| | Weekly Dispatch, September 7th, 2022 |
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| |  | | St. John's Schedule- Catechesis Hour – Sundays at 9:00am before Church
- Holy Eucharist – Sundays at 10:30am at Church and via Facebook
- Men’s Morning Prayer – Tuesdays at Variety’s at 7:30am
- Vestry – Thursday, September 8th, at 6:00pm
- Eagle and Child – Thursday, September 15th at 7:00pm at TBD
- Parents Night Out – Friday, September 16th, 6:00pm-9:00pm at Church
- Choristers/Bible Study/Evening Prayer – Wednesday, September 21st, 6:30pm at Church
| | A Message from Fr. Joe |
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| “Therefore, my beloved brothers, be steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, knowing that in the Lord your labor is not in vain” (1 Cor. 15:58)
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Most of us, probably not all of us, took a day off last Monday for Labor Day. While I don’t wish to explore the historical roots of the day with any of its political ties, I think a Christian perspective on labor itself is beneficial because that is where most of our life is spent.
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Our work or labor can be quite consuming, and we can be so identified with our work that it becomes our life. It can become the identifier of our worth and meaning in this world. We measure each other by success stories, the financial climb, or perhaps the pride of how many hours we put in.
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There is also something honorable about our work. God has given His good creation to us to steward and cultivate the goodness of the LORD. However, it is our sinful nature which corrupts how we relate to the good gift of labor. The goodness of labor is also tied to our sense of vocation. We are each called to various vocations in life, and each one is not greater than the other, but all are for the glory of God.
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In Paul’s letter to the Corinthians, he makes the case for the physical resurrection of Jesus Christ. He says if it did not physically happen, then we should do whatever we want to do. However, since it did happen, we abound in the work of the Lord where we see His resurrecting power of creation. In our various vocations, we are participating in the new creation through the power of the Holy Spirit (the same Spirit who raised Jesus from the dead). However, it can often feel like the labors we pursue for the glory of God is like hitting a wall.
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We put in such efforts, whether it be our actual jobs or the ministry we want to see happen in the church, and oftentimes the sweat doesn’t match the expected fruit. This is very true in ministry. As clergy, we spend much time seeking and investing in God’s people unsure if such work will stick for them. Parents can also relate. You try your hardest to raise your kids rightly, but there are moments where it doesn’t seem like enough or even failing in your efforts. Paul encourages us saying, abound in the work of the Lord, knowing that in the Lord your labor is not in vain. Unite your work to the Lord, you are not alone, and He promises that no matter how frustrating your efforts feel our labor is not in vain.
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At the end of the day, we entrust our labors to the Lord for He is the ultimate good and He will even take our dead works and make them alive in His Kingdom. His labor is to make all things new. Do not give up, for even now His Spirit is laboring newness of life in you.
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If you would like to support St. John's during this time, you can give online by clicking the button below. You may also send a check to the following address:
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PO BOX 36591, CANTON OH 44735
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| | | Jesus Said What? by Fr. Joe Gasbarre |  | A message from the series "Sermons from Lectionary Texts." In our appointed Gospel lesson, Jesus gave some fairly weighty words on what it means to follow after Him. His words force us to consider the cost. What was He communicating, and how might we receive His words as eternal life in our Christian identity?
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|  | | Join us every first and third (usually) Thursday night for our Eagle and Child reading group! This is a group that meets to discuss and apply classic works in Christian theology from the likes of Lewis, Augustine, Bonhoeffer, and other important authors. We are reading Confessions by St. Augustine. This is a classic work of Christian spirituality and will make for great fellowship and discussion together! |
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 | | Cana Vox is a discussion group that meets every other Friday where those, married or unmarried, who support a classical understanding of marriage can explore the controversial issues in a calm, deliberative setting that is not subject to the hostilities often found in today's public discourse on the topic. We seek to discuss thoughtful and gospel-oriented responses to the confusion surrounding marriage in our culture. |
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| | Music in the Community! September 25, 3 pm at University of Mount Union’s Presser Recital Hall (in the Giese Center for Performing Arts) Maira is joined by pianist Laura Mason, violinist Bohdan Subchak, and cellist Elaine Anderson for an afternoon of chamber music of Piazzolla, Beethoven, Schubert, and more!
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October 23, 4 pm at St. John’s Anglican in N. Canton
Our fall Keys to Artistry student recital!
