To St. John's Parishioners and Friends:

Raise the roof! Our next parish project needs your help.

Thank you to all our generous parishioners, past and present, who have contributed to the mission of God at St. John's. This past Sunday, Andrew Wade from our finance committee urged us to continue this momentum and generosity. This month, we begin work on the final section of our roof, Phase III. It (literally) covers classrooms, our library and offices, the hall entrance, breezeway, and rear entrance. Once complete, we can look forward to 30 years of peace of mind.

Phase III will cost more than $40,000. Thanks to you and the excellent stewardship of parish leaders and volunteers we have savings that will cover much of this. And, what's more, thanks to Tom McDermott, Gail Weirich, Penny Parker, and others, St. John's was awarded a $5,000 Peter James Lee Church Revitalization Grant from the diocese on April 20. The grant requires us to raise at least that amount from the congregation.

So, as Andrew said, we are embarking on one last campaign to put the roof issues to rest. We need at least $5,000 in new donations to meet the diocesan match. And the more we can raise now toward the full price tag, the less we will draw from our reserves, preserving funds for the next big project or emergency.

Please prayerfully consider a donation and make your contribution by Sunday, May 28. Help us raise the roof at Pentecost!

To donate, please write a check to St. John’s Episcopal Church (write ‘Facility’ in the memo) or use the facility donation button at the bottom of this email. If you have any questions, or would like to hear more, please contact me or Andrew Wade on the Finance Committee.

Grace and peace,

Kevin

Email or book an appointment

From this week's Spring Clergy Retreat

Along with nearly 200 others, I spent several drizzly days on the mountain at Shrine Mont in Orkney Springs, Virginia. (I love it up here and started serving as a camp chaplain in the summer.) We heard from Fr. Martin Smith on the desiring of God. I took in some of the usual sights, caught up with the Rev. Deacon Steve Busch to hear about his sabbatical, met the Rev. Dr. Howard Kempsell in person, and got a selfie with the Rev. Carol Hancock.

Join us for the Progressive Dinner on May 13!

The Progressive Dinner returns on May 13! Registered diners gather in one place for appetizers, move on to another home for main courses, and on to another for dessert. It's sure to be an evening to remember!

WORSHIP

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

Last Sunday's Sermon

In the Scriptures, shepherds were a metaphor for royal authority. When we say with the Psalm, "The Lord is my shepherd," we deny the claims of the false shepherds of this world. Jesus is our shepherd and the gate, the founder of an entirely new kind of community and the means of its creation.

Upcoming Readings for May 7, 2023

Let us prepare our hearts and mind for worship with this Sunday's lessons:

The First Reading: Acts 7:55-60

God’s missionaries spread the gospel throughout the ancient world, despite enemies who continually nip at their heels to trip them.

The Psalm: Psalm 31:1-5, 15-16

The Psalmist, surrounded by enemies, finds shelter and hope with God.

The Second Reading: 1 Peter 2:2-10

Jesus is the foundation of our faith; his life, death, and resurrection is a fearsome thing to believe, but it is the way of salvation.

The Gospel: John 14:1-14

The disciples are troubled that Jesus is preparing them for his absence; Jesus explains that God the Father is the same presence and always has been.

Tree of Life

St. John's partners with several other local churches to prepare and serve a meal once per month with the Tree of Life at the Sterling Community Center. Our next dinner is coming up next week, on May 9. For more information and to sign up to join us, contact 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:

Food and Beverages

• Maseca Flour
• Canned Tuna and Canned Chicken
• Vegetable Oil 
• Peanut Butter
• Coffee
• Ramen Noodles 
• Vienna Sausages 
• Tomato Sauce 

Toiletries (Toiletry items cannot be purchased by clients with SNAP)

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

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

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

• Toothpaste
• Shampoo
• Conditioner
• Body Wash
• Bar Soap
• Hand Soap
• Deodorant

Sunday Services

Additional readers and ushers 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.

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.

Odds and Ends

Scam Alert. Beware of emails and texts claiming to be from clergy. Clergy will not text or email individuals asking for money, gifts, or favors. If you receive a strange email or text like this, an email from a different address than usual (always check the actual address of the sender), or a text or email that just doesn't seem right for some reason, please do not reply. Contact us directly, and report the suspicious text or email.

Bulletins and Communications. We're trying some new things with the Sunday bulletins, and working on this newsletter, too. If you have ideas or suggestions, or would like to assist, email Rev. Kevin or the parish office.

Office Hours. A few folks have asked about Rev. Kevin's office hours. Kevin tries to sabbath on Fridays. He is generally available at the St. John's office from 9 AM to 4 PM, Monday through Thursday. Please stop by when you're in the neighborhood.

The Pledge payment button may be used only to make your pledge payment (after signing up to be a pledger, which may be done at any time in the year.

The Facility Campaign button may be used only for any contribution for the facility's buildings and grounds.

The Donation button may be used for any other type of donation to St. John's. To designate a special purpose (i.e. please email the parish office.