St. John's Mission Statement
St. John's is a Christian community that intentionally gathers
to experience God's love through Episcopal worship, education,
fellowship, and ministry to the wider community.
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Special Parish Listening Session
Open Communication is critical for the growth of a healthy, vibrant parish community. In preparation for the Vestry Retreat, your Vestry would like to listen to your thoughts.
Please plan on joining us on Sunday, May 1st, following our liturgy, for a special meeting to voice questions, comments and suggestions regarding our St. John's Parish. Our Listening Session will be led by Canon Jason Evans, Canon for Mission in the Diocese of San Diego.
Questions to consider:
What is our identity?
How do we want to be recognized by the community of Chula Vista?
What ministries would you like to see happen at St. John's?
How would you like to see St. John's grow in the future?
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A Prayer for Peace Among the Nations (BCP 816)
Let us pray in this time of conflict for the countries of Russia and the Ukraine,
Almighty God our heavenly Father, guide the nations of the world
into the way of justice and truth, and establish among them
that peace which is the fruit of righteousness,
that they may become the kingdom of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.
Amen.
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The Second Sunday of Easter: Creation Care Sunday
Sunday, April 24, 2022
9:00 am
Come, pray, sing, receive Holy Communion,
and join us for fellowship following our liturgy.
Masks are not required.
However, if you are unvaccinated or immunocompromised,
you may wish to wear a mask.
A word about worship - our worship service begins with the lighting of the altar candles
into the prelude and ends after the postlude with the extinguishing of the candles.
A sense of prayerful reflection is appropriate to be maintained.
Collect For Joy in God's Creation
O bountiful God, who has filled the world with beauty:
Open our eyes to behold your gracious hand in all your works;
that, rejoicing in your whole creation,
we may learn to serve you with gladness;
for the sake of him through whom all things were made,
your Son Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
Readings for the Second Sunday of Easter: Creation Care Sunday
Genesis 1:1-2, 9-12, 20-22, 24-26
Psalm 104:25-35
Colossians 1:15-20
John 20:19-31
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If you are not able to attend, please join our livestream services:
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Reflection on John 20:19-31
This piece of scripture offers a tantalizing one-liner at the end: “Now Jesus did many other signs in the presence of his disciples, which are not written in this book. But these are written so that you may come to believe…”
The last few years have left many of us shaken: war threatens again in Europe, COVID rates rise and fall, economic uncertainties continue to nip at our heels. We want reassurance: we want to touch the promised miracle, like Thomas was able to touch the resurrected body of Christ. We believe, but we struggle to find that peace that Jesus promised his followers when he appeared to him after the resurrection.
However, this passage shows us that our bodies matter: Jesus appeared to his friends enfleshed. Perhaps his body was not the same after his crucifixion and resurrection, but the fact he came embodied is not just coincidence: it’s a mark of our Incarnational theology. With his body, Jesus breathes on his disciples and touches them. He brings with his body his peace. As his modern disciples, it is our job to embody Christ’s peace and bring it to the world.
- Where do you find the embodiment of Christ’s peace in your life? Where do you embody it for others? Where can you seek it out in places you haven’t before?
This Bible study was written by Kristen Ostendorf
a seminarian at General Theological Seminary working on her Masters of Divinity.
She is a postulant for holy orders in the Diocese of Pennsylvania.
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The MOSJ meeting is rescheduled for April 25th.
Calling All Men of St. John's to Dinner and a Planning Meeting
Please join us as a part of this great group of men doing good works for the benefit of our church community and the wider community.
Our planning meeting is on Monday April 25th at 6pm at Tim Attaway's home:
252 Sea Vale Street, Chula Vista CA. We will be planning for Italian Night (May 14) and our upcoming Centennial.
The main dish will be a choice of Angus burgers and/or BBQ chicken breasts. Please bring something if you would like. Beer, wine and soft drinks will be provided.
will attend.
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April is Earth Month
With the guidance of the Holy Spirit and the encouragement of Michael Curry our Presiding Bishop and Susan Brown Snook our diocesan bishop we have been called to a committed response to care for creation.
