Fifth Sunday after the Epiphany

Set us free, O God, from the bondage of our sins, and give us the liberty of that abundant life which you have made known to us in your Son our Savior Jesus Christ; who lives and reigns with you, in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever. Amen.

Music of the Century Program

& Luncheon this Sunday

St. John's choir, soloists and children sing hits of 1912

Parishioners with last names beginning with: A-M bring a Salad. N-Z bring Sandwiches. Centennial committee and music performers bring Sweets.

“Sing me the songs that to me were so dear long, long ago…" Mark your calendars for a special Centennial music program following the 11:15 am service on Sunday, February 5! There will be sing-along, solos, choir numbers and children singing. Hear and participate in music that was popular in 1912, when vaudeville was in full swing, Irving Berlin was writing hit songs, Enrico Caruso was the world's greatest tenor and was live on the stage of the Metropolitan Opera in New York , and the jazz music was still ragtime. Come and sing “Home on the Range,” “Juanita,” “Welcome, Sweet Springtime.” John Pritchard will sing two of Caruso's most popular songs of 1912, and the choir, children and soloists will sing hits of that year. The program and lunch (soup, salad, sandwiches & sweets provided by parishioners) will take place in the Barr Center gym.

Bishop Allison to speak during Sunday school hour

on Sunday as part of the Centennial Year Celebration

Adult Sunday school classes will meet together on Sunday, February 5 at 10:15 am to hear guest Centennial speaker, the Rt. Rev. Dr. C. Fitzsimons “Fitz” Allison.  The class will take place in the multipurpose room, lower level, Heyward Hall. Bishop Allison was born and raised in Columbia , SC.   He served two years in the army in WWII. In 1945, he returned from Italy to enter the University of the South, Sewanee. He graduated in 1949 with a Bachelor of Arts degree. Following college, he studied at Virginia Theological Seminary, where he received his bachelor of divinity degree in 1952. Following his seminary career, he returned to parish ministry, serving as the rector of Grace Episcopal Church in New York City from 1976-1980. In 1980, he was chosen to serve as Bishop Coadjutor in the Diocese of South Carolina. Then, in 1982, he was elected to be the 12th diocesan bishop of South Carolina, where he served until his retirement in 1990. Bishop Allison is perhaps best known as a theologian. His writings include : The Rise of Moralism (1966); Fear, Love, and Worship (published prior to 1972); Guilt, Anger, and God (1972); The Cruelty of Heresy (1994); and his most recent book, Trust in an Age of Arrogance (2009). Click here for a full bio.

Register for Kanuga Parish Weekend this Sunday

Receive $10 coupon toward cost per person

Save the Date for Kanuga Parish & Family Weekend on February 17 - 19, 2012. Register by Sunday, February 5 and receive a $10 coupon towards the cost per person. Look for registration forms in the narthex and Heyward Hall.

Senior Warden asks for your continued commitment which can lead St. John's to ‘real' financial success

“We can take control of this debt and really look ahead – putting our dollars to work for ministry – not debt or repairs.”

To read this letter from Senior Warden

Jeff Brooker, click here.

Youth at St. John's

February 5 - Souper Bowl donate loose cash and change to Helping Hands Weekend Food Program. Youth will be outside the church after each service with soup pots.

February 5 - Super Bowl Party at the Lewis' home: 81 Foot Point Road in King's Grant neighborhood, from 6 pm to halftime of the big game (8:30 pm - 9:00 pm pickup). Call 787.2486 if you need directions. Please bring a side dish to share.

February 12 - St. Valentine's Day Party We'll celebrate St. Valentine's Day, discuss the life of St. Valentine, and make Valentine cards of our own.

February 19 - Kanuga Parish Weekend (no EYC) It's not too late to sign up and stay at the youth house!

Worship & Music at St. John's

Music in Worship Today, February 5:   At 9:00 am Choral Scholars Jordan Harper and Chris Suggs sing “We Are the Lord's” accompanied by Brian McCants, cellist.  At 11:15 am the Chancel Choir sings Healey Willan's arrangement of “Christ, Whose Glories Fill the Skies,” a hymn that appeared in the1892 Hymnal, in use at St. John's 100 years ago. Willan was an Anglo-Catholic Canadian composer from the early part of the 20 th century.

