To St. John's Parishioners and Friends:

As I said last week, I was at Shrine Mont Camps serving as a youth chaplain. It was an absolute blast. Thanks again to the Rev. Carol Hancock, my predecessor in ministry here at St. John's, for returning to us to worship on July 26.

The closing ceremony for All Saints Camp is a celebration of "All Saints Day." This year, that meant the day before was Halloween! The more traditional camp on the mountain, St. George's, typically has a Christmas in July, so All Saints appropriately claimed All Hallows Eve. We celebrated with costumes and trick-or-treating and discussed "discernment of spirits" with St. Ignatius of Loyola. Yes, that's me again in the 7-ft. tall, inflatable dinosaur costume. Somewhere, there's video of me on stage dino-dancing for morning "energizers."

It's all part of the joy of ministry. It's among the many reasons we follow Jesus: because, as challenging as it must be, sometimes, it's gloriously fun.

Peace,

Kevin

The Rev. Kevin Laskowski

Priest-in-Charge

St. John's Episcopal Church, Centreville

P.S. Sunday ministers - readers, acolytes, ushers - don't forget to scroll all the way down to the usual link and sign up to serve. And if you're interested in serving on Sundays, contact Fr. Kevin.

A Parishioner Prepares for a PhD

St. John's parishioner, Finance Committee Chair, and acolyte Monti Zimmerman is about to defend his doctoral dissertation. For the past seven years, he has been working toward a PhD in Environmental Science and Public Policy at George Mason University. He's just completed fascinating research on protecting Thailand's rivers from heavy metal pollution, and he’ll present and defend that research at summer’s end. Congratulations and good luck to Monti!

St. John's is helping out with a practice run. Stick around after worship on August 16 to hear more about his work and help him prepare for this important day of decision.

Serving at St. John's

St. John's is a glimpse of the kingdom of God, where all are welcomed and valued in Jesus Christ. We need your time and talent to shine here on campus and beyond.

There are so many ways to serve at St. John’s:

• We’re looking for volunteers for communication, digital ministry, and Centreville Day. to share our faith and community with others.
• Our Sunday ministries continue to welcome new ushers, acolytes, readers, choir members, and more to help lead worship.
• We will call new Vestry members at the end of the year ahead of our next annual meeting.
• And there are always opportunities to share with those in need and fight for our neighbors (see below for mission and outreach opportunities).

If you feel called to serve, or are curious about these ministries, please contact the Senior Warden or Fr. Kevin.

Centreville Day, October 17

Centreville Day will be held October 17, 2026. This annual community celebration in the historic district features food trucks, local vendors, history, entertainment, and, of course, St. John's! The stage is in our parking lot!

Planning with local leaders has already begun. If you'd like to assist Fr. Kevin on that committee, or help St. John's prepare for the day, email Fr. Kevin.

Scam Alert!

Sadly, once again we need to warn all members of the church about the persistence of scammers looking to steal money. St. John's, like all churches these days, is a frequent target of those who would try to impersonate our priest or other member of the church in a text or email in order to take advantage of members' care and generosity towards each other. No one from the church will ever ask you to purchase a gift card or send money by any means other than our website (which uses Realm and Square) or via the Sunday offering. It's always prudent to verify any request in person since even telephone calls can be fake in the era of artificial intelligence.

Altar Flowers Needed

Dedicate the altar flowers in thanksgiving or in memory of a loved one here.

WORSHIP

Sunday Sermons

August 2: Christianity 101: Feed, Fight, Forgive

What if Christianity 101 was not in the abstract fundamentals of Bible, theology, and church but in the concrete skills of feed, fight, and forgive? What if organized religion was actually organized to feed and share with others at scale: in tons and pounds instead of servings, not only one-on-one but thousands at a time? What if we knew what it meant to fight for and with the most vulnerable in search of a better life? What if we forgave ourselves and each other? What if we knew what it was to apologize and to accept apologies? 

We can teach Bible, theology, and church, cross our fingers, and wait for loving ministry to follow. Or we can start as Jesus did: feed hungry people and see the very face of God.

July 26: The Kingdom of God Here and Now

The Rev. Carol Hancock returns to St. John's! Jesus's parables about the kingdom of heaven awaken us not (only) to a future state of affairs but one that has already arrived.

View our services on our YouTube channel and look for new sermons here.

Join Us In Person or Online

Join us in the historic church at 9:30 AM Sunday or watch live via YouTube. Additional links to the livestream, worship bulletin, and lectionary class are sent Saturday and also available on our website.

Readings for the Eleventh Sunday after Pentecost

(Proper 14A)

First Reading:  1 Kings 19:9-18

God makes himself known to Elijah in stillness. He then gives Elijah a new mission, and promises that he will spare those who are faithful.

Response: Psalm 85:8-13

Second Reading: Romans 10:5-15

Paul declares that the way to salvation is to confess that Jesus is Lord and to believe that God raised him from the dead.

Gospel: Matthew 14:22-33

When Jesus’ disciples are caught in a terrifying storm offshore, he comes to them across the water and tells them not to be afraid. Jesus’ words can also calm anxious hearts in our own day.

Saint of the Week: Dominic

Dominic de Guzmán founded the Order of Preachers in the early 13th century. Dominicans, as they are known today, were to be a community focused on learning, preaching, and teaching to combat hurtful and misguided heresies within the Church and beyond.

Read more here.

