registration link below.

Register here. Questions should be directed to Events@stjohnsec.org

Easter Flower Donations

It is time to consider a memorial donation that will help us decorate our worship spaces for Easter. Give in remembrance or in honor of someone special. For a $50 donation, we will remember your loved one with a listing in the Easter bulletins. Following our Sun., April 12th services, the flowers will be delivered to our sick and homebound parishioners, keeping the sunshine going. Please complete this form by noon on Fri., March 20th, to have your donation and your loved one listed. Payment options are listed at the bottom of the form. You may also donate using an Easter flowers donation envelope found in the pews in the Historic Church and at the Welcome Center adjacent to All Saints Hall. Thank you! If you have questions, please contact Nancy Murphy at nmurphy@stjohnsec.org.

St. John's annual parish retreat at Shrine Mont — nestled among the trees at the foot of Great North Mountain in the Shenandoah Valley in Orkney Springs, Virginia — is a special experience. Anyone who has gone will tell you that. The activities make it fun. The location makes it relaxing. But the people are what make the weekend truly memorable. Our young people thrive in a safe environment that allows them to stretch their wings a little. Adults enjoy a rare opportunity to spend unhurried time in conversation, in play, or in peaceful stillness. If you’ve never experienced Shrine Mont, talk to someone who has enjoyed this beloved St. John’s tradition. Register here by March 22nd. If you would like to attend and are in need of a scholarship, please contact the office or the Shrine Mont Committee at ShrineMont@stjohnsec.org.

Lift Us Up — A Prayer Vigil for Non-Violence at a Time of Crisis:

Thurs., March 5, 7:00 p.m., Christ Episcopal Church

The Lift Us Up vigil will include a series of short meditations, prayers, musical interludes/songs, and periods of silence and contemplation. It will also include a litany that includes the names of those who have lost their lives due to the current U.S. immigration and deportation policies. The vigil will take place in the New Brick Sanctuary of Christ Episcopal Church, located at 6800 Oakland Mills Road in Columbia, MD.

PATH Candidates Forum: Sun., March 8

Join PATH (People Acting Together in Howard) on Sunday, March 8th, 3-5 p.m., at St. John Baptist Church in Columbia, as the group asks candidates for Howard County Executive and County Council how they will address the top issues that were heard in PATH's listening sessions with 700+ people: housing, immigration, youth, healthcare, food security, and inclusion. This isn’t just any candidate forum—it will bring hundreds of people together in targeted action for meaningful change. The event will include breakout rooms with candidates by council district. Register

Interfaith Refugee Ministry

St. John's participates with about 16 other Christian and Jewish faith congregations across central Maryland to help refugees in need. Learn more via the links below.

What is the Inferfaith Refugee Ministry?

Refugee Ministry Needs Update (as of 02.10.2026)

Seeking Blood Donors

Matteo Cunningham, a youth member of our parish, is interested in coordinating a blood drive here at St. John's and needs to gauge our community's interest before a commitment is made. One donation can help save more than one life. If you would like to participate in a blood drive held at St. John's, please add your name to this interest form. Thank you in advance!

Outreach Casseroles

The number of people in need of a hot meal is greater than ever. Pans with the recipe for each month are located in the Narthex of the Historic Church and by the steps leading to All Saints Hall. Casseroles are delivered to the Grassroots Day Center, the Grassroots Emergency Shelter, and The Children's Home. Thank you for your continued support. (You can also access the March recipe here.)

Save the Date

Fri., March 27, 6-8:30 p.m.

Lenten Fellowship Supper, a J2A Pilgrimage Fundraiser

Details coming soon.

Kenya Connect 5K Run/Walk: Sat., March 28 — Live and Virtual!

Looking to "Do Good and Feel Good?" Sign up for the 12th annual Kenya Connect 5K, being held on Saturday, March 28th at 9:00 a.m. at St. John's (and virtually). You can run or walk, and dogs are welcome too! Be an Early Bird! The race registration fee increases on March 7th, so don't delay! There will also be a fabulous Kenyan Crafts market and post-race goodies!

For more information, contact WalkingTheMournersPath@stjohnsec.org. 

Growing Together, In Love

St. John's Annual Giving Campaign for 2026-UPDATE

Thank you to everyone who responded to our 2026 pledge campaign! As of Feb. 25th, 278 people have pledged $969,277. We're so close to our goal of $1,000,000 — will you help us meet it?

For those of you who have not yet pledged, there's still time! You can pledge online or with a hard-copy form. Important Note: Setting up payments in Realm does not give us all the information needed to properly record your annual pledge. Please complete a pledge form.

Fourth-grade students at the Parish Day School handmade 50 fleece hats for The Kirk P. Gaddy Youth Center in Baltimore.

St. John’s Parish Day School is proud to present “Boots, Bowties, & Bling,” our 2026 Annual Spring Gala and Auction! Join us on Saturday, April 25th at 6:00 PM for an unforgettable evening of Dinner, Cocktails, Dancing, Raffles, Games, Live & Silent Auctions, Live Music from Jake’s Country Band, and More! Click HERE for more information and to purchase tickets!

Please keep the following people in your prayers:

Mark

Laurie

Shirley & Jack 

Katie

Kate

Debbie & David

Elizabeth 

Ryan

Wilber

Renate

Jim

Kathryn

Kelly

Gretchen

Deb Avant

Melinda B.

Tracey Ball

Steve Belknap

Leslie Edmonds 

Ricky Emanuel

Lynn Engelke

David Fischel

Georgi Funderburk

Anne Gallagher

Sunny Good

Allison Gradwell

Marti Guillet

Pat Hersee

Angela Chaejung Lim

Soo Nam (Christina) Lim

Glenda Lovchik

Judy Lovchik

Scott Marks

Jean Marlow

Matthew Martin

Brent & Meg McDorman

Jimmy McEneaney

Pat Merson

Charles H. Miller

Howard Mooney

Gordon Nahas

Roger Nelson

Kathy O’Dunne

Barbara Prettyman 

Jean Purcell

Roland Russoli

Amy & Ernest Stalder

Dan Staples

Christopher Towle

Marion Walker

Allison Ward

Victoria Weimer

Dan Weston-Dawkes

Dylan Williams

Maria, Taylor, & Felicia Wray

For those who have died:

For those serving in the military overseas and their families: LCDR Matthew Kircher, USN   

Our community shares the compassion of prayer with members and beyond. To have someone included on our prayer list, you may: Contact the Parish Office by phone; or Email your prayer request to Tracey Stone at tstone@stjohnsec.org. Names will remain on the prayer list for 30 days. After the initial 30 days, if you wish to have a name stay on the list, please re-submit your request.

Help fellow parishioners find you in the Parish Directory

After converting to Realm, all member profiles were made private. That means if you don’t adjust your settings, you do not appear in the church directory. Step-by-step instructions to edit your profile are available for the computer and the Realm Connect app. Set Your Privacy Settings in Realm

In addition to making an Annual Pledge to St. John's, you are invited to:

1.) Mail your check to the Parish Office: 9120 Frederick Rd., Ellicott City, MD 21042.

2.) Visit the St. John's website under "Give."

3.) Text "SJEC" to 73256. You will receive a reply with a link to a secure site to complete your transaction.

4.) Donate via Venmo: @StJohnsECMD

5.) Leave a lasting legacy to St. John’s through a planned gift in your estate plan. Visit https://www.stjohnsec.org/planned-giving for more information.

Questions should be directed to Kathy Hahn, Finance Director, at khahn@stjohnsec.org.