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Sunday, January 19 is the

Second Sunday after the Epiphany.

Service at 10:00 AM, Holy Eucharist

Find this week's readings in the bulletin.

St. John’s sent greens and flowers to Jan Goodwin (who took a fall on a nature trail last week) and aromatic flowers to Dori Mattola who is appreciating more of her senses as her vision continues to fail.

Annual Meeting - Upcoming Elections

Nominations are still forthcoming through January 16 regarding elected positions at our annual meeting to be held on January 26 after worship. If you are interested in putting forth your name or another’s name, please contact The Rev. and Marya DeCarlen, Katharine Newhouse or Patricia Anders. Here are the categories for election:

Vestry Delegates (3) - term 3 years

The Vestry acts as the board of directors of our Parish. Vestry members have both fiduciary as well as parish leadership roles. The fiduciary duties of the Vestry are: to manage the prudential affairs and to care for the property of the Parish; to provide for all things necessary for the celebration of public worship; to supervise the investment of funds of the parish; to supervise and to direct the Senior Warden, Junior Warden, Treasurer and Clerk in the discharge of their duties The following qualities are deemed important for future Vestry members. We are looking for people invested in St. John’s long-term health and viability, who want to shape the future of the our faith community. We are looking for people who want to engage in learning how to run our parish through planning and decision making. We are looking for people who want to share their love of God through parish leadership. Special gifts needed now are fundraising and communication.

1. As an existing member of the parish:

a. Be faithful and steadily present in Sunday worship.

b. Reflect a deep commitment to the Christian faith and to the Church’s ministry.

c. Be a proportional, pledging member of the parish.

d. In most cases, manifest leadership abilities and commitment within St. John’s.

2. As a Vestry member, give himself or herself to the demands of being a leader in the parish:

a. Be steadily present at gatherings of the congregation including coffee hour and parish-wide events.

b. Attend all monthly Vestry meetings and the Annual Vestry Retreat in February, for occasions of planning and spiritual reflection.

c. Understand that much of Vestry “business” is finance, facilities, and long range planning.

d. Serve on other lay committees that support programmatic ministries and administrative functions of the parish.

e. Be a willing volunteer to meet ad hoc needs of the Parish.

f. Reflect seriously with the Vestry on the Christian call to stewardship of our resources of wealth and talent and serve as a leader of the congregation in this regard.

g. Take seriously a course of personal growth in the traditions of the Christian faith and be intentional about one’s personal growth in the faith.

i.Be committed to a discipline of careful listening and open dialogue.

j. Be willing to consider a wide range of points of view.

Diocesan Convention delegates (2) and one alternate-term 1 year

These representatives attend an annual all day gathering in November in the Boston area called the "diocesan convention" where they participate in making decisions regarding the governance, budget, and mission priorities of the Episcopal Diocese of MA, acting as a voting member on behalf of St. John’s Gloucester, to shape the direction of the wider church within our region.

Deanery Representatives (5)-term 2 years

These representatives meet quarterly on Tuesday evenings from 6-8:30pm ( including dinner) at an Episcopal church in the North Shore Deanery. The representatives provide a link between the congregation and the regional Deanery by representing the congregation at the regional level, and by reporting back to the congregation on events, actions and decisions that occur.

The North Shore Deanery is similar to a county level organization for the congregations of the Episcopal Diocese of Massachusetts. The Diocese describes the deaneries as follows: “The congregations in our diocese are grouped into 12 deaneries whose boundaries are drawn according to natural watersheds, reminding us of our connections with God’s creation and symbolic of the waters of Baptism.

At our most recent Associated Clergy of Cape Ann meeting, we talked about how we might respond to the discovery in Beverly of a cache of weapons in the home of someone who had been making antisemitic threats. An interfaith service focusing on our support for those feeling the effects of antisemitism was discussed for February 9. However, at vestry last night, I discovered it was the same day as the Super Bowl so we will regroup and stay focused on our support of our Jewish neighbors. Last week I asked you to consider calling your Jewish friends to offer your support. If you are at a loss for words, please call me or email me so I can be of support to you.

Here is a book that will be the read during worship at Annisquam Village Church this Sunday for the “ child in us all,” part of the service. I commend it to you: "Red and Green and Blue and White."  A video of the book is here. - Marya+

St. John’s Episcopal Church, Gloucester

WARRANT

 for the 163^rd Annual Parish Meeting

Sunday, January 26, 2025

TO:   The Parishioners of St. John’s Episcopal Church in Gloucester, Massachusetts

GREETINGS:   In the name of the Officers and Vestry of St. John’s, said Parishioners qualified to vote in Parish affairs are warned to meet in-person or via Zoom (Zoom instructions below) on Sunday, January 26, 2025, immediately following the worship service, and then and there to act on the following, to wit:

·  To receive the Report of the Nominating Committee of candidates for Wardens, Officers and new Vestry members and offer nominations from the floor.

