Parish Office: 860-739-2324 website: www.stjohnsniantic.org mail: st.johnsoffice@yahoo.com Holy Week Preview No. April 2, 2017 Palm Sunday and holy week schedule PALM SUNDAY SUNDAY OF THE PASSION OF JESUS CHRIST 8:00 am Liturgy of the Palms, Holy Eucharist Rite II St. Matthew s Passion Gospel 10:00 am-liturgy of the Palms on St. John s Green Procession to the Church, Holy Eucharist Rite II Dramatic Reading of St. Matthew s Passion Gospel Church School, Sunday Hospitality MONDAY OF HOLY WEEK 7:00 pm - Evening Prayer Rite II TUESDAY OF HOLY WEEK 10:00 am Christ Church Cathedral, Hartford Diocesan Priests Renewal of Ordination Vows 7:00 pm - Holy Eucharist WEDNESDAY OF HOLY WEEK 11:00 am - Holy Eucharist of Healing 7:00 pm Holy Eucharist Rite I MAUNDY (HOLY) THURSDAY Parish Hall 6:00 pm Traditional Seder Supper Liturgy of the Word, Homily Sanctuary 7:00 pm - Ceremonial Foot Washing Holy Eucharist Rite II, Solemn Stripping of the Altar Altar of Repose - Transfer of the Reserved Blessed Sacrament Individual Silent Vigil before Blessed Sacrament Maundy Thursday Nightwatch Vigil (Sign-up posted in the slype) GOOD FRIDAY 9:00 noon- Children and Youth Good Friday Program 12:00 noon- Liturgy of Good Friday Holy Communion from the Reserved Sacrament Veneration of the Holy Cross 7:00 pm Choral Liturgy of Good Friday Holy Communion from the Reserved Sacrament
THE GREAT VIGIL OF EASTER 8:00 pm - Kindling of the New Fire of Easter Blessing and Inscription of the Paschal Candle Candle light Entrance Procession - The Exsultet Liturgy of the Word-Story of Creation First Holy Eucharist of Easter Mass of the Resurrection Sacrament Holy Baptism (NOTE: Incense will be used in this service) EASTER 8:00 am Festive Holy Eucharist of the Resurrection w/hymns, organ and brass 10:00 am Festival Mass of the Resurrection Hymns with Organ, brass and St. John s Senior Choir Annual Children s Easter Egg Hunt Sunday Hospitality St. James Episcopal Church, New London hosts the CT Coalition for Yazidi Relief The Yazidi Genocide & IsraAID s Response 500,000 Yazidis Displaced A 6,000 Year Old Yazidi Culture on the Brink of Extinction Genocide has occurred and is ONGOING -Paulo Sergio Pinheiro, Chairman of the Independent International Commission of Inquiry on Syria. The Yazidi people are native to northern Iraq, as well as eastern Syria and Turkey. Their monotheistic faith combines elements of pre-zoroastrianism, Judaism, Christianity and Sufism. Learn more about the atrocities perpetrated against the Yazidis by ISIS, and how IsraAID is assisting those being oppressed and murdered. (Content NOT suitable for children) Presenting Organizations The CT Coalition of Yazidi Relief and IsraAID (www.israaid.co.il) Sunday, April 2, 2017 3:00 pm to 5:00 pm Saint James Episcopal Church The Seabury Center 76 Federal St., New London, CT This event is free and open to the general public. Donations are Welcome to offset event costs, and to support IsraAid s Yazidi Survivor aid programs. Chester Fife & Drum Corps to lead St. John s Palm Sunday Procession Maurice and June Cordeau and the Chester Fife and Drum Corps will head up this year s Palm Sunday Procession from St. John s Green along Main St. to the Church entrance. (weather permitting) June Maurice
MAUNDY THURSDAY SEDER SUPPER Please sign up to attend our Maundy Thursday Seder Supper at 6:00 pm in the Parish Hall. The Seder will include traditional menu items and Beef Brisket. Cost of the dinner is $10.00. Children age 10 and under are free. The Sign-up is posted on the PARISH HALL Bulletin Board. The supper will precede our traditional Maundy Thursday Liturgy including: Ceremonial Footwashing, Holy Eucharist, Solemn Stripping of the Altar and transfer of the Reserved Blessed Sacrament to the Altar of Repose for distribution on Good Friday. Our Maundy Thursday Nightwatch Vigil begins following the Maundy Thursday service. The Opening Prayer May all who are enslaved throughout the world, come to know freedom. May all who are free, appreciated the blessings of abundance. And may all of us dwell in the house of God and give thanks for our good fortune as we celebrate these rituals of Passover. On the Holy Night of Maundy Thursday, we recall and celebrate Christ s institution of the Holy Eucharist. As Jesus and his disciples sat on that night 2000 years ago, as observant Jews, they would have gathered for a Passover Meal. We have come to know it as The Last Supper. Since then, Christians have celebrated this sacred liturgy as the central and essential act of worship. As Anglicans we know it by several names: Holy Eucharist, Holy Communion, the Mass and the Lord s Supper, as well as the