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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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HALF-YEAR FINANCIAL REPORT TO THE PARISH
The Finance Committee has asked me to share the following information with you:
1. INCOME IS BEHIND BUDGET BY $29k: Unpaid pledges are the reasonAs of June 30th, the half-way mark in the year, our budget (which is based on the pledges you made) predicted we'd have $382k in General Offering and Pledges. The amount actually received to date is $353k. What accounts for this $29k shortfall? (numbers reported here are rounded)
Unpaid pledges.
Of those 17 parishioners who said they'd pay their pledges weekly, 76% have paid less than half their pledges at this half-way point in the year. Of those 131 parishioners who said they'd pay their pledges monthly, 54% have paid less than half their pledges at this half-way point in the year.
Please help your church catch up by taking a few moments to bring your pledge current; that means making whatever payments are needed to fulfill at least 50% of your annual pledge. Thank you so much for your faithful support!
If you pledged to pay your pledge on a yearly or one-time basis, could you take a moment and see if you might pay some of it now? Your church would be most grateful. Thank you!
Operating reserve bears the brunt.
When you don't keep your pledge payments current, your church is obliged to withdraw money from its reserves to cover operating expenses. This money is not borrowed but withdrawn--in other words, it doesn't get repaid. There will come a time when we have no reserve to cushion us. Please help your church avoid this by keeping current on your pledge payments.
In the first six months of 2017, your church encountered two unanticipated expenses:
+ In January the City of Boulder increased our water rate by 8%. When our sprinkler system was turned on in May, our water bill reflected the impact of this rate increase.
+ A failure in one of our boilers necessitated costly repairs.
Despite these set-backs, expenses continue to be well controlled. St John's is blessed with many people who volunteer their time. Of those who are employed by the church, most are part-time staff. We have not increased payroll in recent years, and instead have reallocated the money spent as new people join us and job duties are shifted.
Respectfully submitted, The Rev Susan W Springer
Rector
On Behalf of the Finance Committee:Michael Weatherwax, Treasurer; Joanie Heard, Senior Warden; Bob Morse, Standing Committee; Mhari Peschel; Dan Dever; Carol March, Bookkeeper; The Rev Susan W Springer, The Rev Ted Howard
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OUR LOOSE PLATE RECIPIENTS
FOR THE MONTH OF JULY
Mountain States Childrens’ Home
Located on a beautiful 144 acre farm in the rolling hills four and a half miles north of Longmont, this non-profit childrens’ home offers stability, balance and nurture with a spiritual foundation to children, ages 10 to 18, that come from abuse, neglect, abandonment and other troubled life situations. Many of the children are seriously behind grade level performance when they arrive. After a year in this special educational environment the average child typically advances 3.77 years within one year!
Founded in 1960 by a group of Denver religious leaders with support from Juvenile Judge Phillip Gilliam,—beloved throughout this region for his compassion in helping children overcome adversity— this childrens’ haven provides guidance; specialized education; a model family home life and counseling, all creating the balance needed for a successful future. The children live in small, ranch-style homes with house “parents” and five “siblings”. They do chores, attend school on the campus, work on the farm to contribute fresh produce and learn how families can live together successfully.
Funding for operation of the home comes primarily from individuals, church organizations and donations from civic groups, with only 0.5 percent government assistance.
Save the Date: Gala Dinner to Benefit the Home, Oct 14, 2017
Volunteer opportunities range from outdoor work like landscape maintenance, assisting in construction projects, working the farm, tutoring the students and volunteering in the MSCH Thrift Store, located in downtown Longmont. Contact Phil Crew 303-776-6841
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The Syrian Refugee Crisis and our response:
There are over 5 million Syrian refugees in camps in Lebanon, Turkey, Iraq and Jordon – displaced by war, terrorism and hunger. Most of the refugees are women and children. Their needs are desperate and immediate, but their plight has been pushed into the background and is slowly being forgotten. This summer, St John’s will hold a series of events to support refugees abroad and here at home, culminating with Refugee Sunday on August 20th. This is our opportunity to stand together with people of all faiths to support "the least of our brothers and sisters” who are in such need.
Calendar of events:
Prayer and Reflection, July 12, July 19, July 26, and Aug 2. As people of faith, we will come together to pray for the Syrian people. Eben Carsey will lead a 4-week reflection series on Wednesdays from 6:45-7:15 in chapel following Evensong. Please contact Eben if you’d like more information, ecarsey@comcast.net.