·  To receive the 2024 Annual Reports.

See the official, signed warrant.

Review the list of Officer and Vestry Nominees.

Zoom Instructions for Annual Meeting

January 26, 2025

People can join the meeting via Zoom in several ways:

Click this link:

https://us02web.zoom.us/j/87820012187?pwd=NpNPE1ztL3lBEznAwzjGK2G1I2Wrms.1

Meeting ID: 878 2001 2187

Passcode: 592846

Or, open the Zoom app and enter the Meeting ID and passcode above.

Or on your phone, dial (646) 558-8656, then enter the Meeting ID and passcode above.

The Zoom app is available free on the Web at https://zoom.us/download, and in the Apple and Google app stores. 

Download these instructions.

Last Sunday, the Rev. Marya DeCarlen chalked our door, and St. John's has begun a new year!

(Photo by Director of Music, John Churchwell.)

Meet and Greet the SJC Vestry!

Do you ever wonder what the Vestry does? Have you ever thought about becoming a Vestry member but not sure how to do that? This Sunday is your chance to find out! Please join us during Coffee Hour to find out what Vestry members find rewarding and maybe how you can join in this vital work of the church.  

Hospitality for the Annual Meeting The Annual Meeting will take place on Sunday, January 26. Afterward, we will all gather in the Parish Hall for a delicious pot luck lunch provided by all parishioners who would like to participate.  There is a sign up sheet on the bulletin board in the Parish Hall. Please check it out and sign up for sharing your favorite dish, drinks, set up or clean up.

Thanks, Gail Crane

Common Threads is meeting Saturday, January 18, from 11-1 in the Thompson Room. You are invited to bring your knitting, crocheting or any other hand worked crafting to join us.

Any questions, please contact Kim Prentice at kdprentice@hotmail.com.

Meet and Greet with the Budget!

Are you just burning up with questions about the 2025 St. John's Budget?? Is there something you've been dying to ask but you're too afraid to raise your hand during the Annual Meeting?? Well, here's your chance to get all your questions answered in the privacy of Parish Hall I on Wednesday, Jan. 22 from 10-12. Stop by for a cup of coffee and questions with your Treasurer, Sue Lupo. If you can't make this time, contact Sue by phone (978.314.1749) or email (suelupo10@gmail.com) with your questions. Hope to see you Wednesday!

BRRR! It's Cold Outside! Winter has set in for real, and the need for nourishing and comforting food is very much in the picture. The list of clients at The Open Door continues to grow, and the donations of food items are most welcome. This week, items needed include: pasta, chicken soup, oatmeal, cooking oil, and breakfast bars. Many thanks.

End-of-year pledge statements have been sent to parishioners via email. If you didn't receive one, please email Elizabeth.

Music Notes 

This Sunday, In Thee Is Gladness, arranged by Michael Burkhardt, will be the postlude on the Fisk Pipe Organ.

In Thee Is Gladness, text by Johann Lindemann, isn’t in the Episcopal Hymnal, but is a hymn that has comforting words for the events in our lives that are taking place.

Johann Lindemann was born around 1550 and died around 1633. He was related to Martin Luther. Lindemann attended grammar school at Schulpforta, attended gymnasium (high school) at Gotha, and graduated with an M.A. from Jena. According to hymnologist John Julian, he began serving as a cantor at Gotha in the early 1570s and retired from this position in 1631.

In thee is gladness, amid all sadness,

Jesus, sunshine of my heart.

By thee are given the gifts of heaven,

thou the true Redeemer art.

Our souls thou makest, our bonds thou breakest;

who trusts thee surely hath built securely,

and stands forever. Alleluia!

Our hearts are pining to see thy shining;

dying or living, to thee are cleaving;

naught can us sever. Alleluia!

If God be ours, we fear no powers,

not of earth or sin or death.

God sees and blesses in worst distresses,

and can change them in a breath.

Wherefore the story tell of God's glory

with heart and voices; all heaven rejoices,

singing forever; Alleluia!

We shout for gladness, triumph o'er sadness,

loving and praising, voices still raising

glad hymns forever: Alleluia!

The hymn is a wonderful reflection of the sustaining power of God in the face of the travails of life. The author tells us that Jesus, the “sunshine of my heart,” is the source of our hope. The first stanza ends with a phrase reminiscent of Romans 8:38-39: “For I am persuaded, that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come, nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.”

The second stanza seems to draw from Romans 8:31, “If God [be] for us, who [can be] against us?” It begins, “If God be ours, we fear no powers, not earth or sin or death.”

Even the dance-like character of the music seems to defy the struggles of life because of the hope that Jesus offers all. The hymn, which the organ arrangement reflects, concludes with “shout[s] for gladness, triumph o’er sadness . . . [and] voices raising glad hymns forever. Alleluia!”