Divine Liturgy and the Great Offering. It is the by which Christ and his sacrifice is made present and in which he unites us to be his one offering of himself. The Seder plate contains the main symbols that help tell the story of Passover. Matzah-unleavened bread is a symbol of affliction and poverty. Maror & Chazeret-bitter herbs symbolizing the bitter life the Jews led while slaves in Egypt, which are eaten twice; once by themselves and once with matzah. Red or white horseradish or a radish is used for maror and romaine lettuce for chazeret. Zeroa-a roasted bone symbolizes God s mighty arm that convinced the Egyptians to free the slaves and it represents the Paschal lamb used as a sacrifice in the ancient Temple in Jerusalem. Charoset-a mixture of grated apples, nuts and cinnamon mixed with a little red wine. Symbolic of the bricks and mortar the slaves used in making the Egyptian buildings. Beitzah-A hard boiled or roasted egg. Symbolic of the second sacrifice offered on Passover eve at the Temple. The egg, for Jews, serves as a symbol of mourning and the sadness over the destruction of the Holy Temple. It also reminds us of the circle of life. For Christians, we have adopted the egg as a symbol of new life and resurrection, making popular the appearance of Easter Eggs celebrating Christ s breaking out of the tomb. Karpas-Any fresh vegetable, a potato, onion or other vegetable, representing the arrival of spring. The Karpas is dipped in salt water and eaten. Salt Water Salt water represents the sweat and tears of the Jews in bondage. The Karpas (vegetables) are dipped in the bowls of salt water on the table. Wine-Four cups of wine (or grape juice, in our case) are consumed during the Seder as a reminder of the four references of Redemption mentioned in the Book of Exodus: I will bring you out of Egypt. I will deliver you from bondage. I will redeem you with an outstretched arm. I will take you to Me for a people. Youth Church School Grades 6 through 12 Parish youth in grades 6 thru 12 are invited to church school with Mrs. Murray, DYEM. We will get to know each other, plan our awesome summer, and discover the stories of our Christian faith.
INVITE A FRIEND TO CHURCH DAY IS EVERY SUNDAY I was hungry and you gave me food, I was thirsty and you gave me drink, I was a stranger and you welcomed me. Mt. 25:35 Every Sunday at St. John s Episcopal Church is Invite a Friend to Church. We all know someone from another aspect of our lives: a neighbor, a friend, a co-worker, someone in our yoga class or a fellow parent we ve met through our children s school. Have you ever wondered why they don t seem to have any religious affiliation? Have you ever wanted to ask why they don t attend church but didn t want to embarrass them or yourself? One of the best ways to avoid those uncomfortable conversations is to get up the courage and invite them to come with you to church on Sunday. Simply invite a friend to Come and See. In a world that is full of fear, division, injustice and violence, we are called, as Christians, to be voices of welcome and hospitality. Think about it and reach out and extend the hand of welcome this week. It takes just three simple words, Come and See. Ministry Week at St. John s Parish Sunday, Apr. 2-5 th Sunday in Lent INVITE A FRIEND TO CHURCH SUNDAY Holy Eucharist Rite II at 8 and 10 am Christian Education for Children following the 10 am service. Mother Joan to lead Adult Forum Hospitality and Forum following the 10 am service. Yazidi Aid Presentation, 3-5 pm St. James Episcopal Church, New London Monday, Apr. 3 Parish Office Hours: Mon-Fri, 9:00 am to 1:00 pm Tuesday, Apr 4 Parish Adult Bible Study: 3:00 pm A.A.-12-Step Program: 7:30 pm Martin Luther King, Jr. s-actual birthday Wednesday, Apr 5 Holy Eucharist of Healing 11:00 am Thursday, Apr 6 S.S.K.P. Food Pantry: 5:00 pm St. John s Pantry Pals: 5:00 pm St. John s Sr. Choir Rehearsal: 7:30 pm Friday, Apr 7 Parish Office open- 9:00 am to 1:00 pm Saturday, Apr 8 Mother Joan Phelps Speaks at Sunday s Adult Forum St. John s priest associate will lead Sunday s Adult Forum following the 10 am Eucharist. Mother Joan will speak to us about the new regional convocations of parishes in Connecticut. The Diocese has been divided into 6 Convocation Regions. St. John s is in the Southeast Region. This structure replaced the Parish Deaneries in the Diocese. We formerly belonged to the Seabury Deanery which included; Calvary- Stonington, St. Mark s-mystic, Grace- Yantic, Christ-Norwich, St. David s-gales Ferry, St. James-Poquetanuck, St. James- New London and Bishop Seabury. Seabury-Groton was closed by the Diocese and the property sold.
