The Weekly Sunday Bulletin of St. John’s Episcopal Church |
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“The world breaks everyone and afterward many are strong at the broken places.”
Ernest Hemingway, A Farewell to Arms
We hear the Gospel, that we might know more completely how to love, and when we fail – because we do fail – we are given the key to God’s heart, the key to the vast treasure of God’s mercy that stands ready for us to take. God offers each of us the key to a heart filled with true pleasure, true love. I have recently been counselling several marriage couples through a previous divorce. I spend a good deal of time with folks looking at God’s love and mercy and how to live in a loving relationship with your spouse. Today’s Gospel was not written to make people feel pain, but it can bring a former hurt to the surface again. God’s intention for us is to have companions and to share mutual love. When our baptized children stop going to church, when marriages fall apart, when priests use their office for their own selfish needs, or when family members and friends become estranged, we feel the pain of brokenness. Jesus wants us to see that in this broken world there is a life, a truth and a way that brings us to God’s Kingdom and to bring us the feeling of wholeness and the love that we all desire. Let’s keep that vision of God’s creation where even the least of us is loved and cared for. Jesus died that we might know that God forgives us for our past mistakes, but rose again that we might follow him to wholeness.
There is a lot of brokenness in the world today. My heart breaks for the young mother of three that died last week of Covid. Her children and friends cried with a sorrow that echoed throughout our church. Gabby captured the hearts of most of us because of a senseless loss of a beautiful young girl’s life. Most of us will feel the sting of the death of a loved one and the heart ache of a broken relationship. God sent Jesus to the temporal world where pain and sorrow are felt by all of us. Jesus walks with us through our pain and eventually back to wholeness. We pray every day for those who are hurting among us and it is by walking with each other at the most difficult of times when we feel the love and mercy of God.
The Good News of the Gospel is that Jesus came to this broken world, died, and showed us the path to resurrection. If you have been broken by the senseless acts of others or by your own mistakes, God wants to hold you in his arms and love you back to wholeness. In fact, God has a host of angels in heaven and a multitude of companions right here that want to nurse you back to the Kingdom of God. In this Kingdom, we love one another as we want to be loved. In Sacred Ground we say that we are working towards beloved community where we see all people through God’s eyes and not through any bias or hatred. Join us every weekday at 9:00 in the morning and you will join a beloved community. By praying for one another and worshiping God, we become whole by the mercy and grace of God. Jesus said, “Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light” (Matthew 11:28-30 KJV).
In Christ’s love,
Fr. Duncan
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Join us for Sunday Worship at 8am and 10am in the church or remotely on Zoom and Facebook. Face masks and social distancing are required for all in person services.
8:00 am - Rite I Holy Eucharist
10:00 am – Rite II Choral Eucharist
The Readings
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SAFE PRACTICES FOR IN-PERSON SERVICES |
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;
- 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 Mondays at 6:30 pm and Tuesdays at 11:00 am on Zoom. Tuesday sessions will cover the material discussed on the Monday before.
We are reading and discussing the novel, Sophia House by Michael D. O'Brien. Copies are available in the Parish Office.
The unit on the Dead Sea Scrolls will begin on October 11th and 12th. Copies of "The Dead Sea Scrolls TODAY" may be found in the office mailbox, in the back of the church, or will be mailed to you upon request.
We will be looking at "Chapter 1, "Discoveries" on October 11th and 12th.
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Welcome newcomers! Our Newcomers' Class will begin on Sunday, October 3rd. We will meet immediately following the 10:00 am service in the Guild Room. If you are a newcomer to St. John's and would like to join us, please register for this class using the following link, or speak to Coral in the Parish Office at (631) 427-1752:
Anyone considering being Confirmed or Received in the Episcopal Church is recommended to join this class.
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On Sunday, October 3rd at 12 noon, we invite you and your leashed or small caged animal companions (or bring a photo of your pet) for a special blessing in honor of St. Francis of Assisi, Patron Saint of Animals. Join us in the Garden of Blessings. All are welcome! |
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St. John’s Racial Reconciliation & Social Justice Ministry presents "Anxious to Talk About It" with Rev. Dr. Carolyn B. Helsel on Sunday, October 17, 2021 at 2:00 pm.
Carolyn B. Helsel, PhD, is a professor of preaching at Austin Presbyterian Theological Seminary, where she has taught since 2015. Helsel grew up in San Antonio, Texas, and has moved across the country for education and work, and in every setting, she noticed that the white people in her communities (including herself) remained silent on racism. As she became more aware of racism, beginning in seminary in the early 2000's, she felt called to help white communities better understand racism and deepen their capacity to hear the painful stories of others, and join people of color to work against racism.
