And now faith, hope, and love abide, these three;
and the greatest of these is love (I Cor. 13:13).

I would like to thank all our parishioners on a beautiful year in 2018 and encourage you to make 2019 even better at St. John’s. Thank you for your leadership, your generosity, your ministry, and your continued faith in Jesus Christ. We are very blessed by your presence. I would also like to thank Coral, who has done an outstanding job as our administrator, Alex our talented musician and choir director, Jen, our St. John’s Nursery School superintendent, and our wardens, Scott and Rob, who have led this parish with our vestry and committee chairs.

This week our service times on Sunday are 8:00 am and 9:30 am because we will have our annual meeting after the late service. Please join us for food, fellowship, and a brief annual meeting as we elect a warden and three vestry members. In 2019, our priorities are Growth, Children and Youth, Outreach and Mission, and Hospitality. We are especially focusing on living out the Gospel of Jesus Christ through the Jesus Movement.

My hope for the coming year is that you will deepen your faith and love in Jesus Christ. Please live out your Baptismal Covenant by coming to church, helping those in need in our community through our ECW, striving for justice by supporting our racial reconciliation committee, and getting involved in the ministry of St. John’s.

I ask each committee to personally invite new members to join their group. If you are a new member or would like to help out please consider joining our Racial Reconciliation Committee, HIHI, Thrift Shop, ECW, Altar Guild, Lay Eucharistic Ministers, Youth Group, Christian Education, Readers, Breakfast Group, Spirituality Group, Nursery School, Ushers, Lay Eucharistic Visitors, Prayer Shawl Ministry, St. Hilda’s Guild, or one of our other committees. If you are new, think about our new members class that starts next Sunday.

Our Sunday school starts again next week at 9:40am in the Canterbury Corner. 1st Communion classes are beginning with Sue McGinnis on Wednesday March 6th at 5:30 pm and 1st Communion will be April 28th at the 10:00 am service. Confirmation classes start on Sunday February 10th at 5:30 pm. Confirmation is May 4th at 10:00 am at the Cathedral in Garden City. Our Youth Group meets at 6:30 pm on most Sunday nights with Ford Spilsbury and the rector.

Outreach is a focus again this year. Today is the Souper Bowl of Caring and our Youth Group is collecting donations to fight hunger in the Huntington Community. The Youth Group will be hosting people who are homeless on March 8th through our HIHI program right here at St. John’s. Please bring in food for the Food Pantry and donations for our Thrift Shop. If you are interested in volunteering for the Thrift shop on Tuesdays, Thursdays or Saturdays, please see Nancy.

In Christ’s love,

Rev. Duncan Burns