This Sunday (May 3, 2015) at St. John’s

Posted on April 29, 2015 by St. John's Episcopal Church

Almighty God, whom truly to know is everlasting life: Grant us so perfectly to know your Son Jesus Christ to be the way, the truth, and the life, that we may steadfastly follow his steps in the way that leads to eternal life; through Jesus Christ your Son our Lord, who lives and reigns with you, in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen. Collect for Fifth Sunday in Easter, Pg. 225, Book of Common Prayer

Our Collects each week certainly ask God for a lot, don’t they? I mean, we’re asking God to have us “perfectly to know” Jesus Christ. Wow, what does that perfection in knowing Jesus Christ, especially the perfection of knowing Jesus Christ to be “the way, the truth, and the life….?”

We ask for something nearly impossible (perfect faith), I believe, because we need that perfect faith in Jesus Christ before we’ll follow in Christ’s steps. We question. We doubt. We aren’t sure. We’re afraid. As a result, we don’t follow “steadfastly” in Jesus’ steps. Following Jesus is the way to life…abundant life…eternal life.

So we ask God for more faith, more understanding. We ask God for the faith that will support us in following Jesus Christ, no matter what.

Blessings as you finish your week!

Love, Rebecca+

Rebecca’s Schedule

Rebecca will be on vacation this week, returning May 9. For pastoral emergencies, please contact The Rev. John Burkhart, 606-521-0345. You can get a message to Rebecca by calling the church office at 606-528-1659 or priest-in-charge@stjohnscorbin.org.

This Sunday we observe Asian/Pacific Islander Sunday. We especially remember the Diocese of Taiwan, a Diocese of The Episcopal Church. There are 15 Episcopal churches on the island. We also pray for the Deanery of Nepal, part of the Diocese of Singapore.

Godly Play offered for children. All children are invited to participate in this special program of spiritual development.

Adult Forum Our current series is on Ten Ways to Pray. This week Rebecca will lead us in The Daily Office and Scripture.

Work Day at the Church, Saturday, May 30, 10am. All are invited to help with outside and inside projects, such as mulching, lattice-work around the amphitheater, and caulking the windows. If you have a key to the church, you can also come by and take your Prevention Of Sexual Misconduct (POSM) training.

Fun, fun, fun. The next Family Game Night is Friday, May 22, 6:30 – 8:30pm. Bring your favorite games, snacks, and drinks. Pizza will be provided.

2015 Goals: The Vestry has adopted the following goals for 2015, in line with our recently-adopted Mission Statement, Proclaiming the Gospel, promoting justice, and preparing a diverse community of seekers to reflect the welcoming love of Christ:

Support Al-Anon group meeting at the Church.
List St. John’s Church on theIntegrity and Believe Out Loud websites as an open and welcoming church, especially for people who are Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, and Questioning.
Remodel space for use as a sacristy.
Repurpose the parlor.
Serve as a site for the KCEOC Summer Lunch program for youth ages 18 and under.

The Grow Appalachia Committee meets Thursday, at 6pm through May.

Rogation Service, Wednesday, May 13, 6pm. We will say prayers around our property and end in the church for Eucharist. Rogation comes from the Latin, “to ask.” The days are observed the Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday prior to Ascension Day. They have typically had a focus on agriculture and prayers for the growing season.

Make Pentecost Peace Cranes, Sunday, May 17, after church. Stay after church to make these origami peace cranes to decorate the sanctuary for Pentecost on Sunday, May 24.

A Grow Appalachia Garden Takes Shape thanks to Americorps NCCC

Posted on April 11, 2015 by St. John's Episcopal Church

Saturday, April 11, a group of volunteers from Americorps NCCC gave a huge boost to St. John’s Grow Appalachia Community Garden. The group has been working at Cumberland Falls State Park on a variety of projects, including pulling invasive species like burning bush.

Today, they came to set up cedar poles for two grape arbors as part of our garden. In addition, they started to cut the sod from the garden plots, so we can till the soil and begin planting. While all of this has been mapped out on paper, now you can see how it’s all going to look. And it was a great day to be working outdoors.

Thanks to June Sullivan, who provided pizza for lunch. Thanks to Steve Gilbert and Ward Brown for organizing the project!

Enjoy the photos of the day.

Getting started…

Digging, digging and more digging…

Getting the cedar posts firmly in the ground AND digging the next hole…

This friendly neighborhood dog enjoyed watching the activity and playing with the volunteers.

