The Weekly Sunday Bulletin of St. John’s Episcopal Church
|
|
On the surface, today’s Gospel is about fairness. The landowner hires workers early in the morning and agrees to pay them a full day’s wage. He goes back in the early morning and hires more workers. At midday and in the afternoon he hires more workers. Even at the eleventh hour, he hires more workers. The landowner asks the steward to pay all the workers the same wage beginning with the ones that only worked for an hour. When the steward finally began to pay the ones who had worked all day, they were fuming mad. The fact is that we can be easily annoyed with trivial matters that we deem as unfair. Jesus gives us a prime example. The laborers in today’s Gospel got paid one day’s work, regardless of how long they worked. Those workers who worked the longest earned a fair wage, but they were upset by what the others received.
God turns our world upside down. Jesus is creating a community where the last are first and the first are last. The world isn’t fair and maybe God helps to even things out a little. Have you ever felt God’s generosity when it is unearned and undeserved? When the generosity of God exceeds our expectations, we are surprised in a way that fills our heart with the peace that passes all understanding.
When you understand life to be an incredible gift, God’s grace and mercy flows over us like a river. Jesus is teaching parables that turn our world upside down. Suddenly, everyone is eligible for God’s love! It is no longer just the outwardly religious folks that find God’s favor.. The workers that were hired late in the day might have needed money to buy food for their families. When they received their pay at the end of the day, they must have been elated. “Maybe this is the break I have been waiting for,” says the unemployed person trying to get back in the work force. “Finally,” says the child that is back at school with their friends. Someone shows up with cases of water after a wildfire because someone half way around the world heard their cry while praying to God. Someone remembers those essential workers that have served our needs right through this pandemic. We remember those who gave their lives on 9/11 and pray for those who put their lives on the line for our safety.
Have you ever felt blessed by God? When we receive our fair wage it feels right, but when we receive more than we deserve, it is a blessing from God. I give to this church because God has blessed me in so many ways. I receive blessing upon blessing. They just keep coming. I am blessed by my beautiful children, my lovely wife, my mom, my brothers, my friends, by our Morning Prayer group, for my home in this wonderful town, and by the ministry of St. John’s. The list goes on and on for me. I love my ministry and my call to St. John’s. Today is my sixth anniversary of serving at St. John’s. The year 2020 has been tough for all of us, but I believe that God will get us through it. We will begin Eucharist in October and slowly and safely, we will get back to church. I pray that God will bless me with many more years of service at St. John’s. Please join me in giving praise and thanksgiving to God every Sunday. We have an outdoor service at 8AM. We have an indoor service at 11AM. There is an 8 AM zoom Morning Prayer and a 9:15 zoom Morning Prayer with incredible music. If you have not joined the M-F Morning Prayer community at 9 AM, I highly recommend this service of praise and prayer. If you have been away for the summer we invite you back. If you are new, we invite you to be a part of our community. We are blessed at St. John’s and God calls us all to be a blessing to each other.
In Christ’s love,
Fr. Duncan
|
|
8:00 am - Rite II Morning Prayer in the Garden of Blessings (weather permitting).
Face masks, social distancing, and registration required. Limited to 25 people.
8:00 am - Rite II Morning Prayer
https://www.facebook.com/stjohns1745/live/
9:15 am – Rite II Morning Prayer with Music
https://www.facebook.com/stjohns1745/live/
10:15 am - Sunday School via Zoom
11:00 am - Rite II Morning Prayer in the Church
Face masks, social distancing, and registration required. Limited to 25 people.
|
|
Please join us for a ZOOM coffee hour this Sunday at 10:00 am. Grab a cup of your own coffee and a snack, share some time with your friends at St. Johns. This will be an informal remote gathering where we can enjoy each other's company. Join Zoom Coffee Hour:
|
|
This Saturday, September 19th at 1:00 pm there will be a funeral service in thanksgiving for the life of our friend and brother, Frank Elliot.
Space in the church is limited to family. However, the family would like you to join us via Zoom:
In lieu of flowers, the family asks that you make a donation to St. John's Memorial Fund in Frank's name.
Please mail your check to:
St. John's Episcopal Church
12 Prospect Street
Huntington, NY 11768
|
|
Our new Sacred Ground series begins Saturday, September 19th at 9:00 am. Sacred Ground is a film-based dialogue series on race and faith presented by St. John's Racial Reconciliation & Social Justice Ministry.