At St. John’s, during the Season of Easter, will reflect on Creation Care
April 24th: Creation Care Sunday – during our liturgy, the readings, music and prayers will speak to the wonder of creation and our responsibility to care for what God has created.
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EDSD Cleans Up - This April the EDSD Creation Care Task Force and Youth Collaborative are partnering for an Earth Month Challenge. Help us clean up our diocese!
The idea is simple: your congregation, your youth group, your family, your friends, or even just YOU pick a day to walk your community and pick up trash. As you walk, lift prayers for the community and the world.
When you are done, (if you are able) take a picture of your group, post it on Social Media, tag The Episcopal Diocese of San Diego and use the hashtag #edsdcleansup. Pictures will be reshared on diocesan platforms inspiring others to walk, clean up, and pray too! |
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May 8th: We will hold a Creation Care Forum after the 9:00am liturgy.
Our guest speaker will be Adrienne Elliot, member of the Creation Care Task Force of the Diocese of San Diego. Adrienne will provide educational information on Creation Care,
The Creation Care Covenant of The Episcopal Church and Creation Care activities.
We are in the process of organizing other activities to promote awareness in order for us to be better advocates for God’s creation:
As a parish we take the Episcopal Creation Care Pledge
Recycling and Composting
Planting activities with the children of ECS HeadStart
A book study on the topic of caring for creation.
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Covenant to Care for Creation
by Bishop Susan Brown Snook
Easter Blessings! God’s mighty act in resurrecting Jesus from the dead emphasizes what we believe: that God is the author of abundant life for all. This year, Friday, April 22 is Earth Day, and for Episcopalians, Sunday, April 24 is Creation Care Sunday. It’s a time for Christians to celebrate God’s love, which embraces not only humanity but all of creation. The accounts of God’s creation in Genesis 1 and 2 depict the outpouring of God’s love, which resulted in a wondrous creation that God called “very good,” teeming with diverse and interdependent life. The first human was placed in the garden “to till it and keep it” (Genesis 2:15). Yet we humans have overused the riches of creation, jeopardizing the future of humanity and the Earth itself. I urge Episcopalians in our diocese to take action for the restoration of God’s beloved creation. At the end of this letter, you can find a list of resources for this work. Read More Here
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OUTREACH AND EVANGELIZATION |
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Outreach Ministry
St. John's Outreach Committee meets monthly to discuss our parish Outreach activities.
We will continue our ongoing collections for:
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New Blankets - Domestic Violence Shelters (Denise Czer and Linda Dennehy)
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Pill Bottles - Matthew 25 Ministries (Sally Elliott)
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Eyeglasses - (Norma Dunn)
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Greeting Cards - ECS HeadStart (Judy McKay)
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Clean, Gently Used Blankets - Dreams for Change (Norma Dunn)
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Emergency Food Pantry - South Bay Community Services (Maria and Joe Love)
Please click on the following link for more information on our Outreach collection activities:
Items may be brought to Nale Hall on Sundays when we gather for worship.
You may also bring your items to the church during our weekday office hours,
Monday through Thursday from 9am to 3pm.
If you are not able to bring them, please contact the parish office, and we will pick up the items from your home.
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Centennial Events
Italian Dinner and Fundraiser on Saturday, May 14th hosted by the MOSJ
During the Italian Dinner, we will have our popular Opportunity Drawings as a fundraiser for the church. Prizes will be displayed and tickets will be sold 6 for $5. If you want a chance to win a prize, deposit one or more tickets into its bag.
Italian Dinner Opportunity Drawing Update
We are still collecting items for the Opportunity Drawings at the Italian Dinner. Hurry! Last day to donate is Sunday, May 1. Items will be displayed in the Narthex on Mothers’ Day, May 8, and tickets will be available for purchase on that day and on May 14.
