St. John’s Happenings
The Giving Tree has become an ever-present vision in the upper hall. Thank you for all your support and donations to the Newton Food Pantry this past year. The volunteers are very grateful for your contributions which allow them to meet the increased demand in our communities. Please continue to bring in your donations as the New Year begins, along with vocally spreading the word about the Pantry! Thank you
The First Sunday of Christmas, December 29, we will join the congregation of Trinity Church, 11 Homer Street, Newton Centre for their 10:00 a.m. Holy Eucharist, Rite II Service.
Mark holds office hours at Saint John’s on Saturday mornings between 9:00 a.m. and 12:00 noon. If you have any pastoral concerns, you can reach Mark at 617.645.4691 or email him at mark.edington@gmail.com.
Sunday School News:
This Sunday, December 29 there will be no classes.
Church School classes will resume on January 5th.
Church School classes are for children aged 3 through grade 6 are held from 10-10:40 a.m., with children joining the service at the Offertory to be with their families for Holy Communion. Our youngest children will be using Godly Play as their curriculum which is a montessori based program. Our older children will be using Feasting On The Word which is a lectionary based curriculum. Questions? Contact Kate McKey-Dunar, Christian Formation Coordinator, at kemckey@gmail.com.
Cathedral Soup Kitchen Lunch Program –Monday, December 30: Volunteers from St. John’s are invited to assist in serving lunch to the homeless at the Cathedral Church of St. Paul, 138 Tremont St., Boston. If you can participate, please plan to be at the Cathedral by 11:45 a.m. Contributions of finger food desserts (brownies & cookies) may be brought to church on Sunday, December 29th. Please leave them in the Loring Room and designate them for the Soup Kitchen. If you are interested in helping and could use a ride to the Cathedral, please speak to Libby or email her at epseaman@comcast.net. Serving and clean-up are completed by one o’clock.
Coffee Hour Sign-Up Sheet for January – April, 2014 is now posted on the Parish Office door. Please take the time to sign up for a Sunday. Participating in this essential and fun part of fellowship at St. John’s is easier than you think! If you are interested in hosting one, there are plenty of veteran coffee hour providers who could guide you and answer your questions. Thank you!
Postal Rate Increase: As you may have heard, postage will go up three cents, costing now $.49 for a standard letter, effective January 26, 2014. The Parish Office would gratefully welcome a booklet of Forever Stamps to help defer the cost of our various mailings. Thank you for remembering St. John’s before these new rates go into effect!
Annual Reports: Can you believe it – it’s that time again! All committee reports for the 2013 Annual Report Booklet should be submitted by Friday, January 17th. Please send your report electronically, (preferably copy-ready) either as an attachment, or in the body of an email to stjohnnew@rcn.com. Or, feel free to leave your report in Paula’s box in the office. Thank you for early submissions! Annual Meeting is Sunday, January 26th.
The Next Book Group Meeting will be Tuesday, January 21 at 7:30 p.m. We will be discussing two books on the same topic. The non-fiction book, The Warmth of Other Suns by Isabel Wilkerson, and the fictional novel, The Twelve Tribes of Hattie by Ayana Mathis. Please join us – we welcome newcomers to our small, but enthusiastic group!
Saint John’s Calendar:
Sat. Dec. 28 Gift & Thrift Shop Closed
Sun. 29 10:00 am Holy Eucharist, Rite II
5:00 pm OA Group Meeting (lower hall)
Mon. 30 Noon Cathedral Soup Kitchen
Wed. Jan. 1 Happy New Year
Thurs. 2 7:30 pm Choir Rehearsal (upper hall)
Sat. 4 11:00 am – 4:00 pm Gift & Thrift Shop (lower hall)
Sun. 5 10:00 am Holy Eucharist, Rite II
5:00 pm OA Group Meeting (upper hall)
5:00 pm Epiphany Eve Service led by the Confirmation Class