In this Issue

Lent........................... 1

Ministry Updates......... 2

Milestones and Transitions 3

Vestry Notes................ 3

Shrove Tuesday...... back

Lent at St. John’s Church

Since the days of the early church, the season before Easter, which we now call “Lent”, has been a season of penitence and preparation. The seven weeks before Easter are set aside for self-examination, prayer, and reflection.

Take advantage of all that the Church offers during Lent: worship, classes, and fellowship opportunities. May we all find ourselves on Easter morning better prepared to sing God’s praises and to celebrate the miracle of the Resurrection of Our Lord Jesus Christ.

The Rev. Irving Cutter
Rector

Ash Wednesday, March 1

Holy Communion and the Imposition of Ashes

7:00am

Noon, with hymns

5:30pm, with choir and hymns

Sunday Worship in Lent

Our liturgy changes in a variety of ways to emphasize the important themes of the Lenten season.

The appearance of the church is more subdued, with many of our more ornate furnishings and liturgical items set aside and replaced with simpler items. Purple, the color associated with penitence, is featured in the vestments.

On the first Sunday of Lent, we recite The Great Litany at both morning services, a very moving liturgical act which reminds us of our dependence on God’s mercies.

Our Anglican heritage includes a great body of Lenten hymns. The hymns that we sing at 10:00am will help us to understand the many dimensions of Lent.

Our services begin with a penitential order. After the invitation to confession, we will allow a longer pause for reflection.

During Lent, we refrain from saying the word “Alleluia”, which comes from the Hebrew phrase which means “Praise the Lord.” This custom is just one more way to make Lenten worship more subdued, and to highlight the celebratory aspect of the Easter season that follows.

Sunday Mornings in Lent:
The Lenten Gospel readings and their meaning for us today

Beginning Sunday, March 5
Led by seminarian Bob Scott:
9am in Powell Hall

This class series will follow a group bible study and discussion format. Each week we will study the Gospel reading for that Sunday, and then questions will be posed for general comment and discussion by the facilitator. The goal is to help each participant in their Lenten journey hear other viewpoints and perhaps gain new insights into these familiar passages.

Wednesday Evenings in Lent: Hosanna: A Spiritual Journey through Holy Week

Beginning Wednesday, March 8

Explore the main texts in all four Gospels and in Paul’s writings that deal specifically with the last week of Jesus’ life and with the resurrection.

Each Wednesday, we’ll begin with worship in the church at 5:30pm. At 6:00pm, a different ministry group each week serves a simple supper in the Common Room, and the program will be 6:30-7:30pm.

Music Notes

Music at Midday

Our popular Music at Midday series resumes on March 8. Recitals will occur weekly at 12:00 noon with lunch for $5 following at 12:30. This month’s musicians are:

March 8
Joseph Arndt, organ

March 15
Adam Pajan, organ

Adam Pajan is on the faculty of the American Organ Institute at the University of Oklahoma

March 22
Holland Hall Singers

Holland Hall’s most selective choral ensemble, students from grades 9-12

March 29
James Andrewes, baroque violin
Joseph Arndt, harpsichord

From New Zealand, James Andrewes now lives in Fort Worth and performs with outstanding early music orchestras throughout the US

Organ Project News

More than 50 households have now donated or made a financial pledge for our new Schoenstein organ, which will arrive in the summer of 2018. We have reached 86% of our goal of $1.4 million, and we hope all parishioners will make a gift to fund this new instrument. Every gift is important and helps us get closer to the finish line. Our new instrument will be Schoenstein’s first organ in Oklahoma and one of their few in this part of the country. Contact Dan Evatt (evattdpak@aol.com) or Joseph Arndt (jarndt@sjtulsa.org) for more information.

Young Adults

The Young Adults group is open to parishioners in their 20s, 30s, and 40s. Visitors and new members are always welcome! An important ministry we provide is the Young Adults Greeter Program on Sunday mornings. Contact Hannah Hicks (hannah.hicks@ou.edu) if you are a young adult and are interested in serving as a greeter.

The young adults Third Thursday series continues. We gather monthly for dinner and often a guest speaker. Contact Joseph Arndt (jarndt@sjtulsa.org) for more information.

Third Thursday this month:

March 16 at 7:00 pm

Parishioner Jim Hicks will discuss his role as the Senior Warden of Saint John’s and he will talk about ways members of the Young Adults group can become more involved in our parish life.

An Invitation from the Altar Guild

Please consider honoring a loved one, celebrate a birthday, anniversary, birth or adoption of a baby, or any special occasion by making a donation to the Altar Guild. From week to week, flowers for the Altar cost $100 -$150. Funds for the Altar Guild also provide the wine, linens and candles used every week during services including weddings and funerals. Envelopes for donations are available in the pews each week. Please make checks payable to St. John’s Altar Guild.