For more information on this and other RR&SJM initiatives, please contact RR&SJM chairperson, Heather Kress, at hkress44@gmail.com. |
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HERITAGE MONTH CELEBRATIONS |
St. John's Celebrates Latino Heritage Month (September 15 - October 15)
Although designated Hispanic Heritage Month, Latino Heritage Month is a more accurate designation since it recognizes the many contributions and influence of peoples not from Spain but from Latin America. Another name controversy arose recently with the introduction of the term, Latinx, as a gender-neutral alternative to Latino/Latina. Used generally by younger, U.S.-born, bilingual or predominately English-speaking Latin Americans, this new term is yet to gain widespread acceptance among others. Not only is it a word that they don’t recognize as part of their language, but the majority of Latin Americans self-identify with their country of origin instead of Latino, let alone Latinx.
Latin America covers South America, Central America and the Caribbean islands. It includes countries like Mexico, Columbia, even Brazil (where Portuguese, not Spanish, is spoken), Costa Rica, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, and Nicaragua and the island countries of Cuba and Puerto Rico. With a current combined population of some 55.6 million, Latin Americans are the largest non-European ethnic block in this country.
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CHRISTIAN EDUCATION FOR CHILDREN & YOUTH |
Sunday School will meet in the Guild Room on Sundays at 9:45am for stories, crafts, fellowship and growing together in Christ. A Zoom option will be available for those who prefer it at this time. Please register for Sunday School to be included in the weekly "Little Chalice" email blast with important information and Zoom links.
First Holy Communion and Confirmation - Anyone interested in First Communion and Confirmation in the Spring of 2022 should register for Sunday School in the fall. Sunday School is a key part of our Christian Education program and helps to prepare the children for First Communion and Confirmation classes in the winter and spring. If you have any questions, please see Fr. Duncan, contact the Parish Office at 631-427-1752, or email info@stjohnshuntington.org.
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Our annual Harvest Fair will take place on Saturday, October 23rd, 10am to 4pm.
Raffle books were sent out last week. If you did not receive them in the mail or need extra books, please contact the Parish Office..
Other ways you can HELP US TO HELP OTHERS:
- Make a craft, woodworking items, Christmas decorations, homemade soap, sachets and potpourri are just suggestions. Use your creativity!
- Offer your vacation home/timeshare week for the Silent Auction.
- Donate new, unused gifts you have received to the Silent Auction.
- Donate items for the White Elephant or Christmas Sale.
- Request a donation for Corporate Sponsorship from your place of work.
- Design a gift basket, give items or gift certificates for a gift basket, or donate $ to create one.
- Plan on spending the day working a table or helping before or after with set up/clean up.
- Invite your friends and families to shop and visit our beautiful, historic church.
LAWN SIGNS are available for pick up in the Parish Office or on Sundays before and after services.
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Your stewardship is a commitment to sustaining St. John’s ministry today and going forward. Thank you for supporting our work with your regular contribution.
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 payment platform Realm. Please click on the link below to make a payment:
Or send a check made payable to "St. John's Episcopal Church" to 12 Prospect Street, Huntington, NY 11743.
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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 all our doctors, nurses, and medical staff who put themselves at risk to care for us during this corona virus epidemic.
For all our men and women in the armed services and all first responders. May God keep them safe and return them home to their loved ones.
Especially those on our prayer list.
We pray for the sick: Tom, David & Irene, Linda, Danica, Lori, Leslie, Hope, Mike, Michael, Elizabeth, Patti, Bob, Christian, Gladys, Lynn, Fred, Jim & Irene, Debra, Alex, Michelle, Pauline, Richard, Barbara, Cory, Allassadra, Ellen, Frank, Theresa, Spencer, Sue, Wylie, Matt, Cheryl, Tom, Stephanie, Lisa, Gary, Maggie, Tyler, Ursula, Christine, Samantha, Edward, Tali, Bill, Kate, Amy, Jean, Pat, Joanie, Sueann, Dermot, Jill. Jenna, Walter, Evelyn, John, Liam, Charlie, John, Matthew, Gail, Frank, Gabriel, Karen, Deacon Jennifer, Shirley, Lucy, Richie, Kenny, Aliison
Altar flowers are given this week in loving memory of Clara and Frank Elliot by Linda, Joshua, and Amelia.
Altar flowers are given this week in loving memory of Charles Butler by his family.
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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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