Dear Friends,
This is an exciting week in the life of our Diocese, as we gather on Saturday morning to elect the next Bishop of Chicago! Please keep your electing Delegates (Sue O'Brien, Gale Michael, and Steven Russell) and Clergy (Deacon Mike, Mtr. Rachael, and myself) in your prayers as we listen for the stir of God's Holy Spirit, and our Candidates (Winnie Varghese, Edwin Johnson, Paula Clarke, and Fulton Porter) who have offered themselves in service to Christ's Church and the Diocese of Chicago. You can click here to learn more about the Candidates, and if you would like to follow the Electing Convention live, please click here.
On a separate, but somewhat related note, as we look forward to our future here at St. John the Evangelist, please keep the Vestry in your prayers as we continue to discern the best uses of the financial resources God has blessed us with. As you may recall from last year's budget, we passed a deficit budget of about $40,000, and although we were able to reduce that deficit to about $12,000 over the course of the year, we still spent more than we received. The key to being good stewards is to live within our means, and we simply are not in a position to continue passing deficit budgets. I know that these are uncertain times for many of us, but if you have not yet pledged, I encourage you to prayerfully consider doing so. Another way to financially support St. John's is by participating in the Shop with Scrip program. This is an easy way to support your Parish by shopping at the stores you already shop at. Please share this opportunity with your friends and family who may also want to join us in our mission. Please click here to learn more about Scrip. I will be sharing more details as to the state of our budget in the coming weeks, but do please continue praying for your Parish leadership during this discernment period.
Even with so many event cancellations and restrictions on in-person gatherings and worship, we continue to be the Church God has called us to be, bearing the light of Jesus to those most in need of hearing the Good News of God's life transforming love. I am thrilled to be on this journey with you and look forward to a thriving future for our Parish community.
Grace & Peace,
Fr. Jeremy
|
|
|
2021 Pledge Appeal
Stewardship is an act of Worship by which we are given the opportunity to give thanks for all the blessings God has given us by returning a portion back to God for the work of God's Church.
Our "Official" Stewardship Campaign has ended, but there are still many members who have not yet submitted their pledges. As of this week, we are still about $60,000 away from presenting a balanced budget.
If you have not yet pledged, please prayerfully consider doing so today. If you have pledged, and you have been blessed with the resources to increase your pledge, please prayerfully consider that option as well.
You may either return your physical pledge card to the church, or go to the Stewardship page of our website and complete your pledge card online. If you would like to see a summary of St. John's Budget (current as of October 31) and to see the initial draft of our 2021 Budget please click here.
|
|
|
|
Did you miss church this weekend? Watch last Sunday's, 11:00 a.m. Mass here.
|
|
Upcoming Worship
Sunday, December 13
Holy Eucharist at 11:00 a.m.
Sunday services will be live-streamed. Follow us on Facebook to receive notifications when our services are being streamed, or visit the homepage of our website to watch the service there.
|
|
|
|
Sacred Ground is a film- and readings-based dialogue series on race, grounded in faith. Small groups are invited to walk through chapters of America’s history of race and racism, while weaving in threads of family story, economic class, and political and regional identity.
The 10-part series is built around a powerful online curriculum of documentary films and readings that focus on Indigenous, Black, Latino, and Asian/Pacific American histories as they intersect with European American histories.
Sacred Ground is part of Becoming Beloved Community, The Episcopal Church’s long-term commitment to racial healing, reconciliation, and justice in our personal lives, our ministries, and our society. This series is open to all, and especially designed to help white people talk with other white people. Participants are invited to peel away the layers that have contributed to the challenges and divides of the present day – all while grounded in our call to faith, hope and love.
We already have one Dialogue Circle meeting, and there is room to add others. If you are interested in participating, please e-mail Fr. Jeremy at frjeremy@mysje.org.
Please click here to learn more about Sacred Ground from the Episcopal Church's website.
|
|
|
Angels on Assignment at Guardian Angel Community Services
In lieu of the ReVive Christmas Basket program this year we have decided to direct our generosity to the Angels on Assignment at Guardian Angel Community Services. This is a safe, non-contact way to help families in need have a great Christmas. Please read below to see how you can spread Christmas cheer throughout our local communities.
