St. John's Episcopal Church

St. John’s Episcopal Church - Sunday, February 17, 2019

 

From Fr. Ray+

 

Dear St. John’s Friends and Family,

 

I am deeply appreciative to everyone who has been keeping me in their prayers as I deal with some gait and balance issues.  As you may have noticed, sometimes I am a bit unsteady on my feet and have slight tremors in my hands and legs, mostly on my left side.  My neurologist in Little Rock has been running tests to figure out exactly what is going on.  So far, he has ruled out Parkinson’s Disease and several things related to my brain such as a tumor, stroke or aneurysm.  This coming Friday I am having a nerve conduction test and further tests may be ordered depending on what that shows.  As I learn more, I will pass that information along to you.  The symptoms I am dealing with are fairly obvious.  To that end, I don’t want anyone wondering what is going on or what I am doing about it.  The good news is that I feel fine and my energy level is good.  These symptoms do not slow me down or prevent me from doing all the ministry related things I’ve always done.  I have good doctors and I am confident they will get this figured out.  In the meantime, please continue to keep me in your prayers.

Thanks,  Ray+

The Arkansas Diocesan Convention is taking place February 15 and 16 in Little Rock. Father Ray, along with lay delegates Susan Carter and Lorraine Ferryman, will be representing St. John’s.  Opening worship is Friday, February 15 at 6 p.m. at Trinity Cathedral and business sessions will be conducted on Saturday, February 16 at Episcopal Collegiate School.

The next meeting of the vestry is Monday, February 18, at 5:30 p.m. in the undercroft.

Please add the following dates to your 2019 calendar.

• March 5, Shrove Tuesday Pancake Supper
• March 6, Ash Wednesday Service at 5:30 p.m.
• April 14, Palm Sunday
• April 18, Maundy Thursday Service at 5:30 p.m.
• April 19, Good Friday Service at Noon and Stations of the Cross at 5:30 p.m.

Worship and Education News:

Adult Sunday School:  Meets Sunday at 9:00 am. 

Sunday School:   Will meet at 9:00 am at the First United Methodist Church.

Worship: February 17, the Holy Eucharist, Rite II, with Rev Ray Brown

Readings for the Sixth Sunday after the Epiphany: Jeremiah 17:5-10; Psalm 1; 1 Corinthians 15:12-20; Luke 6:17-26

Pastoral News:

Please keep the following in your prayers:   Susan Worrell, Debra Richardson, David Henderson, Kathy Sullivan, Larry Bryant, Lynn Jordan, Ray Worley, Carol Jennings, Nancy Howe, Jim Howe, Parker Pace, Heather Treat, Julie Ann Doan, Courtney Turner, Sheila Fraiser, P.J. Clay, Rita Merritt, Jerry Robertson, Mary Hamm, Mary Helen Lagarde, Jo Boone Wild, Richard Hargraves, Gloria Higginbotham, Pat Wheeler, Jan Hickey, Paula Oliver, Kelly Faye Parker, Bennett Sellers, Violet Hargraves (Brandon Hargraves’ daughter), Carla Myers, Rev Ray Brown, Lawson Towles, and Jack Myers.

 

Outreach News:

Angels of Grace and Anchor Mission ministries: The item from their wish list this week is laundry detergent & bleach.

Humane Society of the Delta:  Donations needed are dog food & puppy food.

            Please place all of these donations in the red wagon at the back of the church.

Grace Food Pantry: plastic bags go in the labeled container in the narthex.

     Thank you for your weekly donations.  They are all greatly appreciated.

Church Office News and Announcements:

Feb 13, Wed at 5:30 pm: Midweek Eucharist

Altar Guild – Jayne Morris

Feb 17, SUN at 10:30 am:  Holy Eucharist, Rite II

Acolyte – West Hornor

Lay Eucharist Minister – Susan Carter

Altar Guild – Angie Fielder

Altar Flowers – Mike & Angie Fielder

Feb 18, Mon at 5:30 pm: Vestry will meet at the church.

Feb 20, Wed at 5:30 pm: Midweek Eucharist

Altar Guild – Angie Fielder

The website to purchase St John’s church photos is https://stjohnsepiscopalchurch.pixieset.com.  All proceeds will go to support Young Life of Phillips County.  Photographs can also be viewed in the church office.   

