Refugee Donation Drive

Through the Episcopal Migration Ministries 50 new refugees will be calling Austin home in the next few weeks. Most of our new neighbors will be under the age of 18, which is why we’re focusing our donation drive on items for kids, ages 3 months to 18 years.

When? Now through June 15th
Bring items to church to give to youth members.

Have questions?
Email Megan at
StJohnsEYC@gmail.com


"I was hungry and you gave me food, I was thirsty and you gave me drink, I was a stranger and you welcomed me."
-Matthew 25: 31-46


Items for Donation
· Picture books
· Coloring books
· Diapers
· Board games
· School supplies
· Art supplies
· Toys
· Sport equipment (soccer ball, basketball, jump rope, etc)
· Toiletries (bubble bath, hair brush, baby shampoo, etc)
· Young Adult novels
· Gift cards to Old Navy, Target, Wal-mart, etc.

Want to learn more about our new neighbors? Many are Karen from Burma. Check out this article to learn more: http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/asia-pacific/5301736.stm and http://www.tbbc.org/.

Holocaust Remembrance Day

Here's an article for you 8th graders and up (who should have studied the Holocaust by now): From Auschwitz, a Torah as Strong as Its Spirit: http://www.nytimes.com/2008/04/30/nyregion/30torah.html?pagewanted=1&ei=5087&em&en=563347743858e1ff&ex=1209700800
It's about a Torah that survived Auschwitz during a time that the Nazis (helped by the Church's silence) tried to destroy not only the Jewish people, but the Jewish faith too.
This Friday is Yom HaShoah, or Holocaust Rememberance Day.

Take a moment on Friday to consider how individual Christians had to make the choice to either stand up and help others or remain silent and do nothing. Six million Jewish people and over six million others were killed because of who they were. Consider what choices you make if you decide to stand up for others in your daily life. Not all choices to stand up are huge, grandiose moments either. But they add up.
Want more info?
Houston has a great museum and resources: www.hmh.org.
PBS explores America's involvement with the Holocaust: http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/amex/holocaust/
Want to know about current day genocide, check out: http://www.ushmm.org/conscience/
Perhaps you've heard about the Olympic protests that have happened this year because of human rights issues in China. Did you know that Hitler hosted the Olympics? Check this out: http://www.ushmm.org/museum/exhibit/online/olympics/
An article from the Episcopal News Online: http://www.episcopalchurch.org/81808_82318_ENG_HTM.htm

For the adults seeking more knowledge on the Anglican church and the Holocaust: https://www.h-net.org/reviews/showrev.cgi?path=223551195851387

Holy Week around the World

Presiding Bishop: "Stir things up, for this world certainly hasn’t yet reached that divine dream of shalom."

Marking the annual Palm Sunday celebrations and the start of a week-long visit to the Holy Land, Presiding Bishop Katharine Jefferts Schori made Anglican history on March 16 becoming the first woman ever to preach at St. George's Cathedral in Jerusalem.

Read more here: http://www.episcopalchurch.org/79901_95739_ENG_HTM.htm

Crop Walk

I'm so proud of our youth group. With a goal of raising $500 put before them, the St John's youth raised $797!! A big thanks goes out to all the kids and members of the church who helped make that happen!! It was a windy, windy day, but we had a great Crop Walk! There were stations along the route where we learned about the countries we're helping. Kids who raised $100 or more also received flags of the various countries receiving aid along with a description about the country. For more information check out: http://www.churchworldservice.org/CROP/

Thanks to all those kids who walked!!

Lock-In Video

I asked both the guys and girls to figure out a short video for the lock-in. The girls came up with a feat of strength and teamwork - the guys came up with a reenactment of Guitar Hero. And while I still have Barracuda and Slow Ride stuck in my head, there's strangely very little sound in either clip.

Lock-In Pictures!

First Event for 2008

The Lock-in is back!! This Friday the 18th we'll be kicking the year off with the ever popular Lock-in. We'll talk a little bit of business (we do have the Crop Walk coming up!), but mainly we'll be hanging out, watching movies, playing Capture the Beanbag and so much more. We hope you can make it! Be sure to let Megan know if you're coming!