Angels on Assignment is Guardian Angel Community Services’ (GACS) holiday giving program. This heart-warming GACS holiday tradition is made possible through months of careful preparation between GACS staff members, families receiving services by any of the agency’s 7 programs, and our generous community donors. GACS staff members, across all 7 programs, ask their clients to fill out a “Wish List.” The items listed on those wish lists are coded and compiled (to protect the confidentiality of those families served by our programs) into a big master list, that can be accessed by donors via Amazon at the following links:
Amazon Angels on Assignment Wish List - https://a.co/7PgIQ78
Amazon Wish List General Agency Needs - https://a.co/aOmANKX
All items purchased will be shipped directly to GACS’ Main Office for distribution. Please note that the Amazon Wish Lists are a new platform for us as of 2020, and Amazon does not provide the buyers information to us. Therefore, if donors would like to receive an acknowledgement letter for tax purposes, they must include their name and mailing address or email address in the thank you note section during checkout.
As always, GACS is so very grateful for the generosity of our community during the holiday season and year-round. Please contact our Development Staff with questions:
Jane Ukleja at 815-729-0930 ext. 1235 or jukleja@gacsprograms.org
Valerie Pastwa at 815-729-0930 ext. 1233 or vpastwa@gacsprograms.org
|
|
|
This Week's Lessons
Isaiah 61:1-4, 8-11
Psalm 126
1 Thessalonians 5:16-24
John 1:6-8, 19-28
Visit lectionarypage.net to read this week's lessons.
|
|
|
|
Collect for The Third Sunday of Advent
Stir up your power, O Lord, and with great might come among us; and, because we are sorely hindered by our sins, let your bountiful grace and mercy speedily help and deliver us; through Jesus Christ our Lord, to whom, with you and the Holy Spirit, be honor and glory, now and for ever. Amen.
|
|
|
|
As part of a winter community service project the youth of St. John's will be volunteering at Feed My Starving Children on Friday, December 11, 2020. They will meet at the Church at 5:00 pm and will be back around 9:00 pm. Please feel free to contact Pat Smith-Huntoon with any questions.
|
|
|
|
What if you had a way to give free money to the work and ministry of St. John's? Well there is!
By signing up with Scrip you can do your shopping (at most of the stores you are already shopping at) with prepaid cards and Scrip offers a percentage of what you spend back to St. John's. There is NO cost to you.
This is also a great way to purchase all those gift cards you will want to give as Christmas gifts this year.
Please go to the scrip page of our website for more information.
If you have any questions, please contact Pat Smith-Huntoon at sjescrip@gmail.com.
The next Scrip order will be submitted at 7:00 p.m. Sunday, December 20.
|
|
|
Need a little midweek spiritual socialization pick-me-up? Join us for Weekly Bible Study! Thursdays at 5:00 we will gather via Zoom to continue the study of the book of Matthew.
Click here to enter Zoom for Bible Study
|
|
|
THANK YOU!!!!!
For those of you who have been keeping your pledges current and those who have given extra to support the work of St. John's, THANK YOU!
We understand that the last several weeks have been challenging for many people, so if you have found that you need to adjust your commitment to the budget of St. John's, please let Sarra in the Church Office know.
We are confident that God will see us through the challenges that lie ahead and that we will come out of this being a stronger and more faithful community because of it.
Please continue to share your generosity by mailing a check to:
St. John the Evangelist
P.O. Box 25
Flossmoor, IL 60422
Of by setting up automatic bill pay through your bank (this is a free service of most banks). Or by clicking on the "Online Giving" button below. If you give online, please consider clicking the box that allows you to add 3% to cover the processing fees from the credit card companies.
|
|
|
In addition to online giving there is also a text option.
Text "SaintJohn" to 73256 to give using your mobile device. This number will never send unsolicited texts to you. To cancel further messages, text STOP. If you need assistance with text giving, text HELP. Standard text message and data rates may apply.
|
|
|
|
Parish Cycle of Prayer
Ginny McCollum
Lee Turner
Joan Unterberg
Father in Heaven, this week we lift up in prayer: Ginny, Lee, and Joan. Please bless them with an abundance of peace and an overflowing cup of joy. Bring comfort to them in their time of need and help them to seek You in all that they do. Please Lord, act as their shield from illness, both mental and physical. All this we ask in the name of your Son, Jesus Christ.
Amen
|
|
|
|
Birthdays & Anniversaries
December 13: Lois Rinkenberger
December 16: Claudette Doyle
December 16: Susan Lawrence
Heavenly Father we are so thankful for this week's birthday celebrants: Lois, Claudette, and Susan. Lord, we ask that You please bless them with a year filled with joy and contentment. Please keep them safe, mentally and physically healthy, and on the path that leads to love and life eternal.
In Jesus' name we pray.
Amen
|
|
|
|
|
|
