Friday, July 27, 2012
Readings for the Ninth Sunday after Pentecost: July 29, 2012
O God, the protector of all who trust in you, without whom nothing is strong, nothing is holy: Increase and multiply upon us your mercy; that, with you as our ruler and guide, we may so pass through things temporal, that we lose not the things eternal; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen.
Thursday, July 26, 2012
E-bulletin
Update from the Rector Search Committee: The Rector Search Committee has received materials from several applicants for our Rector position and will begin the interview process soon. Please keep the Search Committee in your prayers.
A Prayer for a Time of Transition:
Almighty God, we pray that the power of Christ’s love may be present in our lives as we, the people of St. John the Evangelist, enter a time of prayerful discernment and transition to new leadership. May the Holy Spirit illumine the hearts and minds of those who have the responsibility to lead us as we prepare to build on the vision that is before us. Let not the prospect of change be an occasion for fear and confusion, but rather a time to build trust and increase understanding that Christ’s love may be made known between us and among us that your will may be done. Amen.
DONATION OPPORTUNITY! Do you have things that were hardly ever used or never used at all? Are you wondering . . .”Why did I even buy that?” Do you have a piece of furniture with a lot of life left, but it no longer fits your personal style or color scheme anymore?
These things can become tax-exempt donations for the Madonna’s Center HOPE CHEST SALE and will give the youngest, most needy families a really big hand-UP during those tough times! DROP OFF ITEMS SAT. JULY 21 anytime from 8 am to 8 pm at the back entrance of 2029 SE Jefferson St. in downtown Milwaukie. Enter at parking lot behind Dark Horse Comics on Monroe St., and/or COME TO THE SALE! JULY 27–29 10:00 am – 6:00 pm (during the Milwaukie Festival Daze). OUR PURPOSE: The primary purpose of Madonna’s Center is to support teens, who are parenting without essential support during their child’s prenatal to preschool ages, and who are interested in achieving stability and self-efficacy.
A Prayer for a Time of Transition:
Almighty God, we pray that the power of Christ’s love may be present in our lives as we, the people of St. John the Evangelist, enter a time of prayerful discernment and transition to new leadership. May the Holy Spirit illumine the hearts and minds of those who have the responsibility to lead us as we prepare to build on the vision that is before us. Let not the prospect of change be an occasion for fear and confusion, but rather a time to build trust and increase understanding that Christ’s love may be made known between us and among us that your will may be done. Amen.
DONATION OPPORTUNITY! Do you have things that were hardly ever used or never used at all? Are you wondering . . .”Why did I even buy that?” Do you have a piece of furniture with a lot of life left, but it no longer fits your personal style or color scheme anymore?
These things can become tax-exempt donations for the Madonna’s Center HOPE CHEST SALE and will give the youngest, most needy families a really big hand-UP during those tough times! DROP OFF ITEMS SAT. JULY 21 anytime from 8 am to 8 pm at the back entrance of 2029 SE Jefferson St. in downtown Milwaukie. Enter at parking lot behind Dark Horse Comics on Monroe St., and/or COME TO THE SALE! JULY 27–29 10:00 am – 6:00 pm (during the Milwaukie Festival Daze). OUR PURPOSE: The primary purpose of Madonna’s Center is to support teens, who are parenting without essential support during their child’s prenatal to preschool ages, and who are interested in achieving stability and self-efficacy.
Monday, July 23, 2012
Sermon: Pentecost 8, The Very Rev. Anthony Thurston
I suppose that not a single one of us is completely satisfied with our lives. I mean satisfied in the sense that we wouldn’t take the opportunity to change something about ourselves if we could. Some of us would want more hair, or fewer pounds, or we’d rather be taller, or wish our shape was somehow different or even that we had more of this world’s material goods. Others might find themselves wishing that they were happier, and, maybe there are others of us who find depression to be a debilitating partner in our lives. Some of us find ourselves thinking thoughts that are not consistent with our behaviors and inclinations.
