Thursday, March 9, 2023

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.

The Celebration of Life of Dean Peters



The Celebration of Life of Dean Peters will be on

Saturday, March 11th at 11:00am

at St. John's Episcopal Church, 760 First Ave.

Chula Vista, CA 91910

Please hold the Peters and Wier families in your prayers during this difficult time.

Daylight Savings Time begins

Sunday, March 12th at 2:00 am.

Set your clocks forward one hour.

New Sunday Liturgy Schedule

9:00am Organ and Choir

Service will be live-streamed

Coffee and Fellowship to follow

11:00am Sunday School and Nursery Available

Pot Luck Brunch following the service (please bring a dish to share).

All are welcome to attend!

The Third Sunday in Lent

Sunday, March 12, 2023

9:00am and 11:00am

Collect for the Third Sunday in Lent

Almighty God, you know that we have no power in ourselves to help ourselves: Keep us both outwardly in our bodies and inwardly in our souls,

that we may be defended from all adversities which may happen to the body,

and from all evil thoughts which may assault and hurt the soul;

through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns

with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen

Readings for the Third Sunday in Lent

Romans 5:1-11

Psalm 95

John 4:5-42

Worship Booklet for the Third Sunday in Lent, March 12, 2023

If you are not able to attend, please join our 9:00 am livestream service:

St. John's website: saint-johns.org

St. John's YouTube Channel: St. John's Episcopal Church, Chula Vista

Birthday, Anniversary and Traveler Prayers

We are honored to pray for special people and events in our lives.



To make the requesting of prayers for someone more efficient, please let Maria Love know by the end of the day on Thursday or write their name(s) in the Prayer Binder on the counter in the Narthex as you come into the church. The Prayer Binder will be given to the presider during the Sign of Peace.

St. John's will celebrate 

El dia de San José

(The Feast Day of Saint Joseph)

La Misa in English

March 21st at 6:00pm

Social – Music – Mass – Dinner

Pot Luck Dinner

(Please bring a dish to share)

All are welcome to attend  -  Please invite family and friends

Holy Week and Easter

Sunday of the Passion: Palm Sunday - Sunday, April 2nd

    10:00am beginning with Blessing and Procession of Palms in Nale Hall

Maundy Thursday - Thursday, April 6th 

    7:00pm celebration of Eucharist with the Foot Washing Ritual

Good Friday - Friday, April 7th 

    12:00noon Everyone’s Way of the Cross

    7:00pm Liturgy of the Word with Veneration of the Cross

Easter Eve: The Great Vigil of Easter - Saturday, April 8th

   7:00pm beginning with blessing of the new fire, readings from the Old Testament,

                   Renewal of Baptismal Vows and celebration of the Easter Eucharist

Easter Day: Sunday of the Resurrection - Sunday, April 9th

    10:00am  Liturgy of the Word, Remembrance of Baptism, and celebration of Eucharist

On Wednesday, February 22nd, we began the season of Lent. The first Christians observed with great devotion the days of our Lord's passion (Good Friday) and resurrection (Easter), and it became the custom of the Church to prepare for these holy days by a season of penitence and fasting.

You are invited, therefore, to an observance of a holy Lent.

The season of Lent is traditionally marked by acts of special devotion: prayer, fasting, self-examination and repentance, spiritual reading, and alms giving.

We have the opportunity to intentionally practice who we are as people of faith.

We are providing optional acts of devotion to help you keep the season holy:

Prayer

• Wednesday Morning Prayer and Bible Study 

Consider joining us on Wednesday mornings - 

you may request the Zoom link from Rev. Roger.

• Labyrinth Walk

The Labyrinth is a spiritual tool and can be walked as a pilgrimage for repentance: a shedding of worries and concerns; reaching a place of meditation and prayer; and finding union with God and the healing forces at work in the world.

Come to walk on your own; brochures of guidance will be provided.

Saturday, March 18th from 10am-2pm in Nale Hall.

Labyrinth Guide

• Stations of the Cross 

For your private devotion, you are invited to walk the steps of Jesus on his

journey to the cross; a link to the service booklet is located below.

