www.stjohnsportsmouth.org10 December 2015

Harp and Flute Concert is Saturday

In the midst of the busy holiday season, renew your spirit at a candlelight harp and flute concert this Saturday, December 12 at 5:30pm (note new time).  Virginia Symphony members Debra Wendells Cross on flute and Barbara Chapman on harp will perform an hour-long free concert of seasonal selections in the historic worship space of St. John's Church as part of Portsmouth's Annual Olde Towne Holiday Music Festival.  Admission is free and a festive cookie reception follows the concert.
 
St. John's Concert Series in our historic worship space is one of the many ways we follow the example of Jesus by moving into our neighborhood to bless our community.
Giving to Christ at Christmas

Christmas will be here in two weeks.  As we prepare for the upcoming Christmas season, our parish is offering each of us the opportunity to do the single-most important act of the holidays: give a gift to Jesus Christ.  Giving to Christ at Christmas is based on a simple idea.  It's Jesus' birthday.  That's why we give gifts to each other.  Let's have our gift giving begin with a gift to him.
 
Each year we invite followers of Jesus associated with St. John's Church to give the most generous, one-time cash gift we can-above and beyond our normal giving, as we would any Christmas gift-to fund the twin heartbeats of our Lord: evangelistic witness and relief of human suffering, locally, nationally and internationally.
 
This year's focus is relieving human suffering on an international level.  On Sunday during each of our liturgies, St. John's parishioners will vote on which human needs outreach ministry to fund with our gift to Jesus this year.  In alphabetical order, this year's options include:
 
1) Archbishop of Canterbury's Refugee Resettlement.  Justin Welby, the Archbishop of Canterbury, is providing space on the lawn and buildings of Lambeth Palace, the Archbishop's official residence and office in London, for refugees fleeing ISIS. (100% for contributions go to services)  
 
2) Christian Freedom International.  This is a non-denominational human rights organization established to help Christians who are persecuted and suffering for their faith in Jesus Christ. The ministry offers resettlement assistance, case work, aid to the disabled, Bible distribution. As well, the organization sponsors schools and vocational training.  All services are offered free of charge.  (84% of contributions go to services)
 
3) Joshua Fund.  Founded in 2006 by Joel and Lynn Rosenberg , this agency seeks to bless Israel and her neighbors in the name of Jesus. The Ministry provides food and clothing for families in need, housing for the homeless, care for the elderly, protection and care for unwed mothers and their babies and health care.  All of these services are available to needy Jews, Christians and Muslims.  (85% of contributions go to services)
 
4) Samaritan's Purse.  This non-denominational, evangelical, Christian Organization provides spiritual and physical aid to hurting people around the world.  There are 21 broad areas of assistance, with each area broken down into several sub-groups.  Among the  services  the organization provides is international crisis response, feeding, health and medical services, water, sanitation, hygiene, women's services, vocational training, protection and training of orphans in Haiti, as well as the well-known Operation Christmas Child program. (60% of monetary contributions go to services)
 
5) School for those orphaned by ISIS.  Voice of the Martyrs serves persecuted Christians through practical and spiritual assistance.  They are establishing a school for children who have been orphaned in the Mideast by ISIS.  The school will provide housing, food, medical care, education and vocational training for these children whose families have been destroyed.  Financial help is needed to establish this school.  (100% of contributions designated for this program will go to establishing the school.)

Vestry Election is Sunday

The 2014 Credentials Committee, consisting of Senior Warden Margaret Perkins, Martha Rush, & Shawn Timm, have completed their work of submitting a proposed slate of new vestry members for election by the congregation as mandated by parish by-laws.  As no other nominees were received by the announced deadline, the parish will be asked to elect these candidates by acclamation at each Eucharist this Sunday:  Mick Kauffman, Jo Ann Rose, and Jeff Sheler.

2015 Staying in the Black 
 
As of 12/09/2015, pledges to the ministry budget of St. John's Church were $27,800 in arrears.   Please note that our new Exsúltet Organ was gifted entirely by donors; no 2015 program budget funds have been used to purchase this amazing instrument.
 
We need your help.  The Vestry asks for the abundant financial generosity of all at St. John's in these final six weeks of 2015 so that we can continue our historic practice of ending program budgets each year in the black!  Thanks in advance for your passion and commitment to this wonderful parish and its ministry.  

Have you submitted your 2016 pledge? 

As of today, St. John's Church has received 75 pledges totaling $305,150 to fund our 2016 mission and ministry budget.  Of this amount, twenty of these pledges are new with a commitment of $40,604.   Twenty-seven of the total pledges "stepped up" and were increases from 2015 giving.  This is all very good news!
 
