St. Pete’s Weekly | 2025-2-23

Readings for the Seventh Sunday after the Epiphany

Welcome! Whatever your religious background, and however you have come to be here, we’re glad to have you join in our praises of God today.  We hope you will feel comfortable here and fulfilled and strengthened spiritually to meet the challenges of your daily life.

PLEASE PRAY FOR THE FOLLOWING:

  • For Mark, our Bishop
  • For Tom, our Rector
  • In our Parish Cycle of Prayer, for our Finance Team
  • In the Anglican Cycle of Prayer, for Igreja Episcopal Anglicana do Brasil
  • In the Diocesan Cycle of prayer, for Abingdon Church, White Marsh and St. Mary’s Church, Arlington
  • For Persecuted Christians in Chad
  • For our President, Donald, Congress, and Judges
  • For our Governor, Glenn
  • In our Community Cycle of Prayer, for the Leaders & Volunteers in Loudoun Schools
  • For U.S. troops throughout the world, our foreign service personnel and contractors
  • For those who have served in Iraq, Afghanistan, and other conflicts and are suffering from posttraumatic stress
  • For our Federal, State, & Local Police Officers and Loudoun Valley Fire and Rescue Departments.
  • For the special needs and concerns of this congregation, especially for Stuart Auld; Carrie Marie Burden; Gary Cogle; Nancy Dillon; Ken Foreman; Mel Hanzel; Gwen Hill; Jennifer House; Gail Hunt; Steve Koss; Terri Lazarus; Becky Locker; Winifred Love; Etienne Minaar; Steve Moore; Grace O’Hara; Jack & Carol Powers; Marsha Price; Martha Ramirez; Zach Rugenstone; Richard Simonson; Jim Smith; Randy Stoutenbugh; Karen Stunkel; Kyle Voss; Erica Wanis; Sarah & Dick Webster; Ken & Carol; Kevin; Lucas; Reid; Sean & Libby; Stephen; The Stiles Family; The Bomar Family; Vanessa, and all those who suffer from any grief or trouble.

PRAYER NEEDS: Individuals and families may choose to have their names placed on the public and/or private prayer lists. The names on the public prayer list are included during the Prayers of the People during worship on Sunday and in the bulletin.  St. Peter’s Prayer Quilt members spquilt@stpetes.net pray for the people on the private list.  Names are listed for four weeks. If you would like someone to remain on our list, please send us an update every 4 weeks.

NEW WAYS TO PRAY!  We have been doing a lot of praying in new ways this year. Consider joining us or making use of any, or all, of the opportunities below:

  • Sweet Hour of Prayer every Wednesday at 10:30 with seven of us regularly gathering.
  • Using our new Prayer Cards on the first Sunday during prayers of the people.
  • Turning the altar in the Chapel into our Prayer Altar, covered with new prayer requests.
  • The Vestry is incorporating praying together into our Strategic Plan and into Vestry meetings.
  • And the latest: Gathering an intercessor team to pray for people in-person after church on Sundays. Once the crowd has left the Nave, they’d be happy to meet with you discreetly one-on-one to pray with you.

ANNOUNCEMENTS

BULLETIN DEADLINE – Please submit all announcements for the Sunday Bulletin by noon on Wednesday to ensure inclusion in the upcoming bulletin.  Send announcements to office@stpetes.net.

COFFEE HOUR SIGN UP SHEET – The coffee hour sign-up sheet for March and April is on the bulletin board in McCray Hall.  Please sign up where you can.

MT. CALVARY WOMEN’S GUILD MEETING – Our next meeting is on Monday, March 17th, at 10:00 AM, at St. Pete’s in McCray Hall. The readings that we will discuss are Genesis 49-50; Exodus 1-26; Matthew 16-25; Psalms 21-31; & Proverbs 11. Please come & bring your friends.

MUSIC DIRECTOR COMMITTEE SEARCH WEEKLY UPDATE – The Music Director Search Committee continues its work to find our next Director of Music! Check back here every week for updates on our progress!

SHROVE TUESDAY PANCAKE SUPPER – March 4, 2025 @ 6-8pm. We are looking for volunteers to help with the setup, serving and breakdown for the annual Shrove Tuesday Pancake Supper. Please reach out to Kathleen Voss (katvoss1970@gmail.com) if you are available and able to help.

