To St. John's Parishioners and Friends:

Centreville Day will be held October 14, 2023 from 10 AM to 4 PM right here in the Centreville Historic District. As you all probably know, the main stage is in the St. John's parking lot. That was a surprise for me. It's the 31st Centreville Day, but it's my first, and I'm thrilled to have been part of the planning and to take part. There's going to be a parade, a safety expo, Eco Expo, cavalcade of pets, historic tours, entertainment, rides for the kids, amazing food vendors from all over, and more! Admission is free. Bring family and friends!

Some 3,000 people are expected over the course of the day, and, of course, St. John's will be here to welcome them all. If you're interested in assisting with our booth, pet blessings, tours, and Centreville Day presence, please let me know.

Grace and peace,

Kevin

The Rev. Kevin Laskowski

Priest-in-Charge

St. John's Episcopal Church

P.S. You'll see some videos below as well as the usual link to the Sunday service. We'll be adding sermons and more to come, so be sure to subscribe to our YouTube channel and share!

Summer with the Psalms, August 17: Psalm 80

"Nowhere do the Psalms have an ideal of silence. Their assumption is that one finds God not in silence but in noise." - John Goldingay, biblical scholar

Join Rev. Kevin as we explore the Psalms Thursday nights at 7 PM in August. Each week, we'll take an in-depth look at one of the Psalms from each of the book's five sections. Last week, we examined Psalm 46. Click above for last week's recap, and view all the recaps here. Up next: Psalm 80. No homework required. Join us in the office/library or online. Click here for additional info and to register.

Blessing of the Backpacks, August 20

Join us in the historic church at 9:30 AM Sunday, August 20 for a blessing of the backpacks. School starts in Fairfax County on Monday, so bring your backpack and school supplies to St. John's for a special blessing during our service. And, adults, bring your briefcases, purses, phones, messenger bags, too! Whatever you're bringing to your calling as summer vacation ends and school, work, and life begin anew, bring it to church this Sunday, August 20, so you can carry God's love and blessing with you as well.

Vestry Meeting, August 20

The Vestry meets in person this month at 11:45 AM in the church library.

After the Vestry retreat in July, the Vestry formed some teams/working groups around major maintenance, ministry partners, marketing, and Centreville Day. Fall brings some great events and opportunities as well as our annual stewardship and budget discussions. We're working now to have more of what we need for those important conversations. For more information, talk to a Vestry member or contact Rev. Kevin.

WORSHIP

Last Sunday's Sermon

Doubt has its place in the life of faith. Faith isn't only about belief, about whether or not you have doubt. It's about not letting the doubts get the better of us. Christians have doubts and questions, but we try not to let them rob us of our joy or our history. We look for, and find, reasons to take another step on the water. And that makes all the difference.

View the entire August 13 service here, and look for new sermons here.

Upcoming Readings for August 20, 2023

Let us prepare our hearts and mind for worship with the readings for the Twelfth Sunday after Pentecost:

First Reading: Isaiah 56:1,6-8

Isaiah prophesies that the God of Israel does not discriminate based on one’s nationality, but on the content of one’s character, and what is in a person’s heart.

Psalm: Psalm 67

The Psalmist calls for the people's praise and God's blessing.

Second Lesson: Romans 11:1-2a, 29-32

God draws all people to himself to redeem both Jew and Gentile.

Gospel: Matthew 15:10-28

Jesus heals the daughter of a Canaanite woman, a person not expected to recognize the Savior.

Altar Flowers Needed

Volunteers to provide or purchase altar flowers are urgently needed for upcoming Sundays. Please contact Marcia Evans or sign up here.

Join Us In Person or Online

Join us in the historic church at 9:30 AM Sunday or watch live via YouTube. Additional links to the livestream, worship bulletin, and lectionary class are sent Saturday and also available on our website.

Adult Lectionary Forum

Join us Sundays in-person in the church library or online via Zoom to discuss the day's lessons.

Education for Ministry (EfM)

Education for Ministry (EfM) is a unique four-year distance learning certificate program in theological education based upon small-group study. St. John's EfM group is gearing up for the fall. If you've indicated interest in your first year or the next year of this amazing program, be sure to contact Walt Cooner to secure registration.

Summer with the Psalms

Click here for additional info and to register.

Tree of Life

St. John's partners with several other local churches to prepare and serve a meal to some 70 local residents every second Tuesday of the month at the Sterling Community Center. For more information and to sign up, contact Val Tucker, Andrew Wade, or click here.

Western Fairfax Christian Ministries

St. John's is a founding partner of Western Fairfax Christian Ministries, which provides food and financial support to families at risk of hunger and homelessness in western Fairfax County. Please bring your donations to Sunday services, or drop at the church office. Here are their current food pantry needs for this month:

Food & Beverages​​

• Flour
• Canned Pears (no sugar added)
• Canned Mandarin Oranges (no sugar added)
• Fruit Cocktail (no sugar added)
• Black Beans, Garbanzo Beans, and Great Northern Beans
• Ramen Noodle Soup
• Jelly
• Boxed Pasta and Canned Pasta
• Pasta Sauce
• Cake Mix and Brownie Mix 

​Toiletries

Toiletry items cannot be purchased by clients with SNAP​​

• Body Wash
• Bar Soap
• Toothpaste
• Conditioner
• Lotion
• Feminine Pads (not tampons)
• Large size pull-ups (size 4T/5T for toddlers) 
• Size 5 and 6 Diapers 
• Baby Wipes 

​Only size 5 and 6 diapers and large pull-ups are needed at this time thanks to a partnership with Greater DC Diaper Bank. 

The Shepherd's Center of Western Fairfax

The Shepherd's Center needs drivers and support for local seniors.

Centreville Immigration Forum

CIF provides immigrants in need with the means to improve their lives and become more integrated into the community, improve communication and cooperation among all groups serving immigrants, and build community recognition of our strength in diversity.

The Katharine K. Hanley Family Shelter

The shelter is in need of volunteers to serve meals and help with dinner preparation. For more information, and to volunteer, contact Deacon Steve.

Bring donations for our local family shelter to church or drop by the office.

Their needs may be found on their In-Kind Donations Wish List.

Sunday Services

Additional readers and ushers are needed. Sign up here.

Coffee Hour

We gather after worship for food and fellowship. Assist with snacks here.

Altar Flowers

Dedicate the altar flowers in thanksgiving or in memory of a loved one here.

Tree of Life

Help us feed hungry families. Sign up here.

For the people of Ukraine

God of peace and justice, we pray for the people of Ukraine today. We pray for peace and the laying down of weapons. We pray for all those who fear for tomorrow, that your Spirit of comfort would draw near to them. We pray for those with power over war or peace, for wisdom, discernment and compassion to guide their decisions. Above all, we pray for all your precious children, at risk and in fear, that you would hold and protect them. We pray in the name of Jesus, the Prince of Peace. Amen.

--a prayer from Archbishop Justin Welby and Archbishop Stephen Cottrell

Episcopal Relief & Development provides humanitarian assistance to people fleeing the violence in Ukraine, working with ACT Alliance and its Anglican partners in Europe. You can contribute to its Ukraine Crisis Response Fund here.