St. John’s Episcopal Church
207 Albany Avenue, Kingston, NY 12401

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The Good News of St. John’s

March, 2022

  1. March 4

    This Sunday March 6: Social Hour Returns with a Special Conversation

    As has been announced, now that the covid numbers are dropping again, we are coming back together for Social Hour after worship. Yay! This week, Barbara Johnston (our Hospitality coordinator) will host Social Hour but we need others to host too. So you are invited to sign up on the bulletin board in the vestibule.
    No host, no Social Hour that day. And we do want Social Hour!

    And this Sunday, our Social Hour time will feature a special conversation about the search for a new Bishop for the Diocese of New York. In last week’s newsletter, Rev. Michelle wrote about the search for the new Bishop. And, as members of this diocese, it is extremely important to make sure our voices are heard. So, let’s have a conversation about the responsibilities of a bishop, the current context of the church, and what kind of support we need in the Hudson Valley.

    The Committee to Elect a Bishop has launched a survey to get your thoughts, which closes on Monday, March 14 and can be found here: Episcopal Diocese of New York Bishop Search – A Website of the Episcopal Diocese of New York (dioceseny.org)

    Rev. Michelle will have 2 computers at the ready on Sunday so that you can easily fill out the survey before you leave church. So, please be sure to stay for this special and important conversation!

    In addition, you will find a schedule of listening sessions below. These are times when members of the Committee to Elect a Bishop will be present to listen to everyone in the Diocese of New York – that’s you! There is a link to register for each one. Each of these sessions will:

    • include a short introduction to some of our committee members;
    • provide an opportunity for you to share your thoughts, opinions, and ideas;
    • include an introduction to the Committee’s process and next steps; and
    • be held via Zoom.

    Region-specific sessions will focus on the regions listed, but you are welcome to attend any session.

    Please note that registration is required: click on the Zoom links below to register.
    Listening Sessions Schedule

    Saturday, March 12 at 4 p.m.
    (Includes Spanish Interpretation)
    https://dioceseny.zoom.us/meeting/register/tZ0rf-CuqjwiH9x8pYJjjGRAiD3KQBSGRUe6

    Monday, March 14 at 7 p.m. – Westchester
    (Includes Spanish Interpretation)
    https://dioceseny.zoom.us/meeting/register/tZ0lfu-uqjwuH9Mp-9g482hGfL166L46d_9r

    Thursday, March 17 at 7 p.m. – Bronx
    https://dioceseny.zoom.us/meeting/register/tZMucumhrTIiE9EcFxI1upPB5wVgkUpDMN1s

    Saturday, March 19 at 4 p.m. – Manhattan
    (Includes ASL Interpretation)
    https://dioceseny.zoom.us/meeting/register/tZYtf-urqTIuG9XsnAJdpx44Yly2JI23NHU5

    Wednesday, March 23 at 7 p.m. – Hudson Valley
    (Includes Spanish Interpretation)
    https://dioceseny.zoom.us/meeting/register/tZYsdemorzMiHNzcaMEZsTJ9v-8aXCSd3gf7

    Thursday, March 24 at 7 p.m. – Staten Island
    https://dioceseny.zoom.us/meeting/register/tZYocuusqjkpEtDn6FfmHBeJ4pKzuG1ww6LA

    Saturday, March 26 at 4 p.m.
    (Includes Spanish Interpretation)
    https://dioceseny.zoom.us/meeting/register/tZAlcuiurTgsHdeu0mz2vS4HgZ-35dZBOmCo
    ____________________________________________________________________________

    The 80th General Convention of the Episcopal Church: Hearings and Committee Deliberation Continue

    Every 3 years, a rather large group of Episcopalians meet to make decisions about the ministry and mission of the Episcopal Church. This group, called the General Convention, was due to meet for the 80th time in 2021. But, because of the pandemic, the officers of the General Convention decided to postpone the meeting until this year. This coming July, the General Convention will meet in Baltimore, MD.

    Along with this postponement, comes something new – the meetings are beginning several months earlier and they are taking place over Zoom. This means the work of General Convention more available to people across the Church. You can join a Zoom meeting to watch the hearings and even sign up to testify in support of or to argue against any resolution begin considered by the 80th General Convention.

    Resolutions are assigned to different Legislative Committees for reflection. Then the Legislative Committees will decide how to move each resolution forward for voting in July when General Convention meets.

    How do I participate?

    1. Begin by going to the General Convention’s “virtual binder” where you can find all the information you need about what resolutions are being considered and when the hearings are taking place. Click this link to go to the virtual binder: General Convention Virtual Binder (vbinder.net)
    2. Once you’re on the website, go to “Legislative Committee Meetings” to view the schedule and the docket for that Committee. If you’d like to review the Resolutions themselves, click on “Resolutions” instead. It will tell you which Legislative Committee has been assigned to it.
    3. Decide which meetings you would like to attend and/or offer testimony in.
    4. Send a request to attend by clicking here: Legislative Committee Meetings — The General Convention of The Episcopal Church.  Note: You must register at least 2 days before the committee is set to meet.

    _______________________________________________________________

    Renewal: An Invitation to a Holy Lent


    Our guest preacher at our noonday service on Ash Wednesday, the Rev. Canon Victor Conrado, asked us, “What will you do with your one wild and precious life?” It’s a quote from a Mary Oliver poem, of course, but in the context of Ash Wednesday, we are reminded of the immediacy of this question because we are also reminded of our own mortality.

    And so we look to Lent this year as a time of renewal. To reconnect to our wild and precious self and rediscover the deep desire of our heart, this gift from God that brings us to our truest calling and our most profound ministry.

    This week, we begin our season of Lent, a journey of renewal. Traditionally, Lent is a time is set aside for self-examination and repentance. But, as Canon Victor said in his sermon, what if Lent were less about what has happened in the past and more about becoming into the future? What if we spend time examining our wild selves? What if we take this time to repent from practices that deaden us? And then, Lent becomes a time to remove from our lives those things that close us down and keep us bound to past mistakes so that we can open up to the renewal God has waiting for us.

    You are invited to the observance of a Holy Lent. A time of Renewal.

    In God’s love and mine,
    Rev. Michelle

    ____________________________________________________________

    Announcements for
    March 6, 2022

    Social Hour returns this Sunday! Now that the pandemic numbers have decreased, we are set to resume our social hour. Please join us after worship for coffee and snacks. And sign up on the bulletin board in the Vestibule to be a host! Talk with our Hospitality Coordinator, Barbara Johnston for more information.

    Page Turners Book Club: The books for the next several months have been announced: April 5- Cloud Cuckoo Land, by Anthony Doerr; May 3- The Murmur of Bees, by Sofia Segova. Speak with Lynn Dennison for more information.

    Choir Rehearsal! Begins March 20 after worship. Please contact our Director of Music, Terry Earles, if you are interested in being a part of the choir. All members must be fully vaccinated and will wear masks designed for singing.

