The Bridge - February 11, 2022

The Bridge

February 11, 2022

The Mission of St. John’s is to be a community of God’s people who heal brokenness, build bridges, and exemplify borderless kindness.

Worship at St. John's

Sunday Services - February 6

9:00 am Holy Eucharist Rite I (In-Person)

10:30 am Holy Eucharist Rite II (In-Person and Zoom)

1:00 pm Santa Eucaristía Rito II (en persona)

To participate in our virtual Sunday services, you do not need to have a Zoom account or download Zoom. Simply click the link to join.

You may also join the service by telephone -

dial (346) 248-7799 and enter the meeting ID when prompted.

Meeting ID: 879 9502 6837

Zoom link for 10:30 a.m. service

The video recording of the 10:30 a.m. service will be posted on the St. John's Facebook page, YouTube, and the St. John's website later in the day. Additionally, recordings of the English and Spanish sermons will be available. Links to the recordings will be posted on our website (www.austinstjohns.org).

Consider This

From "The Christian Century" this week:

"…I wish the creed included a few more lines. As in: I believe in Jesus, who squealed with joy on Mary’s lap, climbed trees with his preschool classmates, and learned to swim when he was five years old. I believe in Jesus, who whittled wooden sparrows in his father’s workshop, played pranks on his younger siblings, and laughed with his friends until tears coursed down his cheeks. I believe in Jesus, who hiked mountains, camped out on beaches, read poetry, considered the lilies, gazed at the stars, cherished fresh bread, savored good wine, experienced crushes, and fell in love. I believe in Jesus, who told the best stories. I believe in Jesus, who played hide-and-seek with children. I believe in Jesus, who sang around campfires. I believe in Jesus who lived…Maybe, in these days of pandemic and pain, we need a more robust theology of holy delight, one that honors the whole of our experience as human beings. A theology that says Christianity acknowledges the reality of pain and death, but it is not about pain and death, it’s about life and joy. It’s about a God who died so that we can live. It’s about a kingdom that enacts justice, equity, and healing so that all of creation can revel in abundant life…Life is many things, and yes, it includes pain. But not to the exclusion and neglect of joy. To follow Christ is to embrace Christ’s joy and to trust that God will make that joy complete in us."

by Debie Thomas

February 3, 2022

We Need a More Robust Theology

St. John's Notices and Activities

BECOMING BELOVED COMMUNITY

You are invited to participate in a series of conversations titled "Stepping Onto Sacred Ground."

Dates: The conversation sessions will begin with an Orientation on Tuesday, February 15th and meet every two weeks until the end of November/early December (the calendar is still in progress).

Time of Day: We will meet on Zoom from 7pm-8:30pm Central Time.

Why: To "strive for justice and peace among all people and respect the dignity of every human being" (BCP, p.305) requires us to explore who we are in society. We also need to discern our own role in the injustices of racism. As our guiding principle, we will honor Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr's vision of the redemptive power of love to create the "Beloved Community". This goal/ideal is embraced by the Episcopal Church as the way to "restore all people to unity with God and each other in Christ." (BCP, Outline of Faith, p.855).

The Sacred Ground series will create a safe, respectful, and sacred space in which we can begin a journey of discernment. All opinions will be respected without judgment. Those who wish to share will be welcomed; those who prefer to listen will be equally welcomed. There will be time for everyone (who desires) to speak.

The Mission of St. John's Episcopal Church is to be a community of God's people who heal brokenness, build bridges, and exemplify borderless kindness.

Contact: Laurie Williams or Sandra Ward if you are interested in joining us.

EPISCOPAL DIOCESE OF TEXAS

DAUGHTERS OF THE KING SPRING ASSEMBLY

February 18-19, 2022

Please contact Sandra Ward for more information.

CHRISTIAN FORMATION

Lenten Formation Series - Coming Soon!

Beginning Wednesday, February 16 at 7:00 p.m. and continuing every week except for Ash Wednesday (March 2), we will focus on an exploration of Christian history. Each 90-minute session will include watching an episode of a BBC documentary series on the “History of Christianity” by Diarmaid MacCulloch, followed by a discussion of the video.

The topics of each episode are:

The First Christianity
Catholicism: The Unpredictable Rise of Rome
Orthodoxy: From Empire to Empire
Reformation: The Individual Before God
Protestantism
God in the Dock

On the final week, April 6th, Professor Dan Joslyn-Siemiatkoski from the Seminary of the Southwest will join us to wrap up our exploration of Christian history.

