"To know Christ and to make Him known . . . " | |
The Weekly Sunday Bulletin of St. John’s Episcopal Church | |
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“Life on the surface keeps us judging the circumstances. We look at the circumstances as a picture. If it is pretty, pleasing, and shows us what we want to see then God is good and life is as it should be. When we don’t see what we want then we often look for a new picture. The restless searching, the longing for more, the desire for meaning are not, however, usually answered by changed circumstances. The answer is found in depth, intimacy, and the vulnerability of the interior journey. We do not need to see new things. We need to see the same old things with new eyes. We do not need to hear a different voice. We need to hear the same old voice with different ears. We do not need to escape the circumstances of our life. We need to be more fully present to those circumstances. When this happens life is no longer lived at the surface. These are the transfigured moments, moments when the picture of our life has becomes a window into a new world and we come face to face with the glory of God.” (Michael K. Marsh)
In the Gospel, Peter, John, and James go to the mountain to pray. Jesus' face changed in appearance and his clothes became dazzling white. Then they see Moses and Elijah, talking to him. It is obvious to me that Moses, Elijah, and Jesus and are outside the temporal realm. The bible calls this situation, “the Kingdom of Heaven” and this is the place in our time and space where heaven and earth overlap. Many people can only experience the temporal realm. When you are a believer, God is able to bring the light of Christ to a hurting world through you. When we give of ourselves for the sake of others, we feel the peace that passes all understanding. This is a foretaste of the eternal life that we will experience in the next life.
The abundant life is filled with experiences outside the temporal realm. This fleeting presence of “the Kingdom of Heaven” is a foretaste of what we will experience in eternity after our resurrection. In today’s lesson, Jesus crosses the temporal realm so that the disciples may have this foretaste, but the disciples are not in the right place to understand. Most people believe that they will go to heaven, but my experience is that non-believers don’t think that God can come into our time and space.
In the fifties and sixties, while I was growing up, practically everyone I knew believed that Jesus Christ was the Son of God. The church was filled and when we went out of church, we felt like servants of Jesus Christ on a mission. The times were tumultuous in the sixties, yet the Episcopal Church was a great place to be. We felt good that we were changing the world in a positive way to the problems of the environment, war, women’s rights and racism.
I imagine that most of us miss out on the deep joy and peace that we are offered by God because we are too distracted by our egos, our anger towards certain individuals, and other “stuff.” The trick in life for me is to let go of the “stuff,” give of ourselves to others, and to forgive others as we are forgiven by God. This deepens our relationship with God and our neighbor and allows us to experience the full benefit of God’s love and mercy. We are able to not only recover from bad things that happen to us, but somehow the glue that puts us back together makes us stronger than we have ever been. Once we see each other as broken vessels in need of the love and mercy of God, we love all our neighbors because we know that they are just as broken as us. We begin to walk the path that our Savior walked, who hung on a cross that he might know our pain and we might know the hope of the resurrection.
In Christ’s love,
Fr. Duncan
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The Last Sunday after the Epiphany
Readings
Exodus 24:12-18
2 Peter 1:16-21
Matthew 17:1-9
Psalm 99
Join us for Sunday Worship at 8:00 am and 10:00 am in the church or remotely on Zoom and Facebook.
8:00 am - Rite I Holy Eucharist
Zoom: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/83803451202
Facebook Live Stream: https://www.facebook.com/stjohns1745/live_videos/
Bulletin: Rite I Epiphany
9:40 am - Sunday School meets in the Canterbury Corner
2022-23 Sunday School Calendar
10:00 am – Rite II Choral Eucharist
Zoom: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/86739553648
Facebook Live Stream: https://www.facebook.com/stjohns1745/live_videos
Bulletin: Rite II Epiphany
Music
Opening: 135 Songs of Thankfulness and praise
Gradual: LEVAS 65, Bless the Lord, o my soul
Offertory anthem: "Guardian Angels" by Bonnie Masi
Communion: LEVAS 137 Just as I am
Recessional: 460 Alleluia, sing to Jesus
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This Sunday, February 19th, we are welcoming our newcomers with a special newcomers coffee hour.
We invite all members and newcomers to put on a name tag and join us after each service in the Great Hall for fellowship and good food.
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The Burns family welcomes all who wish to celebrate Sue's life to the following:
Wake & Visitation
5:00 - 8:00 pm
Sunday, February 19, 2023
M.A. Connell Funeral Home
934 New York Avenue
Huntington Station, New York
Funeral Service
11:00 am
Monday, February 20, 2023
St. John's Episcopal Church
12 Prospect Street
Huntington, New York
Luncheon Reception
Immediately following the Funeral Service in the Great Hall
Monday, February 20, 2023
St. John's Episcopal Church
12 Prospect Street
Huntington, New York
Desserts in honor of Sue's sweet tooth are welcome!