We typically experience all of these desires—and more—as deficiencies—as something that is wrong with us. I’m not against working on taking care of our lives in whatever way we can, but seeing ourselves as deficient, because we are human and vulnerable and particular—sometimes does seem strange—and sometimes even sad.
Given this way of seeing ourselves, many of us are not very well prepared to see someone who has an obvious serious disability. It’s more typical for us to feel uneasy, to pretend not to notice, to avert our eyes, to cross over on the other side of the street, to ignore or avoid people who may have and may live with a variety of problems or disabilities.
We typically experience all of these desires—and more—as deficiencies—as something that is wrong with us. I’m not against working on taking care of our lives in whatever way we can, but seeing ourselves as deficient, because we are human and vulnerable and particular—sometimes does seem strange—and sometimes even sad.
Given this way of seeing ourselves, many of us are not very well prepared to see someone who has an obvious serious disability. It’s more typical for us to feel uneasy, to pretend not to notice, to avert our eyes, to cross over on the other side of the street, to ignore or avoid people who may have and may live with a variety of problems or disabilities.
Friday, July 20, 2012
Readings for the Eighth Sunday after Pentecost: July 22, 2012
Almighty God, the fountain of all wisdom, you know our necessities before we ask and our ignorance in asking: Have compassion on our weakness, and mercifully give us those things which for our unworthiness we dare not, and for our blindness we cannot ask; through the worthiness of your Son Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever. Amen.
Thursday, July 19, 2012
E-bulletin
Pledge Statements are available in the east narthex.
St. John's Out to Lunch Bunch will meet at Applebee’s, 82nd Avenue, on Thursday, July 26 at 11:30 a.m. New Lunch Bunch members invited.
Update from the Rector Search Committee: The Rector Search Committee has received materials from several applicants for our Rector position and will begin the interview process soon. Please keep the Search Committee in your prayers.
St. John's Out to Lunch Bunch will meet at Applebee’s, 82nd Avenue, on Thursday, July 26 at 11:30 a.m. New Lunch Bunch members invited.
Update from the Rector Search Committee: The Rector Search Committee has received materials from several applicants for our Rector position and will begin the interview process soon. Please keep the Search Committee in your prayers.
Wednesday, July 18, 2012
Sermon: Pentecost 7, The Very Rev. Anthony Thurston
Thus the Lord showed me, and behold, the Lord stood beside a wall made with a plumb line…And the Lord said to me, “Amos, what do you see?” And I said, “A plumb line.” Then the Lord said, “See, I am setting a plumb line in the midst of my people Israel.”
Nearly all of us know what a plumb line is for. It’s one of the oldest and simplest of tools. I have a couple of them—although I usually can’t find them--they’re made of heavy lead, have a pointed end and they are attached to a long piece of string. Masons and carpenters use them to be sure that a wall is true and perpendicular.
The form of a plumb line hasn’t changed for thousands of years. But, let’s ask ourselves why this tool sprang into existence from the very start of construction history. The answer is simple: it tells every person who uses it, whether in ancient cultures or our own culture, whether one’s work is true to the center. When the plumb line is placed against a wall, it’s immediately clear whether the wall is true to the center of the earth.
It’s not just walls that need plumb lines—our lives need them as well. We need a simple, non-ambiguous principle by which we can test our own lives. A way to measure our lives in relation to the center of existence.
Nearly all of us know what a plumb line is for. It’s one of the oldest and simplest of tools. I have a couple of them—although I usually can’t find them--they’re made of heavy lead, have a pointed end and they are attached to a long piece of string. Masons and carpenters use them to be sure that a wall is true and perpendicular.
The form of a plumb line hasn’t changed for thousands of years. But, let’s ask ourselves why this tool sprang into existence from the very start of construction history. The answer is simple: it tells every person who uses it, whether in ancient cultures or our own culture, whether one’s work is true to the center. When the plumb line is placed against a wall, it’s immediately clear whether the wall is true to the center of the earth.
