The Good News of St. John’s

St. John’s Vestry Notes

• The Vestry voted unanimously to:
  • elect Kathy Burdick as the Clerk of the Vestry. Kathy already serves as a member of Vestry.
  • appoint Keith Ferber to the open slot on Vestry. Keith already serves as Treasurer.
  • obtain a credit card, naming Keith Ferber (Treasurer) and Michelle Meech (Rector) as those authorized to use it.
• The Vestry discussed the following:
  • The new Rector schedule and the addition of Morning Prayer to the worship life of St. John’s.
  • Issues, concerns, and income from the Rental Program.
  • The proposed Events Schedule, discussion to-be-continued at the June meeting.
  • Scheduling a Mutual Ministry Review that will help to define ministerial responsibilities of Rev. Michelle, Officers, Vestry, and Staff. This is in response to the reduction in Rev. Michelle’s hours and responsibilities.

Living Into

Dear Ones,The Season After Pentecost is the longest liturgical season we have in the church year. From the Feast of Pentecost (this year, May 28) through the beginning of Advent (this year, Dec 3), this season spans late spring, all of summer, and most of the autumn. We see all sorts of changes during this liturgical season. And the color we use for all of this change is green. Green is, of course, the color of growth.

During this year’s Season After Pentecost, St. John’s is living into a change of pattern for our common life. Change is not always embraced, as we know. We are all designed to find patterns of life and behavior that suit us and keep us comfortable. Change can be stressful, which is perhaps the main reason we do our best to avoid it. But it’s an inherent aspect of growth, integral not only to our survival, but to our flourishing. We are called by God to discern how to mindfully move through the changes and chances of life so that we care for ourselves and care for one another.

Some of the ways St. John’s is changing: We are re-establishing Bible Study, we are growing our Family Ministries, we are creating new relationships with people and organizations through the regular rental of our facility, there are new faces at St. John’s nearly every week… and all of this asks us to be adaptable, open to possibility, and willing to actively engaged in the process of becoming. In other words, it all asks us to be willing to change.

A few weeks ago, I spoke about specific changes to my schedule as the Rector of St. John’s and to our worship life. This week, I want to let you know how the St. John’s leadership team is responding to the shift in how we accomplish the tasks that support our common life. There are 2 ways the leadership is addressing this:

1. The Staff and Officers of St. John’s will meet later this month to discuss how to develop new workflow patterns so that what we do relies less on the position of the Rector to act as coordinator.
2. Later this year, the Vestry will be asking the Rev. Allison Moore to come and perform a Mutual Ministry Review, a tool that will help us look at our patterns of leadership and prayerfully determine how to best live into a new way of leading St. John’s.

The Vestry is moving into a new “season” of leadership themselves. For the last 18 months, the Vestry has been in the process of making difficult and emotional decisions about the financial sustainability of St. John’s. They have been faithful to this task and have done excellent work. With the change in the Rector’s hours, this process comes to an end and the Vestry is now free to more fully lead other aspects of our common life – like stewardship, events, and mission.

I also hope you’ll note in the Vestry Notes (above) that the Vestry has voted Kathy Burdick in as the new Clerk of the Vestry and Keith Ferber into the open Vestry seat. Both now have dual responsibilities so please offer your thanks to both Kathy and Keith for their faith, commitment, and leadership.

• As Clerk, Kathy’s main tasks are administrative, making sure the Vestry is attending to its responsibilities to the larger church and tracking/communicating the business of the Vestry and congregation. Kathy is also serving as a Vestry Member, which is not required for the position of Clerk.
• Occasionally, the Vestry has an open seat either because someone has stepped down from their responsibilities or there were not enough candidates at the time of Vestry elections in January. When this happens, the Vesty is empowered to appoint someone into that seat for the remainder of the year until the next election. Keith is already functioning as Treasurer of St. John’s and now he is also a full member of Vestry with voice and vote.

Finally, I promise that not all of my missives to you this summer will be about this change (nor will they be as lengthy!). But I also know that clear communication during times of change is vitally important. My door remains open to you. And if you’d like to speak with anyone on the Vestry, please do. We all want this process to be as transparent as possible so that we can grow into this change together.

