December 17, 2014 Issue 
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Visit the St. John's School Website

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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.


 


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From the Parish Register

  

Birthdays:

 

December 18

Joshua Dixon, Ronnie Goodheart, Giuliana Pineiro, John Webster

 

December 19

Robert Campbell, Marilin Espino-Maya, Lora Hulse, Paul Keesling, Evan Lick, Sandra Murray

 

December 20

Robert Gaudsmith, Rosalyn Gibbs, Ivy Gustafson, Nathaniel Lacktman, William Leal, Walker Martin, Taylor Moore

 

December 22

Zigmund Bereday, Helen Hall, Patricia Hancock, Trey Rubenzer, Eric Stoll, Stephen Swindal, Jr., Catherine Williams, Patricia Wilson

 

December 23

John Ackermann

 

 

 
Sunday's Scripture Snippet

 

He said, "I am the voice of one crying out in the wilderness, `Make straight the way of the Lord,'" as the prophet Isaiah said. 

 

John 1







 

News
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Annual Christmas Concert

Sunday, December 21, 5:00 p.m.

The Choir of St. John's Church with Concordia Vocal Ensemble

Traditional carols of the season for choir and audience

Music of William Mathias, Harold Darke, and Philip Marshall.

 

A reception, to which all are warmly invited, follows in the Parish Hall.

Holiday Hours and Services 

Wednesday, December 24, Christmas Eve

Parish Offices Close at Noon

4:00 p.m. The Holy Eucharist (Rite II)

The Children's Christmas Pageant will take the place of the sermon at this service.

6:00 p.m. The Holy Eucharist (Rite II)   The St. John's Choir sings this service.

10:30 p.m. Christmas Music in the Church by the Florida Orchestra's String Quartet

11:00 p.m. The Holy Eucharist (Rite I)   The St. John's Choir sings this service.

 

Thursday, December 25, Christmas Day

Parish Offices Closed

10:00 a.m. The Holy Eucharist (Rite II)  The St. John's Choir sings this service.

 

Friday, December 26

Parish Offices Closed

 

Wednesday, December 31, New Year's Eve

Parish Offices Close at Noon

Please bring final pledge payments to the offices before noon on the 31st.  If you are mailing your payment, the IRS requires that it be postmarked by December 31 to count for 2014.

 

Thursday, January 1, New Year's Day, and Friday, January 2

Parish Offices Closed

College Student Brunch

College exams are over and we want to say welcome home! All college parishioners, join your friends in the Discovery House for a welcome home brunch at 10:30 a.m. this Sunday, December 21. RSVP to the parish offices at 259.1570 or parish@stjohnstampa.org.

 

The Entrepreneurs Group Seeks New Member

The Entrepreneurs Group is now looking for a new member to join them in their peer review process, with five other small business owners.  If you are a small business owner, you know it's "lonely at the top," so if meeting with other fellow small business owners would benefit you from a peer review and support standpoint, we urge you to contact us.  


The group is led by Walt Hardenstine, himself a small business owner, and facilitator to Renaissance Executive Forums here in Tampa Bay.  This organization already works with over 40 business owners and CEOs, so the interaction is well accepted by some of the most successful businesses in the Tampa Bay area.  

If you are interested in joining us, please email Walt at whardenstine@executiveforums.com.  The group meets at the church on alternating Tuesdays from 6:00 to 7:30 p.m.
Upcoming Events

Tonight's Wednesday Nights at St. John's

"BETHLEHEM, And She Laid Him in A Manger,"

Chapter 4 in the DVD 

Terra Sancta: Custodies of the Sources of Salvation

 

Terra Sancta: Custodies of the Sources of Salvation, is the expression of the Custody of the Holy Land and the centuries-old and multi-faceted commitment by the sons of Francis of Assisi to maintain and keep alive the places linked with the memory of Christ, to study the material and spiritual vestiges of these places and to spread their knowledge, as well as the welcome and guidance they offer pilgrims.

The Soiree: Friday, January 16

The next Soiree will be at the home of Carol & Henry Woodroffe, 2109 North Dundee, 33629. It will be on Friday, January 16, at 7:00 p.m. Please bring an appetizer to share and your favorite beverage. 

 

RSVP to Mary Hulse,mmhulse@tampabay.rr.com,286.1121

or Pat Wilson,patwilson68@tampabay.rr.com,644.4640.

Annual Circle Cocktail Party: Friday, January 9

Plan to join us for our annual January Circle Cocktail party on Friday, January 9 at 7:00 p.m. Guests should bring an appetizer or dessert to share, as well as a beverage of your choice. The party will be hosted by Chris and Vera Farmen at their home, and co-hosted by David and India Witte. 