The garden beds are beginning to emerge

cutting sod and digging more holes…

Cutting the sod is hard work, but there is terrific soil underneath!

We piled the sod in the center where we’re planning a circular herb bed. The string shows the outline of a garden bed

The wonderful crew. They’ll spend 10 months traveling around the country helping out in a variety of ways. THANKS for your service!

Poles for 2 grape arbors, garden beds laid out and some ready for planting!

The cedar poles are firmly in the ground and ready for the top frame to hold the grapes

This is the pile of sod from 4 of the 10 beds.

This Sunday (March 8) at St. John’s

Posted on March 5, 2015 by St. John's Episcopal Church

Almighty God, you know that we have no power in ourselves to help ourselves: Keep us both outwardly in our bodies and inwardly in our souls, that we may be defended from all adversities which may happen to the body, and from all evil thoughts which may assault and hurt the soul; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen. Collect, Third Sunday in Lent Pg. 218, Book of Common Prayer

Our Collects for each Sunday of the church year are beautiful. Collects are a way we “collect” our prayers to God. They have a particular form — Address, petition, aspiration, doxology. Let’s look at the Collect for this Sunday:

Address – Almighty God, you know that we have no power in ourselves to help ourselves
Petition – Keep us both outwardly in our bodies and inwardly in our souls
Aspiration – that we may be defended from all adversities which my happen to our body, and from all evil thought which may assault and hurt the soul;
Doxology – through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever

Yes, God knows we have no power in ourselves to help ourselves. While I think I have great faith, I am constantly reminded that there are some parts of my personal, daily life, I don’t think God has time for. I find it hard to ask for help from others, so will flounder around on my own for awhile, before realizing there are others who can help.

But God knows I need help. God know I need the help of others and the help of God to live life. This doesn’t mean I have no responsibility. I still must do my part AND I must keep my overreliance on my self in balance.

Blessings as you finish this snowy week!

Love, Rebecca+

Daylight Savings Time Begins at 2:00am THIS SUNDAY! Change your clock one hour forward (spring forward).

Observance of Women’s History Month this Sunday, March 8. Hymns written by women and special sermon.

Rebecca’s Schedule
Rebecca will be at St. John’s this week, Tuesday through Thursday. Her Sabbath Days will be Monday and Friday. You can get a message to her by calling the church office at 606-528-1659 or priest-in-charge@stjohnscorbin.org.

Godly Play offered for children. All children are invited to participate in this special program of spiritual development.

Adult Forum
During Lent, we are discussing various issues in Appalachia. This Sunday, Rebecca will lead a discussion on the “Discovery” of Appalachia. Next week, March 15, Professor Joe Pearson will talk about “Why Appalachia got left behind – 1965 to present.”

The Vestry proposes the following Mission Statement for St. John’s Church: Proclaiming the Gospel, promoting justice, and preparing a diverse community of seekers to reflect the welcoming love of Christ. Let us know what you think about this statement, which guides us to goals and actions that embody our Mission.

Wednesday Evenings During Lent through March 25, 6:30pm, series on Appalachia. Plan to come on Wednesday evenings for a soup and bread supper, followed by a special series on Appalachia. Next Wednesday, we will have a discussion on the connection to the land.

The Grow Appalachia Committee will meet not meet tonight, March 5, but will meet Saturday, March 7, 8:30am for a shopping trip. If you’re interested in planting your own garden, either here in St. John’s Park or in your own backyard, or helping with a community plot here in the park, please plan to attend these meetings.

Good Ag Practices (GAP) Certification class, Monday, March 16, 6pm, Laurel County Extension Office. This class is required if you’d like to sell items at the Farmer’s Markets.

Donations are being accepted until March 29, for flowers to decorate the church for Easter. Use the donation envelopes and write if the donation is “in honor of/in memory” of a loved one or a special occasion. Donations in any amount will be accepted.

Honor or remember a loved one through altar flowers. Please sign up on the Flower Donation Chart and let us know if you’d like the flowers to be “in memory of/in honor of” a loved one or special occasion. We suggest a donation of $20. Please place your donation in the envelopes provided.

The Altar Guild and Worship Committee will meet Friday, March 20, 4:30-6:00pm to plan for Holy Week and Easter. If you are able to assist with altar and worship preparation for this busy week of the Church year, please try to attend or let Rev. Rebecca know.

A Confusion of the Spirit: Holy or Distilled? Saturday, March 21, 10am – noon. The Rev. Dr. Stuart Hoke, a priest in North Carolina and one of Rebecca’s professors at General Seminary, is coming to Corbin to raise our community’s awareness about addiction and recovery. As a recovering individual himself, Stuart is very much involved in helping churches, congregations and individuals deal with the disease of alcoholism and addictive illness. He will also preach at the Sunday service.