    St. John’s is hiring! We are looking for a Rental Manager – someone with commercial kitchen experience who also has communication/promotional skills to promote our space. The position is posted on our website: Employment Opportunities – St. John’s Kingston (stjohnskingston.org)

    And we have hired our new Sexton: Welcome Alex Serrano!
    Alex grew up in this area and also works for Holy Cross/Santa Cruz as their Sexton. He will do both of these part time jobs alongside owning his own landscaping business. When you see him around, please welcome him and introduce yourself!

    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

    Have an announcement for the bulletin?
    Please send by Wednesday at noon to     stjohnskingston@aol.comAnchor.

    St. John’s Upcoming Schedule
    Mar 6: Social Hour Resumes with a Conversation about the Bishop Search
    Mar 20: Choir Rehearsal returns after worship
    Mar 27: Guest Preacher: The Rev. Dcn. Gene Bourquin, Pastoral Minister for Deaf and Disability Ministry – stay after worship for a conversation with Deacon Gene.
    Apr 4: Lenten Healing Service, 7:30 pm
    Apr 10: Palm Sunday
    Apr 14: Maundy Thursday
    Apr 15: Good Friday
    Apr 16: Holy Saturday and Easter Vigil
    Apr 17: Easter Sunday and Egg Hunt!

  2. February 26, 2022

    So Many Things!

    There is so much happening and soon-to-be happening! Here’s a list of announcements.

    Welcome Alex Serrano, our new Sexton!
    As we’ve previously announced, the Vestry decided to hire a Sexton to take care of maintenance on our church properties as well as cleaning in the church building. We’re pleased to welcome Alex Serrano to the staff of St. John’s! Alex grew up in the area and is already the Sexton at Holy Cross/Santa Cruz, across town. He also owns a landscaping company so he’s an expert at outdoor work. If you see him around the church property, please say “Hi! Welcome to St. John’s!” and introduce yourself. Alex will be heading up our Parish clean-up days so everyone who comes to volunteer will get a chance to meet him then.

    Shrove Tuesday Sunset Prayer Fire and Burning of the Palms
    This coming Tuesday, March 1 is Shrove Tuesday, our last day before we begin the season of Lent on Ash Wednesday. As we know, fire is an element of transformation in which one thing becomes another. Come at sunset on Shrove Tuesday, March 1 between 5:30-6:30 pm to the front yard of St. John’s where we will be burning the palms from last year’s Palm Sunday and offering a prayer fire. Write your prayers down and bring them to be offered to God in the fire and be sure to bring your palms so they can become our ashes for Ash Wednesday. And, if you want to sit for a while, bring a chair!

    Ash Wednesday: Ashes-to-go and Ash Wednesday Services
    This coming Ash Wednesday we will host our yearly outreach to the Kingston community with Ashes-to-go. Between 7:00 – 9:00 am and 4:00 – 6:00 pm, several ministers of St. John’s will be out front along Albany Ave to greet people and, to those who ask, pray with and offer the imposition of ashes. If you would like to be involved in this ministry, reach out to Rev. Michelle.
    While Ashes-to-go is an outreach to the larger community of Kingston, the members of St. John’s should make the time to attend one of 2 Ash Wednesday services: 12:00 noon or 7:00 pm. At 12:00 noon, we’ll have a guest preacher – Canon Victor Conrado, who leads the Congregational Development ministry on the Diocesan Staff.

    CANCELLATION: Building the Lent Art
    Our event on Sunday, February 27 from 2-4 called Building the Lent Ark has been cancelled. Look for more opportunities for all ages formation in the coming months.

    Continuation of Masking Policy at St. John’s
    While we recognize there are some relaxation of masking policies across the state of NY, St. John’s is maintaining our masking policy for the time being. Whenever you are in the building, please remain masked. The exception to this is that when people are leading worship, they may remove their mask.

    Social Hour Returns on March 6
    Now that the winter covid surge has passed, we feel comfortable once again to engage in Social Hour after worship. There is a new sign-up on the bulletin board in the vestibule so take a look and sign up to host today! Speak with Barbara Johnston if you have questions.

    The St. John’s Choir Returns in April
    Choir rehearsal will begin in late March in anticipation of our choir returning to lead worship on Easter Sunday. If you’re interested in joining choir, speak with Terry Earles. All members must be vaccinated and will wear special masks for singing. Choir members can look for more information in your email about rehearsal dates.

    ____________________________________________________________________________

    The 80th General Convention of the Episcopal Church:
    Hearings and Committee Deliberation Continue

    Every 3 years, a rather large group of Episcopalians meet to make decisions about the ministry and mission of the Episcopal Church. This group, called the General Convention, was due to meet for the 80th time in 2021. But, because of the pandemic, the officers of the General Convention decided to postpone the meeting until this year. This coming July, the General Convention will meet in Baltimore, MD.

    Along with this postponement, comes something new – the meetings are beginning several months earlier and they are taking place over Zoom. This means the work of General Convention more available to people across the Church. You can join a Zoom meeting to watch the hearings and even sign up to testify in support of or to argue against any resolution begin considered by the 80th General Convention.

    Resolutions are assigned to different Legislative Committees for reflection. Then the Legislative Committees will decide how to move each resolution forward for voting in July when General Convention meets.

    How do I participate?

    1. Begin by going to the General Convention’s “virtual binder” where you can find all the information you need about what resolutions are being considered and when the hearings are taking place. Click this link to go to the virtual binder: General Convention Virtual Binder (vbinder.net)
    2. Once you’re on the website, go to “Legislative Committee Meetings” to view the schedule and the docket for that Committee. If you’d like to review the Resolutions themselves, click on “Resolutions” instead. It will tell you which Legislative Committee has been assigned to it.
    3. Decide which meetings you would like to attend and/or offer testimony in.
    4. Send a request to attend by clicking here: Legislative Committee Meetings — The General Convention of The Episcopal Church.  Note: You must register at least 2 days before the committee is set to meet.

    __________________________________________________________________________

    Discerning the Qualities of a New Bishop: Your Voice Is Needed!


    Last fall, I made a few announcements to let you know that our Bishop Diocesan, Andy Dietsche is retiring. As you may recall, Bishop Andy’s last visit with us was on October 31 when he received 5 of our members into the Episcopal Church and baptized Richard Smith.

    Just like there are several kinds of positions a priest can have, depending upon the size and needs of the congregation, there are several positions a bishop can have, based on the size and needs of the diocese. But most of our dioceses have a Bishop Diocesan. This person is the chief officer of a diocese and is also the person who, along with others, sets the missional direction of the diocese. The bishop is responsible for management as well as vision.

    In my announcements, I also told you that I was elected to the Committee to Elect a Bishop, also known as the CEB. This committee has 8 other members plus a consultant to help direct our efforts. We meet once a month and, in between, various subcommittees do the work of the larger group.

    Over the coming weeks, I’ll be talking more about the work of a bishop because the first responsibility we have as the CEB is to listen to the members of the diocese to learn more about what we are seeking in a bishop. This means the voice of everyone is important – including YOU!

