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Sunday, July 7 is the Seventh Sunday after Pentecost.

Service at 10:00 AM Holy Eucharist with Choir

Find this week's readings in the bulletin.

A BIG shout out to our neighbor, Gerald Rose, who mowed our front lawn before the Fiesta last weekend when the grass was a bit lengthy!!!! Thank you!!!

St. John's Parking Lot UPDATE:

Thank you, everyone, for your patience as St. John’s works out a new system for using our parking lot!

After July 8, please make note of the following restrictions:

On the Parish Hall side:

1. Spaces numbered 1-6 are available to those who have business INSIDE THE CHURCH BUILDING (including AA and other meetings).
2. Spaces numbered 7-20 are for residential parkers ONLY. Vehicles parked there (at any time or day) without authorization will be TOWED at the owner's expense.

On the Thrift Shop side:

1. Spaces numbered 39-43 are available to thrift shoppers and regal rummagers Wednesdays, Fridays and Saturdays, 10-2.
2. When the Thrift Shop is NOT open, those spaces are available for other kinds of church business (including AA and other meetings).
3. Spaces numbered 21-38 are in use most days 9-5, but after 5:00, these spots may be used for church business, (including AA and other meetings).

AN ILLUSTRATION of the parking lot and which spaces are available when appears below. If you have ANY questions about parking, email Elizabeth. THANK YOU!

Quick note from Elizabeth about parking changes:

Hi friends! I just wanted to let you know that the response from the community about St. John's efforts to organize the parking lot has been resoundingly positive. People appreciate understanding exactly who can park where and what the rules are.

And we are SO grateful to everyone in this community for helping this transition go smoothly! THANK YOU!!!

GIFT OF AN ICON St. Stephen was not only the first martyr but also the first Deacon of the nascent Christian Church… The icon pictured below (handwritten in Greece) was a gift to our Parish from Jason Kinchen, our diaconal intern from September 2023 to May 2024. He writes, “you were foundational to my formation, and I will continue to treasure my experience at St. John’s. Continue to build the kingdom and be the body."

Please keep Jason in your prayers as he continues his discernment and formation as a deacon in the diocese of Massachusetts. We give thanks for the gift of his ministry in our midst!

Last weekend, a great time was had by all at Gloucester's ninety-seventh annual St. Peter's Fiesta! To learn more about this beloved event, click here. You can also watch the video of the greasy pole competition!

Summer is officially here and the kids are out of school. The Summer Eats program at the Open Door is getting ready to provide bag lunches starting in July. In the meantime, families need to continue providing healthy food to keep the kids well fed, including nutritious snacks. This week, the Open Door would appreciate: healthy cereal, granola/breakfast bars, healthy crackers, and small boxes of raisins. Many thanks.

Music Notes for Sunday, July 7, 2024

All who hunger, gather gladly; holy manna is our bread. This hymn, in the Wonder Love and Praise hymnal #761, our Recessional Hymn this Sunday, was written by Canadian clergywoman Sylvia Dunstan (1955-1993). Dunstan was a graduate of York University with degrees in theology and divinity from Emmanuel College in Toronto, which led to her ordination in the United Church of Canada. She served as a prison chaplain for 10 years and was appointed to Malvern Emmanuel United Church in Scarborough, Ontario, just a few years before she was diagnosed with liver cancer that took her life at the age of 38.

Dunstan received her formal musical education from Sister St. Gregory at St. Joseph’s convent. Growing up on the “evangelical side of the United Church of Canada,” she found her musical education at a Catholic convent expanded her spiritual as well as musical horizons. Her musical influence came from the folk music of Ray Repp and the Medical Mission Sisters. She met one of the Mission Sisters, Sister Miriam Therese Winter, who taught her how to write songs based on Scripture. Even though she played the guitar, she focused on writing texts.

Dunstan realized that the structure of classic hymns with meter and rhyme “empowered” congregational singing. She noted: “I came to believe that ‘meaningful thoughts’ in sloppy form are an impediment to the people’s prayer, causing an undue focus on the work itself, rather than pointing to the worship of God.”

