“I give you a new commandment, that you love one another. Just as I have loved you, you also should love one another.
By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another"(John13:34-35).

St. John’s is a diverse and friendly community. I have heard many people say that it feels like one big family when you come back to the Great Hall for coffee and fellowship. There is a feeling you get when you come to events like our “Taste of the Caribbean” and the ECW Zingo Night. The feeling many people have shared with me reflects the love of Jesus Christ. Just as Jesus gave himself for our sins, we love our neighbors as he loved us. The key to this love is that it is steadfast and universal. We love everyone that walks through our door. God loves all people for all time and we are called to love each other in a similar manner. “Therefore welcome one another as Christ has welcomed you, for the glory of God” (Romans 15:7).

I encourage everyone at St. John’s to join a small group. Fellowship in a small group can lead to lifelong friendships and helps our church to carry out the mission and outreach work that we are called to do. Small groups can also provide a confidential atmosphere of support, prayer, and love that helps us to get through difficult times in our lives. The ECW, Education for Ministry, St. Hilda’s Guild, bible study, the Thrifty Shop, the choir, the Prayer Shawl Ministry, the Spirituality Group, the breakfast group, laundry love, racial reconciliation and social justice, the youth group, acolytes, the nursery school steering committee, the  vestry, the finance committee, and buildings and grounds are all ministries that function as a small group. Please consider joining one of these small group ministries. Community is at the heart of everything we do at St. John’s.

St. John’s has a long tradition of providing food and fellowship. Every Sunday the breakfast group offers an amazing time of food and fellowship. If you do not attend our coffee hour after the 8:00am or 10:00am services, I highly recommend that you come back to the Great Hall (through the door by the piano) after every church service. On June 19th, our ECW (Episcopal Church Women) will provide a wonderful dinner. A group of guys from the parish will cook and serve a fine meal to all the ladies. Please consider joining us for this time of food and fellowship.

This past week, our youth joined us in celebrating the love and compassion of our mothers at St. John’s. Our Youth stood at the altar, served as acolytes, distributed the wine, read the lessons, led the Prayers of the People, served as ushers, and sang the offertory anthem. My thanks to Ford, our youth group, our Sunday school teachers, and all our children for all that they do to make St. John’s such a wonderful family. Our next youth service will be June 16th. We will celebrate our fathers, our Sunday school teachers and our children that attended Sunday school this year. We will also celebrate our high school and college graduate. Please give Coral their names, so that we can include them in our program. If you would like to sing or play an instrument, please see Alex.

In Christ’s love,

Fr. Duncan