My sisters and brothers in Christ:

We worship on the 21st Sunday after the Pentecost at 8 and 10 a.m., when the people of God will hear the story of the ten lepers whom Jesus healed and the one – justt one! – who praised God and thanked our LORD. Illuminating this story about thankfulness in his characteristically rousing fashion will be our guest celebrant and preacher, the Rev. Capt. Jerome Hinson of the United States Navy chaplain corps and brother of our own Paul Hinson, clerk of the Bishop’s Committee. Fr. Jere is shown with Paul and Trinh’s younger daughter, Breana, during a visit to St. John’s three years ago.

Judy, Fennie Hsin-Fen Chang, Zoe, and Jerome HinsonPlease note that there is no Saturday service this week.

Please pray for the men of St. John’s who are attending their annual retreat at a Franciscan guest house near Oceanside from Friday evening through Sunday morning. Wayne Kempe, our EfM coordinator, will facilitate the working sessions. The Rev. David Beadles will preside at Holy Eucharist on Sunday morning. If you’re reading this, you’re not signed up yet, and the Holy Spirit is telling you that a weekend of rest, reflection, and refreshment is just what you need, please drop a line to Gene Giordano at gvgiordano@gmail.com. He may well have a berth for you, and you will definitely have a life-changing experience.

I’ll spend the weekend going walkabout with my sister and brother candidates for bishop coadjutor — Saturday morning at Campbell Hall Episcopal High School in LA, Saturday afternoon at St. Paul’s in Ventura, and Sunday afternoon at Trinity in Redlands (where our former associate vicar, the Rev. Paul Price, serves as rector). The closest forum is tomorrow, Friday, from 6-9 p.m. at St. George’s Episcopal Church, 23802 Avenida de la Carlota, Laguna Hills. You can read the candidates’ biographical information and statements here:

http://episcopalnews.ladiocese.org/issues/nominationreport2016.html

Since you can’t come to church at St. John’s on Saturday afternoon, you can have an equally holy experience Saturday morning by joining your St. John’s friends at Isaiah House, providing food and fellowship for homeless women. The ministry begins at 9:30 a.m. at 316 S. Cypress Ave. If you can help, please write coordinator Emily Salvanera at er.salvanera@gmail.com. Mary and Emily will be waiting in the garden out front to welcome you.
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Finally, please plan to join the St. John’s community at one of three gatherings in the multipurpose room for “All For St. John’s,” this year’s stewardship drive. Your parish leaders will offer a recap of the year, including parish finances, and a report on our plans for mission and ministry in 2017. Your comments, suggestions, and questions will, as always, be the high point of the morning. Each meeting will last about 45 minutes and include a light snack. Please check your calendar now for one of these days and times: Sunday, Oct. 16 at 11:45 a.m., Sunday, Oct. 23 at 11:45 a.m., and Sunday, Oct. 30 at 9 a.m.

Yours in Christ’s love,

Fr. John