Because of this many of his disciples turned back and no longer went about with him. (John 6:66)
“Those who eat my flesh and drink my blood abide in me, and I in them. Just as the living Father sent me, and I live because of the Father, so whoever eats me will live because of me. This is the bread that came down from heaven, not like that which your ancestors ate, and they died. But the one who eats this bread will live forever.” (John 6:56-58)
One of the great mysteries of our faith is how Christ becomes present to us in and through the sacrament of the Eucharist. The disciples seem to be struggling with this, probably far more than we do as Jesus was physically standing before them telling them to eat his flesh and drink his blood. Christ promised that when we receive the Blessed Sacrament we will receive him into our very selves and come to share in his eternal life. The exact mechanism of how this works has been debated for centuries. We will never be able to pin down exactly how Christ is present in the bread and wine of the Eucharist, but we know from scripture, tradition and our personal faith experience that he is present. We have heard the slogan “You are what you eat”, and Christ promises that when we receive his Body and Blood in the Blessed Sacrament, we are transformed, too. We become like him as he becomes present in us as we will become present within him.
News & Notes
Pastoral Needs: If a pastoral need arises, please call the church office at 606-528-1659 and leave a message. Voicemail messages will automatically be forwarded to a member of the vestry who can arrange pastoral care. You may also contact the senior warden, Bruce W. Cory, by phone at 440-227-0035 or by e-mail at bwcory@gmail.com
Next Sunday: We will be having a service of Morning Prayer. Jeff Davis will lead the service and Bruce Cory will preach.
Pot Luck Sunday: Next Sunday, August 30, is our monthly pot luck. Bring a dish or drink to share. And all are welcome! Plan to fellowship with each other. Our pot luck schedule shifts in October and November, depending upon the Bishop’s visit and our Annual Meeting.
Sunday, Sept. 6 – We will be participating in a joint worship service with Corbin Presbyterian and First Baptist Church. This service will take the place of our regular Sunday service. The service begins at 10:00 at the Rotary Park. There will be a potluck picnic after the service. We have been asked to supply beverages for the picnic. Individuals may also bring a dish to share and lawn chairs for seating.
Adult Forum: Each Sunday through July we continue a summer series on the Gospel of Mark.
Al-Anon Family Group: An Al-Anon Family Group will meet in St. John’s Parish Hall on Tuesdays from 7-8pm.
Wednesday Fellowship: Gather at 6pm on Wednesday evenings for a service and fellowship.
Fun, fun, fun. The next Family Game Night is August 28, 6:30 – 8:30pm. Bring your favorite games, snacks, and drinks. Pizza will be provided.
God’s Pantry sponsors a senior food program through Corbin Presbyterian Church that unloads, packs and distributes food to 312 low income seniors in our area. The truck load of food (about 10,000 pounds) arrives at the church on the 4th Monday (August 24) of each month about 10:00, and the cases of food are unloaded and stacked in the church fellowship hall. The next night (August 25) at 6:00 we get together and pack the food into 312 boxes. Then, Wednesday (August 26) from 9:00 to 12:30 is the great day when the seniors come to the church to pick up their food and we desperately need people who can carry the boxes to their cars. All of this is labor intensive, and requires some lifting on Monday and Wednesday. On Tuesday we pack the boxes in an assembly line. We are acutely aware that most people who can do this easily are working on Monday and Wednesday, but we would certainly welcome any help we can get!
Link your Kroger Rewards Card to St. John’s Church! Re-enrollment occurs August 1-31! St. John’s receives a portion of what you spend at Kroger. The amount is distributed quarterly. Support St. John’s by linking your card to St. John’s.
The vestry has voted to keep a supply of 5 $20.00 Kroger gift cards each month available to distribute to people who call for food or fuel assistance. If you would like to contribute toward this outreach, please mark your contribution as “Outreach”.
The Vestry has voted to donate $25 each month to Everlasting Arm Homeless Shelter. If you’d like to contribute, put your donations in the collection box by the guest register or mark your donation and put it in the collection plate.
Hymn Selection Group If you’d like to choose hymns for services, join this group. You will choose hymns for an upcoming service and then meet with the entire group to confirm the final selections. See Billy Hibbitts if you are interested.
Would you like to write Prayers of the People? If you are interested in writing these prayers (there are resources that can help with this task), please let Bruce know by phone or email..
Are you interested in assisting with the Sunday service? Readers, Eucharistic Ministers, Crucifers, Altar Guild Members and choir members are all important for each Sunday service. If you’re interested in serving, please let Bruce know.
United Thank Offering. Remember to get your box for your thank offerings for this ministry of The Episcopal Church. The next collection will be in the fall.
Serving Our Neighbors – See baskets in the parlor.
- Everlasting Arms, Corbin’s shelter for people who are homeless, is in need of men’s and women’s razors, gloves, deodorant and socks.
- The Food Pantry at Corbin Presbyterian Church is always in need of nonperishable food items. Vegetables are especially appreciated.
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St. John’s Statement of Inclusion
St. John’s Episcopal Church, Corbin, KY, is a proudly inclusive Christian community. All members are encouraged to participate fully in the life and leadership of the church regardless of age, race, ethnicity, culture, gender, sexual orientation, economic condition, physical or mental ability. We believe all people are created by God to model the diversity in unity which is the Holy Trinity and we seek to live out that diversity in unity within the faith community.
Bishop Doug Hahn will be visiting St. John’s on October 18. Anyone who would like to be confirmed, received into the Episcopal Church, or make a reaffirmation should contact Bruce Cory. We will be scheduling confirmation classes soon. There will be five sessions before the bishop’s visit on the following topics:
You must understand this, my beloved: let everyone be quick to listen, slow to speak, slow to anger; for your anger does not produce God’s righteousness. (James 1:19-20)
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Everything that the Father gives me will come to me, and anyone who comes to me I will never drive away (John 6:37)
Jesus said to them, “I am the bread of life. Whoever comes to me will never be hungry, and whoever believes in me will never be thirsty.” (John 6:35)
Then Jesus took the loaves, and when he had given thanks, he distributed them to those who were seated; so also the fish, as much as they wanted. When they were satisfied, he told his disciples, “Gather up the fragments left over, so that nothing may be lost.” So they gathered them up, and from the fragments of the five barley loaves, left by those who had eaten, they filled twelve baskets. (John 6:11-13)