We are committed to creating a welcoming, safe space for all people to explore life’s big questions and cultivate fellowship. This commitment stems from our understanding that God loves us all for who we are, and we invite you to explore that truth with us. | | |
Worship Schedule
Sundays at 10 a.m.
(with Morning Prayer once a month)
In person and live-streamed on YouTube
Church School - 10 a.m.
Godly Play 10 a.m. Every Sunday
Teen Text Every Other Week
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What’s Ahead
Last year was an exciting year for us.
Our average Sunday attendance increased. We welcomed new faces among us, adding both families with children and single adults seeking a home. Our pledge campaign, affectionately known as “Renewing our Love for St. John’s” resonated across the board. So, what’s next?
Our Annual Meeting (see notice below) will focus our attention on “Word and Action – God made known through us”. How do we take what we are experiencing on Sunday mornings beyond our red doors and into the community? (Hint – we already ARE doing that. How do we help invite and inspire each other to engage in any one part of the ministries we share?)
I was struck by the (only slightly tongue-in-cheek) response from actor Jeff Goldblum when asked how he stays inspired. His reply quoted George Bernard Shaw:
“This is the true joy in life, the being used for a purpose recognized by yourself as a mighty one; the being a force of nature instead of a feverish, selfish little clod of ailments and grievances complaining that the world will not devote itself to making you happy.
I am of the opinion that my life belongs to the whole community, and as long as I live it is my privilege to do for it whatever I can. I want to be thoroughly used up when I die, for the harder I work the more I live. I rejoice in life for its own sake.
Life is no ‘brief candle’ for me. It is a sort of splendid torch which I have got hold of for the moment, and I want to make it burn as brightly as possible before handing it on to future generations.”
How do we help each other discern the faith nudges of our own hearts and find ways to put our words into action?
As we prepare to celebrate 2024 during our Annual Meeting in February, I encourage all of you to come THIS Sunday (Jan. 19), as the Rev. Rebekah Hatch joins us as guest celebrant and preacher.
Rebekah is our diocesan Canon (senior staff) for Lay and Ordained Ministries. While some think the word “ministries” applies only to clergy, Rebekah has a passion for helping people in the pews find the support they need to lean into the ministries bestowed upon the priesthood of all believers. At the very least, come and show Rebekah what being a welcoming community of believers means to us!
Sidebar – Rebekah is filling in for one Sunday because I will be away for the next two weeks. If you have a pastoral emergency (hospitalization or death in the family) please contact Senior Warden, Margo Terwilliger at 860-866-7788. We have each other as well as local Episcopal clergy on call ready to help anytime.
Be well, and see you again soon!
Rev. Lisa
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Annual Meeting - Feb. 2 - Celebrating our Ministries
The 2025 Annual Meeting will be held on the first Sunday in February, Feb. 2 at 10 am!
We are trying a different twist this year, as we blend our worship with our meeting. We'll move our 10 a.m. worship service upstairs to the Parish Hall and incorporate the meeting and brunch into the morning.
Our Sunday School children and Teen Text youth will gather in the classrooms and join us for Eucharist (and food) as usual.
Our current slate of vestry and officer nominations can be found HERE. As of this writing, there is still one vestry position to fill in 2025, as well as a candidate for Diocesan Convention Delegate. Nominations can be made from the floor. If you would like to know more about what these positions entail, please speak with Rev. Lisa or any vestry member or officer.
The conversation and fellowship is open to all. Official voting is only needed to affirm new vestry members and convention delegates.
For those legal purposes, the official List of Voting Members is officially posted HERE.
Final note - our brunch is being hosted by our Vestry. So, just come and BE with us!
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Celebrating Laurel!!
Last Sunday was a special day at St. John’s as we celebrated the gift that is our Music Director Laurel Larsen as she reached the 10-year mark with us.
We celebrated with stories, a poem, tributes, music (of course) and a couple of huge - homemade - greeting cards from the congregation and the church school kids.
Of course we also had food - and a really big cake, which we made short work of. (We did a pretty good job on the hero sandwiches as well.)
The choir, with Penny Rose subbing for Laurel on the piano, serenaded Laurel, and the rest of us, with a few music selections: 'What Sweeter Music', 'Dona Nobis Pacem', and Rossini's 'Cat Duet', through which - along with some body language - Sharlene Zagozewski and Carolyn King took us through the whole range of human emotion simply by singing "Meow, Meow".
Unfortunately we didn't have our camera rolling for that one, but we did have it running when the choir started off their performance with 'How Can I Keep From Singing'. Check out the video below.
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Anna Harvey, one of the youngest musicians Laurel has nurtured at St. John's, shared with us a story she wrote about Laurel. | |
Vivian Ballwig presented a poem she wrote about her joy in being a part of the choir that Laurel leads.
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Rev. Lisa said, because of Laurel's creativity and her ability to read the room, Laurel is the best liturgical "partner in crime" she has ever had in her many years of ministry.
Asked to describe Laurel in one word, choir members were not tongue-tied. "Patient, supportive, joyful, warm, kind-hearted, world-class talent, fun, spirited, appreciative, giving, humble." And that's just part of the list.
For her part, Laurel told us every day at St. John's has been a "joy" for her. And we hope Sunday was no different.
Below are more photos of what was a special day, which even included a visit from a princess - and her dad!
