On Monday, January 6th, we experienced the largest snowstorm since my arrival in McLean.

January 6th is also the Feast of the Epiphany of our Lord, the day when we commemorate the visitation of the three Magi, the Kings, Wisemen, or your preferred nomenclature. The Epiphany is the bookend of Christmastide; the Twelve Days of Christmas that begins on Christmas Eve. By custom and superstition, the night before Epiphany—the Twelfth Night—is the date when Christmas greens should be taken down—not before, not after... to do so would bring bad luck! This is when the ancient custom of Twelfth Night Bonfires and outdoor revelry and feasting would take place.

So Monday’s snowstorm was a happy coincidence. It gave me time to rest and

linger long in the warmth of the home we’ve made here in the St. John’s Rectory, thanks to your continued care. What a pleasure to enjoy the visitations of backyard feathered friends to my feeders, to watch foxes and deer pass by in the beautiful park-like setting of our campus, to sample more of the lingering holiday treats and sweets and remaining spiced cider—many of which were made and gifted by you. And even as we put away decorations, ornaments, and stockings; dragged out our tinderbox-dry Christmas tree and wreaths, the very gift of the snow helped extend the good feelings of Christ’s birth and the joys of the season just a little bit longer and helped me to appreciate the blessings of my life here personally and vocationally.

While my family and dearest friends have made this a meaningful Christmas season, you all have also contributed to that sense of gratitude and contentment. Your good gifts and the prioritization of St. John’s in your life makes all things possible. From the glorious feelings while singing Silent Night and Hark the Herald Angels Sing by candlelight, to the boisterous fun of the early family service, to the happy Hymn Sing on the first Sunday after Christmas, now throw in the gift of pre-Christmas pastoral visits, Sandwich Sundays, a St. Nicholas Luncheon... these tangible gifts of the birth of Emmanuel– God has truly has brought the birth of Christ among us.

Money is neutral: it can do harm and it can do good. Thank you to those who have made your decision to make St. John’s a priority in your life. And if you haven’t done so, I warmly invite you to consider joining the multiples of households who have asked that their blessings become a blessing to others. Your gifts truly are the fuel by which ministry begins and then takes the form of our collective body to make it all possible.

Thank you for making this past season, this past year at St. John’s so meaningful. I look forward to what God will bring forward in the days, weeks, and years to come.

Thank you for all that you do and all that you are.

In Christ's everlasting peace,

The Reverend Josh Walters

Rector

We’ve been talking a lot about stewardship in recent months. You’ve read stories from parishioners about what St. John’s means in their lives and why they give of their time and talents and support our mission financially. We’ve talked about budgets and our hopes for the coming year. These are all important conversations. But I think that what sometimes gets a bit lost is conversation about the ways that gratitude and generosity are not only important for the work of the church community, but are transformative in our personal lives.

When thinking about generosity, Brother Curtis Almquist of the Society of Saint John the Evangelist writes, “We have been created in the image of God, who shares life with boundless generosity. It is of our essence to be generous. We participate in life on God’s terms by cherishing the gifts of life, not clinging to them, not hoarding, but sharing from God’s bounty entrusted to us to steward. There is always more. Our generosity enables others to know life as a gift, and invites them to live their own lives thankfully. Gratitude transforms life; generosity enables it.”

Gratitude transforms life; generosity enables it. We are generous because we are grateful. And we are grateful because we are generous. I am filled with gratitude for the many ways that the St. John’s community is generous. You give to serve the world around us and to help grow the next generation of followers of Jesus. You transform this place while at the same time opening yourselves up to be transformed as well. I am eternally grateful.

The Reverend Andrew Y. Moore,

Assistant Rector

St. John’s McLean has been my church home for over three decades and has been a big part of our family life. Our kids were baptized and confirmed at St. John’s, attended church school, and went on the mission trip to NY. My late husband Paul was active in various ways at St. John’s. When my elderly mother moved to the area in the early 2000’s, St. John’s and the Sages welcomed her with open arms and St. John’s became her new church home. Over the course of the last 30 years, lots of things have changed, but St. John’s has been a constant in my life. During Paul’s illness our friends at St. John’s provided enormous support and encouragement and it gives me great comfort to “visit” him in the columbarium every time I come to church.  