“Coffee with a Muslim” on Sunday, July 23. Members of the Boulder Islamic Center will speak about Islam in America at the coffee hour after the 9:30 Service. They’d like an interactive discussion, so please bring your questions about Islam.
Volunteer Preparation and Training July 23rd and Aug 6th: we need volunteers to setup refugee tents, run the virtual-reality station, tell the refugee stories, and collect donations and pledges. Volunteers will meet after the 9:30 service. Please contact Mark Guzzi, mdguzzi@gmail.com, to volunteer.
Syrian Refugee Art Exhibit, Month of August: Paintings by Honora Wolfe depicting refugees in camps will be on display in the church hall. All proceeds from the sale of these paintings will go to Syrian refugees.
Rice and Diaper Collection, Aug 13th: Episcopal Migration Ministries and Lutheran Family Services needs our help supporting refugees here in Colorado. They are requesting large (25lb or 50lb) bags of rice and diapers of all sizes, especially for older toddlers. Contact Cherine Hermann, cherine.herrmann@gmail.com, for more information.
Refugee Sunday, August 20th: The day will be filled with refugee exhibits, speakers, and art to raise awareness of the plight of the refugees, and collect donations/pledges to support them. We are inviting other Episcopal Churches, the Pine Street Churches, the Boulder Islamic Center, Boulder Synagogues, and the Shambala Center to join with us. Please contact Mark Guzzi, mdguzzi@gmail.com, for more information or to volunteer.
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The St. John's Office is looking for a few good volunteers to join our staff. Volunteer duties include, but are not limited to, greeting guests, answering phones, and special projects.
The shifts that need to be filled are:
Wednesdays from 1pm-4pm
Thursdays from 1pm-4pm
and also an on call list so our volunteers
can take vacations with coverage.
If you are interested, or need more information, please contact us:
Heather hdudok@stjohnsboulder.org
Diane dwells@stjohnsboulder.org
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THE ALTAR GUILD OF ST. JOHN’S
IS LOOKING FOR A FEW GOOD
MEN AND WOMEN
St. John's Altar Guild is seeking volunteers to join our ministry. We need people who can spare a few hours, one weekend a month, and if necessary, we could work a plan for shared duties, which would result in even less time. Please take some time to give this prayer and thought, and if you have an interest, please feel fee to contact
Deacon Lorine at 720-626-2612
This ministry provides opportunities to serve the Lord's Church and meet other dedicated people.
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Upcoming funeral for the Rev. Gayle King
We regret to report that the Rev. Gayle King has passed away. Gayle was formerly a member of St. John’s staff. Among other duties, she was the principal “go to” person for all of St. John’s pastoral care and pastoral ministry activities in which she was especially gifted and experienced. Fr. Ted administered last rites to Gayle on Monday evening at Good Samaritan hospital. She was off of all life support since Sunday morning. Since all of her family is in town and she passed early Thursday morning, we were asked to schedule her funeral at St. John’s this Sunday, July 16th, at 2 pm with a reception to follow in the Parish Hall. All parishioners, together with any others who knew and loved Gayle, are warmly invited to attend the service.
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Coffee Hour
We envision St. John's as a community
where everyone undertakes
"welcome" and "hospitality"
as an intentional holy practice.
Coffee Hour this week is brought to you by:
Kathleen Ferguson, Jennifer Gilley
and Jill Zender
And please sign up to help make Coffee Hour Fellowship happen. Contact Jessica Burnett: (jburnett@stjohnsboulder.org)
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NEW MEMBER CLASSES
If you would like to learn more about St. John’s and about the Episcopal faith, join Pastor Susan and Father Ted, after church on Sunday, July 16th for the 2nd part of a 2-part class and discussion session.
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SAVE THESE DATES:
® July 23rd—7:30am-9:30am: Parent meet and greet with Mother Amy in the Library
® August 6th—Father Ben’s last day at St. John’s
® August 13th—Blessing of the backpacks with Mother Amy at the 9:30 service
® August 13th – Parent meet and greet with Caroline Melby following the 9:30 service
® August 20th—Syrian Ministry Sunday
® August 27th—Ministry Fair
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Please join Diane Wells for Habitat for Humanity: Guatemala: A Slideshow Presentation on Sunday, July 30th at 11:20am in the parish hall. Come find out how Habitat Guatemala is making a positive impact on people’s lives and how you can participate in those efforts. Presentation includes a short history of Guatemala followed by images from two recent Habitat Guatemala trips. Hope to see you there!