This is an opportunity to better understand how Christianity got to where it is today and our place in its two-thousand-year-old story. We hope to see you there! The link to the Zoom meeting can be found in the Tuesday Christian Formation email, as well as in the weekly Bridge.

For more information, please contact Scott Morizot.

Cornerstone Literary Circle - Zoom

Wednesdays at 5:30 pm

Cornerstone Literary Circle is enjoying reading and discussing Crazy Horse: The Lakota Warrior's Life and Legacy. We just finished Chapter 6. Next week, we will be ready Chapters 7-13.

Our next book has been picked by Sandra Ward, and Kim Evert will be the host. Kim is a former member of St. John's who has joined our group. The book is His Truth Is Marching On: John Lewis and the Power of Hope by John Meacham.

The reading assignments will be found in each week's Christian Formation email sent out on Tuesday.

Please contact Laurie Williams for more information.

The link to join the class is here:

Cornerstone Literary Circle

Wednesday Evening Bible Study - Zoom

Wednesdays at 7:00pm

This group continues to review and discuss the lectionary readings for the following Sunday. Please watch for the email which goes out on Tuesday for the scheduled readings.

The link to join the class is here:

Wednesday Evening Bible Study

Thursday Morning Bible Study - Hybrid

Thursdays at 10:00 a.m.

We continue to meet both in person in the Parish Hall and via Zoom. Those of us who attend in person are masked and spread out around a large table. Everyone is welcome to join our conversation - please participate at your personal physical and emotional comfort level as we continue to navigate the pandemic.

For more information, please contact Elaine Jackson .

The link to join the class is here:

Thursday Morning Bible Study

(please refer to our website www.austinstjohns.org or to the Christian Formation email sent every Tuesday for more information and links)

WEDNESDAY MORNING GROUNDS CREW

There are projects to be done all year, and your participation would be very welcome! We start about 8:00 a.m. and finish about noon.

For more information about this ministry, please contact Hal Hughes.

LABYRINTH COMMUNITY GARDEN

To learn about how our Labyrinth Community Garden serves the community, or for information about obtaining a bed in the Garden for you and your family, please contact Patty Arnold.

Community Information

CAPITOL IDEA - CareerUp Information Sessions

Could you or someone you know make good use of a FREE education and a new career? Come to a CareerUp info session to learn more about our Career Expressway program. We have employer partners all across Central Texas, and we know how to get you hired! We’ve guided thousands of income-eligible adults with little to no college experience through training and into satisfying careers. These aren’t just jobs. These careers offer great salaries and long-term career paths that will give you opportunities to learn more, earn more, and move up! Click the button for more information and to sign up.

Capitol IDEA - CareerUp

Here are some resources for finding out more about the March primary election:

Travis County March Primary Election

And ways you can help to "get out the vote"!

Things You Can Do to Get Out the Vote!

COVID-19 Related Information

click on the image to access the Austin Public Health website

St. John's requires masks and social distancing for all indoor worship services and gatherings.

Masks and vaccines are our best protection against COVID-19. Please get vaccinated to protect yourself and others.

Thank you very much for your cooperation in these efforts to keep our St. John’s community safe and healthy.

Caring for Each Other

FOR PRAYER AND PASTORAL CARE

If you find that your situation is causing financial, spiritual, or emotional difficulties, or if you are in need of food, do not hesitate to call Deacon Victoria (512-297-5953) or email Mthr. Minerva (RevMinerva@austinstjohns.org).

We are a church family; when a family member needs assistance we want to try and help that member.

Our Gathering Policy

St. John's gathering policy continues to be updated as conditions change relative to the COVID pandemic. St. John's holds the health and safety of our community as a top priority.

Your understanding and cooperation are very much appreciated.

CLICK HERE TO DONATE TO ST. JOHNS;THANK YOU!

Please visit our website (Austin St. John's)

for other ways to make a donation.

Please send mail to the church post office box:

St. John’s Episcopal Church

P. O. Box 81493

Austin, TX 78708-1493

All First Class Mail, Priority Mail and Priority Express Mail will be forwarded through Dec. 7, 2022.

Stories and Photos for The Bridge

You are invited to send photos and stories about yourself, your family, and our parish for inclusion in The Bridge. As we come back together, let's share our experiences! Please send your ideas, stories, and photos to Fay Jones, (newsletter editor) by 12:00 pm on Wednesdays.

Running event announcements two weeks prior to the date is recommended.