Here are some of the prizes you could win:
- Eight bracelets made by Mark Higginbotham (keep some, give others as gifts)
- Anglican rosary made by Mark Higginbotham
- Barefoot Dreams poncho & a necklace made by Mark Higginbotham
- Crown Staffordshire bone china tea cup, saucer, and dessert plate previously owned by Florence Cooper & a can of Lyle’s Golden Syrup
- Flyby massage gun and Shiatsu massage pillow
- Wine decanter, four wine glasses, and a bottle of wine
- British food basket ($50 value)
- Lavender bath set & a necklace made by Mark Higginbotham
- Tortilla warmer, Quesadilla maker, and 1.5 qt slow cooker for cheese sauce
- 3.5 qt slow cooker & sandwich maker
- Large bone china teapot (Arthur Wood & Sons, Staffordshire, England) with purple pansies, previously owned by Dinah Bates
Check back here next week for further updates!
Parish Potluck with Ethnic Foods on Pentecost Sunday, June 5th
Ice Cream Social with Old-Time Music
Save The Date!
Mark your calendars and save the date of Sunday July 3, 2022, for an all parish, all ages, old- fashioned Ice Cream Social at 3:00 p.m. There will be live entertainment, a community sing along, and lots of non- stop fun and socializing, as well as ice cream sundaes’ with lots of toppings! Please invite your friends and families to this event as we recreate a St. John’s favorite tradition from the past in this year of our Centennial Celebration. More news to come so watch the newsletter. Hope to see you there as well as members of our community!
Jane Ferguson, Chair
Parish Art/Variety Show on a date to be determined
St. John’s Parish BBQ and Chili Contest in August hosted by the MOSJ
St. John’s Centennial Dinner on Saturday, September 17th
St. John’s Centennial Liturgy with a visitation from Bishop Susan Brown Snook
on Sunday, September 18th
Parish Centennial Cookbook is being published and will feature the favorite recipes of the parishioners of St. John's.
We need your recipes! Forms to submit your recipes will be available in the Narthex. Please return the forms to Nancy Painter, the Editor of the cookbook, or to the office. You may also email your recipes to Nancy or to Maria.
Deadline to submit recipes is May 15.
If you would be interested in any of the following, please contact Nancy: 619-422-7792/ [email protected]. Much of this work can be done from your home.
- separating recipes by type (salads, entrees) and figuring out the order of recipes
- typing the recipes that have been handwritten
- proofreading
- choosing cover and internal pictures
- selling at church later in summer
If you are interested in helping with any of these events, please notify
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I'll Bee There Book Sale
Contact Diane Gustafson: 619-253-7298/ [email protected] if you would like a signed copy of her book I'll Bee There: Short Stories and Personal Essays.
The entire $10.00 price will go to the Centennial Dinner fund.
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Lay Eucharistic Ministers
St. John's has four Lay Eucharistic Visitors who are commissioned to bring Holy Communion to anyone requesting a visit.
If you are not able to join us for our celebration of Holy Eucharist, we will bring Holy Communion to you. You may call the parish office (619-422-4141) and request communion to be brought to you by one of our Eucharistic Visitors.
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We Are Here For You!
As we carefully gather in person at St. John's, we would like to remind you that we are here for you!
If you, a family member, neighbor or a friend are interested in celebrating a significant event in your spiritual life, please know that you are welcome.
We would be honored to be a part of your Baptism, Holy Communion, Quinceañera Marriage, Renewal of Vows or Anointing of the Sick.
At St. John's, no matter who you are or where you are on your spiritual journey - you are welcome here
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We Are Available in Your Time of Need
If you have a pastoral emergency when the parish offices are closed,
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Coffee/Tea with Rev. Roger
For almost the entire time that Rev. Roger has been at St. John's we have been in a pandemic with part of that time being shut down.
Rev. Roger would like to provide an opportunity for any members of the parish to "get to know him".
On Wednesday mornings from 10:30-11:30, following Morning Prayer and Bible Study,
Rev. Roger will be available in the Rev. Jack and Sarah Tolley Memorial Library for a visit. This is time to get to know him, ask him questions, and learn about his vision and dreams for the church.
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Hospitality Hosts Needed!