St. John’s T-shirts are available with sizes from S through 3XL.  The price is $15 each. 

Contact info for Fr. Ray:

Cell: 501-291-6262    

Email:  rector@saintjohnshelena.org                                           

St. John’s Church Office:

Phone:  870-338-8115    

Email:   office@saintjohnshelena.org 

Mailing address:  P.O. Box 770, Helena, AR 72342

Street address:  625 Pecan St., Helena, AR

St. John’s Episcopal Church - Sunday, February 10, 2019

 

From Fr. Ray+

From time to time, I will be providing updates on some of the good things we are doing with the Outreach dollars given to St. John’s.  This past week I met a man who grew up in Helena-West Helena, but has lived in Michigan for most of the last twenty years.  He recently made his way back to Helena but things did not work out as planned and he was sleeping in abandoned houses near the church. During last week’s bitterly cold weather we put him up for two nights at the Crown Motel.  After ascertaining that there was not going to be any viable opportunities for him in our area, we bought him a bus ticket back to Pontiac, Michigan, where a job was waiting upon his return.  Then, on Friday of last week I received a phone call from Rosie at the Women’s Shelter asking if we could provide two nights lodging for a woman and her three children who were homeless.  Again, we provided two nights lodging at the Crown Motel, after which Rosie will be taking them in.  Finally, we partnered with Mid-Delta to share the cost of utility deposits for a single man who was moving into a one bedroom apartment provided by the Helena-West Helena Housing Authority.  Thank you for giving to the Outreach Ministry at St. John’s.  Your generosity is making a difference in the lives of men, women and children.  Whenever possible we provide assistance in partnership with other community agencies such as Mid-Delta, The Women’s Shelter, Anchor Mission and the HWH Housing Authority.  Working together, we are making a difference! 

Please add the following dates to your 2019 calendar.

• March 5, Shrove Tuesday Pancake Supper
• March 6, Ash Wednesday Service at 5:30 p.m.
• April 14, Palm Sunday
• April 18, Maundy Thursday Service at 5:30 p.m.
• April 19, Good Friday Service at Noon and Stations of the Cross at 5:30 p.m.

Worship and Education News:

Adult Sunday School:  Meets Sunday at 9:00 am. 

Sunday School:   Will meet at 9:00 am at the First United Methodist Church.

Worship: February 10, the Holy Eucharist, Rite II, with Rev Ray Brown

Readings for the Fifth Sunday after the Epiphany: Isaiah 6:1-13; Psalm 138; 1 Corinthians 15:1-11; Luke 5:1-11

Pastoral News:

Please keep the following in your prayers:   Susan Worrell, Debra Richardson, David Henderson, Kathy Sullivan, Larry Bryant, Lynn Jordan, Ray Worley, Carol Jennings, Nancy Howe, Jim Howe, Parker Pace, Heather Treat, Julie Ann Doan, Courtney Turner, Sheila Fraiser, P.J. Clay, Rita Merritt, Jerry Robertson, Mary Hamm, Mary Helen Lagarde, Jo Boone Wild, Richard Hargraves, Gloria Higginbotham, Pat Wheeler, Jan Hickey, Paula Oliver, Kelly Faye Parker, Bennett Sellers, Violet Hargraves (Brandon Hargraves’ daughter), Carla Myers, Rev Ray Brown, and Lawson Towles.

 

Outreach News:

Angels of Grace and Anchor Mission ministries: The item from their wish list this week is cleaning supplies.

Humane Society of the Delta:  Donations needed are dog food & puppy food.

ECW still needs: Ivory soap and soap boxes for their collections this Sunday.

           Please place all of these donations in the red wagon at the back of the church.

Grace Food Pantry: plastic bags go in the labeled container in the narthex.

       Thank you for your weekly donations.  They are all greatly appreciated.

Church Office News and Announcements:

Feb 6, Wed at 5:30 pm: Midweek  Healing Eucharist

Altar Guild – Betsy Wright

Feb 10, SUN at 10:30 am: Holy Eucharist, Rite II

Acolyte – Rachel Wright

Lay Eucharist Minister – Gina Pillow

Altar Guild – Jayne Morris

Altar Flowers – Jack & Carla Myers

Feb 11, Mon at 5:00 pm: ECW will meet at Ann Lee’s home.

