Faith-Filled Generosity: A quality of would launch quickly. As a matter of fact, Willet All Saints Hauser Stained Glass will be on site for the first three weeks of November to rehab and protect five windows. Dear St. John’s Family, Bettye’s favorite was the ‘Magi and Shepherds’
This newsletter should reach you just in time for our window in the back of the nave, and the refurbishing celebration of All Saints’ Sunday. We will focus on the will be done in her honor! (Some have already given lives of the Saints in our 9:00 a.m. Live Streamed gifts just reading our July and September newsletter service. Celebrating this particular Saints’ Day online announcements about the AHPP grant and before we is a reminder of the fragility of life and the importance have even asked! Talk about Faith-Filled of protecting our health as much as possible. Generosity!!!!!) All Saints’ Day certainly addresses the focus of our November, of course, is when we celebrate the Stewardship theme this year: “Faith-Filled Generosity.” holiday of Thanksgiving. It will have a dramatically The lives of the saints are filled with a variety of different feel for many this year. However, your ‘Faith- generous acts. Some gave their life in service to others; Filled Generosity’ allows ministry to touch the lives of so many for so much good! THANK YOU! some led history changing movements; some brought new insights into justice issues or theology. However, God’s Blessings, saints are also regular folks who live faithfully each day Father Mike Lager and keep Christ as the center of their life. Their life was as an act of love, caring for the needs of others. National Prayer Service One of these saints comes to mind in our own Bettye On All Saints Sunday, November 1, at 4:00–5:30 p.m. Fields who is remembered on All Saints’ Day in our EST, Washington National Cathedral will host ‘Holding parish necrology. Bettye was a member of our Legacy Onto Hope: A National Service of Healing and Society. She was always faith-filled in her support of Wholeness,’ featuring Presiding Bishop Michael Curry the church in her life. Likewise in her estate planning, preaching, testimonies from Fr. James Martin and Valerie she left a Legacy Gift to St. John’s as a ‘Faith-Filled Kaur, and prayers and music from across America. Watch Generous’ gift. She loved the music program, and the service on The Episcopal Church’s website: designated 40% of her gift to ensure its continuance episcopalchurch.org. after her death. She loved the church’s beauty and left Christ Church to Offer Virtual Worship on Election Day 60% of her gift to the Endowment fund for the perpetual On Tuesday, November 3, at 12:05 p.m., Christ Church care of the church. The ripples of Betty Field’s life in Little Rock (christchurchlr.org) will livestream via touched many others too. We had just received a grant Facebook and YouTube a service of scripture, choral for Stained Glass protection from the Arkansas Historic music, a sermon, and prayers for the welfare of the Preservation Program that requires the church to begin community, state, and nation. the project and the AHPP will match the funds 2 for 1. Al Snider knew of Bettye’s love for the stained glass windows, and he gave the lead gift to ensure phase one
Fort Smith, Arkansas November 2020 For those celebrating birthdays in November
O God, our times are in your hand: Look with favor, we CONNECTIONS pray, on your servants, as they begin another year. 2020
Andy Poirier ...... 1 Lee Ann Vick ...... 2 Developing Relationships is Polly Bobb ...... 3 Emma Nance ...... 8 KEY to growing in God and
Bonnie Johnson Smets ...... 11 building community A. J. Godwin ...... 15
Rose Ward ...... 18 SERVICE
Cissy Goff ...... 22 Casserole of Life – 4th Fri, 8:30 am, Parish Hall kitchen. Bernard Johnson ...... 22 Meal served at 11:30 am to Next Step Homeless Services Tyler Coats ...... 23 clients. Betsy and Jeff Champlin 479.452.7029.
Eric Clifton ...... 24 Sack Lunch Program – N 3rd and “F” Streets. For the Alex Leeper ...... 26 present, there will be lunch-only service.
Darin Sharp ...... 29 SOCIAL Steve Irby ...... 30 Vino League- monthly, scheduled by hosts on Fri or Sat, Will Robinson ...... 30 7 pm, Skinner Building, CANCELLED UNTIL Wyatt Robinson ...... 30 FURTHER NOTICE.
