October 22, 2014 Issue 

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Visit the St. John's School Website

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Visit the Diocese of Southwest Florida's Website

Parish Office Phone: 813.259.1570
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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!
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 
 
  



More Upcoming Dates

Sunday, November 2: All Saints Sunday

- Baptism Reception to honor those baptized at the 9:15 a.m. service, hosted by the Henley family, following the service, Parish Hall. All are invited.
- Christmas Pageant Sign-Up Brunch, following the 9:15 a.m. service, Parish Hall

Tuesday, November 4
The Men's Ministry, 6:00 p.m., Parish Hall

Friday, November 7 through Saturday, November 8
FATHERS Annual Camping Trip, Lakewood Retreat, Brooksville. Contact Lionel Lowry or Kaivon Madani for information or to sign up.

 

Sunday, November 9

- The Circle Harvest Celebration, 6:00 p.m., home of Cary and Katey Brown, contact Betsy Graham for more information

 

Friday, November 14

Choir Cocktails/Silent Auction, 6:00 to 9:00 p.m., home of Margit Williams.

 

Saturday, November 15

The Soiree, 7:00 p.m., home of Mary and Ron Hulse

 

Saturday, December 6

Women's Advent Retreat, 9:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m., contact Peggy Curlin

 

 
From the Parish Register

  

Birthdays:

 

October 23

Ty Bradley, Louise Clement, Robert Kelley, III, Scott McClelland, Kathryn Swanson, Charles Weaver

 

October 24

Andrew Cappiello, Elizabeth Garcia, Pansy Hawk, Deborah King, Rachel Mattox, Kathleen Pekkala, Layla Ringhoff

 

October 25

Madelin Ault, Andrew Cockey, Andre Ruas, Jeffrey Surrena, Lynda White

 

October 26

Blair Foulsham, Mason Morales, Carson Schrils, James Weeks, Jr.

 

October 27

Westin Algood, Eric Wiese

 

October 28

Adam Burden, Michelle Miller, Amanda Preston, Phillip Smith

 

October 29

Kenneth Dockery, Rowland Lee

 

 
Sunday's Scripture Snippet

 


I will go before you and level the mountains, I will break in pieces the doors of bronze and cut through the bars of iron.
 

Isaiah 45







 

News



Pledge Sunday for the 2015 Every Member Canvass

Pledge Sunday for Every Member Canvass 2015: Walking the Way will take place at all three services on Sunday, October 26. Parishioners are encouraged to bring their pledge cards to church this Sunday as we mark the end of the official pledge season at St. John's. You can also pledge online at our website.

Diocesan Convention News

Diocesan Convention, which meets annually, is made up of the clergy of the diocese and lay delegates. Our delegates, elected by your Vestry, were Sharon Stoll, Greg Gaar, and Kathleen Moore. Also on hand staffing Ministry Fair booths were Ray Stoll for Kairos and Peggy Curlin for the Diocesan Altar Guild. Convention approved a diocesan budget for 2015 of $3.3 million, a 3% increase over this year. Greg Hearing was elected a Trustee of the University of the South and Father Connelly was elected to the Standing Committee. Greg Hearing was also reappointed as a Vice Chancellor of the diocese. Steve Straske and Mother Sadler continue to serve on the Finance Committee and Steve continues as a member of Diocesan Council. More information will be in Connections, to be mailed to all parishioners by the diocese soon. 

Bible 101

What do you really know about the Bible?  Who wrote it?  Why is it important?  What does it have to do with your ordinary life?

 

As Episcopalians we read parts of it during our worship services.  We call it the Word of God.  What does that really mean?

 

On Sunday, November 2, and Sunday, December 14, from 4:30 until 6:00 p.m., we will be exploring these questions and questions like them.  It's an experiment in a basic Bible study that is aimed for those with minimal (or no) understanding of the Bible as well as those who are interested in either reviewing some of the basics of the Bible or filling in some of their gaps of understanding.  Men and women are invited.  There is no homework and no preparation is required.

 

If the format is well received, it will be continued into next year. The time of 4:30 p.m. on Sunday afternoons was chosen to coincide with meetings of the youth group in hopes of attracting parents of those participating in the youth program.

 

Father Charles Connelly and Dr. Hal Wiley will be the presenters.  Father Connelly's topic for the first meeting will be "Who Wrote the Bible?"  Dr. Wiley's will be "The Bible: The Part We Don't Talk about in Sunday School." Please join us!

SJE In the News
St. John's St. Francis Pet Blessing was featured recently in Tampa newspaper La Gaceta in an article by Joe O'Neill.

