The Bridge
November 26, 2021
The Mission of St. John’s is to be a community of God’s people who heal brokenness, build bridges, and exemplify borderless kindness.
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"Perhaps this Thanksgiving, we can turn our hearts and minds ... towards the upper room in Jerusalem. Perhaps we can see our Thanksgiving tables as extensions of Jesus’ own table, as places where God’s people are drawn together across their differences, as places where God makes ordinary things and ordinary people into holy things and holy people and then gives them as gifts to his world."
Sandy Webb, "The First Thanksgiving"
ECF Vital Practices, 11.23.2021
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To read the entire article, please click the button: |
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An Advent Message from Mother Minerva
Paul and I attended Sunday services at St. Peter’s Episcopal Church in Rockport. I heard something that got me thinking about these last 18 months. They, like us, are in the process of reconnecting with their congregants and rebuilding their ministries.
Their Advent series focuses on the theme of coming back based on Isaiah’s account of the return from exile. Isaiah was the prophet who wrote about the time of the return of the people to Jerusalem. After about 70 years of being in exile, they were allowed to return. Although many returned, many did not. They had made homes, had families, built a new life away from Jerusalem. So, when they were allowed to come back some chose not to return.
St. Peter’s, like St. John’s, is experiencing a return from the exile created by the pandemic. Worship services here at St. John’s went virtual for almost a year and ministries were scaled back, went virtual, or went dormant. Some of our congregants continued to worship virtually with us, some found other virtual worship communities that they joined, and others waited for in person services. Some found ways to participate in ministries virtually or with only a remnant of their members. New habits were developed, life circumstances changed, and some work responsibilities increased due to the pandemic.
Like the people who returned to Jerusalem from Babylon, we hope for a return to seeing our missing members most every Sunday. Although we have had in-person services since March 14, not everyone has come back. This is not unique to St. John’s or St. Peter’s, Rockport. This “exile” is something that is happening in all congregations. As people of faith, we are having to reassess “What does it mean to be a community of faith?” What does it mean to be part of a congregation?
Advent is the beginning of the Church’s year. We are using this Advent season to imagine what our future could be about. Please participate in at least one listening session. The goal of these listening sessions is to identify where God is calling us to serve. And, to identify where each of us is being called to serve. Some of these sessions will be in person, others will be virtual or hybrid.
St. John’s has much to offer our community as the hands and feet of Christ. Our commitment to our mission to heal brokenness, build bridges and exemplify borderless kindness, demands that we all commit to be active members.
I invite you to start off this new Church Year recommitting to St. John’s. What that means is different for each of us. I invite you to explore what that means to you. Those of you who have not joined us for Sunday worship, come back. Come back to regular Sunday worship- either in person or virtual. Trust me, you are missed! For those of you that have not reconnected with a ministry, use your participation in a listening session to discover your current calling.
Together we can rediscover the joys of worshiping and working together as a congregation. Together we can listen to one another’s stories that will help us hear God’s invitation of how we can serve God and our neighbors. Together we can rejoice as we await the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ singing “Oh Come, Oh Come Immanuel!”
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Calendar of Events
Advent, Christmas, Epiphany
- Wednesday, December 8 - Blue Christmas service
- (7:00 pm)
- Sunday, December 12 - Celebration of Our Lady of Guadalupe
- (procession at 12:30 pm)
- Saturday, December 18 - Las Posadas
- (bilingual, 6:30 pm)
- Sunday, December 19 - Greening of the Church
- (2:15 pm, refreshments)
- Friday, December 24 - Christmas Eve
- Saturday, December 25 - Christmas Day
- Holy Eucharist with music
- (9:00 am)
- Sunday, December 26
- Regular service schedule
- Sunday, January 2 - Feast of St. John the Evangelist
- 9:00 am Holy Eucharist Rite I in English with no music
- 1:00 pm Bilingual Holy Eucharist with special lessons and music
- 2:15 pm Parish Potluck luncheon
- Thursday, January 6 – Feast of the Epiphany
- Sunday January 9 – Feast of the Epiphany observed
- Sunday, January 16 – MLK Jr. Day observed
- Regular service schedule with special liturgy and prayers
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Online Donations
As mentioned last week, we are aware of technical difficulties with our online donation service. Please rest assured that your contributions are being received and processed by the church. If you have questions about this situation, please contact our Treasurer, Sandy Welles ( treasurer@austinstjohns.org). |
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Sunday Services
9:00 am Holy Communion Rite I (in person)
10:30 am Holy Communion Rite II (in person and Zoom)
1:00 pm Santa Eucaristía, Rito II (en persona)
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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
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The video recording of the 10:30 a.m. English 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).
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Virtual Coffee and Fellowship
Our virtual coffee "hour" provides a time to greet those who do not feel comfortable attending in person. Stay on Zoom when the service ends or click on this button to say hello:
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Coffee Hour and fellowship has resumed in the Parish Hall! There is a sign up sheet next to the coffee maker - let us know when you want to make coffee! |
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St. John's Notices and Activities |
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Let your friends know about St. John's
A simple thing we all can do each week to help our friends see if St. John's might be a good place to support their spiritual exploration is to like and share our Sunday Service Zoom link and video recordings on our St. John's Facebook page. There is also lots of good information on the St. John's website. If you have any questions about sharing your experience with others, please contact Mthr. Minerva or 512.912.7913.