Walking the Mourner’s Path - meets monthly, dates and locations TBA. Ongoing gathering for support of those For those celebrating the anniversary of whose loved ones have died. Open to all. Conveners are their marriage in November Debbie Chandler and Mariko Clifton. NO IN PERSON MEETINGS UNTIL FURTHER NOTICE. Look with favor, O Lord, upon these couples whom you have made one flesh. Walking the Mourner’s Path – new support group starting date TBA. Bryan and Sara Goodwin ...... 1 Stan and Lee Vlademar ...... 2 STUDY
Larry and Charles Bearden ...... 5 Enneagram – meets 1st and 3rd Thursday, 3 and 5:30 pm. Bob and Patti Gray ...... 26 CANCELLED UNTIL FURTHER NOTICE.
Rector’s Class – Normally Wednesday 5 pm, Skinner Bldg, Youth Room; Sun 9:15 am, Chambers Hall; IN PERSON CLASS CANCELLED UNTIL FURTHER Pray for those who have died NOTICE; NOW A ZOOM CLASS.
O God, whose mercies cannot be numbered: Accept our Mind Stretchers - 3rd Tue of the month scheduled. We prayers on behalf of your servants who have died, and have had two Mind Stretchers talks this Fall. They were grant them an entrance into the land of light and joy, in offered as virtual events. the fellowship of your saints. Live Stream Sunday Service 9 am Watch at one of these locations:
O Father of mercies and God of all comfort, our only help in St. John’s Website: stjohnfs.org OR time of need; look down from heaven, we humbly beseech you, St. John’s facebook page: facebook.com/StJohnFS visit, and relieve your sick servants for whom our prayers are offered. Look upon them with eyes of mercy; comfort them with a sense of your goodness; give them patience under their The Order of the Daughters of the King afflictions; and, in your good time, restore them to health, and will not meet in November enable them to lead the residue of their lives in your fear, and to your glory; Or else give them grace so to take your visitation, that, after this painful life ended, they may dwell with you in life everlasting, through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen. No Girl's Night Out until further notice The Book of Common Prayer
Harry and Meghan Markle at Windsor Castle. Here, he St. Bartholomew’s Episcopal Church expands on his message of hope in an inspirational road Food Pantry and Clothes Closet map for living the way of love, illuminated with moving Monday-Thursday, 10 am – 1 pm lessons from his own life. Through the prism of his faith, 2701 Old Greenwood Road ancestry, and personal journey, Love Is the Way shows 479.783.2101 us how America came this far and, more important, how to go a whole lot further. Our Food Pantry has food items and personal The way of love is essential for addressing the hygiene products, as well as baby food and small seemingly insurmountable challenges facing the world packages of diapers. We need your name, phone number today: poverty, racism, selfishness, deep ideological and the number of people in your family. Also let us divisions, competing claims to speak for God. This book know if you have infants and if anyone in your family will lead readers to discover the gifts they need in order has food allergies. to live the way of love: deep reservoirs of hope and Our Clothes Closet has men’s and women’s resilience, simple wisdom, the discipline of nonviolence, clothing, and we hope to have children’s clothing soon. and unshakable regard for human dignity. Each person is allowed 3 outfits every 6 months and the person must pick out their clothes personally. If for Buck A Book some reason that is not possible, please call us and we’ll try to work something out. And St. John’s Book Store & Gift Shop “This is my commandment, that you love one another as I have loved you.” Buck A Book is having two rooms combined into one John 15:12 to make the space more user-friendly. We need sturdy wooden bookcases – if you have one that you can donate it would be much appreciated. Monetary donations will Community Rescue Mission also be accepted. Just make your check payable to Currently CRM is housing 14 children and 10 adults “Buck A Book.” and now has three rooms open. Permanent housing was We regret we are no longer able to accept magazine arranged for two families recently. donations. The new offices next to the Sack Lunch building are During this consolidation, please call the Church coming along with plans to move in prior to office (479.782.9912) or Mary Jane Mustard Thanksgiving. (479.883.1488) to make arrangements for book or Additional funding will be raised for Phase II which bookcase donations. includes: Five additional rooms for families will be Thank you for your continued support and “Happy configured in the existing space, with private bathrooms, Reading.” windows, secure entries, and interior double locked Mary Jane Mustard Jo Ann Flocks doors, for flexibility in room. An update is coming next month on the next steps. PRAYER FOR OUR COUNTRY
