January 8, 2014 Issue 
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We are always looking for church-related pictures to share with the congregation.  Submit them to LLowry@stjohnstampa.org.
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We want to provide support in your time of need!
Current health regulations prohibit the clergy from being informed when our parishioners are in the hospital, so we will not know if you or someone you love is there unless you tell us. We want to provide support in any time of need or crisis.  
 
Please call the parish offices at 259.1570 or email 
parish@stjohnstampa.org to let us know when you need us.

 


Join Our Mailing List 
 
 



This Week, We Celebrate the Birthdays of the Following Parishioners:

 

January 9

Oliver Lacktman, Brenda Orcutt, Sadie Saunders, Arthur Severn

 

January 10

Kathleen Brown, Skye Bryant, Nancy Burchill, Lacher Polins

 

January 11

Catalina Dixon, Kristina Dixon, John Marston, Mary Ott

 

January 12

Eliina Lick, Charlsey Reed, Linda Scarritt

 

January 13

Paul Dolcimascolo, John Howey, Frederick LeVarge, Miriam Lykes, Mary Mixson 

 

January 14

Margaret Gustafson, Norma Peel

 

January 15

Joseph Bever, Jr., Erika Lee, Simon Matthews

 
Sunday's Scripture Snippet
 
When the festival was ended and they started to return, the boy Jesus stayed behind in Jerusalem, but his parents did not know it. Assuming that he was in the group of travelers, they went a day's journey. Then they started to look for him among their relatives and friends. When they did not find him, they returned to Jerusalem to search for him. 
 
After three days they found him in the temple, sitting among the teachers, listening to them and asking them questions. And all who heard him were amazed at his understanding and his answers.  
 
When his parents saw him they were astonished; and his mother said to him, "Child, why have you treated us like this? Look, your father and I have been searching for you in great anxiety." 49 He said to them, "Why were you searching for me? Did you not know that I must be in my Father's house?" 
 
Luke 2





 

News

Youth Group Parent Meeting 

Parents of youth in 6th through 12th grades, mark your calendars for an important meeting on Thursday, January 16, at 6:30 p.m. in the Parish Hall. Chaplain Miranda Harrison-Quillin, our Youth Director, will give out the calendar for the rest of the year, talk about our mission trip, camp, retreats, and much more.  Please join us to learn about the exciting plans!  Contact Chaplain Harrison-Quillin for more details. 

Cornerstone Kids Christmas!

There was such excitement in the air at the Cornerstone Kids Christmas party on December 19! Each age group performed a short song or other entertainment,  one of which was the 4th and 5th graders singing and doing hand motions to the song "People, Look East."

 

The children worked hard to perfect their performances, but they were most anxious to receive their presents, thanks in large part to all of
those here at St. John's who embraced this new effort. Large gift bags held requested toys such as stuffed animals, dolls, cars and action figures. And other parishioners kindly agreed to stock the pantry and classrooms with needed Beefaroni cans, plates and cups, board games 

and electric pencil sharpeners. An unexpected blessing was the arrival of 40 paper angels made by the participants of the Advent retreat sponsored by the Contemporary Women's Bible Study. Thanks again to everyone who was involved in any way, large or small!

Metropolitan Ministries and Alpha House Drives 

Help Hundreds

The responses to our Metropolitan Ministries toy drive and Alpha House diaper drive were also tremendous!  Almost 400 toys were donated to Metropolitan Ministries by the parish and school, making the holiday of hundreds of children in need in our community that much brighter.  And more than 2,000 diapers went to the women at Alpha House to help them provide for the comfort and dignity of their children. We appreciate your generosity!

Mission Possible 2014: Sunday, March 2

Calling all 3rd -12th grade actors, sound technicians, lighting people, singers, dancers, musicians... It's time again for Mission Possible!  This amazing church/school collaboration raises money for our mission work in Uganda and the Dominican Republic.

 

Mark your calendars now! The show will be Sunday, March 2, 4:00 p.m. at the Middle Division school gym, 240 Plant Avenue.