    To begin, ALL the members of the diocese have been asked to fill out a simple survey. Ask yourself these questions as you begin to discern what kind of qualities we need in a new bishop:

    • The congregation of St. John’s serves in Kingston – a significant part of the Hudson Valley and of Ulster County. What is happening here? What are powers/systems at work? Who are the people in need? How can we continue to build-up the church here, so that it is attentive to its mission to be Christ in and for the world?
    • What unique voice does the Episcopal Church bring to this place and to the larger culture?
    • What is happening in American society and how is the church affected by that?
    • How is the church called to respond to the larger culture in this place at this time?
    • Then, ask yourself, what kind of qualities do we need in a bishop to help us with all of this?

    Once you have done this reflection, please take the time to fill out this survey:
    Episcopal Diocese of New York Bishop Search – A Website of the Episcopal Diocese of New York (dioceseny.org)

    This is NOT the only opportunity you will have to share your thoughts. Please be looking for opportunities to join online Zoom conversations with the members of the Committee to Elect a Bishop in the month of March.

    Once these listening sessions have been completed, the CEB will write up a profile that will be published in April to the larger church in order to seek applicants for this position. I will be sure to pass that along to you.

    This is an important time in the life of our diocese and of our own congregation of St. John’s. I look forward to hope-filled conversations with you as our discernment begins.

    In God’s love and mine,
    Rev. Michelle

    ______________________________________________________________

    Announcements for
    February 27, 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

    Sunset Prayer Fire and Burning of Ashes: As we know, fire is an element of transformation in which one thing becomes another. Come at sunset on Shrove Tuesday, March 1 between 5:30-6:30 pm to the front yard of St. John’s where we will be burning the palms from last year’s Palm Sunday and offering a prayer fire. Write your prayers down and bring them to be offered to God in the fire and be sure to bring your palms so they can become our ashes for Ash Wednesday. And, if you want to sit for a while, bring a chair!

    Page Turners Book Club: The books for the next several months have been announced: 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 for the bulletin?
    Please send by Wednesday at noon to     stjohnskingston@aol.comAnchor.

    St. John’s Upcoming Schedule
    Mar 1: Sunset Outdoor Prayer Fire and Burning of Palms from 5:30-6:30 pm
    Mar 2: Ash Wednesday
        7:30 – 9:00 am Ashes-to-go
        12:00 noon Ash Wednesday service, Guest Preacher: The Rev. Canon Victor Conrado
        4:00 – 6:00 pm Ashes-to-go
        7:00 pm Ash Wednesday service
    Mar 5: Vestry Retreat at Huntington House from 10-4
    Mar 27: Guest Preacher: The Rev. Dcn. Gene Bourquin, Pastoral Minister for Deaf and Disability Ministry – stay after worship for a conversation with Deacon Gene.
    Apr 10: Palm Sunday
    Apr 14: Maundy Thursday
    Apr 15: Good Friday
    Apr 16: Holy Saturday and Easter Vigil
    Apr 17: Easter Sunday and Egg Hunt!

  3. February 12, 2022

    2021 Pledge Statements and 2022 Ministry Surveys

    Pledge Statements
    Pledge statements for 2021 are now printed and available. You can pick them up at church beginning this coming Sunday (February 13). So, please check with our Treasurer Wes Dangler and pick up your statement.

    If you have any issues with your statement, please gather those details and get them to Rev. Michelle as soon as you’re able. She will work with our bookkeeper Pat Allen to clear up any concerns.

    Ministry Surveys
    Please be sure to get your blue Ministry Surveys back to Rev. Michelle either this week or next. You can place them into the collection plate or in her mailbox in the Vestibule.

    ____________________________________________________________________________

    The 80th General Convention of the Episcopal Church: Hearings begin this week!

    Every 3 years, a group of Episcopalians meet to make decisions about the ministry and mission of the Episcopal Church. This group is called the General Convention. In 2021, the General Convention was due to meet for the 80th time. But, because of the pandemic, the officers of the General Convention decided to postpone the meeting until this year. So in July, the General Convention will meet in Baltimore, MD.

    Along with this postponement, comes something new – the meetings are beginning several months earlier and they are taking place over Zoom. This has never happened before. But the good part is that it makes the work of General Convention more available to all of us.

    Rather than making a trip to the location where General Convention meets “in session,” you can join a Zoom meeting to watch the hearings and even sign up to testify in support of or to argue against any resolution begin considered by the 80th General Convention.

    Resolutions are assigned to different Legislative Committees for reflection. Then the Legislative Committees will decide how to move each resolution forward for voting in July when General Convention meets.

    How do I participate?

    1. Begin by going to the General Convention’s “virtual binder” where you can find all the information you need about what resolutions are being considered and when the hearings are taking place. Click this link to go to the virtual binder: General Convention Virtual Binder (vbinder.net)
    2. Once you’re on the website, go to “Legislative Committee Meetings” to view the schedule and the docket for that Committee. If you’d like to review the Resolutions themselves, click on “Resolutions” instead. It will tell you which Legislative Committee has been assigned to it.
    3. Decide which meetings you would like to attend and/or offer testimony in.
    4. Send a request to attend by clicking here: Legislative Committee Meetings — The General Convention of The Episcopal Church.  Note: You must register at least 2 days before the committee is set to meet.

    As you may recall, Rev. Michelle has been elected to be a deputy to General Convention from the Diocese of New York. She has been assigned to Legislative Committee 15 – Ministry. This committee is responsible for any resolutions that have to do with the training, education, and accountability of both lay and ordained ministers as well as the structures that support ministry. Her Legislative Committee is hosting a hearing on Wednesday, February 23 at 7:30 pm. If you want to join that meeting, click the link above under #4 and send a request.

    __________________________________________________________

    The Beauty of Ash Wednesday


    “Remember that you are dust and to dust you shall return.”

    This is the phrase I utter when I impose ashes on someone’s forehead. It’s an honor to speak these words, offering them to another human being as a reminder of how invaluable and precious their life is. How exquisite and dear all life is. We come from this earth, this dust. And it is to this earth we shall return.

    It’s humbling. It’s empowering. And it’s beautiful.

    Each year since I’ve been at St. John’s, one of the most significant ways we have reached out to the wider Kingston community is through offering Ashes-to-go. So many people have left the church behind for so many different reasons. And, over these 7 years, I’ve found that Ashes-to-go not only reminds people about who we are, but it reminds them about who they are – beloved and precious children of God. If this is the only message that people ever hear from St. John’s, then I will have considered our ministry to be a true success.

    I ask you to join me in offering this message to our neighbors. We will be out on Albany Ave during commute times – in the morning and the afternoon. We usually see between 150-200 people that day. We will have sign-ups at church starting on February 20 for those who want to help.

    And, of course, our full in-person Ash Wednesday services will be at 12:00 noon and 7:00 pm. Please make it a priority to be at one of those 2 services.

    In God’s love and mine,
    Rev. Michelle

    ____________________________________________________

    Announcements for
    February 13, 2022

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

    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

    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.