Feb 13, Wed at 5:30 pm: Midweek Eucharist

Altar Guild – Jayne Morris

The website to purchase St John’s church photos is https://stjohnsepiscopalchurch.pixieset.com.  All proceeds will go to support Young Life of Phillips County.  Photographs can also be viewed in the church office.   St. John’s T-shirts are available with sizes from S through 3XL.  The price is $15 each. 

Contact info for Fr. Ray:

Cell: 501-291-6262    

Email:  rector@saintjohnshelena.org                                           

St. John’s Church Office:

Phone:  870-338-8115    

Email:   office@saintjohnshelena.org 

Mailing address:  P.O. Box 770, Helena, AR 72342

Street address: 625 Pecan St., Helena, AR

St. John’s Episcopal Church - Sunday, February 3, 2019

 

From Fr. Ray+

Thank you to everyone who helped with our Annual Parish Meeting and Luncheon last Sunday!   By unanimous vote, Mike Fielder, Ann Lee and Ben Pittman were elected to three-year terms on the St. John’s vestry.  Gina Pillow was announced as our new Sr. Warden and Tap Jennings was elected Jr. Warden at the vestry meeting following the Annual Meeting.  Gibson Turley and Walter Morris, Jr. will continue to serve as Clerk and Treasurer, respectively.  Vestry meetings will continue to be held on the third Monday of every month at 5:30 p.m. at the church and will, as always, be open to anyone who wishes to attend.

One of my goals for the New Year is for St. John’s to continue to prayerfully consider ways of living out the core values we identified last year.  Those core values are: Celebrating God’s love in the beauty of Anglican worship, Growing in our faith through study and spiritual disciplines and Serving the world in Jesus’ name with our time, talent and treasure.  If you would like to be part of one (or more!) of the small groups focusing on each of these core values, please let me know.

Please add the following dates to your 2019 calendar.

• March 5, Shrove Tuesday Pancake Supper
• March 6, Ash Wednesday Service at 5:30 p.m.
• April 14, Palm Sunday
• April 18, Maundy Thursday Service at 5:30 p.m.
• April 19, Good Friday Service at Noon and Stations of the Cross at 5:30 p.m.

Worship and Education News:

Adult Sunday School:  Meets Sunday at 9:00 am. 

Sunday School:   Will meet at 9:00 am at the First United Methodist Church.

Worship: February 3, the Holy Eucharist, Rite II, with Rev Ray Brown

Readings for the Fourth Sunday after the Epiphany: Jeremiah 1:4-10; Psalm 71:1-6; 1 Corinthians 13:1-13; Luke 4:21-30

Pastoral News:

Please keep the following in your prayers:   Susan Worrell, Debra Richardson, David Henderson, Kathy Sullivan, Larry Bryant, Lynn Jordan, Ray Worley, Carol Jennings, Nancy Howe, Jim Howe, Parker Pace, Heather Treat, Julie Ann Doan, Courtney Turner, Sheila Fraiser, P.J. Clay, Rita Merritt, Jerry Robertson, Mary Hamm, Mary Helen Lagarde, Jo Boone Wild, Richard Hargraves, Gloria Higginbotham, Pat Wheeler, Jan Hickey, Paula Oliver, Kelly Faye Parker, Bennett Sellers, Violet Hargraves (Brandon Hargraves’ daughter), Carla Myers, and Rev Ray Brown.

Outreach News:

Angels of Grace and Anchor Mission ministries: The item from their wish list this week is paper towels.

Humane Society of the Delta:  Donations needed are dog food & puppy food. 

       This Sunday ECW will be collecting Ivory soap, soap dishes and wash cloths.

             Please place all of these donations in the red wagon at the back of the church.

Grace Food Pantry: plastic bags go in the labeled container in the narthex.

      Thank you for your weekly donations.  They are all greatly appreciated.

Church Office News and Announcements:

Jan 30, Wed at 5:30 pm: Midweek Eucharist

Altar Guild – Julie Pittman

Feb 3, SUN at 10:30 am: Holy Eucharist, RiteII

Acolytes – Ned Pillow, Mary Pillow, Eli Pillow, Katherine Pillow & Jack Pillow

Lay Eucharist Minister – Mike Fielder

Altar Guild – Betsy Wright

Altar Flowers – Charlie Tappan family

Feb 6, Wed at 5:30 pm: Midweek Eucharist

Altar Guild – Betsy Wright

The website to purchase St John’s church photos is https://stjohnsepiscopalchurch.pixieset.com.  All proceeds will go to support Young Life of Phillips County.  Photographs can also be viewed in the church office.   St. John’s T-shirts are available with sizes from S through 3XL.  The price is $15 each. 

