Dec. 1, 2023

Photo credit: Flora Quammie (Thanks Flora!)

Worship Schedule

Sundays at 10 a.m.

(with Morning Prayer once a month)

In person and live-streamed on YouTube

Church School

Godly Play Sunday School 10 a.m.

Teen Text Sunday School twice a month

Adult Bible Study

twice a month after Coffee Hour

new faces welcome

next one: Dec. 3 (this Sunday)

Christmas Eve (Sunday Dec. 24)

Sunday Morning Eucharist (Advent 4) 10 am

Festive Choral Christmas Eve Eucharist 5 pm

New Year's Eve (Sunday Dec. 31)

Special Lessons and Carols 10 am

The Church Year Begins Anew

As you may have guessed, I am a bit of a liturgical “nerd.” I fell in love with the Episcopal liturgy when I was seven years old and singing in the children’s choir. (Yes, that would have been Morning Prayer three Sundays a month with the old 1928 Prayer Book).

It’s not that I understood the theology. I simply sensed a rhythm and rhyme in the prayers that somehow both soothed me and fed my questioning heart. The changing seasons of our Church calendar still help me orient my thoughts to the past, present and future of life in God’s presence.

We now move into the season of Advent – the beginning of a new Church “year”. Our 21^st Century lives come with so many distractions, especially with busy holiday schedules and a world seemingly at odds with itself, that we often forget to stop and wonder. What might our Church offer us during this time of new beginnings – or more precisely, beginning again anew?

Advent is a time of waiting and preparation for the birth of Jesus, a time of prayerful yearning for Emmanuel, “God with us.” How might we honor and mark this holy time?

We know the story . . .

At the time of Caesar Augustus, when Quirinius was governor of Syria, a census was ordered. Everyone was required to travel to their own hometown to be registered. So, Joseph traveled from where he lived in Nazareth to his ancestral home in Bethlehem. His betrothed, Mary, accompanied him on the journey even though she was pregnant.

Scripture tells us that when they arrived in Bethlehem, they had difficulty finding lodging in the crowded town and finally had to settle for an animals’ stable. It was there that the road-weary parents welcomed the birth of their first-born child and made a bed for him in the hay of the animals’ feeding trough because there was no better accommodation.

The story of Mary and Joseph seeking refuge is a story repeated by refugees, immigrants and exiles in many times and places throughout the world. It is the story of the Sojourner, the Pilgrim, searching for a new land and a new life.

It is our story as well. We have all been sojourners of some type at some time in our lives. We have all sought refuge and safety, sustenance, and security. As we begin this new year, may we seek intentional ways to rejoin the journey of the refugee, the immigrant, the forced traveler, and in the spirit of this holy season welcome one another by the grace of God into God’s house of refuge and hospitality.

Life is short. We don't have much time to gladden the hearts of those who walk this way with us. So, be swift to love and make haste to be kind.



Advent blessings,

Rev. Lisa

Living Well Through Advent

Need help centering yourself to prepare for Christmas (in ways other than shopping, wrapping gifts, and organizing family gatherings)?

This daily meditational booklet (with very brief readings) helps focus around \ various themes including: practicing compassion, forgiveness, simplicity and more.

Printed copies are now available (on the tables in the front and back of Church). We ordered a limited amount, so come this Sunday to get yours before they disappear!

You may also download your own .pdf version or get individual daily meditations emailed to you for the month of December. Click HERE for those options.

We give thanks and praise

to all who have offered a financial commitment card

so far . . .

to nurture our life together in 2024.

Thirty-four families have already offered their financial commitment for 2024. Imagine the energy, motivation, sense of ownership, and hope we would discover, if all members are added to this list. This financial commitment vision is not to “meet budget”. We truly are in this faith life together.

Glory be to God whose power, working in us, can do infinitely more than we can ask or imagine; glory be to God from generation to generation in the Church and in Christ Jesus forever and ever.

(from Paul’s Letter to the Ephesians 3:20-21)

We give thanks in genuine gratitude, and in the hopes that all who count St. John’s as their faith community might join in offering whatever you can.

Among those who have already offered their commitments:

• We have two newcomers who join in committing to our life together and six whose names were recently found in a 1968 Parish Directory (55 years strong!)
• Seven pledging families have young children at home.
• Four families are going through major life transitions
• More than a few are retired and on limited fixed incomes
• All are feeling the economic struggles of our times, and yet still claim ownership of our life of faith lived together.

