The Good News of St. John’s

Saturday, Sept 24: St. John’s Harvest Cooking Day
Last year, parishioners gathered in the St. John’s Kitchen during the fall to help prepare all kinds of canned goods as a way of having fun together and it turned into a successful fundraiser to help with our operating expenses Let’s do it again! All ages are welcome to help chop, stir, and peel, while we share in laughter and community. This Saturday in the St. John’s Kitchen between 10-5. Come for an hour or two, or the entire day. Rev. Michelle will make sure everyone has lunch.

Sunday, Sept 25: St. John’s Forum: When the Saints Come Marching In!
After worship on Sept 25, stay for our St. John’s Forum Series and learn more about how the saints of the Christian faith are celebrated in the Episcopal Church. Rev. Michelle will present history and offer insight into the lives of the saints, why we call them saints, what a saint’s feast day is, and how they can be a part of our spiritual lives. St. John’s Forum Series happens this fall on the last Sunday of the month.

We start the month of October off with All Ages Worship on Oct 2 at 10am – A specially designed worship service to help engage younger parishioners through story and other activities. All parishioners are asked to bring your pet mementos, photos, and stuffed animals to church where we will ask God’s blessing on our beloved animals. Sorry, no live-pet blessings this year!

Sunday, Oct 2: Parish-wide Workshop – The Impact of Gun Violence on Churches
The increase of gun violence in our culture often results in a political discussion about gun rights. But how does this very real phenomenon impact our willingness to attend public activities and functions, like Christian worship? As people who follow Jesus, one who tells us to welcome the stranger in our midst, it is incredibly important for us to spend time discussing the specter of gun violence in our culture and the emotional toll it takes on us as churchgoers. Rev. Michelle and Sara Hutton will lead this special parish-wide workshop after worship on October 2.

Click here to learn more about upcoming St. John’s Events so you can plan your time this fall.

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Silos – Security or Immobility?

I attended a meeting this past week in which many talented, smart, and earnest people were invited to consider working together because all of them had the same essential goal. And I observed how difficult it was for each of them to see beyond their own program in order to envision something else.

We call this being in a silo. Silos are those tall, round structures on farms where grain is stored. And they are good things. They keep food safe for long periods of time. But silos can also be places where we become stuck or stagnant. Immobile.

There is a phenomenon called “grain entrapment” or “grain engulfment.” It most frequently occurs in grain silos when grain shifts beneath someone’s feet. Entrapment describes when someone is partially submerged and cannot get out without assistance, and engulfment describes when someone has been completely submerged. Engulfment has a very high mortality rate.

Why am I talking about this? Because our tendency as humans is to confuse ourselves with the grain and stay within silos we have built. It makes some sense for us to do this. The world can be so overwhelming that, if we don’t focus ourselves and our own needs/wants/goals, we can get distracted, unfocused, and unable to effect any change or even maintain our own lives.

But I hope the description of grain entrapment helps us understand that the silo can also be a very dangerous place to stay. Grain will shift. It always does. Our lives cannot stay the same because the world around us is in almost constant motion. And we will always need assistance from someone else to be freed from our own silos. We cannot do life alone.

I think about the prophets of the Hebrew Scriptures – especially Jeremiah, of whom we have been reading lately on Sundays – and I know that so many people really didn’t think of them as bringers of good news. They often pointed out the ways in which human beings become trapped in our own ideas of progress so that we forget what really matters. And they all reported being persecuted because people didn’t like what they said.

My point is that we can get so stuck in our own preferred habits that, not only do we refuse to accept help, but we even have the audacity to get angry when someone points out that we are stuck. And this extends to organizations, especially those who have missions to serve others. Places in which people have taken so much care in creating something which they believe will help others that they often cannot see beyond this “something” to see the ways in which God may be calling them to new life.

The silo is there to store the grain and keep it safe. It was never designed to support the ever-changing, vibrant life God has given us to live.

How is God calling you out of your silo?
How is God calling us out of our collective silos?

In God’s love and mine,
Rev. Michelle

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Announcements for the Sixteenth Sunday After Pentecost
September 25, 2022

Arts & Crafts Sale opens at 3:00 pm and the Concert begins at 4:00 pm.
Join us in helping this amazing organization – Voices of Children. They offer psychological support for children in Ukraine.

Click here to purchase tickets for tomorrow’s Ukraine Benefit!

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Updating Our Masking Policy

We have been through so much with the COVID pandemic, from online worship to hybrid worship to masking and distancing. We have done well, as a congregation, to honor one another’s safety all these many months. Thank you, all, for adhering to our policies. Caring for one another and helping one another to feel safe in worship is one of the most important things in Christian community.

And now it’s time for us to take another step. Starting this Sunday, September 11, masks will be optional during worship at St. John’s. If you have any questions about this, please reach out to me. I’m happy to talk with you.

I’ll see you tomorrow morning in the Sanctuary for worship and then at the Ukraine Benefit in the afternoon!