Contact info for Fr. Ray:

Cell: 501-291-6262    

Email:  rector@saintjohnshelena.org                                           

St. John’s Church Office:

Phone:  870-338-8115    

Email:   office@saintjohnshelena.org 

Mailing address:  P.O. Box 770, Helena, AR 72342

Street address:  625 Pecan St., Helena,  AR

 

St. John’s Episcopal Church - Sunday, January 27, 2019

 

From Fr. Ray+

Our Annual Parish Meeting and luncheon will be this coming Sunday, January 27, immediately following worship.  The luncheon is potluck, although meat will be provided by the church.

At this meeting we will elect three new vestry members, receive an update on how we finished 2018 in terms of finances and hear brief reports from a few of our lay leaders.  The persons nominated to three-year terms on the vestry include Ben Pittman, Ann Lee and Mike Fielder. They will be replacing three faithful members who have completed three-year terms of service. Please let Bob Lee, Tait Owens and Grace Henderson know how much you appreciate their service these past three years.  They have been a pleasure to work with and have done a wonderful job serving their Lord and their church.

Also, as is always the case when we get together as a church family, we will enjoy simply being together!  The goal of both myself and the vestry is that our Annual Meeting will be a time when essential church business is handled both professionally and relatively quickly.  We believe this is a time for celebrating God’s work in our midst in the past year, while joyfully looking forward to all that God will be doing in the coming months.  I hope to see you there!

Please add the following dates to your 2019 calendar.

• March 5, Shrove Tuesday Pancake Supper
• March 6, Ash Wednesday Service at 5:30 p.m.
• April 14, Palm Sunday
• April 18, Maundy Thursday Service at 5:30 p.m.
• April 19, Good Friday Service at Noon and Stations of the Cross at 5:30 p.m.

Worship and Education News:

Adult Sunday School:  Meets Sunday at 9:00 am. 

Sunday School:   Will meet at 9:00 am at the First United Methodist Church.

Worship:  January 27, the Holy Eucharist, Rite II, with Rev Ray Brown

Readings for the Third Sunday after the Epiphany; Nehemiah 8:1-3, 5-6, 8-10; Psalm 19; 1 Corinthians 12:12-31a; Luke 4:14-21

Pastoral News:

Please keep the following in your prayers:   Susan Worrell, Debra Richardson, David Henderson, Kathy Sullivan, Larry Bryant, Lynn Jordan, Ray Worley, Carol Jennings, Nancy Howe, Jim Howe, Parker Pace, Heather Treat, Julie Ann Doan, Courtney Turner, Sheila Fraiser, P.J. Clay, Rita Merritt, Jerry Robertson, Mary Hamm, Mary Helen Lagarde, Jo Boone Wild, Richard Hargraves, Gloria Higginbotham, Pat Wheeler, Jan Hickey, Paula Oliver, Kelly Faye Parker, Bennett Sellers, Carla Myers, and the family of Rev. Mike Wilkie.

Outreach News:

Angels of Grace and Anchor Mission ministries: The item from their wish list this week is dish soap.

Humane Society of the Delta:  Donations needed are dog food & puppy food. 

For the next two Sundays ECW will be collecting Ivory soap, soap dishes and wash cloths.

           Please place all of these donations in the red wagon at the back of the church.

Grace Food Pantry: plastic bags go in the labeled container in the narthex.

Thank you for your weekly donations.  They are all greatly appreciated.

Church Office News and Announcements:

Jan 23, Wed at 5:30 pm: Midweek Eucharist

Altar Guild – Maureen Jones

Jan 27, SUN at 10:30 am:  Holy Eucharist, Rite II

Acolyte – Ben Pittman

Lay Eucharist Minister – Ann Lee

Altar Guild – Julie Pittman

Altar Flowers – the Keesee girls

Jan 27,  Sunday: Annual Parish Meeting and luncheon following worship

Jan 30, Wed at 5:30 pm: Midweek Eucharist

Altar Guild – Julie Pittman

The website to purchase St John’s church photos is https://stjohnsepiscopalchurch.pixieset.com.  All proceeds will go to support Young Life of Phillips County.  Photographs can also be viewed in the church office.   St. John’s T-shirts are available with sizes from S through 3XL.  The price is $15 each. 