If you would like to be included in co-creating our life together, a copy of the Financial Commitment form can be found HERE. Or pick up a hard copy at Church on Sunday.

St. John's Vestry members met Nov. 21 for their monthly meeting. We thank Vestry Clerk Jim Rains for the summary of the meeting below.

KIVA Loans

You may recall that St. John’s used to be an active participant in KIVA, an organization that provides small loans to entrepeneurs around the world with no access to capital.

Or as KIVA puts it, its mission is to “…connect people through lending to alleviate poverty. Leveraging the internet and a worldwide network of micro-finance institutions, KIVA lets individuals lend as little as $25 to help create opportunity around the world."

St. John’s has about $1,000 in its KIVA account, and the vestry liked a proposal from Paul Manfredi to start using it again. Paul suggested the Youth Group teens might like to participate in the program, helping to select loan recipients (with a little adult guidance, perhaps).

Vestry Nominations

We're still looking for candidates to fill a three-year, term on vestry at the annual meeting in January. (We have three candidates ready and willing to be nominated for a one-year term, a two -year term (completing terms of two vestry members moving into warden positions), and a three-year term.

If this is something you might be interested in, please talk to anyone on the vestry, or to Rev. Lisa, for more information. 

We also need to confirm Diocesan Convention Delegate nominees.

We would like to complete the ballot before the annual meeting, so don’t delay.

Memorial and Meditation Garden

In an effort to revitalize our Memorial Garden and also create space open to the community for quiet meditation, Paul Manfredi is canvassing parishioners about what changes they would like to see in our garden to make it more pleasant and promote more use of the space.

We are in need of the services of someone with graphic landscape design capability who can take these suggestions and create design options for review. If you are able to do this kind of work, or know someone who can, please talk to Paul.

Paul noted that this project will be done in stages over several years, and also pointed out that there is likely to be grant money available to St. John’s to help us achieve this vision.

Other Property Notes

Our bell control system, damaged by a lightning strike this summer, has been repaired and is now functional. All we have to do is figure out how to program the bells! 

Jim Altemus and Jim Rains replaced the livestream computer, which was also damaged by the storms and finally succumbed to its injuries.

And, the issue that has occasionally caused leaks in the downstairs hallway has been repaired; the problem was holes in the masonry pointing below a particularly complex roof line.

It was special day at St. John's a couple of Sunday's ago (Nov. 19)!

That was the day our newest little Christian, Isabelle Elizabeth Conte was baptized at our 10 a.m. service.

Isabelle, her mom Juliet Stead, her dad Michael Conte and big sister Anastasia are regulars in the 'kids section' at the back of the Sanctuary on Sundays.

Congrats to Isabelle. mom, dad and big sister. We are so happy you are a part of our St. John's family!

Below are a few more photos of the day.

Santa Fund, Pajama Collection

This Christmas, we are participating as a parish in supporting two agencies as they spread holiday cheer to children in need -the Connecticut Department of Children and Families and the New Milford Department of Social Services' Santa Fund.

For children in foster care we are collecting new pajamas. For older children, we are also collecting $20 gift cards from stores like Target, Walmart, Amazon, Dick's Sporting Goods, Primemark, etc. 

There is a bin in the back of the church for pajamas. Please give gift cards to Tanya Deppen or Naomi Fisher. 

Thanks to your generosity we have already completed the purchases for the two children we sponsored for the Santa Fund.

We thank you for your caring donations for both of these worthy causes.

Annual St. John's Holiday Dinner

Tuesday Dec. 12, 6.p.m at Italia Mia

Sign-up is going pretty well for this year's St. John's Holiday Dinner and we we want to make sure you'll be coming too!!

This year we'll be gathering on Tuesday, Dec. 12 at 6:00 p.m. at Italia Mia on Route 7 in New Milford.

The buffet-style meal will include:

Appetizers: Stuffed Mushrooms, Bruschetta, Mini Meatballs, Garlic Bread, Garlic Bread Parmesan, Tossed Salad

Mains: Eggplant Parmesan, Chicken Francaise, Grilled Salmon, Penne a la Vodka

Desert: Cheese Cake, Cannoli, Tiramisu

Beverages: Beer, Wine, Soda, Coffee, Tea 

The price is $50/person (includes taxes, tip). If you prefer cocktails, the restaurant will run your separate tab.

The $50 must be paid in advance - by Sunday, Dec. 10.

We understand completely that the cost can be prohibitive for some. As we have done in the past, we're asking anyone who would like to help defray the cost for a fellow parishioner to add a little extra when you make your payment. So far several of you have responded to that request and we thank you!

