“Six days before the Passover Jesus came to Bethany, the home of Lazarus, whom he had raised from the dead. There they gave a dinner for him. Martha served, and Lazarus was one of those at the table with him. Mary took a pound of costly perfume made of pure nard, anointed Jesus’ feet, and wiped them with her hair. The house was filled with the fragrance of the perfume” (John 12:1-3).

Barbara Brown Taylor, calls this display by Mary "an act so lavish that it suggests another layer to her prophecy: there will be nothing prudent or economical about the death of this man, just as there has been nothing prudent or economical about his life. In him, the extravagance of God's love is made flesh. In him, the excessiveness of God's mercy is made manifest."

As we walk to the cross with Jesus this Lenten season, I ask you to ponder the sacrifice that God gave to us through the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus Christ. Many of us will get caught up in the busyness of the Easter season. Many of us have lots of things to do at church and home. Please take some time and meditate about Mary. Pray that you may know the unfathomable love and unbounded mercy that God has for you. The twelve disciples will continue to act like knuckleheads, missing the whole point of the walk to the cross because their own expectations close their minds to something new happening before their very eyes. “Do not remember the former things, or consider the things of old. I am about to do a new thing; now it springs forth, do you not perceive it? I will make a way in the wilderness and rivers in the desert (Isaiah 43:18-19). Again and again the prophet Isaiah speaks of the message of God. Again and again, the people can’t imagine that the path ahead may be anything, but the path behind us.

Mary has developed a deeper level of relationship with Jesus because she sits and listens to the words of her teacher. Listen to the words of the Gospel closely, but change your expectations slightly. The Holy Spirit will come to us and guide us. Put your faith and trust that God loves us enough to sacrifice his Son for our sins. Turn from your busy life and ponder the extravagance of Mary’s gift. Mary will need strength and courage for all that she will face in the coming weeks. She has seen firsthand the raising of her brother Lazarus. She anoints his feet because she knows deep in her heart that the path of life leads through his death.

We are asked in today’s collect to love what God commands and to desire what God promises. To do that we must turn again to God and listen to the Gospel. There can be no Easter without the cross and we cannot live in Christ unless we are willing to die to ourselves. But, oh the glory that awaits us if we believe in the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus Christ. We were baptized in water through the Holy Spirit and ate of the body and blood of our Lord. We are anointed in the Holy Spirit, given the peace that passes all understanding, and we will receive all God’s promises of abundant and eternal life. Let us open the life gate by confessing that Jesus is our Lord and Savior. Let us give glory to God for he has done great things!

In Christ’s love,

Fr. Duncan

Father, I’ve sinned — but O forgive!

I’ve heard enough, he said,

Rejoice my house, my son’s alive,

For whom I mourned as dead.

Now let the fatted calf be slain,

And spread the news around;

My son was dead, but lives again,

Was lost, but now is found.

’Tis thus the Lord his love reveals,

To call poor sinners home;

More than a father's love he feels,

And welcomes all that come (John Newton).

Today is the Fourth Sunday in Lent, Laetare Sunday, or as it has been more popularly called “Rejoice Sunday.”  In this season of Lent, we are all called to return to the unfathomable divine mercy and unbounded holy love. “Be glad in the Lord and rejoice, O righteous, and shout for joy, all you upright in heart” (Psalm 32:11). I heard this morning on the radio that one of the keys to a long relationship with somebody is saying thank you on a regular basis. It is not so much the words we say as the deep feeling of appreciation that we have for the ones that we love. This feeling is difficult to understand or describe, but we can all experience it in our relationship to Jesus Christ. The story of the prodigal son describes a love so deep and unconditional that sins and suffering turn to gladness and rejoicing. Perhaps when we have a deep appreciation for what God has done for us, we can understand how to love one another. Listen to the words of the parable this morning and know that God loves you just as deeply as the prodigal son. God’s love of humanity was shown in the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus Christ.

So on the roller coaster that we call Lent, we should rejoice on this day. Whether we are on a mountaintop or in the valley of our lives, God’s love always strengthens us for what is ahead. When we return to God with all that we have, we receive an abundant life of grace and mercy and the peace that passes all understanding. In the season of lent we are asked to re-examine our lives and to confess our sins on our knees, but the key to this season is to then stand up and give praise to him, who loves us so deeply that we can barely fathom the affection that he has for us.

