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The Word
News from St. John’s, Lafayette Square
The Week of Sunday, May 10
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The Sixth Sunday of Easter
Preaching: The Rev. Rob Fisher
Children’s Chapel will be offered during the sermon at 9 and 11 a.m.
8 a.m.
Eucharist with Sermon
Parish Choir (Parish House Fourth Floor)
8:30 a.m.
Nursery—available until 12:30 p.m. (Parish House Second Floor)
9 a.m.
Choral Eucharist with Sermon
10 a.m.
Coffee Hour (Plaza, weather permitting, or Parish House First Floor)
Speaker Series (Togo West Parlor; see below)
Church School (Parish House Second Floor)
Youth Group (Parish House Second Floor)
Adult Bible Study (Parish House Third Floor)
St. John’s Choir (Parish House Fourth Floor)
11 a.m.
Choral Eucharist with Sermon (Watch live on Sunday)
Noon
Coffee Hour (Plaza, weather permitting, or Parish House First Floor)
Find all our Sunday reminders, including programming for children, youth, and adults, as well as details about our free valet parking, prayer requests, links, and more, at the bottom of this email.
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2025–2026 SPEAKER SERIES
Most Sundays at 10 a.m.
The Speaker Series is held most Sundays from September through May at 10 a.m. in the Togo West Parlor on the first floor of the Parish House. An audio recording will be available on our website the week after each talk. The lineup includes:
May 10: William Watson (pictured), St. John’s Choir member and musicologist, will lead a discussion about Mary Howe (1882–1964), a socialite, composer, and arts philanthropist who greatly influenced the arts in Washington, DC.
May 17: Michael Robert Auslin, historian and author, will discuss his latest book in this eponymous talk, National Treasure: How the Declaration of Independence Made America.
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COURAGE AND JOY AWARD
Honoring Christopher Alora | This Sunday at 11 a.m.
The Rt. Rev. Mariann Budde is honoring people across the diocese whose Christian witness inspires courage and joy. During the 11 a.m. service this Sunday, we will recognize St. John’s 2026 recipient, Christopher Alora. Chris, who began attending in early 2025, has a gift for making others feel seen and valued. He is a hardworking young person and was recently promoted to Chief Warrant Officer Three in the U.S. National Guard. Chris is respected and loved by friends, family members, and colleagues alike. Please join us to show your appreciation for his positive impact on the community as the Rev. Amanda Akes-Cardwell presents the award on behalf of the bishop.
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DIOCESAN CONFIRMATION SERVICE
Saturday, May 9, at 10 a.m. | Washington National Cathedral
Confirmation is a sacramental rite in which candidates express a mature commitment to Christ before God, the bishop, and the gathered community. Since February, we have been preparing interested youth to take this important step in their faith journey—and the time has now arrived! All are welcome to support our young people and our adult candidates on Saturday, May 9, at 10 a.m. at Washington National Cathedral.
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SEEK A MORE JUST ELECTION AGENDA IN DC
Listening Session: Wednesday, May 13, at 6 p.m.
Candidates’ Forum: Sunday, May 17, from 3 to 5 p.m.
The June 16 DC primary will be one of the most consequential elections the city has seen in a generation. Please seize your chance to hear from candidates in person and show your support for faith-driven policies!
On Wednesday, May 13, at 6 p.m., join us in Togo West Parlor for a listening session: Share your concerns, hopes, and dreams for DC and our new representatives, and gear up to help leverage the power of WIN’s 45 local faith communities to effect positive change for DC. Sign up for the listening session here.
On Sunday, May 17, 3–5 p.m., attend WIN’s candidates’ forum at Union Temple Baptist Church (1225 W Street, SE) and be counted as a DC voter and St. John’s member seeking justice for all DC residents. Sign up for the candidates’ forum here.
Questions? Contact Sarah Wood.
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GRACE’S TABLE
Third Saturdays from 10:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m.
Upcoming Dates: May 16 and June 20
Grace’s Table is an outreach partnership between St. John’s and Grace Episcopal Church in Georgetown. Every third Saturday of the month, a group from St. John’s prepares and serves a meal at Grace to folks who are unhoused or at risk of losing their housing. Volunteers purchase and prepare food (including casseroles, rolls, salad, and dessert) and/or serve the guests. Typically, as many as 60 or 70 guests come seeking food and fellowship. This is a wonderful opportunity to get to know other St. John’s parishioners and to spread God’s loving kindness in our community. Contact Elizabeth Field with questions or to volunteer.
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RECOGNIZING HIGH SCHOOL SENIORS
Submit names by Sunday, May 17 | Recognition: Sunday, May 31, at 11 a.m.
