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Led by the Holy Spirit,
St. John's mission is to inspire people to grow into the heart and mind of Christ by engaging together in worshiping, serving, and spiritual formation.
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St. John's Altar Guild invites all interested persons to our annual Christmas Party. The party starts at 9:00 am on Saturday, December 22nd, in the library. We will provide snacks, good cheer, and information about this important ministry. After the party, we decorate the church!!
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Sunday, December 16th
Youth Group heads to Denver Cathedral
Saturday, December 22
Christmas Caroling- Food, Hot Chocolate and Fellowship in the Parish Hall at 4 pm followed by neighborhood Caroling
Christmas Eve:
We have four services on Christmas Eve. The 2:30 p.m. service is a one-hour service for families with very small children featuring bells, a short retelling of the Christmas story (acted out by members of our vestry).
At the 4:30 p.m. service, there is a children's homily along with music provided by an ensemble of talented young musicians.
The 7:30 p.m. service takes on a quieter, more contemplative feel.
Finally, our principle Christmas Eve service at 10:30 p.m. features the full choir and brass instruments. There is Holy Communion at all services, and all services are held in the church.
We do not offer nursery care on Christmas Eve, but children are welcome at ALL services.
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St. John's Christmas Caroling
Attention! Mark your calendars for our Parish-wide
Christmas Caroling event on Saturday, December 22nd at 4 pm.
We will meet in the Parish Hall at St. John's to enjoy cocoa and cookies.
Please bring flashlights and warm clothes and your Christmas Cheer. We will be caroling the local Whittier neighborhood this year.
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Installation of new DOK chaplain
The Daughters of the King are pleased to announce the installation of their new chaplain, The Rev. Amy Lythgoe, at the 930am service on December 30th. The thirty members of St John's chapter of the DOK maintain a daily ministry of intercessory prayer, service, and evangelism.
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In honor of our patron saint, John the Evangelist, (whose feast day is December 27th) the clergy will bless unopened bottles of wine (or your favorite celebratory beverage) that you bring to church (either service) on Sunday, December 30th. You are then invited to enjoy your blessed beverage on January 1st, to consecrate the year to come!
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COMMITTAL SERVICE
A Committal Service will be held on Wednesday, January 9th at 3:30 pm at the Columbarium to inurn former parishioner Jean Taylor's ashes. Jean died in December 2015, and her family has asked us to hold a service. If you knew Jean when she was an active member at St John's you are encouraged to attend. The service will be filmed so it can be shared with her daughters who live out of state.
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CATHOLIC CONNECTIONS DISCUSSION GROUP
SAVE THE DATE: Sunday, January 13th
Are you a former (or current) member of the Roman Catholic Church who is attending St John's? You may be surprised to know that a number of former Catholics worship at our church. If you'd like to learn about the similarities and differences between our two denominations, and if you'd like to talk with other former/current Catholics at St John's about this new and unfolding season in your spiritual life, please join clergy and Cate Colburn-Smith (a former Roman Catholic!) on Sunday January 13th at 11:20am for the first of a four-session series. To get on the mailing list for this series or if you have questions, please contact Cate at colburnsmith@gmail.com
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GROCERY CARD MINISTRY
Hello St. John’s! Get creative with groceries!! Are you drawn to pistachios? Do carrots bring out your green eyes, or are you more of an eggplant person? Do you find inspiration in split pea soup? The possibilities are as endless as the varieties of plastic bags… Take a selfie in a grocery store and send it in for use in the w-Eagle’s announcement of grocery card ministry donations.
Take a selfie in a grocery store and send it to Heather Dudok (hdudok@stjohnsboulder.org) for use in the w-Eagle’s announcement of grocery card ministry donations—and have a good time!!
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St. John’s Whittier Pantry
Thank you to parishioners of St. John's for your help in stocking the Whittier Pantry!!! We opened on September 6th and had 7 families come. We will host up to 30 families this school year. We appreciate your donations of items or of checks (with Whittier Pantry in the memo).
Current needs: Kleenex and toilet paper.
Sincerely, Deacon Jan and volunteers.
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Whittier Elementary Children need Coats.
