Newsletter for 1/3/2021

St. Aidan's Weekly Newsletter

The Epiphany 1/3/21

The mission of St. Aidan's is to make disciples by proclaiming Christ as Lord and making a difference in our community.

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St. Aidan's Sunday Services will be on Facebook Live until Epiphany, January 6, 2021. Resuming in-house services will be decided by the Bishop. Check UNISON, FACEBOOK, and our Website for Schedule Updates. YOU DO NOT HAVE TO HAVE A FACEBOOK ACCOUNT TO ACCESS THE LIVE BROADCAST.

January 3, 2021 Sunday Worship Service

Holy Eucharist RITE II, 10:00 am - Rev. Tom Baker "God's GPS"

If you are watching our online worship service, please use the attached Worship Booklet below. It includes our Lectionary Readings and Hymns.  Click Here for the Worship Booklet

ROTA for Sunday, January 3, 2021 Lectionary Reader for January 3 is Barb Belt or Fr. Tom Baker If you are unable to serve on your scheduled Sunday, please find your replacement.. Sharon Seidel Note: I have January, 2021 On-line Worship "Readers Only" ROTA listed below. When we resume In-House Worship Services, I will post a complete ROTA. Click Here For "Readers Only" January, 2021 ROTA

Fr. Tom's Talk ... I know I’m old because when I asked one of our grandchildren what their resolution was they said, “Pops! If you want to play video games it has to be at least 1080p! Which is the standard screen resolution for modern computing - I had to look up what they meant, only proving I’m old. When I think of New Year’s resolutions I think of: “Noun, the firm decision to do or not to do something, the act of determining,” Merriam and Webster. The first listed definition, however, is, in fact, “The act of analyzing a complex notion into simpler ones.” That definition rings true doesn’t it? Many of us try to take something as complex and mysterious as life and try to boil it down to doing or not doing something in the New Year. Which may be why no one is surprised when studies show the majority of us have forgotten or given up on our resolutions by January 17. As we move into 2021 and out of a year that’s been called everything but good there is a temptation to buy into the illusion that if we can just get to January first, 2021 everything is going to be fixed. That’s what we do with resolutions; too often they are an illusion to eliminate something that is wrong with us. Personally, I have learned to approach January first by finding something good rather than eliminating something bad in the upcoming year. It’s more productive to reach for the good rather than fend off the bad. For example, if I want my attitude toward life to improve I might want to find at least one thing to be grateful for each day. Or if I’m tired of being stuck in the house I may want to be thankful for having shelter or the ability to enjoy the outdoors. So if you had as bad luck with resolutions as I have maybe we can together reach for the good everyday. By the way, by writing this I fulfilled my one and only 2021 resolution :) Please let me know if you’d like to sit down and talk or enjoy a coffee, at a social distance of course, or feel free to call me at 785-670-0158, or email me at tbaker1102@yahoo.com. My office hours are Monday - Thursday 10 am - 3 pm. … Fr. Tom

"He was in the world, and the world came into being through him; yet the world did not know him." John 10:10

As we prepare to live out this new year, we look at the ways in which we still need to learn about who God is. The one who came in humility and poverty to be rejected by the world. We resolve to come to iknow Jesus more fully this

Sunday,Jan. 3 - The Epiphany No Adult Forum on Jan. 3. 10:00 am: Spiritual Communion Service, on Facebook LIVE Wednesday, Jan. 6 12:00 pm: Noon Day Prayer - on Facebook LIVE Thursday, Jan. 7 BackSnack Delivery Resumes 6 pm: Cup of Cocoa - join us via ZOOM Sunday, Jan. 10, 2021 - The Baptism of the Lord 10:00 am: Spiritual Communion Service, on Facebook Live

Click here to see January Birthdays and Anniversaries

Pledges and Offerings Until St. Aidan's Reopens Send your pledges and offerings to the church office. You may also donate online. MAKE SURE YOU DESIGNATE ST. AIDAN'S IN THE DROP DOWN BOX. Click here for Donation form.

Vestry News

Please consider serving on the St. Aidan's Vestry for 2021.  If you are interested, please contact Julie Wojtas, 630-865-3931.

