Youth Group, December

5 – Follow the Star (4:00 p.m. - ?) Back by popular demand, driver needed.

12 –Service Project for our Parish Shut-ins (5-7 p.m.) Spread the Christmas spirit, bring a white

elephant gift to turn it into a party!

17 or 18 (TBA)– Zoo Lights Friday or Saturday, Driver needed.

26 – No Youth Group

Have some questions?  Contact Risa Northway

Sermon: Advent 1, The Very Rev. Anthony Thurston

One of my favorite people and authors is the now-deceased Joseph Campbell.  I enjoy the way he wrote and thought and the stories that he told.  In one of his stories he tells about a meal he was having in a restaurant and at the next table was a father, mother and a boy about 12 years of age.  The father said to the boy, “Drink your tomato juice.”  And the boy said, “I don’t want to.”  Then the father, in a louder voice said, “Drink your tomato juice.”  Then the mother interrupted and said, “Don’t make him do what he doesn’t want to do.”  The father looked at her and said, “He can’t go through life doing what he wants to do.  If he only does what he wants to do he’ll be dead.  Look at me; I’ve never done a thing I wanted to do in all my life.”
“I’ve never done a thing I wanted to do in all my life.”
This is the first Sunday of Advent.  And traditionally, Advent is a time to watch—to be cautious—to be expectant and repentant.  Do what is good for you.  Do your duty—it’s Advent.  “Drink your tomato juice.”
Occasionally I read another author that I find really helpful—Rabbi Harold Kushner.  His last book written is entitled, How Good Do We Have To Be.   It’s a wonderful book about coming to grips with being ourselves and God’s love for us.

Readings for the First Sunday of Advent: November 28th, 2010

Almighty God, give us grace to cast away the works of darkness, and put on the armor of light, now in the time of this mortal life in which your Son Jesus Christ came to visit us in great humility; that in the last day, when he shall come again in his glorious majesty to judge both the living and the dead, we may rise to the life immortal; through him who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever. Amen.

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Art a la Carte First Friday December 3

 St. John’s crafters; do you have items you would like to sell December 3 from 4pm to 8pm?    There will be no charge for tables, we want you to have an opportunity to sell your items and meet folks who are enjoying the myriad Art a la Carte First Friday events for December.   The areas for sales will be in the West Wing Narthex and Meeting Room, using the grey tables.  Either call or email to let me know if you want table space.  Mary Dettmann dettmannmary@gmail.com.

Adult Education at St. John’s:

Beginning on the 28th of November Bud Thurston will do an Advent study on the Gospel of John.  Bring a Bible and learn and discuss this important Gospel writer in the life of the church.

The St. John’s office will be closed on Thursday & Friday, November 25^th & 26^th, for the Thanksgiving holiday.

Sermon: Christ the King, The Very Rev. Anthony Thurston

When I say the word “king” what comes to your mind?  Some years back it might have been the romantic legend of Prince Charles and Lady Diane—and certainly Charles’ desire to be a king.  Or maybe Shakespeare’s Henry V roaming his camp at night, musing on the burdens that he faced: “What infinite heart’s ease must kings neglect, that private men enjoy?”  Or David the King—the man after God’s own heart.  Or wise Solomon with his seven hundred wives and three hundred concubines—now that’s some kind of king?  Or maybe it’s Burger King.  Or a verse that I especially like from “Through the Looking Glass:  “The time has come, the Walrus said, to talk of many things:  Of shoes and ships and sealing wax, of cabbages and kings; and why the sea is boiling hot, and whether pigs have wings.” 

Depending on what comes to your mind it will influence your reaction to today’s lessons—lessons which have to do with Christ the King.  What does “Christ the King” mean to you? 

Why does the church have a liturgy at this time of year devoted to the subject of Christ as a king?

Lessons and Carols (and a Lasagna Dinner)

December 12, 2010  5:00 p.m.

Lessons & Carols brought to you by the Choir

Lasagna Dinner brought to you by the Youth Group

Menu: Meat Lasagna

            Cheese Lasagna

            Salad

            Bread

            Desserts

Cost: $5.00 payable at the door

Fellowship: Priceless!

Readings for the last Sunday after Pentecost (Christ the King): November 21st, 2010

Almighty and everlasting God, whose will it is to restore all things in your well-beloved Son, the King of kings and Lord of lords: Mercifully grant that the peoples of the earth, divided and enslaved by sin, may be freed and brought together under his most gracious rule; who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever. Amen.

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Holiday Extravaganza this Saturday from 9-4 

Please bring your jam, jellies, home baked goodies and hand crafted items to the church on Friday anytime between noon and 7pm or Saturday morning.

There are still opportunities to volunteer. Please Call or e-mail Risa at (503) 758-5705 or risa@stjohnsmilwaukie.org, or just show up on Saturday morning or afternoon and offer to help!

Come shop, bring your friends, family and neighbors to help benefit some of the outreach programs here at St. Johns.

Thank you!

A huge thank you to all who supported "Operation Santa" this year. We were able to fill 125 Christmas Stockings that were then mailed out on Friday to our troops in Afghanistan. I am imagining their "JOY" as hey open their stocking and find all the goodies that you donated. You are awesome!

"Sock it to me Sunday"-

Our annual sock drive in support of Rahab's Sisters will take place once again the Sunday after Thanksgiving. If you are able, please consider donating a pair of new socks to the women who have so little.

