The Weekly Sunday Bulletin of St. John’s Episcopal Church |
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My dear friends at St. John’s,
What a gift you have been to me for the last two and one half years that I have spent here at St. John’s. The welcome and love you show, not only to me, but to all who enter our beautiful space is commendable and palpable. This is what we all have been called to do – to mirror and live into Christ’s love for the world. Radical Love, Radical Welcome!
Your gracious support and care have enabled me to grow into my calling to be a deacon in God’s church. Fr. Duncan told me from the very start, “The way you learn how to be a deacon is to live into it.” You all have been a part of my journey. We have walked side by side, shepherding each other. In that manner, we have all grown. Now we are all called into Radical Service – which only happens when the love we have been given shines into and enlightens our worlds.
Thank you for your presence at my ordination – whether in person or virtually. It was tangible through your prayers, your many gifts and our mutual joy knowing that the Bishop has assigned me to be with you for another three years. We have all been blessed! Now…ULTREYA – onward to love and serve the Lord!
In grateful thanksgiving,
Deacon Claire
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“Blessed are you who are hungry now, for you will be filled.
“Blessed are you who weep now, for you will laugh.
“Blessed are you when people hate you, and when they exclude you,
revile you, and defame you on account of the Son of Man.
Rejoice in that day and leap for joy, for surely your reward is great in heaven;
for that is what their ancestors did to the prophets. (Luke 6:20-24)
In Luke’s Gospel, Jesus gives a passionate teaching to all who will listen. Most of us know this as the Sermon on the Mount, but today, Jesus is sitting on level ground teaching his disciples, all who have gathered to hear him speak, and those who are trying to touch him in order to get healed. In fact, Jesus is speaking to all people in all times. We all hear these words again and again. Some of this teaching is very difficult to understand, but one verse stands out to me as a summary of all the rest. Even my nursery school children know this verse from scripture. They know it as the “golden rule.” We are to love our neighbor as ourselves. While this is a simple rule to understand, Jesus turns the perspectives of world upside down in the Gospel of Luke. Jesus will cross boundaries, break religious rules, and cause people to be so uncomfortable that they will nail him to a cross to suffer and die. We must also push the boundaries of our own understanding, if we are ever to truly understand these radical teachings from Jesus.
The truth that God loves each and every one of us and that through the transforming grace of God in heaven, through the incarnation of God coming down to us and being both fully divine and fully human, we too can go into the deep water and meet the Risen Lord. Jesus is able to kindle a fire of love in our hearts that we may shine that light to all people. Please take some time to listen carefully to the Gospel of Luke over these next six months. I truly believe that this Gospel has something to say to you that can change your life and make you a beacon of hope. We will see God’s redemptive purposes, hear about God’s saving grace offered to all, learn about the dangers of loving money and material things, feel the blessings of poverty, and learn how to be a disciple, sent out into the world to be an authentic witness of God’s truth.
I spent the week at Holy Cross Monastery to deepen my relationship with Jesus Christ. Each day we spent the majority of the day giving praise to God and praying for the world. I give thanks for Coral and Deacon Claire for covering for me at St. John’s. I give thanks to my wife for letting me have a week of obedience, humility, and silence with the Benedictine Monks.
Please take a look at all the offerings that we have at St. John’s during Lent:
Ash Wednesday - Imposition of Ashes
March 2, 2022 at 7:00 pm in church and via zoom
Morning Prayer
Monday - Friday at 9 am via Zoom
Bible Study
Mondays at 6:30 pm via Zoom
Tuesdays at 11 am via Zoom
Lenten Series- "Living Beyond the Borders"
Tuesdays in Lent via Zoom
March 8th, 15th, 22nd, 29th, April 5th - 1:00 pm & 7:00 pm
The Rev. Canon David Ulloa Chavez, Canon for Border Ministries for the Diocese of Arizona, will lead a five-part series referencing the book The US Immigration Crisis by Miquel de la Torre. For our 2022 Lenten Series we will partner with St. Francis of the Valley. The program will be offered at 1:00 pm and 7:00 pm to accommodate our different time zones. You are welcome to join at either time. At St. John's, we will begin with Stations of the Cross at 6:00 pm, Evening Prayer at 6:30 pm. The program will be from 7:00-8:30 pm.
In person Lenten Retreat - Quiet Day with Bishop Wolf
Saturday, March 12, 2022, 9:30 am - 12:00 pm
The Rt. Rev. Geralyn Wolf, Assistant Bishop of Long Island, will lead a Lenten quiet day of reflection and prayer at St. John's. We will meet in the Great Hall, there will also be an option to Zoom in. Suggested donation $15.
In Christ’s love,
Fr. Duncan
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Sixth Sunday after the Epiphany |
Join us for Sunday Worship at 8am and 10am in the church or remotely on Zoom and Facebook.