In God’s love and mine,
Rev. Michelle

St. John’s Office Hours
Wednesdays 10:00-12:00 noon,
Thursdays 1:00-4:00 pm
Phone: 845-331-2252
Email: stjohnskingston@aol.com

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

THIS SUNDAY: Stay for a special Forum with the Rev. Richard Witt of Rural and Migrant Ministries to learn more about the work they do across the state of New York.

NEXT SUNDAY: Pastoral Care Meeting The Pastoral Care Team meets after worship on Sunday, June 18. All are welcome.

Summer Book Read: Join us for the St. John’s Summer Book Read. We will meet over Zoom so you don’t have to worry about missing a meeting due to travel! The book is No Act of Love Is Ever Wasted by Thibault and Morgan. It’s a non-fiction read that focuses on caring for people with dementia but is also a good reflection for all who provide pastoral care or are caretakers of friends or family. Discussion dates announced soon, in the meantime, go ahead and buy the book. Want to learn more? Talk to Lynn Dennison, Sue Bonsteel, or Rev. Michelle.

Bible Study: Come and join in Bible Study with Rev. Michelle. Beginning June 18, we will have two opportunities to join in a weekly Bible Study – Sundays at 8:30 am (in person) or Wednesdays at 12:00 noon (via Zoom). We begin our study with the Gospel of Matthew. Email Rev. Michelle to let her know your interest.

Grief Support Group: Hudson Valley Hospice comes to St. John’s for the summer to offer a Family Grief Support Group, Monday afternoons 2x a month, June 5 through Sept 25. Prior registration is required – call 845-240-7579 for more information and to register.

Page Turners Book Club Meetings are on the first Thursday of the month at 2 p.m., in the parish hall. Here’s what we selected for June 1,  These Precious Days by Anne Patchett. Our next meeting after that will be September 7 when we will discuss Demon Copperhead by Barbara Kingsolver. No meetings in July or August. All are welcome! Interested? Talk with Lynn Dennison.

St. John’s Outreach Project – People’s Place: When you go to the store, pick up a few extra non-perishable food items for People’s Place food pantry (tuna, soup, pasta, sauce, etc.). We are also taking donations of birthday napkins/plates, candles, and gift bags in various sizes. Bring them to church and place them in the appropriate baskets near the Font.

St. John’s Upcoming Schedule
June 9:       St. John’s Game Night! Begins at 6:00 pm
June 11:     Guest Preacher – The Rev. Richard Witt and Special Forum after worship about Rural and Migrant Ministries
June 17:     Ulster Deanery Meeting, 9-12:30 at Ascension in West Park
June 18:     Sunday Bible Study begins in person at 8:30 am, Godly Play for kids, Healing Sunday, Pastoral Care meeting after worship
June 21:     Wednesday Bible Study begins on Zoom at 12:00 noon
June 25:     Instructed Eucharist and Liturgical Forum
July 2:        Summer Worship begins in the Parish Hall
July 29:      Mid-Hudson Regional Gathering at Christ Church in Poughkeepsie

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All Things Bright and Beautiful

Dear Ones,

If you’ve never walked through our beautiful Memorial Garden, you really need to do so soon. Late May through June is the perfect time of year to experience the garden in all its glory. It’s not only St. John’s members who benefit from this outdoor sanctuary, I see people sitting in this peaceful space all the time. It’s a lovely ministry for our neighborhood.

Of course, the caretaking of any garden doesn’t happen by itself. I remember when I got here over 7years ago, the front end of the garden was just as beautiful as it is now – lush greenery surrounding the St. Francis fountain, inviting all to take a seat and relax. But the back end of the garden was another story. Weeds had taken over the pergola area and the paint was chipped in several places. It’s was very uninviting.

Today, the welcoming beauty of the entire Memorial Garden is sustained by the efforts of many people.