Fasting 

• Self-Examination

Through self-examination, you may discern and consider fasting from those

things that are holding you back from being an example by word and deed

of God’s love.

Alms-Giving

• 40 Days – 40 Items

Please consider giving of your excess in order to clothe those who go without. 

See the table in the narthex or the article in our E-Newsletter for details. 

If you wish to have clothing collection bags sent to you, contact Maria in the

church office.

• United Thank Offering

United Thank Offering (UTO), a ministry of the Episcopal Church, encourages the habit of giving daily thanks to God for our many blessings. All offerings are used to support grants for ministries at home and overseas to fund projects such as kitchen equipment for homeless shelters, dental clinics for the poor, handicap access in church and service buildings, and many other projects. United Thank Offering donation boxes and envelopes can be found in the Narthex.

Stations of the Cross



Along with the prayers and reflections for each station, you will find artwork from former St. John's students.

Attached is the link to the prayer booklet:

Stations of the Cross

Life Transformed: The Way of Love in Lent 

The journey through Lent into Easter is a journey with Jesus. We are baptized into his life and death; then, we rise in hope to life transformed. This Lent, communities are invited to walk with Jesus in his Way of Love and into the experience of transformed life. Together, we will reflect anew on the loving actions of God as recounted in the Easter Vigil readings. Together, we will walk through the depths of salvation history into the fullness of redemption.

Throughout Lent, come along with us as we explore Life Transformed: The Way of Love in Lent, produced by Hillary Raining and Jenifer Gamber. You can find resources mentioned below at iam.ec/lifetransformed or by scanning the QR code to the right.

Week 3

Sunday, March 12

Today’s Practice: Watch the Rev. Dr. Hillary Raining’s video at iam.ec/lifetransformed for Week 3. The topic is based on the practice “Learn” and is titled, “Learn Wisdom and Live”.

Read: Proverbs 8:1-8, 19-21; 9:4b-6

Monday, March 13

Today’s Prompt: Where can you seek and serve Christ in someone unlike you?

Read: “And you shall be my people, and I will be your God. Again I will build you, and you shall be built, O virgin Israel! Again you shall take your tambourines, and go forth in the dance of the merrymakers. Again you shall plant vineyards on the mountains of Samaria; the planters shall plant, and shall enjoy the fruit.” – Jer. 30:22, 31:4-5

Tuesday, March 14

Today’s Prompt: How is the Jesus who walked this earth beckoning you to meet him?

Read: Mark 10:46-52

Wednesday, March 15

Today’s Prompt: How can you incorporate rest from technology today?

Read: “Come to me, all you that are weary and are carrying heavy burdens, and I will give you rest.” – Matt. 11:28

Thursday, March 16

Today’s Prompt: Try praying with Anglican prayer beads.

Read: “Then Jesus told them a parable about their need to pray always and not to lose heart.” – Luke 18:1

Friday, March 17

Today’s Prompt: In your prayers today, what new words or thoughts touch you?

Read: “Do not worry about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God.” – Phil. 4:6

Saturday, March 18

Today’s Prompt: How might you share what brings you great joy with others?

Read: “We have gifts that differ according to the grace given to us: prophecy, in proportion to faith; ministry, in ministering; the teacher, in teaching; the exhorter, in exhortation; the giver, in generosity; the leader, in diligence; the compassionate, in cheerfulness.” – Rom. 12:6-8

Reflections from “Living the Way of Love” by Mary Bea Sullivan (Church Publishing, 2019). Used with permission. Quotations from the New Revised Standard Version Bible, copyright © 1989 the Division of Christian Education of the National Council of the Churches of Christ in the United States of America. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

40 Days 40 Items

Each day of Lent, you are encouraged to think of someone less fortunate as you look in your closets and drawers. Remove one item from your closet that you no longer wear or need and put it into the appropriate bag.

Men’s items will go in a black bag, Women’s items in a white bag, Children’s items in a separate bag labeled “Children’s”.

