Grace and peace,

As Christians, giving thanks can be for us like breathing; something we do always – but we recognize that is not always the case. In the middle of a storm, it can be difficult to notice, and be thankful for the beautiful clouds. In many ways this simply affirms that we are human. 

Taking a moment to give thanks, to God, to those around us, to those who influence us, to those we don’t see or speak with often enough, is a wonderful act of love. Not everyone grows up, or is formed from a family, where saying “I love you” and “thank you” are shared freely and in abundance; this makes your own offer of thanks even more impactful.

If words fail you, the prayers that are offered in our Book of Common Prayer are there to support your desire to give thanks; while the prayers of thanks are abundant, I commend pages 836-841 in the BCP for your reading. As the collect from just two weeks ago suggests, may you read, mark, learn, and inwardly digest these prayers, and then give thanks abundantly.

There is much to be thankful for in this community; St. John’s has, and shares, many blessings. May this holiday of Thanksgiving start you on a journey of giving thanks always.

Thank you for being a part of our St. John’s community and of my life.

Peace

Fr. Henry+

CHRISTMAS ALTAR FLOWERS & MUSIC

Celebrate Christmas by remembering, honoring, or giving thanks for someone with a Christmas floral tribute or special Christmas music during worship. Names will be printed in the bulletins. Deadline to submit donation form is

Friday, December 19th. 



Flower and Music Forms can be found HERE.

Donations can be made online at www.stjec.org/give

(Christmas Flower OR Christmas Music).

Grace and Peace,

All of us at St. John’s Episcopal School wish all members of St. John’s Episcopal Church a blessed Thanksgiving. May it be filled with family, friendship, gratitude, and generosity. We give thanks for the many blessings we share and for our strong partnership with the church. We are truly a stronger school because of this connection and the way it anchors our Episcopal identity. From weekly chapel to our religion classes and community service efforts, we are grateful for the deep bond we share with the parish.

As the word Thanksgiving reminds us, the second half of the word is giving. This is a time when we come together in the spirit of generosity by giving of ourselves to others, giving our time to causes dear to us, giving to our families, and giving to our community. Over the past few weeks, we have partnered with the parish and the Food Pantry to hold our food drive for the greater Olney community. Our children and families have responded with great generosity, contributing well over 300 items to date, with more to come as the drive continues through December.

To make this effort fun and spirited, we have paired it with our annual Blue and Gold competition. While this adds excitement and energy, the true focus remains on the value of giving. Our students are leading this effort with heart and purpose, and I could not be prouder of them.

As we celebrate Thanksgiving and prepare for the birth of Christ, let us keep both thanks and giving at the forefront of our hearts. Our world needs more of both, and together we can provide it in abundance.

Peace,

Joe Powers

Interim Head of School

St. John’s Episcopal School