St. John’s E-News

February 25, 2010

Followers of Jesus’ Great Commission,

Believers in Jesus’ Great Commandment.

Worship ~ Outreach ~ Fellowship ~ Christian Education

St. John’s Episcopal Church / Main & Cross Streets / P.O. Box 422, Essex, CT 06426

E-Mail: office@stjohnsessex.org

(860) 767-8095 (office) / 767-7794 (fax)

Sunday, February 28

8:00 AM ~ Holy Eucharist Rite I

9:00 AM ~ Holy Eucharist, Rite II

10:45 AM ~ Holy Eucharist, Rite I

Lectionary Readings

February 28 March 7 March 14 March 21 March 28

The Serving Schedule for February can be found here.

Friday, March 5^th

6:00 PM

Please join Amy Petrone and Doug Whittaker as they host the March potluck dinner to celebrate St. Patrick's Day a little early this year! Bring along your best Irish-American dish (or beverage) with you so you may drink & dine with fellow parishioners on the first Friday in March at St. John's. Childcare for those under 5 years of age will be provided in the nursery during the potluck dinner so families with young children are encouraged to attend!

Class 101: Discovering St. John’s Episcopal Church

Have you recently been attending St. John’s and would like to know more about the parish?

Do you have a friend whom you would like to invite to St. John’s and learn more about the church?

Want to know more about St. John’s yourself?

Then come to the next offering of Class 101: Discovering St. John’s Episcopal Church!

Sunday, March 7th

2:00 PM

This class is also a part of our confirmation class series. More information about confirmation classes can be found here.

Attendees are asked to notify the office or Fr. Jonathan Folts by noon on Thursday, March 4^th.

Thank you!

Class 201: Discovering Episcopal Church History

Do you have questions about the Episcopal Church and how it came to be? The Rev. Molly James will be offering a class looking at the history of the Episcopal Church from its founding during the American Revolution to the present day, covering major trends and historical milestones. Come learn more about the roots of your church!

Sunday, March 21st

2:00 PM

This class is also a part of our confirmation class series. More information about confirmation classes can be found here.

Attendees are asked to notify the office or the Rev. Molly James by noon on Thursday, March 18.

Thank you!

Saturday, May 1, 2010 at Trinity Episcopal Church, Portland

The confirmation service for the Middlesex Deanery has been set to take place at 10:00 AM on Saturday, May 1, at Trinity Episcopal Church in Portland. Those who have taken the required courses of Discovering St. John’s Church, Episcopal Worship, Episcopal History, and Episcopal Theology are eligible to be confirmed or received. For more information on any of these classes, please call the church office at 860 767 8095.

Choral Evensong

Sunday, March 7^th, 5:00 PM

Please Mark Your Calendars!!

St. John's Sunday School Players are hard at work rehearsing for their spring musical, Once Upon a Parable, under the direction of Patty Sisson and Molly James.  Performances will be Friday, March 26^th, at 7pm and Saturday, March 27^th, at 2pm.  We hope you'll come!

We recently received a handwritten thank you note from the Cathy at The Maine Troop Greeters for the money that the Youth Group raised and sent.  They wrote:

Dear Rev. James and all of St. John's Youth Group,

On behalf of the Maine Troop Greeters, I want to thank you all for your extremely generous donation of $500 to our organization. Your contribution will be used to purchase snacks, supplies & phone cards for the troops, who arrive at Bangor International Airport nearly every day. We have greeted approximately 976,000 troops and 223 military dogs. Your support and thoughtfulness are greatly appreciated.

Sincerely,

Cathy

Apply now! Six youth; mission trip; Dominican Rep.

June 28-July 2

The Companions in Mission Committee of the Diocese of Connecticut is again sponsoring a summer mission trip to the Dominican Republic for six teenagers (completing grades 9-12). The group will run a vacation bible camp at Iglesia de Santa Margarita, in Santo Domingo, June 28 - July 2. The cost to the family is $375-$400 with an equal amount from the youth's home parish. The ability to speak Spanish is helpful but not required. For an application, students are being asked to contact Alan McCollom, 914-629-6622 or amc0126@mail.com.