It’s not just walls that need plumb lines—our lives need them as well. We need a simple, non-ambiguous principle by which we can test our own lives. A way to measure our lives in relation to the center of existence.
Saturday, July 14, 2012
Readings for the Seventh Sunday after Pentecost: July 15, 2012
O Lord, mercifully receive the prayers of your people who call upon you, and grant that they may know and understand what things they ought to do, and also may have grace and power faithfully to accomplish them; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever. Amen.
Friday, July 13, 2012
E-bulletin
New Parish directories are available! Pick up the most up-to-date directory (blue cover) in the east narthex.
Pledge statements are also available in the east narthex.
Thanks to all who participated in the scrip order for July. Because of your support, we have our second highest month EVER! The deposit was $8,585 and our profit was $350. Wow... you are awesome. Want to be part of the scrip club? Talk to Linda Kidd before or after the service.
Update from the Rector Search Committee: The Rector Search Committee has received materials from several applicants for our Rector position and will begin the interview process soon. Please keep the Search Committee in your prayers.
Pledge statements are also available in the east narthex.
Thanks to all who participated in the scrip order for July. Because of your support, we have our second highest month EVER! The deposit was $8,585 and our profit was $350. Wow... you are awesome. Want to be part of the scrip club? Talk to Linda Kidd before or after the service.
Update from the Rector Search Committee: The Rector Search Committee has received materials from several applicants for our Rector position and will begin the interview process soon. Please keep the Search Committee in your prayers.
Friday, July 06, 2012
Readings for the Sixth Sunday after Pentecost: July 8, 2012
O God, you have taught us to keep all your commandments by loving you and our neighbor: Grant us the grace of your Holy Spirit, that we may be devoted to you with our whole heart, and united to one another with pure affection; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen.
Thursday, July 05, 2012
E-bulletin
New Parish directories are available! Pick up the most up-to-date directory (blue cover) in the East Narthex.
Do you have extra empty pop cans, etc. left from the 4th ? If so, FEED THE HUNGRY would love you to donate them. If you don’t already HAVE the green bag(s) – no worries, bring them anyway!! Or pick one up Sunday for next time. Thank you for your support!
Update from the Rector Search Committee: The Rector Search Committee has received materials from several applicants for our Rector position and will begin the interview process soon. Please keep the Search Committee in your prayers.
Do you have extra empty pop cans, etc. left from the 4th ? If so, FEED THE HUNGRY would love you to donate them. If you don’t already HAVE the green bag(s) – no worries, bring them anyway!! Or pick one up Sunday for next time. Thank you for your support!
Update from the Rector Search Committee: The Rector Search Committee has received materials from several applicants for our Rector position and will begin the interview process soon. Please keep the Search Committee in your prayers.
Tuesday, July 03, 2012
Sermon: Pentecost 5, The Very Rev. Anthony Thurston
Most of us think that the story in Mark’s gospel today is all about Jairus’ daughter being raised from being dead to being alive again. And the other story—right smack in the middle of the story of the girl who dies—looks like it almost didn’t make it into the gospel at all. The woman I’m talking about stands at the edge of the crowd. She appears as an intruder. Her healing seems like a story that really is an inconvenience in the middle of the even better story of Jairus.
But in your life and in mine, little stories often appear. They sometimes get in the middle of things and become inconveniences for us as well.
The woman is a pitiful character. She stands at the edge of the crowd and watches. The first thing we learn about her is that her body is a mess. She carries pain. Her pain comes at us in three ways:
But in your life and in mine, little stories often appear. They sometimes get in the middle of things and become inconveniences for us as well.
The woman is a pitiful character. She stands at the edge of the crowd and watches. The first thing we learn about her is that her body is a mess. She carries pain. Her pain comes at us in three ways:
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