FRIDAY, May 9

           3:00 pm        Photo directory photos (Parish Hall)

The first of five days for Photo directory photography runs from 3:00 to 9:30 pm.  All available appointments for Friday and Saturday are already taken.  The final three days for photography will be June 5, 6, and 7.

If you haven’t made an appointment to have your photo taken, you can call 800 866-2263 or on line via the parish website www.stjohnscarlisle.org and click on the link on the home page.  Participants receive a free photo and have the opportunity to purchase photos.  We hope to have our new parish Photo Directory in the early Fall.

SATURDAY, May 10 

           9:00 am      Women at the Well (Education Room)

          10:00 am     Photo directory photos (Parish Hall)

            5:00 pm     Taize Eucharist (Church)

Women at the Well meets from 9-11 in the Education Room.  Pam Barney will present the program, based on the experiences of this season’s seven meetings.  Participants should bring their journals.  For more information or a ride, contact Debbie Edmondson, 249-2094 or jdlake@pa.net.

SUNDAY, May 11, The Day of Pentecost, commonly known as Whitsunday.  

 8:00 am      HOLY EUCHARIST with hymns (Church)

 9:15 am      Church School Classes

                   Mother’s Day Breakfast (Parish Hall)

         10:15 am      HOLY BAPTISM AND FESTIVAL EUCHARIST (Church), sung by the Men and Youth Choir

                             Enrichment program (young children in the Lloyd Center)

         11:00 am      Young Children and Family Eucharist (Lloyd Center)

         11:45 am      Mother’s Day Breakfast (Parish Hall)

The Feast of Pentecost is celebrated on the 50^th day after Easter.  According to the Book of the Acts of the Apostles, it was on this day that the apostles received the Holy Spirit, experienced in the rushing wind and the flames of fire.  On that day the Apostles were given the ability to proclaim the Good News or Gospel in the many languages of the pilgrims gathered in Jerusalem.  Pentecost or “Whitsunday” to use the old Anglican name, is one of the great feast days of the church year when Holy Baptism is most appropriate.  Michael Charles Whetstone, infant son of Katie and Jeff Whetstone, and grandson of Fr. Mark and Dottie Scheneman will receive the Sacrament of Baptism during the 10:15 Festival Eucharist.

In celebration of Pentecost, all are encouraged to wear red to church!

The Spring Ingathering of the United Thank Offering will be received this weekend.  Blue UTO offering envelopes are available in the pews and at the Information Tables.  The UTO is the major missionary offering of the Episcopal Church and is administered by the Episcopal Church Women.

Mother’s Day also falls on this Sunday.  Following a recent parish practice, the men of the parish will prepare, serve, and clean up (!) breakfast.  There will be two seatings in the Parish Hall, after both morning Eucharists.  A contribution of $2 for adults and $1 for children is suggested.

This will be the final Sunday for Church School classes.  Children should attend their normal classes and families with children should plan to have breakfast together at the Second Seating, at 11:30.

The Children’s Chapel Eucharist is in the Lloyd Center.  Fr. Ed will celebrate this liturgy at 11:00. 

The parish Nursery is open and staffed each Sunday from 9:00 to 11:30.

PASTORAL CONCERN

With sadness, we share news of the death of Marion Czirok, mother of Carol Henry on Sunday, May 4.  Marion had been in declining health for a number of years and a resident at the Todd Home.   Fr. Mark and Mo. Robyn officiated at the graveside services for Marion on May 7.

ANNOUNCEMENTS

+Next Sunday, May 18, St. John’s will celebrate our annual Heritage Sunday.  The 10:15 service will be sung Morning Prayer, Rite I.  The focus of this year’s Heritage Sunday will be the 250^th anniversary of the Forbes Expedition in 1758.  Ladies should dust off their best church hat, men pick out a favorite ‘statement tie’ and anyone with colonial era, 18^th century attire is encouraged to wear it that morning!

+Also, for Heritage Sunday next week: the acolyting duties will be taken over by “retired acolytes”.  Anyone who served as an acolyte as a young person, either in the Episcopal Church or another denomination, is invited to vest and serve for next Sunday’s services.  Please speak with the clergy or with Cindy Ludwig.

+The response to the parish Communication Task Force survey from youth and young adults was extremely low.  We invite anyone who hasn’t completed a survey to take one at the Information Table in the Cloister and fill it out.

+Be a “SPY Angel”!  A Summer Program for Youth display in the Parish Hall features a red wagon.  Can you help one of our SPY children this summer by paying for a pool pass or some of their supplies?  Volunteer help will also be needed this summer, especially preparing lunches, but also as mystery readings and donating snacks.  Please volunteer by putting your name on a volunteer list at the display or by phoning Karen LeCuyer, 249-8697 or Pat Seely, 243-7749.

+The Rector’s Bible Study will be concluding the spring season with the Epistles of St. John on Wednesdays in the Education Room from 11:00 to noon. 

+The Wednesday evening Pot Luck Bible Basics Study continues.  They are now working on the Book of Joshua.  All are welcome to attend!

+The United States Air Force Heritage Band, Langley Winds, will perform on Saturday, May 10 at 7:00 pm in the First Lutheran Church.  Admission is free.

+Cantate Carlisle will present their spring concert at Allison United Methodist Church on May 17 at 8 pm and May 18 at 3 pm.  This will be a benefit concert for the Cumberland County American Red Cross.  They will be singing Britten’s dramatic parable of the Good Samaritan, Cantate Misericordium, with guest soloists and accompanied by members of the Harrisburg Symphony.  For ticket information go to www.cantatecarlisle.org or see a member of Cantate for tickets.

+The spring Parish Council meeting will take place on Tuesday, May 13 at 7:00 pm.  This meeting will include all Commission chairs, as well as Strategic Mission Plan Task Force and committee chairs.

+Next Sunday’s Parish Forum, May 18, will be lead by Alvin Blitz, Esq. our parish Treasurer and a Planned Giving professional.  Al will lead a discussion on planning your legacy for your family and beyond.  Topics to be covered include Living Trusts, Will preparation, Power of Attorney, and Estate Planning for your children and for charity.

+The Summer Program for Youth is still in need of Counselors in Training for this summer.  This is a volunteer position for high school students, 10^th-12^th grade.  Commitment to most of the 8 weeks is requested, although consideration is given for planned vacations.  The program runs weekdays from 9 am to 3 pm.  If you are interested, please contact Mo. Robyn at 243-4220 or rszoke@stjohnscarlisle.org.

+Bike Ride Date Change!!!  In order not to conflict with “Women at the Well”, the bike ride around town will take place on Saturday, May 17.  Meet at the LeTort Park at 9:00 am.  Pam Lord will give more useful hints on safety and bike maintenance, then lead the bike ride.  Questions?  Call Pam at 776-4904 or hlord@aol.com.

+For the past five years St. John’s has provided scholarships so that eligible Ugandan AIDS orphans may attend school through the Bishop Masereka Christian Foundation.  This year we invite you to participate by making a check for $200, $50, or $25 payable to St. John’s.  Please designate clearly on the memo line “BMCF scholarship” and submit it to the parish office by May 18.

+The Bishop’s Open Golf Tournament will be held on Monday, June 16 at Frosty Valley Country Club in Danville.  Proceeds support the Bishop’s Discretionary Fund.  Registrations forms with information are available at the Cloister Information Table.