Filmmaker Talk Thursday, May 27, 7pm You’re invited to a talkback of the documentary, Stories I Didn’t Know, with filmmaker and settler descendent, Rita Davern, and Santee Dakota tribal member, Ramona Kitto Stately, both of whom are pivotal in the film. You may remember Ramona’s impactful talk at an adult forum a few years ago, tracing[…]
SOLICITING INPUT: St. John’s to join Interfaith Coalition supporting Sanctuary State Under the leadership of our Deacon Rex McKee, and with the full support of our Rector Lisa Wiens Heinsohn and Wardens Stacy Walters and Mark Lindberg, St. John’s vestry is preparing to decide whether St. John’s will join the Minnesota Sanctuary State Coalition (MSSC). This[…]
Support our Partner School in Haiti Since 2007, St. John’s has been in partnership with the Episcopal parish and school of St Philippe et St Jacques in Collin/Gressier, Haiti. Our partnership is one of many in the Diocese of Haiti Parish Partnership Program, which partners Episcopal parishes or dioceses in the US with Episcopal[…]
The title for Easter Season Thursday evening book discussion is Braiding Sweetgrass by Robin Wall Kimmerer. This book was suggested by Earth Matters Committee. “Robin Wall Kimmerer is writer of rare grace. She writes about the natural world from a place of such abundant passion that one can never quite see the world the same[…]
During Lent, click below for a storytelling podcast from a member of St. John’s. Then come Sundays at 10am to talk more about what we heard. Click here for more. Week 5 conversation with Rie Gilsdorf Week 4 conversation with Tom Lutes Week 3 conversation with Susan Swann Week 2 conversation with Heidi Joos Week[…]
In art “sacra conversazione” (or sacred conversation) refers to depictions in paintings of the saints, Jesus and Mary, on the same picture plane as though they are in dialogue. There is something deep about this in the history of Christianity. Historians of our faith have argued that among the many factors the led to Christianity[…]
Part 1: Color A Smile: Print these seasonal coloring pages or create your own art and spend cozy family time coloring. Then send your cheerful pictures to Color-a-Smile to be distributed to deployed soldiers, nursing homes, and hospitals. Color A Smile, PO Box 151, Morristown NJ, 07962-1516 Part 2: Buy and Donate Supplies: Safe House[…]
Annual Meeting Sunday, January 24th, 10:00am over Zoom Please make a special effort to join the whole congregation for our Annual Meeting. A quorum of 50 people is required. On this day we will have a 9:00am Zoom watch party of our Sunday morning service (which can also be watched independently at a time convenient[…]
Every year we elect new members to the vestry – our church’s governing body or board of directors – to replace members’ whose terms are expiring. Serving on vestry is an important way to give back to our community by providing leadership after engaging in other aspects of St. John’s community life. This year we[…]
To everyone who has donated to our Haiti Partnership, thank you so much. We know that these are difficult times for everyone, and your sacrificial giving will make a world of difference to the teachers and students at St Philippe et St Jacques. Not surprisingly, we are behind in our fundraising this year. If you[…]
St. Nicholas, an Episcopal Church in Richfield with whom we partner, has reached out for help. They have a Spanish speaking service, and the economic fallout from the pandemic has left many of their Spanish speaking members in need of support. These members need food, toiletries, and other essential items for themselves and their families.[…]
Continued thanks to all who have pledged to this year’s stewardship campaign, Strengthening Our Connections! We have currently received $452,866 in pledges. At this time last year we had received $507,881 in pledges of a total of about $550,000—so we have a way to go. Please make your pledge today! Of course we understand that[…]
This year the St. Johns/Urban Homeworks Thanksgiving Basket event is like everything else in 2020 – digital. Like many other traditions this year, the selection of just the right family and then generously overfilling a festively decorated laundry basket with household supplies will take a pause. For everyone’s safety, UHW has launched the Urban Homeworks[…]
There are two opportunities approaching for small group learning, prayer and practice: (1) Lisa’s “Spiritual Bootcamp in the Wilderness” and (2) Sacred Ground: A Film-Based Dialog Circle on Race. The first, a 10-week “Spiritual Bootcamp in the Wilderness: Walking Jesus’ Way of Love,” will be a weekly early morning session with Lisa in which we[…]
An Update about St. John’s Finances and Stewardship Campaign Thanks so much to those who have made their 2021 pledges! These have totaled $407,958 thus far. Our pledge base for 2020 was about $550,000, so we still have a long way to go. Please make your pledge here! If you prefer, you can email your[…]
Dear St. John’s community, On behalf of the Stewardship Committee, I want to give you heartfelt thanks for your generous outpouring of support for the St. John’s community through your pledges, and our efforts to Strengthen Our Connections despite all that divides us in today’s world. Many of you were able to maintain or even[…]
