The Messenger

Weekly newsletter

from St. John|San Juan

SJSJ's 8 a.m. and 10:30 a.m. Sunday worship services are in-person

and live-streamed to YouTube. Click on the logo below to view them.

From the Rector:

At the start

Dear Friends:

I have stepped away from the office a bit these past two weeks. Last week, I accompanied my son, Ben, back to college in Texas for his senior year. This week, I’m spending a few days in Ashland, Oregon, at the Oregon Shakespeare Festival with my best friend, Irene.

I am just writing this short note to let you know that you continue in my prayers – and to invite you to reflect with me on these words from a play I saw here, “Come From Away:”

“You are here at the start of a moment, on the edge of the world, where the river meets the sea . . .”

Dear people of God, we are indeed at this time in our congregation “at the start of a moment” and we stand on the edge of next good things. May the Spirit guide us along the river that ends in the sea of God’s dream for us.

Blessings,

Janet+

Español

Sunday August 30

8 a.m. Holy Eucharist

9:30 a.m., Adult Forum, study on the Book of Nehemiah

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

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

Monday August 31

10 a.m. Monday Morning Crafters, Parish Hall

6 p.m. Capital City AA, Parish Hall



Tuesday September 1

6 p.m. Nar-Anon, Guild Room

Wednesday September 2

7 a.m. Morning Prayer, Chapel and via Zoom (link below)

Noon. Messenger deadline

6 p.m. Buddhist meditation

Thursday September 3

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, September 5

9 a.m. Men's Group, Chapel

Homecoming Sunday

 and back-to-school blessings

On Sunday, September 13, at the 8 and 10:30 a.m. and 6 p.m. worship services, SJSJ will celebrate and bless children, parents, grandparents, teachers, professors and all those who serve in supporting roles in schools.

We also will have special end-of-summer treats at coffee hour.

Welcome back to all children and families!

Growing in Love:

A new program

for nurturing family faith

We have a wonderful new "Growing in Love" program for deepening family faith and connection that includes:

• A children's moment at the beginning of the 10:30 a.m. worship service.
• Activities for learning in the nursery and Sunday School room during the 10:30 a.m. service.
• Monthly take-home resources for families to use at home, which will be distributed beginning Sunday, September 13.

Stay tuned for more information and instructions for registration!

Outreach Ministry news

Thurston County Food Project update:

Your donations really matter!

Our community has been faithfully participating in this project since late last year. The Outreach Ministry Team wants to commend all who have been able to participate.

Recently, I received a spreadsheet from the project’s coordinator regarding donations collected every other month. I want to report that since February 2026, we have helped to donate over 50,000 pounds of food. This food equates to $112,721, helping to provide 53,000+ meals for the community. 

A huge thank you to everyone who has contributed food and/or money. St. John | San Juan is truly supporting those in our community who are struggling to feed themselves and their families. Please keep filling the bags!

Our next collection is scheduled for Sunday, October 4. Please watch your Sunday bulletins for reminders and what the food focus will be. Please do not bring the bags to SJSJ on any other day.

Again, thank you, thank you, thank you.

Deacon Gen and your Outreach Ministry Team

Wednesday 7 a.m. worship service

The Wednesday, September 2, 7 a.m. worship service will be Morning Prayer, by Zoom only.

The service will venerate David Pendleton Oakerhater, who is known as God's Warrior among the Cheyenne Indians of Oklahoma. An officer in an elite corps of Cheyenne fighters during disputes over Indian land rights, he was captured in 1875 and sent to Florida, where he was called to transform his leadership in war to a lifelong ministry of peace. 

All are welcome to these inclusive language liturgies, an excellent opportunity for spiritual connection with God and with other spiritual seekers in the middle of your week. Join by clicking the button below.

In the community

You're invited:

Olympia First Baptist block party

Live music; a prepared menu of pulled pork sandwiches, BBQ Jackfruit for vegetarian/vegan folks, baked beans, mac and cheese and brownies; and games with prizes.

Olympia First is an Olympia Commons partner and actively builds relationships with others in the downtown corridor. Writes Pastor Mark: "We feel that God is already at work, ahead of us, opening relational doors of connection between people who are living and working in this area. Revitalization and transformation is happening all around us from the spiritual presence of faith communities in the area, to the good work of people like Hope and Healing with their Mobile Health Clinic to the Franklin Street Harm Reduction Center. And that's just a snippet of what is going on in this part of Olympia."

Coming up

Saturday, September 12, Parish train trip to Portland beginning at 8:30 a.m. from the Olympia-Lacey Amtrak station. Participants will disembark at Portland's Union Station and return on the 7:30 p.m. train. On the itinerary are visits to Powell’s City of Books and dinner at Jake's Famous Crawfish restaurant around 4:30 p.m. Contact Chuck Moore, chuckmoore55@hotmail.com, for more information.

Sunday, September 13, annual ruby port In-gathering! Please bring a bottle of ruby port (not tawny or white port because they have a shorter shelf life) and place it on the table in front of the pews before the service or during the offertory. The port is used for our Eucharists.

Links

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

Are you looking for information about the SJSJ library and the latest books and news about religion and spirituality? Click the buttons 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