However, in spite of this good news we still have a large number of Estimate of Giving cards which have not been returned.  The absence of these commitments, along with the loss of $37,213 in pledge income (due to death and moves) has made it very difficult for your vestry to plan for the upcoming year. If God is leading you to make a financial commitment to the ministries of St. John's Church, please return your Estimate of Giving Card as soon as possible. 
 
With the commitments in hand, the vestry approved a "bare-bones" budget with which to begin 2016.  (See this budget now in the Parishioner Corner.)  We are grateful to announce that all staff positions have been preserved.  However, most program, ministry, and maintenance funds have had their funding slashed or have been completely eliminated.  Any new pledges received through the end of the year will allow the vestry to approve an amended budget in January to restore funding to these areas.  

The Epiphany Pageant is Coming! 

St. John's Church invites adults and children to participate in this year's Epiphany Pageant to be held on Wednesday evening, 1/6/2016, at 6:30pm.  Sign up the next two Sundays in Chisholm Hall or email Clifford King Harbin to be in the cast.  Please note if you would like a speaking role.
 
Hoodies for Shelter Week 

St. John's annual homeless shelter week (1/24-31) is fast approaching and our parish will be providing hoodies to be used by our guests as a layer against the cold and wet.  The greatest need will be men's and women's sizes large and extra large (2x and 3x have been donated).  Please buy them now while you are shopping for Christmas.
 
Miscellany
 
Christian Formation for adults and children continues this Sunday.   The Adult Forum begins a new topic this week: God with Skin: How the Incarnation changes everything.
 
12/24 Christmas Eve Worship Schedule:  5pm (contemporary music format) & 11pm (classic music format)
 
12/27 Sunday Worship at 4pm only.  There will be no morning worship (8, 9, or 11am) offered on Sunday, December 27.  Instead, everyone is invited to a 4pm celebration of the Feast of St. John with the singing of carols, blessing of the Exsúltet Organ, and performance by Christopher J. Rusk followed by a festive reception.
 
Altar Guild Members will be polishing silver and brass on Saturday, 12/19 @ 9am.  Come join in the fun!
 
The Parish Office will be closed for the Christmas Holidays from December 23 at Noon through the end of the year.  Please make sure that your mailed pledge payments are in the office before the 23rd.  If you are making a stock transfer, please contact the Parish Office for specific instructions for donations and advise your financial manager this transaction must be completed by December 23rd.
 
Interested in financially supporting the ministries of St. John's in 2016?  Contact the parish office to make your written Estimate of Giving.
 
Pilgrims in Christ Meal Sign-up is now posted in Chisholm Hall.  Please consider providing a simple soup and bread meal for those strengthening their spiritual journey with Christ.  This can be part of your pledge to "support these persons in their life in Christ" as we vowed in our baptismal liturgy.  Team up with a friend if you like and contact Bob McBride, this year's Meal Coordinator, if you have any questions.

Looking for that special gift for your mate, your friend, or yourself?  St. John's AWE Women's Retreat is the weekend of February 19-21, 2016.  Give a gift of relaxing and refreshing in the presence of God's love at the wonderful Founders Inn and Spa.   Arrive Friday evening simply to enjoy the spa and have dinner with your friends.  Our guest speaker, Kirstin McGrath, will speak Saturday morning, Saturday afternoon, and Sunday morning.  Stay two nights or choose one night that works best with your schedule.  Double room rates are $95 and include breakfast and lunch.
Annual Women's Retreat is February 20.
Centennial and Bicentennial Celebration  From October 2015 to September 2016, St. John's Church is celebrating the bicentennial of our first rector's birth, the centennial of the construction of Chisholm Hall, and the enduring legacy of this saint's life and witness as a hero of the 1855 Yellow Fever epidemic. 

St. John's has a blog!  Think of a blog as an online magazine where we can share church events, personal stories, and highlight wonderful things happening behind the scenes  at St. Johns.  Visit the site here and sign up to follow St. John's new blog!  Thanks to Fallon and Matt Graham for their work in bringing this vision to reality!  

Calling all men.  You are invited!  The men will gather again on Tuesday, 12/14 @ 6:30pm in Chisholm Hall.  We hope you can join us!

David: seeking a heart like his is the title of the new 10am Thursday morning women's Bible Study to begin on January 7 at 10am.  We will meet together in Chisholm Hall every first and third Thursday from January through May.  If you would like to attend, please contact Patti Devers (757-615-3227) to reserve a Study Guide.  You do not want to miss out on this special study!
 
Join a Small Group.  Small groups at St. John's are called "Scott's Creek," in honor of the first such group that met in a home on the banks of Portsmouth's Scott's Creek.  Small groups are a great way to deepen your faith, build friendships, and become more connected to the St. John's community.  Multiple groups with diverse interests and age groupings are available and we invite you to be a part!  Email the Parish Office to get connected!
 
