Our lovely, talented, dedicated Saint John’s Episcopal Church Choir, directed by the Organist and Choirmaster, prepare for our Festival of Lessons & Carols in the soft glow of a yesterday’s late afternoon winter light.
Join us December 14th at 5PM for an afternoon of enchantment, as we celebrate the stories and songs that are this season of wonder. Please support us with your “Like,” and “Share,” and “Invite Friends” on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram. You can scroll down and see the Left Sidebar on our Website, where we have large icons for each. Click on the icon for Facebook, Twitter, or Instagram to navigate quickly and easily to each.
At Saint John’s Episcopal Church, Charlestown, MA, we’re always so glad you’re here!
Saint John’s Episcopal Church 27 Devens Street Charlestown, MA 02129 (617) 242-1272
On Saturday November 30, an intrepid group of five Saint John’s folks braved the cold to go to see the Winterlights in North Andover, at the Stevens Coolidge Place. Maureen Lavely, John Quinn, Laura Carroll and her daughter Louisa, and Catherine Womack all set out for the multi-mode trip, which involved cars, busses and travel on foot.
Because of the popularity of the event, we had to park at a nearby school, and there was a school bus shuttle to the Winterlights. Maureen made herself comfortable in the school bus, enjoying the relatively warmer temperatures. Did I mention it was really cold outside? After being dropped off, we braved the chilly winds in line, looking yearningly at the outside heater behind the registration table. I asked the parka-clad volunteer how she was, and she replied, “numb”.
We set off, and soon encountered a festive light tunnel-of-sorts. Perfect photo op! Laura and Louisa posed, as did Catherine. The lights were varied and interesting and lovely. You can see them hung in trees, in the background behind John Quinn, and covering something that our group couldn’t decide whether it was a car, a hippo, or an igloo (igloo won out).
There were a few warm moments, provided by up-market hot cider for sale, and two complimentary fire pits. People were polite and didn’t push and shove to get closer to the warmth. Smoke was ignored, given the conditions, which, in case you’ve forgotten, were really really cold. After an hour, we’d seen everything and were ready to head back to the warmer climes of the school bus, and cars to head home. We agreed it was fun, in large part because it was a chance to hang out and talk to each other, enjoying some seasonal festiveness.
Since 2004! Saint John’s Episcopal Church invites you to join us, as we experience the wonder of the 2019 Christmas Season through the Anglican Service of Lessons & Carols. All are welcome, so please bring family, friends, and neighbors for an afternoon of peace and joy. Festive reception to follow.
At Saint John’s, we’re always so glad you’re here!
Saint John’s Episcopal Church 27 Devens Street Charlestown, MA 02129 (617) 242-1272
Adopted in 1918 at King’s College, Cambridge, England, this history is included in their service order.
“ This service, after ancient precedent, was revived by Archbishop Benson for use in Truro Cathedral, the Lessons, which tell the whole story of our Redemption, being read in order by the Cathedral ministers from chorister to Bishop. In this chapel it is adapted to symbolise and express the loving bond between the two Foundations of King Henry VI here and at Eton, the goodwill between University and Town, and peace within the whole Church and of the Lord Jesus, as well as the joy and worship of us all at the coming of Christ.”
While deeply associated with Advent and Christmas, the service of Lessons and Carols may be adapted for any liturgical season, with carefully curated readings and music leading worshippers along the arc of God’s love, through scripture.
At Saint John’s, our service of Lessons and Carols strives to embrace the pivotal moment in the liturgical year, when advent tumbles joyfully into Christmas, gratefully plumbing the astonishing and beautiful wealth of sacred music for both seasons, paired with each reading.
We at our neighborhood church see this candle lit service, and the warm reception which follows, as our favorite opportunity to celebrate the season and share our joy in fellowship with all our friends and neighbors.
Thank you so much for your participation in our meetings over the last several weeks! Your ideas and contributions were incredibly valuable as we shape the Parish Profile that will guide our selection of the next Rector. But even more than that, your love for Saint John’s and for each other shone through every time we met.
Here is what will happen next. This coming Sunday, we will meet during normal Sunday School hours with the children in the Godly Play class, and the youth in the Living the Good News Class, to get their input on what they value about Saint John’s. Later that day, the Search Committee will meet to begin the drafting of our Parish Profile, with the goal of having it complete, approved, andout to potential Rector candidates by the end of February. We will be counting on your prayers! And, as always, please feel free to reach out to Evie, Louis, or any of the members of the committee if you have any questions.