Summer with the Psalms: Songs of Zion

Our Summer with the Psalms continues this week Tuesday at 7:00 PM and Wednesday at 11:00 AM. The book of Psalms is the Bible’s hymnal, and a key to understanding all of Scripture. Each week, we read and discuss several of these vital songs. This week: four Songs of Zion: Psalm 2, 46, 48, and 76.

Jump in anytime. See here for the complete syllabus.

Contact Father Kevin or Lisa Heller for more information.

Registration for Education for Ministry (EfM) Opening Soon

Through study, prayer, worship, and reflection, EfM seminar groups journey together through scripture, church history, and theology. St. John's EfM cohort currently meets Wednesday nights in the St. John's library and online.

Registration for the 2026-2027 EfM year opens soon for both the Classic (4-year) and Wide Angle (1-year) options. Contact Walt Cooner for more information.

Adult Lectionary Forum on Summer Break

Our weekly discussion of the Sunday readings is on hiatus for the summer. We'll resume soon on August 23!

Thank you! Backpacks Blessed for Delivery!

Thank you to all who donated to this year's effort to provide students in need with backpacks and school supplies. St. John's partnered once again with Western Fairfax Christian Ministries and 10 other local congregations to help students start the year off right. We were matched with Rocky Run Middle School. Donations were blessed on Sunday for delivery to Rocky Run tomorrow, Friday, August 7.

Pizza Night at Hanley House!

In July we served 47 people! Every July and August we give our cooks a break and serve pizza! But there are other items we serve that we still need donations for. Please take a look at our current sign up for our next dinner on August 11th.

Thanks to everyone who helps with this fun and tasty outreach!

St. John's makes and serves a meal every second Tuesday of the month at the local family shelter. Sign up to prepare or provide food ahead of time and/or join us on August 11 to serve.

Bring donations for our local family shelter to church or drop by the office. Their needs may be found on their In-Kind Donations Wish List through Amazon.

The Harvest Continues at the Creation Care Garden

Pounds of produce continue to make their way to Western Fairfax Christian Ministries: banana peppers, jalapenos, basil, mint, and more. Sign up here to assist the watering team.

About the Garden

St. John's Creation Care Garden raises fresh fruits, vegetables, and herbs for Western Fairfax Christian Ministries' free food markets. Last year, St. John’s Creation Care Garden Committee grew, harvested, and delivered more than 180 pounds of produce, totaling 667 pounds over the past four years. Contact Jean Makurat or the parish office for more information.

Donate to Western Fairfax Christian Ministries

St. John's is a founding partner of Western Fairfax Christian Ministries, which provides food and financial support to more than 600 local families every month. Please bring donations of food and more to Sunday services, or drop at the church office. These items are especially needed:

Food:

• Sugar (1 lb. or 2 lb. bag)
• White All-Purpose Flour
• Oil (canola, vegetable, olive)
• Oatmeal (Quaker Oats)
• Cereal (low sugar preferred)
• Shelf Stable Juice (apple, cranberry, grape)
• Canned Fish (tuna, salmon)
• Canned Tomatoes (crushed, whole paste)
• Canned Fruit (pineapple, mandarin oranges)
• Canned Vegetables (carrots, potatoes, beets, spinach, collard greens)
• Pasta Sauce (no glass jars)
• Boxed Pasta (no macaroni needed at this time)
• Mashed Potatoes 
• Pancake Mix 

Note: We have an abundant amount of canned green beans, stuffing, and condensed chicken noodle and tomato soup. If purchasing/donating for our markets, we kindly request you do not purchase/donate these items. Thank you. 

Toiletries:

NOTE: Toiletry items cannot be purchased by clients with SNAP​​

• Toilet Paper
• Baby Wipes 
• Body Wash
• Bar Soap
• Toothpaste
• Lotion
• Shaving Cream and Disposable Razors
• Pull-Ups Size 4T/5

Note: we are not currently in need of diapers due to our partnership with Greater DC Diaper Bank. Please only donate baby wipes if you want to donate items for babies.

Support the Centreville Immigration Forum (CIF)

CIF provides immigrants in need with the means to improve their lives and become more integrated into the community, improve communication and cooperation among all groups serving immigrants, and build community recognition of our strength in diversity. You can support Centreville Immigration Forum's work and advocacy here.

Helping the Shepherd's Center of Western Fairfax

St. John's has several volunteers supporting the Shepherd's Center of Western Fairfax. They provide rides to medical and therapy appointments and other important errands for people who are over 50 and can no longer drive. The Shepherd's Center needs additional drivers and support for local seniors. To assist, you must live in western Fairfax County in or around Clifton, Centreville, or Chantilly. For more information and to volunteer, visit the Shepherd's Center here.

Prayer Requests

If you would like to add yourself or someone you care about to our Sunday prayer list, please contact clergy or the church office.

Sunday Services

Additional readers and ushers are needed. Sign up here.

Coffee Hour

We gather after worship for food and fellowship. Assist with snacks here.

Katherine Hanley Monthly Dinner

We cook and serve every second Tuesday of the month. Sign up here.

Altar Flowers

Dedicate the altar flowers in thanksgiving or in memory of a loved one here.

Photos?!

Have any photos or short videos from St. John's events? Send them to us.

Support St. John's Episcopal Church

With your contribution, you are part of St. John's offering of healing, hope, and hospitality to all God's people. Click the button below to give online or visit our website for more.