Our wish list for supplies needed: toilet paper, Lord God Almighty, you have made all the peoples of the shampoo and conditioner, kid's juice boxes, fresh, earth for your glory, to serve you in freedom and in peace: canned or frozen vegetables, cold medicine and Tums. Give to the people of our country a zeal for justice and the Thank you for all your help from St. Johns! strength of forbearance that we may use our liberty in Heather Sanders CRM Director, 479-434-2155 accordance with your gracious will; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen. Donation of supplies for CRM may be left at the
Skinner Building for delivery to the mission. ECW and DOK Joint Venture Book Study
Grant Purdy Episcopal Church Women and Daughters of the King will hold a joint book study in November via Zoom. LOVE IS THE WAY On November 4, 11, and 18, they will gather virtually to discuss N. T. Wright’s book “God and the Pandemic. As the descendant of slaves and the son of a civil To register: rights activist, Bishop Michael Curry’s life illustrates https://us02web.zoom.us/meeting/register/tZwscemsrD massive changes in our times. Much of the world met MoGNIr9-zMWuOlKCkQva62rAii Bishop Curry when he delivered his sermon on the redemptive power of love at the royal wedding of Prince CONSECRATION OF chain of bishops that links the Church today with the Church of the Apostles. SAMUEL SEABURY In return, he promised them that he would do his best to persuade the American Church to use as its Prayer of BISHOP (14 NOV 1784) Consecration (blessing of the bread and wine at the BESTOWAL OF THE AMERICAN EPISCOPATE Lord's Supper) the Scottish prayer, taken largely A crucial date unchanged from the 1549 Prayer Book, rather than the for members of the much shorter one in use in England. The aforesaid Episcopal Church prayer, adopted by the American Church with a few in the United States modifications, has been widely regarded as one of the of America is the greatest treasures of the Church in this country. consecration of the first Bishop of the WORK DAY AT CAMP MITCHELL Anglican Join your friends for another Camp Mitchell Work Communion in the Day on Saturday 11/14! There’s still more work to do United States. and Camp Mitchell needs as many volunteers as During the colonial possible. We’ll be starting at 9:00 am. Bring water, era, there had been work/garden gloves, and lunch. no Anglican Please email Beth French ([email protected]) or bishops in the New Harold Hedges ([email protected]) to let us know World; and persons you’re coming! seeking to be ordained as clergy had had to travel to England for the Your Input Needed for Camp Mitchell’s Future purpose. After the achievement of American As the Camp Mitchell Working Group discerns how to independence, it was important for the Church in the best support and extend the mission of Camp Mitchell United States to have its own bishops, and an assembly into the future, we need your help. Please take this three- of Connecticut clergy chose Samuel Seabury to go to minute survey to help identify Camp Mitchell’s core England and there seek to be consecrated as a bishop. supporters and let us know what you’re thinking: However, the English bishops were forbidden by law https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLScrcoOU6 to consecrate anyone who would not take an oath of McKXVwu_yeKvERrs4bTbzT4VxNu2kCsPRPBL1LU allegiance to the British Crown. He accordingly turned A/viewform to the Episcopal Church of Scotland. When the Roman
