St. John’s Kids and Family Night:
Christian Formation for Children and Families
All who are interested may attend this event!
Please be sure to RSVP so we have enough pizza.
___________________________________________
Harvest of Joy
The garden is such a good teacher for me.
Last year, Ana and I were still recovering from very severe bouts of COVID so, when it came to the garden, we decided to go ahead with it because we felt like we needed to do it. But as the spring wore on, we could not seem to get little things done and opted for what we thought were easy solutions. We ended up with quite a mess – an overgrown, mosquito-ridden, gnat-filled space where all manner of pests took out most of our vegetables. We didn’t enjoy being in the garden at all. And I have to say, I took great pleasure in ripping out the plants at the end of the season.
Lesson for me: When you’re sick, take care of yourself instead of taking on a large project.
This year, we both feel a lot better. And we took the time to plan and do some research. Throughout the spring and summer, we’ve been able to do a little bit here and a little bit there so it doesn’t ever feel overwhelming. And, even though the summer has been anything but calm and we have had very little rain, we are the beneficiaries of quite an abundant harvest so far. We are truly enjoying our time this year as we learn about new vegetables (for us) and watch how everything grows.
Lesson for me: Know what you have the energy and capacity to do. Then, listen to experts and make good plans. Enjoy the time you do spend and don’t give yourself any grief for past mistakes.
Because I tend to take on too much, these lessons from the garden are about slowing myself down and finding pleasure in the things I do. I also know that two different people could take on the same task and would learn completely different things about themselves. My lessons wouldn’t necessarily be your lessons. And I think this is most of what life is for us humans – learning as we go. It’s not just that we learn how to do things, it’s that we learn more about ourselves, not just about limitations and gifts but about who we are in the process.
So, in whatever you decide to do with your time for these remaining weeks of summer, I hope that you’ll take time for reflection too so that you can experience the joy God intends for us.
In God’s love and mine,
Rev. Michelle
___________________________________________
Announcements for the Eleventh Sunday of Pentecost
August 21, 2022
Kids & Family Night: Calling all young children! Bring your parents to Kids & Family Night at St. John’s on Monday, August 29 at 6:00 pm. We’ll have pizza, talk Sunday School programs for the upcoming year, and Leah Siuta will offer a Godly Play story. No need to bring anything except yourself. All families with kids are invited!
Benefit Concert for Ukraine: Sunday, September 11! Arts & Crafts Tent Opens at 3:00 pm and Concert begins at 4:00 pm. The Kingston Interfaith Council is hosting the event here at St. John’s.
Purchase tickets! $20 (suggested) kingstoninterfaithcouncil.org/events
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.
Feeding people is our jam! St. John’s Harvest is back!
Join us in the kitchen to clean, chop, stir, and make cool stuff on the last Saturday of the month from 10-5. Last year, we canned jams, chutney, and conserves; made Sara’s soap, hand sanitizer, and Jocelyn’s amazing Beeswax wraps! No experience necessary. Hands of all ages welcome. Show up for shifts of 2, 4, or 6 hours, and let’s have fun while we raise money for St. John’s! Mark your calendar: August 27th; Sept. 24th, and Oct. 29th
St. John’s Walkers: Let’s get moving! We do one walk a week, alternating morning and evening times, so pick the times that work for you and let’s get moving! We meet at the location. If you need a ride, contact Ana Hernandez at ana@anahernandez.org or 914-357-0365 and she will arrange a ride. We need people to lead walks and come up with ideas for walks, keeping in mind that we have people of all abilities. Summer Walking Schedule: Tues, August 23, 9am; Thurs, August 30, 7pm; Tues, Sept. 6, 9am
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
.