Learn About Some of the Students from

Centro Comunitário de Sto. Estêvão—(St. Stephen’s School)

Matola, Mozambique

Aida Gloria Muziote, Fifth Grade, Age 14

She was born in Xai-Xai, lives with her brother and has been a pupil at the Centro for two years. Her father is dead. She likes to study and when she finishes secondary education she wants to become a nurse. She says she likes being at the Centro.

José Marcelino Hwamusse, Fifth Grade, Age 14

He was born in Maputo and lives with his mother. His father abandoned him when she was 3 years old.

He has been a pupil at the Centro for 6 years and says he would like to continue his studies through 12th grade and then go on to journalism. He also likes to help out on the farm. He feels good at the Centro, and thanks to it he has already gone through 5th grade.

Jaime Ricardo Magaia, Fifth Grade, Age 14

He lives with his grandmother; both his parents are dead. He’s attended the Centro since 2002 and feels good there. He’s glad to be in 5th grade and would like to stay in school until 12th grade. His dream is to be a teacher.

Paula Bernose João Vasconcelos, 7th Grade, Age 12

She lives with her mother. Her father abandoned her when she was only one year old. She feels good at the Centro and, thanks to the Centro, she is in 7th grade. She has been there since 2003. She hopes that after finishing 12th grade she can go on to university and become a doctor. She likes to do embroidery.

Júlia António Filipe Chaúque, Fifth Grade, Age 10

She lives with her mother. Her father abandoned her when she was little. She feels good at the Centro and is grateful that she has achieved 5th grade there. She has attended the Centro since 2005. She dreams of becoming an accountant and hopes to stay in school through 12th grade and possibly go to university. She likes embroidery

Judite Domingos Magaia, 5th Grade, Age 12

Born in Inhambane this primary school student lives with her grandmother. Her father abandoned her and the mother lives elsewhere. She says that after finishing 12th grrade she would like to be a teacher. She has been at the Centro for four years and is grateful that, because of the Centro, she is now in 5th grade. She likes to do needlepoint and cook.

From the Community Center of St. Stephen’s, Matola

To: Roger LeCompte

St. John’s Episcopal Church, Connecticut, USA

Subject: Teachers paid by the Ministry of Education and the Number of Students

We are pleased to inform you that the 2010-11 school year at the Community Center of St. Stephen’s is functioning in partnership with Primary School of Matola “A” in the following fashion:

Grades two through five are being taught, distributed in three shifts:

· The morning shift goes from 6:30 to 10:00 in which students of the 3^rd, 4^th and 5^th grades are taught.

· The second shift goes from 10:30 to 1:30 includes two sections of second grade and one section of fourth grade.

· The third shift is the last and runs from 1:30 to 5:05 and includes two sections of 5^th grade and one section of 4^th grade.

The classes mentioned above are taught by nine teachers who have been trained and are paid for by the Ministry of Education. There are a total of 479 pupils, or around 500.

The Center retains the responsibility for buying books in conformance with the budget for the school year 2010-11 and the payment of the following salaries:

Description	Monthly Salary	Annual Salary	Annual Salary in USD @ 30 MT/USD
Pre-school teacher	2,000	24,000	800
Administrator	2,200	26,400	880
Guards (2)	3,400	40,800	1,360
Cooking teacher and cook	2,050	24,600	820
Manual skills teacher	1,500	18,000	600
Cleaner	1,500	18,000	600
Program coordinator	7,500	90,000	3,000
Total		241,800	$8,060

Of the 479 pupils, we only give food support to 120 children, which is according to our budget which you already have.

Beyond the 120 pupils we also feed the nine teachers of the Ministry of Education who give lessons at the school in accordance with their contract with the Ministry. Altogether we provide food for 137 people: 120 pupils, 9 ministry of education teachers and 8 staff of our own.