 

Look for an evite after the holidays, or contact Betsy Graham at betsygraham@verizon.net to make sure you are on our mailing list!

St. John's School Alumni: Save the Date!

St. John's alumni are invited to join us for a cocktail party on February 11, 2015 at 6:30 p.m. We will reminisce, enjoy festive food and drink, and learn more about where the School is headed! Mark your calendars and look for more information soon! Questions? Contact Lee Lowry.

Your Action Needed

Christmas Outreach Update

Don't forget, please bring your wrapped gifts either to St. John's or St. James House of Prayer by 4:00 p.m. TODAY, Wednesday, December 17. 

 

For those who were not able to select the name of a child, St. John's will also be collecting UNWRAPPED new toys for the children at Metropolitan Ministries and diapers for the babies at Alpha House. This way, everyone who wants to help others during the holiday season may have an opportunity to do so. Please bring your donations to the church and we will transport them for you. Contact MC Jenkins with questions at bucsjenkins@aol.com, and thank you for your generosity!

Sandwich Sunday Help Needed

Each month, we make sandwiches and bag lunches for the needy patrons of Faith Café to take with them after they eat a hot meal at the Café. We are in need of a number of monthly hosts for 2015. Hosting means purchasing supplies (costs are reimbursed by St. John's), helping facilitate the assembly line, and delivering sandwiches to Faith Café. Please contact Amanda Sansone if you can help at amanda.arnold.sansone@gmail.com.

This Week at St. John's
Thursday, December 18
10:00 a.m.
The Holy Eucharist (Rite II) (Church)
12:15 p.m.
Noonday Prayer (Chapel)
Friday, December 19
12:15 p.m.
Noonday Prayer (Chapel)
6:00 p.m.
Youth Movie Outing (Westshore Mall)
Woo hoo! Christmas Break! Come out for dinner and movie at Westshore Plaza. Bring $$$ for food and a ticket to a fun youth approved movie. Bring friends and celebrate a break from school. 
Sunday, December 21
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
Parish Breakfast (Parish Hall)

Join us for breakfast and fellowship!

 

Sandwich Sunday (Parish Hall)

Each month, we make sandwiches and bag lunches for needy patrons to take with them after they eat a hot meal at the Café. We invite all parishioners to help. Thank you to the Bricklemyer family for being our hosts this month!


College Student Welcome Home Brunch (Discovery House)
College parishioners who will be home for the Christmas holidays, we welcome you HOME!!! After the 9:15 a.m. service on December 21, please join us in Discovery House for brunch and social time. There will always be a home for you here at St. John's! 
11:15 a.m.
The Holy Eucharist (Rite I) (Church) 
5:00 p.m.
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Annual Christmas Concert (Church)

The Choir of St. John's Church with Concordia Vocal Ensemble sings traditional carols of the season for choir and audience. Music of John Rutter, William Mathias, Harold Darke, and Philip Marshall. A reception, to which all are warmly invited, follows in the Parish Hall.

Monday, December 22
12:15 p.m.
Noonday Prayer (Chapel)
Tuesday, December 23
No Contemporary Women's Bible Study today
12:15 p.m.
Noonday Prayer (Chapel)
Wednesday, December 24: Christmas Eve
Parish Offices Close at Noon
4:00 p.m.
The Holy Eucharist (Rite II)

The Children's Christmas Pageant will take the place of the sermon at this service.

6:00 p.m.

The Holy Eucharist (Rite II)  (Church)

The St. John's Choir sings this service.

No Wednesday Nights at St. John's tonight

10:30 p.m.
Christmas Music (Church)
Music by the Florida Orchestra's String Quartet
11:00 p.m.
The Holy Eucharist (Rite I) (Church)

The St. John's Choir sings this service.

More Upcoming Events
Tuesday, January 6
5:00 p.m.
Men's Ministry (Parish Hall)

Mark your calendars for January 6 when the St. John's Men's Ministry starts its 2015 program with some inpact. We will be hosting Rob Greenway, a retired senior intelligence officer at the US Central Command currently working as a civilian in the Defense Intelligence Agency. Based on first-hand experience through deployments in Iraq and Afghanistan, Rob provides an in-depth perspective on Islam, and how the religion has garnered the attention of the world in its spread through the Middle East and beyond. While Rob continues to serve our country as a civilian, the views and perspectives he offers are his alone, and offers them from a solid Christian perspective. We've asked him to condense a couple of centuries of history in a short presentation-a big challenge. 

 

To accommodate the extensive program, we will start social time at 5:00 p.m., serve dinner at 5:30 p.m. sharp (that's 1730 for Cary Brown), and we'll let Rob take the floor shortly thereafter. You don't want to miss this one. RSVP to Dallas Coffield at dcoffield@gmail.com.