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If you notice an empty space at St. John's which was previously filled by someone you saw and visited with regularly, please reach out to them and invite them to return to St. John's! You can also let Mthr. Minerva know about them; she will be happy to connect with those who have not yet returned to our services and other activities. |
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Christian Formation at St. John's |
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Wednesday Evening Bible Study - Zoom
Wednesdays at 7:00pm
Next week we begin our Advent Formation Series: “Commitment to Hope.”
Advent is a season of preparation: shopping for gifts, decorating our homes and sanctuaries. Advent is also a time to prepare our hearts and communities for the coming of Christ, the Almighty God who came among us poor and homeless, a stranger and a child. There may be no better time to reflect on how we as the Episcopal Church embrace the Holy One who continues to draw near in the neighbor, the stranger, the refugee, or the one who seems most “other” to you. It is the ideal season to commit to becoming Beloved Community and growing loving liberating, life-giving relationships across the human family of God.
The link to join the class is here:
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Thursday Morning Bible Study - Hybrid
Thursdays at 10:00 a.m. - Hybrid
To participate in person, join us at 9:55am in the Parish Hall. To participate virtually, enter Zoom meeting number 821 5253 7149 in the Zoom app or click this button to enter the waiting room for the meeting:
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(please refer to our website www.austinstjohns.org or to the Christian Formation email sent every Tuesday for more information and links)
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From Your Parish Librarian
If you go down the hallway to the church offices in the Parish Hall, on your right you’ll see our newly organized and categorized Church Library. Feel free to look at these shelves and to borrow a book or two. You’ll find a variety of pastoral, religious, historical, and theological volumes that are well worth your reading time. Please bring them back whenever you finish them.
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Also, you’ve probably seen the Book Rack (or Book Trolley) with a lot of books we’re giving away. It’s been in the Narthex of the church and is now in the lobby of the Parish Hall. Most of these books are of a religious nature and can be taken home and kept.
There’s also a new shelf labeled ‘Novels, etc.’ where you can find other books on a variety of subjects. Feel free to bring to the church your own books that you’ve enjoyed and don’t wish to keep. After review, these will be placed on the trolley to be passed along.
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Wednesday Morning Grounds Crew
There are projects to be done all year, and your participation would be very welcome! They start about 8:00 a.m. and finish about noon.
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If you have questions about this ministry, please contact Hal Hughes.
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Labyrinth Community Garden
Our garden project is participating in the #SeedMoneyChallenge, a 30-day fundraising challenge and we could really use your support!
In addition to keeping the 100% funds we raise from individuals like you, we have a chance to win a challenge grant of up to $1000 from SeedMoney based on how much we raise over the course of the 30-day period running from Nov 15 to Dec 15.
You can learn more about our work and support us here:
Thanks very much for helping our campaign reach its goal!
Our goal is to raise $1200 this year so we can build more beds. Please direct your questions to Hal Hughes or Patty Arnold.
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If you are interested in obtaining a bed for you and your family, please contact Patty Arnold.
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Happy Thanksgiving
and the beginning of the Advent season!
As you therefore have received Christ Jesus the Lord, continue to live your lives in him, rooted and built up in him and established in the faith, just as you were taught, abounding in thanksgiving. Colossians 2:6-7
We continue to celebrate Latino/Hispanic Heritage Month with various resources for your ministry. We hope they will help you and if you have a suggestion or question, do not hesitate to contact me.
Sandra Montes,
Episcopal Church Foundation
To read the entire article, please click on the button:
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Please scroll down through the article to read it in English. |
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COVID-19 Related Information |
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For Prayer and Pastoral Care |
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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.
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St. John’s requires masks at all indoor worship services. Masks are optional at all other events on the St. John's campus. Based on the CDC guidelines, all persons who are not fully vaccinated are encouraged to wear masks while indoors. |
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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.
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for other ways to make a donation.
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Please send mail to the church post office box
There have been numerous events of vandalism to the mailbox at St. John's.
We are asking everyone to send ALL monetary donations, and other important mail, to the post office box.
The address for donations:
St. John’s Episcopal Church
P. O. Box 81493
Austin, TX 78708-1493
We will have return address envelopes in the narthex for you to take home to use or to remind you to record the correct the address for the post office box for future reference.
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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.
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Ms. Paula Foy, Senior Warden
Mr. Hal Hughes, Junior Warden
Ms. Sandra Welles, Treasurer
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Class of 2022
Ms. Paula Foy
Mr. Hal Hughes
Sra. Rosalinda Rodriguez
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Class of 2023
Mr. Steve Kriechbaum
Ms. Sandra Welles
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Class of 2024
Ms. Maria Caballero, Clerk
Sr. Alfonso Hernandez
Ms. Sandra Ward
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The Rev. Minerva Camarena Skeith, Rector
The Rev. Victoria Mason, Deacon
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Ms. Fay Jones, Director of Communications
Mr. Philip Riley, Choirmaster and Organist
Sr. Alfonso Hernandez, Spanish Music
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Fay Jones, Editor (fay@austinstjohns.org) |
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St. John's Episcopal Church
11201 Parkfield Drive
P. O. Box 81493, Austin, TX 78708-1493
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Sunday Services
9:00 a.m. Holy Eucharist, Rite I
10:30 a.m. Holy Eucharist, Rite II hybrid (in-person & Zoom)
1:00 p.m. Santa Eucaristía, Rito II
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The Parish Office is open Tuesday, Thursday, and Friday
from 10am - 12Noon.
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For more information about St. John’s Episcopal Church, please visit our website at www.austinstjohns.org
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