“I pray that, according to the riches of his glory, he may grant that you may be strengthened in your inner being with power through his Spirit, and that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith, as you are being rooted and grounded in love. I pray that you may have the power to comprehend, with all the saints, what is the breadth and length and height and depth, and to know the love of Christ that surpasses knowledge, so that you may be filled with all the fullness of God. Now to him who by the power at work within us is able to accomplish abundantly far more than all we can ask or imagine, to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus to all generations, forever and ever. Amen”
(Eph. 3:14-21).

In Christ’s love,

Rev. Duncan Burns

“Moses was keeping the flock of his father-in-law Jethro, the priest of Midian; he led his flock beyond the wilderness, and came to Horeb, the mountain of God. There the angel of the Lord appeared to him in a flame of fire out of a bush; he looked, and the bush was blazing, yet it was not consumed. Then Moses said, “I must turn aside and look at this great sight, and see why the bush is not burned up.” When the Lord saw that he had turned aside to see, God called to him out of the bush, “Moses, Moses!” And he said, “Here I am.” Then he said, “Come no closer! Remove the sandals from your feet, for the place on which you are standing is holy ground.” He said further, “I am the God of your father, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob.” And Moses hid his face, for he was afraid to look at God. Then the Lord said, “I have observed the misery of my people who are in Egypt; I have heard their cry on account of their taskmasters. Indeed, I know their sufferings… Then the Lord said, “I will be with you; and this shall be the sign for you that it is I who sent you: when you have brought the people out of Egypt, you shall worship God on this mountain.” (Exodus 3:1-6).

About a week ago at least 50 people were killed and 50 wounded, in a hate-filled terror attack targeting two mosques in the New Zealand city of Christchurch. I am numb to the senseless killings that seem to be occurring with more frequency. I know that God hears our prayers, but we need to respond to God. The burning bush glows bright when we repent of those things in our lives that keep us from the purpose and will of God, when we turn aside. Lent is a time of preparation, when we teach our children and youth to draw closer to the one we love. It is by our example of worship, study, prayer, and outreach our children see that we are people of God. I can’t imagine what it is like to grow up in today’s fear filled world. I do know that there needs to be a counter balance to the hate in the world.

Eternal life begins today and never ends. Please use these next few weeks of Lent to draw closer to the one who loves you deeply. God calls us to be the place of radical hospitality where all people are welcome. While many churches in our neighborhood want to exclude people that don’t agree with their politics or exclude those who are different than themselves, we strive to be the place where all are welcome.  We can have difficult conversations because despite our differences, we can love all our neighbors. St. John’s can be a light in a dark world. We can be a place of peace, hope, and love in a world that is dangerous, fearful, and full of hate. Please pray that we might reach out to a hurting world with arms of love.

May we give shelter to the homeless, help to the immigrant, food to the hungry, cloths to the naked, and support the many wonderful charities in Huntington through our ECW. We have the power to transform the nightmare that the world can be into the blessing of the Kingdom of God. We are transformed through the grace of God and we become the transforming power in the world. Please have hope that God can fix this mess of immigration, shootings in the world, plane crashes, racism, and sexism. Somehow God will transform us into beautiful children of God that we were created to be. So if you have been hurting, frustrated, sick, or a little down, have faith that you can come to at St. John's and be welcomed and loved for who you are.

In Christ’s love,

Rev. Duncan Burns

It's Saint Patrick's Day—we all know what that means: parades. I hate parades, whether for Saint Patrick, Columbus, or Thanksgiving; I've participated in all of them; I marched as a cub scout, a boy scout, the chaplain of a day school, an officer in a local organization—more than a mile, uphill, both ways. Yet, I'm not really an old curmudgeon. As far as this particular day is concerned, I like corned beef, potatoes, carrots, (not so much the cabbage), Irish soda bread, tea biscuits and scones, the Three Tenors, songs with a nationalistic flavor and history. Just not parades.

