Welcome to our Festival of Faith worship service this weekend at 10:00 AM at the Bloomington Center for the Performing Arts. I always look forward to this wonderful opportunity to gather together as a total "faith community" at St. John's and worship in the spirit of partnership and unity that is ours through Jesus Christ. During these times of potential division and separation, our Festival of Faith remains a model of how Christians can gather together as "one body in Christ" and share the gifts of Word and Sacrament, which are the essence of our faith. The focus of the worship service is "Our Faith Alive." At the Festival of Faith, we will actually begin the first segment of our fall sermon series based on the inspirational book by John Ortberg, The Life You've Always Wanted: Spiritual Disciplines for Ordinary People. If you have not joined a small group for this fall, there will be an opportunity to sign up following the worship service.

Doors open at the Bloomington Center for the Performing Arts at 9:00 AM. The musical prelude actually begins at 9:40 AM with a wonderful variety of inspirational music from both the organ and our Community of Joy Band. During the worship service itself, we will also have our Festival Choir, St. John's Handbell Choir, the L.I.G.H.T. Band, and our Saturday Evening Band. With the variety of musicians at St. John's sharing their musical talents, the Festival of Faith will truly be a celebration of worship. The service itself is very "children-friendly" and designed for families to come and worship together, so make sure to bring the kids! There will be children-focused activities and games, including face-painting, following worship. You will also find displays featuring our fall small group study series, as well as updates on our A Church Alive! building project. Immediately following the worship service, there will be a brief congregational meeting for the election of Congregation Council members (ballots will be handed out in your worship bulletins). The celebration will conclude with a delicious complimentary lunch served by Rosetti's in the lower level (Ballroom) of the Bloomington Center for the Performing Arts. Ample parking is available around the B.C.P.A. (A map is included on page 2 of the August Eagle which is available on the church website or by clicking the link below:) 

http://www.stjohnsbloomington.org/pdf/EAGLE/Eagle200908.pdf