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by the Reverend Michael Dunnigton Reverend Michael delivered this sermon on April 25, 2021. Often in Scripture, we find the shepherd presented as an ideal figure. It worked well as an image for the Hebrew people, since the keeping of sheep and other livestock was an occupation of their’s from time immemorial. Even in this 21st Century, I’m told, when a young Palestinian child chooses to imitate the sound of an animal, it’s more likely to be that of a sheep, and not a dog or cat or cow. Let’s review a few of the Scriptural stories which involve shepherds and shepherding.
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by the Reverend Nancy Emmel Gunn Deacon Nancy delivered this sermon on April 18, 2021. Our Gospel today is set in the days right after Christ’s death and resurrection. Christ appears out of nowhere to his disciples and speaks: “Peace be with you.” The immediate response of the disciples is not joy or even astonishment. The Gospel writer says they thought they were seeing a ghost. Jesus responds, “Why are you frightened, and why do doubts arise in your hearts? Look at my hands and my feet; see that it is I myself. Touch me and see; for a ghost does not have flesh and bones as you see that I have. “ For the disciples and for us, when God reveals himself to us, it may not be what we are looking for.
by the Reverend Nancy Emmel Gunn Deacon Nancy delivered this sermon on April 11, 2021. This is a tough day to show up for church. The first Sunday after Easter, Easter being the biggest day of our Christian year. I expect there are remnants of Easter in and around our St. John’s courtyard from that glorious day last Sunday. Evidence of a celebration, like plastic cups left on every surface after a party or Christmas wrapping strewn all over the floor after the presents are all opened. Perhaps we left behind a plastic Easter egg or two, or maybe the “He is Risen” banners still hang in the windows of the newly redecorated Rector’s office in the Wainwright building. Evidence that we celebrated Jesus’ resurrection but the big party is over. Today, the first Sunday after the celebration, we hear the story of Thomas. You don’t need to be a Christian to know about Thomas. He must be the only disciple whose name gets thrown around regularly in secular conversation. People say, “She’s a Doubting Thomas.” Its not used as a compliment, like “She is evidence based” or “She requires a basis on which to form her opinions.” No, to be a Doubting Thomas is to be a kill-joy, someone who is stubborn, untrusting, who refuses to go along with the reasoned opinions of others.
 by Mary Anne Pikrone The Rev. Michael G. Dunnington’s message to St. John’s is simple: “My hope, my being there, just like I did for All Saints and Ascension, is to bring some stability and love. I want to get things stabilized for the next priest who’s coming. “ Dunnington, 75, has accepted our vestry’s call to be Interim Priest for at least six months while we move through the discernment process to call a new Rector or Priest in Charge. Dunnington presided at our in-person Easter service and will begin his six-month service on April 25. He will be in the church office Tuesdays and Thursdays from 8 a.m. until 4 p.m.
4/17/2021 0 Comments The Vestry Bulletin Board: December 2020, February and March 2021 Minutes [Updated] The vestry's had a busy few months, so we've missed some details here and there... like posting meeting minutes! Below, you'll find the minutes from our meetings in December, February, and March. And, as soon as we get them, we'll also get the annual meeting minutes up for you. Our next regular meeting is Sunday, April 18, 2021, at 1pm. 
by the Reverend Harry Leip Deacon Harry delivered this sermon at our Zoom worship service on Palm Sunday (March 28, 2021) Good morning everyone. It is such a blessing to be with you as we begin our great Holy Week journey once more. I am Deacon Harry and I serve at Trinity – Central West End, just a couple miles up Kingshighway from you. I want to thank Deacon Nancy for her invitation to share some reflections on Palm Sunday with you this morning. Beginning today and thru Holy Week, the Church re-tells some of her age-old stories about Jesus, his followers, his friends and those powers which try to crush the man and the movement. And in this act of memory and storytelling, I can’t help but think of my own family, both biological and chosen who, when we’re together for any length of time, start sharing our stories from the past.
Editor's note: As we continue forward in our journey of transition to new clergy, it seems like a good idea to make sure we're all speaking the same language. So, each week for the near future, we'll present a "term of transition": a word or phrase related to ordained ministry, and the process by which parishes go about identifying and calling their clergy leaders. What is a Priest-in-Charge?
by Mtipe Koggani Mtipe delivered this sermon as a guest preacher at St. John's on Sunday, March 21. My friends, the gospel for today tells us about some Greeks who wish to see Jesus, and Jesus speaking about his death. This passage informs us that among those who went up to worship at the festival were some Greeks. They came to Philip, who was from Bethsaida in Galilee, and said to him, “Sir, we wish to see Jesus.” Why do the Greeks approach Philip? Some scholars suggest that perhaps it was because they were drawn by his Greek name for, he was named after the City of Philippi. Philip goes to tell Andrew. Incidentally, "Andreas" means "Andrew" in Greek.
Editor's note: As we continue forward in our journey of transition to new clergy, it seems like a good idea to make sure we're all speaking the same language. So, each week for the near future, we'll present a "term of transition": a word or phrase related to ordained ministry, and the process by which parishes go about identifying and calling their clergy leaders. What is a Deacon?
Want to learn more about deacons?
by the Reverend Michaelene Miller Good Morning, St. John’s! I am the Rev. Michaelene Miller and I serve as the Director of the Deaconess Anne House, a ministry of the Diocese of Missouri for young adults interested in cultivating lifestyles of intentionality, service, and social justice. When I was a corps member in the DAH program many years ago, I worshiped regularly at St. John’s and it was the first church I preached in so I thank you for the invitation to worship and preach with you again today. Today’s gospel passage from the third chapter of John takes me back. Kind of like time travel, I am transported back in my memory to the last time that I worshiped with a congregation in person, inside the sanctuary, just over a full year ago. Today’s gospel passage is the latter half of the conversation between Jesus and a Pharisee named Nicodemus, a leader and prominent religious teacher in the Jewish community. It is a conversation that I dove into as I preached that last time I worshiped with folks in person, inside on the second Sunday of Lent last year, just a few weeks before in-person worship was suspended because of the unfolding pandemic of COVID-19, a suspension and a pandemic that have now lasted well beyond what any of us could have ever predicted.
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Editorial contactVarious members of the St. John's congregation contribute to this blog. For editorial suggestions, contact Jeff McIntire-Strasburg at jeff.strasburg1968@gmail.com Archives
November 2021
CategoriesAll Bishop Deon Johnson Book Group Congregation Members Deacons Diocese Of Missouri Episcopal Church Features General Information Parish Events Podcast Presiding Bishop Michael Curry Sermons Terms Of Transition Vestry |
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