Announcements for September 26

• New Director of Music
  The Rev. Peter B. Irvine has recently accepted the position of Director of Music at St. John’s. He has a long history of experience in church music, having served most recently as Precentor (Director of Music) at Christ Episcopal Church in Waukegan. He and his wife, Janet, are moving to Homewood and look forward to joining the St. John’s community. His first Sunday will be October 10.
  
  
• Christian Formation Classes Are in Full Swing
  Christian Formation classes for all ages have begun, but it is never too late to join in the endeavor of Christian formation. Classes begin at 9:00 a.m. All children and adults are invited to participate.
  
  
• Blessing of the Animals, October 3
  Our annual celebration of the blessing God bestows upon us through companion animals will take place Sunday, October 3, beginning at 4:30 p.m. at the Outdoor Altar. Once again we will share this celebration with Faith Lutheran Church. All pets and their companions are welcome.
  
  
• Save the Date: ‘Lobsterfest’ returns November 6
  St. John’s chapter of the Brotherhood of St. Andrew men’s service group has selected Saturday, November 6, as the date for its annual ‘Lobsterfest’ charity fundraiser. In honor of recently fallen Brother Al Kromer, who had worked so hard on so many previous Lobsterfests (among countless other events), a portion of the proceeds from this year’s sale will go to the Deanna Lyn Kromer Scholarship Fund at Children’s Oncology Services, Inc. The balance will support the PADS ministry and Episcopal Relief and Development. Watch this space for more details in the weeks to come.

Reflection for September 26

We too easily fall prey to a cynicism that assumes that all of our options are bad.... This is surely not true. Cynicism is a form of sloth by which we refuse the hard work necessary to make moral judgments.

(Scott Bader-Saye, “Where’s your church’s money? Banking for the common good,” The Christian Century)

Announcements for September 19

• Vestry Meeting This Monday
  The September meeting of the vestry is Monday, September 20, beginning at 7:00 p.m.
  
  
• Children’s Sunday School Classes begin this Sunday, September 19, at 9:00 a.m.
  Three to six year olds meet in Atrium I for “Living the Good News” with Ms. Madden and Ms. Moxley. First through third graders meet in Atrium II for “Godly Play” with Ms. Turnquest and Ms. Pohrte. Both Atrium classes will create a window painting in their room. Fourth through eighth graders meet OUTSIDE on the playground for our first class to build a tent with Ms Van Voorhees and Mr. Moxley. We’ll be studying Moses’ journey in the Book of Exodus with fun activities such as tent-pitching, movie-watching, and cooking.
  
  
• Why is there a tent in our yard?
  The week-long Jewish festival of Sukkot begins Friday, September 17. Agriculturally, it celebrates the final gathering of fruits and produce for the year. Historically, it represents the journey of Israel through the desert after the exodus from Egypt. As our St. John’s tweens (fourth – eighth graders) begin a Bible study of Moses, they will set up this temporary shelter (called a “sukkah”) to remind them of the Hebrew peoples’ dependence upon God. The tent will be taken down next Sunday, September 26, after church.
  
  
• Living Faithfully Adult Class begins this Sunday
  The Living Faithfully class resumes its study of the DVD-based curriculum on Paul, Eclipsing Empire. The class meets at 9:00 a.m. in Classroom 4 in the Education Wing. Everyone is welcome.
  
  
• Sunday Lectionary Study resumes this Sunday
  Along with other Christian Formation classes the Sunday bible study group resumes meeting this Sunday, September 19, at 9:00 a.m. in the Guild Room.
  
  
• Vitally Important Daughters Meeting Saturday, September 18
  All members of St. John’s chapter of Daughters of the King are needed and urged to attend our next meeting. We will elect officers and must have a quorum—plus we truly miss those who haven’t been able to attend for a while. We’ll get together Saturday, September 18, 9:00-11:00 a.m., starting with a light breakfast.

Reflection for September 19

And grace is sometimes evoked by screwups.

(Parker Palmer, “Taking pen in hand: A writer’s life and faith,” The Christian Century)

Announcements for September 12

• St. John’s Brunch Bunch and Jubilation This Sunday, September 12
  St. John’s annual celebration of community takes place Sunday, September 12, in the undercroft following the 10:00 service. Sunday School registration will take place and many St. John’s ministries will have information booths. Sandwiches will be served. All are invited. Please come.
  
  
• Wednesday Bible Study Resumes
  The Wednesday morning Bible Study class resumes this Wednesday, September 15, beginning at 10:30 a.m. in the Guild Room. Come join us in the reading of Revelation.
  
  
• Christian Book Club Meets this Thursday
  The first meeting of the new St. John’s Christian Book Club will be Thursday, September 16, beginning at 7:00 p.m. in the Guild Room. Everyone is welcome. If you have questions, please contact Steven Russell.
  
  
• Vitally Important Daughters Meeting Saturday, September 18
  All members of St. John’s chapter of Daughters of the King are needed and urged to attend our next meeting. We will elect officers and must have a quorum—plus we truly miss those who haven’t been able to attend for a while. We’ll get together Saturday, September 18, 9:00-11:00 a.m., starting with a light breakfast.

Reflection for Septmber 12

I had finally begun to see that my faith was not about belief in something irrational or about a blind connection to something unreal or about “belief” at all. As I worked in the soup kitchen, tried to pray, planned liturgies, and dealt with my brother’s illness, what I came to understand was that my faith had to be grounded in experience, or in “impulses,” as Simone Weil put it, “of an essentially and manifestly different order.” Faith for me was about the accumulation of these experiences, not abstractions, not believing, as the White Queen said to Alice, “six impossible things before breakfast.” (Nora Gallagher, Practicing Resurrection)

Announcements for September 5

• St. John’s Brunch Bunch and Jubilation Next Sunday, September 12
  St. John’s annual celebration of community takes place Sunday, September 12, in the undercroft following the 10:00 service. Sunday School registration will take place and many St. John’s ministries will have information booths. Sandwiches will be served. All are invited. Please come.
  
  
• At a crossroads, Brotherhood to meet Friday, September 10
  St. John's chapter of the Brotherhood of St. Andrew men's group will kick off its new service season with an important membership dinner meeting on Friday, September 10, at 7 p.m. in the undercroft. Longtime president Rob McManamy and lifelong secretary Bob Dehn are both stepping down, so new officers need to be elected and a new course set for the Brotherhood at St. John's. All men of the church, including current, past, and prospective members, are urged to attend and share in the pizza, pop and prayerful discussion.
  
  
• Daughters Meet Saturday Morning, September 18
  St. John’s chapter of Daughters of the King—a lay order for prayers and service—will meet Saturday, September 18, 9:00-11:00 a.m., starting with a light breakfast. All women of the parish are welcome. Please join us!
  
  
• Parish Office Holiday Closing
  The parish office will be closed Monday, September 6, in honor of the Labor Day holiday.

Reflection for September 5

God says: I like little children because my image has not yet been dulled in them. They have not botched my likeness; they are new, pure, without a blot, without a smear. So, when I gently lean over them, I recognize myself in them. I like them because they are still growing, they are still improving. They are on the road, they are on their way But with grown-ups there is nothing to expect any more. They will no longer grow, no longer improve. They have come to a full stop.

It is disastrous—grown-ups thinking they have arrived.

(“I Like Youngsters” in Prayers by Michel Quoist, translated by Agnes M. Forsyth and Anne Marie de Commaille)