The Annual Christmas Wreath Fundraiser for the Pilgrim’s trip is now taking pre orders! You can order your wreath and/or greens before 11/2. After 11/2 we will change the sign up genius to reflect what options we have for purchase and you can order wreaths as long as they are in stock via the[…]
Easter Outdoor Service 10:00am at Beard’s Plaisance on Sunday, April 4th All of St. John’s is invited to celebrate Easter at Beard’s Plaisance near the Southwest shore of Lake Harriet. For those who cannot attend physically, we will have a virtual service available as well. We have implemented COVID-19 precautions, highlights of which are below.[…]
Blessing of the Animals On Sunday October 4 from 2-3pm, our Rector Lisa will be sitting on the front steps of the St. John’s sanctuary below the red doors, available to provide blessings for any of your animal friends. This will not be the traditional service, but a joyful and informal way to visit with[…]
The church building is usually bursting with life in September, as kids go back to school, the Fall church programming begins, and we check in with our St. John’s friends and neighbors. Even though St. John’s is indeed bursting with life, worship and programs for children & adults, we know that since these are not happening[…]
“We are blessed as a nation to vote. As citizens of this country this is a right, an obligation, and a duty. Go vote. Vote your conscience. Your conscience informed by what it means to love your neighbor, to participate in the process of seeking the common good, to participate in the process of making[…]
Beloved St. John’s community, It is time to convey our warmest gratitude, blessing and farewell to Amy McGrew, Interim Minister of Children, Youth & Families. Her last day with St. John’s will be Friday September 4 (last Sunday is August 30), before she accepts her next call. Amy has spent the last nine months helping[…]
Farewell Blessing to Jane Gilgun Sunday, August 16th at 9am St. John’s beloved and long-time member Jane Gilgun is moving to Rhode Island, and this Sunday, August 16, is her last Sunday with us (of course we hope she will be back to visit many times). Please join us during the Live Zoom Service at[…]
Resources for Environmentally-Sustainable Living We at St. John’s are aware of the devastating impact that climate change is having on our planet. Many of us are advocating for state, national, and global policies that will reduce pollution and better protect “this fragile earth, our island home,” as we read in the Book of Common Prayer.[…]
On my first trip to Haiti, I was visiting a school that our volunteers had built in Northern Haiti. We were there at lunch time, and the people in charge gave me a large basket with sandwiches made on buns with some kind of filling. I was told to pass them out to the students[…]
This Sunday July 26, Sondra Samuels, longtime friend of St. John’s, will preach for us and will be present for our zoom sermon discussion and coffee hour 9:30 – 11:30. Sondra is the President & CEO of the Northside Achievement Zone in North Minneapolis, which exists to “permanently close the achievement gap and generational poverty”[…]
Greetings to the parishioners of St John’s, I am very happy that you continue to proclaim your faith in God while all of the churches are celebrating the Holy Trinity day. By my, I had a very nice celebration at St Philippe and St Jacques parish at Greasier with 21 people. Because of Corona Virus,[…]
Elizabeth Lienesch is a new intern at St. John’s who will be part of our parish for the next two years. She is a student at Luther Seminary in St. Paul, pursuing a Masters of Divinity and is in formation to become an Episcopal priest. Elizabeth grew up in North Carolina and moved to Minnesota[…]
Backyard Watch Parties beginning August 2 Our Bishop has recently announced that we may begin to have small outdoor worship services. After reviewing many options, the planning team has decided the safest, most inclusive and satisfying option would be to organize outdoor backyard “watch parties” for limited groups of parishioners. Because we want to remain[…]
Beloved St. John’s community, If the pandemic had not happened, this coming Sunday on Pentecost our Bishop would have been confirming youths from our confirmation class – a significant milestone in the journey of following Jesus’ Way of Love. Since in-person gatherings, including the laying on of hands that accompanies confirmation, cannot safely happen right[…]
I pray this finds you well. Some of you know that I am involved with an organization called Isaiah, which is a multi-racial, state-wide, nonpartisan coalition of faith communities fighting for racial and economic justice in Minnesota. This week a number of clergy from Isaiah met to discuss the recent decisions to open up our economy locally and nationally,[…]
Do current events make you want to cry out or to throw up? Then you share something with the Psalmist! Our “Turn Group” has been meeting on Sunday afternoons from 4:00 pm to 5:30 pm since Lent. We’re pivoting to a four-week workshop on writing (or reacting to) Psalms starting Sunday, May 17. We’ll use[…]
Jay Hornbacher and Steve Schewe are proposing an anthology about our faith community’s experience during the pandemic. In Offerings from Exile: A Handbook of Resilience, we will focus on a Pentecost theme: how is God’s Spirit showing up in your life and in the life of the world—in good times and bad? Share what you see[…]