    Undoing Racism Online Workshop ENJAN (End the New Jim Crow Action Network) has been working in the Kingston-Poughkeepsie area for over 10 years to end racism and mass incarceration. The roots of racial oppression are so deeply embedded in our social worlds and our personal lives that they narrow our minds and harden our hearts in ways we don’t even see. It takes intensive training and a supportive community to bring this to light.  Undoing Racism Workshops have been offered by the Peoples’ Institute for Survival and Beyond to provide this training and create this community nationally and internationally for over 40 years. These powerful and inspiring workshops combine education on racism as a social and historical system with personal reflection on how this affects each of us. They provide a first glimpse of what it’s like to build an anti-racist culture and community. Racism will not end on its own!
    The online workshop is scheduled for Friday-Sunday, February 25-27, 10am – 4pm each day.  If you would like to register, there is a link on the St. John’s website: stjohnskingston.org/grow/racial-justice-and-reconciliation

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

    St. John’s Upcoming Schedule

    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
    Mar 27: Guest Preacher: The Rev. Dcn. Gene Bourquin, Pastoral Minister for Deaf and Disability Ministry – stay after worship for a conversation with Deacon Gene.
    Apr 10: Palm Sunday
    Apr 14: Maundy Thursday
    Apr 15: Good Friday
    Apr 16: Holy Saturday and Easter Vigil
    Apr 17: Easter Sunday

  4. January 21, 2022

    St. John’s Annual Meeting Is Online January 30

    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.

    ________________________________________________________________________

    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

    __________________________________________________________

    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

  5. January 13, 2022

    All Ages Christian Formation

    A New Formation Program at St. John’s
    Have you ever been reading one of our Biblical stories and wondered, “What if… ?” Or “Why?” All of us are invited to join in wondering together as we inhabit one of our most treasured Bible stories – Noah’s Ark. The Rev. Suzanne Guthrie (Amma Suzanne) will be joining us for an afternoon of all-ages fun in a program called Building the Lent Ark on Sunday, February 27 from 2-4 pm. We begin by exploring the story of Noah’s Ark together. Then, the adults and the younger people will have time apart to reflect and pray. Finally, we will come back together for singing and a snack.

    All are invited – people at St. John’s, people from other churches, people who don’t go to church at all. All, we ask is that you register so we know how many are planning to come. It’s easy to do, just fill out the form here: Building the Lent Ark – Registration

    There are more events like this coming throughout the year so be on the lookout and register for them too!

    Christian Formation at Home
    During the pandemic, we have also been sending kits home so that families can engage in Christian formation. For Epiphany, a season in which we are invited to bring the light of Christ with us so that it may be shared with others, our take-home kit is the Epiphanytide Home Blessing Kit. Each kit contains a set of prayers plus a small jar of Holy Water and some chalk, elements used in the blessing of a home. Plus, there are directions for Making Prayer Stars which can be shared with others or can be used as reminders throughout the year of the call to carry Christ’s light through our intentions and prayers.

    We will bless the kits this Sunday when we bless the water in the font together so that everyone may take them home. We’ll have the kits on hand throughout the Season After the Epiphany, which ends on March 2, Shrove Tuesday.

    Look for more take-home Christian Formation activities for all ages! Later this month, we will hand out kits to make St. Brigid’s Crosses at home at the beginning of February.

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    Ministry and Recommitment

    Our Pledge Campaign last year focused on 3 themes – Recommitment, Renewal, and Reconciliation. When we developed these 3 themes, the Stewardship Team wanted to use them to frame our entire year of 2022 – in liturgy, in formation, in stewardship, in prayer… in everything. For the Season After the Epiphany (January and February) we will focus on the theme of Recommitment. In Lent and Easter (March 2-June 4), we will focus on Renewal. And during the Season After Pentecost (June 5- Nov 20), we will focus on Reconciliation.

    It’s not unusual that the theme of Recommitment comes in January, at the beginning of the year. It’s a traditional time of recommitment – we make plans, we make resolutions, we go on diets, so on and so on. But the question out there is, what are we recommitting ourselves to? For that matter, WHO are we recommitting ourselves to?

    Believing that the God we worship is the God of Life who is Love is an important place to begin, I think. Because everything else can flow from that belief. If God is Love, and I am committing myself to Love and to truly living into that, then what does that mean for me?

    If we start with Love, what flows from us becomes ministry, regardless of where that takes place. When we come from Love, we are using our gifts to co-create God’s Reign on earth because we desire to make love, in all its forms, a reality. For ministry isn’t something that only feeds others, it feeds us too. The more we offer love, the more we experience love. This is a truth that’s hard to believe until we begin to experience it for ourselves.

    And… we are not a bottomless source of anything. We need to take stock of what we are able to offer – in time, talent, and treasure. I hope that, this year, you will spend some time during this month of January, to consider your ministry at St. John’s… and beyond. What are you committing to in this coming year? Are you ready to learn something new? Do you want to do more of what you already love to do? Are you willing to help out in other ways to support the larger community of St. John’s?

    We’re handing out a blue Ministry Survey during worship over the next several weeks. Please take it home with you and pray about the ministries listed on the sheet. See what God says in your prayer time. At the end of the month, on Jan 30 at our Annual Meeting, I’ll collect them from you and make sure that ministry team leaders are aware of your commitments for the coming year. And if you’d like to talk it through me with, please reach out to me. I’d love to help you discern.

    In God’s love and mine,
    Rev. Michelle

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    Announcements for
    January 16, 2022

    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.

    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!

    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 and Ministry Fair
    Feb 27: Building the Lent Ark, from 2-4 pm at St. John’s
    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

  6. January 7, 2022

    Expanding a Program at St. John’s: Facility Rental

    Hopefully, it’s no secret that the St. John’s building is available for use by a wide variety of programs and organizations. We have and continue to rent our space to 12-step groups and exercise groups and prayer groups… just to name a few. These organizations are a part of the larger St. John’s Community. What we are creating with the people who share our space is much more than an agreement or a contract. It’s a relationship, a covenant – to share and build community together.

    For the new year, the Vestry wants to expand our missional focus of sharing our space and resources. They have voted to expand our rental program to include a focused effort on renting our commercial kitchen. Not only will this expand our reach into the community, it will also enable new entrepreneurs who are a part of the evolving Kingston “foodie” scene, to have a place to develop their craft and their business.

    Because we will increase the income we receive from this part of our budget, we are hiring two new part time employees to support the rental program – a Sexton and a Rental Manager. These two positions will directly support the rental program. The Sexton will ensure that the facility is clean and well-maintained (this includes the Rectory and the grounds) and the Rental Manager will ensure that people know about our facility and will manage communications and contracts with all of our renters.

    We need your help! You can find these job descriptions on our website at Employment Opportunities – St. John’s Kingston. Will you please share these job descriptions with people you know? You may know someone looking for a job like this or you may know someone who can get the word out to a wider group of people. You can download them from the website and email them as attachments or just email the link to this page of the website.

    And stay tuned for more information! Soon, we will have a page on our website devoted to our expanded rental program and other ways to pass along information to those who want to become a part of our extended St. John’s Community.

    __________________________________________________________________

    Rectory Heating Update!

    The Vestry met for an emergency Zoom session on Thursday, January 6 and voted to install a new gas furnace in the Rectory. The furnace is an upgrade to a 95% efficient Ruud model and will be installed this coming Tuesday (January 11) by HWS here in Kingston. Matt from HWS has been great to work with so far and the Vestry is pleased with the choice, especially that he can schedule the installation on such short notice.

