What conversion of mind, heart, and life is the Lord asking of me?
You are the Christ, the Son of the living God.
How do I encounter the living God in my daily life? How can I live so as to share eternal life in heaven?
The gates of the netherworld shall not prevail against it.
Where do I see evil present in the world? How can I resist the lure of evil?
Whatever you bind on earth shall be bound in heaven; and whatever you loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven.
What sinful behaviors should I work to avoid? What virtues should I seek to foster?
What's New at SJE?
Find Out in the Weekly Bulletin and Our Website!
There's a lot more news than what's highlighted in the weekly Flocknote! Be sure to check out the full Sunday bulletin to stay in the loop. Our website, www.sjehydes.org, is another great resource to stay connected.
Click here for the bulletin, where you'll find all the latest news and information, including information about:
Fr. Pete's Weekly Pastor's Notes
Religious Education Faith Formation News
Youth Ministry News
School News
Mass Intentions
Prayers for the Sick/Deceased
and MORE!
When you click here for the bulletin, you'll be able to "View Current Bulletin" as well as previous editions. If you submit your email address in the box under "Enter Email to Receive Current Bulletin," you'll receive an email each week with the bulletin link.
Mums The Word!
Help support St. John’s Youth and Young Adult Ministries
by pre-ordering your mums!
Mums are approximately 2 feet in both diameter and height
and come in an 8 inch pot.
Online orders will have a $0.45 price difference from paper orders due to processing fees. If you'd like a paper form, please see our bulletin or download and print the form attached below and return it to the parish office with your cash or check payment. Checks should be payable to St. John Church with "Mums" in the memo.
Mums order form 2023
Eucharist: Sacrament of Our Transfiguration
By Dr. Jem Sullivan, Ph.D.
“The Transfiguration ‘is the sacrament of the second regeneration’; our own Resurrection,” notes the Catechism of the Catholic Church (no. 556). Our regeneration in the radiant mystery of Jesus’ Transfiguration continues in the here and now when we participate in the Eucharist. An ancient miniature illuminated page from a Byzantine Gospel book offers a visual guide to our contemplation of the sublime feast of the Lord’s Transfiguration (celebrated on August 6th each year). It is also a visual reminder of our Eucharistic sharing in the Lord’s transfigured glory.
Christian discipleship invites an act of faith in Jesus as the Son of God. Yet this profession of faith is one step in a lifelong spiritual journey. At the Transfiguration, the disciples were challenged to a deeper understanding of the faith they professed with their lips. This path of ongoing daily conversion marks the life of every Christian.
As Saint Matthew recounts, Jesus took Peter, James, and John up a mountain, where he was transfigured before their astonished eyes. Jesus is bathed in brilliant heavenly light while two Old Testament figures, Moses and the prophet Elijah, appear on either side of his radiant form. A heavenly voice from the clouds declares Jesus to be the Son of God.
The anonymous artist clothes Jesus, the prophets, and the disciples in rich robes of contrasting shades of red and blue. The biblical figures are set in a landscape of muted colors that suggest an otherworldly space. The delicate gold leaf background, characteristic of Eastern iconography, evokes the heavenly realm. Jesus’ feet hover slightly above ground as he stands in a mandorla, or almond-shaped frame, with rays of divine light radiating from his transfigured body.
Moses and Elijah, with feet firmly planted on mountain peaks on either side of Jesus, direct the apostles and our gaze to the Lord. They guide our contemplation of Jesus’ serene, transfigured face. Below, the three disciples respond in awe and wonder. Their viewpoint invites us to share in their space as they marvel at Jesus’ transfigured body.
To see Jesus in a personal encounter of faith is life-transforming. And just as Jesus’ Transfiguration changed his disciples, this Gospel event is meant to transform our lives as well. In the Eucharist, we are privileged to share in God’s love that raises us up to nothing less than a new, transfigured life in Jesus Christ.
Confirmation 2023
After missing you all summer, we are so excited to see you again and hear all about what you’ve been up to! Our next Confirmation session will be on Tuesday, September 5, 2023. See you soon!
Help Sell Mums
We could use your help selling mums after Masses the weekend of September 9/10. In addition to pre-order pick ups, we will need people to sell cash & carry mums. Please contact Colleen Sisolak if you are interested and available! This can also count for service hours!
Presence: Young Adult Small Group
Our Young Adult Small Group has started their summer series on Presence. They are connecting with and learning about the Eucharist as we continue, nationally, the Eucharistic Revival. If you are between the ages of 18 and 30 and are interested in joining a small group, please contact Colleen Sisolak. Our current small group meets at 1:00 PM on Sundays in the Koontz House.