From Your Rector Search Committee
As you know, we are working to understand what is important to the parishioners of Saint John’s, and what qualities we would all like to see in a new rector. Please … if you haven’t already submitted a survey, go to the online version by clicking here. This Sunday (January 5th) is the last day to submit your responses.
Also, as noted earlier, we will be hosting meetings with members of the parish to discuss the topics that emerge from the survey as the most important to parishioners. We want the opportunity to hear why these are important to you and your hopes and dreams for Saint John’s in each topic area.
Thank you in advance for your participation in both of these important pieces of the rector search process!
Thursday, December 19th, from Your Rector Search Committee:
Earlier this month we sent members of the congregation a link to an electronic survey designed to help us understand what is important to the parishioners of Saint John’s, and what qualities we would all like to see in a new rector. We are pleased that responses are coming in. If you haven’t already done so, please take a few minutes to complete the survey before the January 5, 2020 deadline.
The survey can be reviewed and completed online by clicking here.
Also, paper copies for you to complete and return are available on the kitchen counter in the Parish House. If you would prefer to respond verbally, please feel free to ask any member of the Search Committee or another person of your choosing to assist.
As we recently announced at church, during the month of January, the Search Committee will be hosting meetings with members of the parish to discuss the topics that emerge from the survey as the most important to parishioners. We want the opportunity to hear why these are important to you and your hopes and dreams for Saint John’s in each topic area. Members of the Search Committee are opening their homes for these meetings, and we have scheduled them on various days and at various times with the hope that everyone can make it to one of the meetings.
The schedule of meetings is as follows:
Saturday, January 11 at 10:30 a.m. Thursday, January 16 at Noon Wednesday, January 22 at 7:00 p.m. Sunday, January 26 at Noon
You will be able to sign up on a sheet in the Parish House kitchen or via a Sign Up Genius email that you will receive before the end of the year.
Thank you in advance for your participation in both of these important pieces of the rector search process!
Members and Friends of Saint John’s,
When we, the Rector Search Committee, last reported to you a few weeks ago, we emphasized that we needed your help with the “three Ps” — your Prayers, your Patience, and your Pledge. And we thank you for giving us all three!
We are coming to you now with a request for a fourth “P”: we need your Participation. Our survey is a set of questions designed to help the Rector Search Committee understand what is important to the parishioners of Saint John’s, and what qualities you would like to see in our new Rector. While participating in this questionnaire is completely optional, we hope that you will, so that our parish profile fairly reflects who we are today and what we aspire to be in our future. You may print out the attached questionnaire, complete it in hard copy, and return it to the church office. Alternatively, pre-printed copies are available in the Parish House for you to complete and return. You can also fill out the questionnaire online at the link provided above. Finally, if you would prefer to have these questions read to you and give your responses verbally, you should feel free to ask any member of the Search Committee or another person of your choosing.
We hope to have questionnaire responses from all parishioners no later than Sunday, January 5, 2020.
Finally, looking ahead, after the surveys are complete, we will be hosting a series of meetings throughout January to get your further input on the future of Saint John’s as we develop our parish profile — so be on the lookout for an invitation coming after Christmas!
THE 2019 SAINT JOHN’S EPISCOPAL CHURCH RECTOR SEARCH COMMITTEE
Jen DiManno
Maureen Lavely
Bridget Nyhan – Chaplain
Evie Scoville – Co-Chair
Jane Struss
Adrienne Sweetser
Stacy Swift
Louis Tompros – Co-Chair
Doug Van Wie
THE SAINT JOHN’S VESTRY CHARGE TO THE SEARCH COMMITTEE ~ NOVEMBER 10, 2019
We appoint Jen DiManno, Stacy Heim, Maureen Lavely, Bridget Nyhan, Evie Scoville, Jane Struss, Adrienne Sweetser, Louis Tompros, and Doug Van Wie as the members of the Saint John’s Episcopal Church Search Committee.
We charge the Committee to: * Seek the will of God for Saint John’s Church and this rector transition. Listen to God with an open heart. * Pray daily for guidance, wisdom, and energy. * Understand the congregation’s dreams, desires, and concerns regarding this transition. * Work closely with the vestry to lead the parish in imagining what we can become and do during the coming decades. * Identify candidates to be the next rector of Saint John’s Church who meet the selection criteria developed together by the Vestry and the Search Committee. Find good candidates wherever they may be. * Based on deep mutual discernment with the candidates, present to the Vestry the person most likely to fit as an exceptional rector and partner in ministry for the next stage in our history. * Plan your work carefully and conduct it prayerfully, thoroughly, and with alacrity. * Work closely with the Vestry, provide regular updates of your progress, and work within timelines and budgets as agreed upon with the Vestry. * Support the Vestry in its work through the transition, including any interim period between the present Rector’s last day with the Parish and such time as the next Rector arrives and is integrated into the Parish. * Seek the counsel and support of the Bishop of Massachusetts through the search, discernment, and call process. * Maintain strict confidentiality regarding candidates and discernment discussions. * Comply with: * the Constitution and Canons of The Episcopal Church, * the Constitution and Canons of the Diocese of Massachusetts, and * the Constitution, policies, and procedures of Saint. John’s Church.
