The celebration of the life of Don Higgins will be on Saturday, February 1, at 10 AM, followed by a reception at St. John's.

"INSPIRED: Slaying Giants, Walking on Water, and Loving the Bible Again," by Rachel Held Evans

If the Bible isn’t a science book or an instruction manual, then what is it? What do people mean when they say the Bible is inspired? When Rachel Held Evans found herself asking these questions, she began a quest to better understand what the Bible is and how it is meant to be read. What she discovered changed her—and it will change you too.

Drawing on the best in recent scholarship and using her well-honed literary expertise, Evans examines some of our favorite Bible stories and possible interpretations, retelling them through memoir, original poetry, short stories, soliloquies, and even a short screenplay. Undaunted by the Bible’s most difficult passages, Evans wrestles through the process of doubting, imagining, and debating Scripture’s mysteries. The Bible, she discovers, is not a static work but is a living, breathing, captivating, and confounding book that is able to equip us to join God’s loving and redemptive work in the world.

This series will be offered in the daytime and the evenings: Wednesdays at 10:00 AM, January 29, February 5, 12, 19; and Thursdays at 6:30 PM, January 30, February 6, 13, 20. Books will be ordered for you, or you may order yourself on Amazon (especially for those who like their Kindles!). Each session will discuss two chapters at a time (4 sessions, 8 chapters), so the chapters will need to have been read before each session: but they’re short, and they’re fun!

Please call or email the office at [email protected] or Fr. Benjamin at [email protected] to sign up, and indicate if you are interested in the day or the evening offering. If the dates above do not work for you, fear not! The series may be offered again in the spring.

Bishop Ian Douglas will confirm four on St. John's young people on Sunday, February 23, at. 10:30 a.m. at St. Anne's, Old Lyme. Are you an adult who came to St. John's from another tradition? Have you wanted to know more about the Episcopal Church. Do you wonder what it means to officially join the Episcopal Church? To officially join the Episcopal Church, one is received or confirmed by a Bishop. Some adults choose to reaffirm their baptismal vows. Adults at St. John's are invited to join an Inquirers' Class with the Rev. Linda Spiers. We'll use Scott Gun's and Melody Wilson Shobe's book entitled Walk in Love: Episcopal Beliefs & Practices. We will meet at a time that works best for the group. Please call Linda in the office or speak to her Sunday. Books are currently available, and we will begin meeting the first week of February. 

As we move through the end of January and February, please remember to be kind and pay it forward to those in need. One way you are able to do so is to donate to the Essex Oil Fund directly through St. John’s by writing a check and putting on the memo line “Essex Oil.”Thank you for your generosity!

LOOKING TO OWN AN AFFORDABLE HOME?

Middlesex Habitat for Humanity Invites You to Attend an Application Information Meeting for a Habitat for Humanity Home in Westbrook, CT

Monday, February 3, 2020 | 6 PM

Westbrook Town Hall | South Conference Room

(866 Boston Post Rd, Westbrook, CT)

Snow Date - Wednesday, February 5, 2020 | 6 PM

The purpose of this meeting is to provide information about the Habitat for Humanity application process for home ownership. At this time, Middlesex Habitat will be distributing applications for the program.

The four basic requirements to obtaining a Habitat for Humanity home are the following:

For more information families and individuals should call the

Middlesex Habitat office at 860.398.6483.

Directions and more information on website: www.habitatmiddlesex.org

Chili Cook-Off - Help Needed! 

Sunday, February 9th at 5 PM 

It has been a long-standing tradition for St. John’s to have an annual Chili Cook-Off and we will kick off this year’s tradition on Sunday, February 9th at 5 PM! We are in need, however, of some help from two or three people who would assist in putting it together. Primarily, we’re looking for helpers who will “prep” the tasting cups, set up stations, set up the room, and help put everything back together again (although, in the past, EVERYONE has helped to do that!)

If you are interested in assisting in this project, contact the Rev. Benjamin Straley ( [email protected] ) or Chelsea DiDonato ( [email protected] ) or 860-767-8095. In addition, if you think you’d like to enter a chili, please let us know that as well! It really takes at least eight entries plus lots of side dishes to pull this together.

Who will be the next reigning chili champion???

And everyone knows...

Nothing follows chili better than...

Pancakes!!

Shrove Tuesday 2020 falls on Tuesday, February 25 this year! St. John’s will be offering a Pancake Supper at 6 PM. Our gracious coordinators, Marlene and Jeff Going are looking for some fabulous helpers to setup, cook, and clean up. If you would like to help them, please contact Chelsea at the office or Marlene Going at 860-767-1596. We also have sign-up sheets in the narthex! 

In addition, Scott Konrad, and the fantastic band of musicians that he successfully recruits for a Jazz Concert will follow at 7:00 PM on that evening — so do plan on sticking around!

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