SJSJ's 8 a.m. and 10:30 a.m. worship services on Sunday

are in-person and live-streamed to YouTube.

 Click on the logo to view them.

From the Rector

The Invitation

Dear Friends:

I’ve started this message to you a dozen times. I’ve tried metaphors that don’t work. I’ve pulled quotations from obscure sources. I’ve attempted to repurpose things I’ve written before. None of it “sings.”

So I find myself staring at a blank page, asking Jesus, “what should I say?”

And Jesus says, “Come to me, all you who are weary and are carrying heavy burdens, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.”

Over the next three days, I invite you to join me in replying to Jesus’ invitation, “Here I am.”

When I think about each of us accepting Jesus’ invitation in this way, a little smile pulls at the corner of my mouth. Jesus is lovingly sneaky, sometimes showing up where we expect him and sometimes where we don’t. Always consoling, helping, healing, laughing.

As you make your way through these next three days to Resurrection, may accepting Jesus’ invitation bring new life to you in whatever way you most need it.

Blessings,

Janet+  

Español

Worship services: Holy Saturday,

Easter Vigil and Easter Day*

Saturday, April 4, 10 a.m. Holy Saturday worship, contemplative service mourning Jesus' death, and waiting in hopeful anticipation for the Resurrection.

Saturday, April 4, 7 p.m. Great Vigil of Easter, reflections on the transition from darkness to light and death to life through Scripture, song, renewal of Baptismal vows, and Eucharist.

Sunday, April 5, 8 and 10:30 a.m. and 6 p.m., Easter Sunday worship services, Holy Eucharist, special music, and, following the 8 a.m service, coffee hour, and following the 10:30 a.m. service, a fantastic brunch (sign-up sheet in the Parish Hall) and an egg hunt for kids and their adults.



*Worship services are in the St. John | San Juan Sanctuary. With the exception of the 6 p.m. service Sunday, all will be live-streamed here: https://stjohnsoly.org/the-eucharist/

Celebrations after Easter worship

SJSJ continues its traditions of a festive coffee hour after the 8 a.m. service and a wonderful brunch, and an Easter egg hunt for kids and their adults, after the 10:30 a.m. service Easter Day!

You can help by bringing a delicious dish -- casserole, deviled eggs, appetizer, dessert -- what ever you are able to cook up!

Kids will gather after worship (location TBA) and scour the grounds for treats!

Sunday April 5

Easter. Alleluia! He is Risen!

8 a.m. Holy Eucharist

10:30 a.m. Holy Eucharist, nursery | childcare available

10:30 a.m. Godly Play for children 6 through 11 years, Atrium

6 p.m. Spanish service, nursery | childcare available

Monday April 6

10 a.m. Monday Morning Crafters, Parish Hall

6 p.m. Capital City AA, Parish Hall



Tuesday April 7

6 p.m. Nar-Anon, Guild Room

Wednesday April 8

Noon. Messenger deadline

6 p.m. Buddhist meditation

Thursday April 9

10 a.m. to noon. Centering Prayer Book Group

Noon to 1 p.m., Centering prayer group, Guild Room

6 p.m. Capital City AA Group, Parish Hall

6 p.m. Capital Al Anon Family Group, Sanctuary

Saturday, April 11

9 a.m, Men's Group, Chapel

Thank you note

Many, many thanks to all those who organized and sponsored our Lenten observances over the past several weeks. Thank you Steve O’Connor for the moving OASIS gatherings, for those leading Lenten Book Study conversations, and to all those who provided delicious nourishment at the Soup and Bread Suppers. Special thanks to Anne Hall for captaining the Soup series.  

Centering Prayer book club meets April 9

The Centering Prayer Book Club will meet from 10 a.m. to noon on April 9 in the Guild Room to discuss chapters five and six of Richard Rohr’s book The Tears of Things.

News on the food collection front

SJSJ is collecting food for three groups right now in an effort to serve the distinct and differing needs of those experiencing food insecurity.

Within the past year, the San Juan Food Pantry and Queer in Christ Ministry of Inclusion food distribution projects have started, based on specific requests from, and connections with, people in the SJSJ community.

The Thurston County Food Project (green bags) is part of our long-standing commitment to helping stock the Thurston County Food Bank. Below is information on the needs of all three. 

These efforts work alongside, not in competition, with each other.



Bins/boxes for your donations to the SJ and QIC food pantries, and green bags for your Food Project donations, may be found in the Parish Hall.

