21 August 2014

Begin the new school year with some divine inspiration!

The Blessing of the Backpacks will be held on Sunday, September 7. All students, teachers, and school personnel are invited to receive a special blessing in worship. Invite your friends, neighbors, and colleagues!

We will be collecting school supplies the entire month of August. In addition to collecting the usual supplies for local school children (notebooks, notebook paper, pencils, backpacks, etc.), we also have the opportunity to collect unique items for the Ida Barbour Early Learning Center (toddler board books, construction paper, tissue paper, large & small crayons, glue sticks).

Please bring your items and place them on the pews in the back of our worship space. Thanks in advance for your generosity!

Fall Christian Formation begins on Sunday, 9/7, including the grand opening of the new True Vine Atrium for readers who are 6-9 years old. Begin to spread the word to your friends and neighbors!

With the start of Fall Christian formation a little over two weeks away, it is time to register your children so that we can be prepared for their arrival! The process is simple using this link. Please don't wait...register today!

Women of St. John's...save the date!

Come to Girl's Night Out on September 12, 2014 at 6:30pm. A fabulous salad bar will be served in Chisholm Hall. Please contact Patti Devers (615-3227) so we will have enough food for everyone!

Who: All women who worship at St. John's are welcome to attend the AWE Annual Meeting. AWE stands for "Anglican Women Empowered. Our women's ministry group was established in 2007 to promote spiritual growth through Bible Studies, an annual retreat, special events and fund raising, like St. Fiacre Flower festival. From the funds raised, AWE supports in-reach and out-reach projects for women of St. John's Episcopal Church, our neighborhood, and greater Hampton Roads.

What: Girl's Night Out is a great opportunity to get to know each, have some fun and begin planning our retreat (location, speaker, dates), St. Fiacre Flower Festival and Garden Party; plus choose our in-reach and out-reach project to support in 2015. We will be forming teams for the retreat and St. Fiacre. We would love to have you be part of these teams!

Miscellany

The Parish Office will be closed on September 1 for the Labor Day holiday.

Wednesday Eucharist continues through the summer months @ 6:30pm. Miss on Sunday? Come on Wednesday.

Shout out to the St. John's Parishioners who offered their enthusiasm and hospitality to examiner.com reporter Kim Deiman Allegrezza. She posted a fabulous online article about our parish which included this remarkable sentence: "Visiting Portsmouth would be a lovely weekend trip for those wishing to escape the craziness inside the Washington Beltway. In an area filled with beautiful old churches, there is one that stands out among the rest, St. John's Church." Allegrezza later posted on facebook her "thanks to your parishioners who stopped to speak with me in the street while I was taking pictures. They were the inspiration behind the story!" Well done, good and faithful servants!

Derek and Clifford King Harbin invite you to be present then they renew their marriage vows on the occasion of their 25th Wedding Anniversary on Wednesday, September 3 @ 6:30pm.

Upcoming Feast Day Worship Celebrations: Feast of the Holy Cross, Sunday 9/14 @ 8, 9, & 11am; Feast of James Chisholm, Wednesday 9/17 @ 6:30pm.

The next issue of St. John's eNews will be on Thursday, September 4. Content deadline is the Tuesday before publication.

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 who is away on sabbatical; David, our visiting bishop; Derek, our priest; Heidi & Russ, our missionaries in Chile; our parish staff, wardens and vestry

For Justice and Peace

For Peace in the Middle East & Ukraine; for Barack, our president; Terry, our governor, Ken, our mayor; for the city of Portsmouth; for Mac Baechtold; Erin Elliott; Nate Kingsbury; George Lang; Nicholas Reyes; Dariana Torres; 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: Bobby Barclay; Sophie Belouet; Donald Bowles; Kevin Carrigan; Jake Devers; Bill Edwards; Darryl Foytik; Ron Fritz; Vivian Hillman; Mavia Hudgins; Dody Johnson; Dody Mason; Bob McBride; Barbara Pardo; Arlene Peterson; Carol Phipps; Alice Robbins; Betty Jo Ross; Sue Taylor; Jennie Todd; Sonny Wilkinson; Mark Woodland

Related to our Parish: Wally (boyfriend of Heather Gonzalez); David (nephew of Heather Gonzalez); Linda (aunt of Al Gregg); Patients of the Naval Hospital & EDMARC hospice for children

Thanksgivings

For Greg & Casey Hicks who are expecting a child

This Sunday in Worship

The Eleventh Sunday after Pentecost, 8/24: Exodus 1:8-2:10 & Matthew 16:13-20

Want to give the gift of flowers at the altar and chapel on this Sunday? Sign up in Chisholm Hall.

The Twelfth Sunday after Pentecost, 8/31: Exodus 3:1-15 & Matthew 16:21-28

Flowers are given to the Glory of God in honor of Russell Mathews' birthday by his wife, Linda.

The Rt. Rev'd Herman Hollerith, IV, bishop

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

Linda Mathews, coordinator of office volunteers

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

Monday Contemplative Prayer, 6:30pm

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