Contact info for Fr. Ray:

Cell: 501-291-6262    

Email:  rector@saintjohnshelena.org                                           

St. John’s Church Office:

Phone:  870-338-8115    

Email:   office@saintjohnshelena.org 

Mailing address:  P.O. Box 770, Helena, AR 72342

Street address:  625 Pecan St., Helena, AR

St. John’s Episcopal Church - Sunday, January 20, 2019

 

From Fr. Ray+

Our Annual Parish Meeting and luncheon will be Sunday, January 27 immediately following worship.  At this meeting we will elect three new vestry members, approve our 2019 budget and hear brief reports from a few of our lay leaders.  Also, as is always the case when we get together as a church family, we will enjoy simply being together!  The goal of both myself and the vestry is that our Annual Meeting will be a time when essential church business is handled both professionally and relatively quickly.  We believe this is a time for celebrating God’s work in our midst in the past year, while joyfully looking forward to all that God will be doing in the coming months.  I hope to see you there!

 

Please add the following dates to your 2019 calendar.

• March 5, Shrove Tuesday Pancake Supper
• March 6, Ash Wednesday Service at 5:30 p.m.
• April 14, Palm Sunday
• April 18, Maundy Thursday Service at 5:30 p.m.
• April 19, Good Friday Service at Noon and Stations of the Cross at 5:30 p.m.

Worship and Education News:

Adult Sunday School:  Meets Sunday at 9:00 am. 

Sunday School:   Will meet at 9:00 am at the First United Methodist Church.

Worship:  January 20, the Holy Eucharist, Rite II, with Rev Ray Brown

Readings for the Second Sunday after the Epiphany, Isaiah 62:1-5; Psalm 36:5-10; 1 Corinthians 12:1-11; John 2:1-11

Pastoral News:

Please keep the following in your prayers:   Susan Worrell, Debra Richardson, David Henderson, Kathy Sullivan, Larry Bryant, Lynn Jordan, Ray Worley, Carol Jennings, Nancy Howe, Jim Howe, Parker Pace, Heather Treat, Julie Ann Doan, Courtney Turner, Sheila Fraiser, P.J. Clay, Rita Merritt, Jerry Robertson, Mary Hamm, Mary Helen Lagarde, Jo Boone Wild, Richard Hargraves, Gloria Higginbotham, Pat Wheeler, Jan Hickey, Paula Oliver, Kelly Faye Parker, and Rev. Mike Wilkie.

Outreach News:

Angels of Grace and Anchor Mission ministries: The item from their wish list this week is laundry detergent & bleach.

Humane Society of the Delta:  Donations needed are dog food & puppy food. 

            Please place all of these donations in the red wagon at the back of the church.

Grace Food Pantry: plastic bags go in the labeled container in the narthex.

    Thank you for your weekly donations.  They are all greatly appreciated.

Church Office News and Announcements:

Jan 16, Wed at 5:30 pm: Midweek Eucharist

Altar Guild – Lindalu Hargraves

Jan 20, SUN at 10:30 am:  Holy Eucharist, Rite II

Acolyte – Mike Fielder

Lay Eucharist Minister – Susan Carter

Altar Guild – Maureen Jones

Altar Flowers – Martha Lambert

Jan 23, Wed at 5:30 pm: Midweek Eucharist

Altar Guild – Maureen Jones

Jan 27,  Sunday: Annual Parish Meeting and luncheon following worship

The website to purchase St John’s church photos is https://stjohnsepiscopalchurch.pixieset.com.  All proceeds will go to support Young Life of Phillips County.  Photographs can also be viewed in the church office.   

St. John’s T-shirts are available with sizes from S through 3XL.  The price is $15. 

Contact info for Fr. Ray:

Cell: 501-291-6262    

Email:  rector@saintjohnshelena.org                                           

St. John’s Church Office:

Phone:  870-338-8115    

Email:   office@saintjohnshelena.org 

Mailing address:  P.O. Box 770, Helena, AR 72342

Street address:  625 Pecan St., Helena, AR