Each spring, St. John’s recognizes the graduating high school seniors in our parish. This year’s recognition will take place on Sunday, May 31, at the 11 a.m. service. If you have (or are) a youth graduating from high school this year, please let us know! Contact the Rev. Eric Bailey with the student’s name, a recent photo, the name of the high school, a favorite St. John’s memory or connection, and any plans after graduation. The deadline for submissions is Sunday, May 17. We’d love to hear from you even if you cannot attend the service.
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PENTECOST CELEBRATION
Sunday, May 24, at 11 a.m. | Reception at noon
On the Day of Pentecost, we remember the coming of the Holy Spirit to the disciples and the birth of the early church. We will commemorate the day with baptisms at the 11 a.m. service. We will also recognize our parishioners who are being confirmed at Washington National Cathedral on May 9 (see above). Weather permitting, the 11 a.m. service will be followed by a cake reception on the Plaza. Please come and greet as we gather to celebrate these parishioners and mark the feast of Pentecost together.
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CHORAL EVENSONG
Wednesday, May 27, at 5:30 p.m. | St. John’s Choir, Parish Choir, and Choristers
St. John’s offers Evensong on the last Wednesday of most months from September through May, beginning at 5:30 p.m. and followed by a reception in Togo West Parlor. Validated parking is available until 7 p.m. in the Colonial parking garage at 818 Connecticut Avenue, NW. Ask an usher for a validation ticket before or after the service. The service will also be available via livestream.
Shortly after evensong, members of St. John’s Pride will gather for drinks at Opaline at the Sofitel Hotel, just a three-minute walk from St. John’s. Join us if you can, or contact our leaders to learn more about this group.
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SKYLARK VOCAL ENSEMBLE IN CONCERT
Sunday, May 31, at 2 p.m. | Ticketed event
Save the date for a performance by Skylark, one of America’s leading vocal ensembles. Their program, Clear Voices in the Dark, pairs music from the American Civil War with Poulenc’s Figure Humain, which was composed in secret during the Nazi occupation of France in 1943—two moments of national crisis and the music that arose from them. The recording earned two Grammy nominations, including Best Choral Performance. This tour is supported by the National Endowment for the Arts and Marriott Family Philanthropies. We hope you will join us on Trinity Sunday for this exciting performance at St. John’s! Purchase tickets here.
PHOTO: MICHAEL JUSTIN
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ST. JOHN’S BOOK GROUP
Thursday, June 4, at 7 p.m.
Please join us via Zoom to discuss the novel 33 Place Brugmann by Alice Austen. Set in World War II in Nazi-occupied Brussels, the story centers on the mysterious disappearance of a Jewish family and their art collection. The book group typically meets the first Thursday of the month at 7 p.m. Contact Janet Edmond for more information and the link.
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SUMMER WORSHIP SCHEDULE BEGINS SUNDAY, JUNE 7
On Sunday, June 7, we usher in our summer schedule—moving to two Sunday services (8 a.m. spoken, 10:30 a.m. with music) until after Labor Day. Nursery care will be available each Sunday from 10 a.m. to noon, and Children’s Chapel will be offered at the 10:30 a.m. service. Valet parking will be available on Sundays, 8:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m.
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SEEKING JUST ONE MORE HOST . . . MIGHT IT BE YOU?
Sunday lunch at St. John’s is a longtime tradition in which every member and every visitor can participate. It’s a great opportunity to catch up with old friends and make new ones—a time for fellowship and for hearing another’s story. The lunch is held most Sundays in the Parish House. Contributions of $5 for adults and young people 13 and over and $2 for children under 13 are requested to help defray the costs of the lunch. All are welcome. Valet parking hours are extended to 2 p.m. any Sunday with a parish lunch.
The Sunday lunch tradition relies on volunteers to prepare and serve the meal—which is why we encourage individuals, families, groups, or ministries to host at least once per program year. Hosts may be reimbursed for expenses or receive a tax receipt. Not sure what’s involved? Want to claim a future date? Contact Parish Lunch coordinator Holly Sukenik.
May 10—No Lunch: Mothers Day
May 17—Care of Creation
May 24—No Lunch: Memorial Day Weekend
May 31—Host still needed—Are you available to help?
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PLEASE MAKE A 2026 PLEDGE TO ST. JOHN’S
As of Tuesday, May 5, we had received 276 pledges, totaling commitments of $1,124,255 toward St. John’s mission and ministry in 2026.
Your 2026 pledge is a commitment of financial support to St. John’s over the calendar year. It can be a one-time annual payment, or it can be paid weekly, monthly, or on the schedule of your choosing. You can make your pledge online or return a completed pledge card either by mail to the church office or by placing it in the offering plate on Sunday. Thank you for your financial commitment to our parish!