    The Buildings and Grounds Committee worked hard over the Christmas season to do some good, solid research on options – including those that explored the possibility of getting the Rectory off of fossil fuels. There were several options to choose from and they also consulted with the architect who is consulting on our larger project of roof repair and accessibility concerns in the church building. In the end, because the Rectory is an historic structure with stone walls, the choice was clear and the Vestry voted unanimously to accept the recommendation by the Buildings and Grounds Committee.

    Rev. Michelle is deeply thankful for the ministry of both groups and the effort they made to expand their knowledge and ask the right questions. Well done!

    ____________________________________________________________

    The Endless Season of Uncertainty

    I love to make plans. You can ask my wife Ana… I spend so much time and effort creating my own planner each year out of a dot journal, including pages for planning my garden, my wish list for books to read, and my plans for liturgy and formation at St. John’s. This year, Ana and I also spent a few days doing some vision boards together so that we could become more intentional about our life together.

    I find this to be an extremely life-giving practice every year because it offers an opportunity for reflection about what’s important in my life and my ministry. In other words, it’s a form of prayer – listening to God’s Holy Spirit inform my choices so, when I’m tired or become upset about something, I can refocus myself instead of just waiting for the next thing… which is more like a default setting for me. It’s an opportunity to recommit myself, just as prayer always is.

    It was during this process over the past couple of weeks, that I realized the exact source of why this Christmas has been so difficult for so many of us – uncertainty. Last Christmas was challenging but this Christmas, we were hit with a new surge just when we thought we might have figured a few things out. This pandemic has most definitely created a great deal of fear and anxiety in our lives. So much life has been lost. And, underlying all of this, is this endless season of uncertainty. So much for all my planning, right?

    When the pandemic started, we thought if we marshalled our efforts, we could “get back to normal.” Soon, of course, we realized that wasn’t going to work because, as we’ve observed, vaccines are a big help but they aren’t eradicating anything. And I don’t know one person who isn’t tired of masks and Zoom. The deeper issue is that we are wholly uncertain, and we don’t know when our uncertainty is going to end.

    In our liturgical life of the church, we are given seasons of uncertainty to dwell in the experience of not-knowing – Advent and Holy Week come to mind. Even still, neither of those quite hold the space for what we are going through, mostly because we know those seasons end in our two most joyous festivals and… they are short. The reality is, we don’t know what’s at “the end” and we don’t know when that end will be.

    What I do know, is that God is in this with us. I believe that with everything I am. But I also know that it helps to acknowledge just how helpless and vulnerable and, perhaps, angry, all this uncertainty makes us feel. To give it a name gives us the power to lift ourselves and reach out a hand to help lift others. In so doing, we usually find that God is right there doing all the lifting for us.

    So, in the midst of this season of uncertainty, what is it that we can make plans for? How do we recommit ourselves to our deepest values and our own heart’s desire?

    I offer a quote from Madeleine L’Engle who lived nearby in Litchfield, CT and wrote A Wrinkle in Time – a beautiful mix of Christian faith and science. This quote isn’t from that book, but from her larger work.
    Epiphany:
    Unclench your fists
    Hold out your hands.
    Take mine.
    Let us hold each other.
    Thus is God’s Glory
    Manifest.

    As we begin this new year, having knelt at the manger of Love’s birth among us, may we recommit ourselves to this path and to one another as we follow Christ’s light in the way of truth and love.

    In God’s love and mine,
    Rev. Michelle

    _______________________________________________________________

    Announcements for
    January 9, 2022

    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.

    EfM- Education for Ministry: Participants in the Episcopal Church program, EfM, spend a year studying each of these 4 topics: Hebrew Bible, New Testament, church history, and theology/ethics and commit to one year at a time. While the course materials provide academic content, the focus of the program is on understanding the call to ministry in our daily lives. EfM provides Christians with a life skill which creates a foundation for Christian ministry — theological reflection. A new group is forming soon in our area! If you are interested, please contact Deacon Teri Jones, group mentor, at terijones@optonlinline.net or 845-453-0422.

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

    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 and Ministry Fair
    Feb 27: Building the Lent Ark, from 2-4 pm at St. John’s
    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

  7. December 23, 2021

    Christmas Services: Changes… Please read!

    We are responding to the increasing need to keep everyone safe this holiday season by making a few changes to our Christmas worship plans.  Please read below for details.

    All Ages Christmas Eve Service  NOW ONLINE
    Friday, December 24 at 5:00 pm 
    We will now be broadcasting our All Ages worship online.  Tune in for a singing angel choir and puppets who will help us tell our most sacred story – the birth of Christ.
    Join us online by clicking here: Online Streaming Worship

    Candlelit Festive Eucharist   NOW ONLINE AND IN PERSON
    Friday, December 24 at 8:00 pm
    Our traditional festive Christmas Eve service with singing and candlelight.  Caroling starts at 7:30 pm.  Join us in person in the St. John’s Sanctuary OR online by clicking here: Online Streaming Worship

    Christmas Day Morning Prayer  ONLINE ONLY
    Saturday, December 25 at 9:00 am
    A brief service of Morning Prayer to offer song and praise for the coming of light and love into the world.  Click here to join: Online Streaming Worship

    Christmas I – The First Sunday of Christmas   IN PERSON ONLY
    Sunday, December 26 at 10:00 am
    Come for Sunday Eucharistic worship to continue celebrating the birth of Love Incarnate.  In person in our sanctuary.

     

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    The Housing Crisis and Our Christmas Story


    Today a group of us from the Kingston Interfaith Council met with NY State Senator Michelle Hinchey. We requested the meeting because we can see the state of true emergency coming in our housing crisis once the moratorium on evictions lifts in mid-January. There are many efforts working on the long-term solution to our housing crisis but, come January, we are going to see a huge number of people without housing in the middle of winter. The good news is that Sen. Hinchey has promised to work alongside us in pushing for an immediate solution as we begin working with county officials to make a plan and put it into action. I’ll continue to be a part of this effort.

    Housing is one of our major concerns as Christians. Our most sacred story – the birth of Christ – utilizes homelessness and itinerancy as one of its themes to demonstrate the miracle of God’s work among us. In the midst of our worldly attachments and our self-centered ways, when we would rather say “Not in my backyard” or “There is no room in the inn,” we are brought to our knees because this is where we will always find God – when we open our hearts to the most vulnerable among us. So, to do whatever we can to make sure there is a safe space for everyone, is at the heart of our faith.

    If you would like to be more involved in this effort, please reach out to me. I will keep you informed as this process unfolds.

    In the meantime, if you would like to support two stellar organizations in our community who are working on the issue of homelessness and housing, I recommend: 1) Catholic Charities who runs the homeless shelter, designed to be a stop-gap solution with no capacity for the enormity of the emergency that’s coming and 2) Kingston City Land Bank who works to transform vacant/distressed properties and keep them at a low cost for Kingston residents as a way of providing social and economic development. Our own parishioner Bob Dennison is on the board of the KCLB so please talk with him more about this wonderful organization.