Catholic King James II was deposed in 1688, some of the Encounter Anglican clergy (including some who had been Our encounters with God will generally come to us imprisoned by James for defying him on religious issues) through secondary causes—that is, in the concrete, flesh- said that, having sworn allegiance to James as King, they and-blood lives of Image-bearing humanity. Let us could not during his lifetime swear allegiance to the new remember with thanksgiving all those human feet who monarchs William and Mary. Those who took this have brought us good news, and let us pray also for the position were known as non-Jurors (non-swearers), and grace to be those feet that bring God’s good news to the they included almost all the bishops and clergy of the world. Episcopal Church in Scotland. Accordingly, the -Br. Sean Glenn monarchs and Parliament declared that thenceforth the Society of Saint John the Evangelist official church in Scotland should be the Presbyterian Church. The Episcopal Church of Scotland thereafter had no recognition by the government, and for some time Jesus spoke of love….Such love is not a mere sentiment operated under serious legal disablities. However, since but a real commitment to a way of life that is sacrificial it had no connection with the government, it was free to and redemptive, a way that seeks the good of God and consecrate Seabury without government permission, and the well-being of others. This Way of Love is a game it did. This is why you see a Cross of St. Andrew on the changer. Episcopal Church flag. Presiding Bishop Michael Curry In Aberdeen, 14 November 1784, Samuel Seabury The Way of Love: A Practical Guide was consecrated to the Episcopate by the Bishop and the to Following Jesus Bishop Coadjutor of Aberdeen and the Bishop of Ross and Caithness. He thus became part of the unbroken offer our children whatever piece of wisdom you would like to share with these gifts of God. Make a recording on your phone and send it to me. Tell me how you would like it edited. Maybe sometime when you are stuck at home-since we should not be going out much right now- you could use this crazy time to make something for the kids. Each and every one of you have told me how important the young ones are to you. Prove it. Give the children of St. John’s the gift of you. It is one way we can safely be together right now. Our children miss you all!
Margaret McLellan, (479) 285-5911 Youth Ministries Advisory Team
Dear St. John’s, A big thank you to all for making my Sunday morning more complete.
Thanks be to God! Cathy Bain
Cathy has moved to Colorado, but joins in the Zoom Coffee Hour on Sunday mornings.
Fund Raising Committee EfM - Education for Ministry Only fund raising opportunity in 2020 will be St John’s We have been meeting on Mondays, 5:30pm—8:00pm Face Masks with our Logo. Please purchase your face outdoors. For more information on when, what time mask at the church office. Vicki has them! Only $6 and where, contact: each! Pay by cash or check (memo Fund Raising)! Face Jeannie McCabe (479-221-0432) Karen Lawson (918-839-7057) masks are very important for our safety when we begin to gather and our masks are awesome!!! Thanks for supporting your church family in this really weird time!! "Sacred Ground" If you were not able to sign up for this current group and Youth of St. John’s are interested in future groups Click here A word and request from Margaret... https://forms.gle/Q4SKBp4BaZ8n5BPB7 to get your name on the list to be contacted regarding I just finished editing Jeannie’s recordings of a few formation of future groups. songs she has been singing with our children for more "Sacred Ground" is a film- and readings-based dialogue than a decade. These are precious gifts from Jeannie to series on race, grounded in faith. Small groups are invited our church family. I dare anyone to watch these and not to walk through chapters of America’s history of race and be powerfully moved. Fair warning- you may need a racism, while weaving in threads of family story, economic tissue. They are in our virtual Children’s Chapel page on class, and political and regional identity. The 10-part series our website: stjohnfs.org is built around What We Do a powerful online curriculum of documentary films and Youth & Children readings that focus on Indigenous, Black, Latino, and Virtual Lessons Asian/Pacific American histories as they intersect with Liturgical Colors Song. While you are there on that European American histories. Link for more information webpage, feel free to go watch the other lessons recorded online: by the Youth Ministries Advisory Team. htttps://episcopalchurch.org/sacred-ground
I would like to challenge every single member of St. Jeannie McCabe John’s to offer a similar gift to our children. It could be (479) 221-4032 cell prayer, a story, a reading or a song. Maybe show a trick Volunteers needed for Sack Lunch Program or tell a joke. Show them how to make something. Tell Volunteers are needed this Program. For further them what you remember from when you were little. information contact: What an archive we could create! Wouldn’t it be a Jean Kolljeski (479-252-1360) magnificent legacy of St. John’s to have every household