Make a Covenant with St. John’s! God has made unconditional covenants with us that God will always be with us, always be our God. Likewise, through our annual pledge, we state our promise and obligation to the mission and work of the people of St. John’s Episcopal Church. Our mission and work not only includes our worship, Grow Appalachia, and family game nights, but also God’s work in our region through our Diocese and in our nation and world through The Episcopal Church and The Anglican Communion. If you’d like to make a covenant with St. John’s through a pledge, please see Rebecca or Gay Nell Conley.

This Sunday (March 1) at St. John’s

Posted on February 27, 2015 by St. John's Episcopal Church

The poor shall eat and be satisfied Psalm 22:25

I just left a Grow Appalachia Meeting. These meetings are full of dreams and hopes. There are so many vegetables we all love, especially fresh from the garden. So many varieties of tomatoes. We are supposed to measure our harvest to report to Grow Appalachia, but what about the wonderful cherry tomatoes you really want to pop into your mouth right from the plant?

Tonight we laid out the garden – 10 beds arranged to look like a cross, with a circular herb bed in the middle. We decided what to plant in the beds, with an eye towards color and beauty. We looked at the dates to plant each vegetable and marked them on a calendar. Then we planned a shopping trip for fertilizer, tools and seeds.

AND the plot is covered with inches of snow! We cannot even begin to know when we will be able to plant! Now, that is Hope and dreams.

We dream of a harvest that we share, especially with our neighbors who are poor…with people who are homeless and people who must come to the food pantry. We are living into this Sunday’s Psalm about the poor eating and being satisfied.

Blessings as you finish your week!

Love, Rebecca+

Join us for pancakes and game night! Friday, February 27, 6pm.

Rebecca’s Schedule
Rebecca will be at St. Agnes’ House this week, Monday through Thursday. Her Sabbath Day will be Friday. You can get a message to her by calling the church office at 606-528-1659 or priest-in-charge@stjohnscorbin.org.

This Sunday we welcome The Rev. Phillip Haug. Rebecca will be at St. Patrick’s Somerset to talk about St. Agnes’ House and to celebrate the service.

Godly Play offered for children. All children are invited to participate in this special program of spiritual development.

Adult Forum
During Lent, we are discussing various issues in Appalachia. This Sunday, Professor Jimmy Smith, will lead a discussion on Appalachia and the land. Next week, we will have a discussion on the “Discovery” of Appalachia.

Wednesday Evenings During Lent through March 25, 6:30pm, series on Appalachia. Plan to come on Wednesday evenings for a soup and bread supper, followed by a special series on Appalachia. This Wednesday, Professor Joseph Pearson will lead a discussion on The 20th Century Discovery of Appalachia.

The Grow Appalachia Committee will meet not meet Thursday, March 5, but will meet Saturday, March 7, 8:30am for a shopping trip. If you’re interested in planting your own garden, either here in St. John’s Park or in your own backyard, or helping with a community plot here in the park, please plan to attend these meetings.

Daylight Savings Time begins next Sunday, March 8. Remember to set your clocks forward 1 hour on Saturday night.

This Sunday (January 25, 2015) at St. John’s

Posted on January 21, 2015 by St. John's Episcopal Church

For God alone my soul in silence waits; *
truly, my hope is in him. Psalm 62:6

I used to think I was so smart, because when things got tough, I knew exactly what action to take. When I was going through a divorce, I was so heartbroken and felt so much grief. I took lots of actions like going to counseling, getting involved with a personal growth community, and getting more involved with church. I was actually looking for something to take away the pain of the grief, sadness and loss I was feeling. So I took action.

Everything I did was really very healthy. It wasn’t that I was doing things that were bad for me, but it was that nothing was going to make the pain go away, except living through it. I had to walk through that pain, grief and loss. I needed to sit still…. I needed to sit in silence for awhile and wait upon God.

Now I know when I feel anxious or in deep grief, I need to be silent and wait on God, because therein lies my hope, rather than in any action I might take.

Blessings as you finish your week!

Love, Rebecca+

01-25-2015 Bulletin

POT LUCK THIS SUNDAY

It’s our monthly pot luck! Come join us and taste great food and enjoy wonderful company!

