Pledge Cards were mailed last week...
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Please send an email to the office if you did not receive a pledge card: SJECCentreville@aol.com, or let Carol know. The cards may be mailed back to St. John's, or put in the Sunday collection.
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Polarized Thinking
The ominous signs of war were all around. The American commander was convinced he knew exactly who would be threatening his forces. The commander of Army forces in Hawaii on December 7th, 1941 was General Walter Short. His thinking was that the chief danger against the Army aircraft was sabotage. He believed that the subversion would come from the local Hawaiian population which had a large number of people of Japanese ancestry.
To guard against sabotage, he placed guards around the perimeters of the army bases. He lined up the aircraft in tight rows in the middle of the airfield. The tragic result of this approach was that on the day of the attack nearly every American aircraft were either destroyed or damaged.
In retrospect it is easy to be critical of General Short’s decisions; however, his thinking was not necessarily wrong, it was just that it became polarized. This meant that General Short’s hyper-focus on sabotage left no room to consider other threats to the Army and Navy forces.
You may have heard people say phrases such as “It’s all or nothing,” “Take it or leave it,” or “You are either with us or against us.” In addition to the slightly aggressive sounding tone of such phrases they also cast a shadow over your ability to find meaningful solutions to problems. This is because such polarized thinking tends to confine your thoughts and energy inside a small echo chamber of your own mind. This means all that you DO see…. it is all that you CAN see.
Among the reasons Jesus was not recognized as the promised Messiah was that he did not fit the preconceived beliefs of many of the Jewish leaders. So polarized was their thinking of what the Messiah should be that they could not see the Son of God standing and talking right in front of them.
During this 2019 Pledge Drive perhaps God is speaking to you in new and unexpected ways. If so consider where you were then and where you are now. It may seem that a new divine voice has spoken to you and it is time to go:
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David Weir, Senior Warden
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Centreville Day
was a lot of fun!
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Many thanks go to the all the volunteers who helped out on Centreville Day: Val, John and Kristen Tucker, Penny and Dave Parker, Durinda Smith, Sandy and Lindsay Jones, Marie McDermott, Monti and Gluay Zimmerman, David Weir, Russell Jacobs and Carol Hancock. Thanks to the Wade's for use of their tent and to all who brought baked goods to sell. We made $207. Two items sold for $10 each. The rest was $1.00 or less!
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- Donation Envelopes for Western Fairfax Christian Ministries Thanksgiving baskets now available
I
t's not too early to start thinking about helping our neighbors in need with food baskets for Thanksgiving! Envelopes are on the back table in the church to make donations to purchase the food for the baskets. We will be providing 10 baskets for Thanksgiving and 10 baskets for Christmas. Thanks (again!) to Marie McDermott for organizing this outreach ministry.
- Israel Pilgrimage Group To Meet Thursday, October 25
The group going to Israel in January will meet on Thursday, October 25 at 7:00 PM in the library at St. John's. The Rev. Cheryl Wade, who recently went on a trip to Israel through St. George's College, will go over the "nuts and bolts" of the trip and talk about her experiences.
- All Saint's Day, November 4
We will be celebrating All Saint's Day on Sunday, November 4 and we will be reading the names of the beloved departed. If you would like to have the names of loved ones who have died read at the service, please send those names to Carol
at stjohnscvpriest@gmail.com
- Ingathering of the pledge cards - November 4
The ingathering of the 2019 pledge cards will be on Sunday, November 4. You may return your completed pledge card by putting it in the model of the church by the pulpit on Sunday or you may mail it to the church.
-John Tucker who has also helps with sexton work when Russell is out. His name was inadvertently left off the list last week of those who have done the sexton's work. Sorry, John!
-Dave Parker for replacing the emergency evacuation lights throughout the building.
-David Weir and Catherine Packard who put together evacuation plans for the upstairs classrooms which was needed to pass our fire safety inspection.
-all who donated to the United Thank Offering. $247.28 was raised from St. John's and will be added to offerings from other Episcopal churches in the diocese to enable the Episcopal Church Women to make grants to deserving organizations.
-Our sympathy is extended to the family of Linn Charles Klitzkie, a former St. John's parishioner, who died on October 6 in Greenville, NC. He is survived by his wife Sarah and his daughters Carrie and Jane, and 8 grandchildren. "May his soul and the souls of all the departed, through the mercy of God, rest in peace."
-A men's black jacket was found in the library following the parish clean up day on October 13. If it belongs to you, please pick it up in the church office.
- Vestry meeting highlights
-Water heater was installed
-First aid training for nursery workers was completed
-Fire evacuation plan was completed
-Pledge drive is underway
- "Scouting for Food" drive - volunteers needed
T
he Boy Scout "Scouting for Food" to benefit the Western Fairfax Christian Ministries will be held on Saturday, November 10. Volunteers are needed at the sorting site at 14280 Park Meadow Drive (in the parking garage) in Chantilly. Shifts are available from 10-1, 11-2, 12-3, 1-4. Help to load and unload the trucks is needed from 11:30-2:30 and 2:00-5:30. Those with strong backs and arms are needed to lift the crates of food. For more information and to sign up, please contact WFCM
at
ScoutingforFood@wfcmva.org (attn: Sandy).