 

Come out and join in the amazing array of fun and talent at the annual Mission Possible show.  Rehearsals start next week (during school hours for students at St. John's).

 

Email Director of Christian Education Leland Baldwin with any questions at lbaldwin@stjohnstampa.org.

Action Items and Opportunities

Notice of Annual Meeting 

Please join us for the annual meeting of the parish in Rudisill Parish Hall on Sunday, January 19, at 11:15 a.m. following a combined service at 10:00 a.m.  At this meeting, the parish finances and annual report will be reviewed.  The vestry has been frozen by the Bishop, therefore there will not be vestry elections at this meeting. 

We will also enjoy a Parish Breakfast and Sandwich Sunday after the combined service on the 19th at 11:15 a.m. Sandwich Sunday is our monthly outreach to our partner Faith Cafe, when we assemble sandwiches and bag lunches for the needy at the Cafe. Thanks to our Sandwich Sunday hosts for this month, the Morales family!  

Finally, there will be a Ministry Moment on Cornerstone Kids given by Harry Hedges at both services. Come learn more about this wonderful outreach!

Flowers and Candle Available

On Sundays, February 9 and 16 and March 2 and 23, the candle in the sanctuary light is available.  On Sundays, February 9, 16, and 23 and March 2, the flowers at the church altar are available.

                       

If you would like to take one of these opportunities to honor a loved one and support St. John's, please call the parish offices at 259.1570 or email parish@stjohnstampa.org.

Gasparilla Parade Parking Available

Parking places at our Middle Division school campus (240 Plant Avenue) are now available for pre-sale for the Children's Gasparilla Parade on Saturday, January 18, and for the Gasparilla Parade of Pirates on Saturday, January 25. All proceeds go to support St. John's mission work. Pre-sale spaces are $20, day-of-parade spaces are $25 (if available).

 

If you have any questions, or wish to reserve a spot, please email lbaldwin@stjohnstampa.org.

Events

Children's Gasparilla Parade Sunday School Party!

Saturday, January 18, 2:00 to 6:00 p.m.

Discovery House

Ahoy, all you Sunday school mateys! Parishioners of all ages are invited to come share in the Children's Gasparilla Parade festivities at Discovery House, (the free-standing bungalow to the right of the school facility on Orleans Avenue). We will eat and venture down to watch the parade together.


RSVP to lbaldwin@stjohnstampa.org to sign up to bring something to share and get details on parking. 

The Circle Winter Cocktail Party 

On Friday, January 10, at 7:00 p.m., the Circle group invites you to join us for cocktails.  The event will be hosted by Ken and Laine Walker and Steve and Lynn Stanford at the Walkers' home. Guests are asked to bring a beverage of their choice and/or an hors d'oeuvre to share. Our hosts will provide something sweet. Contact Kim French at frenchco@verizon.net to make sure you are on our mailing list.

The Soiree: Friday, January 17, 7:00 p.m. 

Hosted by Parishioners at Monte Carlo Towers,
 3301 Bayshore Boulevard

Hosts: Shirley & Joe Arcuri, Ann & Peter Dawson, Helen Gilbart, Gay MacDonald, Thomas & Lynne Mantz, and David & Dottie Webster

RSVP to Mary Hulse at mmhulse@tampabay.rr.com (813.286.1121) or
Pat Wilson at patwilson68@tampabay.rr.com (813.644.4640)


Please bring an hors d'oeuvre ready to serve
and the drink of your choice.

We recommend that you try to carpool as parking is limited.

Support Cornerstone Kids:  

Attend the Annual Lincoln & Douglass Ball  

The event, which benefits St. John's outreach partner Cornerstone Kids, will take place on Saturday, February 8, 2014, from 6:00 to 11:00 p.m. in the Grand Ballroom at the Embassy Suites, 3705 Spectrum Boulevard, Tampa, FL 33612.

