St. John's Weekly is Here!

1994 Mountain Road (P.O. Box 1175), Stowe, VT 05672 ~ (802)253-7578

ST. JOHN'S WEEKLY

April 14 - 20, 2025

A community of faith located at the crossroads of Mountain Road and Luce Hill Road.

Our Mission is to be a welcoming Christian community of faith, loving and forgiving, questioning and learning, inviting and serving.

St. John's web site.

www.stjohnsinthemountains.org

Rector, The Rev. Richard Swanson

father_rick@sjmstowe.org

Office Administrator, Heidi Dwyer (802)253-7578

office@sjmstowe.org

Office hours are Tuesdays and Thursdays between 9:00am–2:00pm

To view past sermons, go to:

YouTube St. John's in the Mountains

Please Support St. John's Online, By Mail or

at Sunday Worship

www.stjohnsinthemountains.org

P.O. Box 1175, Stowe, VT 05672

@stjohnsstowe on Instagram

St. John’s in-the-Mountains Episcopal Church on Facebook.

Vermont Diocesan News at diovermont.org

First Sunday Rector's Discretionary Fund

On the first Sunday of every month, the Sunday plate donations

support the Rector's Discretionary Fund.

Have You Sent Your Photo to Heidi?

New Church Photo Directory

We are creating a new Church Directory to be published this summer. Please send Heidi pictures to the office email (office@sjmstowe.org) of individuals and or families you would like to include.

The Great Vigil of Easter

The Great Vigil of Easter is one of the oldest known rites of the Christian church, dating back to the second century. It brings worshippers, literally and symbolically, from darkness into light. The service is comprised of four parts:

The kindling of the new fire and lighting of the Paschal Candle;

The reading of lessons recounting the many ways in which God has saved and restored his people;

Receiving new Christians into the body of the Church through the sacrament of Baptism, or renewal of Baptismal vows;

and, Reuniting the people of God with the Body of the risen Christ by celebrating the first Eucharist of Easter.

After weeks of penitence, preparation, and reflection, more joyful elements return to the liturgy. The Exsultet, a chant almost as old as the Easter Vigil itself, invites us to rejoice in Christ’s triumph over death and redemption of the world; and the word alleluia (“Praise the Lord”)—which has not been spoken during the past 40 days of Lent—is proclaimed enthusiastically, and will remain in acclamations, fractions, hymns, and dismissals throughout Eastertide.

The Exsultet

The light is spread from the Paschal Candle to the People.

Deacon Rejoice now, heavenly hosts and choirs of angels, and let your trumpets shout Salvation for the victory of our mighty King.

Rejoice and sing now, all the round earth, bright with a glorious splendor, for darkness has been vanquished by our eternal King.

Rejoice and be glad now, Mother Church, and let your holy courts, in radiant light, resound with the praises of your people.

All you who stand near this marvelous and holy flame, pray with me to God the Almighty for the grace to sing the worthy praise of this great light;

through Jesus Christ, his Son our Lord, who lives and reigns with him,

in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God, forever and ever, Amen.

Palm Sunday's Holy Eucharist Service

Link to the YouTube sermons page.

https://www.youtube.com/@StJohns-Mts/videos

Easter Holy Eucharist Worship Service at 10:00am

Celebrant & Preacher --The Rev. Richard Swanson

Altar Guild -- Eileen Kraemer

Acolytes -- Pete Johnson & David Small

Lector

Intercessor

Counters -- Lynne Harries & Robert Witbeck

Open Arms Ministry -- Lily

No Coffee Hour

Musician -- Sara Huff. Vocal

A/VTech -- Donald Clinton

Holy Week's Schedule

THURSDAY, April 17, 2025

Women's Spirituality Group at 10:00am

SATURDAY, April 19, 2025

AA at 5:00pm

Holy Week & Easter Worship Schedule of Services

Holy Monday

Holy Tuesday

Holy Wednesday

Maundy Thursday

Good Friday &

Good Friday

Great Easter Vigil

Easter Day

April 14 at 6:30pm

April 15 at 6:30pm

April 16 at 5:30pm -- Bible Study, Holy Eucharist

and Dinner

April 17 at 6:30pm

April 18 at 12:00pm Prayer Book Liturgy at St. John's

April 18 at 7:00pm Community Service

at Stowe Community Church

(for online, www.stowecommunitychurch.org)

April 19 at 7:30pm followed by a

Champagne and JellyBean Reception

April 20 at 10:00am Holy Eucharist Service

(no coffee hour)

Ecumenical Prayer Stations for Holy Week from April 14 to April 18

from 8:00am - 8:00pm at Stowe Community Church

Lamoille Community Food Share Donations

The first Sunday of every month, St. John’s in the Mountains collects food to support the Lamoille County Food Share with the goal of collecting 120 bags of groceries in 2025. Green bags are available for pick up during the week on Tuesday and Thursday between 9:00 am and 2:00 pm.

