Holy Eucharist Schedule
8am I
Holy Eucharist
9am I Holy Eucharist
10:45am I Holy Eucharist
Additional Offerings
10am I
Keeping A Holy Advent
Join us as we explore some practical ways to keep a Holy Advent in the midst of the hustle and bustle of the secular world. How can one slow down? How can one make room for the birth of Jesus? What might you consider as a practice to invite Jesus into your heart? Join Fr. Benjamin, Linda+, and Barbara Stacks as we offer some practical ways to walk through Advent a little slower and with intention.
10am I Sunday school
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2020 Commitment Campaign
We are excited with our 2020 commitment campaign this year! We hope you have had a chance to look over the report that was sent out in late October. Please feel free you may also mail your pledge card in the accompanying envelope or fill out your
pledge form online. The EMC Booklet may also be viewed here:
EMC Packet. We thank you for your generosity!
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Cold Weather Help For Our Soup Kitchen Guests Is Needed
The Health and Wellness committee, as well as our youth, are collecting toiletries for our Soup Kitchen guests. Here you will find a list of items we are most in need: Toothbrushes, lotions, shampoo. (We are hoping for full size as they are best because they last longer, but the hotel and travel sizes are also useful! If folks can keep in mind, unscented and non-gender-specific is best!)
All may drop off items in the Narthex on Sundays where there is a box marked for our collection, or you may bring it in during office hours, Monday - Friday. All items must be delivered no later than Sunday, December 8th. Thank you so much for your generosity this holiday season!
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Advent Wreath Making
Sunday, December 1
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Adults and children are invited to come and make Advent wreathes to take home, and learn more about ways to observe Advent. Parish Hall decorating with greens will also take place.
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ECCT Convention Report
Sunday, December 8
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Come and find out more about what took place at the annual convention of the Episcopal Church in Connect, as Linda+, Fr. Benjamin, and our parish delegates share their observations and their experiences from their time there.
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Holy Land Presentation
Sunday, December 16
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The Rev. Linda Spiers, Maggie & Charlie Walden, Sherley Furgueson, and Allison Fresher will share their pilgrimages to the Holy Land and discuss the lasting impressions made upon them.
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Celebrations of the Epiphany
Sunday, January 5
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In many traditions, including Hispanic cultures and the Eastern Orthodox churches, the celebration of the Epiphany rivals or is even more important than Christmas. Come find out more about the visit of the Three Wise Men, and be ready to break open a festive piñata!
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Upcoming Fellowship Opportunities
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Prayer Shawl Ministry
Come, join us! This month, we will meet at Leslie Perkins’ home on Saturday afternoon, November 23rd, 1:30-3:30 p.m., 49 Grandview Terrace (yellow ranch) in Essex. Leslie's
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Advent Quiet Day
Saturday, December 14th
From 9:30 to 1:30, parishioners are invited to come to Saint John's for a time of quiet and reflection in this season of Advent. After gathering with some coffee, a series of meditations and readings will be offered in the church, interspersed with periods of quiet contemplative prayer. After a celebration of the Eucharist, lunch will be served.
If you are interested, please email Fr. Benjamin at
[email protected], so we can plan on numbers for the lunch.
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Advent Meditation
As part of our deepening engagement with the season of Advent, we would like to send out a daily reflection during the weekdays of Advent which will contain a short meditation on Advent or a scripture passage written by your fellow St. John’s parishioners, AND YOU! This is a way for us to share some of our thoughts and reflections with one another, in a way that we so often don't have a chance to on Sunday mornings.
A sign-up sheet for those interested is located in the Narthex. As a courtesy, the reflection would ideally be submitted a week or so before being sent out. This is something anyone can do! Theology is not merely the work of academics or theology professors.
If you have any questions or thoughts, please email Fr. Benjamin at
[email protected] or call the office 860-767-8095.
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Our annual service of Lessons and Carols will take place on December 8, at 4 pm, and we hope you will invite your friends and neighbors and plan to be with us again this year. Once Thanksgiving is past, everything tends to "speed up," and we all get very busy during the month of December. It's important to make time to hear the Scripture, sing the old familiar carols, and begin the season in the right way. As is our custom, we will be honoring a community organization, and this year, it is Middlesex Habitat for Humanity. We are thrilled to have readers who volunteer for Middlesex Habitat for Humanity as well as, staff, board members, and a homeowner!
Richard Pittsinger says he will be back from Julliard to sing for us, and Phred is preparing an original arrangement of a well-beloved carol. The choir has started practicing, and we hope the Holy Family and the three Kings will be there, too. A reception will follow in the Parish Hall, and there will be plenty of time to greet our neighbors and make some new friends.