However, I am a huge fan of Saint Patrick himself, or, at least, of the hymn attributed to him. It's #370 in The Hymnal 1982; it's in ink in my funeral service as the opening hymn; it's a celebration of the Trinity, of a binding to oneself the strong name of the “Three in One and One in Three”; it's a tour through the Creed; IT IS LONG. When I mentioned my funeral plans to my children, my son said to me, “Dad, we're not singing all those verses.” I responded, “If you omit any, I'll rise out of that casket and call you to account.”

What I did not know, however, until 1993, was that another translation of the Gaelic preceded the one in our hymnal. This earlier version is not set to music; rather, it is written as a caim, as an encircling prayer with which to begin one's day:

I arise today

Through a mighty strength, the invocation of the Trinity,

Through belief in the threeness,

Through confession of the oneness

Of the Creator of Creation.

Nearly every morning since 26 October 1993 I have begun my day with these words. It's not merely a matter of flinging myself out of bed in a cheery manner, but, as Fr. David Adam points out in his book on this hymn, of arising in the power of God. Sometimes I remember the words as a matter of habit; sometimes I forget all too quickly what they mean; but most of the time, at the least for part of the day, I remember that the Trinity is the integral part of all that I do. In one very important sense, this opening verse combines with a metaphor supplied by John Donne and George Herbert in their poetry as I arise and “tune the instrument of my heart.” Do I then always remain in tune? I wish. I strike discordant notes all the time and when I do my life becomes chaotic, much like a third grader having his first go at a violin: a tempest of noise in a very small teapot. Nonetheless, this is the way for me to begin the day—in the presence of the Triune God who loves me, who died for me, who calls me to be one with him. In the remembrance of this awesome fact, I am renewed, restored, healed, forgiven.

So have a blessed, holy, happy Saint Patrick's Day; delight in the parade, the food, the music, the memories; but remember that the day is more than mere revelry, that it is anchored in the eternal love and presence of the One, Holy, and Living God revealed to us in his crucified and risen Son.

All blessings,

Fr. John+

“As the baptized, as the beloved of God, the challenge in my life is to learn to have deeper trust and confidence in the love of God. Lent is the wilderness space in time, set apart to teach me to trust God’s love once again and to hand myself over to be assumed and consumed by his love, for that is my only hope of redemption. Temper me, O God, with your love that I may learn to trust your love once again. Help my unbelief that I may believe and be healed by your love” (Bishop Allen Shin).

Lent is the time when we realize that the distractions of the world have kept us from God’s purpose in our lives. We need to put our full trust in God. If we want to be an authentic expression of Christ’s light, we need to pray, study, listen, and make God the center of our world again. For the first week of Lent please consider putting your full trust in God’s love. Please observe a Holy Lent and take a few quiet moments to re-examine your commitment to God’s purpose. God is very near to us and loves us dearly.

Each week we share the body and blood of our Lord on Sunday morning. These sacraments are an outward and visible sign of an inward and spiritual grace. Eternal life begins today and never ends. Please use these next few weeks of Lent to draw closer to the One who loves you deeply. The most significant preacher in a congregation is not the person in the fancy vestments in the pulpit, but the people in the congregation going out into the world. Apostles have been transformed by the bread of our Lord, to do the will of God, through the power of the Holy Spirit. The fact of the matter is that priests come and go, but the power of the Holy Spirit to transform the lives at St. John’s goes on from generation to generation. God loves us so deeply that Christ, God’s Son, suffered on a cross that we might be forgiven of our sins. We are asked to lead a new life, following the commandments, and walking in Holy ways. The Holy Eucharist is essential during Lent to bring us back to the place where God can do the most good with us. During the recessional hymn at the 10 am service there is an energy and spirit in the congregation that leads us to hospitality to our guests and sends us into the world with a mission to restore all people to unity with God and each other in Christ. Today we will sing, “How great thou art.” Please join your voice with the choir and sing praise to God.               

