Monday, June 18 through Thursday, June 21 

Click here to download a pdf of the application for this year's Vacation Bible School: Save the Earth!  Fill it out, and return to the parish offices with your check for $25 for the week, payable to St. John's Episcopal, by Friday, May 1 to reserve your 4- to 10-year-old child's spot. The week will culminate on Thursday, June 21 at 5:30 p.m. with a potluck family party. See what your child learned during VBS and get some tips from your little ones on how to take care of Mother Earth.  We are also looking for teen and parent helpers for one day or more.  Contact Leland Baldwin with questions at lelandtbaldwin@aol.com. 

On Saturday, an architectural bus tour, featuring work by St. John's own John Howey and his firm Howey & Weymouth, will visit buildings in St. Petersburg and Tampa, including City Hall Plaza and the Dali Museum.  Tickets are $45 per person and can be purchased by contacting Martie Lieberman at 941.724.1118 or Martie@modernsarasota.com.   

Sunday, May 20, 4:00 to 6:00 p.m. 

Newcomers to St. John's Church, please join us for an informal wine and cheese reception at the home of our rector, Fr. Doug Remer, and his wife Sterling, on Sunday, May 20. Enjoy fellowship with other newcomers to the church and get to know our clergy in a relaxed setting. We welcome you!    

Please call the parish offices at 259.1570 or email Debbi Huelsman at dhuelsman@stjohnstampa.org with questions or to RSVP.  Please respond by Thursday, May 17, if you plan to attend. 

The Centennial Celebration will now take place during the weekend of September 29 and 30. Look for more information as we work hard over the summer to make this a memorable tribute to the history of St. John's. 

Dominican Republic Mission Trip: Our Deanery Team Needs Your Prayers and Support 

For the 13th summer, the Episcopal churches of the Tampa Deanery are sending missionary volunteers to the Dominican Republic.  One team, which includes St. John's youth, will be returning to paint the second floor classrooms and community hall at San Pedro & San Pablo in La Barquita, a small, very poor barrio located along the Ozama River in Santo Domingo.

The other teams will begin construction of a new Santa Cruz Episcopal Church in the sugar mill town of Santa Fe, located adjacent to San Pedro de Macorís, the birthplace of the Episcopal Church in the Dominican Republic.  This year's goal for the three-year project is to "close in" the first floor of the new church through the roof level. Costs are estimated at about $35,000, a major commitment for the Tampa Deanery, in addition to team support costs (approximately $1,700 per missionary), but the impact that this facility will have on the future of the families in La Barquita and Santa Cruz cannot be measured in dollars.  At least ten churches in the Tampa Deanery are participating. Members of St. John's will be on Team II (June 15-23) and Team III (June 23-30).

During the mission trips they ask that you pray for them and other team members and, if possible, make a tax deductible financial gift to support the teams, their work, and the children of La Barquita and Santa Cruz. If you are able to do so, please complete the Sponsor Form (click here for the form, as well as a letter and full description of the trip) and return it with your gift to St. John's Church.  The group will also be selling hand-painted wood block angels between services in the Garth this Sunday to support the endeavor.  

You may contact the chair of our parish Outreach committee, Sally Thompson (760.5120; tampasal@verizon.net), or Leland Baldwin (245.2776; lelandtbaldwin@aol.com ) via phone, text message, or e-mail for more information. Thank you for your consideration and support. 

Faith Cafe Needs Clothing  

The men of Faith Cafe are in need of hot-weather clothing as our Florida summer approaches.  Please consider making a donation of t-shirts in sizes L and XL, and of pants and shorts in any size.  Donations can be brought to the parish offices.

Altar Flowers Available 

The flowers at the chapel altar are available on July 15, 2012.  Please contact the church office at 259.1570 if you are interested.

Sandwich Sunday Hosts Needed 

Sandwich Sunday, St. John's ministry that has provided over 17,000 meals to South Tampa's local homeless at  Faith Cafe, is in great need of summer hosts.  Hosting is easy!  Merely purchase supplies from a list provided to you (reimbursable up to $300) and deliver meals on Monday morning!  Our parishioner-volunteers make the bagged lunches and the fun.  Contact Meg Russell Bereday at 253.0061 or scobeyrussell@yahoo.com if you are interested in hosting in June, July or August.

The Ministry Moment this Sunday will focus on Kairos Prison Ministry, a Christian, lay-led, ecumenical international prison ministry. M.C. Jenkins will be our speaker.

Newcomers to St. John's Church, please join us for an informal wine and cheese reception at the home of our rector, Fr. Doug Remer, and his wife Sterling, on Sunday, May 20.  Enjoy fellowship with other newcomers to the church and get to know our clergy in a relaxed setting.  

Please call the parish offices at 259.1570 or email Debbi Huelsman at dhuelsman@stjohnstampa.org with questions or to RSVP by Thursday, May 17.  We welcome you!