Join us on Saturday, November 11th from 9 am to 2 pm for the 178th Harvest Fair. Our Turkey Dinner is served from noon to 1:30 pm pm ($12 for dinner, $3 for apple pie and ice cream), and upstairs in the Parish Hall you will find baked goods, books, jewelry and designer clothes – and more! Check out the array of gift baskets at the Silent Auction. 10% of the proceeds of the fair support our ministries beyond the local parish.
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Parishioners, friends, and members of the community gathered on Sunday November 6th for the rededication of the church – and of this parish, on the 175th anniversary of the consecration of the church. Bishop Alan Gates presided and preached, and … Continue reading
St. John’s Episcopal Church
A Post-Election Letter from the Rector
November 9, 2016
Dear Friends,
Yesterday, our nation elected Donald Trump as the next president of the United States. As the election approached, we prayed for an end to the rancor and division that has characterized the campaign. Now that the results are in, we have before us an opportunity.
One of you sent me an email this morning, expressing your faith in the Constitution and in our country. Those words reminded me that we have the opportunity, and indeed the responsibility, to be faithful citizens, always working for the common good. If you supported Donald Trump, doing that work may seem easier today. If you supported Hillary Clinton or another candidate, the way forward may seem much more challenging. And yet we commit ourselves to working for the common good.
We commit ourselves, not only as citizens of the United States, but as citizens of another realm, the realm of God – the gracious reign of God which Jesus proclaimed, and in which we, as brothers and sisters in Christ, have promised to be faithful servants. What does it mean to be faithful in that realm? Among other things, it means being faithful to our baptismal vow – to always strive for justice and peace, and to respect the dignity of every human being, with God’s help.
Bishop Alan Gates, who so graciously led us this past Sunday in the celebration of our church’s anniversary, sent a letter to the clergy and lay leadership of the diocese this morning, and I believe his words speak very much to this moment in our nation’s life:
“Now is not a time to live out habitual behaviors of winners or losers. Now is a time to rededicate ourselves to the Christian ideal of breaking down the dividing walls of hostility which divide us (Ephesians 2:14). Now is a time to rededicate ourselves to the American ideal of liberty and justice for all.
Forbearance is a virtue tested not when we are in harmony, but when we are divided. Sacrifice is a discipline called for not in the face of prosperity but in the face of adversity. Hope is a manifestation of faith rendered meaningful not by certainty but by anxiety. Christ calls us, in this moment, individually and communally, to forbearance, sacrifice and hope.”
Forbearance, sacrifice, and hope – all part of a faithful response. All part of what it means to be a Christian, at all times and in all places.
I look forward to seeing you all on Sunday, as we gather to praise God, to share our joys and sorrows, our gratitude or our lament, to be nourished by Christ’s presence, and then to go forth as faithful citizens of our country, and of God’s realm.
Faithfully,
Tom
The full text of Bishop Gates’ letter can be found here.
We gather to greet our bishop, the Rt. Rev. Alan M. Gates, on Sunday November 6 at 4 pm. He will be leading us in a service of thanksgiving and rededication as we mark the 175th anniversary of the consecration of St. John’s. On Sunday November 10 in 1841, Bishop Griswold of the Diocese of Massachusetts consecrated the building, which had been constructed in less than six months.
Both our choirs will be singing, rectors and other clergy who have served us in the past will be joining us for this celebration, and a reception will follow in the Parish House. Join us for this once in a generation event!
And remember: There is no 10 am service or Children’s Formation programs this Sunday!
Dear Friends,
A little over five years ago, before I was called to be your rector, I was preparing for my first interview with the Search Committee. I did what I could to learn about the parish. I was told by more than one person that St. John’s was a beautiful church. Through my interview, and then my after my arrival, I certainly discovered the truth of that statement. I also noticed right away that you had a beautiful building.
“A beautiful church.” Each of us may have an image of St. John’s that comes to mind when we hear those words – perhaps the stunning stained glass image of Jesus behind the altar, perhaps the nave lit by candlelight at a Lessons and Carols service, perhaps the way the morning light streams through the Victorian windows creating dancing patterns of color on the walls.
When we use the word “church” so often we think of a building. In the New Testament however, the original Greek word often translated as “church” is “ecclesia,” – an assembly of people. Long before Christians ever constructed and set apart buildings for worship, they gathered as “the church” – a body of people gathered in Christ’s name to worship God and serve the world.
This Sunday, we will be rededicating the sturdy and beautiful building that is our inheritance – a 175 year old structure that still inspires us today. But in so doing, we will also be rededicating ourselves. Giving thanks for the faithful before us, we will commit ourselves to living as Christ’s disciples – hearing the Spirit, seeing God’s beauty, and acting in love. We will recognize and give thanks for the beauty of this community – persons old and young, strong and frail, devout and doubting, who gather week after week, offering their worship to God and their service to the world.
We will welcome Bishop Alan Gates, who will lead us in our worship and in the celebration of the Eucharist. And as we look around, yes, we will see a beautiful building. But even more beautiful will be the gathering of God’s people, united in our gratitude and praise.
Faithfully,
Tom