SAINT JOHN’S SEARCH COMMITTEE PRAYER
Almighty God, may your loving presence guide us as we seek the next rector for Saint John’s. We ask your direction and guidance for those who shall choose our new spiritual leader, grant them the desire and the ability to truly hear each other and those who have entrusted them with this process. We pray for perception, faithfulness and joy, so they may hear our voice in all their deliberations. Inspire our conversations, deepen our prayer, and make us a community of humility and grace. We pray this through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
THE ROLE OF THE SEARCH COMMITTEE DURING TRANSITION
The Search Committee, appointed by the Vestry, is composed of a representative group of Parishioners of varying ages, with different gifts, and skills.
The Search Committee has primary responsibility for guiding the Parish through a process of prayerful reflection on the Parish Mission and its hopes for this next stage of its life; for consulting broadly during this process; for composing a realistic and clear Parish Profile; and for conducting the search itself – in all its stages, except the final step – once the Parish Profile and other elements of the Rector position description have been posted.
According to the Canons of the Episcopal Church and the practices of our Diocese, no Clergy may serve on the Search Committee, and the Wardens are not allowed to serve, since their energies are devoted to keeping the church going during the interim period.
One or two members of the Vestry serve on the Search Committee, and serve as a liaison to the Vestry. In the very final step, the Search Committee presents their chosen Candidate to the Vestry, which, with the approval of the Bishop, issues the call to that person on behalf of the parish.
The Search Committee is to be fully transparent and communicate clearly and regularly with the Parish at large, and with the Interim in all the stages up to the posting of the Rector position description. From then onward, the Search Committee is to observe full confidentiality, as the search itself proceeds.
The Rector search process, while carefully organized and attentive to many organizational details, differs from a corporate search process in that it is conducted at all times in a spirit of prayer and in the perspective of the question “What is God’s call to us as a Parish, at this time, in this place?” It is also meant to be a time of spiritual and communal growth for us, as a Congregation and a chance for us to strengthen the Laity of the parish.
We are deeply grateful to the nine people who have agreed to serve on the Search Committee. You will be hearing from them in the coming weeks and months in more detail, step by step.
The Search Committee is in full swing: we met on Tuesday to talk through our hopes and dreams for Saint John’s, to map out our timeline, to divide responsibility for the next steps in the discernment process, and to develop the prayer that we will use together throughout our search. You should expect to hear from the Search Committee soon, inviting you to participate in some aspect of the discernment process. We want to make sure that we have heard from everyone, whether in meetings or through surveys, so that the profile of Saint John’s that we present to potential Rector candidates is complete, accurate, genuine, and inclusive.
While you wait for that call, what the Search Committee needs most from you right now is three “Ps”: your prayers, your patience, and your pledge. We ask your prayers that we may hear and heed the voice of God in our discussions and deliberations. We need your patience: this process will take time—surely more time than any of us wishes it would—and we are quite confident that we will make mistakes, miscommunicate, hurt feelings, and beg your forgiveness many times along the way.
And the Search Committee needs your financial pledge. Whom we select as the next Rector of Saint John’s is constrained by the parish’s budget, and that budget is entirely dependent on the pledges we receive in the coming days for the 2020 calendar year. How much we collectively pledge will determine how many hours per week we will be asking from our Rector, and that determination will affect whom we can call to be that Rector. Likewise, how much we pledge will determine what level of experience we can expect from our incoming Rector, and what accommodations and sacrifices the incoming Rector can expect. This Stewardship season will therefore have a profound impact on the Rector Search process and the future of Saint John’s.
Commitment Sunday is this coming Sunday, November 24. On that day, we will invite everyone to bring their pledge forward. We are counting on everyone to pledge boldly in this period of transition, in a spirit of hope for what St. John’s can be.
Thank you for your prayers, your patience and your pledge!
Louis
Louis Tompros, Stewardship Chair and Search Committee Chair
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