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Sunday, September 29 is the Nineteenth Sunday

after Pentecost.

Service at 10:00 AM, Holy Eucharist

Find this week's readings in the bulletin.

Save the dates!

* Sunday, 10/6: Blessing of Animals at 2pm

* Sunday, 10/13: Indigenous Peoples Day, service at 10 am

* Sunday, 10/27: Evensong with Annisquam Village Church at SJC, 4pm

You are lovingly invited to A Celebration of the Life of Nadine Boughton on Saturday, Sept. 28, from 2-5 pm

Please join Nadine's family at St. John's Church for stories, art, poems, food and song! Doors will open at 1:30 pm. If anyone has photos of Nadine or her artwork to contribute to a slideshow, please send digital versions to Catherine. (Catherine can also pick up hard copies and scan them.) To protect from airborne illness, the family asks that you either (1) test on days five, three and one counting down to the gathering (CDC guidelines) or (2) wear a mask. The family needs a rough headcount for food-buying purposes, so please email Catherine Devine with your RSVP or any questions at cjdevine211@gmail.com

BLESSING OF THE ANIMALS

Come by the side yard of St. John's on Sunday, October 6 at 2:00 and bring your favorite critter - no matter if it's furry, scaley, has a shell or lives in a bowl! We will be collecting monetary donations for Cape Ann Animal Aid, a non-profit, no kill organization dedicated to facilitating appropriate placement of adoptable animals and enhancing the lives of all companion animals by promoting respect and well-being through education and outreach. Learn more about all that this organization achieved in 2023 here.

All people and animals are welcome! Tell your friends and neighbors!

Pine-cone candle makers! This past Monday, volunteers gathered to make pinecone candles for the upcoming HOLIDAY FAIR!!

Go, team!

Congratulations, Kip!

Last week, Kip Ellis, choir and flower guild member (and husband of John Churchwell, our Director of Music,) attended the ground-breaking of the 41,000 square foot, $25.2 million Windgate Art and Innovation Center at Arkansas State University, which was designed by KIP! HUGE congratulations!! To learn more about this facility, which will be completed in 2027, click here.

FREE!!! Music Lessons? Yes!

Have you ever wanted to learn how to play the piano? Have you ever wondered how the pipe organ functions? Do you look at the music in the hymnal and question all the components of a hymn? These questions can be answered by your Director of Music, John Churchwell, during private music lessons! You heard that right! John is offering 4 people, 4 music lessons, during a 4 week period, FOR FREE! Each weekly lesson is 30 mins. This is a time for you to spend with John and learn anything and everything you have ever wanted to know, ask, and learn about music. There is no catch, no smoke and mirrors, and no guilt-trip for you to join the choir or display what you have learned. This is a personal time for you. Music lessons start the week of October 7, and run each week through the week of October 28.

There will be three more opportunities to take have music sessions with John: the weeks of Nov. 4 through Nov. 25, the weeks of Jan. 6 through Jan. 27, and the weeks of Feb. 3 through Feb. 24. These special times are for YOU IN THE PEWS. FIRST COME, FIRST SERVED! If you have any questions or want to request one of the 4 time slots for any of the 4-week sessions, email John Churchwell at john@stjohnsgloucester.org. 

Knitting Group Starting

Join us for Common Threads on Saturdays from 11-1 in the Thompson Room. Common Threads is a time to gather for fellowship and knitting or crocheting. Feel free to invite friends. Email Kim at kdprentice@hotmail.com with any questions. 

The Village Fair is Coming!

Plans are well underway for our annual fair on Saturday November 23rd, and you can expect to get a call to find out how you might like to participate. But if you'd like to have some fun right now, consider joining us at 10:00 on Monday morning September 23rd for pine cone waxing, or October 7th for dog treat baking. Something for everyone!

Back To School Interestingly, Hunger Action Month coincides with back-to-school time. Now the kids are back in school, healthy food is essential in helping them to succeed. Healthy snacks during the day are as important as meals in keeping up their energy during the school day. This week, the following would be most appreciated by The Open Door: granola bars, crackers, and breakfast bars are good snacks. Other items to bring on Sunday include: oatmeal, healthy cereal, flavored rice, and bread mixes. Let's keep the children of Gloucester healthy, happy, and safe. Thank you.