The Whittier Pantry is collecting gently used clean children's coats. Any size that would fit an elementary or middle school child will be repurposed and loved by another child. As you are cleaning out your closets preparing for winter, keep this in mind. Coats may be dropped off at the Whittier pantry. Thank you so much.
Deacon Jan
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Retreats at Cathedral Ridge |
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BALANCE & BEAUTY WOMEN & GIRLS RETREAT
January 4-6, 2019
Invite your mother, friend, daughter, or granddaughter to a weekend of inter-generational fellowship, faith-deepening, and fun before school recommences. There will be large and small group presentations, crafts, worship, healthful meals, and time for self-care and pampering. This retreat makes a wonderful Christmas gift. For girls Grade 6 and above, and women of all ages. Cost: $175/$100 (adults/youth)
Retreat leaders: The Rev. Amy Underhill Lythgoe, Assisting Priest for Family Ministry, St. John’s-Boulder and Elizabeth Cervasio, Director of Children & Youth Ministry, Office of the Bishop
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 FATHER & SON RETREAT
January 18-20, 2019
Come enjoy a weekend with your father or father figure, or bring your son or young person you’re mentoring. This is for men looking for activity, play, and rest in the beautiful mountains of Cathedral Ridge. We will have activities indoors and out, games, music, presentations, worship, and table fellowship. For fathers and sons of all ages. Recommended for boys Grade 1 and above. Cost: $175/$100/$60 (adults/youth/children)
Retreat leaders: The Rev. Nicholas Myers, Rector of St. Timothy’s, Centennial, and Grae Dickson, Executive Director of Cathedral Ridge
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New Ministry — “Enlightenment”
facilitated by Ellen Winner
We’d like to organize a new ministry at St. John’s for open-minded people interested in Spiritual Enlightenment, broadly defined as recognizing and living from our oneness with All-That-Is, aka God, Source, etc. — that which stirs our deepest longing. The idea is to meet on a regular schedule to explore and teach each other practices and perspectives useful on our paths — what Buddhists call “skillful means.” These are practices rather than beliefs. An example is Tonglen, a traditional Tibetan Buddhist breathing, and visualization practice for dissolving self-grasping and alleviating the suffering of others. Another example is the work of contemporary spiritual teacher Byron Katie to break habits of dualistic thought. Christian skillful means include Communion, repentance and forgiveness, acts of charity, Centering Prayer, and others. There are many, many traditional and modern skillful means, with more emerging all the time. We all know a few. They come in meditation, dreams, and intuitions, from lessons we learn facing life challenges, spiritual teachers we’ve found, and library or online research. Let’s practice together and share what we know. If interested, please contact Ellen at ewinner@worldshaman.org by Monday, December 3rd.
About Ellen Winner
Ellen Winner has been a member of St. John’s for about ten years, and sings in the choir. She retired from her career as a patent attorney in 2015 to practice and teach shamanism, which she has been studying since 1984 both in the U.S. and Nepal. More information at https://worldshaman.org.
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Dear Friends in Christ,
As we contemplate the prayers of Advent: Love, Hope, Joy, and Peace, our hearts and minds are drawn to what we, as part of the Episcopal Church and the Anglican Communion, can do to join forces with our National Church on the important issues of justice and truth. With that in mind, we are drawn to focus on issues: Climate Care and Refugees ~ Immigration. At the General Convention in Austin, there were resolutions considered and passed addressing both. To that end, we share two articles of information which immediately follow.
We feel such gratitude in the knowledge that we belong to such a church that cares about human rights and the stewardship of the earth, “our island home.”
The Social Action Ministry
Advent 2018
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Episcopal Relief & Development supports migrants in Mexico
Episcopal Relief & Development is supporting the work of the Anglican Church in Mexico to provide shelter, food, water, and other basic needs to migrants from Central America seeking asylum in the United States. As part of a joint-proposal sent to and funded by a collective of Anglican Alliance agencies, the efforts help meet immediate and long-term needs, beginning with a ministry through San Esteban Anglican Church in Rio Bravo, Tamaulipas, Mexico, across the border from Donna, Texas.
CONTINUED...
