Kids needed for All-Ages Worship

Dear St. John’s families,

Our “work day” was a big hit! The kids really enjoyed making birdhouses during Sunday School. A work day is a component of Godly Play, whereby the kids have an extended time to work on a project. This activity tied in perfectly with lessons we’ve been learning about Creation care and St. Francis. The Pre-K kids made a birdhouse together as a joint project, decorated with their fingerprints. It came out really nice! We hope to use it to enhance one of our pollinator gardens on the church grounds.

With this project, we also introduced the concept of service to the church community. The kids are donating the birdhouses they made for a fundraiser for our youth to go to South Africa next summer.

Please plan on attending coffee hour after All Ages Worship on Oct. 27 for our birdhouse fundraiser!

Speaking of All Ages Worship, we need a few more readers, ushers, greeters, and acolytes. Please email me to sign up! We will be treated to Fr. Ed demonstrating one of our favorite Godly Play lessons, The Parable of the Mustard Seed, from the gospel of Matthew.

From the Rector: The calling of St. Francis

Dear friends,

This Sunday, we will be celebrating The Feast of St. Francis of Assisi. Francis is one of the most well-known and beloved saints in the Church. Living in the twelfth century, he is venerated for his compassion and service to the poor and the natural world, as well as his rich prayer life. His example and teaching formed the basis of a Rule of Life which continues in communities across the world to this day. When churches celebrate Francis, congregations often bring animals to be prayed over in honor of Francis’ love for all of God’s creation. On Sunday, there will be two opportunities to celebrate: at the 10 a.m. Eucharist, where Sunday School children may bring stuffed animals for a blessing during the service; and at 5 p.m., where there will be a special service outside in the Memorial Garden, for you to bring your living animal friends for a blessing.

Indeed, it is appropriate that on the day we celebrate St. Francis we also begin our Stewardship season. On this Stewardship Sunday, I and Chris Accettella, who serves on our finance committee, will be preaching together on the importance of stewardship from our respective points of view. Aside from the obvious connections between love, service, care for creation, and building community, St. Francis and stewardship go well together also because Francis’ own calling centered around a particular church building. Legend has it that his calling from God came while sitting in a derelict church, and hearing the voice of another saint, St. Damian, saying “Go and repair my church, which you see is falling down.” At this point, Francis devoted his life to God’s service.

Now, while St. John’s is not exactly sinking into the earth right now, it is certainly true that our church, like all churches, face their own challenges. As we will learn together over the coming months, while St. John’s is a parish which has made tremendous strides, and always has in its life and ministry, we know the pitfalls. We all know how the financial situation of this parish, like many, in a both post-covid and rector transition period has played out. We’ve all seen the parts of the building that need work. We all know that our current budget cannot sustain the ministries and programs that have been the hallmark of St. John’s for decades. It’s hard. But, as we learn from all the saints of the Church, it is often when we perceive the need to address something which initially seems insurmountable that the calling becomes real. And what begins with uncertainty soon becomes compelling, a duty becomes a joy, and a desire becomes an act of generosity.

There will be more about this on Sunday and in the weeks to come. But for the time being, I give thanks for the gifts that all of you already share with this community, and I will look forward to worshipping you this Sunday!

With every blessing,

Ed.