My sisters and brothers in Christ:
We worship as usual this weekend: At our convenient community Holy Eucharist service at 5 p.m. on Saturday (Nov. 5) and on All Saints’ Sunday (Nov. 6) at 8 and 10 a.m., when we’ll remember our St. John’s saints — all our faithful departed, joined to the great cloud of witnesses. We’ll also hear some of Jesus Christ’s most difficult teachings: Love your enemy. Bless those who curse you. Do unto others as you would have them do to you. These are the teachings which, when we know someone who actually seems to live them out on a regular basis amid all the stress and complexity of human life, can provoke us to shake our heads humbly and say, “She’s a real saint.”
Please remember that we “fall back” this weekend, which means that all the earthly saints of St. John’s are bidden to set their clocks and devices back an hour before bed on Saturday night (or just to trust that the saintly iOS and Android software writers have made sure it happens automatically).
What does Holy Scripture teach us earthbound saints about caring for the totality of God’s creation? What does it mean to tend and till or have “dominion” over the earth? Beginning this Sunday, Nov. 6 at 9 a.m. in the Bishop’s Room, and continuing Sunday, Nov. 13 and 20, Beth Bojarski (left), author and executive director of Camp Stevens, will lead a class entitled “To Serve And Guard The Earth.” This conversation-based series will explore the relationship among humanity, God, and creation. We’ll use scripture (especially the creation stories in Genesis 1 and 2) to hear God’s call to love creation, act with justice, and respect the wisdom that comes from science and our own experience. The series will include practical applications of creation care in home, school, and office. All voices and perspectives are welcome. Please join us.
Beth will probably teach us that it’s saintly to recycle, which is just what St. John’s is doing this weekend in our “Haul In The Fall” community-wide rummage sale. You and St. John’s School individuals and families are invited for a special pre-sale tomorrow (Friday, Nov. 4) from 4-7 p.m. in the Cardinal Gym. You and the general public (all God’s saints-in-training, in other words) can also shop on Saturday from 7 a.m.-1 p.m. The photo shows “Haul” coordinator Tracy Daly (left), assisted by Stacia Colborn (one of a number of saintly volunteers), getting everything ready.
Knock knock. Who’s there? It saint! It saint who? It sain’t the “St. John’s e-Vangelist” without a few more reminders: To sign up for the “Tribute To Motown” fellowship dinner on Saturday, Nov 12 at 6 p.m…and to check out the attacheed fliers about our traditional St. John’s holiday ministries: The Thanksgiving food drive to benefit the Rancho Santa Margarita food pantry and the Families Forward Christmas Adopt-A-Family drive. Thanks in advance, my saints, for your gracious, generous support of both.
Yours in Christ’s love,
Fr. John