Readings from the Third Sunday of Easter
ST. PETE’S WEEKLY
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 Missions Committee
- In the Anglican Cycle of Prayer, for The Church of Ireland
- In the Diocesan Cycle of prayer, for Christ Church, Charlottesville; Emmanuel, Harrisonburg; and Trinity, Arlington.
- For Persecuted Christians in Libya
- For our President, Donald, Congress, and Judges
- For our Governor, Glenn
- In our Community Cycle of Prayer, for our Metro Employees
- 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 Stuart Auld; Jake Cathers; Gary Cogle; Nancy Dillon; Ken Foreman; Matthew Forys; Mel Hanzel; Gwen Hill; Jennifer House; Don Hummerston; Gail Hunt; Steve Koss; The Landstrom Family; Becky Loker; Mike Muihlbauer; Marsha Price; Martha Ramirez; Chris Short; Randy Stoutenburgh; Karen Stunkel; Erica Wanis; Sarah & Dick Webster; Kevin; Lucas; Reid; Sean & Libby; Stephen; and 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.
POLICE WEEK – May 11, 2025, is the beginning of Police Week. Each working day officers rise and go to work to protect and serve the folks in our town. I asked what they need as far as a Thank You goes and heard that they always appreciate healthy snacks and drinks. Shorthanded they get tied up on cases, writing reports and assisting citizens and often cannot stop for meals. Turnaround time is short so please bring snacks and thank you notes before May 11, 2025. There’s a large box in the Narthex for items to be dropped off. If we collect enough, we can deliver a box to the fire house too!
2025 VESTRY ELECTIONS – will be held on Sunday, May 11, 2025, after the 9:30 a.m. service. The Eligible Voter list will be posted on the bulletin board in McCray Hall. Nominations are open. Contact Rob Smith, Sr. Warden or Deana Czaban, Jr. Warden if interested.
MT. CALVARY WOMEN’S GUILD MEETING – Our next meeting is on Monday, May 19, 2025, at 10:00 AM, at St. Peter’s in McCray Hall. The readings that we will discuss are Leviticus 17-27; Numbers 1-15, Mark 8-14; Psalm 42-54; & Proverbs 14-15. Please join us.
BOOK TALK: CALLED TO FREEDOM, BY BRAD LITTLEJOHN, Sunday, May 18, 2025, at 4:00pm – “For you were called to freedom, brothers,” writes St. Paul. “Only do not use your freedom as an opportunity for the flesh, but through love serve one another.” Today, we live in a time and place where “freedom” is constantly invoked as an opportunity for the flesh, where autonomy is prized above all, and any exercise of moral judgment is dismissed even among Christians as “legalism.” And yet freedom is central to our heritage not only as Americans, but as Protestant Christians, as a people brought out of slavery to sin and set free to follow Christ.
What does it mean to be “free” and how can we use our freedom well? Does “gospel freedom” or “Christian liberty” have anything to do with political freedom? How do we distinguish “freedom of conscience” from mere relativism? Is the “free market” a Christian ideal or an American idol? And what about technology, which promises to free us from the constraints of nature but often shackles us in new forms of slavery?
In his new book, Called to Freedom: Retrieving Christian Liberty in an Age of License, scholar and writer Brad Littlejohn explores all these questions and more, distilling insights from a career at the intersection of the church, academy, and public policy. Join us for an exploration of the true meaning of freedom as he shares key concepts from his book and answers your questions about Christian liberty.
LEARNING
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.
ADULT FORMATION: FIGHT FOR SOULS – Share a meal, share the gospel. If you desire to do what Jesus says, consider joining the Fight for Souls group!
Nursery: If needed, Nursery care is available during our 9:30 am service. The Nursery is located on the lower level. We are always looking for a few more volunteers to help staff the nursery from 9:30 – 10:45 am. If you have any questions, you can contact Kathleen Voss at (703) 409-2314 or katvoss1970@gmail.com
JOIN US FOR VACATION BIBLE SCHOOL – SUMMER 2025 – June 16-20, 2025 • 9AM – Noon. Small class sizes, fun activities, snacks and games! Sign up at https://stpetes.net/vbs/
FIGHT FOR SOULS: Sharing the Word
“Then He told them many things in parables, saying: ‘A farmer went out to sow his seed. As he was scattering the seed, some fell along the path, and the birds came and ate it up. Some fell on rocky places, where it did not have much soil. It sprang up quickly, because the soil was shallow. But when the sun came up, the plants were scorched, and they withered because they had no root. Other seed fell among thorns, which grew up and choked the plants. Still other seed fell on good soil, where it produced a crop – a hundred, sixty or thirty times what was sown. Whoever has ears, let them hear” Mt. 13:3-9
“For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand that we should walk in them.” Eph. 2:10
“Blessed are those who have learned to acclaim you, who walk in the light of your presence, Lord. They rejoice in your name all day long; they celebrate your righteousness.” Ps. 89:15-16
“To be a soul winner is the happiest thing in this world.” -Charles Spurgeon
The next meeting will be held at 5:00 p.m. on June 8, 2025, at the Novak House.