27 February 2014

Alleluia Sunday, Shrove Tuesday, Ash Wednesday

This Sunday, March 2nd, bring your palms from last year's Palm Sunday celebration to be burned following each Eucharist in preparation for this year's Ash Wednesday celebration. Our liturgy will be filled with lots of Alleluias, as we will fast this word of praise until we shout and sing it again at the Easter Vigil. Make sure to fatten up at hospitality time, as our Lenten fare will be much simpler as well.

Shrove Tuesday, or Mardi Gras (Fat Tuesday), is the day before Ash Wednesday when people rid their pantries of all the fattening foods that they would not be consuming during the 40-day Lenten season. On Tuesday, March 4th, St. John's will host a Pancake Supper from 5:30-7:30pm. Adults $5, Ages 3-10: $3, Under 3 free. Proceeds will go to the acolytes' fund.

On Ash Wednesday, March 5th, we will begin our forty-day preparation for Easter (called Lent) with a day of fasting. Those who are physically able are encouraged to eat no food and drink only water or clear juice; when our stomach reminds us of hunger, we then turn to God in prayer. (Even children or adults with special medical needs can find ways to observe a modified fast with simple foods like soup.)

The St. John's community will provide three distinct worship opportunities to observe this day. Invite your friends, neighbors and co-workers to join you!

Noon, Liturgy of the Day and Communion (no music, lunch hour friendly!)

4-6pm, drop-in imposition of ashes

6:30pm, Principal Liturgy of the Day with Eucharist and music

Much progress has been made on the 1907 Tiffany Altar Window Restoration project.

The framework has been restored to its original color and meticulous cleaning

of the glass exterior and leading is now underway.

Faith-Food-Fitness-Focus-Friends

The Daniel Plan - More than a diet. Join the St. John's Daniel Planning Team and experience the 40-day program to a healthier life by Rick Warren and his team. Getting healthy is a choice. The Daniel Plan is a lifestyle change that will leave you feeling better and more energetic than you have been in years. We will explore together how we should live in light of God's word. Join us Monday, March 3 from 6:30 - 7:45pm in the second-floor Community Meeting Room. You can join any time. Call Dick Devers (757.630.6884) or Della Stearns (757.309.7586) for information. See you there!

Contemplative Prayer

We gather ever week to worship God, using words, music, and our bodies; Contemplative Prayer is a way of praying through listening, learning to go beyond words so that we can simply be present with God. St. John's offers Contemplative Prayer this Lent on Tuesday nights at 6:30pm in the Founders' Chapel, beginning March 11. After an introduction to quiet prayer, we will sit in silence with each other and with God and then share a brief reflection on our prayer experience before finishing around 7:15.

The Choir invites you to lunch!

St. John's Choir would like to invite anyone who would like to make a short commitment to sing with the 11am choir during Lent and Easter to come to a luncheon we have prepared for you on Sunday, March 9th at 12:30pm.

Miscellany

Christian Formation for all ages continues this Sunday.

Give the gift of flowers: Would you like to remember or honor someone special in your life by giving the gift of altar flowers? Sign up in Chisholm Hall for the Sunday(s) you would like to sponsor and provide a $75 contribution to St. John's Church at least two weeks before each sponsored Sunday.

Parish Office volunteers needed: St. John's is in need of volunteer assistance to answer the phones and door from 10am-1pm. If you are willing to assist, please contact Fr. Derek.

Sign up to prepare a meal for this year's Pilgrims in Christ group using the sheet posted in Chisholm Hall. Use your gifts of hospitality while you fulfill your baptismal promise to "do all in your power to support these persons in their life in Christ."

Contribute by PayPal. Our website now offers a PayPal option to receive contributions. Click here or at the bottom of our website homepage.

The Parishioner Corner of our Website has news you can use. Here you can access the latest parish directory, parish handbook, access worship ministry schedules, and read approved minutes of vestry discussions and actions as well parish financial reports. Need or don't remember the password? Click here.

