This Week on the Mountain

The High School Youth Group will once again provide Easter baskets for the residents of the Morris County Youth Shelter. Please help us in this endeavor by donating suggested items from the list below. We will prepare baskets for ten boys and six girls. Donations can be brought to church on Sunday. Please contact Janette Carlucci (908) 234-1269 or Diane Morash (908)953-8212 with any questions. The staff and residents at the shelter are very appreciative of our continued support.

✤Easter candy

✤Egg dye kits

✤Plastic eggs

✤Toiletries (hotel size are perfect)

✤Socks

✤Pens

✤Small notebooks/journals

✤Decks of cards (requested by the boys)

✤Friendship bracelet kits (requested by the girls)

✤Nair (hair remover)

✤PLEASE NO RAZORS OR MOUTH WASH

April Ladies' Luncheon

Please join us for the April Ladies' Luncheon, which will be hosted at the home of Gerry-Jo Cranmer on Wednesday, April 20th at 12 noon (Note that this is not on a Thursday). Please bring your sandwich; drinks and dessert will be provided. The address is 320 Hardscrabble Road, Bernardsville. Please RSVP to Gerry-Jo at 908-766-0199.

Adopt-a-Family for Easter

Please help bring Easter smiles to your neighbors by buying and delivering an uncooked Easter meal to those in need. Sign-up sheet is on the bulletin board just outside of Parish Hall. For more information, contact Pete Ackerman (908) 537-9905.

Junior High Youth Group (Grades 6-8) to Staff the Food Bank

On Saturday, April 30th, the Jr High Youth Group will be staffing the Food Bank in Somerville. Please meet at the SJOTM parking lot for a swift 9:30am departure. We are expected to return at 12:15pm. Space is limited. Please RSVP to the office at 766-2282 or office@sjotm.org to reserve your spot.

A Celebration of Life to Remember Cathy Sutcliffe

Will be held on Saturday, April 30th at the Sutcliffe home, 131 Mt Harmony Rd, Bernardsville, with a luncheon at 12:30, followed by a time for remembrance and dedication of an arbor and garden bench. All are invited. Please contact Lynn Sutcliffe if you can attend (lsutcliffe@energysolve.com or 848-565-1213).

50/50 Raffle Fundraiser for Playground Equipment

Don't miss out on your chance to win big, while helping us to create an outdoor play space for the kids of St. John on the Mountain. Tickets will be sold for $10 a piece or three for $25. All proceeds will be split 50/50. Our goal is to raise $10,000. As an FYI - The nursery school playground, that is on the lower-level, is designed and built for pre-school aged children and, is not appropriate for the elementary-aged kids of our parish, hence the need for our own equipment. Tickets can be purchased on Sundays during coffee hour or stop by the office Monday-Thursday between 8:00am - 3:00pm. The drawing will be held during the Parish Picnic on Sunday, June 12th. Click here for more information.

Save the Date for Some Cinco de Mayo Fun!

Come to FIESTA CINCO DE MAYO on Friday, May 6th, from 6:00 to 9:00 pm in the Parish Hall. Join the fun at our Spring Fundraiser while you enjoy fabulous Tex-Mex hors d'oeuvres including award winning chili made by our own chef Joe Ray!! Taste refreshing margaritas, mojitos, Mexican beer, and wine as you listen to festive music and stroll through our Mexican Marketplace. Purchase handmade treasures from Colonial Mexico brought to you by Talaverica. St. John's will earn a percentage of the sales made at the Fiesta. Mark your calendars and invite your friends! Please send in your response cards by April 30. Extra invitations are available in the narthex and on the table outside the kitchen. If you have any questions, contact Mary Courtemanche, Tressa Baird, or Kathy Christie. Click here for more information.

VBS Summer Camp returns to SJOTM - SAVE THE DATE for June 27th - 30th

Join us Monday - Thursday, from 9:30am - 12:00pm. Kids will get-together to create, connect, and journey together down Main Street where they will play sports, games, hear music, make snacks, listen to Bible stories, and make cool crafts! The cost is $60 per child pre-k through rising 4th grade. Space is limited. For more information, download a flier here and a registration form here.

Youth Volunteers Needed for Camp

Rising 7th Grade (and up) volunteers are needed to make camp a success! Credit for community service hours for school, scouts, and/or honor societies is available. For more information contact the office at 766-2282 or email office@sjotm.org .

Somerville Food Bank Staffing Opportunities

St. John staffs the Food Bank every Saturday in April, from 10am-12noon. Reserve your space! The sign-up sheet is located on the bulletin board near Parish Hall.

Upcoming Baptism Dates

We have two upcoming dates scheduled for Baptism: Sunday, May 8th at 10:00am & Sunday, June 12 at 10:00am. If you're interested please contact the office at 908-766-2282.

Youth Group Mission Trip for Grades 8-12 with St. Luke's in Gladstone

Please join us for the Summer Mission Trip to Philadelphia to return to The Philadelphia Project. We plan to depart after church on Sunday, July 24th and return on Friday, July 29th. We will spend the week helping people, playing games, singing songs, worshiping God, and sleeping on the floor. To learn more about The Philadelphia Project click here. For more information about the trip, please contact Norm Penney, Interim Youth Director at St. Luke's Episcopal Church normpenney@gmail.com.

Diocesan trip to Ecuador

Save the date September 27 - October 4, 2011 for the Diocesan trip to live, work and worship with our companions and partners in the Diocese of Ecuador Central. Details to follow soon.

