Epiphanytide at St. John’s
House Blessings – one of the traditions of this season is to bless our homes for the new year. During our Epiphany Celebration on Friday this past week, we marked our own doors of St. John’s to acknowledge and remind ourselves of God’s blessing of Light and Love. So that you can do this at home, there are take-home kits available with everything you need. Questions? Ask Rev. Michelle
Becoming Beloved Community – A few months ago, Rev. Michelle spoke about a program of the Episcopal Church called Becoming Beloved Community. During Epiphanytide, we will be learning more about this program to prepare us for our Lenten learning. Look for more information on the Parish Hall bulletin board in the coming weeks.
Annual Meeting: Sunday, January 29 – The Annual Meeting is a time for the congregation to learn more about the business (budgets, buildings, etc.) and ministry plans for the past year and the coming year. Everyone’s presence is requested. We will have childcare for this special meeting.
Adult Inquirer’s Class – Beginning in mid-February, Rev. Michelle will offer an Adult Inquirer’s Class (6-8 sessions). All members of St. John’s are welcome to attend. We will cover topics like: How do Episcopalians read the Bible? How did the Episcopal Church get started? What do Episcopalians believe? Please reach out to Rev. Michelle via email if you are interested and we will determine the best class times based on the availability of those interested. Childcare will be made available for in-person sessions.
Congregational Announcements
You may remember that last year, we hired Suzanne Campise as our temporary Kitchen/Office Administrator so that she could help us get our Kitchen Rental program up and running. Because she was due to have a baby in June, she only committed to a few months but boy, did she get a lot done in those couple of months! We hired Lydia Picknell in her position, who did a nice job but decided to go nursing school. And now, Suzanne is back! She is still working mostly from home, but once she gets childcare worked out for Amara (who is now 6 months!), she will be in the office one day/week. Rev. Michelle will also be posting regular office hours. Look for Open Office Hours to be posted soon… and welcome back, Suzanne!
Pledge Envelopes Are Here
If you made a pledge to St. John’s for 2023, your pledge envelopes are available. You can find a set with your last name on the box where you pick up your bulletins near the lectern. If you’re new to using them or have any other questions, speak with Lynn Dennison.
Consider Masking
While masking remains optional at St. John’s, you are encouraged to consider wearing a mask during worship to help keep down the transmission of covid, flu, and other illnesses. Masks are available at both entrances.
Christian Formation
I came to Christianity as an adult even though I grew up in a small town in Western PA in the 1970’s, a place and time when it was assumed that everyone was Christian. But I never went to church unless I went with my friends on occasion, so I grew up understanding Christianity largely through the lens of what I saw on TV… which, to me, presented a slick, hypocritical version of what I knew about Jesus, and most especially, what I understood about God from my own personal experience.
When I decided to explore Christianity and eventually “hitch my wagon” to this faith in my 30’s, I took Christian Formation very seriously. I wanted to learn as much as I could through a more mature lens than the one I had in my teens and twenties. Enter a person named Bill Ellis, a most generous, smart, and gifted priest. I have often said that it’s his “fault” I’m a priest.
As I think back on it, it wasn’t just Bill. I learned more by being in a community of learners than I ever could have by myself. So I am also deeply grateful to the members of Trinity Episcopal Church in Bend, OR who showed up to learn alongside me. I look back on that time as one of sweetest periods of my entire life.
I offer this story because often people characterize Christian Formation as the programming we offer to kids or believe that taking part in church formation programming is not important. But we never stop being formed by God so our spiritual life deserves as much attention, if not more, than the other parts of our lives. After all, our spiritual life will prove to be more crucial for us in throughout our lives than just about anything else.
And for those who, like myself, may come to St. John’s with no connection to a formal faith community and identify as spiritual-but-not-religious, Christian Formation is central to becoming a person of faith. Learning in community is the most meaningful part of that. It’s one of the ways we show up for each other and truly get to know the people with whom we worship. We listen and we are heard.
Over the next month, I will be asking you to fill out a survey because I’d like to know more about the things you’d like to learn, the questions you have about God and the way God works in the world. I’d like to know your thoughts through this survey and have your participation in our programming. I know you won’t be able to come to every forum or every piece of programming – no one can come to everything. But this is a community you have decided to invest yourself in, so come. Learn. Be with others and reflect on what you’ve heard. Deepen your spiritual life. Stretch your imagination. Take in something new and let God work with you.
In God’s love and mine,
Rev. Michelle
Announcements for January 8
The First Sunday After the Epiphany
Now Forming! Adult Inquirer’s Class: Beginning in mid-February, Rev. Michelle will start an Adult Inquirer’s Class (6-8 sessions). All members of St. John’s are welcome to attend. We will cover topics like: How do Episcopalians read the Bible? How did the Episcopal Church get started? What do Episcopalians believe? Please reach out to Rev. Michelle via email if you are interested and we will determine the best class times based on the availability of those interested. Childcare will be made available for in-person sessions.
Save the Date: St. John’s Annual Meeting: On Sunday, January 29 we will have a combined worship and Annual Meeting beginning at 10:00 am. Stay tuned for more information and plan to be there!
Acolytes, Ushers, and Lectors… Oh, my! Attention all people of St. John’s! Rev. Michelle will offer a forum after worship on February 26. During this forum, you will learn more about different liturgical duties and be invited to register for training. We’ll talk about Lectors, Sacristans, Acolytes, and Ushers – all of whom are important to our common worship at St. John’s. People from age 6 to adult are welcome to consider these ministries.
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: February 2: The Plot, by Jean Hanff Korelitz; March 2: Inside the O’Briens, by Lisa Genova. If we have bad weather during the winter, we will switch to a Zoom meeting. Interested? Talk with Lynn Dennison.
Ulster Immigrant Defense Network needs Food Sponsors. You can support an immigrant family for 1, 2, 3, or 4 weeks a month. The cost is $45/week. Sponsorship forms are available on the bulletin board in the vestibule. Or send a one-time donation to UIDN, 30 Pine Grove Ave, Kingston.
Have an announcement for the bulletin?
Please send by Wednesday at noon to stjohnskingston@aol.com.