Wednesday Eucharist is offered year round!  This worship was especially created for those who were traveling during the weekend so that all could still receive Christ's Body and Blood as strength for the journey.  This 30-minute Eucharist begins at 6:30pm and includes hymns, a brief homily, and healing prayers. Miss on Sunday?  Come on Wednesday.

Want a St. John's name badge?  Are you ready to look outward and be welcoming, greeting those you do not know before you greet your friends and offering hospitality to those you meet?  If your answer is "yes," then complete a name badge request form found in Chisholm Hall.  These badges have a magnetic back. (which should be kept away from medical devices and credit/debit cards).
 
The Parishioner Corner of our Website has news you can use.  Here you can access the November 2015 Parish Directory, parish handbook, worship ministry schedules, and read approved minutes of vestry discussions and actions as well parish financial reports.  Need or don't remember the password?  Contact the parish office. 

Content deadline for St. John's eNews is Wednesday at noon before publication.
 
In our Prayers this Week

For the Church
Justin, Archbishop of Canterbury; Michael, the Presiding Bishop; for Holly, our bishop; Derek, our rector; Heidi, Russ, & Amanda, our missionaries; and our parish staff, wardens and vestry
 
For Justice and Peace    
Peace in the Middle East; healing of racial divides in this nation; for Barack, our president; Terry, our governor; Ken, our mayor; for the city of Portsmouth; for Clint Carlson, Erin Elliott, Carolyn Higgins, George Lang, Will Oast, Jessi Staley, Dariana Torres, Shaun Tuttle, 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: Barbara Bowles; Donald Bowles; Mary Colby; Bill Edwards; Ron Fritz; Al Gregg; Mavia Hudgins; Dody Johnson; Reese Johnson; Dody Mason; Martha Ann Oast; Arlene Peterson; Carol Phipps; Emily Schultz; Anne Barbour Schwab; Barbara Stearns; Al Taylor; Sue Taylor;  Peggy Tuthill; Patricia Viera; Ruth Waldo; Dave Walker; Sonny Wilkinson;  Janet Willey; Joy Young.  

We ask God's Holy Spirit to surround, protect, and move to successful completion the Parish House roof repairs and the renovation of the second floor Christian Formation rooms.
 
Related to our Parish: Margaret (friend of Derek & Clifford King Harbin); Danny & Scott (sons of Franklin Marzullo); Suzanne (community friend of St. John's); Justin (friend of Sister Heather); Ruth(friend of Barrie Harper); Thomas (father of Dody Johnson); Chris (brother-in-law of Marti Austin); Mrs. Dr. Kersey (friend of Ava Park); Chad, Thea, Rusty, & Mandy (friends of Erin Burke); Mike & Betty (friends of Niki Park); David (Janice Cuneo's husband); Nancy (Andy Gray's mother); Cameron (Taraleigh Casteen's godson); Steven (friend of the Gregg Family); Maddie (friend of Doreen Sheler); Patsy (friend of Andrea Graham); Robbie (friend of the congregation); Patients at the Naval Hospital & EDMARC hospice for children
                                                        
Thanksgivings
For the construction underway on the parish house roof and for the blessings of watching and waiting in this season of preparation

Departed
Mary (grandmother of Andy Perkins)
Stewardship of God's Resources 
Week of 12/06 

Ministry/Worship Attendance: Sunday 8am (11), 9am (65), 11am (101); Wednesday 6:30pm (15)
Worship Offering:  $14,997
 
Income needed for ministry expenses each week: $6,977

2015 Pledges in arrears as of 12/09/2015: ($27,800)

This Sunday in Worship
 
Third Sunday of Advent, 12/6: Zephaniah 3:14-20 & Luke 3:7-18
No memorial Advent greens have  been given for this Sunday. 

Herman Hollerith, IV, bishop 

J. Derek Harbin, rector

Keith Byers, bookkeeper

Taraleigh Casteen, bandleader

Courtney Devers, staff chef

Bob Gilman, assisting priest

Philip Goodrich, sexton

Ellison Gregg, staff photographer 

Clifford King Harbin, associate to the rector

Rebecca Mina, creation atrium coordinator

Heather Rollins, technology 

Christopher Rusk, organist/choirmaster

Claudia Tomlin, organist emerita

Justin Young, publications

 

Welcome to our Sunday Worship Services

 Contemplative Eucharist, Rite I at 8:00am
 Contemporary Eucharist at 9:00am
 Classic 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 10am - 1pm M-F. We look forward to seeing you!
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