Rebecca’s Schedule: Rev. Rebecca will at St. John’s Corbin Wednesday, January 28 through Friday, January 30. Her Sabbath day will be Monday, January 26 and Tuesday, January 27. You can get a message to her by calling the church office at 606-528-1659 or priest-in-charge@stjohnscorbin.org

Adult Forum: In January through mid-February (Christmas and Epiphany), we will discuss the blessing of same gender relationships. Next week, Rebecca will be reviewing Liturgy and the development of Liturgical Resources.

Godly Play offered for children. All children are invited to participate in this special program of spiritual development.

Pot Luck Sunday: Today after the 11:00 service is our monthly pot luck meal. All are welcome and there is plenty of food to go around! Plan on a time of fellowship with each other.

Property Committee will meet Tuesday, January 27, 6pm, at the church.

Morning Eucharist: A Service of Holy Eucharist will be available Wednesday, January 28, at 9am in the Sanctuary.

Game Night: Everyone is invited to Game night on Friday, January 30, in the Parish Hall from 6:30pm to 9:30pm. This night of fun is hosted by the Young Adults of the parish. Pizza will be provided. Bring snacks and your own drinks.

Worship Committee will meet Friday, January 30, 4:30-6:00pm.

The annual Acolyte Festival will be held Saturday, January 31, 10am – 3:30pm at Christ Church Cathedral in Lexington

Grow Appalachia Committee will meet Sunday, February 15, after church.

A Group hoping to send children from Corbin to Reading Camp at Pine Mountain Settlement School will meet on Thursday, February 27, 10:15am at St. John’s.

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.

Follow us on Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest and Subscribe to our Website Feed!

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/StJohnsCorbin

Twitter: https://twitter.com/StJohnsCorbin

Website: http://stjohnscorbin.org/?subscribe=success#blog_subscription-2

Pinterest: http://www.pinterest.com/stjohnscorbin/

This Sunday (January 11, 2015) at St. John’s

Posted on January 8, 2015 by St. John's Episcopal Church

God called the light Day, and the darkness he called Night. And there was evening and there was morning, the first day. Genesis 1:5

Most of us have had many “first days.” There is the first day we remember. There is the first day we went to school. There is the first day we met our best friend or our spouse. There is the first day we lived after someone we loved had died. So many first days….

This Sunday we’ll here this short passage from Genesis about the first day…truly the first day. It’s hard to imagine that. But what we do know about first days is that they represent something new and different…something that dramatically changes our lives and how we live them. There can be incredibly hard first days, but there can also be incredibly important and hope-filled first days.

If we’re not living the life God has called us to, we can start trying again. We can have a new day…a first day of living in a new way. We’re only 11 days into the New Year. What first days do you think God is calling you to?

Blessings as you finish your week!

Love, Rebecca

01-11-2015 Bulletin Renewal of Baptismal Covenant

Rebecca’s Schedule: Rev. Rebecca will at St. Agnes’ House Monday, January 12, through Thursday, January 15. Her Sabbath day will be Friday, January 16. You can get a message to her by calling the church office at 606-528-1659 or priest-in-charge@stjohnscorbin.org

Adult Forum: In January through mid-February (Christmas and Epiphany), we will discuss the blessing of same gender relationships. Next week, Rebecca will be reviewing the History of the Episcopal Church’s Decision.

Godly Play offered for children. All children are invited to participate in this special program of spiritual development.

Your prayers and presence are requested at the ordination to the Priesthood of Andrew Hege, on Saturday, January 17,10am, at Church of the Good Shepherd in Lexington.

Youth Group Bowling. The youth ages 13-18 will go bowling Sunday afternoon, January 18, 1-3pm at Forest Bowling Lanes, Corbin. Please see Rev. Rebecca if you’d like to go.

The Diocesan Stewardship Commission is offering an update on their work prior to Diocesan Convention. Join Rebecca on Tuesday, January 20, at 7pm at St. Mary’s in Middlesboro to hear this update. We can ride together and leave about 5 so we can eat dinner together. The Bishop is also offering scholarships for teams from parishes to attend The Episcopal Network for Stewardship (www.tens.org) conference in Texas in May. Please let Rebecca know if you’re interested in either of these events, as well as assisting with stewardship at St. John’s.

Weekday Morning Eucharist will be available Wednesday, January 21, 9am, in the Sanctuary.

Reading Camp Meeting, January 21, 10am. This meeting will be with people in Corbin interested in helping children read. We will look into recruiting children from Corbin for the Pine Mountain Camp, as well as connecting them to the local programs supporting reading during the school year. We will also discuss raising money to support the children and the camp. If you’d like to be part of this, please let Rebecca know.