    One last, much more personal note: Last week, the furnace in the Rectory was deemed unusable. The Vestry is currently doing a lot of good research and discernment about a heating system that will replace the gas furnace. Please keep them all in your prayers as this is a sudden and significant decision.  Ana and I are fine and are keeping as warm as is possible with a series of space heaters in the house so that we don’t have to winterize the property and we can stay in our home. Along with our amazing wardens, Claudette Ford and Lynn Dennison, I will keep you informed as this situation progresses.

    This Christmas season, my dream for you is that you find hope in the truth of Emanuel, which means, God is with us. May you experience that hope so that you may become that hope for others.  And may you remain healthy, safe, and warm.

    In God’s love and mine,
    Rev. Michelle

    _________________________________________________________________

    Announcements for
    December 23, 2021

     

     

    Fellowship Hour Sign up! – The Hospitality Committee invites you to sign up for St John’s Social Hour.  A sign-up sheet is posted on the bulletin board in the Vestibule.  All are welcome to offer their generosity to others & share some good conversation as well. Questions? See Barbara Johnston.

    St. John’s Pledge Campaign continues!  If you haven’t made a financial pledge for 2022 yet, the Stewardship Committee is still receiving pledges.

    The Ulster Immigrant Defense Network (UIDN) will soon be in need of volunteer tutors, to work with motivated students to improve their reading skills. If interested, please let Jeanette Baggot know. An initial prerequisite is completing a Volunteer form located on the Kingston City School District website. More details will soon be on the way!

    Page Turners Book Club: For January 4th the book is, ‘The Lincoln Highway,’ by Amor Towles. The books for the next several months have also 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 2: The Feast of the Epiphany, transferred
    Jan 9: The Baptism of Christ
    Jan 30: St. John’s Annual Meeting and Ministry Fair
    Feb 27: Storytelling with God – More information to come soon!
    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

  8. December 9, 2021

    End of Year Planning

    There are several items to take note of as we close 2021 and look toward 2022.

    Pledging: Please be sure to get your pledges in.  We need both your pledge form for 2022 and your final pledge payments for 2021.  If you have any questions, please speak with Warden Lynn Dennison or Treasurer Wes Dangler.

    Outreach Meeting: The Outreach Team will meet on Sunday, December 12 at 1:00 pm via Zoom.  We will be allocating the rest of our 2021 outreach funds at this meeting.  You can join the meeting by clicking here.

    Project Santa: Please be sure your gifts are at St. John’s by this Sunday, December 12.  We’ve been asked to buy games and puzzles.  If you’d rather not go shopping, you can donate to the effort.  Be sure to notate it’s for Project Santa.

    Christmas Poinsettia Memorials and Thanksgivings: Fill out the envelope enclosed in the bulletins over the next 2 weeks with your money inside and place it in the collection plate or drop it by the Rectory. All memorials and thanksgivings need to be to Rev. Michelle before Wednesday, December 22 so they can be listed in the Christmas Eve bulletin.

    __________________________________________________________________________

    Seasonal Worship Schedule

    Longest Night Healing Service
    Monday, December 20 at 7:00 pm
    A time of mediation, quiet, and prayer set aside on the darkest night of the year to offer space for the heaviness of our lives.  Healing Ministers will be available.  This will be broadcast online: Online Streaming Worship – St. John’s Kingston

    Christmas Eve Family Service
    Friday, December 24 at 5:30 pm
    Join us as we tell our most sacred story together.  Singing and costumes and fun.

    Candlelight Christmas Eve Service
    Friday, December 24 at 8:00 pm
    Our yearly festive Eucharistic service with singing and candlelight.  Caroling starts at 7:30 pm.

    Christmas Day Morning Prayer
    Saturday, December 25 at 9:00 am
    A brief service of Morning Prayer to offer song and praise for the coming of light and love into the world.

    ___________________________________________________________________

    On Grief and Healing at Christmas

    We have all been through so much in the past couple of years as the pandemic has dominated our lives.  So many people have died. So many people have struggled economically and have had their lives disrupted.  So many people have felt utterly overwhelmed in trying to balance everything, missing their families and friends and just feeling safe in public.  I think, even if we aren’t aware of it, we are all carrying some level of grief.  If for no other reason, than to have come to the realization that the pandemic is not ending anytime soon.

    I have not been shy about sharing with you all the personal difficulties in my life that have needed time and space for reflection and healing. As you may recall, I took 3 weeks in the middle of this past summer to get some rest and spend time in retreat for reflection. I know I returned feeling energized to do my work and much more grounded to continue my healing journey.

    And I say “continue” because healing isn’t a one-stop kind of thing.  Most of us have been through enough in our lives to realize the grief that comes from trauma and loss is something that never completely “goes away.” But we can come to a place in which we have healed enough that we stop functioning from our wounded place and begin to live again. We allow hope back into our lives.  We allow ourselves to experience Love in all its fullness.

    This year, more than ever before, Christmas may be a very heavy time.  As we continue to deal with the pandemic and recognize the loss it has created in our lives. As we recall memories of people we miss.  And as we face the darkest time of the year.

    Come to the Longest Night Healing Service on Monday, December 20 at 7:00 pm. All are welcome. The Healing Ministry team has designed a very quiet, meditative service with readings, contemplative music, prayer and silence. Come and sit for a while and give yourself space for whatever you’re feeling.  The sanctuary will open at 6:30 pm for those who just want space to sit, and the service begins at 7:00 pm.  We will broadcast the service on our Youtube channel: St. John’s Episcopal Church Kingston NY – YouTube
    You can also find the link on our website at: Online Streaming Worship – St. John’s Kingston

    In God’s love and mine,
    Rev. Michelle

    _____________________________________________________________________

    Announcements for
    December 12, 2021

     

     

    THIS SUNDAY: Pastoral Care Meeting after worship in the Parish Hall. Outreach Meeting beginning at 1:00 pm on Zoom. Plus, fundraiser items are still available for sale in the Parish Hall.

    NEXT SUNDAY: Stay after the worship service to help us “green” the church.  We need lots of helpers to make sure the sanctuary is ready for Christmas.

    Christmas Poinsettia Memorials  By purchasing a poinsettia, you’re not only helping to decorate the sanctuary for Christmas, but also offering a special memorial or thanksgiving at Christmas time.  All poinsettias will be given out by the Pastoral Care team.  Fill out the envelope enclosed in the bulletin with your money inside, and place it in the collection plate.  Or bring it back next week.  All memorials and thanksgivings will be listed in the Christmas Eve bulletin.

    Longest Night Healing Service is a time of quiet and prayer set aside on the darkest night of the year to offer space for the difficulties we face during the holidays – memories, grief, loneliness.  Monday, December 20 at 7:00 pm.

    Fellowship Hour Sign up! – The Hospitality Committee invites you to sign up for St John’s Social Hour.  A sign-up sheet is posted on the bulletin board in the Vestibule.  All are welcome to offer their generosity to others & share some good conversation as well. Questions? See Barbara Johnston.

    St. John’s Pledge Campaign continues!  If you haven’t made a financial pledge for 2022 yet, the Stewardship Committee is still receiving pledges.  Send your form in with a selfie or, if you’re new to pledging, you’ll find blank forms on the bookcase near the lectern.