The O'Pinion Place by Joe O'Neill

My wife and I
received the flier announcing that St. John's Episcopal Church was inviting all pet lovers to its annual Saint Francis Day Pet Blessing. We have 13-year-old twin Peekapoos - Hydee and Zeek (as in 'hide and seek') - and thought 'why not?' Love for animals as a common denominator: We're there. Plus, 'there' is just across the street.


Presiding was Father Chip Connelly, 65, the new St. John's rector. We're not parishioners and had not met him before. In fact, I had never met a priest named 'Chip' before. Catholics don't do that. It proved symbolic.

Informal and unaffected, Father Chip was totally at ease with a menagerie that also included cats, an iguana, a fish and a gerbil. St. Francis, an eclectic sort, would have approved.

'I love it; it's great fun,' said a beaming Father Chip. 'You're blessing a pet, but you're also blessing that person's relationship with one of God's creatures.' Amen.

Happy Birthday, Fr. Connelly!

 

 

On Sunday, the birthday of our rector, "Papa C," was celebrated with a cake from the children of the parish. Blessings for a wonderful year, Fr. Chip!

Upcoming Events
Go Fish, Youth!
seafood12.jpg
Middle school youth will go fishing on Sunday, October 26. They will meet at 4:30 p.m. at the Ballast Point pier. Bring your rod, camp chair, and other fishing supplies, bait and pizza will be provided. Bring your friends and get ready to reel in the big one!!! Adult volunteers still needed. Contact Chaplain HQ with questions or if you can help.
The Men's Ministry: November 4

The Men's Ministry will meet again on Tuesday, November 4, at 6:00 p.m. in the Parish Hall. The group will have the same fine food from Holy Hog (pulled pork, chicken, beans & greens, with dessert). They will also offer wine, because as we read in 1 Timothy 5:23: "No longer drink only water, but use a little wine for the sake of your stomach and your frequent ailments." RSVP to Dallas Coffield at dcoffield@gmail.com. 

 

This month's speaker, Jay Lippy, is the Executive Director of Impact Tampa Bay. At its core, ITB focuses on Discipleship Through Leadership Development with a purpose to train, serve, and increase the spiritual, ethical, civil, and social well being of the Tampa Bay Area. 


Impact Tampa Bay offers several market place leadership development and ministry opportunities. Impact Leadership is an eight-month leadership development initiative that teaches professionals to apply biblical principles to their position of leadership as a platform for ministry. Jay owns The Jay Lippy Project, and uses the People Map System ™ to help professionals develop better communication skills and leadership abilities. He enjoys helping others learn how to become peak performers so they maximize their potential at work, in business relationships, and at home.   

Additionally, Jay is a Certified Personal Life Coach with the American Association of Christian Counselors and has been married to his wife Phyl for 35 years. They have three adult children, three grandsons, two granddaughters, and another grandson and granddaughter on the way. 

 

Please note that the November 4 meeting will conclude 2014 for the Men's Ministry and there will be no December meeting. The group will pick back up on January 6, 2015. 

The Soiree

St. John's Church invites you to a

Soir�e

at the home of Mary and Ron Hulse, 4912 Lyford Cay Road


Saturday, November 15

7:00 p.m.

 

Bring an hors d'oeuvre to share and a drink of your choosing.


 

RSVP to Mary Hulse at mmhulse@tampabay.rr.com or

Pat Wilson at patwilson68@tampabay.rr.com. 

Cocktails and Silent Auction to Benefit St. John's Choir
The next organizational meeting for the cocktail soiree/silent auction on November 14 will be held this Friday, October 24, at 5:00 p.m. at the home of Margit Williams. All parishioners are encouraged to find silent auction items in support of St. John's choir. All donations are tax deductible, and flyers regarding the event can be found in the parish offices.

 

wine-setup-sm.jpg This intimate musical evening with silent auction items is to raise funds for the St. John's choir and the music ministry so that we can expand our program as well as raise awareness of St. John's musical tradition in the community, particularly with a view to founding a choral scholar program with the University of Tampa. 

 

 Any questions, please contact Margit Williams at 431.4057 or at margitwilliams@mac.com.

Your Action Needed
"Super Crayon Kids" Need Your Help!

A small group of elementary school students, including several from our parish, have started an organization that takes broken/used crayons and makes larger ones for children with disabilities or in hospitals. Collection boxes for used crayons and other supplies will be available at the church in coming weeks, we hope you will help!  Click here for a flyer about the program.