St. John’s is always about community. Please join us on Sunday mornings for a cup of coffee and a bite to eat after the service in the Great Hall. Hospitality is second nature to us at St. John’s and I ask all our parishioners to invite one of our newcomers to join you this Sunday after service. If you are looking for a great way to deepen your relationship with Christ, then please join Leslie Valentine for a Lenten Spirituality Group Retreat on Saturday March 23rd. Our Bible Study Group meets at 11:00am on Tuesdays. This week we begin, “The Path, A Journey Through the Bible.” This year’s Lenten program on Tuesday evenings will feature Dr. Nina Grief, Fr. Duncan, Rev. Eddie Alleyne, Deacon Jennifer Webster and Fr. John.  Join us for Stations of the Cross, Evening Prayer, a simple meal, and our program, “SIN: Glittering Vices & the Dark Side of the Soul.”

In Christ’s love,

Fr. Duncan

“O God who before the passion of your Son reveled his glory on the Holy Mount, that we may we be strengthened to bear his cross” (Last Sunday after the Epiphany Collect). “Christian discipleship consists of the discipline of self-denial and taking up the cross daily. It is refraining from the narcissistic self-indulgence and from feeding the superficial false ego to self-destruction. It is rather embracing my true self, the true image of God reflected in the depth of my soul. It’s a daily journey of self-discovery as a child of God and a daily walk toward a spiritual union with God” (Bishop Shin).

A bartender notices that every evening, without fail, one of his patrons orders three beers. After several weeks of noticing this pattern, the bartender asks the man why he always orders three beers. The man says, “I have two brothers who have moved away to different countries. We promised each other that we would always order an extra two beers whenever we drank as a way of keeping up the family bond.” Several weeks later, noticing that the man only ordered two beers, the bartender said, “Please accept my condolences on the death of one of your brothers. You know, the two beers and all…” The man replied, “You’ll be happy to hear that my two brothers are alive and well… It’s just that I, myself, have decided to give up my beer for Lent.”

All Christians are invited "to the observance of a holy Lent, by self-examination and repentance; by prayer, fasting, and self-denial; and by reading and meditating on God's holy Word" (BCP, p. 265). Somehow Lent has gone out of favor. Many Christians just don’t seem to understand why we do what we do in Lent. Do we need to go to service on Ash Wednesday? Will giving up chocolate or alcohol for a few weeks bring you closer to God? Will eating fish on Fridays help to draw you closer to Jesus Christ? Will getting off Twitter and Facebook bring on the Holy Spirit? I don’t have the answer for you, but I do know that many of us misunderstand the whole point of Lent. Lent is a time to strengthen your spiritual union with God. Through fasting, prayer, worship, scripture study, and acts of mercy, you make a conscious effort to draw closer to God. Jesus went into the desert for forty days to pray before beginning his ministry. The point is to refocus your attention on God so that the fire of God’s love in your heart may be strengthened for the ministry ahead. Please don’t cut back from three beers to two just because it’s Lent. Just find a way to do more of the things that bring you closer to God. Sometimes just going for a walk can be a time for union with God.

We offer many opportunities at St. John’s to rekindle that fire of God’s love at St. John’s. We offer Morning Prayer at 9:00 am M-F, bible study on Tuesdays at 11:00 am. On Tuesday nights we offer Stations of the Cross, Evening Prayer, Lenten Supper and a guest speaker. You may choose a Lenten Retreat with Leslie Valentine on Saturday March 23rd, serving in our Thrift Shop, serving meals to the homeless at HIHI, joining our choir to sing at Easter, and/or Holy Eucharist at 8:00 am and 10:00 am on Sundays. I invite you to the observance of a Holy Lent. Please take time from your busy schedule to draw nearer to the one that loves you so deeply.  He sent his only Son to reveal his glory on the Holy Mount and to die on a cross for our sins.

