This Week at St. John’s
Outreach Committee: Meets after worship on Sunday
The St. John’s Outreach Committee discusses ways to support community care efforts in and around Kingston. They oversee our Outreach Fund, giving financial support to various organizations. Join in the conversation after worship on Sunday. All are welcome!
Inquirer’s Class – This Sunday from 1:00-3:30 pm
We begin a two-part primer on reading scripture as a part of the Inquirer’s Class Series from 1:00-3:30 pm on April 23 and May 7. How We Read Scripture in the Episcopal Church. We begin with the Hebrew Scriptures or as they are often called, the Old Testament. In the second session, we delve into the Greek Scriptures, or the New Testament. Why spend 2 sessions talking about scripture? To put it into perspective, we claim that Holy Scripture contains all things necessary for salvation. And “perspective” is one of the important things to discuss as we take a look at scripture. So, what lens are we using? Where did all these writings come from? What are some helpful resources/guides? We will discuss these questions and more, and also spend time reading scripture together.
Stay tuned! Rev. Michelle will soon be announcing a weekly Bible Study class to which all are invited!
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A Party to Plan Parties: St. John’s Event Planning
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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Announcement from the St. John’s Vestry
Dear Fellow Parishioners,
Happy Spring!! With this season of new growth, reflection and recommitment upon us, we wanted to update you on the recent work that the Vestry has taken on. As you know from previous meetings and announcements, we have been considering a reduction in Rev. Michelle’s hours as a means of addressing the financial hardship our church is facing.
We have now made a decision to have Rev. Michelle begin a revised schedule of 60% of her current hours, beginning June 1, 2023. The priorities for her work with us will continue to focus on Worship Leadership, Pastoral Care and Christian Formation. These are, of course, Rev. Michelle’s gifts, experience, and education. We will continue to discuss how we, as a congregation, can work together to address some of the responsibilities that Rev. Michelle will have less time to focus on. This will include such things as office administration, buildings and grounds, stewardship, special events, etc.
It is important to recognize that this change is something that Rev. Michelle is very comfortable with as it also allows her to pursue other pastoral endeavors in our community and in the diocese. We are truly appreciative of the discernment work we have done with one another, as well as the discernment done by former vestry members and the congregation as a whole. This has not been an easy decision. However, we are optimistic that this challenge also presents new opportunities to come together as a worshipping community and for each of us to consider how we can contribute our time, talents and treasure to St. John’s.
Please feel free to reach out to any member of the Vestry if you would like to discuss this.
Leah Siuta and Claudette Ford – Wardens
Liz Moeller, Nilsa Rodriguez-Jaca, Sara Hutton, Paula Wisneski, Kathy Burdick – Vestrypeople
The St. John’s Rental Program:
What’s Happening During the Week at St. John’s?
Our rental program is up and running thanks to our Kitchen/Office Administrator, Suzanne Campise. And there is more in the works as we continue to share our space and resources with the larger community of Kingston.
In our Kitchen, we have renters cooking savory pies, mixing teas, baking dog biscuits… and more! In our Parish Hall we have an improv class for kids on Tuesday nights given by Maclain Maier and, in June, the Hudson Valley Hospice will begin offering a Family Grief Support Group on Monday afternoons.
We also just opened our doors to the Bridge Arts and Education program: Qualified teachers offer individual lessons and both kids and adults have the opportunity to participate in jazz and choir ensembles. Their rehearsals are on Sunday afternoons and Tuesday nights in both the Sanctuary and Parish Hall.
We are so thankful to Suzanne for helping us to create a viable model for space rental which makes it more difficult to announce her departure. Suzanne is leaving to pursue work that meets her heart’s desire more completely. As you may recall, Suzanne got this program up and running in Spring of 2022, left to give birth to her first child and then came back in January to continue developing the program. After this first year, we’re very excited about the potential and we are in the process of hiring our next Administrator who, we hope, will continue growing this program and, with it, our connections in the Kingston community and Ulster County.
Stay tuned for an announcement soon about our new Administrator. And thank you, Suzanne, for all you’ve done for us!
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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
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Announcements for April 23
The Third Sunday of Easter
This coming Sunday is Earth Sunday. Join the thousands of Episcopalians who are committing to sustaining the Earth, our island home. Go to: sustainislandhome.org
This Sunday! The St. John’s Outreach Committee meets after worship today in the Parish Hall. All are welcome to join the discussion.
How We Read Scripture in the Episcopal Church. This Sunday, we begin a two-part primer on reading scripture as a part of the Inquirer’s Class Series from 1:00-3:30 pm on April 23 and May 7. We start with the Hebrew Scriptures or as they are often called, the Old Testament. In the second session, we delve into the Greek Scriptures, or the New Testament. Why spend 2 sessions talking about scripture? To put it into perspective, we claim that Holy Scripture contains all things necessary for salvation. And “perspective” is one of the important things to discuss as we take a look at scripture. So, what lens are we using? Where did all these writings come from? What are some helpful resources/guides? We will discuss these questions and more, and also spend time reading scripture together.
NEXT WEEK! Rector’s Forum: Life at the Time of Jesus
Context is everything! And the season of Easter is a wonderful time to delve into what life was like at the time of Jesus and the original Apostles. Join Rev. Michelle after worship on April 30 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?
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.
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 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
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2023 Easter Season at St. John’s
May 7: All Ages Worship – Resilience in Christ AND Inquirer’s Class – How We Read Scripture II: The Greek Scriptures, from 1:00-3:30 pm.
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 AND Inquirer’s Class – What We Do: Ministry and the Baptismal Covenant, from 1:00-3:30 pm.
May 28: Feast of Pentecost
June 4: All Ages Worship – The Creation Story
June 11: Guest Preacher – The Rev. Richard Witt of Rural and Migrant Ministries
June 18: Godly Play for kids, Healing Sunday AND Pastoral Care meeting, after worship
June 25: Rector’s Forum: Celtic Christianity, after worship
July 2: Summer Worship begins in the Parish Hall