    Page Turners Book Club: For January 4th the book is, ‘The Lincoln Highway,’ by Amor Towles.  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
    Dec. 12: Pastoral Care meeting in person after worship
    Outreach meeting at 1:00 pm over Zoom
    Dec. 19: Decorating the Sanctuary after worship
    Dec. 20 (Mon): Longest Night Healing Service, 7:00 pm
    Dec. 24 (Fri): Christmas Eve Family Service, 5:30 pm
    Candlelit Christmas Eve Service, 8:00 pm,
    caroling begins at 7:30 pm
    Dec. 25 (Sat): Christmas Day Morning Prayer (online), 9:00 am

  9. November 20, 2021

    Advent Wreaths

    November 28 marks the beginning of our liturgical year in the Episcopal Church and it’s the beginning of the season of Advent, a time of preparation for the coming of Christ at Christmas.  We shift our Sunday liturgy to include more silence and we intentionally slow down in the midst of the busyness of life.

    One of the most beautiful traditions that many Christians engage in during the season of Advent is the Advent Wreath.  We have this as a part of our Sunday Eucharistic service at St. John’s.  The Advent Wreath serves as one way of preparing for the Light of Christ at Christmas.  During the darkest time of the year in the Northern Hemisphere, as the days get shorter, we purposefully create more light as an act of Hope and a demonstration of our faith in God. Each week on Sunday. as the sun goes down, we light another candle on our Advent Wreath until all 4 are lighted.  We burn the candles down and await the lighting of the Christ candle on Christmas.  The Christ candle stays lit for the 12 days of Christmas.

    There are many ways to create an Advent Wreath at home.  Most people use greenery of some kind to form the “wreath’ itself.  But many people also use a round plate or mirror, or even set aside an area of a table.  For the four weekly candles, you can use whatever color you’d like.  Since it’s a season of preparation, it’s most common to use blue or purple, which are colors that anticipate the coming of royalty.  It’s also very common to use 3 purple and 1 pink (the pink is for “Mary’s Sunday,” which is the third Sunday of Advent).  These candles form a circle around the white Christ Candle. Decorate with whatever you’d like – more greenery, glass baubles, etc.

    Lighting the Advent Wreath is a prayerful activity.  Here’s a liturgy from the Rev. Matthew Kozlowski that is simple and lovely.  Advent-Wreath-Liturgy

    ________________________________________________________

    A Prayer from the St. John’s Pastoral Care Team

    May we, this Thanksgiving as we sit down at our table, remember to be thankful for our food, the farmers who grew it, and all who brought it to our table. May we also think of those who have no feast with family, and try to find a way to assist those in need, so they will have something to be thankful for also. May we be thankful for our family and friends, all those whom we love and care about, and all those who love and care about us. May we be thankful to God for his Love and for all the blessings of this Life. May we be thankful to each of you in our Community of St John’s for being our spiritual inspiration and foundation.

    ___________________________________________________________

    Announcements for
    November 20, 2021

    People’s Place Project Santa!  Every year we are asked by People’s Place to help collect items for their Project Santa.  Once again, we’ve been asked to collect games and puzzles.  Please bring them to church and place them in the basket near the font.  Or write a check, making sure to put “Project Santa” in the note and we’ll do the shopping for you.  Everything must be collected by Sunday, December 12!  So, let’s do what we can to help our neighbors in need have a wonderful holiday.

    UPCOMING HOLIDAY SALES
    St. John’s Harvest Sale!  “Feeding people is our jam!” AND
    Organ Fundraiser Sale! “Child support for Terry’s Baby”
    The St. John’s Harvest Team has been hard at work creating things for you to give as gifts or to enjoy yourselves.  Jams, soups, chutneys, soaps, apple butter… and more!  Meanwhile, a team of parishioners have been working on crafts and artistic works to help raise funds in support of organ repair.
    The members of St. John’s are invited to a special pre-sale on Sunday, December 5 after worship.
    Bring your checkbook, credit card, or cash and come to social hour. All proceeds from the Harvest Team go to fund the general operating expenses for St. John’s.  And all the proceeds from the craft sale go to support the organ repair fund.
    The official public sale will be Saturday, December 11 from 10 – 2, in front of the church.  So, tell your friends!  After that, if we have anything left, we’ll bring it on Sunday, December 12 to sell at social hour.

    Longest Night Healing Service is a time of quiet and prayer set aside on the darkest night of the year to offer space for the difficulties we face during the holidays – memories, grief, loneliness.  Monday, December 20 at 7:00 pm.

    Fellowship Hour Sign up! – The Hospitality Committee invites you to sign up for St John’s Social Hour.  A sign-up sheet is posted on the bulletin board in the Vestibule.  All are welcome to offer their generosity to others & share some good conversation as well. Questions? See Barbara Johnston.

    St. John’s Pledge Campaign continues!  If you haven’t made a financial pledge for 2022 yet, the Stewardship Committee is still receiving pledges.  Send your form in with a selfie or, if you’re new to pledging, you’ll find blank forms on the bookcase near the lectern.

    The Ulster Immigrant Defense Network (UIDN) will soon be in need of volunteer tutors, to work with motivated students to improve their reading skills. If interested, please let Jeanette Baggot know. An initial prerequisite is completing a Volunteer form located on the Kingston City School District website. More details will soon be on the way!

    Page Turners Book Club: For December 7th the book is ‘The Searcher’, by Tana French.  For January 4th the book is, ‘The Lincoln Highway,’ by Amor Towles.  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
    Nov 28: Advent begins
    Dec. 5: St. John’s Holiday Sales: Harvest Team and Organ Fundraiser
    St. John’s Pre-sale, parish hall after worship
    Dec. 11 (Sat): St. John’s Holiday Sales Tent (public sale)
    Harvest Team and Organ Fundraiser, 10-2 in front of church
    Dec. 20 (Mon): Longest Night Healing Service, 7:00 pm
    Dec. 24 (Fri): Christmas Eve Family Service, 5:30 pm AND Candlelit Christmas Eve Service, 8:00 pm, caroling begins at 7:30 pm
    Dec. 25 (Sat): Christmas Day Morning Prayer (online), 9:00 am

  10. November 12, 2021

    PARISH UPDATES: Mailboxes, Diocesan Convention, St. John’s Bible Study

    Sometimes we just need to communicate things to the wider community of St. John’s that aren’t necessarily connected to one another.  This is one of those times.

    Ministry Mailboxes Available
    You may have noticed that we’ve re-instituted mailboxes for different teams/ministries at St. John’s.  They are in the Vestibule next to the kitchen.  Please make use of them to communicate with others.  And those of you who are responsible for them, please check them every week.  Thank you!