In God’s love and mine,
Rev. Michelle

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Announcements for the Fourteenth Sunday of Pentecost
September 11, 2022

We’re planning all kinds of activities and events for the fall and we’re especially looking forward to the return of Godly Play to our parish calendar. Read below and reach out to Rev. Michelle with any questions you have! Look for more information on all of these events in The Good News from St. John’s Kingston. Please note that more events may be added as we move through the year.

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Click here to purchase tickets to next week’s Ukraine Benefit!

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

Saturday, August 27: St. John’s Harvest Cooking Day – Come and help out the cooks. We need people to chop, stir, wash and prepare things in the kitchen for our fall fundraiser, St. John’s Harvest. The cooks will be in the kitchen from 10-5. Come for an hour or two or as long as you’d like. There are jobs for everyone so come, help with the fundraiser, and have some fun!

Sunday, August 28: Conversation with Rev. Michelle – Stay after worship this coming Sunday for a conversation with Rev. Michelle where we will be talking about the Episcopal Church’s ministry in Kingston.

Monday, August 29 6:00 pm: Kids and Family Night – We’re so excited to have the kids invite their families for this event – see below for more information. And don’t forget to RSVP by Monday afternoon so we have enough pizza! (but we’ll have extra, just in case)

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A Short Reflection from a Special Retreat

This week, the Committee to Elect a Bishop is hosting a retreat for the candidates for the Bishops of New York. As many of you know, I’m on this committee and we have been having some really incredible conversations with the people who have decided to offer themselves as candidates to be the next Bishop of the Episcopal Diocese of New York.

For those of you who don’t know, the Diocese of New York is all of the Episcopal churches in the boroughs of Staten Island, Manhattan, and the Bronx as well as all the counties along the Hudson from NYC up to Ulster and Dutchess. So, it’s quite a diverse area with so many opportunities for amazing ministry. Being the bishop in this place is quite the ministry.

It’s been such a busy schedule that I haven’t had much time to do anything else for a couple of days. I certainly haven’t had the time to reflect on everything I’ve heard and seen. But what I do know is that this is a very exciting time to be a part of this diocese. These leaders are truly gifted and they are deeply faithful people. The Diocese of New York has much to look forward to.

We finish up our work here tomorrow morning in time for me to prepare to worship with you on Sunday. Look for me to offer more reflections on the Bishop Search process in coming newsletters.

In God’s love and mine,
Rev. Michelle

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Announcements for the Twelfth Sunday of Pentecost
August 28, 2022

All who are interested may attend this event!
Please be sure to RSVP so we have enough pizza.

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.

Page Turners Book Club: The Page Turners are returning to meeting in person. Details for coming meetings will be announced as soon. New members are always welcome. Please speak to Claudette, or Barbara Johnston for more information.

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

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.

Walking together is a great church activity for the summer – a way to get to know each other and get out there and move at the same time. The St John’s Walkers is a new group who do one walk a week, alternating morning and evening times so that you can pick the times that work for you. The Walkers will meet at the designated location so if you need a ride, contact Ana Hernandez at ana@anahernandez.org or 914-357-0365 and she will make sure you get there.

Ana needs others to lead walks (choosing accessible locations and being the point person) so contact her to help! 

Summer Walking Schedule

Thurs, June 23, 7pm – Poet’s Walk at 776 River Rd in Red Hook: A beautifully scenic location overlooking the Hudson and the Catskills, with walks on even ground, just in time for the sunset.
Tues, June 28, 9am
Thurs, July 7, 7pm
Tues, July 12, 9am
Thurs, July 21, 7pm
Tues, July 26, 9am
Thurs, August 4, 7pm
Tues, August 9, 9am
Thurs, August 18, 7pm
Tues, August 23, 9am
Thurs, August 30, 7pm
Tues, Sept. 6, 9am

This time of year is filled with so many opportunities – graduations, picnics, good weather, gardening, travel, etc. But don’t miss out on this year’s celebration of the Feast of Pentecost on June 5!

What is Pentecost?
Good Question!
The Feast of Pentecost is named for the Greek word that means 50 because it is 50 days after Easter. On this day, we celebrate the coming of God’s Holy Spirit in the Acts of the Apostles, chapter 2 where it says,
“1When the day of Pentecost had come, they were all together in one place. ²And suddenly from heaven there came a sound like the rush of a violent wind, and it filled the entire house where they were sitting. ³Divided tongues, as of fire, appeared among them, and a tongue rested on each of them. ⁴All of them were filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other languages, as the Spirit gave them ability.”  
In other words, we celebrate the gift of God’s Holy Spirit who comes down to inspire us and make Christ known in the world. As Episcopalians, we look to our Baptismal Vows for concrete ways to do just that.

Baptism!
This year, as we renew our Baptismal Vows, we will be baptizing Frances (Frankie) Flanagan into the Body of Christ and her parents, Angela and Christy are excited to be among us for this sacred act.