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Have you ever felt like you know in your heart and soul that you are called to something, the question is WHAT? Have you ever wanted to read the bible without feeling frustrated by the language? Have you ever wanted to explore your faith in a safe and supportive environment? If you answer yes to these and many other questions about Christianity we have a place for you. Education for Ministry (EfM) is a 4-year curriculum that develops you into a theologically informed, reflective, and articulate person of God who is prepared to listen for and respond to God’s call. EfM helps you discover and exercise your varied gifts for ministry where you live and work. And the best news is that you only sign up for one year at a time, which consists of 36 weekly meetings. There isn’t a four-year commitment.
The EfM group at St. John’s meets every Tuesday evening from 7:00 – 9:00 starting in September (this year it starts September 5th) and going until mid-May. If you are interested in exploring what EfM has to offer or are ready to sign up for the next year, we are accepting new members now through July 16th. Please contact either EfM mentor Anne Skamarock (anne@skamarock.net - 720-201-4490) or David Plume (David.Plume@tetratech.com - 303-437-7977) to get more information or to sign up.
Please look for the EfM table after the 7:30 a.m. and 9:30 a.m. services over the next 4 weeks for sign-up. The total cost is $375.00 with financial assistance options possible. Please contact Pastor Susan if you have questions regarding financial assistance.
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JOIN US FOR EVENSONG
Wednesdays at 6pm
(on hiatus during the month of AUGUST)
Contemplative Evensong meets every Wednesday evening at 6p.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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Weekly Services
Saturday 5:00p.m. Holy Eucharist, chapel
Sunday 7:30 a.m. Holy Eucharist, chapel
9:30 a.m. Holy Eucharist, church
11:11 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 (on hiatus during the month of August)
Thursday 8 a.m. Morning Prayer, chapel
Noon Holy Eucharist and Service of Reconciliation, chapel
Friday 4:15 p.m. Common Cathedral, rotunda
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Summer Sunday School
Summer Sunday school for kids 5-11 began on Sunday, June 18th, and will run through August 6th. We'll meet on the lawn (weather permitting) and hear a story, share prayer, sing songs, and make simple crafts. Kids will join their families in church for communion each week. Volunteers are needed to help. Please contact Caroline Melby. 303-442-5246 or cmelby@stjohnsboulder.org
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Eagle's Nest Summer of Faith and FunEagle’s Nest participants will attend the entire 9:30am Eucharist during the summer. All activities start following worship.
July 16 Pizza&Games Youth Room
July 23 Refugee Sunday Prep.
July 30* Mountain Hike
August 6 Refugee Sunday Prep.
August 13* BBQ Kickoff Longmont
August 20 Refugee Sunday
*requires RSVP and permission form
- The Eagle’s Nest is a 6th through 12th grade ministry of St. John’s Episcopal Church.
- All summer activities are open to Eagle’s Nest participants as well as their families.
- Please RSVP for *events as early as possible by contacting the office or speaking with an Eagle’s Nest volunteer on Sunday morning.
- All activities away from the St. John’s campus require a permission/safety form.
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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."
This week, the staff and leaders of St John's give thanks to God for those listed below, praying with joy that these good people are sharing in the work of the gospel in our parish.
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Thank you to Gillian Brewster for all of her tedious and hard work hand labeling all of the vestments and chasubles.
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Thank you to Richard Ackerman for his continued help with managing our campus.
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Thank you to Betsy Shears for arranging the delivery of altar flowers to some of the parishioners we hold in prayer.
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Sunday Helpers:
Vestry Welcome: Eli Dudok
Lectors: Helen McKeown, Michelle Auerbach
Intercessor: Robert Schwartz
Ushers: Roxanne Bamond, Joanne Foster, Ted Williams
Acolytes: Molly, Henry, Marianne, Addi
Vergers: Tom Brewster
Healing Prayer:
Eucharistic Visitors: Eli Dudok, Robert Schwartz
Isaiah 55:10-13
As the rain and the snow come down from heaven,
and do not return there until they have watered the earth,
making it bring forth and sprout,
giving seed to the sower and bread to the eater,
so shall my word be that goes out from my mouth;
it shall not return to me empty,
but it shall accomplish that which I purpose,
and succeed in the thing for which I sent it.
