The Good News of St. John’s

In the coming weeks, look for a new bulletin board in the Parish Hall titled Becoming Beloved Community. This bulletin board, along with the Good News from St. John’s, will be our central gathering point as we focus on ongoing Christian formation work on this work. There you will find resources, messages, images, scripture and more.

More specifically, the vision of Beloved Community rises from a commitment to following the Bible’s most important commandments: to Love God and love our neighbors, in whom we see the face of God. Beloved Community is the community that loves and God intends: where truth is told and hierarchies of human value are dismantled, where each person and culture is protected and honored as an equally beloved part of the human family of God, and where we counter human selfishness – the true root of sin and racism – with the selfless love of Jesus.

We will share stories, look at scripture, unpack “isms,” and learn more about the history of St. John’s. And, in this process, we will use materials and resources developed by the Episcopal Church in recent years. Those who developed these programs recognized that every human being has a different journey with systemic racism and that each local church community will have specific community context and membership make-up. So our ways through this work are varied even as they all occur along a common path with the same goal.

In using the metaphor of the labyrinth, we can organize our learning around the four quadrants. Each quadrant represents a commitment that is vital to lasting change within us, our churches, our communities and society at large.

• Truth-telling: Telling the Truth about Our Churches and Race
• Proclamation: Proclaiming the Dream of Beloved Community
• Formation: Practicing Jesus’ Way of Healing Love
• Justice: Repairing the Breach in Society and Institutions

Please make it a point to join the larger community of St. John’s as we gather for this work together.

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Care Taking and Taking Care

The month of July went by in a blur for me. Just as I was settling into a 3-day silent retreat at Holy Cross Monastery on July 5, I received a late-night phone call from my mom’s friend who told me that she was in the hospital. So, I packed everything back into my car, came home, and drove to Western PA the next morning. I won’t go into all the details of my mom’s illness, but physically, she is much, much better. Unfortunately, the issue was largely caused by her declining cognitive state, which her doctor and I have been monitoring for a couple of years. It’s clear from this that the time has come for a change in how my mom lives her life.

Before I go further, I want to thank you all for your prayers and kind notes. I’m sorry if I wasn’t able to respond to you but I am very grateful and felt upheld in prayer.

As you know, different people have different approaches to significant change. Some people are “let’s just rip off the band-aid” kind of people and like to jump into change. And on the other end of the spectrum are those who refuse to change at all. My mom is somewhere towards the latter, in that change is quite hard for her. She has always had her way of doing things and she’s always been incredibly independent. As her only surviving child, I’ll be the one helping her (with Ana’s help of course). And as we move through this change, I know it will be a step-by-step transition.

In the meantime, I’m aware that I am way overdue for a break myself and in need of self-care. And the only way we can truly be there for others is to learn how to be there for ourselves first. There is a theological reason for this.

If we do not feel cared for, we can begin to block experiences of gratitude, awe, and mercy. We stop seeing the beauty of the world as it is, and we start to see the people in our world as objects. We become critical and envious, always trying to find the person that will give me what I need. Addictions can arise and we focus on petty things. And it’s impossible to offer true hospitality when we are in that state because we have stopped believing we are a repository for God’s Love. We have stopped believing we have Love to offer and our own problems start to seem overwhelming.

But when we do learn to care for ourselves, to love ourselves, and to be compassionate with ourselves, we create a situation in which we are actively nurturing the experience of God’s Love in our lives. Prayer, gratitude journals, eating healthy foods, connecting with others, moving our bodies any way we can to produce helpful hormones in our system… these are things that support and nourish us. Taking care, then, is just as important as care taking. I struggle with this balance, as many people do.

So, Ana and I will be going on vacation starting Tuesday, August 2. I will return to work on Tuesday, August 16. The Rev. Janet Vincent will be with you on Sundays and she will be available for pastoral emergencies that arise while I’m gone. I know you’re in good hands.