Dress is formal; there will be a cash bar, a dinner and dancing. A raffle will also benefit Cornerstone Kids. Email o.leggett@cornerstonekidsinc.org for more information or to purchase tickets.
A Note 
from the Rev. Douglas Remer

Dear Saint John's Friends:

 

I cannot begin to tell you how good it was to return for my last two services as your rector this past Advent IV, December 22:  exactly eleven years to the day after I preached my first sermons and celebrated the Eucharist in Saint John's Church.  Realizing that the 7:45 a.m. Eucharist that morning would be the last I would celebrate before my retirement on January 2 was especially moving for me, as was both the attendance and the music at the 10:00 a.m. Service of Christmas Lessons and Carols.  As I observed during the announcements at both services that morning, I have had occasion these past few months to visit any number of cathedrals (including the National Cathedral in Washington, D.C.) and parish churches, and I have yet to encounter a single one that can hold a candle to the worship we consistently offer God, week after week after week, in Saint John's Church.  It is a goodly heritage bequeathed to us by those who have gone before us, and I hope it is one that we shall, in turn, bequeath to those who follow us in this wonderful place.

 

I also want to say a word of grateful thanks for the kind purse that was presented to me during the reception which followed the Lessons and Carols service during that last Sunday I had with you.  Because we have a parish policy of not divulging to recipients the identities of those who contribute to such a purse, I am unable to write each of you a personal note.  Instead, please know in your hearts the depth of my gratitude to all of you for your generosity.  Sterling joins me in that expression of gratitude, just as she joins me in expressing the equally heartfelt wish that we shall continue to see many of you personally and socially in the months to come.  We have no plans to move from our present home here in Tampa, so the maintenance of the friendships we have cultivated these past eleven years is of great importance to us. 

 

As I have said on a number of occasions since announcing my retirement this past September, it is customary that retired rectors not return to the parishes from which they retire until a new rector is called and settled.  Father Peterson observed that custom with steadfast diligence and it is one that I, too, intend to observe.  Please be conscious and considerate of that during this period of transition, and please do not read into it anything more than a respect for the protocol of the Church. 

 

May the guiding star of this Epiphany season always lead you home to Jesus.

 

Ever faithfully,

 

Doug.

 

The Feast of the Epiphany

January 6, 2014

Stewardship Corner
We are very excited about the direction God is calling us in the year to come!  Working together, we will accomplish great things for the Lord.  

If you have not yet made your 2014 St. John's pledge, did you know that you can make it online? Save time and hassle by pledging today from the "Stewardship" tab on the St John's home page or by clicking here. 

 

We look forward to completing this campaign as we:

proclaim, by word and example, the Good News of God in Christ, and build a spiritual community forming Christians of all ages through worship, education, and outreach.

 

Thank you for your role in living this mission together!
This Week at St. John's
Thursday, January 9
10:00 a.m.
The Holy Eucharist (Rite II) and Healing (Chapel)
11:45 a.m.
Men's Interactive Bible Study and Lunch (Peterson Room)  
On Thursday, January 9, at 11:45 a.m. in the Peterson Room, the Reverend Ken Shick of Hyde Park Presbyterian will facilitate.  The scripture is Galatians 5: The Fruit of the Spirit - Love Lunch is sandwiches at $5 per person, RSVP to 

dlrncrtpa@verizon.net if you would like to partake.

Friday, January 10
12:15 p.m.
Noonday Prayer (Chapel)
Sunday, January 12
7:45 a.m.
The Holy Eucharist (Rite I) (Church)
9:00 a.m.
The Holy Eucharist (Rite II) (Church)
Sunday School for Children (Parish Hall)
10:15 a.m.
Coffee Hour Fellowship (Parish Hall)
11:15 a.m.
The Holy Eucharist (Rite I) and Holy Baptism (Church)
4:00 p.m.
Middle School Youth Group (Youth House)  
Middle school youth group resumes today!
6:30 p.m.
High School Bible Study (Youth House)  
High school Bible study resumes today!
Monday, January 13
12:15 p.m.
Noonday Prayer (Chapel)
Tuesday, January 14
6:45 a.m.
Contemporary Women's Bible Study (Peterson Room)  
All women of St. John's and their friends of other denominations are welcome to join the group for a light breakfast and discussion of important books of the Bible. Please contact Kathleen Moore at 221.6253 or kathleenmarymoore@gmail.com for more information. 
12:15 p.m.
Noonday Prayer (Chapel)
Wednesday, January 15 - The Feast of the Confession of Saint Peter
12:15 p.m.
The Holy Eucharist (Rite II) (Chapel)
6:30 p.m.