If you are in need of financial assistance to attend, please trust Rev. Lisa with a request for help. We want you there!

To reserve a spot for this festive evening with friends, use the sign-up sheets at the front and side entrances of the church and at Coffee Hour, or  email Mary Vallo HERE,  Ron Vallo HERE. 

You can give your payment to Ron or Mary when you see them around. Or you can mail a check to one of the Vallos at 514 Candlewood Lake Road North, New Milford 06776. If you do Venmo, we can do that as well.

Holiday Casting Call

If you like to sing, or act, or would just like to share a special space in our Christmas celebration at St. John's we're happy to say we've got a place (or two) for you.

We will once again have an 'expanded choir' on Christmas Eve, and you are invited to join.

It's a great opportunity for those who can't commit to the choir full-time but would like the chance to celebrate the Eucharist with song.

The rehearsals for the Christmas Eve service will be after Sunday services in December. Please contact Music Director Laurel Larsen if you'd like to join in.

Rev. Lisa and Laurel are also looking for children, youth, and adults to take part in the annual Christmas Pageant on Dec. 17. Please contact them if you and/or your kids are interested or if you would like more information.

What's Next For Our Kids

It's been an active time for our youngsters and teens and that won't change in the next few weeks.

This Sunday, Dec. 3, the kids have back-to-back activities.

First, both Church School classes and their parents will be hosting Coffee Hour after our 10 a.m. service. Jen Kamp has/will be contacting parents about what that entails.

Then, all kids - the young ones and teens - have been invited over to the

First Congregational Church, where they will be joining the children from that congregation to make Christmas cards, which will be delivered to the residents at Candlewood Valley Rehab Center and Nursing Facility.

Lunch will be provided to the kids as they work on their cards.

And, on Dec. 16 at 5:30 p.m., the youth groups of both churches will gather at the Congregtional Church's Fellowship Hall for an Ugly Christmas Sweater Party. Then they'll head out to the Green at 6:30 p.m. for Christmas caroling. 

Bible Study Group - Dec. 3

Our Bible Study group's next gathering will be this Sunday, Dec. 3.

We will be continuing our discussion of Paul's Second Letter to the Thessalonians.

We'll meet in the library following the service, after a brief time at Coffee Hour. New (shy?) faces are always welcome!

Next Food Collection - Dec. 6

Our next St. John's Food Drop-off will be Wednesday, Dec. 6, from 10 a.m. to noon. Our second-last collection before Christmas.

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 basket next to the last pew.

Diocesan Reorganization

After a year in the role, Bishop Jeffrey Mello is taking some steps to restructure the ECCT staff, based on where he is hearing resources are most needed.

Three senior staff Canon positions will be created at the diocesan level to centralize and coordinate various functions;1) lay ministry support, 2) congregational/parish needs and questions, and 3) “lifespan ministries” (ministries for children, young adults and elders).

The Congregational Support position will work directly with Region Leadership Teams and Ministry Networks, as well as directly with congregations. They will also support the growth of a team of consultants, lay and ordained, who will be available to assist with a wide range of topics and needs.

The Lifespan Ministry position will support regions and congregations in developing robust ministries for children and young adults, and elders.

The position for Lay Vocations will work alongside a new Canon for Lay & Ordained Vocations in supporting the formation and ministries of our lay leaders.

The position of regional missionary will be discontinued by the end of this year. "Our Region Missionaries — Maggie Breen, The Reverend Rachel Thomas, and Deb Tickell — will complete their work with us on Sunday, Dec. 31, 2023," Mello said in a recent letter posted on the diocesan website. "I want to thank them for their hard work and faithfulness in their service."

In that letter Bishop Mello explained the reasoning behind the changes.

"I would describe the current model (with regional missionaries) as geographically-specific and ministry-general. That is, they have served specific regions across a wide variety of needs and ministries," Mello said.

"Because Connecticut, and ECCT, is diverse in its make-up and needs, some of the hoped-for outcomes for our Region Missionaries have been realized differently depending on region. After careful consideration, we will be changing how we support the needs of regions, and the congregations and communities within them. We will move from a geographically specific and ministry-general model to one that is ministry-specific and geographically general." 

Mello says he hopes to fill the three new positions in the first quarter of next year.

Regional Deans Appointed

A few days prior the his announcement about the diocesan reorganization, Bishop Mello announced the appointment of six Regional Deans, one for each region of the ECCT.