Please join us for hospitality after the Sunday morning worship service.
If you would like to host a Sunday, you may sign up on the poster in Nale Hall or by calling or emailing Maria at 619-422-4141 or [email protected]
Refreshments should be individually portioned or wrapped, or served by a server who is the only one touching the serving implements. Coffee and Clean-up are done by our Sexton, Ryan Attaway.
Current Available Dates:
April 24
May 1
May 8
May 15
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Choral Presentation of "Elijah" at Point Loma Nazarene University
St. John's choir member Alice Burnham invites you to a performance of Felix Mendelssohn's "Elijah" on Sunday, April 24th at 3 pm at Brown Chapel, Point Loma Nazarene University, 3900 Lomaland Dr.
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Wednesday Morning Prayer and Bible Study
Join us for Wednesday Morning Prayer and Bible Study
on Wednesdays at 9:30 am as a Zoom meeting.
to be included in the Zoom meeting.
The Morning Prayer guide can be found here:
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Prayer Quilt Ministry
The leaders of the Prayer Quilt Ministry would like to remind
you that there are many quilts available for anyone in need
of prayer and support. This important ministry brings comfort and healing to many people who are suffering with illness.
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Daughters of the King Prayers
All the women of the parish are invited to discern becoming a member of the Daughters of the King. If you have any questions, please contact Lynn Young (208-695-7735) or Linda Dennehy (619-429-4747).
If you have a special prayer request for Daughters of the King, you are invited to fill out a prayer card, found in the narthex. Drop your prayer request in the church-shaped box or in the offering plate. These requests are confidential and are separate from our printed parish prayer lists.
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Parish Prayer Lists
Birthday and Anniversary Prayers
We would like to acknowledge and pray for anyone celebrating a birthday and/or anniversary in the coming week. Please let us know by Thursday of the prior week so that we can get it in the Sunday liturgy. If you have a picture of you that we could post for your birthday and/or a wedding photo or current photo for those celebrating an anniversary, please email it to us - it would be great to allow everyone to see you.
Our Parish Prayer Intentions
Today and every day include some time for prayer, for yourself,
for your church family, and for those in need.
For our Military
Matt Jensen, Drew Shorkey, Cody Crossland, Cameron Ronie, Chariti Paden, Mark Stanfield, Sean Robinson, Jonathan Martinez, TK Nguyen, Christopher Lindshield, Timothy Lindshield, Jeremy Colton, David Sanchez, Jonathan Baldera, Nick Wyatt, Daniel Getreu, Jamal Warner, Matt Hernandez, Devon Strunk, Taylor Harrold, Jorge Zuazua, Katherine Milam,
Sebastian Morales, Richie Lebron, Andrew C. Dugger, Dan and Chelsey Nyaradi,
and Roberto Johnson and the crew of USS Essex.
Almighty God, we commend to your gracious care and keeping
all the men and women of our armed forces at home and abroad.
Defend them day by day with your heavenly grace;
strengthen them in their trials and temptations;
give them courage to face the perils which beset them;
and grant them a sense of your abiding presence
wherever they may be; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
For Strength in Time of Need
Scott Hunter, Steve Magill, Gary & Shirley McCarren, Ann Lindshield, the McClure family, Christy and Mike Gollihur, Linda Longoria-Neff, David Dennehy, Akiko Horst,
Barbara Oliveira and Norma Dunn.
O God of heavenly powers,
by the might of your command you drive away from our bodies
all sickness and all infirmity:
Be present in your goodness with your servants,
that their weakness may be banished and their strength restored;
and that, their health being renewed, they may bless your holy Name; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
Cycle of Prayers for the Church
In the Diocesan Cycle of Prayer, we pray for the clergy and people of St. James by-the-sea in La Jolla.
In the Anglican Cycle of Prayer, we pray for the Anglican Church of Papua, New Guinea.
In the Military Cycle of Prayer, we pray for the Marines and Sailors stationed at Marine Corps Air Station, Yuma.