At the end of the forty days, donate these items to St. John’s so that we may share them with clients of ECS Head Start.

The following are suggested items that are really needed:

• Warm hoodie sweatshirts (men / women)
• Sweatshirts
• Sweatpants
• Jeans
• Pants
• Shoes
• Blankets
• Ball caps
• Used backpacks
• Socks (new)
• Men’s / Women’s Underwear (new)

Outreach Collections

We will continue our ongoing collections for:

• New Blankets - Domestic Violence Shelters (Denise Czer and Linda Dennehy)
• Eyeglasses
• Greeting Cards - ECS HeadStart (Judy McKay)
• Clean, Gently Used Blankets - Dreams for Change
• Emergency Food Pantry - South Bay Community Services (Maria and Joe Love)
• Blessings in a Bag - For our neighbors who are living outside. Click here for a list of items you can donate to fill the bags.
• Gently Used Clothing - Men's, women's and children's 

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.

St. John's Outreach Committee meets monthly to discuss our parish Outreach activities.

Please click on the following link for more information on our Outreach collection activities:

Outreach Ministries of St. John's

Tai Chi Moving for Better Balance

St. John's is pleased to partner with the County of San Diego Health and Human Services Agency to offer Tai Chi Moving for Better Balance on Tuesdays and Thursdays from 2-3pm

in Nale Hall.

Informational Flyer: Tai Chi Moving for Better Balance

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.

Please contact Rev. Roger ( [email protected])

to be included in the Zoom meeting.

The Morning Prayer guide can be found here:

Morning Prayer, March 15th

Calling All Quilters: We Need your Help

Our supply of prayer quilts is very low and need to have new prayer quilts made.

If you are interested in sewing new prayer quilts, please contact Diane Gustafson.

Parish Prayer Lists

For the Deceased

For the repose of the soul of Ron Williams.

Rest eternal grant to him, O Lord;

And let light perpetual shine upon him.

May his soul and the souls of all the departed,

through the mercy of God, rest in peace. Amen.

Notes of care and sympathy may be sent to:

The Family of Ron Williams

793 Monserate Ave.

Chula Vista CA 91910

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, Jamal Warner,

Matt Hernandez, Daniel Getreu, Devon Strunk, Taylor Harrold, Jorge Zuazua, Sebastian Morales, Roberto Chavez, Ryan Lothspeich, Andrew C. Dugger, Dan and Chelsey Nyaradi, and Gen. G.J. Heinrich.

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

Steve Magill, Gary and Shirley McCarren, Ann Lindshield, the McClure family, Barb Oliveira, Heather Wallace, Linda Longoria-Neff, Josey Felts, Celia Vasquez, Ann Rogers, Kurth Barnes, Tyler Anderson, Oscar Morales, Hugo Burchartz, Alec Hauer, John Thomas and Zakia.

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 Trinity in Escondido.

In the Anglican Cycle of Prayer, we pray for the Church of South India (United).

In the Military Cycle of Prayer, we pray for Sailors serving on USS Sterett (DDG-104), USS Stockdale (DDG-106) and USS Spruance (DDG-111).

A Prayer for Peace Among the Nations (BCP 816)

Friday, February 24th, was the one-year anniversary of the war between the countries of Russia and the Ukraine.

Let us pray in this time of conflict:

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.

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.

The Celebration of Life of Lola Hunt

The Celebration of Life of Lola Hunt will be on

Thursday, March 23rd at 10:00am

at St. John's Episcopal Church, 760 First Ave. Chula Vista, CA 91910

Please hold the Hunt family in your prayers during this difficult time.

The Celebration of Life of Ron and Cathy Williams

The Celebration of Life of Ron and Cathy Williams will be on

Friday, March 31st at 11:00am

at St. John's Episcopal Church, 760 First Ave. Chula Vista, CA 91910

Please hold the Williams family in your prayers during this difficult time.

Into your hands, O merciful Savior, we commend you servants,

Dean, Lola, Ron and Cathy.

Acknowledge, we humbly beseech you, sheep of your own fold,

lambs of your own flock, sinners of your own redeeming.