And over these two weeks, consider the balance of care taking and taking care. Perhaps helping another person is exactly what you need to do. Or it could be that nourishing yourself is what you need to do. I suspect it’s both.

In God’s love and mine,
Rev. Michelle

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Announcements for the Fifth Sunday of Pentecost
July 30, 2022

Have an announcement for the bulletin?
Please send by Wednesday at noon to stjohnskingston@aol.com

Do you know of a caterer? A baker? Someone who sells goodies at a Farmer’s Market?

The Kitchen at St. John’s is available for rental for those who need a commissary kitchen for food prep. Right now, we are renting to occasional clients, but we would love to invite long-term clients to become a part of the larger St. John’s Community.

We need your help to attract these clients so please let folks know about our space. You never know who might be interested!

Our new Kitchen/Office Administrator, Lydia Picknell, is ready to meet with potential clients and fill up the openings in the kitchen schedule. Lydia is also the contact for renting the parish hall or any other space at St. John’s.

If you know of someone, have them contact Lydia directly at 845-331-2252 or kitchenatstjohns@gmail.com

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St. John’s Walkers

Tuesday, July 12 at 9:00 am
This week’s walk is the Ashokan Rail Trail in West Hurley.
Meet at the accessible parking lot off Zena Rd.
Call/text Ana for rides or more information: 914-357-0365

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The 80th General Convention of the Episcopal Church Starts!

This week in Baltimore a large group of lay and clergy leaders from the Episcopal Church are gathering to discuss resolutions about the future of our church, the climate crisis, racism, and a number of other important topics. This General Convention meets every 3 years and is made up of deputies from every diocese in our church.

I know that not everyone is a church-geek, but I think it’s important for everyone to know what is being discussed because the Episcopal Church offers a unique voice in American Christianity – one of inclusivity and love in which God’s grace knows no bounds. Here are some links for you:

• Our Presiding Bishop Michael Curry started the convention off with a sermon inviting Episcopalians to look at our roots.
• Read news reports about General Convention.
• You can watch live feeds from the House of Bishops or the House of Deputies here.

As you may remember, I was scheduled to be a deputy for General Convention this year but I stepped down because balancing the work I have as a member of the Committee to Elect a Bishop along with other responsibilities I have was more than enough for me. We elect alternate deputies for just that reason, so I was happy, even in my personal disappointment, to give up my seat to another person.

I hope you’ll take some time to check in with what’s happening. I know I will be!

In God’s love and mine,
Rev. Michelle

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Announcements for the Fifth Sunday of Pentecost
July 10, 2022

Have an announcement for the bulletin?
Please send by Wednesday at noon to stjohnskingston@aol.com

Many remember that, prior to the pandemic, we worshipped in the air-conditioned Parish Hall during the summer months of July and August. This pattern of worship allows for all of us to feel cool and to worship in a space where it’s easier to hear one another. This Sunday, it’s time to return to the Parish Hall. We will have plenty of room for everyone, including space set aside for families. After worship, things magically transform (with some help) into coffee hour. In addition to the air-conditioning, we will have air purifiers, but please be sure to wear your masks to help us all keep healthy.

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Tomorrow! Rally for reproductive rights

Join with the people of Kingston and as we rally in support of reproductive rights. Let’s pray with our feet.
When: Saturday, July 2 at 11:00 am
Where: Academy Green Park (corner of Clinton and Albany Aves)
Learn more about the rally here: WE WON’T GO BACK | Women’s March (wewontgoback.com)

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The Right to an Abortion

Sometimes, I feel like the word “abortion” is one of those words that should be whispered, like some people whisper the word “cancer.” It’s a difficult subject to talk about because there are a lot of strong feelings associated with the procedure. As there should be. It’s not anything to be cavalier about. But a lack of discussion only ends up keeping the truth in shadows. And, as Christians, our hope is that Christ’s light will shine in all the shadows of our lives as we seek reconciliation with God and with one another.