The final two lines of each stanza form a refrain: “Taste and see the grace eternal. Taste and see that God is good,” a reference to Psalm 34:8, “O taste and see that the Lord is good!” (NRSV). We learn from this hymn the nature of the meal and how important it is for all who share it. Those who partake in this meal “yearn for days of fullness” (stanza one) are “never strangers” (stanza two) and will find that “Jesus Christ is living bread” (stanza three). This is not a memorial hymn that recalls Christ’s suffering, but a joyful hymn of community to be shared at the table. Stanza three states: “Blest are those who from this table live their days in gratitude.”

Your Friend,

John Churchwell 

Ever wonder why we Episcopalians do what we do?

Preludes and Postludes

Not until this week, did I understand that the prelude and postlude in worship stemmed from a 17th century Dutch tradition of concertizing before and after worship. John Churchwell, our Director of Music sent me a link to an article explaining that during this time church organs were owned by the city council, and organists were hired by the city. The Reformation in the Netherlands, left little room for music in worship, but the Dutch appreciated organ music!! Organs were still in churches from days of Catholicism (before the Reformation) so to accomplish two things at once cities hired organists to play concerts before and after worship. These voluntaries were originally performances outside of worship, not integral offerings as part of our worship. (adapted from Dr. Ben Keseley, Minister of Music ,St. George’s Arlington, VA)

At St. John’s, the prelude sets the tone for what is to follow; inviting worshipers to gather and transition from their busy lives into a sacred place of communion with God and with each other. Before the prelude we greet and re-connect with other worshipers and during the prelude we prepare ourselves for prayer in community with quiet introspection. The prelude is not just background music, but music that is selected with the specific intent of inviting people into worship, preparing us for the consideration of sacred things and is our first act of worship.

Similarly the postlude provides a transition from sacred worship back into our varied lives and activities, equipped with renewed courage, energy, and a commitment to serve God and others, until we are able to meet again, as a community, in worship. It is a loud and enthusiastic “Amen” to worship! At St. John’s we greet one another after we appreciate our Director of Music for pointing us to our Creator who makes all things beautiful and inspires creativity in us all . The last note of the postlude is a sacred bridge that ushers us back into the world to live out our calling as children of God. I invite you to LISTEN to our preludes and postludes!! - Marya

Congratulations to The Rt. Rev. Sean Rowe, who was elected by the House of Deputies and the House of Bishops, as Presiding Bishop of The Episcopal Church during General Convention this week. Many thanks to Presiding Bishop Michael Curry who is retiring. To learn more, click here.

Following word of the successful consent process, and accompanied by Bishop Alan Gates (right) and Diocese of Massachusetts deputies, Bishop-elect Julia Whitworth (second from right) was seated in the House of Bishops during its morning session on June 27 at General Convention in Louisville, Ky.

July 7, 2024

The Seventh Sunday after Pentecost, 10:00 AM

Participating in the Liturgy: The People of God gathered in St. John's Church

Celebrant and Preacher: The Rev. Marya DeCarlen

Lector: Rick Britton

Acolyte: Karen Kasper

LEM/POPS: Geoff Pope

Ushers: Dani Stotzer and Tom Chmura

Musicians: The Congregation and John Churchwell, Director of Music

Altar Guild: Karen Kasper and Melanie Murray-Brown

Flower Guild: Rosemary Sullivan and Kip Ellis

LiveStreaming: Norm Barr

Property Cleaner: Lucelia Gomes Ventura

Thrift Shop Assistant: Michele Del Vecchio

ACTION SHELTER SANDWICHES this week will be provided by Kim and David Prentice.

COFFEE HOUR will be hosted by Gwen Kopka, Kim Prentice and Katharine Newhouse.

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: Hope, Brie-Anne Martel, Patty Reed, Marjorie Fergusson, Laurie Menard, Jeremy, Lucy, The King Family, The Thompson Family, 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, Lynn Runnells, 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.