"I have appointed one member of the clergy from each of the six regions to provide pastoral care to clergy and serve to facilitate communication between the bishops and clergy, Mello said.

The first set of deans will serve one, two or three-year terms to allow for two deans to rotate off each year.

The dean appointed for the Northwest Region, which includes St. John's, is Rev. Tuesday Rupp. She will be serving a three-year term.

According to her bio in a recent release from the diocese. Rev. Rupp is a native of Portland, OR and "came to ordained ministry through music.

"After her first career as a singer, conductor, and director of small arts organizations, she felt God’s call to deeper service.

"In her formation as a priest and as a Follower of Jesus, she has experienced both the messy uncertainties of life and the life-giving, often astonishing, Grace of God in the middle of the mess."

She is currently serving at St. Paul's in Woodbury.

Thank You YardScapes!

The folks at YardScapes once again chose St. John's to be among the nonprofit organizations to benefit from their Fall Day of Service for their employees and other volunteers.

On Nov. 4 this group of community-minded volunteers fanned out around town to do a fall leaf clean-up for six nonprofits, free of charge,

"This volunteer event is the most anticipated by our staff with 90% attendance," said YardScapes Founder Shayne Newman. "I’m proud that our team members were so excited to volunteer their time on a chilly November morning by giving back and enhancing several nonprofit organizations in our community." 

In addition to St. John's, the volunteers did clean-ups for Village Center for the Arts, the Nathan Taylor House, Friends of New Milford, The Children's Center and Pratt Nature Center.

Several hours work were followed up with a cookout back at YardScapes' headquarters.

Dishes From Around the World

(an international cookbook from 20 countries around the world)

Looking for a truly unique Christmas gift?

The folks at Literacy Volunteers on the Green have published a cookbook comprised of their students' favorite dishes from their home countries.

As a practical learning tool, the students worked with their tutors over the summer to present their favorite recipes from home for the project.

Each entry also includes a memory from the students, prompted by their favorite food.

Of her favorite desert, Aroz con Leche Tradicional (rice pudding), Lilia from Ecuador said "Milky or thick, it's tasty and quick. Rice pudding is a treat we make in Ecuador at Christmas in December and at Carnival time in February. This is my mother's recipe. I like it milky and not too thick. I hope you like it too."

There are also recipes from our two Afghan families that we helped resettle in New Milford! Qabuli Palaw (spiced lamb pilaf) and Red Halva (a lightly-sweet dessert).

For the more adventurous palate, you might like to try Papas con Cuy, potatoes with guinea pig, (although we are not quite sure which local grocery store carries that main ingredient!)

If you would like to buy a copy of 'Dishes From Around the World' you can pick one up at the Literacy Volunteers office in the Parish Hall from 9 a.m to 2 p.m. Monday through Thursday. The price is $20.

In our hemisphere, Advent takes place in the darkest season of the year, anticipating the light of God-with-us.

What are the gifts the darkness brings, and how do these gifts help us welcome the light of Christ?

Join master musician Ruth Cunningham and the Rev. Tuesday Rupp for a day of quiet, of healing sounds, and of meditation as together we explore the gifts of this holy season in the peacefulness of Camp Washington.

Ruth Cunningham is a classically trained musician, a sound healing practitioner, and a founding member of Anonymous 4. She combines these skills to improvise music that connects people to the healing and spiritual power of music. 

Tuesday Rupp is an Episcopal priest currently serving at St. Paul's in Woodbury. She is a classically trained singer and music director who brings her love of music into sacred liturgical spaces.

For more information and to register click HERE

Prayers for The Ill, Homebound or In Need

Parishioners: Katie, Carolyn, Peter, David, Arthur, Anna, Jean, Joy, Joan, Josie, Olga, Helen and Sonok 

For family and friends: Linda, Carrie, Dennis, Douglas, Kevin, Billy, Charles, Rich, Holly, Matt, Artie and Dorothy

For those who have died.

For the people of Ukraine. For the lives lost and the lives upended in the war there.

The next issue of St. John's Connects will be published on Dec. 15.

If you have something to share in the next newsletter, please send the info to Ron Vallo by Wednesday, Dec. 13.

Upcoming Birthdays

Ron Vallo (12/1); Paul Zagozewski (12/8); Laura Carlton (12/16); Missy Sawyer (12/19); Sharlene Zagozewski (12/26); Stephanie Warren (12/29)

Anniversaries

Ron and Mary Vallo (12/15)

Congrats to all who are celebrating! Enjoy your big day!