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Presiding Bishop’s delegation to attend 24th United Nations climate change conference An eight-member delegation representing the Episcopal Church’s Presiding Bishop Michael Curry will attend the 24th United Nations Climate Change Conference in Katowice, Poland, December 2-14. This is the fourth Episcopal delegation to attend this climate change meeting.
CONTINUED...
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A Simple Action You Can Take to Help End Gun Violence In Colorado:
Join St. John’s Rapid Response Network
With a new State House of Representatives and a new State Senate preparing to convene for the 2019 session in early January, we are developing a list of congregants interested in joining our Congregation’s Rapid Response Network. This network would be activated each time a bill is introduced that relates to guns. The ask will be brief and simple. Talking points will be provided and you will be asked to contact your legislator(s) or members of the committee hearing the bill.
Last year, CFCU was able to have members testify at each legislative hearing that dealt with gun bills. Many more CFCU members contacted their legislators and we were successful in preventing any of our good gun bills passed in 2013 from being repealed.
We hope you will consider joining our network and being part of our witness on this important public health issue. We suspect we will need the help of every single one of you in the coming year.
Contact Kathy Ashworth at kathleen687@comcast.net if you are interested in joining.
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JOIN US FOR EVENSONG
Wednesdays at 6 pm
Contemplative Evensong meets every Wednesday evening at 6:00 p.m. from September through May. Participants are welcome to join the cantor in the beautiful, meditative chant. Includes short periods of silent prayer. Please contact the office at 303-442-5246 for more information. |
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Our Saturday evening Chapel bluegrass worship service is canceled on the following dates due to holiday event conflicts:
December 22 (weekend before Christmas)
December 29 (weekend before New Years)
Please contact Mother Amy (alythgoe@stjohnsboulder.org or 303-442-5246) with questions. Thank you.
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Weekly Services
Saturday 5:00p.m. Holy Eucharist, chapel
Sunday 7:30 a.m. Holy Eucharist, chapel
9:30 a.m. Holy Eucharist, church
10:50 a.m. Children's Eucharist, chapel (when Sunday school meets)
Tuesday 8 a.m. Morning Prayer, chapel
Wednesday 8 a.m. Morning Prayer, chapel
10 a.m. Holy Eucharist, chapel
6 p.m. Evensong, chapel
Thursday 8 a.m. Morning Prayer, chapel
Noon Holy Eucharist and Service of Reconciliation, chapel
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Thank you!
Paul often affirmed members of the churches he shepherded by telling them he was thanking God for them. In Philippians 1:3-5 Paul writes, "I thank my God every time I remember you, constantly praying with joy in every one of my prayers for all of you, because of your sharing in the gospel from the first day until now."
- Thank you to these little elves (Tom Stumb, Caroline Melby, Sue Black, Heather Dudok) who assembled, decorated, and illuminated the Christmas Tree in the Sanctuary...
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Sunday Volunteers
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Welcome Table: Cate Smith, Betsy Shears
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Vestry Welcome: Sue Morse
- Lectors: Alan Nelson, Rick Collins
- Intercessor: Andrew Pasini
- Ushers: Steve Tilson, Sally Johnstone, Steve Scheidker
- Acolytes: Ryder, Molly, Marianne, Addi
- Eucharistic Visitors: Jerry Hauser, Eli Dudok
- Healing Prayer Ministers: Ren Feldman, Robert Schwartz
- Vergers: Tom Brewster, Barbara Downing
- Guardian: Jim Ferenc
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READINGS
Zephaniah 3:14-20
Sing aloud, O daughter Zion;
shout, O Israel!
Rejoice and exult with all your heart,
O daughter Jerusalem!
The Lord has taken away the judgments against you,
he has turned away your enemies.
The king of Israel, the Lord, is in your midst;
you shall fear disaster no more.
On that day it shall be said to Jerusalem:
Do not fear, O Zion;
do not let your hands grow weak.
The Lord, your God, is in your midst,
a warrior who gives victory;
he will rejoice over you with gladness,
he will renew you in his love;
he will exult over you with loud singing
as on a day of festival.
I will remove disaster from you,
so that you will not bear reproach for it.