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The Parish Office will be closed on Monday, January 20th in observance of Presidents' Day.
Bible Study will not meet on Monday or Tuesday this week.
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Bible Study will resume on Monday, February 27th at 6:30 pm and Tuesday, February 28th at 11:00 am. We will begin a new unit referencing Were You There: Lenten Reflections on the Spirituals by Luke A. Powery.
Monday Zoom Link: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/83373971746
Tuesday Zoom link:https://us02web.zoom.us/j/82553627635
Bible Study meets regularly Mondays at 6:30 pm and on Tuesdays at 11:00 am on Zoom.
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SHROVE TUESDAY PANCAKE SUPPER | |
Join us on Tuesday, February 21st for our annual Shrove Tuesday Pancake Supper, 5:30-7:00 pm in the Great Hall.
A free will offering will be accepted to benefet our 2023 mission trip to Puerto Rico in April.
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The 2003 Lenten season begins with Ash Wednesday on February 22nd.
St. John's will hold an Ash Wednesday Holy Eucharist with the Imposition of Ashes at 12:00 noon and at 7:00 pm on that day.
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"A Lenten Journey: A Christian Pilgrimage toward New Life" - This small collection of Lenten meditations was composed by now Bishop Allen Shin when he was rector of St. Johns as an offering to the members of St. John’s. There are are several hard copies available at the back of the church.
CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD LENTEN DEVOTIONS
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Saturday, February 25th at 4:00 pm
Come and enjoy an evening of uplifting African-American anthems and spirituals! Featuring Alex Pryrodny, soloists from St. Augustine’s Episcopal church, and others. Free will offering to benefit St. John's Concert Fund.
MAKE A DONATION TO ST. JOHN'S CONCERT FUND
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FIRST HOLY COMMUNION CLASSES | |
First Holy Communion will take place on Sunday, April 16, 2023 for children 2nd grade and above. First Communion classes will meet on THURSDAYS at 5 pm in the Guild Room beginning on MARCH 2ND.
If you are interested in First Holy Communion for your child, please register using the link below. Forms are also available at the back of the church. If you have any questions about First Communion, please feel free to reach out to Fr. Duncan or the Parish Office.
FIRST HOLY COMMUNION REGISTRATION FORM
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LENTEN RETREAT TO HOLY CROSS | |
Registration is now open for our 2023 Lenten Retreat to Holy Cross Monastery, March 7th to March 9th. The retreat will be led by one of the monks of the Order of the Holy Cross. There will also be quiet, reflective time on the beautful grounds which overlook the Hudson River in West Park, New York. We will meet at St. John's on the morning of March 7th and carpool. We will return in the afternoon of March 9th. The cost of the retreat is $230 per person. Space is limited.
REGISTER FOR LENTEN RETREAT AT HOLY CROSS
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LENTEN SERIES - LISTEN, LEARN, LOVE | |
On Tuesdays in Lent, all are welcome to join us in the Great Hall or on Zoom for 2023 Lenten Series, Listen, Love, Learn: How Being Present Changes Lives. Arizona missioners will share their mission experience at the borders of our world.
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March 14 - Listen: "Why We Leave" Presented by Fr. James Reiss and Judy Wohrle
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March 21 - Learn: "Here we Wait -- Walls and/or Gates" Presented by Jan Stebbins and Kailee Sievers
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March 28 - Love: "Where Love May Take Us -- Where Will Love Take Us" Presented by Ken Denker, Paula Dodge, Stephanie West
- 6:00 pm: Stations of the Cross in the Sanctuary (In person)
- 6:30 pm: Light Supper in the Great Hall (In person)
- 7:00 pm: Program (In person & on Zoom)
- 8:00 pm: Closing Prayer
Lenten Suppers - We are so excited to be able to come together again for supper before each program. Each week different St. John's groups will provide the meal. Click on the following link to see the schedule:
LENTEN SUPPER GROUP SCHEDULE
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Hope & Healing for a Broken World
The Rev. Canon David Ulloa Chavez, Canon for Border Ministries for the Diocese of Arizona, will lead discussion, reflection and prayer for St. John's Lenten Quiet Day. Suggested donation, $20.