St. John on the Mountain

Weekly Calendar

April 17, Sunday of the Passion: Palm Sunday

8:00 am Holy Eucharist Rite I with Palm Blessing, Chapel

9:00 am Nursery Care, Room 2 Lower Level

Rite 13, Parish House

Cherub Choir Rehearsal, Acolyte Room

Parish Choir rehearsal, Choir Room

10:00 am Blessing of the Palms, Procession, Outside

Holy Eucharist Rite II, Church

Sunday School

11:15 am Bell Choir Rehearsal, Church

Coffee Hour, Parish Hall

April 19, Tuesday

7:30 pm Parish Choir rehearsal, Choir Room

April 20, Wednesday

12:00 pm Ladies' Luncheon, at the home of

Gerry-Jo Cranmer

4:00 pm Fencing Class, Parish Hall

April 21, Maundy Thursday

10:30 am Knitting Needles & Thread Group, Meeting Rm

6:00 pm Maundy Thursday Potluck Supper, Parish Hall

7:00 pm Holy Eucharist, Rite II with Footwashing

April 23, Holy Saturday & Easter Eve

9:45 am Food Bank Pantry Staffing, Somerville

7:00 pm The Great Vigil of Easter, with Holy Baptism, followed by

reception

April 24,The Sunday of the Resurrection, Easter Day

8:00 am Holy Eucharist, Rite I, with hymns

10:00 am Festival Holy Eucharist, Rite II, with

Children's Message

11:15 am Easter Egg Hunt, Outside

About Holy Week

April 17 PALM SUNDAY: The Sunday of the Passion

8am Holy Eucharist Rite I

10am Blessing of the Palms, Procession, Holy Eucharist Rite II

Palm Sunday begins with the Liturgy of the Palms in the chapel at 8am and in the lower driveway at 10am. The scriptures tell of Christ's triumphant entry into Jerusalem. The congregation is invited to participate in the palm procession from the lower driveway into the church for the 10am service. The Passion Gospel will be read dramatically and followed by a time for reflection. This service begins with joy and ends in silence.

April 1 MAUNDY THURSDAY

6:00pm Potluck Supper

7:00pm Holy Eucharist Rite II with Footwashing

Maundy Thursday calls to mind Christ's mandate to celebrate the Eucharist he instituted on the night before his death. On that night Jesus also washed the feet of his disciples and asked them to do likewise. During the service, those who wish will have the opportunity to participate in this footwashing ceremony. Following the Eucharist, the altar will be stripped and the blessed sacrament will be taken to the altar of the repose in the chapel. During the night, the chapel will remain open for those wishing to "keep watch" in the same manner Jesus asked his disciples to stay with him in the Garden of Gethsemane. A simple meal will precede this service at 6pm.

April 2 GOOD FRIDAY

12:00 noon Good Friday Liturgy at St. Bernards

Good Friday remembers the crucifixion of Christ.

April 3 HOLY SATURDAY

7:00pm The Great Vigil of Easter followed by a reception

The Great Vigil of Easter begins on Saturday at 7pm. The congregation enters the chapel in darkness as though it were entering the tomb of Christ. A fire is kindled and the celebrant says, "On this most holy night, in which our Lord Jesus passed from death to life, the Church invites her members, dispersed throughout the world, to gather in vigil and prayer. For this is the Passover of the Lord, in which, by hearing his words and celebrating his sacrament, we share in his victory over death." The Paschal Candle is then lighted and the Exsultet is sung. This prayer is among the oldest liturgical texts to survive to this day. There follows the Liturgy of the Word, which presents the record of God's saving deeds in history from the Hebrew Scriptures. The candles on the altar are lighted and the Easter Acclamation is proclaimed. The congregation joins in celebrating Holy Baptism as we who have been buried with Christ in his death are raised with Christ to newness of life. The service concludes with the first Eucharist of Easter.

April 4 EASTER DAY: The Sunday of the Resurrection

8:00am Holy Eucharist Rite I

10:00am Festival Holy Eucharist Rite II

Children's Chapel

11:15am Easter Egg Hunt

Easter Day continues the celebration of the Resurrection. Easter heralds the good news of the Gospel with the words, "Alleluia. Christ is risen. The Lord is risen indeed. Alleluia."

Holy Week & Easter Services

The Sunday of the Passion:

PALM SUNDAY, April 17

8am Holy Eucharist, Rite I with Palm Blessing

10am Blessing of the Palms, Procession,

Holy Eucharist, Rite II

MAUNDY THURSDAY, April 21

6pm Dinner

7pm Holy Eucharist, Rite II with Footwashing

GOOD FRIDAY, April 22

12noon Good Friday Liturgy at St. Bernards

HOLY SATURDAY & EASTER EVE, April 23

7pm The Great Vigil of Easter, with Holy Baptisms followed by reception

The Sunday of the Resurrection:

EASTER DAY, April 24

8am Holy Eucharist, Rite I, with hymns

10am Festival Holy Eucharist, Rite II,

with Children's Message

11:15am Easter Egg Hunt, Outside

Transition to New Rector Enters Final Phase

The Search and Discernment activities are now focused on scheduling visits to the churches of the six selected active candidates. These visits by the team members will occur in May and will provide important information for selecting the finalist candidates to recommend to the Vestry in June. The members of the Committee appreciate very much the support and prayers of the congregation during this active time.

Parish Directories

If you would like a print out of the Parish Directory, please stop by the Parish House. The listing is updated frequently. Copies of the current Directory are on a clipboard posted on the bulletin board which is located in the hallway outside the Parish Office. Please help yourself. If your contact information has changed, please let the office know. Thank you!

Prayer List

If you would like to have someone added to the Prayer List, please call or email the Parish Office 908-766-2282 or office@sjotm.org.

St. John on the Mountain

379 Mount Harmony Road

Bernardsville, New Jersey 07924

908-766-2282

office@sjotm.org

www.sjotm.org

Office Hours

Monday - Thursday 8:00 am - 3:00 pm