If you wish to make an online donation, you just need to click on https://secure.myvanco.com/L-Z97D/campaign/C-15DA0.

Diocese of Rio Grande- Immigrant work

Worth reading. and watching

https://sojo.net/articles/news/episcopal-diocese-defends-migrant-shelter-citing-jesus-and-constitution

Young Adult Gathering!

Save the Date!

Millennials+ Dinner

Saturday, May 10, 6pm

St John's parishioners and friends in their 20s-40s are invited!

Hosted by Emily Heymann and Brian Eskew

108 S Main St, Apt 3, Waterbury (on-street parking)

Cheese & charcuterie board, main entrée, and cocktails/mocktails provided

Please bring a salad, side dish or dessert to share

RSVP (specify potluck dish & dietary restrictions) to Emily Heymann, emheymann@gmail.com or text 540-761-3664

Newcomer Ministry

As a part of the Annual Meeting, Fr. Rick invited the congregation to begin a newcomers ministry. If you are interested in participating in this vital ministry, please contact Fr. Rick at Father_Rick@sjmstowe.org.

Fiber Arts in the Mountains

Next Gathering -- Saturday, May 10, 2025

If you like to knit, crochet, sew or do other needlework, please join us, St. John's Fiber Arts in the Mountains group.

Our meetings are on the second Saturday of each month from 10 AM

until 2 PM; in the undercroft of the church.

If you’re interested in joining us, let Sara Huff, Sharon Witbeck, or the church office know; and we can email you with more details.

Sharon Witbeck (sewsews@yahoo.com)

Sara Huff (sarahuffvt@gmail.com)

office@stjohnsinthemountains.org

We're getting closer to our annual fundraiser, Raise the Roof to End Homelessness.

Our event will feature:

Live music by Ali T., Danny and the Parts, and Mal Maïz!
A silent auction of many amazing prizes
Raffle of an e-bike curtesy of Lamoille Valley Bike Tours
Delicious food from a variety of eateries
A cash bar (one free drink ticket comes with your ticket to the event)

We are celebrating and fundraising for:

Having opened our new year-round shelter
Having opened the Recuperative Care Program
Gearing up for the opening of Family Shelter
Creating a sense of wellbeing for our shelter guests by providing new programming
Meeting people's basic needs every day of the year
Working towards ending homelessness in the state of Vermont
A sense of community for everyone to enjoy!

Prayers of the People

We pray for For Sean our Presiding Bishop, and for Shannon, Rob and Thomas, bishops of Vermont, New

Hampshire and Maine; and for all bishops and other ministers.

For the special needs and concerns of this congregation, especially: for Theo, Nancy H., Elizabeth, Bill, Peter, Duncan, Judy, M. Davies, Marcia, David, Jennifer, John, Rhea, Gail and Holly, Mary Lou, Dora, Karen, David, Sofia, and the family of Rick Oden. In the Diocese cycle, we pray for St. Luke's Episcopal Church, Chester.

We pray for the end of war around the world, especially in Ukraine, Sudan, Yemen, and renewed fighting in Israel and Gaza; and the most vulnerable in the conflicts, the children and the elderly. We pray for our friends at the Jewish Community Center of Greater Stowe and Stowe Community Church.

We ask your thanksgiving for the St. John’s Performing & Visual Arts Ministry and our community partner, Lamoille County Mental Health.

Birthdays and Anniversaries

Birthdays

April 6 -- Zarina Castro

April 17 -- Sharon Witbeck

April 21 -- Andy Rodman

April 28 -- Matthew Hoffman

Please note; If you are new to the congregation, please join our list celebrating your birthday and anniversary. Just send email to cunningham.barbara@gmail.com.