Grow Appalachia! We’ve received a grant for $4,530 for our community garden through Grow Appalachia. The Grow Appalachia website is http://www.berea.edu/grow-appalachia/ The Grow Appalachia Committee will meet Wednesday, January 21, 6:30pm.

Worship Committee will meet Friday, January 23, 4:30pm to plan Lent, Holy Week, and Easter. All are welcome!

Game Night, Friday, January 30, 6:30-9:00pm. Everyone is invited to Game night on Friday, January 30, hosted by the Young Adults of the parish. Pizza will be provided. Bring snacks and your own drinks.

The annual Acolyte Festival will be held Saturday, January 31, 10am – 3:30pm at Christ Church Cathedral in Lexington

Provide Flowers for the altar in honor or in memory of a loved one: Donations for flowers for the altar are accepted for any Sunday of the year. Please place your donation in the envelope, marking whether they are in honor of or in memory of someone.

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.

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 Rebecca know by phone 859-429-1659 or priest-in-charge@stjohnscorbin.org.

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.

Follow us on Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest and Subscribe to our Website Feed!

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/StJohnsCorbin

Twitter: https://twitter.com/StJohnsCorbin

Website: http://stjohnscorbin.org/?subscribe=success#blog_subscription-2

Pinterest: http://www.pinterest.com/stjohnscorbin/

This Sunday (October 5) at St. John’s

Posted on October 2, 2014 by St. John's Episcopal Church

The heavens declare the glory of God, *
and the firmament shows his handiwork. Psalm 19:1

Every time I read this Psalm, I immediately flash to high school choir at Mechanicsburg High School with choir director Mr. Stewart. I loved Mr. Stewart, how he taught music, how he taught those of us in choir. He challenged us. So much of the way I sing is because Mr. Stewart is in my head, clapping his hands to stop us or to start us up in rehearsal. As an adult, I felt so blessed that Mr. Stewart joined the church I’d grown up in. So even then I saw him and benefitted from him.

One of the pieces Mr. Stewart taught our choir was Haydn’s The Heavens Are Telling from Haydn’s Creation. The piece is rousing glorious and really fun to sing. So, this Sunday if I break into song during the Psalm, please forgive me. I’m remembering with joy Mr. Stewart, now singing (or directing) a heavenly choir.

Creation and Stewardship and Blessing of Animals

Yes, it’s the time of year we remember creation as the seasons change and the traditional harvest season comes to an end. We remember all of creation and this Sunday, we especially remember our pets. Bring your pet to church (we’ll be having our service in the amphitheater) and both of you will be blessed! We’ll also start our Stewardship campaign for the 2015 year. In thanks for all of God’s creation, including our very selves, we prayerfully consider what of God’s we will return for the work of the church. Pledge cards should be returned by October 26, to prepare for our November 16 Annual Meeting.

News & Notes

Rebecca’s Schedule: Rebecca will be at the Diocesan Clergy Conference October 6-8 and at St. John’s on Thursday, October 9. Her Sabbath Day will be Friday October 10. You can get a message to her by calling the church office at 606-528-1659 or priest-in-charge@stjohnscorbin.org.

Adult Forum: The Adult Forum will help set up the amphitheater for church this Sunday. Beginning October 12, we will discuss various aspects being good stewards.

Sunday School – Godly Play: The Godly Play program is for children is offered each Sunday morning at 10:00 am . All children are invited to participate in this special form of spiritual development.

Godly Play Teachers needed. Godly Play teachers are needed. Training is provided. This is a wonderful program of spiritual development for children and we’d like to keep it going in the parish. Please let Rebecca know if you are willing to be trained and serve as a teacher for a period of approximately 1 month.

Belk Charity Sales Day: The annual Belk Charity Sales day will be Saturday, November 8, 6-10am. Members of St. John’s are selling tickets for $5.00 for this special event. The church keeps the $5.00 and for each ticket you receive $5.00 off an item.

We will be having an initial gathering of those interested in the Brotherhood of St. Andrew on October 5 after the Sunday service. To learn more, speak to Bruce Cory. You can also learn more from http://www.brotherhoodofstandrew.org/about.php

Furnace Needed: The furnace located in the sacristy, which heats part of the social hall and hallways must be replaced prior to this winter. Cost is $2,250 for a furnace that will also be more energy efficient. We’ll also need to replace two more furnaces over the next two years: one that heats the parish hall and one that heats the rectory. Donations for the furnace can be put in the boxes back on the shelves in the parish hall.

