The Interchange
The Interchange features articles of interest submitted by parishioners along with messages from the priest and senior warden. It also includes critical information about what is happening in the parish, diocese and The Episcopal Church (TEC) generally. To submit content to be featured in The Interchange visit the Parish Communications page.
Three Determined and Persistent Ladies of St. John’s
St. John’s Archivist Travis Baldwin shares a bit about “Three Determined and Persistent Ladies of St. John’s” in this month’s Archives column.
Peterkin Updates - Womens Retreat & Summer Camp
Information on the upcoming May Women’s Retreat and 2025 Summer Camp at Peterkin!
St. John’s Memories: Vestry elite and Frances Hunter
Bob Rosier shares his monthly St. John’s memories.
February Acknowledgements
At Worship ministry team and Vestry meetings we take a few minutes to think about and acknowledge people and things we’ve noticed and wish to commend. Here’s this month’s!
Outreach Update - March 2025
St. John’s Episcopal Church is committed to serving the community in a variety of ways through our Outreach Ministry.
Formation: Small Group Ministry aka Covenant Groups
Small Group Ministry, also known as Covenant Groups, Chalice Circles and other names, offer a place for members to experience mutual growth in Christ through conversation, connection, belonging and working and learning together in intentional ways. Made up of 6-12 people, groups meet at least monthly over dinner or coffee, in homes, at church or in public places. Some groups would meet during the day, others on the weekend or in the evening, as the group chooses.
Preparing for Reading Camp 2025
We are excited to announce the dates for Reading Camp 2025 – the week of July 28 to August 1. We are already hard at work getting ready for camp, which includes lining up activities and field trips, and recruiting leaders, counselors and volunteers. This exciting camp assists local students in 2nd through 4th grades who are identified by their teachers as having difficulties reading.
Adult Formation During Lent
During Lent we’ll be reading and discussing Bp. Budde’s How We Learn to be Brave. We’re prepared to offer this in two different settings. First, in person as the Connected Communities offering on Sundays March 9 – April 13. The second, via Zoom, on Monday evenings from 6:30-7:30pm, Mondays, March 10-April 14. If you’re interested in being part of the Zoom group, please let Beth Marquart know; we’ll need a commitment from a minimum of 6 people to go ahead with this option.
Padre's Ponderings - March 2025
Saturday, February 22, was a chilly morning outside, but St. John’s Vestry was warm inside Mathes Hall at St. Matthew’s for our Vestry Retreat. Your Vestry gathered Friday night at Dave DeBolt’s home for food and fellowship to connect, form bonds of affection, and build trust as a leadership team. St. John’s, we have an extraordinary 2025 Vestry, members of which are listed on the back page of the Interchange.
Flood Recovery
Over the weekend, many communities in southern West Virginia and surrounding areas were devastated by floods.
SAGA @ St. John’s Lenten Learning & Discussion Series - Submitted by Rev. Eric Miller
SAGA @ St. John’s invites families, allies, and community members to a special three-part learning and discussion series designed to equip participants with the skills to better understand and support LGBTQ youth. This welcoming and interactive series is open to all ages, including youth and their support networks.
Updates from The Wardens - Feb 2025
Updates from Diane Hendricks and Brian Hamra for February 2025
Love The Neighbors
“Love is the only force capable of transforming an enemy into a friend.” Martin Luther King, Jr.
Padres Ponderings Feb 2025
Sunday, January 26, we had over 70 parishioners eager to hold space for conversation about St. John’s ministries! That is quite incredible if I do say so myself. Brian Hamra and Maggie McCabe provided us with pizza for our appetites, and Vestry made themselves present at each table to listen and take notes during our table conversations. I have sat through and presided at many an annual meeting, and I was ecstatic with the level of engagement I witnessed in Hunter Hall.
Social Justice at St. John’s
St. John’s is excited to announce a new ministry, SJ@SJ, Social Justice at St. John’s.
Outreach Update - Kroger Card
Do you shop at Kroger? Did you know that Kroger has a rewards program that will donate money to St. John’s Outreach?
Shrove Tuesday 2025
For Shrove Tuesday March 4, we are continuing our tradition or pasta delights and sinful desserts as a congregation-wide pot luck dinner.
Episcopal Church joins religious freedom lawsuit challenging ICE enforcement actions in churches
The Episcopal Church is among dozens of multifaith plaintiffs in a lawsuit challenging the U.S. government’s recent rescission of guidelines that limited immigration enforcement in sensitive areas such as churches, schools, and hospitals. The suit was filed this morning in the United States District Court for the District of Columbia by Georgetown Law’s Institute for Constitutional Advocacy and Protection.
A Week as a Seminarian
As I write, I’m wrapping up my week as a seminarian at Virginia Theological Seminary (VTS) in Alexandria, VA. I’ve had the good fortune to experience seminary life; staying in a dorm room (with a surprisingly comfortable bed), sharing meals with classmates in the refectory, walking across campus to Addison where class was led by Dr. Lisa Kimball and experiencing the Daily Office and Holy Eucharist in the chapel.