THE CHRISTMAS OPEN HOUSE was a great success, and many thanks to all who helped welcome our visitors. The Baltimore Heritage visit the next day opened our doors to an even wider community. Events such as these help us to overcome our "hidden gem" status and widen our exposure in the city. Thanks for making them happen!
WE STILL NEED CONTRIBUTIONS TO COVER THE COST of the decoration of the church for Christmas. Happily, you are now able to make your contribution online, if you so choose! Just mark your donation for "Christmas Flowers" in the Special Instructions box.
HAVE YOU ANY IDEA how many hours the Altar Guild put in to make Christmas celebrations happen so beautifully and seamlessly here at Saint John's? Several individuals spent, literally, days in working to make everything shine, to correctly ready vestments for the season, in cleaning, polishing, candle trimming, and in washing and ironing. If not, ask around, and then be sure to thank one of them for all the hard work they gave to make everyone's Christmas-tide, and indeed the whole Church Year, beautiful. To God be the glory, but sincere thanks to the Altar Guild for all their sacrificial giving!
TUESDAY IS THE FEAST OF THE EPIPHANY. This principal feast of the Church Year will be celebrated with a Choral Eucharist at 6:30 pm. Please make every effort to be present to keep the feast, and to celebrate the way of salvation revealed in Christ.
The twelve days of Christmas are a joyful season at Saint John's, and there are plenty of opportunities to join us for worship and fellowship. Whether it's our splendid Patronal Festival, a Sunday service, joining us to share worship and best wishes on the New Year, or just touring the church and enjoying the holiday decorations, we hope to see you at one of the upcoming services or events in the next two weeks.
Friday, December 26, 2014 - Saint Stephen's Day
Said Eucharist at 8:00 am in the Lady Chapel
Saturday, December 27, 2014 - Saint John's Day
The Patronal Feast of Saint John's Church!
Choral Eucharist at 6:30 pm, followed by a festal reception for our friends and neighbors
Sunday, December 28, 2014
The First Sunday of Christmas
10:30 am - Sung Eucharist, followed by coffee hour
5:00 - 7:00 pm - Christmas Open House
Come see the church, beautifully decorated for Christmas!
Monday, December 29, 2014 - Feast of the Holy Innocents (transferred)
Said Eucharist at 8:00 am in the Lady Chapel
Thursday, January 1, 2015 - The Feast of the Holy Name of Our Lord Jesus Christ
Sung Eucharist at 12:00 Noon, followed by a New Year's Day reception
Sunday, January 4, 2015
The Second Sunday of Christmas
10:00 am - Matins
10:30 am - Sung Eucharist, followed by coffee hour
4:00 pm - Chanted Evensong in the Lady Chapel
Tuesday, January 6, 2015 - The Epiphany of our Lord Jesus Christ
Choral Eucharist at 6:30 pm
Remember, you can find information about all of these services on our Google Calendar. Subscribe to our calendar feed and you'll always be up-to-date with all the happenings at Saint John's Church!
THE FRANCISCAN CENTER still needs your contributions of non-perishable foodstuffs for the pantry. Please place donation at the base of the Font.
ANNUAL OFFERING ENVELOPES are available at the base of the Font, a reminder of our Baptismal and Confirmation duties to work, pray, and give for the spread of the Kingdom of God. And look for electronic giving options, arriving in January, 2015!
THANK YOU FROM THE WAVERLY FAMILY CENTER. The hats, gloves, and mittens for infants and toddlers you have given are much appreciated. There is still time to give others if you haven’t and would like to give some. Leave them at the Font, along with the food for the Franciscan Center, and Deacon Conway will get them to the Family Center.
THE BALTIMORE HERITAGE SOCIETY will be visiting us on a special tour on Monday, 29 December, at 5.00 PM. They will be looking at the architecture, stained glass, Lady Chapel appointments, and our vestments. Mr Johns Hopkins will be their tour organizer. This is a great opportunity to tour the church with an eye towards the historical detail! Visit the Heritage Society Website to get more information.
A VILLAGE CHRISTMAS OPEN HOUSE will be held here at the church on Sunday, 28 December, from 5.00 PM until 7.00. Please spread the word and invite people to enjoy the beauty you get to experience all the time. Volunteers are needed to welcome our neighbors, and to offer hospitality in food and drink. We need at least two people each hour. A sign up sheet is available in the Solarium. Got extra holiday cookies you want to get rid of? We can use them for the Open House!
THE ‘HANGING OF THE GREENS’ will take place on this Wednesday, December 17. Pot-luck supper begins at 6.30 and the work detail begins at 7.00. Come for the fun, food, fellowship, and work! Able-bodied people are needed to climb ladders to hang the garland. Bring a dish to share and help to deck the church in preparation for the celebration and thanksgiving for the birth of our Savior!