Bring your pets to church to be blessed on Sunday, October 5. We will have a service outdoors in our park (or in the amphitheater). Pets should be leashed and/or in carriers.

The Grow Appalachia Committee will meet after church on Sunday, October 5, to distribute flyers for the October 8 community meeting. The Community meeting is scheduled for Wednesday, October 8, 7:00pm in the parish hall. All are invited.

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.

St. John’s is now registered with the Kroger Community Rewards Program. Please register your Kroger card at http://krogercommunityrewards.com .

Be sure to have your Kroger Plus card handy and register your card with your organization after you sign up.
If a member does not yet have a Kroger Plus card, please let them know that they are available at the customer service desk at any Kroger.
Click on Sign In/Register
Most participants are new online customers, so they must click on SIGN UP TODAY in the ‘New Customer?’ box.
Sign up for a Kroger Rewards Account by entering zip code, clicking on favorite store, entering your email address and creating a password, agreeing to the terms and conditions
You will then get a message to check your email inbox and click on the link within the body of the email.
Click on My Account and use your email address and password to proceed to the next step.
Click on Edit Kroger Community Rewards information and input your Kroger Plus card number.
Update or confirm your information.
Enter NPO number (47782) or name of organization, select organization from list and click on confirm.
To verify you are enrolled correctly, you will see your organization’s name on the right side of your information page.
REMEMBER, purchases will not count for your group until after your member(s) register their card(s).
Do you use your phone number at the register? Call 800-576-4377, select option 4 to get your Kroger Plus card number.
Members must swipe their registered Kroger Plus card or use the phone number that is related to their registered Kroger Plus card when shopping for each purchase to count.

This Sunday (September 14, 2014) at St. John’s

Posted on September 11, 2014 by St. John's Episcopal Church

Why do you pass judgment on your brother or sister? Or you, why do you despise your brother or sister? For we will all stand before the judgment seat of God. Romans 14:10

Seems like we all have opinions and judgments, don’t we? We judge each other’s behavior. We judge the weather. We judge the weather forecaster. We judge each other’s lifestyle. Judging is “either/or” thinking. Something is either good or bad; helpful or hurtful. Judging is very cut and dried.

One of the first things we learn in school is antonyms or opposites, which teaches us either/or thinking. The room is either hot or it’s cold. It can’t be both. Yet, science has discovered that the room is both. The first time I read about this, the thinking was labeled “fuzzy logic.”

So, much of the world is both/and. The room is both hot and cold. So Paul admonishes us to be very careful in our either/or judgmental thinking. Only God will judge in the end and we are not God.

Blessings as you finish your week!

Love, Rebecca+

Rebecca will be at St. John’s next week, Tuesday, September 16 through Thursday, September 18. Her Sabbath Days will be Monday, September 15 and Friday September 19. You can get a message to her by calling the church office at 606-528-1659 or priest-in-charge@stjohnscorbin.org.

Confirmation classes are being held every Wednesday through October 1 from 6:30-8pm. All are invited. Next week’s session will be history of the church.

39 Articles. The Adult Forum is reviewing and discussing the 39 Articles of Faith, pages 867-876 in the Book of Common Prayer through September 28.

Godly Play offered for children. All children are invited to participate in this special program of spiritual development.

Computer and Furnace needed! The furnace located in the sacristy, which heats part of the social hall and hallways must be replaced prior to this winter. Cost is $2,250 for a furnace that will also be more energy efficient. We’ll also need to replace two more furnaces over the next two years: one that heats the parish hall and one that heats the rectory.

Our computer also needs replaced and $600 will get us a new one plus the needed software. Donations for these two items can be put in the boxes back on the shelves in the parish hall.

We will celebrate Latino/Latina Heritage Month at our service on September 28. If you’d like to read one of the lessons, please see me. In preparation, you can practice the Lord’s Prayer in Spanish:

Padre nuestro que estás en el cielo,
santificado sea tu Nombre,
venga tu reino,
hágase tu voluntad,
en la tierra como en el cielo.
Danos hoy nuestro pan de cada día.
Perdona nuestras ofensas,
como también nosotros perdonamos
a los que nos ofenden.
No nos dejes caer en tentación
y líbranos del mal.
Porque tuyo es el reino,
tuyo es el poder,
y tuya es la gloria,
ahora y por siempre. Amén.

Daughters of the King meets the third Wednesday of each month at 4:30pm. The next meeting is September 17. If you have special prayer requests or would like to join this prayer ministry, please contact Shelia Phillips. Also, dues are due. Please see Dura Anne.

