| | Weekly Dispatch, November 2nd, 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
- Choristers/Bible Study/Evening Prayer – Wednesdays at 6:30pm at Church
- **Not meeting Wednesday, November 2nd. Resumes on the 9th**
- Eagle and Child – Thursday, November 10th, at TBD
- Boquist Baby Shower and Potluck – Sunday, November 13th, after Church
- Music Recital – Sunday, November 13th, at 4:00pm at Church
- Parents Night Out – Friday, November 18th, at 6:00pm-9:00pm at Church
- Sonnenberg Station Men’s Choral Group – Saturday, November 19th, at 3:00pm at Church
| | A Message from Fr. Joe |
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| | As I write this dispatch, it is the great feast of All Saints. At Men’s Morning Prayer, two texts were read that were obviously appropriate for the day, but also in light of where we are today. |
The first reading was from Hebrews. It is the ending of chapter 11 and leading into 12 after the author lists multiple saints throughout God’s redemptive history. The two main points where the author arrives is stating that “though commended through their faith, did not receive what was promised, since God had provided something better for us, that apart from us they should not be made perfect.” We know that the ultimate promises the saints of old believed was realized in the arrival and work of Jesus Christ. He is the ultimate promise revealed and fulfilled for them and for us.
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The Church lives within such a tension between His first arrival and when He shall come again to make all things new. In this tension of living in faith amidst a groaning creation, the author of Hebrews leads us towards the second part of the text in chapter 12. It culminates stating, “Therefore, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us also lay aside every weight, and sin which clings so closely, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, looking to Jesus, the founder and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is seated at the right hand of the throne of God.”
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We are surrounded by the saints gone before us whose faith endured through much pain, frustration, and even brought them to their deaths. In light of what Christians face today, we are to endure with them with our focus solely upon Jesus Christ in all that He has done on our behalf and the promises that still hold true for us. He is the founder and perfector of such faith, not us. Our endurance and running the race is only sustained by our constant need for our Savior. We can lay aside such weights when we set our sights to Him who says to us, “come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.” We can release those sins which seeks to cling to us when we behold the Lamb of God who takes away the sins of the world. As we keep our eyes fixed upon what really matters, namely Christ and Him crucified, we will see an enduring faith that’s on the move not for our sake alone but for the mission of the Church. This brings us to our second lesson in the morning.
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In the reading from Acts, we heard of the miraculous Gospel exchange between Philip and the Ethiopian eunuch (Acts 8:26-40). As Philip reveals Christ to the man through the prophet Isaiah, such an exchange led to the man observe water and declare, “See, here is water! What prevents me from being baptized?” Can you imagine sharing the faith with someone to the point where they see water and are thirsty to be baptized? This is the power of the message we proclaim. It speaks into the hearts of people, are caught by the God of grace, and are brought into the fellowship of all the saints. On this feast day we will bring a child to such baptismal waters where a family has been caught by the grace of God. They too will join the communion of saints and we will pray, support, and pass the Faith once delivered for him with the hope he would claim the Faith that will claim him tonight. How might all these wondrous things connect to us? Certainly, keeping the feast reflects these things, but also what we will participate on Sunday.
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This Sunday, we will welcome new members to the life of St. John’s. Some are newer, some are older, and some are renewing their commitment to the church. They will participate in what I hope will be a new tradition for St. John’s praying a Membership Rite/Litany. In writing this Litany, I desired to capture what it would mean to be a member of St. John’s and what it looks like to participate in our faith community. As a parish, we join our prayers with them, and I hope current members sense renewal in their membership to St. John’s, and I hope newcomers/visitors/regular attenders to be inspired to sense such a calling here.
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All Saints is a wondrous feast. It reminds us that we are not alone, but part of something much bigger. It inspires us to live into our baptized identity, embrace the call to Christ and His Church, and to cling to His promises that are ours by faith. Let us feast together.
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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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| Confessing Our Sins by Dcn. Chad |  | A message from the series "Sermons from Lectionary Texts." Despite being a core practice of Christian community, it seems that often forgotten is the practice of confession. No matter the reason for it, Christian community suffers when the openness and humility engendered by this practice disappears. This Sunday, Dcn. Chad Sanner spoke on what it means to enter into this practice, where it takes us, and what opportunities it opens up for us to be a genuinely thriving community in Christ.
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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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| | Trunk-or-Treat| Following such a great experience from last year, we are continuing what might be a tradition for us! Deck out your trunk, bring some candy to share, and enjoy prayers and fellowship with one another on Oct. 30th at 6pm in the church parking lot. All are welcome to this family-friendly event. There will be prizes for best trunk! |
| | May Light Perpetual Shine Upon Him| I invite your prayers and condolences for the Boston family in the recent death of Marsha’s father The Rev. James R. Mathias. He joined the great multitude of the saints where he sees his LORD face to face. In your prayers for them, please take the time to read his obituary. Grace and Peace. |
http://brownfuneralservice.net/rev-james-r-mathias/ |
| | Baby Boquist Baby Shower and Potluck| What a gift to celebrate and continue to welcome newness of life in St. John’s! We want to celebrate the gift of life for the Boquist Family having a baby shower and potluck together. After church on November 13th, join us for a time of fellowship and joy. Please bring a side dish to share, and if you would like to extend a gift to the family please connect with Elizabeth Beer for details. |
| | Seeking Confirmation? What’s That About?| Every year we offer a catechetical instruction for those seeking confirmation. What is confirmation, and who is it for? Confirmation is a practice we draw from the book of Acts. We witness the apostles laying their hands upon baptized Christians praying for the Holy Spirit to empower them within the life of the Church. As more infants were being baptized, this practice became more for older children to publicly profess their faith and reaffirming their baptismal identity within the Church. We continue such a practice for our children, but also for those seeking to further confirm their sense of calling to the local and wider Church. We believe confirmation connects us to the broader church and apostolic faith through the laying on of hands by the bishop, but chiefly we trust the Holy Spirit is renewing His people in their commitment to the Church and her mission. If you would like more information on confirmation and would like to discuss further, please contact Fr. Joe. |
| | Fall Cetechesis (Adult, Youth and Children)| We have just three weeks left in our Fall Catechesis Series for all ages until we begin a new series in Advent! More information to come but encourage all ages to still join in the richness of conversation, teaching, and fellowship with one another every Sunday at 9am. The coffee is on. |
Adults: Praying the Biblical Narrative (main worship area)
Youth (ages 11/12-18): The Bigger Story of the Bible (Vestry room upstairs)
Children (ages 4-10/11): Gospel Play on the Prophets (Children’s room upstairs) |
| | Music in the Community! 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. |
| | 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. |
| | 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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