The Columbarium Board (Lynn Dennison, George Mine, and Sarah Corrigan) oversee the entire space and ensures that the maintenance of all the greenery occurs – trees, bushes, and lawn. In addition, of course, they oversee the Columbarium itself, where many members of St. John’s have found their final resting place. Right now, the Board is looking to replace the front gate of the Memorial Garden, which has aged due to time and weather. If you’d like to make a contribution, to this effort, please speak directly with either Lynn or George.

And, as many of us know, the pergola area of the Memorial Garden has been cared for by our own Director of Music, Terry Earles, for the past four years. Terry has experimented with various plantings and added some new features to deepen the peaceful beauty we can now all find there. He also raises money for his plantings so if you would like to contribute, please speak with him.

If you would like to join any of the gardeners in this ministry of care and beauty, please do speak with them. But I hope you will take the time to thank them. They all give so much for so many.

In God’s love and mine,
Rev. Michelle

St. John’s Office Hours
Wednesdays 10:00-12:00 noon, Thursdays 1:00-4:00 pm
Phone: 845-331-2252
Email: stjohnskingston@aol.com

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

Gun Violence Awareness Day Event: On Friday, June 2 at 5:30. Join members of St. John’s and Congregation Emanuel of the Hudson Valley for an event in support of the National Gun Violence Awareness Day, sponsored Everytown for Gun Safety, Sandy Hook Promise, and others.

St. John’s Game Night is back! Our beloved Game Night returns on Friday, June 9 at 6:00 pm. Bring your favorite game and your favorite “Friday-night-food.” And bring a friend! Contact Sara Hutton if you have questions or would like to help: shutton324@gmail.com

Summer Book Read: Join us for the St. John’s Summer Book Read. We will meet over Zoom so you don’t have to worry about missing a meeting due to travel! The book is No Act of Love Is Ever Wasted by Thibault and Morgan. It’s a non-fiction read that focuses on caring for people with dementia but is also a good reflection for all who provide pastoral care or are caretakers of friends or family. Discussion dates announced soon, in the meantime, go ahead and buy the book. Want to learn more? Talk to Lynn Dennison, Sue Bonsteel, or Rev. Michelle.

Bible Study: Come and join in Bible Study with Rev. Michelle. Beginning June 18, we will have two opportunities to join in a weekly Bible Study – Sundays at 8:30 am (in person) or Wednesdays at 12:00 noon (via Zoom). We begin our study with the Gospel of Matthew.
Email Rev. Michelle if you’d like to join either group.

Grief Support Group: Hudson Valley Hospice comes to St. John’s for the summer to offer a Family Grief Support Group, Monday afternoons 2x a month, June 5 through Sept 25. Prior registration is required – call 845-240-7579 for more information and to register.

Page Turners Book Club Meetings are on the first Thursday of the month at 2 p.m., in the parish hall. Here’s what we selected for June 1,  These Precious Days by Anne Patchett. Our next meeting after that will be September 7 when we will discuss Demon Copperhead by Barbara Kingsolver. No meetings in July or August. All are welcome! Interested? Talk with Lynn Dennison.

St. John’s Outreach Project – People’s Place: When you go to the store, pick up a few extra non-perishable food items for People’s Place food pantry (tuna, soup, pasta, sauce, etc.). We are also taking donations of birthday napkins/plates, candles, and gift bags in various sizes. Bring them to church and place them in the appropriate baskets near the Font.

This Saturday, May 20 the Diocese of New York consecrates Matthew Foster Heyd as Bishop Coadjutor at the Cathedral of St. John the Divine in New York City. If you are not coming to be in person, you can still join the celebration online through the cathedral’s youtube page.The procession begins at 10:15 am on youtube.com/@CathedralSaintJohn

Paula Wisneski and Roger Bonsteel will process with the St. John’s banner. Paula and Roger will then sit with other members from St. John’s – Sue Bonsteel, Kathy Burdick, Claudette Ford, Rebekah Hendricks, Ana Hernandez, Don Hughes, Liz Moeller, and Nilsa Rodriguez-Jaca. Finally, Rev. Michelle will be processing and sitting with the Committee to Elect a Bishop.

Afterwards, there is a reception outside on the Cathedral Green where Liz will host an activities tent for the kids.