Christmas Poinsettias Memorial Donations Thank you for all your Memorial Donations.The List of Memorials was included in the Christmas Eve Online Worship Book.

Links for the ZOOM events are also available on the website, under EVENTS.

Adult Forum Stay Tuned for Adult Forum information and updates on Unison.

"Cup of Cocoa" with Fr. Tom - ZOOM Due to popular demand Cup of Cocoa will Resume on Thursday, January 7, 2021 at 6 pm. Join us via ZOOM. ... Look for updated information on Unison.

BackSnack Program St. Aidan’s is in our second decade of working with five Olathe Elementary Schools in this important ministry. ... Next BackSnack Delivery is January 7, 2021 ... See St. Aidan's Facebook and Web page for more information about BackSnacks. Click here to see the BackSnack Packing and Delivery Schedule for 2020-2021

Johnson County Food Ministry at Center of Grace ...Next Ministry at Center of Grace is January 24, 2021.  ... See St. Aidan's Facebook and Web page for more information regarding this ongoing ministry. St. Aidan's serves the fourth Thursday of the month.

Pastoral Concerns and Prayer Requests

Pastoral Concerns: In case of pastoral emergencies, please contact Fr. Tom Baker at 785-670-0158 (call or text) or email him at tbaker1102@yahoo.com. Prayer Requests: Please email any prayer requests to Karon Wintrode, and she will post them on Unison.  kwintrode22@comcast.net.

The parish email system is accessible through our website – www.staidansolathe.org See Julie Wojtas (630 865-3931) for information or any questions. Be sure to check Unison for all updated information regarding St. Aidan's.

Thanksgivings and Prayers  Thanksgivings – We give thanks for the birthdays of Thomas Wojtas and Don Hutchinson. We give thanks for the people of St. Aidan’s and the privilege of serving each other, our church and our community throughout the year. We give thanks for the faithfulness and resilience of St. Aidan's parish as we all work together during this difficult time, finding new ways to stay connected in spite of the challenges. Cycle of Prayer – In the Anglican Cycle of Prayer, we pray for the Anglican Church in Aotearoa, New Zealand and Polynesia. In the World Council of Churches Cycle of Prayer we pray for the people of Egypt, Syria, Lebanon, Jordan, Israel, and the West Bank and Gaza. In the Kansas Cycle of Prayer, we pray for St. John's, Abilene. For Our Parish Leadership – We pray for our rector, Rev. Tom Baker and his wife, Cherie. We pray for the members of the Vestry: Senior Warden Julie Wojtas, Jane Bush, Mark Sappenfield, Sarah Smith and Kathy Mencer; for the Vestry Clerk, Carolyn Sturgeon; for our Treasurer, Tim Tatlock; and for our delegates, Carolyn Sturgeon, and Sarah Smith.   For Our Troops, Veterans, and Law Enforcement – Almighty God, we commend to your gracious care and keeping all the men and women in the service and law enforcement at home and broad. Defend them with your grace; give them courage; and grant them a sense of your abiding presence; through Jesus Christ. Amen.   For the Departed – Eternal Lord God, you hold all souls in life: Give to your whole Church in paradise and on earth your light and your peace; and grant that all your faithful people may at the last enter into your unending joy; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.   For Guidance and Grace Heavenly Father, in you we live and move and have our being: We humbly pray you so to guide and govern us by your Holy Spirit, that in all the cares and occupations of our life we may not forget you, but may remember that we are ever walking in your sight; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.    For Healing – Heavenly Father, giver of life and health: Comfort and relieve your sick servants, and give your power of healing to those who minister to their needs, that those for whom our prayers are offered may be strengthened in their weakness and have confidence in your loving care; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever.

Episcopal Youth Ministries

Kansas Youth News

STAY CONNECTED St. Aidan's Episcopal Church 14301 South Black Bob Rd, Olathe, KS 66062 913-764-3050 Email: staidansolathe@sbcglobal.net Website: www.staidansolathe.org Facebook Page: St. Aidan’s Episcopal Church, Olathe, KS Twitter: @staidansolathe  ‌ ‌

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