Next Sunday, February 12:   Selah will lead music at 9:00 am

Children's Wednesday Music Classes:  Popular teachers Rebecca Whalen (singing) and Jordan Harper (rhythm and movement) have returned for the winter/spring session.  Rhythm, movement and singing for children in grades 4K - 4.  NOTE TIME CHANGE:  Wednesdays 4:30 pm - 5:30 pm through February 15.  (No classes Ash Wednesday, February 22.) Resumes 4:30-5:15 February 29 through March 28.

Join the choir! The choir is always open to new voices, and persons of all ages and skill levels are encouraged to participate in the Chancel Choir.  A church with a membership as large as ours should have a choir of not fewer than 30 singers.  There is plenty of room for expansion in order to seat additional singers in the chancel—we do not allow apparent architectural limitations to limit the size of the choir! Rehearsals are Wednesdays at 7:00 p.m. in the Music Room.  The choir usually sings at 11:15 and occasionally at 9:00.  If you prefer only to sing at 9:00, that can be arranged.  Contact Celia in the music office or a choir member for more information.

Children at St. John's

Nursery available on Sundays at 9:00 am and 11:15 am services

Children's Chapel at 9:00 am Service for 3K, 4K, 5K

Sunday School begins at the 10:00 am hour

The 3 rd and 4 th graders will attend a class on “What We Do In Worship“ during the 9:00 am service on the following Sundays: 2/5, 2/12, 2/26, 3/4, and 3/11. They will receive their Bibles on Sunday March 25.

Children's program on Wednesday Nights Children 3k-5 th grade will meet in the gym for: “Lent by the numbers” and “Places of the Passion.” Each week we will talk about a different number found in the story of Christ's suffering, death and resurrection and explain what we can learn about that number. Then we will focus on a different location in the Passion story: from the Upper Room to the Garden of Gethsemane, to the Courtyard, to  Herod's Palace, to the Stone Pavement, to Mt. Calvary, to the empty of Easter. Please register your child in advance so that we can prepare for materials for the class.

Announcements at St. John's

The Parish Office will be closed on Monday, February 20.

ECW The 90th Convention of the Episcopal Church Women of Upper South Carolina is Saturday, February 11, at Church of the Advent, Spartanburg . If you are interested in attending, please contact Martha Smith at mbsmith458@sc.rr.com .

St.Monica's/Bridget's will meet on Thursday, February 9, at 1 pm in the parlor. Peanut butter is requested for the Hand School Food program. 

Keenagers will meet Tuesday, February 21. Flying High: Melinda Hotinger Harrill, a former member of our parish, is a Delta pilot who flies internationally. She will tell stories of her adventures and will give us an idea of what it is like to fly those really big planes. RSVP to the parish office by Friday, February 17.

Shrove Tuesday Pancake Supper Tuesday, February 21, 6:00 pm, hosted by the Men of the Church.

Rector's Bible Study meets on Mondays at 11 am in room 9 and is led by the Rev. Fletcher Montgomery.

Women's Bible Study Meets Weekly Women's Monday Night Bible Study will be studying the New Testament using “The Essential Bible Guide.” This is a great time to join or check it out; the study includes 5 short readings a week with follow-up questions. Group meets every Monday night from 7:00-8:30pm at Victoria Fleischer's house ( 3233 Girardeau Ave. ). Questions, contact Victoria Fleischer 371.2548. This week's topic: The Cross of Christ, next week: The Church is Born

Men's Morning Bible Study meets weekly on Tuesdays beginning January 10. Samson was in many ways a bad dude, but men today can learn from his mistakes. The Tuesday Morning Men's Bible Study will read and discuss the book, Samson Syndrome by Mark Atteberry. Gentlemen, purchase your book and join us.  Barr Center Dining Room, Tuesdays, 6:45 - 8:00 am. Breakfast included.  For more information, call Ned Badgett, 787.8189.

YOGA Classes are postponed until further notice.