VESTRY LIASONS ANNOUNCED Parish Ministry or Guild Vestry Liaison Pastoral Care Ministry Music Ministry Outreach Ministry Hospitality Ministry Christian Education for Children Stewardship Parish Life Sue Steady Larry Basso Kirsten Babbin + Dave Rutherford Rosemarie Goss Janice Nykyforchyn Skip Wilson + Bob Jennings Gina Lincoln No, no, you idiot! The memo said Chocolate Rabbits not rabbis.! St. John s Episcopal Church Rector + Editor The Rev d Anthony C. Dinoto Asst. to the Rector Laura J. Stefanski Organist + Choirmaster Dr. John P. Anthony Dir.-Youth + Education Amanda N. Murray Dir.-Treble Choir Susan Worgul Sexton Alphonsine Mwizerza Vestry Officers Hugh D. Blake Sr. Warden Daniel Holle Jr. Warden Dave Rutherford Treasurer Pamela Graham Vestry Kirsten Babbin Larry Basso Kathy DiMaggio Rosemarie Goss Bob Jennings Gina Lincoln Jan Nykyforchyn Susan Steady Skip Wilson Clerk MATTHEW S PASSION GOSPEL PALM SUNDAY READERS = VOLUNTEER READERS ARE NEEDED FOR THE READING OF THE PASSION GOSPEL ON PALM SUNDAY S 10 AM EUCHARIST. SIGN-UP ROSTER IS ON THE BULLETIN BOARD IN THE PARISH HALL. PARTS WILL BE ASSINGED ON PALM SUNDAY. ALL ARE WELCOME EASTER FLOWER TRIBUTES We are compiling the Easter Memorial List For Easter Sunday. Please submit your Flower Donation Envelope to the Parish Office before Wed. of Holy Week for it to be Listed in the Easter Memorials Insert.
+ News from & Education Save the dates: VACATION BIBLE SCHOOL JUNE 26 TH 20 TH VOLUNTEERS NEEDED YOUTH SUNDAY JUNE 11TH PARISH PICNIC JUNE 11TH Amanda Murray DYEM GOOD FRIDAY PROGRAM FOR CHILDREN AND YOUTH All children and youth and their friends are invited to join us on Good Friday and learn more the meaning of Good Friday, Jesus and Easter on Friday, April 14 from 9 am to 12 noon. The children and youth will decorate Easter eggs, make stained glass crosses, explore the Easter Story, bake Easter bread, and more! We will have donuts and juice/milk for the morning and a snack later that day. Adults and/ or teens: If you would like to volunteer to help please contact Amanda Murray at stjohnsdyem@yahoo.com or at 251-259-7617. We need wrapped candy to fill the plastic Easter eggs and hardboiled white eggs to color and decorate. Please bring them to the church by April 12 th. Thank you. St. John s Annual Easter Egg Hunt Our Easter Sunday celebration continues following the 10 am Festival Mass of the Resurrection with our Annual Easter Egg Hunt. Fun for the whole Parish family. We will have Easter Eggs, candy, refreshments and a special Easter Cake. Bags for the Easter Egg Hunt will be provided. A Special Easter Sunday Hospitality time will be offered. Please bring cut flowers on Easter Sunday: we will have a Resurrection Cross on the church s front lawn. Everyone is invited to bring cut flowers and help decorate the cross on easter Sunday. CHURCH SCHOOL MEETING All St. John s volunteer Church School teachers and aids are asked to plan to attend a brief meeting on Sunday, April 23 rd following Church School and Hospitality time. Fr. Tony will be joining us for this important meeting. Parish Nursery Needs Our Parish Nursery is looking for new or gently used, clean items such as wooden puzzles, a baby swing, a changing table doll cradles and more. Please contact Amanda Murray.