Announcements for October 23

Annual Pledge Campaign
Fall stewardship materials have been mailed. Please give them careful and prayerful attention. Pledge Sunday is November 13 or you may return your pledge cards any time before then.

Vestry Update
The Vestry met on Monday, October 17. The Columbarium project is ongoing, however construction will not begin until spring. This is due in part by a delay in getting drawings from the landscape architect, and partly due to the fact that many masonry contractors' schedules fill up quickly in the summer and fall. However, we are awaiting bids from a number of companies, and expect the project to go quickly in the spring. The Vestry approved moving the celebration of the Feast of St. John the Evangelist to one week later than it has been in the past. Please mark your calendars for Saturday, January 14, 2017. We hope that the change in date will allow more people to come who might have missed due to travel right after the Holidays.

All Souls Day Remembrance
If you have names of the faithful departed that you wish to have remembered in the service, please submit them to the parish office.

Parish Dinner Groups
Sign up for the 2017 Parish Dinner Groups continues through Sunday, November 13, 2016. Information and forms for signing up will be found on a table in the undercroft. Please join us even if you are not a “couple” or you can’t host a dinner in your home. If you have any questions regarding this unique opportunity to get to know your fellow parishioners a little bit better, please talk to Gale Michael or Pastor Orr.

Happy Socktober! 
(Yes, it's a real thing--a wonderful thing). Come on, St. John's, let's get involved in this easy and great service project! What started in Tennessee five years ago with just a few dozen people has grown to an effort of more than a million people worldwide, all helping to ease the suffering of homelessness at their local level. How can we help? By donating new socks (tube socks are always a good choice but any type is great) and toiletry items (travel size is perfect). We'll collect items at St. John's through the month of October before delivering our collection to South Suburban PADS. Encourage friends, family and neighbors to get involved. Please contact Dee McManamy or Margi Strombeck with any questions or service project ideas.

Practicing our Faith Book Club
Calling all animal lovers! The November book for the Practicing Our Faith Book Club is Two Dogs and a Parrot: What Our Animal Friends Can Teach Us About Life by Sister Joan Chittister, O.S.B. Read the book, and then join us on Nov. 17 at 7pm in the Guild Room for our next meeting. New members are always welcome.

Vegetable Abundance
This week:  Kale, Sweet Potatoes, Leeks, Butternut Squash.