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Not too early to think about the holidays...
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We can prepare our hearts & minds by reading ahead
for the Sunday Service lessons.
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The Twenty-third Sunday
after Pentecost
October 28, 2018
9:30 AM
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The First Reading: Jeremiah 31:7-9
Those who are down on their luck are held, carried and soothed by God's gentle hand. God gathers the oppressed to be freed in his kingdom.
The Psalm: 126
The Epistle: Hebrews 7:23-28
Jesus communicates to God on behalf of his people, and to people on behalf of God the Father. His perfect offering of himself fixes him as the unchanging anchor of this relationship.
The Gospel: Mark 10:46-52
The blind beggar disregards the crowd who shames him for calling out, and in his great trust, asking God for what he needs; his faith is rewarded with peace and relief.
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THE ADULT LECTIONARY FORUM
MEETS EACH SUNDAY IN THE LIBRARY, FOLLOWING THE SERVICE
FROM 10:50 - 11:50 AM
___________________
CHILD CARE IS PROVIDED IN THE NURSERY
(Rm. 205)
During the Service
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JOINT SUNDAY SCHOOL: 10:30 - 11:30 AM
Each week, St. John's children join with three of our Ministry Partners:
Fairfax Chinese Christian Church, Wellspring UCC & Grace Baptist Church
Room 207/208
St. John's Sunday School
class for ages 2-4, Room 215
Meets the first Sunday of each month from 10:50 - 11:30
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Reception for Bishop Shannon Johnston
You are invited to a Farewell Reception honoring Bishop Shannon Johnston as he retires from service with the Diocese of Virginia. This event will be a time to gather, thank Bishop Johnston for his service, and pray for him as he transitions to a new phase of his life in retirement.
The reception will be Sunday, October 28, 2018, from 2:00 p.m. - 3:30 p.m. in Scott Lounge at Virginia Theological Seminary. Other receptions will be held for Bishop Shannon around the diocese, including one at our Annual Diocesan Convention in Richmond on November 2-3.
- Annual Diocesan Convention
Bob Faithful and Carol Hancock will be attending the Annual Diocesan Convention in Richmond on November 2-3 as your delegates. Bishop Shannon will be retiring at the end of this convention and we hope to elect a Bishop Provisional, who will serve for about three years, before we elect a Bishop Diocesan.
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VOLUNTEERING AT ST. JOHN'S
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Sign Up Here
to be an altar server
*,
or to donate flowers for a Sunday service, or to bring refreshments for Coffee Hour after the service.
*
(if you're not an altar server, and would like to be a Lay Eucharistic Minister (LEM), a Lector, or a Crucifer, please see Carol).
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WESTERN FAIRFAX CHRISTIAN MINISTRIES
WFCM
"We know that food can be one of the most expensive items on a household budget list. Our hope is that in allowing our clients to visit once per month they will save enough money to pay for other expenses such as rent or utility bills." - WFCM
Items are collected weekly in the baskets at the front door of St. John's Church.
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UPDATED ITEMS REQUESTED
AS OF 10/02/2018
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Currently Needed Items
Food & Beverages
- Fruit Juice (individual size appreciated)
- Canned pineapple
- Tomato paste
- Sugar
- Canned vegetables (no green beans or corn needed)
- Flour
- Oil
- Pancake Mix/Syrup
- Pasta
- Canned spinach or collards
Toiletries
(NOTE: Toiletry items cannot be purchased by our clients with their food stamps)
- Body wash
- Deodorant
- Toothpaste
- Shampoo
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Reminder
Every Wednesday evening, we have a service of Holy Eucharist and healing at 6:00 PM. The service is about 30 minutes. It is a perfect alternative for those who cannot come to church on Sunday mornings, as well as a good spiritual boost in the middle of the week. Come join us!
Agape
"Agape" love is a determination of the will that no matter who this person is, no matter what kind of relationship we have with them, no matter how they treat us, no matter if they injure or grieve us, we will seek their best. This is tough love, not a feeling of the heart but a resolve of the will. It’s the love God has for all of us, love no matter what.
-Br. Luke Ditewig
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My email address is stjohnscvpriest@gmail.com,
and the office number is 703-803-7500.
May our ministry together spread God's love to all whom we encounter.
-
Carol
The Rev. Carol Hancock, Rector
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ST. JOHN'S EPISCOPAL CHURCH | 5649 MT. GILEAD RD. , CENTREVILLE, VA | 703-803-7500
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Please note:
If you choose to unsubscribe below, please note that you will no longer receive either St. John's sermons or E-Notes, which are sent weekly. If you do unsubscribe and later want to be added back in, that needs to be done through the provider, Constant Contact. Please email St. John's office with the request: SJECCentreville@aol.com.
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