Lent at St. John’s Church 

The Lenten Season at St. John’s Church is always packed with opportunities for worship, study, and service.  In addition to our usual schedule, worship services are offered on Ash Wednesday, Fridays evenings, and on Holy Thursday, Good Friday, and Holy Saturday as described in the schedule below.  Following Stations of the Cross each Friday evening everyone is invited to join us for a light Lenten Bring-a-Dish Dinner (bring food if you can but come and eat with us even if you can’t!) and discussion.  This year our discussion topic will be “Christian Love for Neighbors in Need” based upon the Millennium Development Goals of the United Nations which have been adopted as part of the Mission of the Episcopal Church.   

Goal 1: Eradicate extreme poverty and hunger

Goal 2: Achieve universal primary education

Goal 3: Promote gender equality and empower women

Goal 4: Reduce child mortality

Goal 5: Improve maternal health

Goal 6: Combat HIV/AIDS, malaria and other diseases

Goal 7: Ensure environmental sustainability

Goal 8: Develop a Global Partnership for Development  

A short presentation of or more of the goals will be presented each week by the Rector or members of the parish followed by opportunities for group discussion.   

In addition to our own activities this year, we will join with other parishes in our Deanery (local area) to share worship, dinner and discussion on Wednesday evenings according to the schedule below.  The Deanery program will be offered at St. Ann and Holy Trinity Church on Montague Street in Brooklyn Heights and will include a short Mass at 6:30 pm followed by a light Lenten Dinner (no need to bring a dish!) and discussion.  The topic this year is WHO ARE WE? The Episcopalian Way of Life.  We will also join with the Episcopal Churchwomen of Brooklyn and Queens in a Quiet Day of Prayer. 

I hope you will join us for as many of these activities as your own schedule will allow.  God bless you with a Holy Lent this year!  - Father Powers, Rector 

Wednesday, February 6	Ash Wednesday	Services at Noon and 7 PM Youth Sponsored Soup Supper 7:30 PM
Wednesday, February 13	Deanery Program	Deirdre Good, Professor of New Testament General Theological Seminary, discusses how we read Scripture.
Friday, February 15	Lenten Program I	Stations of the Cross, Dinner, Discussion: Introduction to the MDGs
Wednesday, February 20	Deanery Program	Fr. Rob Picken Liturgy
Friday, February 22	Lenten Program II	Stations of the Cross, Dinner, Discussion: Goal 3: Promote gender equality and empower women Sponsored by ECW
Wednesday, February 27	Deanery Program	The Rt. Rev. Christopher Epting, Ecumenical Officer - The Episcopal Church and The Anglican Communion
Friday, February 29	Lenten Program III	Stations of the Cross, Dinner, Discussion: Goal 1: Eradicate extreme poverty and hunger and Goal 8: Develop a Global Partnership for Development Sponsored by the Book Club
Wednesday, March 5	Deanery Program	Mother Sonia Waters “What it means to be people of Christian mission”
Friday, March 7	Lenten Program IV	Stations of the Cross, Dinner, Discussion: Goal 7: Ensure environmental sustainability
Saturday, March 8	ECW Quiet Day	St. David's Church  in Cambria Heights, Queens
Wednesday, March 12	Deanery Program	The Rev. Canon J. Robert Wright, D.Phil, Professor of Church History at General Theological Seminary, Anglican History and Tradition
Friday, March 14	Lenten Program V	Stations of the Cross, Dinner, Discussion: Goal 6: Combat HIV/AIDS, malaria and other diseases and Goal 4: Reduce child mortality
Thursday, March 20	Maundy Thursday	Mass with Washing of Feet, Procession to Altar of Repose, at 7 pm
Friday, March 21	Good Friday	Traditional Three Hour Service from Noon – 3 pm
Saturday, March 22	Holy Saturday	The Great Vigil of Easter at 8 pm