Your Friend,

John Churchwell

Vestry Notes for January 2025

·      The Vestry amended the official warrant for the 163rd Annual Meeting of St. John’s Gloucester (to be held on January 26, 2025) to allow participation via Zoom. Diocesan Guidelines require Vestry approval for virtual meetings at which parish votes are taken.

·      The Vestry approved the 2025 budget for St. John’s. The budget will be presented at the Annual Meeting, and copies will be made available before the Annual Meeting.

·      Because we are presently eighteen months into our mutual collaboration with our Priest-in-Collaboration, it is time to begin the Mutual Ministry Review process. Our Canon for Transition, The Rev Gregory Perez, will help lead the Vestry and the Priest-in-Collaboration through the process starting on March 1. The Diocese describes the Mutual Ministry Review as a way for every faith community to ask, “How are we doing?”

·      The annual All Parish Retreat will be held in Duxbury March 21–23. More information on the retreat will be available in the coming weeks.

·      Work will begin on rewiring the church to remove the dangerous old “knob and tube wiring” still in use in some parts of our church campus. Upon the advice of several master electricians, the Vestry has voted to remove the entire antiquated system immediately for safety reasons instead of gradually as originally proposed.  

A number of you have asked about how to contribute to help victims of wildfires in California… Here are some resources:

Episcopal Relief & Development is working with local diocesan partners to assess the needs of evacuees and provide support in the coming days. As the scope of the disaster continues to unfold, we need your help. Please make an urgent gift to our Wildfire Response Fund now. Emergency responders are still working to contain the 100 mph wind-fueled fires that are consuming land, homes, places of worship, parks and businesses all across Southern California. Already five people are dead and 130,000 had to evacuate their homes – many of whom no longer have a home to which they can return.

Parish of St. Michael's - Episcopal Church in Pacific Palisades Pastoral Fund On Tuesday, January 7, the church staff, school staff and students of St. Matthew's Episcopal Church evacuated their campus. As of January 9, the church buildings were still intact, but three church residences were lost. But an estimated 75% of the church members lost their homes. Now the church is collecting funds to support members of the Pacific Palisades community impacted by the fire. To make a donation, click here. To learn more about this church, see their Facebook page.

Hours and locations of local warming centers

for those in need:

Grace Center (264 Main St.)

• Open 8 AM–4 PM (Mon-Fri) & 11 AM–4 PM (Sun).

Rose Baker Senior Center Gloucester (6 Manuel F Lewis St)

• Open 9 AM–4 PM (Mon-Fri).
• Welcoming everyone, including non-members, who need to

escape the cold.

The Open Door (28 Emerson Ave.)

• Check their Facebook page for Warming Station schedule.

Sawyer Free Library (21 Main St. 2nd Floor)

• Call 978-325-5500 to find out if this Warming Station is open.

Music at St. Michael's this Sunday Andrew Sheranian, the Music Director and organist at Parish of All Saints, Ashmont, will perform a program of Bach and Vaughan Williams this Sunday, 1/19 at 5PM. Suggested donation is $20/person. For more information, download the flyer.

And mark your calendars: February 2nd at 5PM is a special Evensong service celebrating the 50th anniversary of our Fisk organ. This collaborative effort of St. Michael’s and Christ Church, Hamilton & Wenham Choirs and Music Directors is a free will offering. 

St. Michael's is at 26 Pleasant St. in Marblehead.

GLOUCESTER MEETINGHOUSE, MARTIN LUTHER KING Jr. BIRTHDAY EVENT The Gloucester Meetinghouse Foundation proudly presents its ninth annual Martin Luther King, Jr. birthday event. It will be held on Monday, January 20^th at 2:00pm in the Gloucester Unitarian Universalist Church, located at the corner of Church and Middle Streets (GPS 50 Middle Street). An elevator is available from the side door at 10 Church Street. No charge for admission but freewill donations are gratefully received. For more information please visit the web site.

Martin Luther King Jr. March and Service Monday, January 20, 2025: A march and interfaith service of song, readings and prayer will be held at the Unitarian Universalist Society of Rockport (4 Cleaves St.) You are invited to gather at 9:30 am to make signs, march at 10:00 am. The Rev. Marya DeCarlen will be leading the service at 10:30 am.