For you shall go out in joy,
and be led back in peace;
the mountains and the hills before you
shall burst into song,
and all the trees of the field shall clap their hands.
Instead of the thorn shall come up the cypress;
instead of the brier shall come up the myrtle;
and it shall be to the Lord for a memorial,
for an everlasting sign that shall not be cut off.
Psalm 65:9-14
9 You visit the earth and water it abundantly;
you make it very plenteous; *
the river of God is full of water.
10 You prepare the grain, *
for so you provide for the earth.
11 You drench the furrows and smooth out the ridges; *
with heavy rain you soften the ground and bless its increase.
12 You crown the year with your goodness, *
and your paths overflow with plenty.
13 May the fields of the wilderness be rich for grazing, *
and the hills be clothed with joy.
14 May the meadows cover themselves with flocks,
and the valleys cloak themselves with grain; *
let them shout for joy and sing.
Romans 8:1-11
There is no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus. For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus has set you free from the law of sin and of death. For God has done what the law, weakened by the flesh, could not do: by sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh, and to deal with sin, he condemned sin in the flesh, so that the just requirement of the law might be fulfilled in us, who walk not according to the flesh but according to the Spirit. For those who live according to the flesh set their minds on the things of the flesh, but those who live according to the Spirit set their minds on the things of the Spirit. To set the mind on the flesh is death, but to set the mind on the Spirit is life and peace. For this reason the mind that is set on the flesh is hostile to God; it does not submit to God's law-- indeed it cannot, and those who are in the flesh cannot please God.
But you are not in the flesh; you are in the Spirit, since the Spirit of God dwells in you. Anyone who does not have the Spirit of Christ does not belong to him. But if Christ is in you, though the body is dead because of sin, the Spirit is life because of righteousness. If the Spirit of him who raised Jesus from the dead dwells in you, he who raised Christ from the dead will give life to your mortal bodies also through his Spirit that dwells in you.
Matthew 13:1-9, 18-23
Jesus went out of the house and sat beside the sea. Such great crowds gathered around him that he got into a boat and sat there, while the whole crowd stood on the beach. And he told them many things in parables, saying: “Listen! A sower went out to sow. And as he sowed, some seeds fell on the path, and the birds came and ate them up. Other seeds fell on rocky ground, where they did not have much soil, and they sprang up quickly, since they had no depth of soil. But when the sun rose, they were scorched; and since they had no root, they withered away. Other seeds fell among thorns, and the thorns grew up and choked them. Other seeds fell on good soil and brought forth grain, some a hundredfold, some sixty, some thirty. Let anyone with ears listen!”
“Hear then the parable of the sower. When anyone hears the word of the kingdom and does not understand it, the evil one comes and snatches away what is sown in the heart; this is what was sown on the path. As for what was sown on rocky ground, this is the one who hears the word and immediately receives it with joy; yet such a person has no root, but endures only for a while, and when trouble or persecution arises on account of the word, that person immediately falls away. As for what was sown among thorns, this is the one who hears the word, but the cares of the world and the lure of wealth choke the word, and it yields nothing. But as for what was sown on good soil, this is the one who hears the word and understands it, who indeed bears fruit and yields, in one case a hundredfold, in another sixty, and in another thirty.”
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Prayers of Intercession
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:
Mary Jo Benton, Janet Brennan, Mike (Wells), Jere Freeman (Burnett), Pete Jackson, Jerry Maddock, JoAnn Brown, David Lange, Charlie Skala, Bella Mody, Addie Heuston, Millie Heitman, Mark Odeen, Lynn Post, 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 soul of:
Rt. Rev. Robert McConnell Hatch, Janis Rosenthal VanZante , and Thurston “Ted” Manning on the anniversaries of their death.
We honor Christ’s light within those celebrating birthdays:
Marcia Millikan, Steve Christopher, Matt Russell, William Reeder, Scott Verplanck, Lisa Corboy, Emma Gorsuch, Sophie Melich, Annika Paradise, Peter Strange, Shayna Larsen, Eliza Fernie, Josef-Henri Bachmann, Jerry McGarey, Monica Pagnotta, Ethan Harrington
We give thanks to God for the life and ministry of our brothers and sisters in Christ:
Sally Benjamin, Frances Berry, Marsha Beyer, Gretchen Biddle, Mark & Pat Biggers, Paul & Richenda Biles, John & Linda Black
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