Faure Requiem Concert a Beautiful Ending to Palm Sunday 

Kamaiba News

Message from Head Teacher, Kamaiba Primary School, St. John's Sister School

In Uganda all primary schools are involved in athletics this first term of the year. In order to identify children's talents, the government of Uganda introduced the following co-curricular activities: athletics in the first term; football, netball, and basket ball in second term; and dance and drama in third term.

Our school is preparing for the Municipality division athletics competition scheduled for 26th March 2012.  To motivate our pupils and prepare for that, our school has decided to have inter-class competitions, with the winning class given a trophy. This shall also help us to select the best pupils who shall present the school on the 26th March 2012.  At the division level more than 15 schools shall compete.

Please convey our thanks and greetings to our friends and brethren of St. John's Church.

By Rev. Benjamin Bwambale
Head Teacher
Kamaiba Primary School    

Easter Sunday, April 8, The Garth

Join us for a reception in the Garth between the 9:00 a.m. and 11:15 a.m. services on Easter Sunday.  If you can contribute a goodie for the group, please contact Ginny Lindquist at ginny@towntoiles.com. Suggestions are tea sandwiches, ham biscuits, deviled eggs, bite-sized sweets, cheese and crackers, and fruit platters.

Maundy Thursday Agape Meal 

Tomorrow, April 5, 5:30 p.m., Rudisill Parish Hall 

Agape is defined as "selfless Christian love."  It reflects the love of God and is the love that Christians are called to share with one another.  On Maundy Thursday, the people of St. John's are invited to come together for an Agape Meal.  Also known as a Love Feast, the Agape Meal is an early Christian tradition that recalls the meals Jesus shared with disciples and others during his ministry.  It is an opportunity to gather in loving fellowship, expressing the koinonia (community, sharing) enjoyed by the family of Christ. As we are called as Christians to love one another, so also we are called to be servants to one another.

We will gather in Rudisill Parish Hall at 5:30 p.m. for drinks and snacks, followed at 6:00 p.m. by a potluck supper, including soup prepared by our favorite church chef, Dave Kenyon. Attendees are asked to bring one or more of the following to share: cheese, vegetables, olives, crackers, wine, grape juice, and grapes. Please RSVP to Leland Baldwin at lelandtbaldwin@aol.com and let her know what you are bringing.  At 6:30 p.m., we will remember our Christian servanthood in a footwashing ceremony.  The Maundy Thursday service will begin at 7:00 p.m. in the church (please see below for details about the Vigil that follows the service). 

Tomorrow, April 5, 8:00 p.m. to Friday, April 6, 7:00 a.m. 

The Chapel

The annual Maundy Thursday Vigil begins on April 5 immediately following the Maundy Thursday service. The Vigil will take place in the chapel and will continue throughout the night until 7:00 a.m. Morning Prayer and Communion from the Reserved Sacrament. For more information, please click here. 

Service of Remembrance 

Sunday, April 22, 4:00 p.m. 

Peterson Room, School Middle Division, 240 Plant Avenue  

St. John's Grief Support Ministry invites you to a Service of Remembrance with a reception to follow the service.  This is an opportunity to remember departed loved ones during the joyful season of Easter.  During the Eucharist, there will be an opportunity for each  participant to light a candle, remember loved ones by name, share a brief reflection and connect with other members of our church community who have experienced similar losses. Please contact the Parish offices at 259.1570 or dhuelsman@stjohnstampa.org to tell us you are planning to attend and if you need transportation.

April 25, May 9, and May 16, 6:30 p.m. 

This spring, St. John's Church and Congregation Rodeph Shalom will host a joint series about healing and transformation. Each evening in the series will begin with dinner at 6:30 p.m.  The events on April 25 and May 16 will take place at St. John's in Rudisill Parish Hall, and the May 9 event will take place at Rodeph Shalom at 2713 Bayshore Boulevard.  Please contact Leland Baldwin at lelandtbaldwin@aol.com for more details.   

Easter Reminders

Help Us Flower the Cross

Please bring flowers on Easter Sunday to "flower the cross" in the Garth next to the church. The flowering cross is found in Christian art as early as the 6th century and is based on a legend that says the cross itself burst into bloom at the moment that Jesus died. We celebrate the joy of the Resurrection by decorating a bare cross with fresh flowers, and encourage all to take part.

Easter Eggs Needed

Please bring filled plastic Easter eggs to stock up for our annual Parish egg hunt to take place after the 9:00 a.m. services on Easter Sunday. Eggs must be left in the Parish offices by Friday, April 6.

Mite boxes (coin collection boxes labeled "Hope Chest") were distributed at the beginning of Lent. Please encourage your children (and remind yourself) to fill them with coins and bills and bring them to church on Easter Sunday. The proceeds benefit Episcopal Relief and Development. 

Support Our Troops

Our fellow parishioner Cary Brown is currently stationed in Afghanistan and welcomes donations of snacks for his troops there. Crunchy, salty, sweet or spicy snacks are most popular. Our children will write letters to the soldiers to include with the care package. Please bring donations to the Parish offices and thanks for your help.

Are You an Alum?  

St. John's Parish Day School is looking to connect with its alumni.  If you, your child(ren), or someone you know was a St. John's student, please click here to give us your information.  We know that our alumni have gone on to great things in the Tampa Bay area and beyond, and we want to collect contact information so we can start sharing the good news!  Please contact the school's Director of Development, Pat Spears, at pspears@stjohnseagles.org or 600.4353 with questions, or if you would prefer to give your information directly to her.