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SUMMER SABBATICAL FOR THE RECTOR
Our rector, the Rev. Rob Fisher, will be taking sabbatical time this summer, from June 1 through August 17. Our clergy, staff, and lay leaders are preparing to cover the pastoral, liturgical, and operational needs of the church during Rob’s time away.
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UPCOMING CLERGY TRANSITION
After four years of faithful, thoughtful service as our associate rector, the Rev. Sarah Akes-Cardwell has accepted a call as Rector of the Church of the Good Shepherd in Silver Spring. Sarah’s last Sunday with us will be July 12. We will gather to celebrate her ministry on that day. More details about the celebration will follow soon.
This is a wonderful and well-deserved next step, and while we will miss Sarah, we celebrate with her and give thanks for all she has given this community—in the pulpit, in the Sunday school classrooms, at the altar, and at the bedside. Please hold Sarah, Amanda, and Sam in your prayers as they step into this new chapter.
We have formed a small committee, which will be under the leadership of Debby Hailey, to seek and hire a new minister for children and families who will join the staff in time for the new program year in the fall.
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TWO NEW BOOKS BY THE REV. NANCY JAMES
The Rev. Nancy James, a longtime friend of St. John’s who leads many of our midweek services, is about to release two volumes of a translation and interpretation of Christian mystic Madame Guyon’s commentaries on Matthew. The books are already receiving positive reviews. More information can be found at nancycjames.com.
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FEDERAL WORKERS | GIVING AND RECEIVING SUPPORT
Many of our parishioners have been affected by recent layoffs in the federal government. We are seeking to care for one another. If you are seeking help—or if you have help to offer—please complete our survey with the details of what you need or can provide. You can also reach out to Jordan Baugh, our point person for this ministry.
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Our prayers are requested for the special needs and concerns of this congregation, especially:
THOSE WHO ARE SICK, RECOVERING, OR GRIEVING
Friends and family of our parish: Patricia Akes (Sarah and Amanda Akes-Cardwell), Robert Bliss (Katherine Bliss and Mark Dennis), Chad (Wendy Fibison), Jim DeBello (Grace Barrett), Dru Dowdy (Frances S. Tyler), Bradley Eayrs (Jack Reiffer), Walt Eccard (Margaret Depue), Ed Eder (Joanne and Powell Hutton), Laurie Feldon (Eleanor and Peter Odom), Bob and Heather Gilbert (Andrea Winchell), Chantay Griffin (Charley Griffin and Gee Gee Bryant), Linda Young Gsell (Rick Young), Morgan Hickenlooper (Livy More), Doug Holy (Joanne Hutton), Jack (Marta Cook and Cal Trepagnier), Latithia and Charles Jones (GeeGee Bryant), Olivia Kehoe (Kat Kehoe), Elizabeth Lee (Clayton Crawford), Jane Lee (Claire Kim and Jess Unger), William Markiewicz (Matthew Taylor), Jim Martella (Livy More), Tammy McCleaf (Matthew Taylor), Nell Montgomery (Brandon Montgomery), Ann Petrosky (Johnathan Miller), Susan Price (Richard Price), Scott (Marta Cook and Cal Trepagnier), Nancy Stephenson (Ann and John Gardner), Ashley M. Smith (Marta Cook and Cal Trepagnier), Mackenzie Toland (Wendy J. Fibison), Wendy Willett (Meg Carter and Doug Arnold), Caleb Williams (Alfred Thesmar), Darrel Williams (Caleb and James Hays-Reilly), Edward Leland Williams II (Virginia Bader), Bess Williamson (Wendy Fibison), Andrew Woods (Johnathan Miller), and Judith York (Caroline Fisher).
THOSE WHO ARE IN ASSISTED LIVING:
From our parish: Milton Chamberlain, Marcella Odom, Becky Schergens, Suzanne Whitmore, and Mary Wilson.
Friends and family of our parish: David Brown (Lisa Koehler), Bob Chrystal, Sr. (Chris Jones), Denise T. Griggs (Ginny Griggs), Veronica Jones (Chris Jones), Lori LaPoint (Brent Erstad), Yvonne Reiffer (Jack Reiffer), and Carl Wright (Frank and Nancy Klotz).
THOSE WHO ARE IN HOSPICE CARE:
Friends and family of our parish: Wilma Daubs (Kay Gilley) and Joel King (Susan Cardwell).
THOSE IN OUR PARISH CELEBRATING A BIRTHDAY THIS WEEK:
Sarah Agnew, Aimee Azzarello, Stephanie Bode, Isabel Dennis, Allison Eydt, Philip Faris, Eric Generous, Anna Hallett, Whitley Herndon, Grace Kozlowski, Marcus Lemon, George Miller, Kristian Robischon, Alex Stolar, Tim Stuart, Hilary West, and Sarah Yi.