8:00 am - Rite I Holy Eucharist
9:45 am - Sunday School meets in the Guild Room and also on Zoom
10:00 am – Rite II Choral Eucharist
The Readings
The Hymns
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SAFE PRACTICES FOR IN-PERSON SERVICES & EVENTS |
We are so happy to welcome people into the church for in-person worship. As we increase the number of people allowed in the church, we can all do our part to keep ourselves and others safe and healthy:
- Masks are required. Disposable masks are available at the back of the church;
- Social distancing. Please maintain a 6ft distance between your group/family and others;
- Sanitize hands upon entrance. Dispensers are available at the back of the church;
- Prayer books are available at the back of the church;
- Service bulletins and reading inserts are available at the back of the church.
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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 occassionally 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.
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Bible Study meets on Mondays at 6:30 pm and Tuesdays at 11:00 am. The topics covered on Monday will also be covered on Tuesday of the same week.
We have begun a new program on Paul's Letter to the Philippians using the writings of N. T. Wright.
More copies of the book, Paul for Everyone: the Prison Letters by N. T. Wright will be available in the Parish Office on Thursday, January 6th. It is also available at amazon.com in paperback or Kindle versions:
We are also referencing an online program, "Paul and His Letter to the Philippians" at Udemy.com. Here is the log in information if you would like to review them before we meet:
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Souper Bowl Sunday collection will be taken up on Sunday, February 13th.
Each year on Super Bowl Sunday, the Youth Group asks parishioners to make a donation to the "Souper Bowl of Caring" to help fight hunger here in the Huntington community. Please donate non-perishable food or feminine hygiene products for our local food pantries. Cash donations in any amount are also appreciated.
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FEBRUARY IS BLACK HISTORY MONTH |
BLACK HISTORY MONTH: 2 Stories of Overcoming Adversity
Madame C. J. Walker (1867-1919)
The daughter of formerly enslaved parents, Madam C. J. Walker was orphaned at seven, married at fourteen and widowed at twenty. She spent the better part of the next two decades laboring as a washerwoman for $1.50 a week. Then -- with the discovery of a revolutionary hair care formula for black women -- everything changed. By her death in 1919, Walker managed to overcome astonishing odds: building a storied beauty empire from the ground up, amassing wealth unprecedented among black women and devoting her life to philanthropy and social activism. Along the way, she formed friendships with great early-twentieth-century political figures such as W.E.B. Du Bois and Booker T. Washington.
Madam C. J. Walker was “the first Black woman millionaire in America” and made her fortune thanks to her homemade line of hair care products for Black women.
The Harlem Hellfighters – 369th Infantry Regiment
The Hellfighters, the most celebrated African American regiment in World War I, confronted racism even as they trained for war, helped bring jazz to France, then battled Germany longer than almost any other American doughboys. (Their nickname’s origin is unclear: it was possibly coined by enemy soldiers, the American press, or both.) Like their predecessors in the Civil War and successors in the wars that followed, these African American troops fought a war for a country that refused them basic rights – and their bravery stood as a rebuke to racism, a moral claim to first-class citizenship.
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CELEBRATION OF BLESSED ABSALOM JONES |
Saturday, February 12 at 10 am
All Saints' Church, Baldwin
The Rev. Mark Bozzutti-Jones will be the guest preacher and will be available to sign copies of his new book, Absalom Jones: America's First Black Priest.
Registration for in-person attendance is full. All are invited to view the livestream available at the link below. For all those already registered, mask and proof of vaccination is required.
Clergy are invited to vest: cassock, surplice, and white stole.
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AFRICAN AMERICAN HISTORY IN HUNTINGTON |
On Thursday, February 24th at 7 pm, Town of Huntington Historian, Robert C. Hughes, will present "African American History in Huntington." St. John's Racial Reconciliation & Social Justice Ministry invites you to join us for this informative event on Zoom.
Please contact Heather Kress ( hkress44@gmail.com) if you have any questions about this event or St. John's RR&SJM many initiatives. |
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Giving envolopes are here! They are available for pick up at the back of the church for those who have requested them. If you are unable to pick up your envelopes, we can make arrangements to have them delivered, just let us know.
Giving numbers are still available, so if you would like 2022 envelopes or have any questions, please contact Coral in the Parish Office.
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First Holy Communion will take place on Sunday, May 1, 2022 for children 2nd grade and above. First Communion classes will meet on Wednesdays at 5 pm via Zoom beginning March 2, 2022.
If you are interested in First Holy Communion for your child, download the registration form by using the link below. Forms are also available at the back of the church. Please return these to the parish office as soon as possible with proof of Baptism. If you have any questions about First Communion, please feel free to reach out to Fr. Duncan or the Parish Office.
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Confirmation classes will meet on Sundays at 5:30 pm via Zoom beginning February 27, 2022 for children 7th grade and above. We are planning on a Confirmation date of April 30, 2022 at 11:00 am at the Catherdral of the Incarnation in Garden City.