Saturday, March 11, 2023
9:00 am - Breakfast
9:30 am - Program
12:00 pm - Closing Prayer
REGISTER FOR THE LENTEN QUIET DAY
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APPEAL FOR EARTHQUAKE RELIEF IN TURKEY & SYRIA | |
Episcopal Relief & Development is mobilizing with long-term partners after a 7.8-magnitude earthquake in Turkey and Syria on Monday, February 6, 2023. The earthquake killed over 11,000 people and caused widespread damage across the region.
Working through Action by Churches Together Alliance (ACT Alliance), Episcopal Relief & Development will rapidly respond to the disaster through existing networks by providing supplies including winterization kits, hot meals and other food, medicine and emergency support. The organization is also in contact with other local partners as they assess the needs of their communities.
“The reports from Turkey and Syria are heart-wrenching,” said Abagail Nelson, Executive Vice President and Chief Strategy Officer, Episcopal Relief & Development. “We have worked closely with ACT Alliance in our response to the crisis in Ukraine and we will continue to partner to meet the immediate needs of the affected communities in Turkey and Syria.”
Please continue to PRAY for those who have been affected by the earthquake. Donations to the Turkey and Syria Earthquake Response Fund will help the organization to continue to respond to communities impacted by this disaster.
DONATE TO EPISCOPAL RELIEF & DEVELOPMENT
For over 80 years, Episcopal Relief & Development has been working together with supporters and partners for lasting change around the world. Each year the organization facilitates healthier, more fulfilling lives for more than 3 million people struggling with hunger, poverty, disaster and disease. Inspired by Jesus’ words in Matthew 25, Episcopal Relief & Development leverages the expertise and resources of Anglican and other partners to deliver measurable and sustainable change in three signature program areas: Women, Children and Climate.
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Tuesday, Thursdays & Saturdays
12 - 3 pm
St. John's Thrift Shop and its ministry are vital to our mission in the community. We are so grateful for our dedicated group of volunteers. If you are looking for a way to serve your parish and community, our Thrift Shop could be the ministry for you.
To volunteer or find our more, please contact Mary Beth Dieterle, (631) 427-1752, ext 106.
Donations welcome. We accept donations of new or gently used clothing, accessories, and household items. Please no books, furniture, out-dated electronics, or damaged items.
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All are welcome at Morning Prayer. We meet Monday through Friday at 9:00 am via Zoom.
Our short prayer service is followed by some fellowship and discussion. Feel free to join us occasionally to listen and pray, or come more often to participate as a leader or reader, and to start your day with your focus on Christ and a deeper connection with your friends at St. John's.
Join us via Zoom: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/86041146543
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2023 PILGRIMAGE TO IONA, SCOTLAND | |
Pilgrimage to the Isle of Iona, Scotland
September 29-October 8, 2023
IONA WELCOMES ALL! Come you of great faith and you who struggle with faith; you who believe and you who doubt; explorers and questioners, adventures and contemplatives! Experience Iona without expectation. Let the sacred isle uncover what you need to see and reveal what you need to hear!
For more information or questions please contact the Pilgrimage Leader, Leslie Valentine: Phone: (516) 815-1169; Email: leslieval@aol.com
Iona 2023 Brochure
Iona 2023 Registration Form
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REGULAR MINISTRY MEETINGS | |
Prayer Shawl Ministry - 1st Thursday of each month at 6 pm in the Guild Room. Contact Noelle DeLoreno or Lynn Hansen.
Spirituality Group - 2nd Thursday of each month at 5 pm in the Guild Room. Contact Patti Aliperti.
Racial Reconcilitation & Social Justice Minsitry - 4th Wednesday of each month on Zoom. Contact Heather Kress.
St. Hilda's Guild (Sewing & Crafting) - Weekly on Tuesdays, 12:30 - 3 pm in the Guild Room. Contact Sue Hartman.
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PRAYER CONCERNS FOR ST. JOHN'S | |
We pray for Richard, Barbara, Edward, Christine, Fred, Ana, Patti, Luke, Cassandra, Valarie, Danielle, Amy, Kate, Cheryl, Anne, Carmen, Lou, Mary Beth, Daniel, Pedro, Anita, Chaya, Valerie, Hal, Sue, Hortense, Louise, Angela, Brooke, Caitlin
Recently departed: Susanne Burns
Please send your prayers or updates to prayers@stjohns1745.org or call Coral in the Parish Office, 631-427-1752, ext. 101.
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St. John's Episcopal Church
12 Prospect Street
Huntington, New York 11743
(631) 427-1752
stjohns1745.org
STAY CONNECTED
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