Vestry notes - 12/11/18

• The 'Renewing Our Covenant' stewardship campaign is nearing completion. To date, 65 pledges have been received, totaling $117,000. This represents a 5% increase to the average pledge, and the Vestry would like to thank all who have pledged! The Vestry would also like to invite those who have not participated thus far to consider that every dollar pledged helps defray operating expenses; and, that every individual who prayerfully commits to a pledge - in whatever amount - adds to the vitality of our faith community.
• Please note that the annual Epiphany Service and Potluck at 5pm on Sunday, January 6 will include a celebration of the life of Adele Q. Ervin. Adele contributed her time, treasure and considerable talents to St. John's for many years, and a professional portrait of Adele will be unveiled, blessed and installed.
• The Vestry, after nearly a year of research and deliberation, has approved the installation of solar panels on the roofs of the rectory, parish hall and main church. This project has been made feasible through an Episcopal Diocese of Massachusetts 'green loan,' and net savings to the church are projected at $100,000 over a 25 year period. Please see (or email) Paul McGeary, Chuck Everett or Fr. Bret for more details.
• St. John's is again partnering with Ascension Memorial Church in Ipswich on an adult and youth mission trip to the Navajoland Episcopal Diocese of New Mexico at the end of June. All are welcome on this journey of service, cross-cultural awareness, natural beauty, and fun! An information seminar is scheduled for January 18 at 6 pm at Ascension Memorial. Please see Doug Parsons for details.

Music Notes ♫ 

The anthem Sunday morning, Advent Carol by Alfred Fedak reflects the themes of the readings and directly mentions "rose" which is often used as the vestment color of the day (as well as the pink candle where used in the Advent wreath). This Sunday Gaudete (the word of the ancient entrance chant) is traditionally (along with the fourth Sunday in Lent: Laetare) observed with a bit more joy than in the other Sundays. The tune of the Anthem is Orientis partibus, a medieval carol whose text is about the donkey that carried Mary and becomes eventually the familiar song that I grew up with, "The Friendly Beasts," which tells the Nativity story from the point of view of all the animals in the stable. This tune is found with many others that are beloved: Divinum mysterium (82: Of the Father's Love Begotten) and Personent hodie (92: On this day Earth shall Ring) of many others, even in our Hymnal 1982.

            Tomorrow begins the final 7 days before Christmas which are marked by the Great O-Antiphons which we sang about at our Advent service back on Dec. 2. I've revised and updated a devotion guide that I produced years ago to help us pray great songs of justice and hope. I've included the words to "Veni Emmanuel" which were written by Jim Cotter which give a rich restatement of these themes. Pick a blue one up in the Parish Hall or on the guest register near the Middle Street doors.

            I'm so honored to be planning for the generous gift of the sabbatical which begins on Jan. 1. Here's what I'm doing:

1. Rest, renew, relax, restore.
2. Doing an installment on the Lenten Hymn Podcast SongsInTheDesert.org
3. Visiting other churches around the Boston area most Sundays, and sometimes for the weeknight rehearsals.
4. Making 2 short visits to churches in Philadelphia (Christ Church, St. Mark's, St. Thomas, Whitmarsh) and New York City (Transfiguration AKA "Little Church," St. John the Divine, St. Thomas and Trinity, Wall Street.)
5. Attending American Sarum Conference in Princeton Feb 17-20.
6. Writing 2 short articles about some of the things that we do here that are unique.
7. Studying Yoga and the Alexander Technique (movement and body work for musicians).

Thank you for your pledge. Newly received pledge from Al Browne Jr. and Bill Melvin

The Open Door sign-up for Monday, December 17 is in the parish hall.