Geranium & New Guinea Impatiens Sale (certified and grown in SC) ECW is selling flowers to benefit the charities of the Episcopal Church Women. The 10 inch pots are $20.00 each. Make checks at the time of order to St. John's. Click here for an order form and additional information. Flowers will be available for pick up at the church on March 31 or April 1.

Adult formation offers four classes in 2012

(Classes will resume on February 12)

The Essential Jesus (Multipurpose Room)

In honor of our church's centennial, we will read and discuss 100 passages about Jesus.  Whitney Kuniholm's engaging and reader-friendly book, The Essential Jesus , follows the story line of Jesus Christ with 25 brief passages from the Old Testament and 75 from the New Testament that span over a 20 week study period.  The book and the class is for anyone who wants to know more about Jesus:  Bible scholars;  Christians who have never really read all that the Bible says about Jesus;  those who are not sure about Jesus but honestly seeking to know more about him; non-believers.  All will find The Essential Jesus study helpful.  Join us on Sunday mornings to get a more true understanding of the most influential person in history.

The Wired Word - Christians, Contemporary

Issues and Coffee! (Parlor)

How does our faith guide us in responding to everything from international crises to challenging personal events? Each week The Wired Word tackles contemporary issues through Biblical scripture. Fueled by faith and coffee participants enjoy stimulating discussions in a relaxed parlor setting!

Devotions for Die-Hard Fans! (Dining Room)

The class will use Ed McMinn's devotional books for fans of any and every sport offered by the University of South Carolina and Clemson University . The class will generally focus on five to six devotions from either book (each devotion is only two pages long). Each devotion begins with a Bible verse and then recounts a story of a hero, legend, tradition, or great victory for the Gamecocks or the Tigers and relates it to scripture. The devotion moves from a sports moment to a moment of reflection about God. Through these devotions, we will tackle many everyday issues including success, living faithfully, self-esteem, work, parenthood, relationships, and pressure.

Jesus: Man, Messiah, or More?

2/12, 3/11, 4/8, 5/13 (Multipurpose Room, after 7:45 am Service, Breakfast served at 8:30 am)

In Jesus: Man, Messiah, or More? they show you exactly what the historical evidence reveals about Jesus. You'll discover compelling reasons why you can trust the Gospel accounts as credible records that stand up to informed scrutiny in a way that popular counterclaims cannot. Shot on location in the Holy Land, this remarkable, eight-part Day of Discovery DVD takes you inside the Last Supper, sets you amid pagan ruins in Caesarea Phillipi, and sweeps you back through time to the tables of the money-changers in Herod's temple. Whether you're a Christian or simply exploring Christianity with an open mind, will satisfy your intellect and stir your heart as you gain eye-opening new insights into the supernatural Jesus of history.

Mark your calendar for upcoming events at St. John's

Today, February 5: Music of the Century

Following the 11:15 am service

Midweek Eucharist Thursdays at 12:15 pm

Wednesday Children's Music & Rhythm 4:30-5:30

Shrove Tuesday Pancake Supper, February 21, 6:00 pm, Gym

Ash Wednesday, February 22

Services at 7:45 am, 12:00 pm, and 6:00 pm

Wednesday Night Programs& Dinner February 29 - March 28

Deadlines for announcements and articles

The following are deadlines for St. John's newsletters and bulletin announcements. If you would like to receive the newsletters by email, please contact Bryana Close, Parish Relations Coordinator, at 799-4767 or by email at bkc@stjohnscolumbia.org.

Weekly e-newsletter: The E-pistle is an e-newsletter emailed to the members and friends of St. John's every Friday. Submit announcements to mwj@stjohnscolumbia by 10 am, every Friday.

Bulletin announcements and altar flowers: The announcements are published every Sunday as a part of the bulletin at all three services. Submit announcements, including altar flower contributions, to bkc@stjohnscolumbia.org by Wednesdays at 12 pm.

Quarterly newsletter: The Messenger is a quarterly on-line newsletter. The spring edition will be emailed in March. Send in information to mwj@stjohnscolumbia.org by Thursday, February 23.