The Good News from St. John’s Kingston

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Advent Learning Series: Becoming Beloved Community

Holy Cross/Santa Cruz and St. John’s Episcopal Churches
4 Evenings: Nov 30, Dec 7, Dec 14, Dec 21

Join members of both Episcopal congregations in Kingston for the season of Advent as we gather on Thursday nights to reflect on scripture, pray, and learn more about what it means to Become the Beloved Community.We begin with a potluck dinner at St. John’s at 6:00 pm on November 30 and continue each week through the season. A wonderful learning opportunity to learn and a beautiful way to deepen the community amongst both congregations.For those who do not drive at night, email Rev. Michelle at michelle.stjohnskingston@gmail.com to access the Zoom session each Thursday.November 30 at 6:00 pm, St. John’s – potluck dinner kick-off!
December 7 at 6:00 pm, Holy Cross Santa/Cruz
December 14 at 6:00 pm, St. John’s
December 21 at 6:00 pm, Holy Cross/Santa Cruz

December 24: Advent IV and Christmas Eve
3 worship services, one day

10:00 am Our final worship service of Advent is a spoken Eucharist. Come for a quiet, prayerful morning before the festivities begin.

4:00 pm Christmas Eve All Ages Worship is a sing-along and story-telling service designed for younger ears. Bring along friends and family and help us all tell the story together.

8:00 pm  Christmas Eve Festive Choral Worship is when we pull out all the stops – a hymn-filled joyful celebration of Christ’s birth, including Silent Night by candlelight. This year, followed by a dessert reception! Carol singing and music recital begins at 7:30 pm.

The Divine Light

Dear Ones,

Our online Centering Prayer group meets every Wednesday evening and this past Wednesday, we had a lovely reading from Thomas Keating that referred to the first chapter of John’s Gospel. I found this to be such a compelling reminder of what we’re really talking about when we celebrate Christmas. Here are both readings (John and Thomas Keating) for your reflection:
In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was in the beginning with God. All things came into being through him, and without him not one thing came into being. What has come into being in him was life, and the life was the light of all people. The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness did not overcome it. There was a man sent from God, whose name was John. He came as a witness to testify to the light, so that all might believe through him. He himself was not the light, but he came to testify to the light. The true light, which enlightens everyone, was coming into the world. He was in the world, and the world came into being through him; yet the world did not know him.     (John 1: 1-10)

“Each liturgical season has a period of preparation that readies us for the celebration of the climactic feast. The feast of Christmas is the first burst of light in the unfolding of the Christmas-Epiphany Mystery. Theologically, Christmas is the revelation of the Eternal Word made flesh. But it takes time to celebrate and penetrate all that this event actually contains and involves. The most we can do on Christmas night is gasp in wonderment and rejoice with the angels and the shepherds who first experienced it. The various aspects of the Mystery of divine light are examined one by one in the days following Christmas. The liturgy carefully unpacks the marvelous treasures that are contained in the initial burst of light. Actually, we do not grasp the full import of the Mystery until we move through the other two cycles (Easter-Ascension and Pentecost). As the divine light grows brighter, it reveals what it contains, that is, divine life; and divine life reveals that the Ultimate Reality is Love.”   – Thomas Keating 

All I can offer to that is a humble but profound, Amen.

In God’s love and mine,
Rev. Michelle

Announcements for December 17
The Third Sunday of Advent

St. John’s Office Hours
Wednesdays 10:00-12:00 noon
Thursdays 1:00-4:00 pm
Phone: 845-331-2252
Email: stjohnskingston@aol.comTHIS SUNDAY: Greening the Sanctuary  Stay after worship to help decorate the Sanctuary in preparation for our Christmas celebration. We’ll have a bowl of chili for you to keep up your energy. Choir rehearsal after worship.NEXT WEDNESDAY, December 20: Longest Night Service 6:30 pm.
A space for grief, sorrow, and hope. Join us in person or online for a service of quiet prayer, readings, music, and healing on the longest night of the year. Come and be in the space at St. John’s or join online at: stjohnskingston.org/celebrate-pray/onlineAdvent Learning Series: Becoming Beloved Community A joint offering by St. John’s and Holy Cross/Santa Cruz to reflect on scripture, pray, and learn more about what it means to Become the Beloved Community. Thursdays at 6:00 pm (Dec 21 at HCSC). For those who do not drive at night, email Rev. Michelle to register beforehand for Zoom access.

Christmas Memorials All memorials and thanksgivings will be listed in the Christmas Eve bulletin. Fill out the slip and place in the envelope enclosed in the bulletin with your check or cash inside.
Place it in the collection plate this Sunday! You can also use paypal at:  stjohnskingston.org/grow/stewardship-and-giving (Just be sure to make a note about why you’re giving), then email Rev. Michelle by noon on Friday, December 22 with the memorial or thanksgiving.
You can choose how you’d like to give:
1) Poinsettias Donations help to decorate the sanctuary for Christmas through the purchase of poinsettias. After our Christmas Eve celebration, they will be given out to people by the Pastoral Care Team.
2) Outreach Your Outreach memorial donations will go to Episcopal Relief and Development. You can learn more about the work of ERD at episcopalrelief.org.Page Turners Book Club meets the first Thursday of the month, at 2 pm, in the parish hall. New members are always welcome! Upcoming selections: Jan 11: The Soul of an Octopus, by Sy Montgomery. Feb 8: The Covenant of Water, by Abraham Verghese (Long book, start early!); Mar 7: The Heaven and Earth Grocery Store, by James McBride. Speak to Lynn Dennison, Barbara Johnston, or Claudette Ford for more info.

Online Morning Prayer: Join hundreds of others from across the Episcopal Diocese of New York every weekday morning at 8:00 am. Start your day with prayer, connection, and peace. Go to dioceseny.org/online-morning-prayer to register and receive the Zoom link.