13 March 2014

Who took the brass and silver?

Who took the brass and silver and what happened to the Alleluias? We are in the liturgical season of Lent and to further engage our eyes and ears for our journey with Jesus to the cross, the brass, silver, and spoken or sung 'alleluias' are gone for forty days. To fast (do without) them makes us more appreciative of their presence. The resurrection glory of the Great Vigil of Easter and Easter morning will be further enriched by the return of the bright, the shiny, and the luminous!

St. Fiacre planning meeting this Sunday

The first planning meeting for St. Fiacre is Sunday March 16 after 11 am worship. All interested volunteers are welcome. There are many opportunities to be involved with AWE Women's Ministries Annual Fund Raising Event including: 1) Spring Plants and Herbs, display and sales, 2) Lunch and Bake Sale, 3) Garden Party on Friday evening, and 4) Silent Auction Organizing.

New ideas are welcome! Please join us March 16 at 12:15 pm in the lounge area of Chisholm Hall. Questions, contact Patti Devers.

Two Flower Guild Opportunities

Planning for Easter - the Flower Guild will meet on Saturday, March 22, 10 - 11:30 am in Chisholm Hall to discuss plans for Easter arrangements and make assignments. Even if you are not in the Flower Guild, you are welcome to attend - anyone's ideas are welcome and we could use extra hands at Easter. Flower arranging skills not required!

Flower arranging workshop - Are you in the Flower Guild and want to improve your skills? Thinking about joining the Guild but you need to know more before you can help? The Flower Guild will conduct an arranging workshop on Saturday, April 5, 9 am - Noon. We will share what we learned at the National Cathedral workshop, provide some arranging basics, and offer an opportunity to do some individual hands-on arranging to practice for Easter. Contact Linda Buchanan by Friday, 3/28, to reserve your spot so we can be sure to have enough supplies for everyone.

Parish Spring Garden Work Day, 3/29

Come spend the morning in the beautiful spring weather and help with spring clean up in the church gardens on Saturday, March 29, from 9am to noon (rain day, Sunday, March 30). Bring your leaf and garden rakes and your work gloves. Children welcome - make it a family outing!

Miscellany

Christian Formation for all ages continues this Sunday.

Contemplative Prayer: We gather every 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 6:30 pm in the Founders' Chapel. 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.

Easter Vigil and Easter Day Flowers: St. John's is accepting donations for flowers to decorate our worship space for Eastertide. These flowers may be given in memory of, or in thanksgiving for, a loved one or a special event. Forms are available in our worship space. Please either mail your donation and form to the Parish Office or place both in a sealed envelope in the offering plate. Please be sure to note "Easter flowers" on the check memo line. Your gift will be reflected on your contribution statement for the year.

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.

The Daniel Plan is underway...but there is still time for you to join! 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 for our second gathering on Tuesday, March 18 from 6:30 - 7:45pm in the second-floor Community Meeting Room. You can join any time. Call Dick Devers (630.6884) or Della Stearns (309.7586) for information. See you there!

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."

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, Clara 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; Bill Edwards; Gina Fremeau; Regina Guerra; Vivian Hillman; Mavia Hudgins; Linda Mathews; Arlene Peterson; Carol Phipps; Alice Robbins; Barbara Stearns; Jennie Todd; Gary Wiggins; Joy Young

Related to our Parish: Rodney (friend of Della & Mark Stearns); Patricia Smith family (friends of Kelly Gillerlain); Tom & Barbara (parents of Dody Johnson); 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 Joe & Stephanie Ryder who are expecting a child

Stewardship of God's Resources for the week of 3/09

Ministry/Worship Attendance: Sunday 8am (15), 9am (69), 11am (119); Wednesday 6:30pm (9)

Worship Offering: $7,165

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

This Sunday in Worship

The Second Sunday in Lent: Genesis 12:1-4a & John 3:1-17

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