With your help, food pantry distributions continue

A big THANK YOU to our St. John | San Juan community for your strong, continuing support for the food pantry that provides much-appreciated food support to the Hispanic community. Your generous donations and support from the greater Olympia community mean at least 16 families receive full bags of food and hygiene supplies t on the second, fourth, and fifth Sunday each month.

Here's a list of the items collected for distribution. In addition, there is “short list” posted in the back of the Parish Hall that is updated every two weeks with current needs.

Green bags for food project to be blessed April 5

Please bring your green bags for the Thurston County Food Project to the 8 or 10:30 a.m. Easter worship service on Sunday, April 5, and place them at the front of the altar where they will be blessed.

Most-needed items are microwaveable rice cups, single-serving oatmeal, and toothpaste. A full list of needed food and hygiene items needed is on the table next to the green bags in the Parish Hall. 

Please do not include any items that have been opened in the bag. The Project cannot accept opened items.

The next green bag collection Sunday will be in June.

QIC begins new feeding ministry

Food costs have been rising and many people, especially young people who are finding jobs in short supply, or working in low-income positions, just don’t have enough to purchase food they need.

St John | San Juan’s Queer in Christ Ministry of Inclusion (QIC) wants to help them, with assistance from you.

Once a month QIC will hold a meet-and-greet event on a Sunday afternoon at church. We’ll offer cookies and coffee and talk with the individuals about their needs. When they leave the church, we’ll provide a bag of groceries.

The first event will begin at 3 p.m. April 12 in the Parish Hall.

What we have learned is that people are looking for healthy food items that they can eat even when they do not have access to a kitchen.

Items suggested are:

• Canned meat
• Fresh vegetables, fruit                                
• Canned soup or stew
• Granola and granola bars
• Instant noodle cups

You are welcome to participate in the QIC events by donating food, providing cookies for the meet-and-greet, coming to the events to talk with participants, and praying for those who cannot afford enough food.

No Wednesday 7 a.m. Holy Eucharist April 8



There will be no 7 a.m. service on April 8.

The service will return on April 15 with online Morning Prayer, venerating Damien, a priest, and Marianne Cope, a monastic, who cared for people with leprosy in Hawaii at the end of the 19^th Century. 

Beginning April 12 at 9:30 a.m. in the Parish Hall, Rev. Janet and Usrah Claar-Peck will lead reflections on Mirabai Starr’s book, God of Love: A Guide to the Heart of Judaism, Christianity, and Islam, available online and through local booksellers.

By popular request, SJSJ is presenting programs to help deepen understanding of other faith traditions as a pathway to deeper engagement with our neighbors of other faiths.

On April 12, the group will be discussing discussing pages 1-17.

Links

Do you want to know more about the ministries, worship and programs at St. John | San Juan? Click the button below.

St. John | San Juan has an amazing concert series, bringing the gifts of renowned musicians to our community. Learn more by clicking the button below.

Are you interested in news about the Diocese of Olympia, which organizes Episcopal congregations in Western Washington to do their best work? Click the button below.

Do you need food, housing or other resources? Find information by clicking the button below.

Prayer and Connection

If you or a loved one would like to be added to the prayer list, or to report an illness, hospitalization, surgical procedure or death, please contact the office, (360) 352-8527 or anna@stjohnsoly.org, to leave a message, leave your prayer on the yellow card in the pews, or, in an emergency, contact clergy:

Rev. Janet by text or phone

at (360) 358-2041

Rev. Jaime by text or phone

at (360) 606-4285

View the current prayer list here.

Names appear on the prayer list for three weeks. If you wish to continue prayers for someone, please contact the office by phone or email.

Clergy and staff

Rev. Dr. Janet C. Waggoner, Rector | janet@stjohnsoly.org

Rev. Jaime Case, Associate Priest | jaime@stjohnsoly.org

Rev. Gen Grewell, Deacon | gen@stjohnsoly.org

Steve O' Connor, Director of Music | steve@stjohnsoly.org

Anna Okrasinski-Maddox, Parish Administrator | anna@stjohnsoly.org

Jonathen C. Brown, Sexton

Your financial support of St. John | San Juan is welcome at any time. You can make a pledge, donate to specific SJSJ ministries, make a donation for concert tickets and more by clicking on the button above.

Photo Preferences and Privacy

From time to time, photos may be taken at worship, coffee hour, and parish events for the church's use on the church website and social media. If you prefer that your photo not be taken, please inform an usher, who will then inform the photographer.

(360) 352-8527 • www.stjohnsoly.org

Office Hours

Tuesday though Friday

10 a.m. to 2 p.m.

(360) 352-8527

Messages left after 2 p.m. Friday will be picked up

when the office opens on Tuesday