This Week at St. John's
Thursday, October 23
10:00 a.m.
The Holy Eucharist (Rite II) and Healing (Chapel)
11:45 a.m.
Men's Thursday Interactive Bible Study and Lunch (Peterson Room)

"I discovered later, and I'm still discovering right up to this moment, that is it only by living completely in this world that one learns to have faith. By this-worldliness I mean living unreservedly in life's duties, problems, successes and failures. In so doing we throw ourselves completely into the arms of God, taking seriously, not our own sufferings, but those of God in the world. That, I think, is faith."  -- Dietrich Bonhoeffer

 

The Men's Interactive Bible Study and Lunch group will continue their fall series on alternate Thursdays at 11:45 a.m. in the Peterson Room. Lunch is sandwiches at $5 per person. RSVP to dlrncrtpa@verizon.net if you would like to partake.

12:15 p.m.
Noonday Prayer (Chapel)
Friday, October 24
12:15 p.m.
Noonday Prayer (Chapel)
5:00 p.m.
Choir Fundraiser Organizational Meeting (Williams Home)
Saturday, October 25
6:00 p.m.
The Orleanians (Nelson Home)
Sunday, October 26: Pledge Sunday
8:00 a.m.
The Holy Eucharist (Rite I) (Church)
9:15 a.m.
The Holy Eucharist (Rite II) (Church) 
Sunday School for Children (Parish Hall)
Immediately following the 9:15 a.m. service
Coffee Hour Fellowship (Parish Hall)

Adult Sunday School: The Forum (Lowry Room)

11:15 a.m.
The Holy Eucharist (Rite I) (Church) 
4:30 p.m.
Middle School Youth Fishing Trip
5:00 p.m.
Choral Evensong (Church) 
St. John's Choir begins an exciting year of concerts and choral offerings on Sunday, October 26, with an Evensong at 5:00 p.m. Choral Evensong is widely considered the jewel in the crown of the Anglican Choral Tradition. There are four opportunities to enjoy this service during the 2014-2015 music year, firstly, here at St. John's on the 26th, when the service will be sung by our own choir and feature music by Robert Lehman and Charles Wood. The evensong will take place in the church and will be followed by a reception in the Parish Hall, to which all are invited. 
6:00 p.m.
High School Youth Group (Discovery House)
Monday, October 27
8:15 a.m.
Mom's Sanctuary Support and Bible Study Group (Discovery House)

Come have a cup of coffee, meet new friends, and reconnect with old friends at 8:15 a.m. in Discovery House. This group will continue meeting each Monday morning this fall. Questions? Email lbaldwin@stjohnstampa.org or call 259.1570. 

12:15 p.m.
Noonday Prayer (Chapel)
Tuesday, October 28
6:45 a.m.
The Contemporary Women's Bible Study (Peterson Room)  
CWBS meets in the Peterson Room on the Plant Avenue (School Middle Division) campus.  All women of St. John's and their friends of other denominations are welcome for a light breakfast and discussion. Please contact Kathleen Moore at 221.6253 or kathleenmarymoore@gmail.com for more information. 
12:15 p.m.
Noonday Prayer (Chapel)
10:30 a.m.
Women's Mid Morning Bible Study (Lowry Room)
Women of St. John's, friends and neighbors are invited to participate in a fall study entitled "Psalms: Songs for the Soul," based on a curriculum developed by the Rev. Gwynne Johnson (Lutheran). The psalms are a rich resource that can guide our prayers, our thinking and our life choices. They have something to teach us about each of life's seasons: times of comfort, times of difficulty and times of resolution. Each lesson will focus on a theme and psalms that speak to it.
 
The study continues on alternate Tuesdays at 10:30 a.m. in the Lowry Room through December 9. For more information contact either Joan McKay at MCKAYJHM@aol.com or Pat Wilson at 644.4640 or patwilson68@tampabay.rr.com.
Wednesday, October 29
12:15 p.m.
The Holy Eucharist (Rite II) (Chapel)
6:30 p.m.
Wednesday Nights at St. John's (Parish Hall)

Deepening Life Together - The Gospel According to John, an 8-session DVD series

 

Go deeper. In the Word. In your faith. In your life. Why did Jesus perform miracles and what did they mean? How might our traditions hinder a true understanding of who Jesus really is? How can we follow Christ's example of selfless love in our families, churches, and communities?

 

The Wednesday Nights in St. John's group invites all parishioners and friends to join them on Wednesdays in the Parish Hall. Bring a dish to share and an open heart and mind for discussion. Contact Paul and Winkie Game at pgamefla@aol.com for details.