We’ll take plenty of pictures and share them on Instagram and Facebook and here in next week’s Good News from St. John’s.

Let’s all keep Matt and his family in our prayers as they make this transition into his new ministry.

You can learn more here and also watch a video of Matt talking to Presiding Bishop Michael Curry.

Ch-Ch-Ch-Ch-Changes

Dear Ones,
I hope you recognize the title of this comes from David Bowie’s iconic song, “Changes”.

As the Vestry and I have been communicating to you all, there are changes to the Rector’s salary and schedule occurring this year. In April, the Vestry voted to reduce the hours of the Rector to 60% beginning June 1. This comes in response to the need to move into more sustainable financial practices, a situation that is facing all denominations across the country. We are not alone. And I want to be very clear that this decision is one that I have supported at every step. I agree with the decision of the Vestry.

There are 2 changes I am announcing here – my schedule and a shift in our worship. In addition to more lay leadership of events, committees, and other ministries, these will be the most significant changes for us to move through as a congregation as we live into this new arrangement.

Rev. Michelle’s Schedule as of June 1
Sundays: I will be with you for every Sunday service, except for the Sundays that I am off. I have been given more Sundays off with this change.
Mondays: I am unavailable, except for our monthly Vestry meetings.
Tuesdays: I am unavailable.
Wednesdays: I am unavailable, except to lead our online Centering Prayer.
Thursdays: I am available all day and will have office hours for part of the day in the church building, should you wish to stop by or need to access the office. More details coming.
Fridays: I am available all day.
Saturdays: I am available but will spend the better part of the day writing the sermon and preparing for Sunday.

With the rest of my time, I will be doing some work for the Diocese of New York as well as leading more retreats to supplement my income. Of course, I will be with you all for regular liturgical events regardless of when they fall during the week – Ash Wednesday, Holy Week, Christmas, etc. And should there be a pastoral emergency, I will be there.

The officers and I will review this schedule in September.

Shift in Worship
One of the ways in which we are looking to reduce costs is to be strategic about how much we spend on supply priests on the Sundays when I am not with you. Because the Episcopal Church requires that sacraments be presided over by ordained priests or bishops, we need to re-think our worship pattern, if we want to spend less on supply priests.

About 50 years ago, Eucharist was not offered every Sunday in the Episcopal Church. Instead, we worshipped together in a service called Morning Prayer. Morning Prayer can be led by anyone in the church – ordained leaders or lay leaders. And we have several lay leaders at St. John’s who are offering to expand their ministry: Leah Siuta, Wes Dangler, and Lynn Dennison.

This summer, St. John’s will begin a practice of having Morning Prayer on the “5th Sundays.” By that, I mean that in any month where there are 5 Sundays, we will have Morning Prayer instead of Eucharist on that last Sunday. Even if I’m here, I will officiate over Morning Prayer on the 5th Sundays.

We hope to incorporate the beauty of this liturgical form into our common worship life so that, when Leah, Wes, or Lynn are called upon to lead Morning Prayer, everyone at St. John’s feel more comfortable with and prepared for worshipping through this form.

Before we begin this new worship pattern, I will offer a forum and other forms of teaching to help us all with the shift. For those of you with a Book of Common Prayer, you can get started by taking a look at the form beginning on page 75.

Finally, I ask for your grace and understanding as we all move into this new arrangement of congregational life. Having said that, I can understand if you feel angry or upset about this. These are common emotions when it comes to changes. So please do reach out to me with any questions or concerns. I am here and my door is open.

In God’s love and mine,
Rev. Michelle

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Announcements for May 21
The Feast of the Ascension

As Episcopalians, scripture has a central place in our worship and is foundational to our Christian faith. As such, we are called to take the reading of scripture seriously, to open it up and explore its meaning. A Weekly Bible Study is an opportunity to interrogate scripture alongside others while developing relationships and community. What can we learn from scripture for our lives today?

If you are interested, please take this survey to let Rev. Michelle know when you are able to attend. Fill out this electronic form OR use the paper form found in your Sunday worship bulletin. Make sure they are turned in by Sunday, May 21.

