www.stjohnsportsmouth.org7 January 2016

Winter Sheltering @ St. John's, 1/24-31

Everyone pitches in to help during Portsmouth Volunteers for the Homeless Shelter Week @ St. John's because it takes a congregation to house the homeless!  Seven registrations; seven dinners; seven overnights; chairs and tables set up; tables set; meals prepared and served; bathrooms cleaned each morning; floors mopped; and a myriad of other duties.   Sign up on one of the new St. John's Mission bulletin boards in the Parish House first floor hallway off the parking lot lobby.
 
The Calling All Men Group at St. John's is coordinating care packages for each of our guests: Bus tickets, garbage bags, large Zip Lock storage bags, new or gently used bath/hand towels, foot powder, ponchos, socks, handkerchiefs, wool hats, hand warmers, travel size toiletries of all kinds, combs & brushes. Please place donations in the collection bin across from the Mission bulletin boards.
 
We also will be providing hoodies (sweat shirts with hoods) 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).  This collection box can also be found across from the Mission bulletin boards.
Christmas Thanks

Thanks to all who made our Christmas and Epiphany celebrations such a stellar success!  From altar guild sacristans to musicians, from the flower guild members to greens hangers (and those who stayed after the Epiphany pageant to tear it all down), from pageant actors to bakers and all those who worked behind the scenes, it couldn't have happened without your dedication and sacrifice!  I am particularly grateful to each member of our parish staff for the unique sacrifices they each make for our parish and especially during this holy season.  Thank you also for the incredibly generous Christmas purse you gave me.  I am humbled to serve among such a gracious and loving community.  Fr. Derek  

Mardi Gras
 
St. John's Mardi Gras Party will be Saturday, 2/6 at 7pm.  Tickets are available here for $25.  Start thinking about your costumes, arranging for your babysitter and inviting your friends.

Miscellany
 
Laundry!  We have tablecloths and kitchen linens to be washed.  Can you help?  See Philip Goodrich, our Sexton.

Christian Formation for adults and children resumes this Sunday.
 
Chisholm Hall is a Sunday quiet zone.  Construction was completed before Christmas on the Parish House roof and HVAC ductwork to eliminate the second floor water intrusion in our Christian Formation rooms.  Interior plastering of the ceilings will begin mid-January.  

In the meantime, the Good Shepherd Atrium (ages 3-6) will be meeting in their relocated atrium in Chisholm Hall.  Chisholm Hall will be closed to adults from 10:10-11:30am each Sunday.  We ask that those arriving for 11am worship walk around the building from the parking lot and enter the worship space through the Washington Street doors.  Disabled adults are asked to pass quickly and quietly through Chisholm Hall during this time.  Thanks so much in advance for your cooperation and assistance!
 
Prayer List Reset this week.  One of the challenges of maintaining prayer lists is that names can unnecessarily remain on them longer than needed.  Each quarter we "reset" our prayer list by removing all names and requesting parishioners to submit names to repopulate the list.  Please use this link if you would like a name added to the new list we will use from January - March.
 
The Parish Office will be closed on Monday, 1/18, for the Martin Luther King, Jr. National Holiday.
 
The Feast of the Presentation will be observed at St. John's on Wednesday, 2/3.  This is the final feast day of the Nativity celebration of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.  
 
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.
 
Join a Small Group in the new year.  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!
 
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 January 2015 Parish Directory, parish handbook, worship ministry schedules, and read approved minutes of vestry discussions and actions as well as 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; for an end to mass violence and 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, Christopher O'Meara, 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: Elaine Baker; Mary Colby; Bill Edwards; Ron Fritz; Al Gregg; Donald Hicks; Richard Hill;  Mavia Hudgins; Dody Johnson; Reese Johnson; Dody Mason; Martha Ann Oast; Arlene Peterson; Carol Phipps; 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 renovation of the second floor Christian Formation rooms.
 
Related to our Parish: Jacob (friend of Scott & Nancy Johnson); Tyrone (friend of Mick & Linda Kauffman); Eddie (Martha Rush's stepfather); Patients at the Naval Hospital & EDMARC hospice for children
                                                        
Thanksgivings
For the blessings and opportunities given us in this New Year

Departed
Barbara Byrd Harrell Bowles; Mike (friend of Scott & Nancy Johnson)
Stewardship of God's Resources 
Week of 1/3 

Ministry/Worship Attendance: Sunday 8am (13), 9am (71), 11am (116); 
Wednesday Epiphany Pageant 6:30pm (114)
Worship Offering:  $7,997
 
Income needed for ministry expenses each week: $6,778

This Sunday in Worship
 
First Sunday after the Epiphany, 1/10: Isaiah 43:1-7 & Luke 3:15-17, 21-22
No flower memorial has 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

Clifford King Harbin, associate to the rector

Rebecca Mina, creation atrium coordinator

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!
Like us on Facebook  Follow us on Twitter  Find us on Google+