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Almighty God, whose Son, our Savior Jesus Christ, was moved with compassion for all who have gone astray and with indignation for all who have suffered wrong; enflame our hearts with the burning fire of your love, that we may seek out the lost, have mercy on the fallen and stand fast for truth and righteousness; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen (Prayer of Divine Compassion).

What a weekend at St. John’s! Our nursery school delivered a truckload of baby items to Helping Hands along with all the baby items that our church collected. The HIHI chefs were in full force with Nelly and Dave Lasek leading the way with an incredible feast of Puerto Rican culinary delights. The ECW ran a successful and fun evening of Zingo that will send 7 children to summer camp at Family Service League that would not have been able to go. Our breakfast team led by Dave Lasek and Heather Kress is serving full tables once again after the 8:00 and 10:00 services. The thrift shop has a fine selection of cloths at inexpensive prices and just gave several bags of cloths to the homeless and Fr. Juan. Our Racial Reconciliation Committee just released their report of Slavery in Huntington and with St. John’s members. The Spirituality Ministry has been doing wonderful things. The Wardens are leading the vestry and our parish and will soon meet to look at the future of St. John’s in a changing church culture. The concert committee of Alex, Deacon Claire, Christine, Bill, Sue, Leslie and Liz worked tirelessly to market and prepare for our inaugural Jazz Concert Series. The results were a standing room only crowd and a fabulous concert. We are preparing for our Palm Sunday, Maundy Thursday, Good Friday and Easter services. First Communion and Youth Confirmation classes are also going well. St. Hilda’s Guild, the Prayer Shawl Ministry, Education for Ministry, Bible Study, and our Christian Education ministries are also returning to pre-Covid form and beyond.

Lent is a time of preparation, when we teach the faithful to draw closer to the one we love. It is by our example of our music, worship, study, prayer, ministries, and outreach that others will see that Jesus Christ came that we might have life and live it abundantly. Jesus Christ came that we might be transformed from our present state to the beautiful children of God that we were created to be. “For God so loved the world that he gave his only Son, so that everyone who believes in him may not perish but may have eternal life” (John 3:16).

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. Apostles have been transformed by the cross of our Lord, to do the will of God, through the power of the Holy Spirit. We have the power to transform the nightmare that the world can be into the blessing of the Kingdom of God. So if you have been hurting, frustrated, sick, or a little down, have faith that God will make all things new again. We will emerge from this state of the world as we emerged from our baptism, wet in the waters of the Holy Spirit and anointed to become the beloved community that God calls us to be.

In Christ’s love,
Rev. Duncan Burns