In Christ’s love,

Fr. Duncan

Do to others as you would have them do to you. (Luke 6:31)

In Luke’s Gospel, Jesus gives a passionate teaching to all who will listen. Most of us know this as the Sermon on the Mount, but today, Jesus is sitting on level ground teaching his disciples, all who have gathered to hear him speak, and those who are trying to touch him in order to get healed. In fact, Jesus is speaking to all people in all times. We all hear these words again and again. Some of us know them by heart. “Blessed are you who are poor, for yours is the kingdom of God. Blessed are you who are hungry now, for you will be filled. Blessed are you who weep now, for you will laugh. Blessed are you when people hate you, and when they exclude you, revile you, and defame you on account of the Son of Man. Rejoice in that day and leap for joy, for surely your reward is great in heaven; for that is what their ancestors did to the prophets.” (Luke 6:20-24)

Some of this teaching is very difficult to understand, but one verse stands out to me as a summary of all the rest. Even my nursery school children know this verse from scripture. They know it as the “golden rule.” We are to love our neighbor as ourselves. While this is a simple rule to understand, Jesus turns the perspectives of world upside down in the Gospel of Luke. Jesus will cross boundaries, break religious rules, and cause people to be so uncomfortable that they will nail him to a cross to suffer and die. We must also push the boundaries of our own understanding, if we are ever to truly understand these radical teachings from Jesus.

Deacon Anthony has created a wonderful relationship with our sister parish, St Augustine’s so that we might see the world from a slightly different perspective and that we might enrich the lives of some good folks in Brooklyn. We have witnessed the lively, spiritual worship of St. Augustine and today we share our more traditional approach. Today, I am preaching at St. Augustine’s and Fr. Lawrence is preaching at St. John’s. It is an honor to have such an esteemed preacher in our midst this Sunday, and I ask and pray that his Word will fill your heart and bring you closer to the love of Jesus Christ.

Please give Deacon Anthony a warm welcome home at St. John’s. As you know, he has just finished the General Ordination Exam and is working on a Master of Divinity degree while working full-time as a VA lawyer and doing his internship at St. Augustine’s. Please pray for him as he prepares for ordination to the priesthood. We have been so blessed by the ministry of “Saint Anthony” these past few years and although we miss him greatly, we know that God is preparing him for a wonderful ministry as a priest.

Born in Indianapolis, IN, Father Lawrence received a B.A. from Wabash College in Biology and an M.A. in Molecular Biology from Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine. While working on his doctoral studies at Johns Hopkins, he answered the call to ministry. He received his M.Div. in 2003 from Bexley Hall Seminary of Colgate Rochester Crozer Divinity School in Rochester, New York, and was ordained to the priesthood in January 2004. He is the former Rector of St. Anne's Episcopal Church in North Carolina and is currently the Rector at St. Augustine’s in Brooklyn.  Father Lawrence and his wife, Sharita, are the proud parents of three children Caleb, Isaac and Miriam. Let us welcome him as we were welcomed at St. Augustine’s.

In Christ’s love,

Fr. Duncan

As I was collating the collection of poems I am going to use with the Saint John's Spirituality Group on February 23, I had an “Aha” moment. Immediately to the computer to download John Updike's Seven Stanzas at Easter. Below are the first and last stanzas of the poem.

Make no mistake if he rose at all

it was as his body;

if the cells' dissolution did not reverse, the molecules reknit,

the amino acids rekindle,

the church will fall.

····················

Let us not seek to make it less monstrous,

for our own convenience, our own sense of beauty,

lest, awakened in one unthinkable hour, we are embarrassed

by the miracle,

and crushed by remonstrance.

Okay, Fr. John, you had a sudden epiphany. So what? Why is this so important?

1 Corinthians 15 is one of the crucial chapters in all of Saint Paul's corpus. In this chapter, he sets out the gospel as it was preached in the early church from the beginning. Evidently, the Corinth of the first century was very much like the culture today in the West. Indeed, in the Revised Common Lectionary (from which we take the readings for each Sunday), the Church has seen fit to omit some verses from this crucial chapter, even when the Season of Epiphany is not shortened because of an early date for Easter.

But Paul will have none of such editorial license; nor will John Updike; nor Fr. John: “But in fact Christ has been raised from the dead” and Paul's full explication of this central moment in Christian belief must not be truncated. Now John Updike's poem is not the gospel; he carries no such authority. And Fr. John certainly is not. Yet the great poets and writers, composers and lyricists, artists and architects often serve the gospel through what they create, even if unknowingly, even if sometimes unwittingly. Updike commences his piece with a contingency: “Make no mistake if....” However, the contingent opening is clarified immediately. The church hasn't fallen; it still stands; the event of the bodily resurrection, rooted in history, is anchored in fact: “it was as his body.” A new day has dawned in human history: “But in fact Christ has been raised from the dead.”

