It is not too soon to think about attending Family Camp at the Barbara C. Harris Camp and Conference Center, which runs from Thursday evening, June 27 through Sunday June 30th. Louis and Jack Tompros attended last year, and highly recommend it! There is more information at church on Sunday, and you can also talk with Louis and Jack.

As of May, there will be an opening for one position on the Vestry, our governing board. Do you feel called to be engaged with leading our church in the year to come? Please speak to Tom, or to one of our Wardens, Louis Tompros or Whitney Hayden, if you have any interest or perceive that God may be calling you to this ministry. The Vestry meets on the second Tuesday of each month.

EfM is about Christian formation. It’s a small group experiential learning program for people who desire to both educate themselves more deeply in the Christian tradition, and deepen their spirituality. It began back in the 80s at the Episcopal Seminary in Sewanee, Tennessee. An EfM seminar group is facilitated by a trained mentor and meets weekly over the course of an academic year. The curriculum of readings covers four years: Old Testament, New Testament, Church History and Theology to the present day. The group worships and prays together and engages in a process of theological reflection. Theological reflection is a structured conversation by which students connect their personal lives with the insights that come from the tradition. There is a modest tuition. The diocese of Massachusetts is one of the sponsoring dioceses of EfM. Most participants love the experience, desire to finish up and graduate after four years, and come away feeling inwardly transformed and with an understanding of themselves as ministers ordained in Baptism.

Join us on Sunday April 14, 11:45-12:30, for a brief presentation by our Priest Associates and EfM diocesan co-coordinators, the Revd’s Lyn G. Brakeman and Richard J. Simeone. Hear more. Ask your questions. Consider your own interest in being part of an EfM group, starting in the fall of 2013.

St. John’s has reserved a table at the Harvest on Vine Fundraiser, Thursday, April 25 at the Knights of Columbus, Medford Street, Charlestown. There is a buffet dinner and auction with raffles and entertainment. Tickets are $30 per person. Anyone wishing to join us may pay at the door, but please contact the church office if you plan to sit at the St. John’s table.

Congratulations to Ascher Kulich and Allie Kulich, who each received awards in the 2013 Scholastic Art and Writing Contest. Ascher, who is a senior at Buckingham Brown and Nichols School, received a Gold Key award in Writing and Photography for his portfolio. Allie, who is a sophomore at the Winsor School, received a Gold Key award in sculpture for her peice, “Wooden Bench.” We are also grateful that Ascher and Allie have served as torchbearers and acolytes at services at St. John’s.

Stratton McCrady received word that his mother, Sally McCrady, died on April 10th. Stratton will be traveling to Tennessee next week, and his mother’s funeral service will be on Saturday, April 20th. May she rest in peace and rise in glory. Please remember all of the family in your prayers.