The teachers who come from the Ministry of Education seem satisfied and happy. They say that they and their pupils are privileged because they are able to give lessons in classrooms with desks and to children who have access to food. Were they at Primary School of Matola “A”, they would be giving classes under the trees, children would be seated on the floor, and they wouldn’t have food support. At the public school they do not have classrooms for all the children, much less food and desks in all the classrooms.

We and our children thank you for all the help we have received from our bothers and sisters in the Parish of St. John’s, which has not only served our children but also our partners at Primary School of Matola “A”. The administration of the Centro also is happy that we have been able to make concrete of having teachers paid by the Ministry of Education, although we still have to buy books for our own students.

God bless you and we continually pray for you.

Maputo, 4 February 2010

Adelaide Munguambe, Program Coordinator.

Women of Faith Conference

There will be a Women of Faith Conference in Hartford, November 19 & 20. This is a dynamic gathering of women with speakers, music and drama. Discounted rates are available for early registration. If you are interested or would like to know more, please contact Rev. Molly (associate@stjohnsessex.org or 767-8095 x13). For more information on the conference, please visit:  this link.

February’s Item: Hot & Cold Cereal

Everyone at St. John’s is invited to join with the “Little Missionaries” in our monthly collection of food that is part of distributions at the Old Saybrook Food Pantry! Each month a different item is designated and can be left in the baskets in the entrance to the church. Food and other items will be brought to the altar to be blessed by our “Little Missionaries” at the 9:00 service on the last Sunday of each month as part of our collective offering. February’s food product is hot and cold cereal. We thank you for your help!

Flower Chart

There are still many spaces of opportunity on the St. John’s Flower Chart, located at the back of the church, for folks who wish to donate flowers in memory of, in honor of, or in thanksgiving for a loved one or event! Simply choose the date you wish and sign your name next to it. Emily Roberts is the flower contact for St. John’s and will be in touch with you.

WHAT’S HAPPENING AT ST. JOHN’S

Thursday, February 25 – Sunday, March 7

Thursday

Newsletter Folding: 9:00 AM (Parish Hall)

Holy Eucharist at Chesterfield’s: 10:30 AM

Staff Meeting: 3:30 PM

Choir Practice: 7:00 PM (Choir Room)

Seeds for Growth: 7:30 PM (Parish Hall)

Friday

Saturday

Sunday

Holy Eucharist: 8:00 AM

Holy Eucharist: 9:00 AM

Sunday School: 9:50 AM (Undercroft)

Holy Eucharist: 10:45 AM

Light Lunch following Service

Bishop’s Smith Retirement Party: 4:00 PM (Trinity, Hartford)

Monday

AA Meeting: 10:00 AM (Parish Hall)

Planned Giving Meeting: 7:00 PM (Parish Hall)

Monday Evening Lenten Study Group: 7:00 PM (Office)

Tuesday

Education for Ministry: 9:30 AM (Parish Hall)

Pastoral Care Committee (Tentative): 10:30 AM (Undercroft)

Clergy Mtg.: 12:00 Noon (Parish Hall)

Soup Kitchen: 5:00 PM (Undercroft)

Lenten Small Group Discussion Program: 7:00 PM (Undercroft)

Wednesday

Holy Eucharist & Unction: 9:00 AM

Bible Study On the Book of Acts: 10:30 AM (Parish Hall)

Thursday

Staff Meeting: 3:30 PM

Choir Practice: 7:00 PM (Choir Room)

Friday

Irish Pot Luck Dinner: 6:00 PM (Undercroft)

Saturday

Sunday

Holy Eucharist: 8:00 AM

Holy Eucharist: 9:00 AM

Sunday School: 9:50 AM (Undercroft)

Holy Eucharist: 10:45 AM

Light Lunch following Service

“Discovering St. John’s Forum”: 2:00 PM

Evensong: 5:00 PM

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This rendition of St. John’s was painted by

Mrs. Darlene James.