Grow Appalachia! The Vestry has voted to move ahead to become a Grow Appalachia site for 2015. Please talk to the Vestry about your ideas, questions, and concerns. The Grow Appalachia website is http://www.berea.edu/grow-appalachia/

The Grow Appalachia Committee will meet after church on Sunday, October 5, to distribute flyers for the October 8 community meeting.

The ECW Annual meeting is scheduled for Saturday, October 4, 10:30am through lunch, Trinity, Covington. There will be a recognition of Honored Women. To attend, please contact Lisa Edwards, ledwards102@gmail.com, 859-341-7324.

Bring your pets to church to be blessed on Sunday, October 5. We will have a service outdoors in our park (or in the amphitheater). Pets should be leashed and/or in carriers.

Belk Charity Sales Day, Saturday, November 8, 6-10am. We are selling tickets for $5.00 for this special event. The church keeps the $5.00 and for each ticket, you receive $5.00 off an item. We will also sell tickets on Thursday, October 2, 10am – 2pm. If you can help, please contact June.

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.

Flowers for the altar: Donations for flowers for the altar are accepted for any Sunday of the year. Please place your donation in the envelope, marking whether they are in honor of or in memory of someone.

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 Rebecca know by phone or email priest-in-charge@stjohnscorbin.org.

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.

Follow us on Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest and Subscribe to our Website Feed!

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/StJohnsCorbin

Twitter: https://twitter.com/StJohnsCorbin

Website: http://stjohnscorbin.org/?subscribe=success#blog_subscription-2

Pinterest: http://www.pinterest.com/stjohnscorbin/

This Sunday (September 7) at St. John’s

Posted on September 4, 2014 by St. John's Episcopal Church

Hallelujah!
Sing to the LORD a new song; *
sing his praise in the congregation of the faithful.Psalm 149:1

Confirmation classes have begun. Bruce Cory and I have worked on a 5-session course for those wanting to be confirmed in the Episcopal Church. In the first session, we tell our spiritual autobiography. We share how we’ve come to St. John’s.

The session is so powerful. It is powerful to think about your own life in these terms and it is powerful to share that with others. I learn new things about my own life, both from looking at my story and also by hearing others’ stories.

There were a couple of things I found exciting from our recent sessions. I was reminded how much of our spiritual journeys require others to support us and to teach us. In addition, I heard how our search and longing for God is something we are born with. I heard over and over how friendly, warm and welcoming St. John’s is and how much that means to people.

And with these new members, we will sing a new song. Their faith and who they are will shape the song we will sing to the Lord.

Blessings as you finish your week!

Love, Rebecca

Bulletin 09-07-2014

Rebecca’s Schedule: Rebecca will be at St. Agnes’ House this week, Monday through Thursday. Her Sabbath Day(s) will be Friday, September 12. You can get a message to her by calling the church office at 606-528-1659 or priest-in-charge@stjohnscorbin.org.

Adult Forum: The Adult Forum is reviewing and discussing the 39 Articles of Faith, pages 867-876 in the Book of Common Prayer through September 28.

Godly Play offered for children. All children are invited to participate in this special program of spiritual development.

St. Philip’s, Harrodsburg, requests our prayers and presence at the service of Celebration of a New Ministry for the Reverend Peter Doddema as Rector, Sunday, September 7, 4pm.

Some men of the parish are discussing forming a chapter of the Brotherhood of St. Andrew. To learn more about the Brotherhood, speak to Bruce Cory. You can also learn more from http://www.brotherhoodofstandrew.org/about.php

Interested in being a member of St. John’s? If you have been baptized in another faith tradition, and want to be a member of The Episcopal Church and St. John’s Church, plan to attend confirmation classes this fall. There will be 5 classes offered Wednesday evenings September 3, 10, 17, 24, and October 1, 6:30-7:30pm. If you are interested, please let Rebecca know. If you have already been confirmed in another faith tradition and would like to be a member of St. John’s, let Rebecca know, so you can be received into the church. If you are interested in baptism, also let her know. Baptisms, receptions, and confirmations will be done when the Bishop visits on October 19.

Confirmation classes are being held every Wednesday through October 1 from 6:30-8pm. All are invited. This week’s session will be theological tenets of the church.