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ADMINISTRATION AND STEWARDSHIP |
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Vestry Meeting, April 27
All St. John's parishioners are invited to attend Vestry meetings. Our next Vestry
meeting is on Wednesday, April 27 at 6:00 pm. Please contact Rev. Roger or Maria
in the office and we will send you the Zoom link for the meeting.
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The Vestry
Lynn Young, Senior Warden
aaaaaa208-695-7735
Tom Brzeczek, Junior Warden
--------619-481-1256
Jane Ferguson, Clerk
Bill Cheney, Treasurer
Diane Gustafson, Recorder
Pamela Brittain
Alice Burnham
David Dennehy
Alejandra Valdez-Beer
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Upcoming Events at St. John's
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April 25: Men of St. John's Meeting, 6pm at the home of Tim Attaway
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April 27: Vestry Meeting, 6pm, via Zoom
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May 1: Parish Meeting: Listening Session in the church following our liturgy
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May 8: Creation Care Forum in Nale Hall following our liturgy
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Emergency Contact Information
If you had a medical emergency at church on Sunday morning, would the ushers or church staff know who to contact? If you would like to add someone to St. John's emergency contact list in case of such an emergency, please contact Maria in the office (619-422-4141 or [email protected]). Please provide your name, the name of your emergency contact, their relationship to you and their phone number. Any information you provide will be stored carefully in order to protect the privacy of your contact's information.
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Parish Office Hours and Contacts
As our staff are now fully vaccinated, we are permitted to open our parish office.
Masking and social distance should be maintained when visitors are present.
The Parish Office will be open 9:00 am to 3:00 pm, Monday through Thursday.
Please call the parish office if you have any questions or concerns
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Rev. Roger's Office Hours
Rev. Roger will be working half-days in the office on Monday, Tuesday, Thursday and Sunday; and all day on Wednesday and Friday. He will be available by appointment. Please call the office (619-422-4141) to schedule an appointment.
In case of a pastoral emergency, Rev. Roger may be reached on his cell phone at
619-301-0724.
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Beware of Scam Emails & Phishing Attempts
If you receive a suspicious email from an address that seems to be Rev. Roger or another parishioner asking for a favor, it may be a phishing attempt. Scam emails mimic addresses we are familiar with and are very often full of grammatical errors.
Rev. Roger will never email you asking for funds or financial support by way of gift cards. If you receive an email that seems suspicious, do not open it or respond to it. Delete it immediately.
Phishing is a cyber attack that uses disguised email as a weapon. The goal is to trick the email recipient into believing that the message is something they want or need - a request from their bank, for instance, or a note from someone in their company - and to click a link or download an attachment.
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Your weekly newsletter highlights important events at St. John's Episcopal Church. You can also find news about St. John's at www.saint-johns.org.
We welcome your feedback, photos, and news items. Contact Maria Love at (619) 422-4141 or [email protected]
Please submit your announcements by Tuesday of each week for inclusion in the Enews.
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Help Ukrainian Refugees
Specific needs will change as the crisis evolves. As of right now, there is a need for food, water, and shelter. Please consider partnering with Episcopal Relief & Development in this response.
Please click the button below to donate:
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Immigrant Day of Action 2022: Taking the Lead
Are you ready to build an equitable California where everyone—our family, friends, colleagues and neighbors can thrive? Join us Tuesday, April 26, 2022, as we gather our collective power virtually for Immigrant Day of Action! On IDA, we will urge our leadership to continue the momentum and keep their promises for bold, equitable public policy that centers immigrant community members who have enriched our state economically and socially for years, but who have been excluded from benefits and protections.
Whether you’ve joined us before or this is your first time, your participation is critical to ensure an equitable post-pandemic recovery. With over 700 registrants last year, we are expecting this to be the biggest virtual Immigrant Day of Action to date.
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ECS Gala: Moonlight Magic
May 14, 2022
Be a part of the exciting event to benefit the programs at Episcopal Community Services that address child development, mental health, and substance use disorders in San Diego. You are invited for an elegant evening of fundraising, fine dining, live music, dancing, and more!
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