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Older News2006December 2006We have recently welcomed several new members and friends to St. John's including some people new to our Church as well as transfers from other parts of the country. Our first annual parish meeting was held Dec. 3, with much good news and cheer. We have a newly elected vestry and several new outreach initiatives under way. Our Christmas Eve liturgy will be held at 9:00 PM on Sunday, Dec. 24th. Food PantryIn partnership with Memorial UMC, we are collecting canned goods and toiletry items for the homeless and those in need of assistance in our area. A basket for these items is located in the narthex (entrance) to the church. Memorial UMC provides these items to those who come by the church for help. Please be generous. We are grateful to Bill and Donna McClelland for spearheading this outreach ministry on behalf of St. John’s. Sunday School & Christian EducationOur Sunday School and Christian education program this year will focus on the fundamentals of our belief and practice as Christians in the classical Anglican tradition. We are using the curriculum developed by the Church of St. Thomas of Canterbury, Roanoke, VA. There are separate classes for children and adults, with teaching specifically tailored to the needs and capabilities of each group. Baptism of Lydia & Bethany RileyWe welcome Lydia and Bethany Riley as members of Christ’s One, Holy, Catholic, and Apostolic Church. Bethany and Lydia were incorporated into the Body of Christ by a profession of faith and the sacrament of Holy Baptism, which they received on Saturday, August 26th. Their father, the Rev. Bill Riley, officiated at the baptisms, which took place aboard the U.S.S. Cape St. George, where Chaplain Riley had recently been Command Chaplain. In accordance with long-standing Navy tradition, Lydia and Bethany were baptized with water out of the ship’s bell, which had been set up for the occasion, and their names will be inscribed on the bell. Congratulations, Lydia and Bethany, and may our Lord Jesus Christ continue to bless and guide you in your new life in Him! Vacation Bible SchoolSt. John's and Memorial United Methodist Church co-sponsored a joint Vacation Bible School Aug. 6-11. Young people from St. John’s, Memorial UMC, and the surrounding neighborhood came together each night for classes and other activities around the theme “Under Construction: A Habitat for Humanity Vacation Bible School.” Dinner was served by members of Memorial UMC each evening. The children constructed a combination swing and playset that will be donated to a Habitat for Humanity family. Members and the clergy from St. John's participated in the events each night. Letter from Bishop McClean“Please convey my sincere thanks and appreciation to the people of St. John’s for the very warm welcome and reception. It was an honor and pleasure being with you all. You [are] a vibrant and active group of Anglican Christians, and my prayer is that the Holy Spirit will guide your evangelism efforts and that you will double by the time of my next visitation. Lorraine and I send our special thanks to the women of St. John’s for the extra effort they put into providing such a variety of ‘goodies’ for that great reception. The food was delicious and the fellowship delightful.” Bishop's Visit - July 23Our Chief Pastor and Father-in-God, the Rt. Rev. William McClean, made his first visit to St. John's on Sunday, July 23. He preached a rousing sermon on defending the Faith and administered the sacrament of Confirmation at our 8:30 AM Liturgy. Diocesan Summer Youth CampThe Annual Summer Youth Camp of the Diocese of the Mid-Atlantic States was held at Camp Hanover near Richmond, VA, July 16-22. Four young people from St. John's attended and reported having a wonderful week. Diocesan SynodThe 29th Annual Synod (Convention) of the Diocese of the Mid-Atlantic States was held June 16-18 in Natural Bridge, VA. Representatives and clergy from 21 parishes throughout our Diocese came together with our Bishop to adopt a budget and conduct other necessary business. It was an extremely positive and uplifting meeting, with many signs of growth and new people in our Diocese. St. John’s Achieves Parish StatusSt. John's applied for and was granted Parish status at the 29th Annual Synod of the Diocese of the Mid-Atlantic States held in Lexington, Virginia in June. Welcome, Father Joel Marable!In June we welcomed the Reverend Joel Marable to St. John’s. Father Joel, a resident of Chesapeake, was a priest of the Eastern Orthodox Church for several years before discovering the Anglican Catholic Church. He has been assisting at St. Matthew’s, Newport News for the past year. Bishop McClean has licensed Father Joel to function as a Deacon while learning more about our Liturgy and Tradition, and the Bishop has also assigned Father Joel to work with Father Rob and to assist here at St. John’s. Bishop James O. Mote, R.I.P.Bishop James Mote, one of the founding priests of the Anglican Catholic Church who became one of its first bishops, fell asleep in the Lord on April 29 in his native Indianapolis. Born in 1922, he served as a chaplain's assistant in the