The response has been excellent, but we still have space if you would like to participate:
|
|
Join us at 9:00 am for Morning Prayer, Monday - Friday, via Zoom (New Meeting #):
Please follow along with Mission St. Clare
|
|
SPIRITUALITY GROUP MEETING
|
St. John's Spirituality Group will meet next on Thursday, September 24th at 4:00 pm. The word we will discuss and reflect on is "IDOLATRY."
If you are interested in exploring your spirituality and deepening your connection to others, consider joining us. To find out more about SJSG, contact Patti Aliperti (silverymoon33@yahoo.com).
|
|
ST. JULIAN OF NORWICH & THE 3 PLAGUES
|
Saturday, September 26th, 9:30-11:30am via Zoom. St. John's Spirituality Group welcomes Thomas Petriano, Ph.D., to present a program and reflection on Saint Julian of Norwich and her survival through 3 plagues, highly relevant during this time of COVID-19.
Thomas Petriano, Ph.D is Professor and Chair of the Religious Studies Department at St. Joseph's College. He teaches courses on World Religions, Faith and Film, and Belief in the Modern World.
|
|
For those who prefer an evening Bible Study, we have added a session on Mondays at 6:30 pm. The Monday sessions will cover what was discussed the Tuesday before. Join us via Zoom: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/83527491169.
We are studying the New Testament, referencing N. T. Wright and Michael F. Bird's The New Testament in Its World.
|
|
FIND YOUR MINISTRY - VOLUTEERS NEEDED
|
As we begin to reopen the church, please prayerfully consider volunteering for one of the following ministries:
Sunday Greeters & Ushers - contact Fr. Duncan
|
|
St. Hilda’s Guild will begin to meet again on Tuesdays at 12:00 noon via Zoom. Join us using the link below, and make sure to bring your latest project and a snack:
|
|
In September, help us recognize the first anniversary of Laundry Love at St. John's with a donation!
As we move forward we realize there is limited funding.... not only for this ministry.... but for so many other needs. We are asking, if you are able, would you like to support this ministry? Perhaps you are able to sponsor one load of laundry each month? The cost of one average load of laundry is $7.00 ($5.50 for washer, $1.50 for the drier).
Donations of money or laundry detergent in the form of laundry pods would be gratefully accepted. To make a donation by check, please send it to St. John's Church, 12 Prospect St., Huntington, NY 11743 with "Laundry Love" written in the memo.
Thank you to all who have supported Laundry Love over the past year.
|
|
"To each is given the manifestation of the Spirit for the common good" (1 Cor. 12:4-7).
During this time, we ask that if you are financially able to keep making your Stewardship Pledge payments. We have set up online giving. Using your credit card or a direct payment from your checking account, you will be able to make a one-time payment or set up recurring payments.
Or send a check made payable to "St. John's Episcopal Church" to 12 Prospect Street, Huntington, NY 11743.
To text your contribution (standard text message rates do apply):
Text SJEC1745 STEWARDSHIP $[Amount] to 73256.
Your stewardship is a commitment to sustaining St. John’s ministry today and going forward. Thank you for your continuing support!
|
|
You have not pledged but would still like to give? Make a Plate Offering.
We have set up online giving. Using your credit card or a direct payment from your checking account, you will be able to make a one-time payment or set up recurring payments using our secure online syste.
Using the below form, you can choose the types of contributions you would like to make a Plate Offering online:
Or send a check made payable to "St. John's Episcopal Church" to 12 Prospect Street, Huntington, NY 11743.
To text your contribution (standard text message rates do apply):
Text SJEC1745 PLATE $[Amount] to 73256.
|
|
PRAYER CONCERNS FOR ST. JOHN'S
|
We pray for all our doctors, nurses, and medical staff who put themselves at risk to care for us during this corona virus epidemic.
We pray for all our men and women serving in the armed services and all first responders who put themselves at risk every day, especially during this time. May God keep them safe and healthy, and return them home to their loved ones.
We pray for those who work for justice. May God give us all strength and wisdom to act for change when it is needed.
We pray for the sick: Kathy, Lynn, Fred, Ellen, Lucille, Frank and Theresa, Spencer and Sue, Tom and Stephanie, Peter, David, Nils, Margaret, Cheryl, Carol,Carlos,CJ, George, Nichole, Roelie, Tom, Nelly
|
St. John's Episcopal Church
12 Prospect Street
Huntington, New York 11743
(631) 427-1752
|
|
|
|
|
|
|