Back to School
Please keep in your prayers all students who are returning to school in the next few weeks.
Heavenly Father, help these college students to walk in the ways that align with your word.
Lord, as they juggle different things at school, remind them that they can do all things through Christ who strengthens them.
May they take delight in you and commit everything they do to you that you may grant them the desires of their hearts.
In Jesus’ name, I believe and pray, Amen.
Registration for 2023-2024
Slowly, we are beginning to see our summer respite fading away. As we flip the page to August, we begin to gear up making sure that we have all the catechists and supplies for the students for the start of the New Faith Formation Year. This year is no different. We are currently waiting for the new Pflaum Weekly Gospel reading to arrive, which should be any day now. The new texts for the Family Life Program arrived last week.
If you have not already done so, please complete the Registration Form and remember to complete the Permission and Waiver form (one for each child) and return it to the Faith Formation Office at konitzermt@sjehydes.org. The Registration and Permission Waiver forms can be found on the parish website under Sacraments/Learning.
If you have any questions, please contact Theresa Konitzer.
Catechists and Assistants
To begin the new Faith Formation year, we are looking for people who love their faith and sharing their faith experiences with youth. We are very excited about this year’s new program, which is based on the weekly gospel readings. If you are interested in helping children develop a personal relationship with Jesus. please contact Theresa Konitzer at konitzermt@sjehydes.org or call 410-592-6206, Ext. 107.
CLOW Help Needed
Love teaching? Love kids? Come join our fun ministry, Children’s Liturgy of the Word (CLOW), where you can share your love of God with the children of our parish. All the lesson plans and materials are provided for you. It takes place on Sunday mornings at the 9:00 AM Mass during the readings and homily. Volunteer as often as you would like (once a month is perfect, but we will work with your schedule). There are two positions: Lead Teacher and Assistant. The Lead Teacher will implement the lesson plan while the Assistant helps the teacher. The Assistant position is great for teens! Interested? Questions? Contact Melanie at mlhecht927@protonmail.com
Walking With Purpose
Walking with Purpose, a dynamic WOMEN’S BIBLE STUDY will begin a new season on September 10, 2023. If you are interested in experiencing a closer walk with Jesus and meeting a caring group of women to share your journey with, you won’t want to miss this life-giving, life-changing small group experience for women! The title of the study will be “Touching the Divine” and focuses on the Gospel of John. This will coincide uniquely with the National Eucharistic Revival. It is a 22-week study and will run through March 17 with breaks for Thanksgiving (1 week) and Christmas (5 weeks). Registration is available now online using this link: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLScjVeC83N1SfDo17uT7c8RUFZtPmipH79WuyPg4UNihLJ1SDg/viewform. In-person registration will take place on the weekends of August 19/20, 26/27, and September 2/3 after all Masses. Even if you have participated in the past, please register for this season so we can keep track of who will be participating. The book costs $40 and is available in the narthex on registration weekends, in the parish office, from the WWP website, and from Amazon. For more information, contact Barbara Anderson at andersonbh@sjehydes.org or 410-592-6206 x106.
Help Needed!
Do you have a truck? Would you be willing to help us transport the Mums from a farm in PA to SJE? We are hoping to get 150 Mums and want to make sure they arrive as beautiful as when we pick them up. If you are available on Friday, September 8th to meet us at the farm around 4pm we would be very thankful. We also would like to share our gratitude by giving you 2 potted mums, color of your choice! Please contact Colleen if you can help.
Sunday Perks Needs You!
If you can make a commitment to helping us serve coffee and donuts one Sunday a month please contact Colleen Lyons at colleenlyons51@gmail.com 410-746-0978
Sundays after 9:00 AM Mass will be a little SWEETER beginning September 17, 2023!
School Supplies Collection
We will be collecting school supplies to be donated to children in need as the school year begins. Please bring donations to the Narthex on August 26/27 and September 2/3.
That Man is You is an interactive men’s program focused on the development of male leadership in the modern world. It combines the best research from science with the teachings of the Catholic faith and the wisdom of the saints to develop the vision of authentic men capable of transforming themselves, their families, and greater society.
The Fight of Faith equips and enables men to engage in the cosmic, spiritual battle raging in our day. Authentic masculine identities will emerge to inspire heroic lives of service to a calling greater than ourselves. The Fight of Faith is uniquely both contemplative and practical.
That Man Is You will be meeting in the Church Hall at 6:00 AM every other Sunday beginning on September 10, 2023.
Sunday 9 AM Live-stream on YouTube for the Sick/Homebound
The live-streamed 9 AM Mass continues as a ministry for the sick and homebound.