Sermon: Pentecost 25, The Rev. Deacon Pat Morris-Rader

      One day recently, while we were walking on the beach, Don picked up a beach rock - just an ordinary mid-sized beach rock.  One side was very flat.  He wondered about why it was so flat.   In an instant, I was once again a college sophomore, doing tests in geology lab to determine the identity of an unknown mineral.  In memory, I tapped the beach rock with a tool to see how it would cleave.  I put shavings into a test tube and held them over a Bunsen burner to see what secrets it might hold.  That beach rock was full of wonder.
      Then as if watching a video, I was once again exploring the wonders of creation with my children through our years of camping, seeing, discovering - years of laughter, years of wonder.   And I found myself full of joy.  Where did the joy come from?  It came unannounced, unexpected.  It filled me, warmed me like sunshine, turned my face into a smile.

Sermon: All Saints Sunday, The Very Rev. Anthony Thurston

All Saints Sunday!  How many of you think you are saints?  Hands up?  Humm—not too many.  Most of us have some idea of who saints are—those names that appear in the Church calendar and who, during the weekday services, I usually say something about them.  Most of us have also heard somewhere in our past or not-so-distant past, that we are saints.  We’re saints because we’re Christians—we are a people who have been called into a particular and unique relationship with God.  I like to think of saints as people who can see in and through life to find God.  And I like to think of saints as people who are able to see mystery in our world as well as responding to the goodness, love, trust and outpouring of God’s spirit in the world today.

Being able to see in and through life to find God means that we are a part of a strange God and a strange people.

Readings for the 25th Sunday after Pentecost: November 14th, 2010

Blessed Lord, who caused all holy Scriptures to be written for our learning: Grant us so to hear them, read, mark, learn, and inwardly digest them, that we may embrace and ever hold fast the blessed hope of everlasting life, which you have given us in our Savior Jesus Christ; who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen.

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Please note this date & time change: Please join us in the West Wing at 10:00 a.m. on Monday, November 15, for Monday Scones & Notes.

The Out-to-Lunch Bunch will meet on Thursday, November 18^th at 11:30 at Old Wives’ Tales, 1300 East Burnside Street in Portland.

Help Needed: Please sign up to help with the Extravaganza, November 20th. Needs are as follows:

St. John's sales table, 2 hour shifts on Saturday.

8 AM to 10 AM,  10 to Noon, Noon to 2 PM, 2 to 4 PM

Kitchen help, 2 hour shifts on Saturday. 10 AM to Noon, Noon to 2 PM, 2 to 4 PM.

Also needed are people to help set up on Friday and clean up on Sunday.

Please call Risa if you are available to help.

Newsletter

The November-December Newsletter is available online now.  Pages five and six are blank where the calendar was included in the print version.  The same information is available at the online calendar.

Sermon: Pentecost 23, The Rev’d Dr. Ann E. P. McElligott

Some thirty years ago, my husband and I lived in a small rural town in Minnesota, where Tom served as the Rector of the Episcopal Church.  Our Junior Warden had a blended families with one family of children of high school age and a second family of young children.  Jason was three years old and incredibly inquisitive.  On Sunday mornings his parents could barely contain him when it was time for communion.  He bolted up to the rail, greeted my husband with great glee, and, all the time he was there, looked around the sanctuary with great curiosity. 

When a little sister was born, the baptism was at the Sunday Eucharist.  The font was placed at the crossing at the entrance into the sanctuary.  The whole family--parents, sponsors, brothers and sisters--gathered around the font, facing the congregation, and the baptism began.  What the assembled family could not see was that Jason had slipped behind them into the sanctuary and was busy exploring its every nook and cranny.  He peered up at the candles on the altar; he looked at all the vessels on the credence table, he went around behind the altar and peeked over the top, he sat in the big chairs, he knelt at the prayer desks.  He looked at everything--and he never touched a thing.  The congregation watched him with fascination--the head of the altar guild almost fainted from fear that his curiosity would turn from looking to touching. 

Holiday Extravaganza

Be sure to put November 20^th on your calendar. It is the date of the 2010 Holiday Extravaganza from 9am to 4pm. Join in the fun as we kick off the holiday season with our very own event.

Readings for All Saints Sunday after Pentecost: November 7th, 2010

Almighty God, you have knit together your elect in one communion and fellowship in the mystical body of your Son Christ our Lord: Give us grace so to follow your blessed saints in all virtuous and godly living, that we may come to those ineffable joys that you have prepared for those who truly love you; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who with you and the Holy Spirit lives and reigns, one God, in glory everlasting. Amen.

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Change your clocks!   Remember that this is the weekend for changing clocks and returning to Pacific Standard Time. Be sure to “fall back” on Saturday night!

Leftover Halloween Candy? If you have leftover candy and want to get it out of the house, consider donating it to Operation Santa (see below)!

Last  Sunday for Operation Santa collection. You can be a part of this program to bring a little cheer to our Marines in Afghanistan by bringing a donation to church on Sundays or dropping one off in the office. We will be packing our gifts on November 11th, Veteran's Day. Anyone wishing to help please contact Linda Kidd.

Adult Education, Sunday Mornings at 9:00 am

In Advent (beginning on the 28th of November) Bud Thurston will do an Advent study on the Gospel of John.  Bring a Bible and learn and discuss this important Gospel writer in the life of the church.