James 1:17 ‘Every generous act of giving, with every perfect gift, is from above, coming down from the Father of lights … ( NRSV) In the past year, behind the scenes, I have constantly witnessed the skills and talents of many of St. John’s parishioners. In meetings behind closed doors, one-on-one meetings, in church events,…
Greetings! I am a wordsmith nerd. I love words, their origins, how they are used, and the impact they can make. My brain thinks in letters and punctuation. I can’t help it. I start my day reading a bible verse followed by exploring the Merriam-Webster word of the day. And can you guess what my…
My local is your global and your local is my global which means global mission and local mission is interrelated. They are different sides of the same coin. It is being God’s ambassador on earth. This past year has been very fulfilling for me personally and in ministry. I am so pleased and encouraged to…
“Give thanks with a grateful heart, Give thanks to the Holy One, Give thanks, because He’s given Jesus Christ, His Son…” You may recognize this text from this decades old Praise Chart by Henry Smith titled “Give Thanks.” Written in 1978 when Smith (who was born and raised in Crossnore, North Carolina), just graduated from…
As I begin to settle in and get to know the wonderful staff, parents, and children, I have been thinking to myself that there couldn’t have been a better time to start than this month. My first couple of weeks have been a balancing act of becoming acquainted with the day-to-day activities of the preschool…
All of Who We Are What does it look like for humans to offer anything back to the God who made us? As intimidating as this invitation sounds, our tradition has a robust imagination for this practice of offering ourselves freely and fully to God. In the Rite One eucharistic liturgy, we say: “And here we…
Let not the needy, O Lord be forgotten, nor the hope of the poor be taken away. (BCP, 98) Nine months ago, was roughly September 1st, the first day I began my tenure as an associate rector at St. John’s. That day I felt both excited and overwhelmed. I remember someone from the parish…
Diocesan Pilgrimage to Wilmington This past weekend, 5 of St. John’s Parishioners, Sandra Rhodes, Russell and Carmen Hopkinson and David and Betty Bland joined a Diocesan pilgrimage to Wilmington to honor those that were slain or run out of town leaving their possessions as a result of the Wilmington Massacre, the only successful coup ever…
The St. John’s Preschool is a special place, but it isn’t always visible to our church members. Certainly, we see the building and the playgrounds, but we don’t see the LIFE of the preschool on any Sunday. Let’s step inside to talk to those who create the world of St. John’s Preschool (“SJP”). Jennifer Wolff-Koschatzky…
Awesome Arts Adventures Camp The cost per camper is $75 **ALL campers will receive a performance t-shirt. **Each day our camp rehearsals will include a break for snacks. The camp dates are: Monday, July 22nd through Friday, July 26th, 4:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m.; with a musical performance on Saturday, July 27th at 2:00 p.m. Camp…