I have never knowingly quoted the eighth century king of Spain, Rahman III, (nothing to do with noodles) but today is the day I change that. The long-lived, greatly-accomplished, much-luxuried monarch reached the grand heights of his imperious career and said this: "I have now reigned about fifty years in victory or peace; beloved by my subjects, dreaded by my enemies, and respected by my allies. Riches and honors, power and pleasure, have waited on my call. In this situation, I have diligently numbered the days of pure and genuine happiness which have fallen to my lot - they amount to fourteen."

Dude! Really? Two weeks out of fifty years?

You’ve heard me talk before about the many and various agonies that stem from being British. It’s not just that 100 British people can cram inside a train carriage and maintain dead silence because they haven’t been introduced to each other. Neither is it only that the national pastime is queueing (waiting in line), which the British have perfected, and includes tuts and sighs and passive aggressive murmurings if anyone tries to jump the queue. And nor is it just the infuriating British attitude towards winning. But that is the one that’s on my mind this morning.

Our attitude to winning is actually in our DNA, passed from one generation to the next – and it is
the belief that taking part is more important than coming first.

Club 56 (5th-6th graders) and EYC (teens) met Sunday evening for a "Haunted Spaces" tour of St. John's. They participated in a spooky night tour of historical and hidden spaces of our church, and they ended the evening with a candlelight Compline service in the Sanctuary. EYC meets each Sunday evening from 5:30-7:30 pm. Reach out to JR Marshall for more information 334-262-1937.

This week's Coffice meetup will be held at Hero at 350 North Perry Street in Montgomery.

Wednesdays at 6 p.m. | Beginning Oct. 1 | Parish Hall Join us Wednesday nights in October as we examine what effects Artificial Intelligence has on our faith and daily lives. St. John’s welcomes Dr. Jim Locke, Executive Director of AI Research and Education at Troy University Montgomery. Dinner at 6, teaching & discussion at 6:30.

Join us for Trunk or Treat & Movie Night at St. John’s on Sunday, October 26. Trunk or Treat begins at 5:30 p.m. in the parking lot—kids can collect candy, show off costumes, and snap photos. Volunteers are needed to set up trunks. At 6 p.m., settle in for favorites on the big screen: Toy Story of Terror, It’s the Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown, and The Adventures of Ichabod and Mr. Toad. Bring chairs or blankets, invite friends and neighbors, and enjoy a festive evening of fall fun, treats, and community. All ages are welcome—no cost, just come and celebrate.

A service of prayer for our city. All are welcome.

St. John's is honored to host Happening November 7-9, 2025!

We need help hosting participants at parishioners' homes Saturday and Sunday mornings as well as feeding the group throughout the weekend. Thanks to all those who have already signed up to help! Please email JR at jr@stjohnsmontgomery.org if you are able to volunteer in any way for the Happening Weekend. Learn more: https://www.happeningnational.org/about-happening

St. John's is continuing its tradition of Remembrance Sunday where hundreds of ceramic poppies from the Alabama Poppy Project will be installed in the Labyrinth Garden for a healing and remembrance event immediately before the 10:30 a.m. service on Sunday, November 9,  2025. Attendees of the event are encouraged to wear an emblem of their military service or to bring a picture of family members who served. 

Organ Concert November 16 at 4 p.m. by Dr. Joshua Coble of Christ Church Episcopal Cathedral, Mobile with a reception to follow. Works by Bach, Widor, George Shearing and Alain. Free to the public, all are welcome.

Bishop Glenda Curry will host a program at St. John’s Episcopal Church in Montgomery on Sunday, November 30, 2025, at 5 pm to celebrate Rosa Parks’ Weekend, and to honor the Episcopal Church of the Good Shepherd. The program will feature Dr. Alcee Chriss III as organist performing music by black composers. Everyone is welcome.

Worship with St. John's, wherever you are.

Each Sunday morning at 9 a.m., an email with a copy of the Sunday bulletin and link to the livestream service will be sent to everyone on the St. John's mailing list. Now you can easily worship online and follow along in the bulletin if you are not able to be here in person. If you do not receive the email, please call and let us know.

St. John's is honored to be represented in "Alabama Hope," a new book from Birmingham photographer David Graves! The books are now available in the St. John's Bookstore.

Your prayers are requested for the following parishioners:
Youth Happening event in November, Rick Durden, Dave Funk, Emily Crump Johannes, josie Lee, Ann Longshore, Bill Marks, Carma Marks, Richard McCrory, Pat McDonald, Eddie McDowell, Martha Collier Mosely, Cameron Napier, Bud Nason, Elizabeth Potter, Shirley Price, Hawthorne Ramsey, Cindy Seibels, Caroline Serrato, Debbie Steindorff, Barbara Wallace

Prayers are also requested for these friends: 
Emma Allshouse, Gail Alsobrook, Mac Burton, Willie "Bill" Carden, John Ferguson, Bob Geddie, Stephanie Holmes, Charles Lewis, Leslie Little, Margaret Moore, Karen Pacheco, Ron Skoneki, Madera Spenser, Chandler Taylor, Connie Thomas, Katherine Weidner, Frank Winkler, Sharon Carney Wright

Lector: Kathie Mangum
Usher/Greeter: Jon Dailey
Altar Guild: Karen Funk

10:30 a.m.
Acolytes: Will Evans Clark, Robert Marshall, Margie Anne Prescott, Harlan White
Altar Guild: James Rinehart
Lector and Intercessor: Scott Mitchell, Natalie Snyder
Eucharistic Ministers: Bill Harlow, JR Marshall
Ushers/Greeters: Keith Miller, Melissa Carter, Bill Johnson, Karen Westhauser 
Flower Guild: Camille Cumuze, Debbie Steindorff
Flower Delivery Team: Jeanne Drummond, Debbie & George Wakefield
Videographer: Ken Kline