Great Decisions

The next meeting of the Great Decisions group is Thursday, March 2, at noon in Powell Hall. The discussion topic will be “Saudi Arabia in Transition”

Blue Star Mothers

Blue Star Mothers has moved our office within the Sun Building. St. John’s turned out three expert painters to upgrade the new space: Ira Phillips, Dwayne Edwards, and Fred Stowell. Thank you, gentlemen.

If you know of a service member who is deployed overseas, you can supply his/her APO address to Jessica Stowell and BSM will happily send a Freedom Box. 918-639-6340 or jstowell@ou.edu

We are still collecting gently used paperbacks, magazines, CDs and DVDs. Save the date for a BSM benefit party at Kendra Scott jewelry in Utica Square: March 28, 5-7pm.

Boy Scouts

March will be a big Camping Month with the Troop going to the Wichita Mountains and also to Ft. Gibson and Greenleaf St. Park. The Scouts will also elect candidates for the Order of the Arrow, the Honor Camper Society of the BSA.

The Troop and Venture Crew want to thank the Congregation for their support of the Chili Cookoff; the Troop raised about $1900 while the Crew raised over $500.

We will also bring in the last of our spring recruits bringing the size of the Troop to nearly 65 Scouts. Of course, there is always room for any boy over 11 at St. John's to join.

Centennial Birthday Party

Parishioner Carolyn Plucknett turns 100 on March 17! Join us at church on Sunday, March 19, as we celebrate Carolyn’s birthday. We’ll enjoy a festive reception in the Common Room at 11:15am. Happy birthday, Carolyn!

Milestones

March Birthdays

1 Robert Baker, IV, Arlo DeKraai, Hayden Kennedy, Scampy Rainey, Jean Tate

2 Kalleb Boston, Gavin Ford, Jack Kelly, Melissa Morris, Jim Singleton, Randy Spencer

3 Brian Tacker

4 John Abney,

5 Adam Adwon, Lorraine Kaefer, Susanne Methven

6 Dora Barber, Caron Lawhorn, Jaclyn Slattery,

7 Cristina Abbott, Mark Payton, Barbara Putnam, Carteena Robohm, Lee Taylor, Tyler Tetrick

8 Joseph Arndt, Catherine Hoopert

9 Jody McIntyre, Kristin Randall

10 Ira Phillips, Lei Rumley

11 Barbara Lawson, Jake Rawlings, Jerry Roger

12 Karen Dodson, Donna Farrior, Jack Ford

13 Sheri Colpitt

14 Janice Cline, Kirsten Hoopert

15 Susie Fisher

17 Carolyn Plucknett, Toni Walters

18 Ted Eliot, Pam Glover, Amy Schaffer, Philip Schroedter, Heather Wallace

19 Katherine Johnson

20 Carolyn Ferguson, Floyd Hudson, Jackie Johnson, Jillian Moore

21 Jane Roegels, Venis Treiber, Barrett Waller

23 Breen Emery, Finley Randall

24 Diane Morrow, Jerry Nichols, Ben Russell, Les Veltman,

25 Carroll Chadwick, Adam Lawhorn, John Staedke

26 Katherine Barlow, Sidney Lawler

27 Lylah Bornstein, Pryor Bornstein, Nancy Morrison, Meg Perdue

28 Roberta Carter, Katherine Coon, Katharine Dwyer

29 Stacey Clark, Nancy Hicks, Betsy Mayes, Tom Viuf, Lynne Waters

30 Buck Barlow

31 Morgan Abbey, Laura Gubser

Transitions:

Directory additions/changes:

Dorian and Deborah Kurin 7515 S Hudson Pl (36)

Kenna Mitchell 4844 E 24^th Pl (14)

Vestry Notes

January

At its January meeting, the Vestry approved the 2017 Operating Budget.

The Vestry also heard an update from Joseph Arndt and Dan Evatt on the pipe organ project and approved the final contract with Schoenstein & Co. for the construction of a new pipe organ for the church.

February

At its February retreat, the Vestry discussed a variety of topics. Actions taken included:

§ Filling the vacancy on the Vestry following the resignation of Donna Farrior. Donna’s travels keep her away from St. John’s on many Sundays, and Donna believes an effective vestry member should have an active and consistent presence on Sundays. The Vestry voted to appoint John Brock to take the open position.

§ Appointing new members to the Buildings and Grounds committee.

§ Making plans to enhance our efforts to follow up with visitors and new members.