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St, John's Concert Series
Continues on Jan. 26
Our ongoing St. John's Concert Series will continue on Jan. 26. at 3 p.m. in the Sanctuary.
Suzanne Bona, professional flutist, host of the nationally syndicated radio program, Sunday Baroque, and active member of the Literacy Volunteers on the Green Board, will join St. John's Music Director and West Conn. Music Department Chair Laurel Larsen (piano), as well as bassist Kevin Callaghan and percussionist Dr. Greg Haynes, both also from WCSU, as they perform the popular Suite for Flute & Jazz Piano by Claude Bolling.
Join us for an afternoon of superb music followed by refreshments!
A free-will donation will benefit the missions at St John's and LVG.
Please join us!
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Literacy Tutor Training Coming Up
While we're on the subject of Literacy Volunteers on the Green...
There's another tutor training session coming up at LVG in a few weeks. Late January or early February, depending on when the most folks will be available.
This is a rewarding way to help welcome folks to our country and community and a great way to get them off on the right foot.
If you are interested - even if you're just toying with the idea - please contact Lynn Davies here. And if you just want to see what it's like first, please contact St. John's parishioner Ron Vallo, who's been tutoring for years and can fill you in.
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Winter Farmers Market Reminder
Just a reminder we're hosting the New Milford Winter Farmers Market in our Parish Hall on Saturdays, from now through March 1, 2025.
The market hours are from 9 a.m. to noon.
Parishioner Andrew Harvey, one of the proprietors, says the market is going strong - adding a booth or two in recent weeks.
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Men's, Women's Dinner Groups Are Back
After a holiday season hiatus, the St. John's Men's and Women's Groups will resume their monthly nights out.
Both will be dining at The Abbey, on Route 7.
The men will be meeting on Tuesday, Jan. 28, at 6 p.m. If you'd like to go, email Bill Kamp, or see him in church.
The women will be dining on Tuesday, Feb. 4 at 6 p.m. If you'd like to join the fun, email Mary Vallo, or Sue Denino.
You can check out The Abbey's menu here.
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Next Food Collection - Feb. 5
Our next St. John's Food Drop-off will be Wednesday, Feb. 5, from 10 a.m. to noon.
The food collected will be delivered to the New Milford Food Bank.
We're in front of the church to collect your donations of non-perishable foods and personal-care items on the first and third Wednesdays of each month.
Please remember that you can always bring in food on Sunday mornings and place your offerings in the donation baskets next to the last pew.
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An Evening of Community at Camp Washington
Join us Saturday, Feb. 1 at 5 p.m. for a service of beautiful music, inspiring words,and Holy Communion, in the language of the Celtic Christian tradition, led by the Rev. Tuesday Rupp, and accompanied by Pete Miserendino on guitar - our friends from St Paul's, Woodbury.
Contemporary and contemplative, a beautiful offering to God.
Following worship, join us at 6:15 p.m, for dinner - a time for, community, conversation and wonderful food!
Menu:
Beef bourguignon
Garlic Mashed Potatoes
Ratatouille
Butternut squash gratin
Apple Crisp with vanilla Ice cream
Come for worship, stay for dinner. Or just come for dinner. It's your choice.
All are welcome!
In lieu of a ticket price for dinner, we welcome your generous donation at the table. All proceeds will go the CW Campership Fund, offering need-based financial assistance to our campers and retreat attendees.
Registration is required (for a head count). You can register HERE
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Coming March 2 to Camp Washington Sunday: Spreading the Good News that IS Camp Washington. Stay tuned. | |
The devastation in the Los Angeles area is massive - and heartbreaking. And there's a long road ahead.
Please consider a contribution to the Episcopal Diocese of Los Angeles’ One Body & One Spirit Annual Appeal.
Until further notice, all donations to the annual appeal will be used to help institutions and individuals most affected by the wildfires.
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Prayers for The Ill, Homebound or In Need
Parishioners: Phylis, Estelle, Paul, Joy and Sonok
For family and friends: Pat, Sara, Maureen, Kathy, Madeleine, Maria, Nancy, Janet, Mark and his family, Linda, Dennis, Douglas, Rich, Holly, Artie and Dorothy
For those who have died: Will Cabell, father and father-in-law of Andy Cabell and Alicia Bonner
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For the people of Ukraine. For the lives lost and the lives upended in the war there.
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A PRAYER FOR THE RESTORATION OF PEACE IN THE HOLY LAND
God of peace and justice, we pray for the people of Israel and Palestine. We pray for peace and the laying down of weapons. We pray for all who are struggling with grief and fear, that your Spirit of comfort would draw near to them. We pray for those with power over war and peace. May wisdom, discernment and compassion guide their decisions. Above all, we pray for all your precious children around the world, that you would hold and protect them. We pray in the name of Jesus, the Prince of Peace. Amen
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The next issue of St. John's Connects will be published on Friday, Feb. 7
If you have something to share in the next newsletter, please send the info to Ron Vallo by Wednesday, Feb. 5.
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Ya Say It's Your Birthday! | |
Upcoming Birthdays
Dan Baluha (1/21); Gabrielle Javois (1/22); Gabe Larsen (1/23); Jason Lee (1/25); Flora Quammie (1/28); Pat Greenspan (2/2); Donnie Maxwell (2/3); Bonnie Lawrence (2/4); Chantel Javois (2/10); Emma Altemus (2/15)
Anniversaries
Geoffrey and Lisa Hahneman
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