Music Notes

The text for Sunday’s Offertory Hymn, Put Peace Into Each Other’s Hands, was written by Fred Kaan. This hymn, based on Mark 9:50b, has five stanzas.

Stanza 1: Put peace into each other’s hands, protect it, with tenderness enfold it: The action of giving someone peace, holding peace, accepting peace.

Stanza 2: Put peace into each other’s hands with love, be gentle, be in touch with God’s creation: Love for each other and all of God’s creation.

Stanza 3: Put peace into each other’s hands like breaking bread together, love each other: Care for each other through.

Stanza 4: At communion, shaping your hands into a waiting cradle, receiving the gift of Christ: Uniting together for Communion, in peace with God and each other.

Stanza 5: Put peace into each other’s hands, give peace a chance and share it like a treasure: Peace is a treasure from God. Share it with each other.

The text to this hymn is set to ST. COLUMBIA (The King of love my shepherd is). This hymn is about action. The action of giving, caring for, receiving, holding, and cherishing peace.

See you Sunday,

Your Friend,

John Churchwell

Pilgrimage to the Presidency As we approach the US presidential election, with politics dominating the news and many people’s thoughts, we explore how Christians have grappled with the political world, and what that means for us in a 21st century democracy as we look to do the same. Beginning the week of September 15th, join Br. Lucas for weekly videos and conversations with guest speakers about theology, prayer, and discernment, along with livestreamed conversations with SSJE brothers and a livestreamed vigil through the night on Election Day. We seek to answer the question: how can we the Church engage in the realm of politics while maintaining our integrity, our love of God and neighbor, and our commitment to the common good? Follow along at pilgrimagetothepresidency.org

CARBON SEQUESTRATION On Sunday, Oct. 6 at 3pm at the Annisquam Village Church, Andrew Brousseau, co-founder of Black Earth Compost, will explain how compost helps sequester C02 (carbon) from the atmosphere by nourishing your soil and plants, which fixes CO2 into stable forms stored in the soil long term. He will also discuss a plan for carbon sinks and food security in Massachusetts by choosing compost. Brought to you by the Interfaith Committee of the Cape Ann Climate Coalition. For more information, download the flyer.

The Cape Ann Climate Future Film Festival will take place at the at the Gloucester Stage Company, at 267 East Main Street on Saturday, October 5. Doors open at 2:00 p.m. for a light reception catered by Meat & Sweet, featuring local barbecue and dessert favorites. The program runs from 3:00 to 5:00 and will include a series of ten short films from four continents, which “explore the artistic and human response to climate change,” as noted by the festival’s producers. There will be a community discussion of the films at the end of the screening. We anticipate vigorous conversation following the films. Tickets are $20 each. For more information, download the press release.

On Tuesday, September 24, Bishop-elect Julia Whitworth sent a message to the Diocese of Massachusetts. To learn more about her upcoming plans and how she's been preparing, click here.

September 29, 2024

The Nineteenth Sunday after Pentecost, 10:00 AM

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

SIGN-UP IN THE PARISH HALL! We always need people to contribute funds for the weekly burning of our sanctuary lamp and for altar flowers. Pick a date that has special meaning for you (anniversaries, birthdays, etc.)! We also always need donations of any kind for the Open Door food bank (no expired items or glass containers please). And don't forget about helping provide lunches for the Action Shelter so people can have something to eat on Sundays!

Sign up in the parish hall for future dates for flower and lamp, Action Sandwiches and coffee hour.



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

Join us for Zoom Coffee Hour, aka Reliable Joy! 

Reliable Joy meets Sundays at 12:30. 

Use this Zoom link to join in. Meeting ID: 873 3272 1412

Passcode: 01930 Dial by location: 1 646 558 8656

WEEKLY CALENDAR

Sundays               

• 8:30 - 9:15 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 

St. John's Intercession List: Abby Baxter, CoCo Baxter, Isaiah Woods, Nancy Neschis, Francisco Lococo, Clayton Dyett, The People of the Middle East, Jim LaBelle, Eric Leibowitz, Ruth and Gabriel Leibowitz, Anna and Isabelle, Ondine, Don Baker, Mandy, Nina Ziv, 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, Lyn Brakeman, 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, Anne Sullivan, 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.