I will deal with all your oppressors
at that time.
And I will save the lame
and gather the outcast,
and I will change their shame into praise
and renown in all the earth.
At that time I will bring you home,
at the time when I gather you;
for I will make you renowned and praised
among all the peoples of the earth,
when I restore your fortunes
before your eyes, says the Lord.
Canticle 9
Surely, it is God who saves me; *
I will trust in him and not be afraid.
For the Lord is my stronghold and my sure defense, *
and he will be my Savior.
Therefore you shall draw water with rejoicing *
from the springs of salvation.
And on that day you shall say, *
Give thanks to the Lord and call upon his Name;
Make his deeds known among the peoples; *
see that they remember that his Name is exalted.
Sing the praises of the Lord, for he has done great things, *
and this is known in all the world.
Cry aloud, inhabitants of Zion, ring out your joy, *
for the great one in the midst of you is the Holy One of Israel.
Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit: *
as it was in the beginning, is now, and will be for ever. Amen.
Philippians 4:4-7
Rejoice in the Lord always; again I will say, Rejoice. Let your gentleness be known to everyone. The Lord is near. Do not worry about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.
Luke 3:7-18
John said to the crowds that came out to be baptized by him, "You brood of vipers! Who warned you to flee from the wrath to come? Bear fruits worthy of repentance. Do not begin to say to yourselves, 'We have Abraham as our ancestor'; for I tell you, God is able from these stones to raise up children to Abraham. Even now the ax is lying at the root of the trees; every tree therefore that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire."
And the crowds asked him, "What then should we do?" In reply he said to them, "Whoever has two coats must share with anyone who has none; and whoever has food must do likewise." Even tax collectors came to be baptized, and they asked him, "Teacher, what should we do?" He said to them, "Collect no more than the amount prescribed for you." Soldiers also asked him, "And we, what should we do?" He said to them, "Do not extort money from anyone by threats or false accusation, and be satisfied with your wages."
As the people were filled with expectation, and all were questioning in their hearts concerning John, whether he might be the Messiah, John answered all of them by saying, "I baptize you with water; but one who is more powerful than I is coming; I am not worthy to untie the thong of his sandals. He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire. His winnowing fork is in his hand, to clear his threshing floor and to gather the wheat into his granary; but the chaff he will burn with unquenchable fire."
So, with many other exhortations, he proclaimed the good news to the people.
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Please use this list today and throughout the week, praying with special intention for:
All who are suffering in the wake of violence or natural disasters, all who are serving in the military, all who are distressed in mind, body, or spirit, and members of our parish family including:
Short-term: Pamela Clare, Sallye Howard, The Rev. Kimberly (Kym) Lucas, Christopher Turner (Skala), Robert Schwartz, Alan Wells (Lee), Ginny Pine.
Long-term: Charlie Skala, The Prellberg Family (Stewart), Deacon Lorine Williams, Janet Brennan, JoAnn Brown, Addie Heuston, Millie Heitman, Don Shields
Please notify Heather in the church office
(303-442-5246 or hdudok@stjohnsboulder.org)
if there are people who should be added to
or removed from our prayer list.
THIS WEEK:
We pray for the repose of the souls of:
Winifred J. Bailin, Timothy Albert Eaton, and Carol Jean Worlock, on the anniversary of their deaths. We pray also for the repose of the soul of Vince Iverson.
We honor Christ’s light within those celebrating birthdays:
Jules Albert Carson Vranes, George Clements, Lydia Morrongiello, Ciaran Shaffer, Lily Sykes, Townes Clements, Amber Olson, William Raduziner/ Verilli, Sandy Butterfield, Helen Stanley, Jules Carson Vranes, Helen Ragan, Mary Smith, Lilly Stumb, Tony Lee, Molly Lee-Dodson.
We give thanks to God for the life and ministry of our brothers and sisters in Christ:
Kathy Asta, Gregory & Kristin Atkinson, Art & Robyn Atkison/Trent, Susan Avery, Charles & Rose Ayars, Elizabeth Babish, Karrie Bach, Gretchen & Kirk Bachmann, James Bailey, Kathryn Baker.
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