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The St. John’s Memorials Account

St. John’s Office Hours
Mondays from 12:00-4:00 pm and Wednesdays from 10:00-12:00 noon
Phone: 845-331-2252    Email: stjohnskingston@aol.com

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

Join the thousands of Episcopalians who are committing themselves and their households to sustainable living. Go to: sustainislandhome.org

Page Turners Book Club Meetings are on the first Thursday of the month at 2 p.m., in the parish hall. Here’s what we selected for June 1: These Precious Days by Anne Patchett. Our next meeting after that will be September 7 when we will discuss Demon Copperhead by Barbara Kingsolver. No meetings in July or August. All are welcome! Interested? Talk with Lynn Dennison.

St. John’s Outreach Project – People’s Place: When you go to the store, pick up a few extra non-perishable food items for People’s Place food pantry (tuna, soup, pasta, sauce, etc.). We are also taking donations of birthday napkins/plates, candles, and gift bags in various sizes. Bring them to church and place them in the appropriate baskets near the font.

NEXT WEEK: Our Final Inquirer’s Class! From 1:00-3:30 in the Rectory
What We Do: Ministry and the Baptismal Covenant As Christians, we believe in an incarnate God – the Christ – who came to teach us that all the law and the prophets point to Love. And that this love isn’t something we feel, it’s something we do. Jesus’ two commandments of: Love God and love your neighbor as yourself aren’t about warm fuzzies and “thoughts and prayers.” These commandments must guide our participation in this incarnate reality. As we deepen our journey with Christ and our faith matures, we learn how to become ministers in the world. Our Baptismal Covenant is the place we return to in order to remind ourselves of God’s dream for all of us.

Interested in Baptism? In the Episcopal Church, we offer the Sacrament of Baptism on the Feast of Pentecost (this year, on May 28). If you are interested in Baptism or interested in having your child baptized, talk to Rev. Michelle as soon as possible to set up a time to talk more about it. The next time set aside for Baptism will be All Saints Sunday on November 5.

St. John’s Upcoming Schedule

May 20:     Consecration of Matthew Heyd as Bishop Coadjutor of the Diocese of New York, Cathedral Church of St. John the Divine in NYC.
May 21:     Godly Play for kids, Healing Sunday, Inquirer’s Class – What We Do: Ministry and the Baptismal Covenant, from 1:00-3:30 pm in the Rectory.
May 28:     Feast of Pentecost and Renewal of Baptismal Vows
June 4:       All Ages Worship – The Creation Story
June 11:     Guest Preacher – The Rev. Richard Witt of Rural and Migrant Ministries, Special Forum after worship about Rural and Migrant Ministries
June 18:     Godly Play for kids, Healing Sunday, Pastoral Care meeting after worship
June 25:     Rector’s Forum: Celtic Christianity, after worship
July 2:        Summer Worship begins in the Parish Hall

As Episcopalians, scripture has a central place in our worship and is foundational to our Christian faith. As such, we are called to take the reading of scripture seriously, to open it up and explore its meaning. A Weekly Bible Study is an opportunity to interrogate scripture alongside others while developing relationships and community. What can we learn from scripture for our lives today?

If you are interested, please take this survey to let Rev. Michelle know when you are able to attend. Fill out this electronic form OR use the paper form found in your Sunday worship bulletin. Make sure they are turned in by Sunday, May 21.

The St. John’s Memorials Account

In the Rectory Garden

Dear Ones,Ana and I were married nearly 5 years ago and ever since then, I have been deepening my love for gardening and becoming, dare I say it, an avid gardener. This is not something I was prepared for because, when I was younger, I never found it very interesting. But something clicked that first winter we were married, I just wanted to grow things.

We started small. We bought a bed, a bunch of soil, and a bunch of common and really odd herbs to plant in that soil. Easy enough. Then, we started clearing out all the beds around the Rectory that I had let overgrow. And that felt good. Again, easy enough. Until I got to the poison ivy. I spent the entire month of June sitting in colloidal oatmeal baths, covering myself in calamine lotion, and taking steroids. I now know what poison ivy looks like and how to get rid of it properly.