THOSE IN OUR PARISH CELEBRATING AN ANNIVERSARY THIS WEEK:
Katherine and Michael Aschieris, Kate and K.C. Foreman, Kelly and Matt Hallett, Katherine and Patrick Hanniford, and Peter and Summer Hardinge.
THOSE ON THE FRONT LINES:
Friends and family of our parish: Janie Abernethy (Elizabeth Lewis and David Abernethy), Philip L. Faris (Caroline and Steve Faris), and Charles Lewis, Jr. (Charles Lewis, Sr.).
Please click here to add, remove, or change the status of someone on the prayer list.
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WEEKDAY SERVICES
We typically offer the following midweek services, except when precluded by a special event, funeral, federal holiday, or office closure:
Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, & Thursday at 12:10 p.m.: Eucharist
Friday at 12:10 p.m.: Noonday Prayer
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BAPTISMS
The next dates for Baptism and required pre-baptismal classes with the clergy at St. John’s are as follows:
Sunday, May 24, at 11 a.m. (Class: Saturday, May 23, at 10 a.m.)
Sunday, November 1, at 9 a.m. (Class: Saturday, October 31, at 10 a.m.)
If you are interested in baptism for yourself or a child, please contact Lisa Koehler. Please note that the parents or grandparents of children being baptized must be active, pledging members of St. John’s. Adults interested in baptism must also attend an Adult Inquirers’ Class, offered each fall and spring, and be active, pledging participants in the life of the parish.
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FOR CHILDREN
Children are welcome at all worship services.
A nursery for infants and children up to age three is available most Sundays from 8:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. on the second floor of the Parish House.
Children from birth through grade 5 are invited to participate in Children’s Chapel, a special liturgy just for them most Sundays during the sermon at the 9 and 11 a.m. services. Parents may accompany their children, and are encouraged to do so for those younger than three.
Children’s Bulletins with coloring pages of stories from this Sunday’s scripture readings are posted here each week in time for Sunday services.
Most Sundays from September through May, from 10 to 10:50 a.m., children in pre-K through fifth grade may participate in Church School on the second floor of the Parish House.
Our Chorister Program runs from September through May. Young singers receive training in sight reading, vocal production, music theory, liturgy, and leadership, and become part of a vibrant community of music makers. Contact Brent Erstad for more details.
For more information about our children’s ministry, please contact the Rev. Sarah Akes-Cardwell.
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FOR YOUTH
Most Sundays from September through May, from 10 to 10:50 a.m., middle and high schoolers are invited to Youth Group on the second floor of the Parish House for an exploration of life and faith with their peers.
From September through May, youth in sixth grade and above are also invited to join the Acolytes ministry. Acolytes assist with worship services by serving as torch bearers or crucifers and by helping set the altar for communion. To learn more, contact Vincent Scauzzo.
From September through May, youth with unchanged (treble) voices are invited to join our Chorister Program. Through a custom-made curriculum, singers receive training in sight reading, vocal production, music theory, liturgy, and leadership, and become part of a vibrant community of music makers. Contact Brent Erstad for details.
For more information about opportunities for youth, please contact the Rev. Eric Bailey.
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ADULT BIBLE STUDY
Sundays at 10 a.m.
During the program year, this group gathers most Sunday mornings at 10 a.m. using a hybrid approach, with some joining via Zoom and others in person. Conversations explore the connections with the Sunday lectionary lessons and sermons. From Easter to Pentecost we are studying Paul’s Epistle to the Romans. For information, please contact Jack Reiffer.
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SECURITY MEASURES AT ST. JOHN’S
St. John’s identity as a congregation is shaped by our urban location in the nation’s capital. We seek to welcome all to our services and activities with dignity, while ensuring the safety and well-being of those who worship in our facilities. We hire security personnel for Sundays and special services to maintain a low-key, proactive presence and to be prepared to respond quickly and respectfully to any needs that may arise.
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FLOWER MEMORIALS AND THANKSGIVINGS
The flowers that enhance the beauty of the Church and Parish House are made possible by gifts from our community and are often dedicated to the memory of a loved one or to mark a birth or birthday, a wedding, an anniversary, a graduation, or another special event. To make a dedication, pick up a flower card at the entrance to the Church.
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GET INVOLVED IN A MINISTRY GROUP
Want to get more involved at St. John’s? Hoping to make some new friends? Check out our ministries at www.stjohns-dc.org and contact leaders via our online Ministry Directory for more details or to sign up.
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