To the good people of Saint John’s:
Grace and peace to you.  This weekend past was filled with lots of fun activities in the community, and a few unexpected twists and turns due to the threat of Hurricane Nate.  We had to cancel the Pet Blessing, the Children’s Choir, and Sunday School- but thanks be to God our community was spared any severe weather.  Thank you all for your support and willingness to work with and around the amended schedule.  The Gospel lesson from last Sunday was direct and difficult.  Jesus spoke of his vineyard being taking away from the Pharisee and given to a people who would produce fruit for the Kingdom.
I preached on Paul’s letter to the Philippians, but the words of our Lord stuck with me.  While we can do nothing to earn the love, grace, forgiveness, and salvation of God- they are free gifts, given freely- we are still expected to respond through the actions of our lives to these gifts.  We are commanded to reflect the love, grace, mercy and forgiveness of Christ our Lord to the world around us… we are expected to produce fruit.  The gospel is meant to prick at our consciences and demands we take an inventory of our lives and see if we are indeed bearing the fruit of God’s love for us.  So the reflection for the week is in what ways does your life bear fruit worthy of God’s Kingdom? In what ways do you reflect God’s love to the world around you?  We are the keepers of the vineyard of God’s Kingdom, and with that we have an obligation to tend that vineyard and share the bounty with the world.
See you all around the parish,
Jeff+

MEN’S NIGHT OUT – TOMORROW EVENING


Ladies of St. John’s,

Don’t you need a night out? Let’s get together! Each third Thursday of the month the ladies of the church are meeting to dine, fellowship, and perhaps learn something from each other. The first one will be Thursday October 19th at 6pm in the parish hall. Bring your favorite appetizer or dessert and something you would like to sip on and let’s have some fun and fellowship together! See you there!



Names for the Book of the Dead

The Annual All Souls Mass is fast approaching, Sunday evening, November 6th, at 6:00pm.  At the mass, prayers will be offered for the parish dead, and those names that are written in the book of the dead.  If you wish to have a loved one remembered, please click here, or sign the book in the back of the Nave.


2017 Flower Chart

The Altar Flower Chart for 2017 is on the board  in the Sacristy hallway and we need the faithful to sign up to take a Sunday in memory or thanksgiving of someone or an event.  If you are unable to come to the parish to sign up, you are more than welcome to call the parish office with a date you would like and we will try our best to accommodate you.  When a person takes a Sunday, they contact the parish to make known their thanksgiving/memorial wording for the Sunday bulletin. Mr. Randy Jackson of Flowertyme is a communicant, but you may choose which florist you would like to deal with, or you can make the arrangement yourself and place them in the sanctuary.

Sign up to feed our E.Y.C.
We need your help feeding our E.Y.C. members on Sunday evenings.  Their meeting begins at 6:00 p.m. at the parish.  There is a sign up sheet located on the board in the sacristy hallway with dates that are available.  For more information, contact the Parish Office.

An Easy Way to Help St. John’s Day School
Start clipping BOX TOPS for Education!  Hundreds of products participate in the program, and you probably already have several in your pantry, freezer and refrigerator.  For every Box Top you clip, St. John’s Day School will receive 10 cents!!!  That may not sound like a lot, but it adds up quickly. There are no limitations on the money’s use, so St. John’s can spend it as needed.
Grab your scissors and keep an eye out for the Box Tops for Education logo on the products you use every day.  Once you have finished the product, clip the Box Top before you throw it away.  Be sure to look over the whole box.  There is a container labeled for your Box Tops on the table in the hallway.

Connecting Ministry
We here at Saint John’s love reaching out to others and letting them know that they are loved by God, held in prayer and remembered.  Our Pastoral Care Committee, E.Y.C. and Daughters of the King society would love to write notes of encouragement, send small care packages and simply let others know that they are prayed for and remembered.  If you have a loved one who is shut-in, a college student or in the military, follow this link to fill out the form and let us stay in touch with them!  The form is here:  http://stjohnslaurel.com/?page_id=2037

A Tip O’ The Biretta
  • To all the men who attended the 2nd Tuesday Men’s Breakfast.  See you next month!
A remembrance of our EYC pilgrimage to Santiago.
Report of the Treasurer
Actual Budget Diff
Pledges $ 237,513 $ 259,354 $ 21,841
Plate $   31,668 $  42,582 $ 10,914
Total $ 316,845 $ 359,519 $ 42,674
Expenses $ 365,167 $ 358,773 $  6,394
Total  $ 48,322 $ 746 $ 49,068
O God, our heavenly Father, make the door of this Church wide enough that all who need human love and fellowship and a Fathers care may find it, and narrow enough to shut out all envy, pride and uncharitableness.  Here may the tempted find help, and the sorrowing receive comfort.  Here may the careless be awakened to repentance, and the penitent be assured of your mercy.  And here may all your children renew their strength in You, and go on their way rejoicing.  Through Jesus Christ Our Lord.  Amen.
Saint Johns Episcopal Church
541 North 5th Ave./ P.O. Box 1766
Laurel, MS 39441
office@stjohnslaurel.com
http://stjohnslaurel.com
601.428.7252 Office
601.422.7388 Mobile
Copyright © 2017 Saint John’s Episcopal Church, All rights reserved.

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