Parish Calendar

Click here to access our Parish Calendar

In our Prayers this Week

If you would like to add a name to the prayer list, please contact the prayer chain.

For the Church

Justin, Archbishop of Canterbury; Katherine, the Presiding Bishop; Holly, our bishop

Derek, our priest; our parish staff, wardens and vestry

For those to be baptized

Catechumens Niki Park & Rashaun Tuttle; Matthew Pope, Ava Park, Claire McCorkill, & Emily Stallings (Great Vigil of Easter, 4/19)

For Justice and Peace

For Barack, our president, Terry, our governor; Ken, our mayor; Erin Elliott-Carrico; Roberto Gonzalez; Nate Kingsbury; Will Oast; Dariana Torres and Bill Wolter who are serving our country overseas or away from home; for the Coast Guard Personnel on watch and on patrol from Coast Guard Base Portsmouth

For those in any Need or Trouble

In our Parish: Diane Booth; George Booth; Donald Bowles; Steve Buell; Mary Colby; Ted Colby; Courtney Devers; Bill Edwards; Gina Fremeau; Regina Guerra; Vivian Hillman; Mavia Hudgins; Linda Mathews; Arlene Peterson; Carol Phipps; Alice Robbins; Martha Rush; Barbara Stearns; Jennie Todd; Gary Wiggins; Joy Young

Related to our Parish: Dresden (friend of Betty Jo Ross); White family (friends of Alice Taylor Smith); Glenn (brother-in-law of Mick & Linda Kauffman); Horace (friend of Mick & Linda Kauffman); Verlene (sister of Carolyn Colon); Tom (friend of Reese and Dody Johnson); Shawn (son-in-law of Sherry Clem); Tim (cousin of Emily Schultz); Mary (sister of Dody Mason); Nancy (mother of Andy Gray); Michael (sister of Sherry Clem); Walter (cousin of Dody Mason); Sally (mother of Fr. Derek); Tom (brother-in-law of Lindsey Hicks Thornton); Dylan (friend of Miles Harbin); Carolyn & Kevin (sister and brother-in-law of Brenda Wolter); Barbara (mother of Dody Johnson); Andy (father of Ray Symmes); Mary (friend of Alice Taylor-Smith); James (father of Bonnie Scott); Patients of the Naval Hospital & EDMARC hospice for children.

Thanksgivings

For the birth of Olivia Kate to John & Katie Goodwin; for Joe & Stephanie Ryder who are expecting a child

Departed

John (father of John Park & grandfather of Ava Park)

Stewardship of God's Resources for the week of 2/23

Ministry/Worship Attendance: Sunday 8am (12), 9am (55), 11am (108); Wednesday 6:30pm (9)

Worship Offering: $5,433

Income needed for ministry expense each week: $6,678

Income surplus for February: $1,402

This Sunday in Worship

The Last Sunday after the Epiphany: 2 Peter 1:16-21 & Matthew 17:1-9

The Rev'd Dr. J. Derek Harbin, rector

Rick Bishop, kitchen manager

Keith Byers, bookkeeper

Philip Goodrich, sexton

Ellison Gregg, staff photographer & twitter

Clifford King Harbin, associate to the rector

Rebecca Mina, creation atrium coordinator

Sr. Heather Rollins, technology & facebook

Scott Rollins, organist and choir director

Stephanie Ryder, publications

Welcome to our Sunday Worship Services
Contemplative Eucharist, Rite I at 8:00am
Contemporary Eucharist at 9:00am
Traditional Eucharist, Rite II at 11:00am

Wednesday Healing Eucharist, 6:30pm

Holy Days as Announced

You'll find us at 424 Washington Street, Portsmouth, VA 23704 or by phone at 757.399.4967

Our office hours are 10:00am - 1:00pm M-F. We look forward to seeing you!

Quick Links:
www.diosova.org
www.episcopalchurch.org
www.anglicancommunion.org