PLEASE JOIN US FOR A NEWCOMERS WELCOME! 

Sunday, February 4th, 12:15-1:30pm in the Parish Hall. 

If you are new to St. John's, if you have never attended

a new comers welcome before, if you want to hang out with the clergy and vestry to ask questions –

please come and join us. Come spend some time with other newcomers, clergy members, and members of our vestry. Enjoy the opportunity to learn about the church,

ask questions, and if interested explore how to get involved with various ministries. We are excited to

officially welcome and meet you and share all the wonderful things about St. John's.

The heavens are telling the glory of God,

and the firmament proclaims his handiwork. Psalm 19:1

Dear Friends,

As I announced at the Annual Meeting on Sunday, part of St. John’s creation care initiative includes planting a garden in the new ramp access area by the solarium, as well as the front of church.

We now know that even planting a garden that sustains other life, e.g. butterflies, bugs and birds, with native plants is caring for this fragile earth, our island home. Please join me in the process of designing these gardens.

In the past we did not think of our earth as fragile, and we took Mother Earth for granted. Photos from astronauts as they orbited the earth, however, did give us a picture of the earth as an island home in the vast expanse of interstellar space.

We now have a sense of urgency to act on behalf of the earth by caring for creation. We see ourselves responsible for doing what is in our power to take care of the earth. St. John's has several initiatives underway and has taken concrete steps in reducing our carbon footprint. We are using ceramic mugs, plates and silverware for our coffee hours and parish dinners, reducing paper and plastic waste.

We will soon have a document that details how to do a sustainable event here at St John’s.

This past Sunday we introduced trash bins that will help separate the waste further for recycling and for composting. Be ready to learn and be more intentional about how to dispose of items such as coffee stirrers, napkins, and food waste.

We have a water bottle filling station in the parish hall that has already saved 676 plastic bottles.

Engineering studies are underway for solar panel installation. The parish is entering into a PPA, Power Purchasing Agreement, that will allow us to utilize the solar panels with guaranteed low electric rates for 25 years. The solar panels will sustainably supply 85% of our electricity.

Soon we will have a document that details how to do a sustainable event here at St John’s.

Our faith story began in a beautiful garden. Genesis tells us it was filled with trees, pleasing to the eye and was a place where God walked in the cool of the evening. As a faith community, let’s be mindful of our need to care for the creation that we have here at the center of Olney.

In hope and love,

Mary Alcuin Kelly, Deacon in Training

LENTEN EVENING PRAYER & a Meal of Soup and Bread

Wednesday's February 21-March 27

6:30pm Dinner | 7:30pm Worship

As in years past, each Wednesday evening in Lent we take time to share a simple meal of soup and bread followed by the beautiful service of Evening Prayer. A special feature of Evening Prayer this year, will be the inclusion of Taizé music accompanied by classical guitar, by guest musician, Jake Simpson.

Each week two people will provide soup, one being a vegetarian option, and someone else provides the bread. Clean up after supper is done by all, however, this year, we ask that two people sign-up to lead the clean-up duties prior to worship.

This is a wonderful way to mark our Lenten journey and share in fellowship. We invited and encourage you to come for the fun and stay for the holy.