St. John’s has a long history of contributing to feed the hungry. Our long financial support of the Joyce food shelf is an example of this. Recently we have been invited to partner with St. Nicholas Episcopal Church in Richfield and El Santo Niño Jesús in St. Paul to help feed the Latinx immigrant community,[…]
St. John’s appreciates all those who volunteered their time, skills, passion and presence to serve children and teens while influencing relational and faith formation. The hours spent the past nine months intentionally engaging children and teens is of immeasurable valuable. Thank you for preparing, researching, listening, discerning, teaching, influencing, relating, laughing, and being with young people. We appreciate you: John Bellaimey, Confirmation Dave Carlson, Sunday School Grades 6-7[…]
Contemplative Prayer by Zoom Sunday Evenings at 7pm A small group of parishioners has been meeting in the chapel for contemplative prayer every Sunday evening at 7 pm for over fifteen years. Since March we have been meeting by Zoom. We would like to invite anyone interested to join us. The format is simple –[…]
Click here to read an update of our current position paper for your information. We continue to meet bi-weekly and will in the near future have more detailed information of activities over the summer and into the fall. If you have any questions, or want to chat further about the process, please reach out to Rex[…]
St. John’s tradition is for students to embark on a pilgrim journey of communal, spiritual and personal self-discovery before beginning confirmation, allowing each individual to bring their own self-knowledge and personality to their adult commitment to faith. Pilgrimage is the practice where our youth can build, create, find and shape their faith for themselves. This[…]
Earth Month Invitation Happy Earth Month! While COVID-19 prevents us from celebrating the 50th anniversary of Earth Day as we were planning this year, we are pivoting – as we all have learned to do with so many aspects of our lives during these unprecedented times. During April (Earth Month), and especially as we approach Earth[…]
Harriet Tubman is awarded the Golden Halo! What a run she had. And, what a shakeup of our standings based on the final two rounds! We started out our Lent Madness game with the Round of 32. Each correct saintly selection was worth 2 points. The powerhouse duo of Mary Corlett and Joanie Hawkinson collected[…]
To our members and friends of St. John’s, During this COVID-19 pandemic, members of St. John’s are reaching out to help our neighbors. We are donating our time and talents and contributing money to support agencies and organizations working to ease the hardships that so many people now face. Our generosity is crucial, and not[…]
This is getting crazy! At the time of my last update, half-way through the Saintly 16 round – we had Henry Clayburgh picking up 12 points and looking invincible. After that posting, he failed to get any more points, and dropped from first place to 22nd place! WHAT?!?!? Susan Swann, who was tied with Henry[…]
Dear Coordinators and Friends to First Nations Kitchen, We send our greetings to you all and our prayers that you are well and safe. To use some of the words of the Right Reverend Steven Charleston (Choctaw) it is clear that we are living through an epic time right now. We hope to do this with[…]
Since we cannot gather together inside the church right now, we are bringing the spirit of St. John’s directly to you. We have organized Care Circles of small groups of St. John’s members, so that we can continue to connect with and support each other. Your Care Circle Leader will connect with you regularly, and[…]
Your Assistance is Requested on Friday, April 10th Please consider supporting our Shelter Meal Ministry during this season of both atonement and hope. Our homeless neighbors are need of sustenance. Given the constraints of our current situation, we are planning to order pizzas and provide salad and dessert for guests at Our Saviour’s Housing Shelter[…]
Hello again, Lent Madness players! The lack of sports to follow has greatly enhanced my love of this game. At least this game gives me something I can repeatedly refresh during the day hoping for a different result. Refreshing the news does not help! We are now half-way through the Saintly 16 round. 8 matchups over,[…]
Thanks to all the members of St. John’s who are busily sewing masks. Several are running low on supplies. We anticipate Governor Walz will ask people to wear masks in public when the stay-at-home order lifts, so I’d like to make the following appeal: Donations we are accepting: White or off-white Thread; Elastic (1/4”); 100%[…]
Children, Youth & Family As we adjust to a new normal, we are re-imagining children’s, youth and family ministry. We are asking parents to answer 8 questions to help us understand their family’s needs as we consider the possibilities of: – weekly Children’s Chapel pre-recorded or live video – access to Sunday School curriculum for parents to teach children at home[…]
Q: In what ways do you share your musical gifts at St. Johns? A: I sing in the Youth Choir, and I play in the Chime Choir. Q: What music do you listen to? A: Old Rock’n’Roll, Pop, and some Folk. Q: Do you have a favourite musical artist, song or compositions? A: Like my[…]