Receive them into the arms of your mercy,

into the blessed rest of everlasting peace,

and into the glorious company of the saints in light. Amen.

Rest eternal grant to them, O Lord;

And let light perpetual shine upon them.

May their soul and the souls of all the departed,

through the mercy of God, rest in peace. Amen.

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]



Current Available Dates:

March 12th

March 19th

March 26th

Approved Vestry Minutes

Approved Vestry Minutes from 2-15-23

Upcoming Events at St. John's

• March 11: Dean Peters Celebration of Life, 11:00am
• March 12: Daylight Savings Time Begins
• March 18: Labyrinth, 10am-2pm in Nale Hall
• March 23: Lola Hunt Celebration of Life, 10:00am
• March 31: Ron and Cathy Williams Celebration of Life, 11:00am
• April 2: Palm Sunday, one service at 10:00am

1st Quarter Calendar Events 2023

Parish Office Hours and Contacts

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

(619-422-4141) or email [email protected].

Rev. Roger will be in the office on Monday, Tuesday, and Thursday afternoons; and all day on Wednesday and Friday. He is available by appointment. Please call the office to schedule an appointment.

In case of a pastoral emergency, Rev. Roger may be reached on his cell phone at

619-301-0724.

EDSD'S Year of Service

By: Chris Tumilty, EDSD Director of Communications

and Deann Rios, EDSD Community Engagement Missioner

What does it mean to serve? On TikTok, ‘serve’ means ‘looking good;’ in the Episcopal Diocese of San Diego, it means something similar, being the good for each other—to care for our neighbors in the same way we care for ourselves (Matthew 22:37).

Throughout 2023, the Episcopal Diocese of San Diego is setting out to serve our neighbors. In preparation, Bishop Susan and guest speakers hosted a four-week webinar series on the Theology of Service that you can view here. And, throughout Lent, hundreds are reading The New Parish as a book study–learning how your parish, your church, is responsible for more than just the people that attend; it is responsible for the care of the neighborhood–of the neighbors. Read More

Creation Care Month of Service

This April, as part of the Year of Service, partner with a community organization and engage in a service activity related to care for the environment. This is a great opportunity to be the church outside your church walls, to connect with your neighbors in service! Read More

Diocesan Service and Justice Coalition

Saturday, March 18th, 9:30 am - 11:30 am

You are invited to the March 2023 meeting of the Diocesan Service & Justice Coalition, a group of dedicated service/outreach and peace/social justice coordinators who gather to network and share ideas and collaborate on projects to make a greater impact in our community.

Faith to Go: Lenten Practices



Join the Faith To Go team, David Tremaine and Charlette Preslar, and special guest, the Rev. Ann Cox Bailey, as they explore Lenten practices and Anglican prayer beads in this week's episode. Listen Here

Diocesan Youth Events

EDSD's Episcopal Youth Event Delegation Announced

It is with great joy that we present to the official Episcopal Diocese of San Diego delegation to The Episcopal Youth Event (EYE) taking place at the University of Maryland in July.

Read More

Gifts to ERD Support those in Crisis



Episcopal Relief and Development helps people facing hardships all over the world. Consider making a donation to ERD to support families devastated by war in Ukraine, earthquakes in Turkey and Syria, or those affected by climate change. Give

ECS Moonlight Magic Gala

Saturday, May 13, 2023, 5:30pm

Episcopal Community Services invites you to a night of creative cuisines, live music, and fun auction items on May 13 at Humphrey’s Half Moon Inn, a luxurious tropical waterfront with stunning views of the San Diego Bay, to raise funds to support ECS’s transformative programs. 

Click here for more information

• Episcopal Relief and Development Lenten Meditations
• Healing Power of Art, Art Exhibition at St. James Gallery by-the-Sea, Friday March 17th, 5:30-7:30pm
• RefugeeNet Gala, St. Paul's Cathedral, March 18, 6pm

760 First Ave  Chula Vista, CA  91910

(619) 422-4141 |  [email protected] | www.saint-johns.org