The next year, we expanded our garden, planting seeds indoors and transplanting them outdoors in mid-May. We learned a lot about letting tomato plants get out of hand, what cabbage worms are, the vertical leaping abilities of rabbits, and why squash should be grown vertically.

I suppose the larger story in all of this isn’t one of great insight, it’s just the simple truth that this is how life goes. You can never predict exactly how the whole endeavor will end up and, after all of the failures and injuries and misadventures, there are so many beautiful moments. Ana and I still dance around the room (literally) when a new sprout arises from the soil. I still can’t wait to share the first pod of peas with Ana in the middle of the garden. I still savor the first tomato sandwich made from the tomatoes in the garden. And Ana still loves to find things to do with everything we harvest.

I try to post as many things as possible on Instagram and Facebook as we move through the spring and summer months. And I invite you to join us in our misadventures and our joy this year.

In God’s love and mine,
Rev. Michelle

Fellow parishioners,
There are two ministries that we would like to resume.

Although a few people have been donating non-perishable food items for People’s Place we haven’t made announcements about this ministry recently.  Please bring non-perishable food items and place them in the basket

 and these items will be delivered to People’s Place. This includes things like pasta, canned goods, sauces, canned meats, peanut butter, etc. 

People’s Place also provides birthday cakes and party supplies to children 12 and younger.  They provide a birthday cake which is being donated by People’s Place, but they need donations of birthday-themed napkins, plates, cake candles, and gift bags in various sizes, so we will also be collecting these items.

Thank you for all that you do,
St. John’s Outreach Committee

The St. John’s Rental Program
Welcome, Brian Silver! Our new Kitchen/Office Administrator

THIS SUNDAY! Rector’s Forum: Life at the Time of Jesus  Context is everything! Join Rev. Michelle after worship to learn more about this time and explore questions like: What was life like in Galilee? Who had power and who didn’t? How was Judaism practiced when Jesus was alive? What did people believe about resurrection?

NEXT SUNDAY! All ages worship: Our story will be about how God’s Love is connected to our own resilience.

NEXT SUNDAY: Inquirer’s Class meets from 1:00-3:30 in the St. John’s Rectory as we continue our primer on “How We Read Scripture in the Episcopal Church” All are welcome!

Page Turners Book Club Meetings are on the first Thursday of the month at 2 p.m., in the parish hall. Here’s what we selected for next month: May 4 – If on A Winter’s Night A Traveler by Italo Calvino. All are welcome! Interested? Talk with Lynn Dennison.

St. John’s Outreach Project: When you go to the store, pick up a few extra non-perishable food items for People’s Place food pantry (tuna, soup, pasta, sauce, etc.). We are also taking donations of birthday napkins/plates, candles, and gift bags in various sizes. Bring them to church and place them in the appropriate baskets near the altar.

Interested in Baptism? In the Episcopal Church, we offer the Sacrament of Baptism on the Feast of Pentecost (this year, on May 28). If you are interested in Baptism or interested in having your child baptized, talk to Rev. Michelle as soon as possible to set up a time to talk more about it. The next time set aside for Baptism will be All Saints Sunday on November 5.

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

St. John’s Office Hours
Mondays from 12-4 pm and Wednesdays from 10 – 12 noon
Phone: 845-331-2252
Email: stjohnskingston@aol.com

2023 Easter Season at St. John’s

Tuesday, April 25 from 5:00-6:30 at the St. John’s Rectory
All are invited.
Bring snacks if you got ’em!

What kind of event would be “sustainable”… something that can take place every year? What kind of event would bring in enough funds to make it worth our time and effort while still being a fun event for us and for those who we will invite to come? What kind of event would you be willing to lead or co-lead? Or take an active role in planning? What events do we want to schedule that are not fundraising related, but are events in service to the community? What organizations might we consider partnering with?