If your child is interested in Confirmation, download the registration form using the link below and return it to the parish office with proof of Baptism as soon as possible. Forms are also available at the back of the church. If you have any questions about Confirmation, please reach out to Fr. Duncan or the Parish Office.
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Ash Wednesday - Imposition of Ashes
March 2, 2022 at 7:00 pm
Morning Prayer
Monday - Friday at 9 am via Zoom
Bible Study
Mondays at 6:30 pm via Zoom
Tuesdays at 11 am via Zoom
Lenten Series- "Living Beyond the Borders"
Tuesdays in Lent via Zoom
March 8th, 15th, 22nd, 29th, April 5th - 1:00 pm & 7:00 pm
The Rev. Canon David Ulloa Chavez, Canon for Border Ministries for the Diocese of Arizona, will lead a five-part series referencing the book The US Immigration Crisis by Miquel de la Torre. For our 2022 Lenten Series we will partner with St. Francis in the Valley. The program will be offered at 1:00 pm and 7:00 pm to accommodate our different time zones. You are welcome to join at either time. At St. John's, we will begin with Stations of the Cross at 6:00 pm, Evening Prayer at 6:30 pm. The program will be from 7:00-8:30 pm.
Lenten Retreat - "Collecting Our Prayers" with Bishop Wolf
Saturday, March 12, 2022, 9:30 am - 12:00 pm
The Rt. Rev. Geralyn Wolf, Assistant Bishop of Long Island, will lead a Lenten quiet day of reflection and prayer at St. John's. We will meet in the Great Hall, there will also be an option to Zoom in. Suggested donation $15.
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This winter, St. John's is supporting HIHI by collecting Dunkin Donuts gift cards of $5 or $10 amounts to distribute to homeless in Huntington. If you would like to contribute, you may drop your Dunkin Donuts gift cards off at St. John's, 12 Propect St, Huntington.
We are also collecting men's jeans, sweatshirts, work boots, and winter coats which may be dropped off at St. John's.
HIHI is the Huntington Interfaith Homeless Initiative. In a pre-COVID year, St. John's and other local churches would provide a meal and shelter for homeless in the area on a rotating basis in the winter months.
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ST. FRANCIS IN THE VALLEY |
NEW DATE for MISSION TRIP to Arizona
October 24 – 31 2022
OUTREACH is sharing Christ’s love with all our neighbors!
Upcoming Meeting with St. Francis in the Valley: February 18, 2022 at 4 p.m. on Zoom
All are welcome to attend
Join Zoom Meeting:
Save the dates for the
Lenten Series with Fr. David Chavez: Border Missioner for the Diocese of Arizona
Tuesdays in Lent
March 8, 15, 22, 29, & April 5
Times: Either 1:00 pm or 7:00 pm
Book: The US Immigration Crisis by Miguel de la Torre
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St. John's Prayer Shawl Ministry meets on the 2nd Thursday of each month. Please contact Noelle DeLorenzo ( ndelorenzo217@gmail.com) for the Zoom link to join this group. |
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STEWARDSHIP: PLEDGE YOUR SUPPORT |
Your stewardship is a commitment to sustaining St. John’s ministry today and going forward.
Pledge cards are available in the pews and at the back of the church. You may also submit your pledge online using our online pledge form. You may send your regular stewardship payments in the mail, leave them in the collection plate on Sundays, or set up automatic, recurring payments online.
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ALTAR FLOWERS & PERPETUAL LIGHT |
If you would like to remember a loved one or give thanks for an important event with altar flowers or Perpetual Light, please complete an Altar Flower Form and return it to the Parish Office with your check made payable to "St. John's Altar Guild."
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PRAYER CONCERNS FOR ST. JOHN'S |
We pray for the sick: Fred, Lynn, Jackie, Manny, Cory, Richard, Barbara, Edward, Christine, Patricia, Alberta, Patti, Tom, Allison, Mike, Joann, Patti, Christian, Anthony, Joanne, Harry, Christine, Frank, Theresa, Sue, Spencer, Tom, Stephanie, Matt, Wylie, Susan, Maggie, Ursula, Christina, Bill, Amy, Kate, Cheryl, John Michael, Lauren, Mikey, Marie, Dianne, Ryan, Rich, Preston, Lucy, Irene, Jim, Debra, Rhys, David, Denise, William, Walter, Belle, Jackie, Hal, Ann, Gus, Peter, Diane, David, Irene, Hope, Mike, Michael, Leslie, Jill, Patricia, Doug, Amelia, Dan, Linda, Georgine, Gabe, Janet
Altar flowers are given in loving memory of Arthur Seymour by the Seymour Family.
Please to add or remove someone from our prayer list, please email prayers@stjohns1745.org or call Coral in the Parish Office, .
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St. John's Episcopal Church
12 Prospect Street
Huntington, New York 11743
(631) 427-1752
STAY CONNECTED
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