Tuesday, January 28 from 7 to 8pm at the Ken Olsen Science Center at Gordon College. Painter, teacher and author Bruce Herman will talk with his friend and colleague Bill Cross about his new book: Makers by Nature: Letters from a Master Painter on Faith, Hope and Art. To learn more about the book or to order a copy, check it out on Amazon. **Shop local! Consider ordering from the Gloucester Bookstore.**

Special Service Love Casts Out Fear: An Inauguration Eve Vigil The Episcopal Peace Fellowship (EPF) and the Diocese of Massachusetts invite all to attend this special service on the late afternoon of January 19, 2025. Held at the Cathedral Church of St. Paul in Boston, this service will be a sacred opportunity for reflection, prayer, and solidarity as the nation prepares for a presidential inauguration. The vigil will begin at 5:00 PM and will also be live-streamed for those unable to attend in person. This service, open to all, will lean deeply into the Christian faith, affirming that love casts out fear (1 John 4:18) and calling participants to stand with marginalized communities. It will focus on themes of justice, peace, and the transformative power of love in action. Register here or join virtually through the Cathedral’s YouTube Channel. For more information about the vigil, please see the web page or contact the Cathedral Church of St. Paul at (617) 482-5800.

Sign-Ups

Altar Flowers

Flowers beautify the Sanctuary of our church, and are a gift which honors God’s creation. A contribution to the flower fund is a meaningful way to honor or remember a loved one. After worship, the flowers offer further blessings to people in special circumstances as they are delivered by members of the flower team with a note of encouragement. Cost:$35

Sanctuary Light

If you look up while seated in our sanctuary you will see a candle suspended in water near our high altar. It is called the Sanctuary Candle and it is a symbol in the Episcopal Church of the Light of Christ. It burns continuously as a reminder that consecrated bread and wine are always present and available for people in special circumstances. It is also a reminder that God is always with us. In the Jewish tradition, the lamp is known in Hebrew as ner tamid, which translates to eternal light or flame and also symbolizes God’s eternal presence. A contribution to the sanctuary lamp fund in honor of a saint who has gone before us, is a way to link their heavenly life with yours. Cost: $10

All offerings will be mentioned in the bulletin and noted before the Eucharistic prayer.

Coffee Hour

Coffee Hour is an extension of the Eucharistic table and helps us come together in fellowship. We appreciate your support and dedication in making this ministry a warm and welcoming experience for everyone. Currently there are four teams serving on Sunday mornings. If you’d like to join a team of 2-3 people or create a new team, please email Marge or call the office at 9781-283-1708.

Action Lunches returns in the spring.

January 19, 2025

The Second Sunday after the Epiphany

10:00 AM

Download the bulletin to see who is participating in the liturgy.

CONTACT MARYA (Priest-in-Collaboration) at mdecarlen@comcast.net or 978-590-1642

St. John's Intercession List: Carmine Gorga, Fozzie Hill, Dolores DeRuscio, Lois Lupo , Steve Jencks, Ben, Rosie, Reverend Stephen Woods, CoCo Baxter, Francisco Lococo, The People of the Middle East, Jim LaBelle, Eric Leibowitz, Ruth and Gabriel Leibowitz, Anna and Isabelle, Ondine, Don Baker, Mandy, Marjorie Frontiero, Hope, Brie-Anne Martel, Patty Reed, Marjorie Fergusson, Laurie Menard, Jeremy, Lucy,  Gaëlle K., Sean G., Josh R., Sean, Alexis Morris, Charlie Bishop, Sarah Clifford, Ace Torrence and Family, Jacoby, Jay Featherstone, Isabelle Higgins, Christopher Antonuk, Miranda Featherstone and Family, Marsha White, Claire Stahler, Carole Secrest, Chris Klosterman, Sereda Feener, Alex Furth, Simeon Teitelbaum, Miriam Teitelbaum,  Len Berry, Ellen, Wayne Martin, Ernie Runnells, Jack Ketchopulos, Michael Rocha, Liana and Joe Webb, Linda, Malcolm Henderson, Emelia Currier, Danny, John Fleming.

Contact prayer list manager: Joan Gorga 978-283-5926 or jmgorga@yahoo.com

Please notify Joan Gorga if there is any change with the people on this list. Thank you.

WEEKLY CALENDAR

Sundays               

• 9:00-9:30 am Choir rehearsal (Sept. through June)
• 10:00 am Sung Eucharist

Mondays             

• 9-noon Church open for prayer and meditation
• 9-noon Ms. Fixits Women gathering to tend to the fabric of the church

Tuesdays

• 9-noon Church open for prayer and meditation
• 4:30 pm Women's Cursillo Reunion Group (1st and 3rd Tuesdays)

Wednesdays

• 7 am Men's Bible Reflection, (Bible study) 
• 9-noon Church open for prayer and meditation
• 10 am to 2 pm Thrift Shop and Regal Rummage Open
• 7 pm Fish City AA

Thursdays    

• 9-noon Church open for prayer and meditation
• 7 - 8:30 pm Parish Choir rehearsal (Sept. through June)
• 7:00 pm AA

Fridays

• 10 am to 2 pm Thrift Shop and Regal Rummage Open

Saturdays             

• Action Shelter Lunch-Making, Carolyn Stewart
• 10 am to 2 pm Thrift Shop and Regal Rummage Open
• 7 pm Big Book AA