A LARGE PART OF OUR WITNESS in the community is the beauty of our church and grounds. The Christmas greenery and flowers are a large part of that, since this season is when we have more visitors. The garlanding and flowers are expensive and we need your contributions for the Christmas decorations to be as generous as you can manage. Forms for memorials and thanksgivings can be found here and are on the table at the back of the church. Please chip in even if you have no memorials to make. Please, help defray the cost!
PLEASE SIGN UP for the Advent Forum. Deacon Conway will be leading discussions based on the book Finding Bethlehem in the Midst of Bedlam by author James W. Moore. These discussions will take place each Sunday of Advent at 9.15 AM. The sign-up sheet is on the Solarium bulletin board. Use the Forum to help focus your Advent in order to celebrate a better Christmas! (Location: The Rectory) Prior attendance is not necessary to participate. Each unit is self-contained.
PLEDGE CARDS ARE DUE in the Church Office as from Thanksgiving Day. If you have not filled out a Pledge Card, please do so soon. Our budgeting depends upon your response. And everyone needs to fill out a card, please, even if you put down just one cent! It is the only record we have of who is a “Pledging Unit” (nice, huh?) for canonical purposes, e.g. Member in Good Standing, etc.
THE BALTIMORE INTERNATIONAL SEAFARER’S CENTER (BISC) asks you to note this and prepare a box: “Every year in December, BISC volunteers and staff bring boxes of gifts to seafarers docked in the Port of Baltimore. Thanks to churches, community groups, and individuals from around the Baltimore area, BISC has been able to lift the spirits of crews of all nationalities and faiths who are far away from home and family during what can be a lonely, stressful time – in 2013 alone, they delivered over 1,100 boxes to over 46 crews! Please don’t use anything larger than a medium-sized shoebox, and wrap as carefully as possible. Greetings or a note can be included and are very meaningful to a seafarer far from loved ones. Each package should weigh less than 3 1/2 lbs. Please include the following in each box:
Bring them to the church and place them at the Font. Christmas wrapping is great, but wrap the lids and box separately and then tie with ribbon in case the US Gov’t wants to inspect them.
Your prayers are bidden for the Holy Catholic Church:
For its mission of reconciliation throughout the world
For Christian missionaries and their families
For the Church suffering persecution
For the unity and healing of the Church; for +Justin, Archbishop of Canterbury,
+Katharine, our Primate, and for +Eugene, our Bishop, and +Heather, his Suffragan
For the People, Rector, Wardens, Vestry, and all who minister in this Congregation
For our increase in faith, in number, in zeal, and in means for the work of the Kingdom of God
For the Sisters of Saint Margaret, the Monks of Saint Gregory’s Abbey,
for their increase in vocations; and for all others under vows of religion
For the ministry of the Shrine of Our Lady of Walsingham, and for its pilgrims
For discernment and perseverance for all Seminarians,
and for Eric as he continues his vocational discernment
Your prayers are bidden for our common life in the world:
For the Leaders of the nations, and the welfare and peace of the world
For this nation, our President, our Courts, and our Congress
For our Governor, our Legislature, our Mayor, and all others
in civil authority among us
For our Waverly and Charles Villages, our leaders, people, and those who work or visit here
For the protection, encouragement, and guidance by the Holy Spirit of our Police,
Fire-fighters, Paramedic Teams, and of our Armed Forces: among them Skyler, Dennis, and Gabriel
For our enemies, and, through Christ Jesus, for an end to our enmity
Your prayers are bidden for those in need, trouble, or anxiety:
Ian, Anthony, Judith, Michael, Marvin, Diane, John, Tom, Gene; the destitute ministered to by the Sisters of Saint Margaret in Haiti; those endangered by armed conflict; the unemployed, the homeless, those travelling: among them Gregory, Gerry and Mark; the imprisoned: among them Ted
Your prayers are bidden for those commended for healing in mind, body, or spirit:
Anne, Vilma, Joel, Charlotte, Rita, Michael, Anthony, Matthew, Dean; those grieving: Michael
Your prayers are bidden for those in hospital:
Evelyn, Good Samaritan Rehab Center; Anne, Union Memorial
Your prayers are bidden for + those who have died:
Paul, Alice, Frank, Shirley, Beth; our deceased benefactors; those who have died by violence, battle or murder; and all who have died suddenly and unprepared
Your Thanksgiving is bidden for:
Prayers answered; safe travel completed, beginnings of recovery, our benefactors, our volunteers; and for our Priests Associate
THE FRANCISCAN CENTER still needs your contributions of non-perishable foodstuffs for the pantry. Please place donation at the base of the Font.