    • Rector (Rev. Michelle): notes/mail for her.
    • Vestry Clerk (Corrina Malamas): Anything that needs to go to the Vestry.
    • Treasurer/Bookkeeper: (Wes Dangler/Pat Allen): Bills, donations, reimbursement requests, etc.
    • Wardens (Lynn Dennison and Claudette Ford): notes/mail directly for either of them, not the Vestry.
    • Flowers (Elaine Lawrence): monies for flowers, requests, etc.
    • Sacristans (Lynn Dennison and Leah Siuta): mailings, notes, etc. regarding preparation for worship.
    • Director of Music (Terry Earles): any mail/notes regarding our music program.
    • Pastoral Care Team (Laura Ricci): directory updates and pastoral care concerns/mail.
    • Columbarium Board (Lynn Dennison, George Mine, Sarah Corrigan): mail/payments pertaining to the Columbarium.
    • Angel Food East (Members of the AFE Board): notes/mail for AFE.

    Diocesan Convention This Saturday
    Every year, the Diocese of New York meets to discuss budgets, vote on resolutions that affect our common life, and elect officers for various diocesan-wide ministries.  Normally, this means hundreds of people meet in one place – delegates from each congregation, venders, representatives from ministries, etc.  However, in order to keep us safer, only the delegates have been invited to the Cathedral of St. John the Divine in New York City.  Claudette Ford, one of our Wardens, will be the lay delegate.  And Rev. Michelle will be our only clergy delegate.

    Claudette and Rev. Michelle will travel to NYC early on Saturday morning Nov 13 (along with Ana who has been asked to be a musician for Convention Eucharist) to participate.  Please pray for them and for the work of convention this year.

    And, if you’d like to check out the work of convention, click here: 245th Diocesan Convention – Episcopal Diocese of New York (dioceseny.org).  You’ll be able to view roll out meetings, resolutions, the diocesan budget, and (on Saturday) view the livestream of the convention proceedings.

    Zoom Bible Study on Hiatus Until January
    This fall we’ve had wonderful conversations about scripture every Thursday night.  Now, that we’re turning toward the season of Advent, we’re taking this opportunity to slow down and rest as we prepare for God’s birth among and within us.  So Zoom Bible Study is taking a hiatus until January.

    In January, Rev. Michelle will poll the congregation to see what time of the week will work best for Zoom Bible Study for the winter months.  So be on the lookout for her email and join us for a great investigation into scripture.

    ________________________________________________________________

    Holidays and Family

    This time of year, most Americans think about family.  Whether it’s remembering holidays from years past or preparing for the holidays this year, family seems to be a part of our experience.

    For some of us, the idea of being with family fills us with warmth and excitement.   For others of us, family was never a joyful or safe place or we miss someone who has died.  And still, for others of us, family was spread out so there were always hard choices to make. Whatever our experience, the holidays are usually a “mixed bag” of emotions.

    And this is challenging because our culture promotes a particularly blissful narrative of the holidays (that’s how we are encouraged to buy things) and, if our experience is anything but blissful, we can feel a sense of shame or loneliness, and even depression and despair.  It’s deeply important to realize that we are not alone in this.  So many people experience the same thing.  And God is with us.  Always.

    So, I’d like to draw your attention to a new event on our parish calendar – the Longest Night Healing Service on Monday, December 20 at 7:00 pm.  The desire to offer this arose as a part of our conversation during the Christian Healing Workshop in October.  Please put this on your calendar now and look for more information coming in early December.

    Over the past 2 years, of course, the pandemic has affected our holiday gatherings tremendously.  I know that many families have come to use various forms of internet video to stay connected and it seems that new items are coming out on the market every day.  While I realize this isn’t ideal, I have to say that I find this to be a very hopeful way in which the “market” is responding to a deep need for connection.  Plus, it reduces the carbon footprint of travel and increases safety in many ways.

    For myself and Ana, we have deeply missed our families in Florida during the pandemic.  Ana’s parents, sister, and brother-in-law live south of Tampa and my dad and step-mother live north of Tampa.  So this Thanksgiving, we will make the journey to visit them, seeing them for the first time in 2 years.  We leave on Wednesday, Nov 17 and I will be back in the office on Friday, Dec 3.  In the meantime, you will be well-cared for by one another and be led by the Revs. Suzanne Guthrie on Nov. 21 and Alison Quin on Nov. 28 as Advent begins.

    My dear ones, whatever your experience of family is, I hope that you find some peace and beauty this season. These days of autumn are among the most stunning in the Hudson Valley and I pray that you may find God’s glory in the turning of the seasons.  And know this to be true: God is with you, loves you with a wild and extravagant love, and has never left you.

    In God’s love and mine, Rev. Michelle

    _______________________________________________________________

    Announcements for November 14, 2021

    THIS SUNDAY We finish our parish read, The Church Cracked Open by Stephanie Spellers discussing chapters 6, 7, 8.

    UPCOMING HOLIDAY SALES
    St. John’s Harvest Sale!  “Feeding people is our jam!” AND
    Organ Fundraiser Sale! “Child support for Terry’s Baby”
    The St. John’s Harvest Team has been hard at work creating things for you to give as gifts or to enjoy yourselves.  Jams, soups, chutneys, soaps, apple butter… and more!  Meanwhile, a team of parishioners have been working on crafts and artistic works to help raise funds in support of organ repair.
    The members of St. John’s are invited to a special pre-sale on Sunday, December 5 after worship.
    Bring your checkbook, credit card, or cash and come to social hour. All proceeds from the Harvest Team go to fund the general operating expenses for St. John’s.  And all the proceeds from the craft sale go to support the organ repair fund.
    The official public sale will be Saturday, December 11 from 10 – 2, in front of the church.  So, tell your friends!  After that, if we have anything left, we’ll bring it on Sunday, December 12 to sell at social hour.

    Fellowship Hour Sign up! – The Hospitality Committee invites you to sign up for St John’s Social Hour.  A sign-up sheet is posted on the bulletin board in the Vestibule.  All are welcome to offer their generosity to others & share some good conversation as well. Questions? See Barbara Johnston.

    St. John’s Pledge Campaign continues!  If you haven’t made a financial pledge for 2022 yet, the Stewardship Committee is still receiving pledges.  Send your form in with a selfie or, if you’re new to pledging, you’ll find blank forms on the bookcase near the lectern.

    The Ulster Immigrant Defense Network (UIDN) will soon be in need of volunteer tutors, to work with motivated students to improve their reading skills. If interested, please let Jeanette Baggot know. An initial prerequisite is completing a Volunteer form located on the Kingston City School District website. More details will soon be on the way!

    Page Turners Book Club: For December 7th the book is ‘The Searcher’, by Tana French.  For January 4th the book is, ‘The Lincoln Highway,’ by Amor Towles.  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
    Nov. 21: Fruit Baskets delivered by members of the Sacristan and Pastoral Care Teams
    Nov 28: Advent begins
    Dec. 5: St. John’s Holiday Sales: Harvest Team and Organ Fundraiser
    St. John’s Pre-sale, parish hall after worship
    Dec. 11 (Sat): St. John’s Holiday Sales Tent (public sale)
    Harvest Team and Organ Fundraiser, 10-2 in front of church
    Dec. 20 (Mon): Longest Night Healing Service, 7:00 pm
    Dec. 24 (Fri): Candlelit Christmas Eve Service, 8:00 pm, caroling begins at 7:30 pm
    Dec. 25 (Sat): Christmas Day Morning Prayer (online), 9:00 am

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