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Earth Sunday

Dear Ones,

As we shake the frost from our lives and feel ourselves open up to the warmth of spring, we tap into the energy of life that is birthing all around us. Trees budding, flowers blooming, seeds sprouting, peepers peeping. Aside from the pollen and, perhaps, the ticks… this is such a beautiful time of year.

Perhaps because this beauty gives us life in so many ways, we can be seduced into thinking that God puts on this show of glory just for us – for our enjoyment and consumption. We coexist with all the life on this tiny planet. We are gift and we are gifted. We are kept by its bounty and we are keepers of its life – just as all other creatures are a part of the interconnected web that lives and breathes in and around us. We are bound to its rhythms and riches.

The first Earth Day was celebrated in 1970 on April 22 in response to the developing crisis of pollution and the prosperity-over-all mindset. US congress members from “both sides of the aisle” joined together to engage community organization, faith groups, and others in a mass teach-in on college campuses. Since then, Earth Day has become an international event. You can learn more here: Earth Day: The Official Site | EARTHDAY.ORG

The Episcopal Church recognizes Earth Sunday every year (this year, April 23) as a time for us to focus on the question: What is our faith calling us to do in our care for this Earth, our island home? As a part of this reflection, I ask each of you to visit this site: sustainislandhome.org.

This site will ask you for basic Episcopal parish information and will then lead you to create an account for your household through Bright Action. Then, you can decide which areas you would like to make progress on – clean energy, water wise, eating green, etc. and you will be guided to take action and track your progress. By logging in as a member of St. John’s, you will be joining thousands of other Episcopalians across the church in tracking together the progress we, as a church, are committing ourselves to when it comes to caring for our common home.

I hope you’ll join us in this effort!

In God’s love and mine,
Rev. Michelle

Announcements for April 23
The Third Sunday of Easter

The Final Word Is Always Love

Dear Ones,I hope to see you for our Holy Week services. It is always a rich journey as we remember together Jesus’ final days. Every year I am deeply moved by some moment during this week – something that reshapes my understanding of myself and my relationship with God.

I remember when I started coming to church about 20 years ago now, I wondered, why would we want to spend so much time looking at this horrific act of state and communal violence perpetrated upon Jesus? I still sometimes find myself wondering about that, if I’m honest. What is this sacrifice about?

But here’s the thing: Violence is not and never was God’s design or intent. Yet, God does have a response to violence. And that response is always Love. The sacrifice we are invited into is one in which we are asked to give up our own forms of violence – indifference, cynicism, anger, envy, judgment – all the ways we do violence to others and to ourselves, so that we can open ourselves up to learn more and more about what Love really is.

So come and allow these Holy Week services to meet you where you are this year. Let the words and the liturgical acts wash over you or hear the Spirit’s invitation to enter into them.

Because violence is never the end. Love is always the final Word.

“Out beyond ideas of wrongdoing and rightdoing, there is a field. I’ll meet you there.” – Jalal al-Din Muhammad Rumi

In God’s love and mine,
Rev. Michelle

Announcements for April 9
Holy Week and Easter Sunday

Holy Week Schedule

I have been surprised at how few music schools offer organ studies for worship any longer. There are very few organ students now except those who study to become concert organists. Patelsons, which was THE former music center in NYC for organists, had only a small box full of music before it closed in recent years. Organ music is seldom published on the scale it once was, and it is expensive. If I need a title that isn’t in print, I now need to order it from England, and it has to be printed especially for my order.On Sundays, between 9:30 and 10:00, I am offering organ literature from the hundreds of years of work, and devotion of other organists. Bach dedicated all his sacred music in this way: “Soli deo Gloria” or To the Glory of God only.

So, I invite you to come a little early and hear music that once was commonly heard but is less and less frequently heard anywhere. God Bless.

Soli deo Gloria,
Terry Earles

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I have to admit that the pandemic has made me aware of the risks that many people deal with every day. Now that we are all living with covid as a part of our reality, those with autoimmune disorders have so much more to navigate than those who do not.  I’m really proud to see one of our beloved St. John’s members, Sara Hutton, offer such an important support group right now. May this be a blessing to many.           – Rev. Michelle

Easter Memorials Please consider making an offering to help cover the cost of Easter flowers or toward our Easter Outreach recipient, People’s Place. Use the slips/envelopes in your bulletin or email Rev. Michelle before Wednesday, April 5. All memorials will be listed in the Easter Sunday bulletin. It’s a meaningful way to help and to honor your loved ones.

