Join Bishop Dabney Smith and our own Fr. Connelly for a day of reflection at DaySpring on April 25. The day includes four teaching sessions, lunch, personal time, and walkabouts on the Manatee River campus. The registration fee is $10, which includes lunch in Curry Hall. Bring a Bible, notebook, and comfortable clothes for optional walks.  To register, email merfourth@episcopalswfl.org.

Join us tonight for The Way of the Cross in the church at 5:00 p.m.

Do you enjoy knitting, crocheting or sewing?  Stitch 3 – Pray 3 creates prayer shawls, lap blankets, caps, etc., providing comfort for those that may have a need.  Prayers are said over the item and stitching is done in motions of three for God, The Father; God, the Son; and God, the Holy Spirit. For those who enjoy sewing, simple jumper dresses are created for AIDS orphans in Tanzania in conjunction with the Sewing for Hope organization. Patterns are provided.For more info, contact Caroline Campbell at 205.6674

On Saturday, April 8, parish families gathered together to get creative – and messy – decorating eggs for Easter. Inspired crafts, tasty snacks, and lots of creativity made for a fun and spirited afternoon of fellowship. For more photos from this event, and others, please visit our website.

The Preserve Our Heritage Campaign is going strong!  We are nearing the completion of the “building envelope” work that is repairing, cleaning and sealing the walls and windows of our buildings, and we will soon begin the first phase of the replacement of our antiquated lighting control system in the sanctuary. The Campaign goal is $445,000, and we launched the Campaign with existing commitments totaling $245,000 from the School, our Endowment, and a few large individual donations.  We are now raising the remaining $200,000 from St. John’s parishioners to reach our goal, and we have received $179,000 in contributions from 84 families and individuals toward that goal to date. If you haven’t yet contributed to the Campaign, please prayerfully consider a gift.  Contributions to the Campaign should be made to St. John’s Church, and please note “Preserve Our Heritage” on the check.  If you have questions on the Campaign or didn’t see the February 8 letter outlining details of the Campaign, please contact the parish offices.  Thank you!

For any of you who are newcomers or who are unfamiliar with Faith Café, it is an important ministry of St. John’s that we share with six other South Tampa churches (the group called STEM, or South Tampa Ecumenical Ministries). Faith Cafe is open six days a week to serve the needy a hot lunch between 11:30 a.m. and 12:30 p.m. Located near the interstate (1340 N. Clearview Ave.) just off Himes Ave, it is a new facility that STEM, an entirely volunteer organization, opened in 2013. The third and fourth Fridays of each month it is St. John’s responsibility to set up and serve the food that comes to us from Metropolitan Ministries. Many of our parishioners have given many hours over the years to arrive around 10:30 a.m., set up, do some additional food prep, serve the meals, and then clean up. Each day there is a Daily Coordinator who has multiple tasks-our faithful coordinator Nicholas Nitch is famous for the soups he makes. There is also a driver who picks up the large containers (cambros) from Metro on Florida Ave to bring to FC. It is only a ten minute drive. There is no lifting required; but an SUV, van, or truck is required because, when full, the cambros would be very difficult to get out of a trunk of a passenger car. There are also drivers who stop to pick up donations from Starbucks on Bay to Bay, an easy task requiring no special vehicle.  Approximately 15 volunteers accomplish all the tasks in the kitchen and serving area. We have a very strong core group of volunteers, but always welcome more; and we especially need one or two people to step forward to train to be a Daily Coordinator because Nicholas would enjoy a vacation from time to time. One of our most frequent needs is for drivers to pick up the food because, although neither physically difficult nor time-consuming, it does require the right sort of vehicle. Bob Vawter, Pat Wilson, Rick Barrs, and Mary Beth Carastro have all served in this capacity. Sally Wiley has been a Daily Coordinator and Driver as well. We even have a category for the “less than mobile,” as a greeter. With the summer months coming we have both the opportunity to encourage more volunteers as schedules open up, but also the challenge of filling some slots as people leave Tampa for travel. So, if you can find in your hearts a calling to serve the needy, please contact us. All of us who volunteer find the service and the contact with our guests a meaningful, valuable experience. We have fun as volunteers, we see face of Christ in those who are hungry, and we are restored by their responses, “thank you” and “God bless you for being here.”  A smile shared with them brings each of us into the true meaning of being the hands of Christ in this world. Please contact us if you could join in this ministry:  Sally Wiley (253.3996 or wiley48sm@gmail.com) and Mary Jane Schenck (545.1868 or  mjschenck@ut.edu).

On the Sunday following Easter, as is our custom, we will combine the 9:15 and 11:15 a.m. services into one 10:00 a.m. service, to be followed by our spring Parish Picnic. The main course and dessert will be provided by St. John’s. Parishioners with last names beginning with A through L, please plan to bring a side dish. Those with last names from M through Z, please plan bring a salad, fruit, or some type of vegetable. Kids, look for a bounce house and Kona ice just for you!

The annual St. John’s Women’s Retreat will be held at Dayspring Conference Center from May 19 through 21.  All women of St John’s and their friends are invited.  Come for the whole weekend or just for the day on Saturday.  The theme for this year is Finding God in the Everyday.  There will be lively group discussion, crafts, music, social time, and quiet time for prayer and reflection; walk the labyrinth or just wander in the woods.  For more information about cost and registration, contact Deacon Kathleen Moore at   kmoore@104.237.132.142   or 785.9400.

Join us on Sunday, April 23, at the home of Lisa and Steve Sepulveda from 6:00 to 8:00 p.m. for a wine and cheese party hosted by the Sepulvedas, Browns, and Stanfords. Guests should bring a favorite appetizer, bite-sized dessert, or beverage.  Hosts will provide heavy appetizers.  If you did not receive an evite, please contact Kim French to be added to the list.

9:00 a.m. Join us in the Courtyard for the Flowering-of-the-Cross and don’t forget your to bring your Blue United Thank Boxes! 9:15 a.m. Family Easter Service in the Parish Hall 10:20 a.m. We will have ONE Easter Egg Hunt immediately following the service in the Parish Hall. Hunt will take place outside between the Parish Hall and Discovery House. Remember to bring those Easter baskets to fill with all the goodies you find!

May 21 will mark the final day of our school year Sunday School program, after which we will switch to weekly volunteers throughout the summer. Host families will provide a snack and teach a lesson to a mixed-age group of children in the Parish Hall. You can sign up to teach one class or a few classes via the schedule by clicking here.

Happening is a unique high school experience weekend at DaySpring that helps teens foster a personal more meaningful relationship with Jesus Christ.  During a Happening weekend, participants will experience the love of Christ through music, talk, prayer, worship and a community led by fellow students, all of which is supported by clergy and lay adults.  The weekend is designed as a one-time encounter for high school youth in 9th through 12th grades.  The next Happening (#74) will occur on the weekend of  April 28 through 30 , and participants must be registered by April 14 .  Anyone interested in this amazing weekend should contact Fr. Ackerman  or  visit the Happening website for more information.

In addition to our regular Sunday hours, the nursery will be open for children three and under as follows:Maundy Thursday, April 13:  6:30 to 9:00 p.m.Good Friday, April 14:  11:30 a.m. to 2:00 p.m.Easter Vigil (Saturday), April 15:  6:00 to 10:00 p.m.