Army during World War II, saw action in the Battle of the Bulge, and was awarded a Bronze Star. He graduated from Canterbury College in Danville, Indiana, in 1950 and from Nashotah House Seminary in Nashotah, Wisconsin, a year later. He was ordained as an Episcopal priest in 1952. He went to St. Mary's Church, Denver, where he remained for over four decades. We give thanks for the life, courage, and faithful witness of Bishop Mote, and we pray for the respose of his soul. New Location!St. John's has a new location. We meet at Memorial United Methodist Church, 804 Gammon Road in Virginia Beach. Holy Communion begins at 8:30 AM, followed by coffee and refreshments and Sunday School at 10:00 AM. Memorial UMC is two blocks off Indian River Road, 1.5 miles east of Regent University, and about 6 blocks west of Military Highway. It is easily accessible from Interstate 64 via the Indian River Road West exit (Exit 286A). Holy Week & Easter ServicesMaundy Thursday, April 13, 8:00 PM: Holy Eucharist and Foot Washing Ceremony Easter Day, April 16, 8:30 AM: Blessing of the Paschal Candle, Reaffirmation of Baptismal Vows, and Festive Holy Eucharist Pre-LentThe Pre-Lenten Season follows the last Sunday after Epiphany and precedes Ash Wednesday. In the words of Hymn #235, Then three Sundays will prepare The three Sundays are Septuagesima, Sexagesima, and Quinquagesima, meaning “seventy,” “sixty,” and “fifty,” preceding the forty day of Lent. The Gloria in excelsis and Alleluia disappear until Easter. EpiphanyThe feast of the Epiphany occurs each year on Jan. 6th. This feast celebrates the first manifestation, or showing, of Jesus Christ to the Gentiles, in the persons of the Magi, or Wise Men, from the East. In the Eastern Church, this feast is called the Theophany and recalls our Lord’s baptism, during which all Three Persons of the Holy Trinity were revealed. In England, Epiphany was called Twelfth Night as it occurs twelve days after Christmas and marked the end of the traditional Christmastide celebration. In many Hispanic countries, the giving of gifts takes place on Epiphany, following the example of the Wise Men, who brought gifts to the infant Jesus. 2005Advent & ChristmasThe Advent Season begins on Sunday, Nov. 27 and lasts until Christmas Eve, Dec. 24. It is a season of preparation and expectation for the advent ("coming") of Jesus Christ as Savior and Messiah-King. Jesus came to earth the first time as a baby in a manger in Bethlehem. He will come again ("the Second Coming") as Lord and Judge of the entire earth, "with power and great glory." We will celebrate the Feast of Christmas (or "Christ's Mass") on Christmas Eve, Saturday Dec. 24th, starting at 9:00pm with Christmas Carols and the Holy Eucharist. We will meet at Memorial United Methodist Church, 804 Gammon Road in Virginia Beach. Memorial UMC is located off Indian River Road about 1.5 miles west of Regent University (Exit 286A off I-64) and just east of Military Highway. We will also celebrate the Feast of Christmas on Christmas Day, Sunday Dec. 25th, starting at 12:15pm at the Fleet Reserve. Archepiscopal Travel to AfricaOur Archbishop, the Most Rev. Mark Haverland, traveled to Africa recently to visit some of our congregations and missions in that continent. All Saints' SundayOn Sunday, Nov. 6 we remembered the Feast of All Saints, which actually occurs each year on Nov. 1. This great feast of the Christian Year commemorates all of the saints (or "holy ones"), both known and unknown, who have been faithful to God in their several generations. In the New Testament, the word "saints" is the common title used for all Christians. Later, the term became more restricted and was used to refer to those Christians whose lives are marked by heroic virtue, extraordinary sanctity, or martyrdom. In the Apostles' Creed we state our belief in the "Communion of Saints." This refers to the spiritual union of all Christians with Almighty God as well as our fellowship with the angels, saints, the faithful departed, and one another in the Body of Christ. The saints are preeminently the friends of God. November is the Month of All SoulsFrom ancient times the Church has remembered all departed souls. In some places, All Souls' Day (also called "the Day of the Dead") is kept on Nov. 2 with special devotion. If you would like to have your departed loved ones remembered at the altar this month, please give their names to Fr. Rob. Many Thanks to St. Andrew & St. Margaret of ScotlandWe are most grateful to the Church of St. Andrew & St. Margaret of Scotland in Alexandria, VA for their continued generosity and financial support for St. John's. They recently sent us a check for $1,250 to be used for advertising. Praise God from whom all blessings flow! Father Brian Waite's New Book
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Father Brian Waite's new book on his experiences serving in Iraq has been published by HeartSpring Media. For God and Country is the story of a Band of Brothers, a unit of United States Marines, who faced some of the fiercest fighting of Operation Iraqi Freedom, the battle of An Nasiriyah, and subsequent events, and the life lessons they learned. To order your copy, visit 