Computer and Furnace Needed: The furnace located in the sacristy, which heats part of the social hall and hallways must be replaced prior to this winter. Cost is $2,250 for a furnace that will also be more energy efficient. We’ll also need to replace two more furnaces over the next two years: one that heats the parish hall and one that heats the rectory. Our computer also needs replaced and $600 will get us a new one plus the needed software. Donations for these two items can be put in the boxes back on the shelves in the parish hall.

Columbarium Niche: The Vestry has voted to donate a niche in the Columbarium to the family of Deacon Dane. A bronze plaque needs to be purchased to mark the niche. The cost is $208. If you would like to donate to the cost of this plaque, please let Gay Nell know.

The Grow Appalachia Committee will meet after church on Sunday, September 7.

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.

Padre nuestro que estás en el cielo,

santificado sea tu Nombre,

venga tu reino,

hágase tu voluntad,

en la tierra como en el cielo.

Danos hoy nuestro pan de cada día.

Perdona nuestras ofensas,

como también nosotros perdonamos

a los que nos ofenden.

No nos dejes caer en tentación

y líbranos del mal.

Porque tuyo es el reino,

tuyo es el poder,

y tuya es la gloria,

ahora y por siempre. Amén.

Serving Our Neighbors – See baskets in the parlor.

Everlasting Arm, 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.

Follow us on Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest and Subscribe to our Website Feed!Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/StJohnsCorbin

Twitter: https://twitter.com/StJohnsCorbin

Website: http://stjohnscorbin.org/?subscribe=success#blog_subscription-2

Pinterest: http://www.pinterest.com/stjohnscorbin/

This Sunday (August 17, 2014) at St. John’s

Posted on August 14, 2014 by St. John's Episcopal Church

This Sunday’s service will be at 10:00am at Rotary Park pavilion, 224 Wilson Street —

From Master Street, turn on Ford St (by hometown bank). The park is at the end of Ford Street. You’ll need to take a left and immediate right and go along the park to the pavilion. Parking is in a lot on the left across from the playground.

We will worship with Corbin Presbyterian and First Baptist Church.

A pot luck will be held after the service. St. John’s is asked to provide drinks and a dish to share. If you can, bring a gallon jug of your favorite drink. Fried chicken will be provided.

Then Jesus answered her, ‘Woman, great is your faith! Let it be done for you as you wish.’ And her daughter was healed instantly. Matthew 15:28

One of the exciting events for me at St. John’s this week was the meeting regarding the Grow Appalachia Project. A number of members (Paula and Linda Bain, TJ and Jason Jackson-Beams, Gay Nell Conley, Bruce Cory, Anne Day Davis, Irene Isaacs, Elmer Parlier, Dura Anne Price and Mary Swinford) gathered to begin talking about the project and how we want to participate.

There was lots of good thinking and discussion. We learned we had lots of different visions about the project. Some of us thought we’d have one big community garden. Others thought we’d just offer plots that individuals or families would garden. Some of us wanted to see 10-20 plots, while others wanted to start small with 6 plots. Some of us thought people could have gardens in their backyards, while others wanted to start just with the plots in our park.

Then there were a variety of tasks to accomplish — Making an 811 call to check for utilities, soil testing, planning the classes, networking with the various local farmer’s markets, discovering who in our neighborhood would be interested in having a garden, and creating forms to participate and expectations of participants. The 811 call needs to happen before we can have our area tilled and a cover crop planted for the fall.

By the end of our meeting, we agreed to have 6 plots in our park for individuals and families. We staked out the area. I agreed to go with Irene Isaacs to see the Grow Appalachia project in London, which was one of the original projects. It’s run by the Laurel County African American Heritage Center. Wayne Riley is the Site Coordinator.

Mr Riley was so helpful and had much information to share — forms, running the classes, processes, and he agreed to come to our meeting on Wednesday to answer all of our questions. He is willing to help us in any way he can.

There are many details to be worked out and this project requires great faith! From our Gospel this Sunday, we know that persistence wins out.

Enjoy the photos from Grow Appalachia in London and come join us this Wednesday, August 20, from 5:00-6:30. NOTE: The Wednesday evening service will start at 6:30 this week.

This week I will be in Corbin on Friday. My Sabbath Day will be Thursday.

Daughters of the King meets this Wednesday, August 20, 4pm. All women are invited to become part of this prayer and support ministry of St. John’s. Please see Shelia Phillips if you’d like to join. If you have special prayer requests, also let her know. We are fortunate to have this important ministry!

At the Center on Short Street, crops from the community garden are sold. Crops are also canned in the kitchen at the center. In addition to the community garden, the center’s program supports people who have gardens at their own homes.