Labor Day, celebrated on the first Monday in September,  honors and recognizes the American labor movement and the works and contributions of laborers to the development and achievements of the United States. 

Beginning in the late 19th century, as the trade union and labor movements grew, different groups of trade unionists chose a variety of days on which to celebrate labor. In the United States, a September holiday called Labor Day was first proposed in the early 1880s. 

According to one early history of Labor Day, the event originated in connection with a General Assembly of the Knights of Labor convened in New York City in September 1882. In connection with this clandestine Knights assembly, a public parade of various labor organizations was held on September 5 under the auspices of the Central Labor Union (CLU) of New York. Secretary of the CLU Matthew Maguire is credited for first proposing that a national Labor Day holiday subsequently be held on the first Monday of each September in the aftermath of this successful public demonstration.

P. J. McGuire, Vice President of the American Federation of Labor, is frequently credited as the father of Labor Day in the United States.  According to McGuire, on May 8, 1882, he made a proposition to the fledgling Central Labor Union in New York City that a day be set aside for a "general holiday for the laboring classes", recommending that the event should begin with a street parade as a public demonstration of organized labor's solidarity and strength, with the march followed by a picnic, to which participating local unions could sell tickets as a fundraiser. According to McGuire he suggested the first Monday in September as an ideal date for such a public celebration, owing to optimum weather and the date's place on the calendar, sitting midway between the Fourth of July and Thanksgiving public holidays.

Yet another origin story goes back to Canada. In 1882, an American labor leader witnessed the annual May "labour day" festivities in Toronto which inspired him to organize the first American "labor day" on September 5 that same year. The popularity of the event spread across the country. By the time President Grover Cleveland declared the first Monday of September as an official federal holiday in 1894, 30 states were already celebrating Labor Day.

The vestry met and unanimously agreed to request the approval from the bishop to allow the parish of St. John's to gather for in-person worship in our courtyard beginning with a single service Sunday, September 13th at 9:00am.

 

 

Our gathering must follow the guidelines for in-person worship, including: 

For those who cannot attend because of the guidelines or do not feel comfortable, the liturgy will be streamed live on the St. John's website.

We will try to make shaded seating available, but it is recommended to wear a hat and sunscreen.  Because of the COVID-19 pandemic, we must manage the size of the gathering to ensure the health and safety of all who gather.  If you would like to attend, please contact Maria Love at the the Parish Office (619-422-4141) or by email ([email protected]) with your name and the number of people in your party that will be attending.

 

 

 

Current office hours are 9:00 am to 3:00 pm, Wednesday and Thursday.

 

 

 

Rev. Roger will be in the office Sunday, Monday, Tuesday and Thursday afternoons, and all day 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.

To our Saint John's Family:

Here is your weekly newsletter highlighting important events at St. John's Episcopal Church.  You can also find news about St. John's at www.saint-johns.org.