Wednesday Nights at St. John's (Rudisill Parish Hall) 

Deepening Life Together- Acts is a cutting-edge DVD-based small group, eight-session series that helps ordinary people's understanding of the Scriptures. Covering the book of Acts, this series features teaching experts and scholars from well-respected institutions--such as Talbot Theological Seminary, Bethel Seminary, and Wheaton College--and church congregations that live out the principles shared in their communities

 

This series on the Book of Acts is a great way to rediscover the joy of God's Word. Join this group each Wednesday night at 6:30 p.m.  Bring a Bible, a covered dish to share, and an open heart and mind!  Contact Paul and Winkie Game at pgamefla@aol.com for more details.


More Upcoming Events
Thursday, January 16

Youth Group Parent Meeting 

Join us for an important youth parent meeting on Thursday, January 16, at 6:30 p.m. in the Parish Hall. Chaplain Miranda Harrison-Quillin, our Youth Director, will give out the calendar for the rest of the year, talk about the mission trip, camp, retreats, and much more.  Please join us to learn about the exciting plans!  Contact Chaplain Harrison-Quillin for more details. 

Saturday, January 18

Children's Gasparilla Parade Sunday School Party

Parishioners of all ages are invited to come share in the Children's Gasparilla Parade festivities at Discovery House, (the free-standing bungalow to the right of the school facility on Orleans Avenue) from 2:00 to 6:00 p.m. RSVP to lbaldwin@stjohnstampa.org to sign up to bring something to share and get details on parking. 

Sunday, January 19

Annual Parish Meeting, Parish Breakfast, Sandwich Sunday, and Ministry Moment

The annual meeting of the parish will take place in Rudisill Parish Hall on January 19 at 11:15 a.m. following a combined service at 10:00 a.m. We will also have a Parish Breakfast and Sandwich Sunday on this day. 

Harry Hedges will give a Ministry Moment on Cornerstone Kids at both services.

Monday, January 20

Parish Offices Closed in Honor of Martin Luther King, Jr. Day

Tuesday, January 21
Women's Mid Morning Bible Study

On Tuesday, January 21, the group will focus on Acts 15:1-35, "The Apostolic Council Convenes in Jerusalem."  Miranda Harrison-Quillin, Youth Director and Associate School Chaplain, will facilitate the session.

 

The group invites all women in our church community and their friends and neighbors to join them on alternate Tuesdays in the Lowry Room for fellowship, prayer and study from 10:15 to 11:30 a.m. as they explore the spread of the Good News and the faith it awakened in the Mediterranean world. Contact Pat Wilson at  patwilson68@tampabay.rr.com or 644.4640 or Joan McKay at mckayjhm@aol.com with questions.

Sunday, January 26
Youth Confirmation Class
The next youth confirmation class will take place at 10:15 a.m. in Discovery House.  The topic will be The Trinity: God the Father.
Monday, January 27
Outreach Committee and Friends of Uganda Meeting

The Outreach Committee and Friends of Uganda monthly meeting has been rescheduled to Monday,  January 27, at 5:30 p.m. in the Lowry Room. Questions?  Contact Sally Thompson at tampasal@verizon.net.

Sunday, February 2
Youth and Adult Confirmation Classes
Youth confirmation classes continue on Sunday, February 2 at 10:15 a.m. in Discovery House.  Our topic this day will be The Trinity: God the Son.
 
Adult confirmation classes also begin on this day at 10:15 a.m.  Our topic will be An Introduction to the Episcopal Church.  For more information, please contact the parish offices at 259.1570 or parish@stjohnstampa.org.