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November 6, 3 pm at University of Mount Union’s Presser Recital Hall (in the Giese Center for Performing Arts)
Piano Keys: Maira’s Mount Union university students are joined by our advanced Keys to Artistry students for a fall celebration!
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November 13, 4 pm at St. John’s Anglican in N. Canton
Eric and Claire play an intermediate piano recital. Come hear this talented young sibling duo play music of contemporary composers as well as Haydn, Chopin, and more!
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December 18, 4 pm at St. John’s Anglican in N. Canton
Our Winter Keys to Artistry student recital! Enjoy holiday favorites and other special music. |
| | Parents’ Night Out| Join us for our monthly Parent’s Night Out! There will be pizza, snacks, and drinks along with fun activities for all of the church youths. Please let Maggie Archibald know if you have any questions and how many will be attending so she can plan accordingly. |
| | Choristers/Adult Bible Study/Evening Prayer| We are very excited to announce the beginning of a new ministry with our children along with a new Wednesday night pattern! Our children will begin their own choir aka choristers. Alyssa and Karen will be the leaders of this ministry. The adults will have an informal Bible Study discussing the upcoming Lectionary texts for Sunday, and the night will conclude with Evening Prayer together. This new “rule of life” group will begin on Wednesday, Sept. 21st and continue every Wednesday at 6:30pm at the church. If you have any questions, please contact Alyssa or Karen. |
| | Fall Cetechesis (Adult, Youth and Children) Sunday Catechesis begins a new series for all ages on Sept. 18th. For the adults, we will focus on praying the biblical narrative of Creation, Fall, Redemption, and Consummation. It will include sharpening our biblical theology with various texts, and also imagining how the Scriptures can form our prayers with the various collects of the Prayer Book to be our guide.
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For the first time, we will offer Youth Catechesis upstairs at the Vestry table. We will begin on Sept. 18th. More information will be forthcoming, but we wanted to make sure you knew it was coming! All youth, ages 12 and above are welcome to be a part of something new together. We hope this can be a ministry we can grow and develop over time.
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On the same date, our young children will return to their catechetical formation of Gospel Play. This is an interactive approach where we are helping our children catch the Gospel throughout the biblical narrative and experience it through the Church calendar.
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| | Men’s Morning Prayer| Every Tuesday morning, 7:30am at Variety’s, the men are invited to pray Morning Prayer together. The prayers typically last for about 30 minutes, but guys are certainly encouraged to stick around for fellowship, coffee, and even some bacon. |
| | How Can I Serve at St. John's? There are plenty of ways to serve at St. John’s and we would love for you to join in on what God is doing in the church. Below you can see all the different ways to serve. No special skills required, simply a willingness to learn and grow in service.
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| Acolyte Ministry – Carrying the cross, assisting at the table, and learning more about the Anglican Way. |
Altar Guild – Preparing the Lord’s Table for Holy Communion before the service and developing a sense of holiness in worship.
Readers – Approaching God’s Word with boldness and declaring it to the people.
Hospitality – Providing food, setting up and cleaning up the area, and making space for all people to feel welcome and belong. We also hold special events throughout the Church calendar preparing feasts together.
Gospel Play – Experience catechesis with our children with interactive materials enhancing biblical narratives within the liturgical calendar. It is a lot of fun!
Ushers/Greeters – Welcome people as they come to church, especially newcomers, handing out bulletins, and passing the plates for the offering. |
| Music – We would love to expand our music ministry with your various gifts. Do you play an instrument? Are you a gifted singer? Come join the team! |
We hope to develop these ministries with more lay leadership. In the meantime you can contact Fr. Joe, Dcn. Chad, or Maggie if you interested in participating or even taking leadership in these various ministries. |
| | Interested in Becoming a Member of St. John’s?| Fr. Joe would love to take you out for coffee discussing your interest in becoming a member at St. John’s Anglican Church. Membership is wonderful step forward in affirming your sense of calling to the local and even wider church. If you have any interest in becoming a member or seeking discernment of membership, please reach out to Fr. Joe. |
| | The Daily Office| Interested in a simple way to pray the daily office from the Book of Common Prayer? Follow this link for text and audio versions of the morning, noon, and evening prayer services taken directly from the 2019 ACNA BCP. |
| | Contact Fr. Joe
| I am here for you. If you would like to grab some coffee or other beverages, or would like a home visit, please don’t hesitate to contact me at: frjoe@stjohnscanton.org |
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