Please mark your calendar for December 8 at 4 pm., and join us for Lessons and Carols. It's a St John's tradition, and it wouldn't be the same without you!
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By Paulette Rider
Our Giving Tree is officially back up in the Narthex, and looking more beautiful than ever!
We are hoping for a total of about 80 children this year due to our helpful elves at St. John's, and folks outside of our St. John's community who even tracked me down to donate!
We have fifty-five gift tags (given by Child and Families (DCF) on the Tree, each with the name of a child plus three Wish List ideas. There are also be twenty-five tags (given by Essex Social Services) for $25 gift cards from Walmart, which is the special request by the Essex Social Services Department for the children in town. These will not have names on them.
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Please select a tag and purchase a gift or gift card for the intended recipient. Then, enter the tag number and your name and phone number on the sign-up sheet beside the Tree.
PLEASE DO NOT WRAP the gift with paper and tape --please USE GIFT BAGS!! This allows DCF to check the contents without disturbing the beautiful wrapping. Attach the tag to the gift bag when you bring the gift in so that we will know who should get it.
The cards from Walmart for Essex should not be wrapped – just put them in the marked bag in the Narthex along with the numbered card you chose.
Please return the gifts to the Church no later than Sunday, December 8th!
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Children & Youth Ministry
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How To Sign-Up!
To sign-up or to learn more information, please contact
Becky Honan at
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St. Ann's Old Lyme, February 23 - Bishop Visitation: Confirmation Service I
Calling all 8th graders and up!! It is Confirmation time! The Rev. Benjamin Straley, Becky Honan, and Andrea Bednarz are joining forces and have put together a preparation program that should prove to be both fun and informative.
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The Confirmation service will be held at St. Ann’s Old Lyme on February 23rd during their Bishop visit. All six preparation classes will take place at St. John’s at 10:00 a.m. on dates to be announced. For more information please contact Benjamin, Becky, or Chelsea (if you haven’t already) to say, “sign me up!”
If adults are interested in becoming members of the Episcopal church or in reaffirming their baptismal vows, please contact Linda at
[email protected] or call the office, 860-767-8095. The book we'll be using is
Walk in Love: Episcopal Beliefs and Practices.
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Local Outreach and Regional Events
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Thanksgiving at Camp Washington!
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Online E-News Sign-Up
The Southeast Region of ECCT has its own monthly newsletter. Stay in the know of what's happening in your region!
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Sunday, November 24 - 3:00 PM
Congregation Beth Shalom Rodfe Zedek
55 East Kings Highway, Chester CT
All are invited to join us! This is the time every year when members of the faith communities of the Valley-Shore area gather together as one to give thanks to God for the good gifts of life. A combined choir will offer moving musical selections to stir our souls and inspire our gratitude. Members of the area clergy group will share in leading the service. A special offering will be taken to benefit a local charitable organization. Light snacks and beverages to follow.
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Did you miss last week's E-Epistle?
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If so, click the link below to catch up and not miss anything significant happening at St. John's!
Or to find out where you are on the service schedule!
You can also check out this week's lectionary readings!
To check out past sermons!
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St. John's Episcopal Church Calendar
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St. John's Episcopal Church Schedule
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Thursday, November 21
Staff Meeting: 1:00 PM
Choir Rehearsal: 7:00 PM
Friday, November 22
Newsletter Collating: 9:00 AM
Saturday, November 23
Men's Discussion Group: 9:00 AM
Sunday, November 24
Holy Eucharist: 8:00 AM
Holy Eucharist: 9:00 AM
Forum: Keeping A Holy Advent: 10:00 AM
Sunday school: 10:00 AM
Holy Eucharist: 10:45 AM
Monday, November 25
Sister Cities Essex Haiti Mtg:
6:00 PM
Tuesday, November 26
Soup Kitchen: 5:00 PM
Wednesday, November 27
Holy Eucharist: 9:00 AM
Contemplative Prayer: 5:00 PM
Thursday, November 28
Happy Thanksgiving!
Church Office: Closed
Friday, November 29
Church Office Closed
Saturday, November 30
Men's Discussion Group: 9:00 AM
Fields Baptism: 11:00 AM
Sunday, December 1
Holy Eucharist: 8:00 AM
Holy Eucharist: 9:00 AM
Intergenerational: Advent Wreath Making: 10:00 AM
Holy Eucharist: 10:45 AM
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