The Vestry approved the minutes from its August meeting on September 19, 2021. You may download them at the link below.

The vestry has approved the minutes from it's meeting held on June 23, 2021. You can download them below.

St. John's has a part-time bookkeeper job available.

​The bookkeeper shall be responsible for and shall maintain oversight of all financial and business transactions of the Church. This includes processing weekly offerings, rental income, and other forms of income. The bookkeeper is also responsible for bill payment and oversight of purchasing, expense reimbursement, check request, petty cash, and payroll processes. The bookkeeper is also responsible for managing loans disbursed to the Church, including managing the forgiveness of a Paycheck Protection Program loan disbursed in calendar year 2020. Reports directly to the Rector or, in his/her absence, the Senior Warden and Vestry of St. John’s.

The Vestry met on Wednesday, June 23rd, and approved the minutes for the May, 2021 meeting. Those minutes are available for your review below.

Parish members: As we move forward at St. John's into the "post-pandemic" era, we need your input. Please complete the following surveys by Friday, July 17th.

At our May Vestry meeting, we approved the minutes from April. They're attached below for your review.

​Often in Scripture, we find the shepherd presented as an ideal figure.  It worked well as an image for the Hebrew people, since the keeping of sheep and other livestock was an occupation of their’s from time immemorial.  Even in this 21st Century, I’m told, when a young Palestinian child chooses to imitate the sound of an animal, it’s more likely to be that of a sheep, and not a dog or cat or cow.

​Let’s review a few of the Scriptural stories which involve shepherds and shepherding.

​Our Gospel today is set in the days right after Christ’s death and resurrection.  Christ appears out of nowhere to his disciples and speaks: “Peace be with you.” The immediate response of the disciples is not joy or even astonishment. The Gospel writer says they thought they were seeing a ghost.  Jesus responds, “Why are you frightened, and why do doubts arise in your hearts?  Look at my hands and my feet; see that it is I myself.  Touch me and see; for a ghost does not have flesh and bones as you see that I have. “ For the disciples and for us, when God reveals himself to us, it may not be what we are looking for. 

This is a tough day to show up for church.  The first Sunday after Easter, Easter being the biggest day of our Christian year.  I expect there are remnants of Easter in and around our St. John’s courtyard from that glorious day last Sunday. Evidence of a celebration, like plastic cups left on every surface after a party or Christmas wrapping strewn all over the floor after the presents are all opened.  Perhaps we left behind a plastic Easter egg or two, or maybe the “He is Risen” banners still hang in the windows of the newly redecorated Rector’s office in the Wainwright building.   Evidence that we celebrated Jesus’ resurrection but the big party is over.   

Today, the first Sunday after the celebration, we hear the story of Thomas.  You don’t need to be a Christian to know about Thomas.  He must be the only disciple whose name gets thrown around regularly in secular conversation.  People say, “She’s a Doubting Thomas.”  Its not used as a compliment, like “She is evidence based”  or “She requires a basis on which to form her opinions.”   No, to be a Doubting Thomas is to be a kill-joy, someone who is stubborn, untrusting, who refuses to go along with the reasoned opinions of others.  

The Rev. Michael G. Dunnington’s message to St. John’s is simple: “My hope, my being there, just like I did for All Saints and Ascension, is to bring some stability and love.  I want to get things stabilized for the next priest who’s coming. “ 

​Dunnington, 75, has accepted our vestry’s call to be Interim Priest for at least six months while we move through the discernment process to call a new Rector or Priest in Charge.  

​Dunnington presided at our in-person Easter service and will begin his six-month service on April 25.    He will be in the church office Tuesdays and Thursdays from 8 a.m. until 4 p.m.