The Good News of St. John’s

The St. John’s Annual Meeting is a time for us to come together and have a larger conversation about what St. John’s has done in the past year and what we’re looking forward to in the coming year. You may recall that we held the Annual Meeting online last year, combining it with our Sunday worship. This year, we’ve decided to do the same thing. As the rector, I don’t believe that we could effectively have the kind of interaction we need to have while keeping each other safe during this rise in COVID rates.

So, please plan for the following:
We will meet online only for a combined worship service and annual meeting on Sunday, January 30 at 10:00 am. For those who cannot meet online via Zoom at home, we will have some minimal accommodation in the St. John’s Parish Hall, where we have a large screen. Please be in touch directly with Rev. Michelle if you need assistance in coming to the Annual Meeting.

Regarding the blue Ministry forms that you were given on January 16, please do fill them out and bring them to church with you either this coming Sunday, Jan 23 or the following Sunday, Feb 6. We will have some time set aside during the Annual Meeting to discuss ministry for the coming year.

Thank you, once again, for your flexibility as we continue to live through this pandemic together.

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Seeds of Hope

One of my Christmas gifts from Ana this year was a gift certificate to Hudson Valley Seed Company. I savored the idea of choosing which seeds to grow this coming year and, when I had some time, I sat down and went through their website and made my choices. Then, later that week, we stopped by their store in Accord to pick them up. And it’s so exciting!

We have honeynut squash, zucchini, tri-color beans, purple tomatillos, rainbow carrots, several kinds of tomatoes – including one that is good for drying and processing… and lots more. Then I also ordered some flowers – sunflowers, zinnia, marigold, sweetpeas… I sigh with joy whenever I think about it this year’s garden. Soon it will be time to begin sowing some of these seeds inside.

And it reminds me of something I read a few weeks ago – I plant seeds because I live in hope.

Hope is one of those tricky concepts, I think. We often equate “hope” with wishing, limiting our hope to only what our imagination can fathom. But real hope is so much bigger and also a little harder. Hope is a belief in life itself – without attachment and expectation. Every time I plant a seed, I suppose there is the hope of a fruitful harvest, if I’m honest. But really, I also love the process of watching things grow and transform and become who or what they were meant to be.

So, even though I’ve never grown carrots before and so many people say that they have trouble growing carrots, and even though I dream that we have some amazing carrots to eat… I have to remember that’s just one part of all of this. Because, really, what God is asking of me, is to be present with these seeds and the seedlings they become and the process of nurturing them into plants. And then… seeing what they are going to do.

May we all plant seeds of hope that bring us joy.

In God’s love and mine,
Rev. Michelle

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Announcements for
January 23, 2022

Altar Flower Slots for 2022: The following Sundays are open for those who wish to make a dedication in the name of their loved ones with altar flowers. April 24, June 12, June 26, October 30. Please contact Elaine Lawrence via email to discuss: eslawrenc@aol.com

Standing for Election to Vestry on January 30
Every year we vote for people to be on the Vestry. Each vestryperson serves a term of 3 years and each warden serves a term of 2 years. Here is the 2022 slate: Claudette Ford, running for a second term as warden; Paula Wisneski, running for a second term as vestryperson (having completed Jeanne Ruddy’s term); Sara Hutton, running for a first full term as vestryperson (having completed a one-year term).
Questions? Ask one of our wardens, Lynn Dennison or Claudette Ford or Rev. Michelle

Announcing a new program at St. John’s!
Click here for more info!

Page Turners Book Club: The books for the next several months have been announced: February 1- Oh, William, by Elizabeth Strout; March 1-The Rules of Magic, by Alice Hoffman; April 5- Cloud Cuckoo Land, by Anthony Doerr; May 3- The Murmur of Bees, by Sofia Segova. Speak with Lynn Dennison for more information.

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

St. John’s Upcoming Schedule
Jan 30: St. John’s Annual Meeting – ONLINE
Feb 6: St. Brigid’s Feast Day, transferred
Feb 13: Guest Preacher: The Rev. Richard Witt, Rural and Migrant Ministries
Feb 27: All Ages: Building the Lent Ark, St. John’s 2-4 pm
Mar 1: Shrove Tuesday
Mar 2: Ash Wednesday
Mar 5: Vestry Retreat at Huntington House
Apr 10: Palm Sunday
Apr 14: Maundy Thursday
Apr 15: Good Friday
Apr 16: Holy Saturday and Easter Vigil
Apr 17: Easter Sunday