I understand and appreciate that many people feel strongly about the sacred nature of life as it expresses itself in pregnancy. Indeed, children are precious and in need of our love and protection. This is instinctual in all forms of life. Even though I’ve never been pregnant myself, I also have this instinct to protect innocence.

And it’s precisely because life is so precious that the question of abortion is not a simple good/bad discussion. For all women, the choice to terminate a pregnancy is a personal and very often an incredibly painful one because the woman is making a choice about her own health, if not her own life. I think in our joy about the idea of creating a baby, we forget just how dangerous being pregnant and giving birth can be for all women. The recent studies on maternal mortality in the US demonstrate a rise at the same time that these rates are declining across the world. Of course, these numbers have to do with disparities in overall healthcare which means that when state governments place an all-out ban an integral piece of women’s healthcare, they are undermining an already-broken system. And, in these places, women are not seen as full citizens with the right to autonomous decisions about their own bodies.

And here’s why this is important for us, as Christians: The removal of the right for a woman to choose is a spiritual one. First, to make the judgment that a woman is incapable of making this decision with God, that she has no capacity to pray and discern, is to say that she is lesser in the eyes of God. Second, to force a woman to carry a child when it puts her own life at risk is a form of bondage because it defines her worth as only being a vehicle for childbirth.

God has given us these bodies and in them we celebrate and experience joy. We taste, touch, hear, see, smell because of them. We are an integral part of the whole Incarnation and we know, because of Jesus, that God understands what it means to be incarnate. God knows how vulnerable we are and how strong we are. And we are commanded by our Savior love God by caring for one another’s bodies because we are all vulnerable. Pregnancy and childbirth is, therefore, a decision that belongs with the person who lives in that body and our job is to trust that God is there with her in her decision.

Remember our scripture tells us that when the angel Gabriel came to Mary and explained to her what would happen, Mary’s response was, “Here am I, the servant of the Lord; let it be with me according to your word.” (Luke 1:38) In other words, Mary prayed and was visited by an angel and discerned for herself before she said yes. Mary had a choice. So should we all.

In God’s love and mine,
Rev. Michelle

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Announcements for the Fourth Sunday of Pentecost
July 3, 2022

Benefit Concert for Ukraine: Sunday, September 11 at 4pm. The Kingston Interfaith Council is hosting the event here at St. John’s. Please save the date! We’ll need many hands on deck to help that  afternoon.

Flower Ministry: Every week, members of St. John’s offer a memorial of thanksgiving or honor a loved one who has gone before by supporting the Flower Ministry at St. John’s with a monetary donation. You’ll see this memorial listed in the bulletin each week. This ministry ensures we have lovely fresh flowers every week on our altar. Please consider signing up for a Sunday. Contact Elaine Lawrence at eslawrenc@aol.com

Calling all bakers! Do you like to make things in the kitchen? Our Communion Bread recipe is easy and quick. You bake one batch, deliver the bread to the church, and we keep it in the freezer until we use it. Sign up to bake for a month (or two) this year. The sign-up sheet is on the bulletin board in the Vestibule.

Welcome Lydia Picknell! We welcome a new person to our St. John’s Staff: Lydia Picknell. Lydia is taking over in the role of Kitchen/Office Administrator and her main job will be to reach out and find renters for our spaces here at St. John’s. She will be in the office Tues, Weds, and Thurs afternoons so stop by and welcome her.

Page Turners Book Club: The Page Turners are returning to meeting in person on July 19th.  Claudette Ford has offered to host this meeting, at 7 p.m. (Thanks Claudette!) The book to be discussed is ‘Cold Millions’ by Jess Walters. We will skip August and meet in September. Details for that meeting will be announced as soon as possible. New members are always welcome. Please speak to Claudette, or Barbara Johnston for more information about the July meeting or about the book club in general.

Have an announcement for the bulletin?
Please send by Wednesday at noon to stjohnskingston@aol.com.