Holy Spirit Doves – Help decorate the Sanctuary
We started passing out paper doves last Sunday (which you can download here). Please decorate these doves however you’d like – color them, paint them, write prayers on them… whatever works for you. Then cut them out and bring them to St. John’s. It is ideal for you to bring them this coming Sunday (May 29) so we have time to get them up before June 5. But you can also drop them by the Rectory on or before Friday, June 3 (put them in the mailbox next to our door). Or you can just bring them on June 5, in which case, we’ll give you some tape so you can put your doves up in the Sanctuary yourself.

Wear Red
If you have a red St. John’s t-shirt, wear it! Or… wear anything that’s red because red is the color of the Holy Spirit and we’re hoping to be blessed with a lot of it that day.

A Story Sermon and Special Kids Packets
All the kids will be given special Pentecost packets put together especially for our celebration and, instead of a typical sermon, Rev. Michelle will be telling a story to help engage younger listeners.

Come and celebrate on June 5 and help us baptize Frankie!

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God, help us!

At Centering Prayer last night, we were discussing our deep grief and anger over gun violence. And my wife Ana reminded us of a piece by Mendelssohn called Elijah. In Part 1, the entire chorus is, basically, screaming as loudly as they can while still holding some kind of musical pitch: “Help, Lord! Wilt Thou quite destroy us?”

Indeed, “Help, Lord!”
That is my plea. That is my prayer. That is what my whole being is shouting with a sound that is too loud for any ears.

Ever since the massacre in Columbine High School in 1999, when we were all shocked, we’ve been witnessing this violence over and over again, increasing in frequency, for more than 20 years. And yet, here we are. Still. And political leaders are appearing at the NRA convention in Houston, TX this weekend… as you read this… prepared to do whatever is necessary to hang on to their power through the influence and the money of the gun lobby. I’m sickened by this knowledge.

I want to find some way to return to hope. But maybe I’m getting ahead of myself. Maybe my grief and my anger are exactly what I need right now. Not in order to take on a self-righteous stance and throw stones at others whom I find to be “unenlightened,” for that, in itself, is a violent response. But to channel my emotion into a strength so that I can find ways of acting.

The St. John’s Social Concerns Committee will be meeting next week on Wednesday, June 1 at 3:15 over Zoom. We will pray together and then we will discuss what action we can take as a congregation to bring about the necessary policy change toward ending gun violence. All are invited to this meeting.

Here is the Zoom link for the meeting that you can copy and paste into your browser: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/198694790
I’ll also be sending it out via email early next week.

I hope you’ll find the time to join us. And if you cannot come to the meeting and still wish to be involved, contact me via email.

In God’s love and mine,
Rev. Michelle

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Announcements for the
The Feast of Ascension, transferred: May 29, 2022

NEXT SUNDAY: Feast of Pentecost Be sure to come and worship on Sunday, June 5 to celebrate the Feast of Pentecost, when we’ll all be renewing our Baptismal Vows as we baptize Frances (Frankie) Flanagan into the Body of Christ. Don’t forget to wear your red St. John’s t-shirts (if ya got ‘em) or any other red clothing. And bring your doves to decorate the sanctuary!

Social Concerns Zoom Meeting In response to the mass shootings that have taken place in Ulvade TX and Buffalo NY, the Social Concerns Committee is meeting over Zoom on Wednesday, June 1 at 3:15 to discuss our response of support and activism. See the parish email or the newsletter for the Zoom link to join. All are welcome!

Pastoral Care Team Meeting scheduled for June 12 immediately after worship. All are welcome to attend.

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.

Deanery-wide Book Discussion: Are you ready to crack open the church?  What might that mean?  Come to a five week Zoom discussion group about Stephanie Spellers’ book, The Church Cracked Open.  She reveals the connection of the Episcopal Church in domination and empire building, and shows ways for us to unravel those connections, enliven our faith, and serve our communities.  Five Tuesdays, 10:30-11:30, June 14, 21, 28, July 5, and July 12 on Zoom. Please RSVP to Allison Moore, standrewsrev@gmail.com, by Monday, June 13 (questions welcome ahead of time too).  It would be best if most of us could make most of the sessions, but it is summer!

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

Page Turners Book Club: The next books are: June 7th: The Book of Hope, by Jane Goodall, July 5th (date might be changed): The Cold Millions, by Jess Walter. Currently the book club is considering the idea of meeting in person again but, as no decision has been reached. Please contact Lynn Dennison for more information if you’d like to join!

Collection Counters: As most of you know, each week, we collect pledges and donations during our Sunday service, along with other monies that come in during the week for rentals, etc. We need volunteers to count the monies immediately after the Sunday service and then make the deposit. You will be paired with one other person, scheduled once/month and will receive full training. Talk to Wes Dangler, Treasurer; Lynn Dennison or Claudette Ford, Wardens; or Rev. Michelle.

Benefit Concert for Ukraine: All are welcome to participate in the planning, just contact Rev. Michelle. The next planning meeting is via Zoom on Thursday, June 2 at 2pm. The Kingston Interfaith Council is hosting the concert at St. John’s on a date to be announced.

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