My friends, gathered together on a Sunday morning, you and I are neither individuals nor a conglomerate to be pitied, but Christians in the midst of a dark world who have had a new light shine in our hearts because, “in fact, Christ has been raised from the dead.” The bodily resurrection of Jesus is not some sort of New Age spirituality that one can discover in the appropriate section of Barnes and Noble where you and I can aspire to ever higher realms of consciousness and spiritual development. If there is no future hope other than ever new proposals promised by the spirit of each successive age, then indeed we are to be pitied. That is why we need always to remind ourselves that the bodily resurrection of Jesus is not just one more variation on oft repeated themes, but the rock solid anchor on which Christianity is founded. A new day has dawned; “[B]ut in fact Christ has been raised from the dead.”

With all blessings, Fr. John+

“Holy, holy, holy is the Lord of hosts. The whole earth is full of his glory.” (Isaiah 6:3)

“The Lord will fulfill his purpose for me; your steadfast love, O Lord, endures forever.” (Psalm 138)

“so we proclaim and so you have come to believe.” (1 Cor. 15:11)

Then Jesus said to Simon, “Do not be afraid; from now on you will be catching people.” (Luke 5:10)

This week’s lessons really fall into line with the message from our Annual Meeting on February 3rd. We will worship God this Sunday at the 8:00 Rite I Holy Eucharist, the 10:00 Rite II Holy Eucharist, and the 5:30 Taizé service. We offer a variety of ways to give praise to God at St. John’s. We also offer many ways to sing praise to God. Alex and our choir have prepared beautiful music from the hymnal, LEVAS, our praise book, and Taizé chants.

In our bible study class we are studying Revelation. “You are worthy, our Lord and God, to receive glory and honor and power, for you created all things, and by your will they existed and were created.” (Rev. 4:11) Perhaps this is one of the most important things that we must do in our lives. Please pray deeply on these words of scripture and worship our God in the beauty of holiness.

Each of us is gifted by the Holy Spirit at our Baptism. We have a purpose in life, and we are given the gifts to accomplish that purpose. God’s steadfast love is always flowing in our direction and we are asked to follow scripture to stay on this path. “We know that in all things God works for good with those who love him, those whom he has called according to his purpose.” (Romans 8:28) “For you yourself created my inmost parts; you knit me together in my mother's womb. I will thank you because I am marvelously made; your works are wonderful, and I know it well. (Psalm 139:12-13)

When we love God with all our heart, soul and mind everything starts to fall in line in our lives. Life is not made easy, but there is a peace that instills a deep sense of gratitude in our hearts. When we express that love back to our neighbors, people are drawn into the love of God. Let me give a few examples. You come into the St. John’s kitchen before the service and prepare breakfast for everyone that comes to the parish hall after service. A parishioner remembers the name of a newcomer and greets them by name. Someone else invites this newcomer to come to breakfast and sits with them. These simple acts can change a person’s life. As members of the Jesus Movement, we show our love of God and neighbor by our actions. We believe that, “Christ died for our sins in accordance with the scriptures, and that he was buried, and that he was raised on the third day in accordance with the scriptures.” (1Cor. 15:3-4) We do not have to stand at the mall and hand out the theology of the Episcopal Church in a pamphlet as we yell, “Jesus died for your sins” in their ear. We just need to love as we are loved.

If we are to be “fishers of people” we must begin by deepening our own faith. Only by an authentic faith in God will we ever convince anyone to come to the Lord in this crazy post truth culture that we live in. We do not use scripture to explain the way we are and exclude others. We should find that when we have a deep faith, scripture rings true in our heart. Please keep a few of these scriptures highlighted in your bible, written in your journal, or just commit them to memory. The bible keeps us focused on some basic truths such as: God created us, God loves us, we should give glory to God, and when we share God’s steadfast love, others will follow.

In Christ’s love,

Rev. Duncan Burns 

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