Katherine Armstrong

As an 84-year-old, I have come to believe LOVE is what life is all about. We love our parents, our children, our friends, ourselves; we should love one another, our church, and most of all, we should love the Lord, our God, who has given it all to us. That’s what the Bible teaches us, that’s what we learn at St. John’s, and that’s what we do as believers and followers of Christ.

So, how do we go about all this love, showing our love? To love is to care. We care about what we do, our work, our school, our activities; we care about people in our families and in our communities, we care about all kinds of things—even how we look, where we go, what we say, what we value. Sharing what we care about with those we care about—and those we encounter along life’s journey—that is LOVE.

I have been attending St. John’s for 56 years. My late husband and I made the conscious decision to raise our family within the St. John’s family. Our children attended Sunday School, EYC, served as acolytes and choir members, and were confirmed here. My son married a Roman Catholic with St. John’s rector emeritus as a celebrant and now attends church in Texas. My daughter was married and taught Sunday School at St. John’s, and now she is active in her Episcopal church in Delaware. While my husband died 15 years ago, he remains connected to St. John’s as his ashes were scattered in the Woodland Chapel. Over the years we both served as Senior Warden at various times, chaired committees, and contributed in other ways, all the while, pledging financially each year. Now, I live alone with Effie Cat, my 16-year-old companion, and you here at St. John’s are my “in town” family. I treasure your friendship and deeply appreciate your support, knowing should I need anything, all I have to do is call. Again, it’s all about LOVE.

As members of this parish family, we have the opportunity to express our love in various ways by giving of ourselves—sharing our time, our talents, our blessings. Now, and every single day, is the time to show our love to the Lord, to promise to give to our church a portion of all he has given us. A pledge is a meaningful, deliberate commitment we make in reflection of our LOVE of our faith community. We care about our clergy and the staff; we care about the programs of ministry and education, we care about our hospitality and fellowship, we want to share with others in the world; in addition, we must be mindful of the upkeep, the place that enables us to do the work we love for the people we love.

It is time to give back, to offer our talents, to share our blessings, and to thank God for all he has given us. Please prayerfully consider what you can give, how much you love, care, and want to share St. John’s. Showing that LOVE is the responsibility of ALL OF US.

Martha High

As members of St. John’s Church for more than 50 years, and active participants in the Missions/Outreach effort, we are delighted to hear that, if the church reaches its $1.1 million “stretch” budget for next year, we will be able to “grow our missions and outreach” programs.

Our experience ranges from 25 years of Jack’s managing our coalition participation with Habitat for Humanity; to a first contact with a very small “Martha's Table” that led to bigger things, and how!; years of Lorraine’s work, with helpers, assisting with the nutrition program for the children at the Falls Church McLean Children’s Center; and Jack’s work (7 yrs.) as co-chair of the Millennium Development Goals Committee, which raised $340,000 (thank you!!) and found good partners overseas to carry out the program.

Now, as to the future, and possibly expanded budgets for Missions/Outreach, we start off with four “core” charities and with able committee members leading each of those. We all feel that we could go deeper into assisting those charities and participating in their work. By way of example, I coordinate our responses to “Homestretch,” which included the amazingly successful “Giving Tree” program last December. With additional funds we could, for example, join this charity’s “Sacred Homes” program and thereby develop a direct relationship with a program family and help support their needs more fully, whether it's to attain a GED certificate, ride a bicycle or earn a driver’s license. (Can be fun, too!) The Committee could also develop new relationships with charities we are already interested in but have previously lacked the funds to support. All this “new direction” will doubtless promote new membership on a necessarily expanding Committee. We can’t wait to begin! At pledge time, we hope you will be fired with the same enthusiasm for Mission and Outreach.

Jack and Lorraine Hannon

We usually arrive ten minutes early for the 10:15 service. At about 10:07 or so, our Music Director, Dr. Karl Robson, puts his fingers on the organ keyboard and his feet on the pedals and makes something special happen. Through his artistry, he brings forth magical and spiritual noise from cold, metal pipes. The music fills the Nave and inspires, comforts, or calms, depending on the music selection. This magic and spirituality continue throughout the service, accented by beautiful vocals and hearty singing by the congregation.

