To St. John's Parishioners and Friends:

Happy Birthday, St. John's! It's the 172nd anniversary of our consecration this week. Join us in celebration:

Consider a birthday gift to St. John's. On Sunday, we will bless and give thanks for numerous improvements to our campus over the past year or so: the fire panel, new HVACs for the historic church and kitchen, water fountains, wiring, emergency lights, gravestones, fire suppression and security systems, and more. These improvements represent an enormous investment and countless staff and volunteer hours. Honor our anniversary by contributing to our historic facility. Click the buttons above or the links below to give via:

• Realm. Realm is our member management platform that integrates directly with our books. You can create a member profile, manage and direct your giving, and connect with others. (And, selfishly, it's cheaper for St. John's and saves lots on data entry...)
• Square. Square helps us take payments at events like Centreville Day. We also use it for quick and easy one-time and recurring gifts to operations.

Take a Walk of Blessing. Meet Fr. Kevin at the door of the church at 8:30 AM this Sunday, July 12 for a walk of blessing. We'll walk around campus, in and out of the building, stopping to give thanks and bless with water our newest improvements. (Or a symbol of them... no blessing any electrical work...) We'll return to the historic church to re-chalk the door in thanksgiving (with plenty of time to prepare for worship - and set up for the party!)

Worship! Celebrate our 172nd Anniversary at our usual 9:30 AM service in person or online. There will be special readings, music, and prayers (including thanksgivings for the church in case you can't make the walk). Be sure to wear your red (St. John's t-shirts are available in the church office) or your usual Sunday best for a quick family photo.

Party! Stick around after worship in room 217/218 for more than the usual coffee hour. Bring a snack or dish to share, and indulge in ice cream sundaes on Sunday.

Thank God for all that God has done and will continue to do at St. John's, in Centreville, and beyond. Thank you for your generosity and ministry. I'll hope you'll join us this week!

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.

Congratulations!

Congratulations again to St. John's parishioner and Finance Committee member Andrew Wade, who was named District Rotarian of the Year last week. He received his award earlier this morning and celebrated with family, friends, Rotary Club members, and St. John's parishioners. Here he is giving thanks with the impressive trophy.

Did you know? Andrew was honored especially for his work with the Strategic Water Alliance. Since 2007, SWA has invested more than $1 million and helped more than 100,000 people with 53 clean water and sanitation projects in Zambia, Uganda, and Mathews, Virginia here in the US. Mathews, for instance, has no municipal water system. High iron, sulfur, flooding, and aging infrastructure mean 2500 people (about one quarter of that rural Virginia county) are without clean water.

The Want Ads

There are so many ways to serve at St. John’s. Right now, we’re looking for a new treasurer, volunteers for communication and digital ministry, and additional coordinators for Centreville Day. If you feel called to serve, or are curious about these ministries, please contact the Senior Warden or Fr. Kevin.

Save the Date: 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 Sermon

What to the American Christian is the Fourth of July? For us, Independence Day is thankfully a day of celebration, sadly a day of mourning, and hopefully a day of reconciliation.

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 172nd Anniversary of St. John's Birthday

• 1 Kings 8:22-30
• 1 Peter 2:1-5,9-10
• Matthew 21:12-16
• Psalm 84

Saint of the Week: Benedict of Nursia

Benedict is generally considered the father of Western monasticism. It has been said that no personality or text in the history of monasticism has occasioned more studies than Benedict and his Rule.

Read more here.

Summer with the Psalms This Week

Our weekly Bible study has resumed with another Summer with the Psalms. 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. We resume this week July 14-15 with penitential Psalms 32 and 51.

Jump in anytime. See you this summer Tuesdays at 7 PM or Wednesdays at 11 AM. 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 August 23.

Backpacks and School Supplies!

School is around the corner! St. John's is once again partnering with Western Fairfax Christian Ministries and 10 other local congregations to provide students in need with backpacks and school supplies.

This year, we'll be supporting Rocky Run Middle School, and we've doubled our usual commitment. We're looking for 50 large backpacks (laptop sleeves not required).

Rocky Run has also requested the following:

• zippered pen/pencil pouches in black
• multicolored highlighters
• multicolored two-pocket, plastic folders

Monetary donations are also welcome. Click the Realm button above to designate a gift to outreach, or the priest-in-charge's discretionary fund. These funds will be helping with additional requested school supplies and future charitable endeavors.

Bring your donations to Sunday worship or the church office by Sunday, August 2 for timely delivery that week.

Pizza Night at Hanley House!

June was a good month of service for the Hanley House. We spent time talking with several new residents and shared God's love. We served pulled chicken and mac and cheese to 38 people. 

The next two months are our pizza months! We still need sides - and volunteers! - but the entree will be pizza for July and August! We hope to see you this Tuesday, July 14.

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 July 14 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)
• 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)
• Pasta Sauce (no glass jars)
• Mashed Potatoes 
• Pancake Mix 

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.