THIS SUNDAY! April 2
What We Believe: The Creeds of the Church… And Beyond! A part of the ongoing Inquirer’s Class series at St. John’s. We meet from 1:00-3:30 in the Parish Hall on Sunday afternoon.  Christianity in America is many-faceted. So much so that 2 different communities that both call themselves Christian can have two completely opposing beliefs. How do we make sense of that? And where is the Episcopal Church in all of this? We’ll discuss the catechism, the Nicene Creed, the Resurrection, the Virgin Mary, the Trinity, what we believe about the Eucharist, and more. We’ll also talk about the difference between faith and belief.

Social Hour Hosting: You are invited to sign up on the bulletin board in the Vestibule to be a social hour host! Talk with our Hospitality Coordinator, Barbara Johnston for more information.

Page Turners Book Club Meetings are on the first Thursday of the month at 2 p.m., in the parish hall. Here’s what we selected for the next few months: April 6 – Lessons in Chemistry by Bonnie Garmus; May 4 – If on A Winter’s Night A Traveler by Italo Calvino. All are welcome! Interested? Talk with Lynn Dennison.

St. John’s Office Hours
Mondays from 12:00-4:00 pm and Thursdays from 1:00-3:00 pm
Phone: 845-331-2252
Email: stjohnskingston@aol.com
Please note: Rev. Michelle’s Sabbath Day is Friday and she is unavailable.

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

2023 Easter Season at St. John’s

We have recently been blessed with 2 people who are offering classes for kids. Let’s help our new Community Partners have successful ventures by signing up or passing along the information to friends, co-workers, and family members.

THIS SUNDAY is Purple Sunday! Understanding Alzheimer’s and Dementia The Alzheimer’s Association is coming on Sunday, March 26 to talk about the impact of these diseases along with risk factors, stages, research, and treatments. Please wear purple to church to show your support of the work of the Alzheimer’s Association.

THIS SUNDAY! Who We Are: History and Structure of the Episcopal Church A part of the ongoing Inquirer’s Class series at St. John’s. We meet from 1:00-3:30 in the Parish Hall on Sunday afternoon. It’s a part of our human nature that our history shapes who we are. This is true of faith communities too. In this session, we spend time discussing many of the people and events that gave form to the Episcopal Church and how all of that shaped the ways in which we engaged the Christian faith then…. and continue our journey in Christ today.

NEXT SUNDAY! April 2
What We Believe: The Creeds of the Church… And Beyond! A part of the ongoing Inquirer’s Class series at St. John’s. We meet from 1:00-3:30 in the Parish Hall on Sunday afternoon.  Christianity in America is many-faceted. So much so that 2 different communities that both call themselves Christian can have two completely opposing beliefs. How do we make sense of that? And where is the Episcopal Church in all of this? We’ll discuss the catechism, the Nicene Creed, the Resurrection, the Virgin Mary, the Trinity, what we believe about the Eucharist, and more. We’ll also talk about the difference between faith and belief.

Social Hour Hosting: You are invited to sign up on the bulletin board in the Vestibule to be a social hour host! Talk with our Hospitality Coordinator, Barbara Johnston for more information.

Page Turners Book Club Meetings are on the first Thursday of the month at 2 p.m., in the parish hall. Here’s what we selected for the next few months: April 6 – Lessons in Chemistry by Bonnie Garmus; May 4 – If on A Winter’s Night A Traveler by Italo Calvino. All are welcome! Interested? Talk with Lynn Dennison.

St. John’s Office Hours
Mondays from 12:00-4:00 pm and Thursdays from 1:00-3:00 pm
Phone: 845-331-2252
Email: stjohnskingston@aol.com
Please note: Rev. Michelle’s Sabbath Day is Friday and she is unavailable.

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

2023 Holy Week and Easter Season at St. John’s