Though we remain partial to hymns by Charles Wesley, old Episcopal hymns, and powerful Welsh hymns, in a pinch Bach or Beethoven or other master hymnists will do quite well. As was announced by our Rector, early next year we will receive a new piano. Rev. Josh Walters and Dr. Robson have grand plans for use of this new grand piano. We are confident the next stage of St. John’s music will take us to new heights of worship, all for the glory of God through our Music Ministry.

We share a bit of advice. Come early, stay late, and experience the spiritual uplift of St. John’s music.

Susan and Mike Murphy 

Having started attending St. John’s at an early age, children’s and young adult ministry has always been at the forefront of my thoughts. I have strong memories of my Sunday School teachers, some of whom I have formed life-long friendships with, and of the connections I made with other friends in Sunday School, Confirmation class, choir, acolytes, youth group, mission trips and more.

After graduate school when I moved back to the DC area, I was drawn back into the St. John’s orbit, and because the programs during my youth had made such an impact on me, I spent time volunteering with them. I have served as a Sunday School teacher, Confirmation mentor, Youth Group leader, Mission Trip chaperone, and Children and Youth education committee member. And then years later when my daughter Elizabeth was born, I continued to be involved, but with the new perspective of a parent.

I am so excited to have my daughter grow up in the same church where I grew up, to learn to love God and her neighbor in the same church and classrooms that I did, but with new faces, friends, and opportunities. St. John’s is evolving and growing – it may look the same on the outside as it did when I was a kid, but I know from walking the halls for decades that the insides have changed, and that it continues to need my support. And if I want this church to nurture my daughter and her spiritual growth the way that it has done for me, I have to dig deep.

And that’s why I give to St. John’s.

Maggie Keller

We all have our own reasons for giving to St. John’s. Some donate due to a feeling of religious obligation and others with a desire to support a community that helps others in need. No matter the reason, giving creates a shared bond and a sense of belonging among all of us. Donating shows gratitude towards the Church and God, as well as proving how important both are to you. It is a good way to show that you feel the Church is something worth supporting.

St. John’s provides me with a sense of community. It provides me with a place to say thank you to God for all the wonderful things that He has given to me and my family.

When asked my reason for giving to the Church, I answer by saying: “I believe in St. John’s Church and want to support our incredible Parish.”

St. John’s has been our church for 25 years. Two of our three kids were baptized here and all three were confirmed at St. John’s. My father’s funeral, my son’s wedding, and the baptism of our granddaughter have all taken place at this Church. The love and support we have received from so many of you week after week is inspiring. We are truly blessed.

Donating provides me a sense of Peace. It lets me know that we are helping those in need and making a difference. As a physician, I am fortunate that I get to help those in need every single day. It is so rewarding to be able to touch people’s lives and make a difference. I get this same sense of Peace when I donate to St. John’s Church and make sandwiches for Martha’s Table.

There is so much we all can do to make the world a better place. I am hopeful that others will consider donating to St. John’s so we can continue to impact lives and make a difference for the better.

Best Regards and Love to You All,

Laura Filipescu-Turner

Welcome to Stewardship Season at St. John’s! This is such an exciting time of year, and the energy in the parish is amazing. It is such a joy to see old friends and new faces, watch children in Sunday School, and listen to beautiful music in our services.

Last year, the Stewardship Committee asked you to stretch and help us reach our budget goal to allow us to expand our children’s ministries and our music program. Not only did we reach our goal, but we exceeded it and crossed the $1 million mark for the first time in years. Thank you for your vital support of our parish.

This year, we are asking for your assistance again, to help us reach our new goal of $1.1 million to help us grow our missions and outreach, as well as to fully fund our ongoing staffing, ministries, and operating costs.

We each have our own reasons for giving to St. John’s. So why do I give? I give because the Bible’s teachings tell me to do so. I give because, while not exciting, there is a cost to running a parish, and I want to make sure those expenses are covered. And, most importantly to me, I give because I believe in St. John’s and want to support our incredible parish ministries, both those inside our walls and those helping our brothers and sisters near and far. I want to give back and make an impact — change a life, because joining St. John’s has changed mine.

Every single one of us is important to St. John’s. We each matter. We each make a difference, and to allow St. John’s to thrive, we must all use our individual gifts and talents. One way we can do this is to pledge — whatever the amount — to show our commitment to God and St. John’s.

Thank you for being a special part of this parish, and for your thoughtful consideration in making a pledge.

Warmly,

Shelli Bushman

Stewardship Committee Chair