Your prayers are bidden for the Holy Catholic Church:
For its mission of reconciliation throughout the world
For Christian missionaries and their families
For the Church suffering persecution
For the unity and healing of the Church; for +Justin, Archbishop of Canterbury,
+Katharine, our Primate, and for +Eugene, our Bishop, and +Heather, his Suffragan
For the People, Rector, Wardens, Vestry, and all who minister in this Congregation
For our increase in faith, in number, in zeal, and in means for the work of the Kingdom of God
For the Sisters of Saint Margaret, the Monks of Saint Gregory’s Abbey,
for their increase in vocations; and for all others under vows of religion
For the ministry of the Shrine of Our Lady of Walsingham, and for its pilgrims
For discernment and perseverance for all Seminarians,
and for Eric as he continues his vocational discernment
Your prayers are bidden for our common life in the world:
For the Leaders of the nations, and the welfare and peace of the world
For this nation, our President, our Courts, and our Congress
For our Governor, our Legislature, our Mayor, and all others
in civil authority among us
For our Waverly and Charles Villages, our leaders, people, and those who work or visit here
For the protection, encouragement, and guidance by the Holy Spirit of our Police,
Fire-fighters, Paramedic Teams, and of our Armed Forces: among them Skyler, Dennis, and Gabriel
For our enemies, and, through Christ Jesus, for an end to our enmity
Your prayers are bidden for those in need, trouble, or anxiety:
Ian, Anthony, Judith, Michael, Marvin, Diane, John, Tom, Gene; the destitute ministered to by the Sisters of Saint Margaret in Haiti; those endangered by armed conflict; the unemployed, the homeless, those travelling: among them Gregory; the imprisoned: among them Ted
Your prayers are bidden for those commended for healing in mind, body, or spirit:
Vilma, Joel, Gayle, Charlotte, Rita, Michael, Anthony, David, Matthew, Dean; those grieving: Michael
Your prayers are bidden for those in hospital:
Evelyn, Good Samaritan Rehab Center; Anne, Union Memorial
Your prayers are bidden for + those who have died:
Paul, Alice, Frank, Shirley, Beth; our deceased benefactors; those who have died by violence, battle or murder; and all who have died suddenly and unprepared
Your Thanksgiving is bidden for:
Prayers answered; safe travel completed, beginnings of recovery, our benefactors, our volunteers; and for our Priests Associate
HOLY DAYS are celebrated on their respective days with a said Holy Eucharist at 8.00 AM, unless noted otherwise. This week: Monday, Saint Andrew’s Day
Your prayers are bidden for the Holy Catholic Church:
For its mission of reconciliation throughout the world
For Christian missionaries and their families
For the Church suffering persecution
For the unity and healing of the Church; for +Justin, Archbishop of Canterbury,
+Katharine, our Primate, and for +Eugene, our Bishop, and +Heather, his Suffragan
For the People, Rector, Wardens, Vestry, and all who minister in this Congregation
For our increase in faith, in number, in zeal, and in means for the work of the Kingdom of God
For the Sisters of Saint Margaret, the Monks of Saint Gregory’s Abbey,
for their increase in vocations; and for all others under vows of religion
For the ministry of the Shrine of Our Lady of Walsingham, and for its pilgrims
For discernment and perseverance for all Seminarians,
and for Eric as he continues his vocational discernment
Your prayers are bidden for our common life in the world:
For the Leaders of the nations, and the welfare and peace of the world
For this nation, our President, our Courts, and our Congress
For our Governor, our Legislature, our Mayor, and all others
in civil authority among us
For our Waverly and Charles Villages, our leaders, people, and those who work or visit here
For the protection, encouragement, and guidance by the Holy Spirit of our Police,
Fire-fighters, Paramedic Teams, and of our Armed Forces: among them Skyler, Dennis, and Gabriel
For our enemies, and, through Christ Jesus, for an end to our enmity
Your prayers are bidden for those in need, trouble, or anxiety:
Ian, Anthony, Judith, Michael, Marvin, Diane, John, Tom, Gene; the destitute ministered to by the Sisters of Saint Margaret in Haiti; those endangered by armed conflict; the unemployed, the homeless, those travelling: among them Gregory; the imprisoned: among them Ted
Your prayers are bidden for those commended for healing in mind, body, or spirit:
Joel, Gayle, Charlotte, Rita, Michael, Anthony, David, Matthew, Dean; those grieving: Michael
Your prayers are bidden for those in hospital:
Evelyn, Good Samaritan Rehab Center
Your prayers are bidden for + those who have died:
Paul, Alice, Frank, Shirley, Beth; our deceased benefactors; those who have died by violence, battle or murder; and all who have died suddenly and unprepared
Your Thanksgiving is bidden for:
Prayers answered; safe travel completed, beginnings of recovery, our benefactors, our volunteers; and for our Priests Associate