NO FEAR – FREE WOMEN’S SELF-DEFENSE CLASS – March 1, 2025, 10 a.m. to noon.  Learn to read your potential offender’s intentions and avoid a situation.  Enjoy a hands-on, fun, and empowering event.  Learn valuable self-defense techniques from experienced instructors in a safe and supportive environment.  This workshop is perfect for all skill levels.  Contact Jen Casey at pjacasey@icloud.com for questions or to RSVP.

WOMEN’S FELLOWSHIP – March 21, 2025, at 7p.m.  Did you make a New Year’s Resolution to get organized this year?  Are you planning on moving or downsizing soon?  Come to the Women’s Fellowship meeting and hear how Lisa Geraci Rigoni can help you accomplish those goals.  Questions or to RSVP contact Deana Czaban at kelly_dscm@yahoo.com

ALTAR FLOWERS: If you would like to dedicate altar flowers in memory or honor of a loved one, or in thanksgiving for a birthday, anniversary or other special event, please contact the church office with the date and details. We gratefully accept gifts in the amount of $45 to defray the cost.

LEARNING

MASTERING THE BIBLE STUDY CLASS – We meet after the service in the Rector’s Office. Let’s master the bible together! Based on the book “Brief Insights on Mastering the Bible” by Michael S. Heiser.

GRACE THROUGH THE EYES OF JESUS BIBLE STUDY – Please join us at 11:00 am in the library on Sunday mornings for this See Jesus interactive Bible study based on stories from the Gospel of Luke. This study “…allows participants to absorb the Scriptures through engaging questions, theological insights, useful charts, and interesting historical backgrounds centered around the truth of the gospel.  There is no more practical way to be transformed by the doctrine of grace than to learn it from our Redeemer, Jesus.” Contact Maggie Snyder at maggiesnyder77@gmail.com.

SUNDAY SCHOOL – The program year runs from Sunday September 8, 2024, through June 1, 2025.  We will continue to use a variety of curriculums, including Weaving God’s Promises, Kids Sunday School and the Children’s Chapel Workshop during the program year.  The elementary Sunday School group will meet from 9:30 -10 AM on Sunday mornings.  The Middle & High School kids will be meeting from 9 AM – 9:30 AM on Sunday mornings in room #202.

Sometimes it’s hard to be good.  Isn’t it?

How often do you catch yourself planning to do something you know is wrong…but you do it anyway?

You know you should relax and not be so anxious all the time, but you keep obsessing about it.
You know you shouldn’t lie, but there you go again, covering your assets, or padding your resume to impress others.
You know you shouldn’t have another drink but what the heck…
You know you should forgive – and yet you just can’t forget what he did.
You know you shouldn’t spend so much time scrolling on your screen, but on you scroll.
The list could go on, right?
How do we win the war within, as followers of Jesus?

For five weeks in Lent we will develop practical winning strategies, from St. Paul’s teaching in Romans 8.  Join us Wednesday nights March 12, 19, 26, April 2 and 9 Trillium Farm, 18915 Lincoln Rd, Hillsboro, VA 20132.  Pot-luck dinner at 6:30 SHARP, followed by insightful discussion, and practical life skills to Win the War Within, from 7:00-8:00.  We even have activities for your kids!

“And Jesus said to them, ‘I am the bread of life. He who comes to Me shall never hunger, and he who believes in Me shall never thirst. But I said to you that you have seen Me and yet do not believe. All that the Father gives Me will come to Me, and the one who comes to Me I will by no means cast out. For I have come down from heaven, not to do My own will, but the will of Him who sent Me. This is the will of the Father who sent Me, that of all He has given Me I should lose nothing but should raise it up at the last day. And this is the will of Him who sent Me, that everyone who sees the Son and believes in Him may have everlasting life; and I will raise him up at the last day.’” John 6:35 – 40

“Then the Lord said to Moses, ‘Behold, I will rain bread from heaven for you. And the people shall go out and gather a certain quota every day, that I may test them, whether they will walk in My law or not.’” Exodus 16:4

“You therefore, my son, be strong in the grace that is in Christ Jesus.  And the things that you have heard from me among many witnesses, commit these to faithful men who will be able to teach others also.”  2 Timothy 2:1-2

“Speak to them of the great mercy of God…Sometimes people are helped by your telling of your own lamentable past.”  -Francis Xavier

The next meeting will be held at 5:00 p.m. on March 9, 2025, at the Novak House.

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