Pentecost 2 (Proper 8) - Sermon from Sunday June 26, 2011

Today we had a blast celebrating 2 significant anniversaries today: one of 40 years and the other of 60. Quite the celebration; we also “unveiled” the recently repaired organ and music minister made it sing. Today was the first Sunday in our Ordinary time journey and today’s sermon was entitled “K.I.S.S. Keep it Simple Stupid.” Grace and peace to you all,

Love,

Les

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Quilt Raffle to support the Chuckatuck Volunteer Fire Department

On June 11, 2011 members of St. John's attended the annual Spring Fish Fry at the Chuckatuck Volunteer Fire Department. They weren't there to simply eat fish, they were there to sell quilt raffle tickets to the approximately 1,400 people who attended the event. What quilt is being raffled off? It is an artisan quilt made specifically for the Fire Department by a parishioner, Kathy Ferguson.

Tickets are available from the Church Office or at Quilt with Me, the quilting store in Suffolk Virginia. Tickets are $2 a piece and all proceeds will go to support the Chuckatuck Volunteer Fire Department; the only totally volunteer fire department in the City of Suffolk. The winning raffle ticket will be drawn following the September Fish Fry.

Sermon for Trinity Sunday 2011

A blessed Trinity Sunday to all; a happy Father’s Day to the fathers among us or those who live on in our memories. It was a mixed emotion day today as we remembered the life of Bob Rogers yet celebrated the new life of the Showalter’s new granddaughter. We explored the Trinity and the Creation story as we reflected on how we describe the indescribable nature of God in today’s sermon.

Later this week we will celebrate the life and ministry of Bob Rogers with a memorial service, commendation, and committal. Please keep the Rogers family in your prayers over the coming week.

Blessings to all and peace,

Les+

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Sermon for the 7th Sunday after Easter - June 6, 2011

It's been a typical late spring in southside Virginia. Heat, winds, RAIN to beat the band, and general mixed up weather. Things are settling out a little but I sense it will be quite the summer. At church we're in a bit of an odd place - we've just had one of our longest term members pass away on this past Thursday. We found out this morning that Mr. Paul K. Brady has been an official member of the church since June 12, 1927. He lived a long and vital life from September 25, 1914 until this year and lived and worked on many interesting projects: while serving in the Army in WWII he fought at the Battle of the Bulge; while in Suffolk he started a radio business; in 1954 he build Brady's Marina for the City of Suffolk; and in the late 1950s he was a member of the amateur salvage team that raised the tanker the African Queen that was abandoned off the Delmarva peninsula - doing something that professional salvage companies declined to do. Really an interesting story. At church this morning we talked about the life and ministry of Paul Brady and how they've shaped the church that St. John's is today. We also shifted our focus to his upcoming funeral service. We had time to reflect on the implications of our Acts reading today in my sermon entitled “What are we looking for?”

Les

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Requim for Paul Kirk Brady (September 25, 1914 - June 2, 2011

It is with sadness that I convey information about the passing of our beloved parishioner, Mr. Paul Kirk Brady the morning of June 2, 2011. He had been living in Virginia Beach since October 2010 and was attended by his daughter Meribeth and her husband Larry as his death approached. A graveside funeral will be held Wednesday June 8, 2011 at St. John's Episcopal Church at 11:00 am. Paul will be buried next to his loving wife Lib.

Grace and peace to the Brady and Zedd families,

Les+

Paul Kirk Brady (September 25, 1914 - June 2, 2011)