The Rev. Dr. Matilda Dunn, guest preacher in October, with Nancy Radloff and Marcia Fort.

Sunday School News

Members of the Sunday School are invited to make Advent wreaths during Sunday school time and aftwerwards at coffee hour on the Sunday after Thanksgiving, Nov. 27th.  If you have a metal ring from previous years, please bring it with you.  Otherwise, all material will be supplied so that each family will have an Advent Wreath for their table.

The Sunday School Pageant and program will be held during the 10:30 service on December 18th.  Rehearsals will be held two weeks prior, on Dec. 4th and Dec. 11th.  Sheri Johnson has kindly volunteered to be the pageant coordinator this year, but always welcomes helpful stage help.

Virginia Richardson our Sun. School coordinator is setting up the schedule for after Christmas.  She would welcome those who might be interested in being a mentor and teacher for our classes.  You may email her a vmansfield@ithaca.edu or see her at coffee hour.  Below are some pictures from this fall’s classes of some of our lovely children.

A NOTE FROM OUR SEMINARIAN IN NYC

Dear People of St. John's:

       I'm writing to you from the High Line, a reclaimed elevated train track that runs parallel to 10th Avenue and just a block away from General Theological Seminary where I have just reached the midpoint of Michaelmas term (what would be Fall semester were I enrolled in a more secular program). I come here often and thought it appropriate to write to you from this spot because it is one of the few places close by that, with it's lush plantings of native greenery and its relative isolation from city noise, I can recapture some of the natural beauty that I remember so fondly from my life in Ithaca. My life as a seminarian in the city is quite different but wonderful in its own special way.  Already, in the two short months I've been here, I can sense a growth and awakening within myself that, were I to leave today, would be forever with me. 

     First and foremost, I've been affected greatly by the life and vibrancy of my classmates and the diversity of views and experiences that each brings to our life together. They come from as close as the next block to as far away as Australia and each brings an experience of the Church that adds richly to my own.

      In addition to our academic life together we share in a common life of worship and have the privilege of daily Eucharist in our Chapel of the Good Shepard as well as Sunday worship at a wide assortment of parishes that range from high-church Anglo-Catholic to low-church Afro-Carribean complete with steel drums. Two weeks ago I had the opportunity to attend a Eucharist that was done entirely in Chinese. Interestingly, I was able to follow along and feel connected with the liturgy, which illustrates one of the key things that has been made clear to me in my short time here—as diverse as our various forms of liturgical expression may seem, at the core is our very particular identity as Anglicans and brothers and sisters in Christ. 

      As I end this short note, I want to thank you all for your prayers and support. I feel a real comfort in knowing that you remember me each Sunday in your prayers as I remember St. John's in mine.

May God's peace be with you,
John Allison

ADULT ED LECTURE SERIES

On the evening of Monday, October 24, at 7:15 (desert-time!), Russell Bourne gave the first in the series of lectures planned by our Adult Education Committee. Entitled “The American Church in Times of National Crises,” the full series will highlight the varied responses of American churches (positive and negative) to the challenges of historic eras, from the Revolution and the Constitution to the Great Depression and Today’s Concerns.

Russell’s kick-off not only addressed one of those eras—the collapse of colonial church covenants and the importance of the Great Awakening in the 1740s—but also served as an introduction to the series.  There was a discussion of the shaping of the series henceforth and the signing-on of appropriate speakers from within and beyond our community.  

As it stands now, there will be one lecture given on the last Monday of each month starting after Christmas, and continuing until May (leaving out April for Easter).  The next of these will be given in January by Gary Anderson on Disestablishment of the Church in the New Constitutional Order; the third by Fr. Snyder on the fate of Anglicanism in the Young Republic; the fourth by the Rev. Clark West, Chaplain of the Episcopal Church at Cornell, on Thoreau and Transcendentalism; and the fifth by Ed Baptist on Slavery and the Emergence of Black Christianity. It is hoped that the series will continue in the fall of 2012, after the summer break.

Please do plan to attend the talks, which promise to awake us all to a greater awareness of how the churches’ participation in national crises has produced surprising results in the past, and may yet again.     

Musical Notes
—Nancy Radloff, Director of Music

The choirs are off to a great start this year in spite of an unusually high number of absences. School and work commitments and an unusually high number of illnesses have made it difficult to find our ‘stride.’ Still, everybody is doing a really great job, and I’m pleased with our overall progress. The level of musicianship is high, and we have a good time together. It’s rewarding to work together to create beautiful music that glorifies God and enhances our worship services. We invite you to join us – the more, the merrier. Every group, particularly the children’s choir and the handbells, would benefit from more members. There is no audition, and the only ‘requirement’ is a love of music and a willingness to learn. It’s my job to teach you and to help you to realize your own ministry through music.

      So, please consider joining us. I know how busy you are – everybody in the music program is busy, too. How do they have time for rehearsals? They would tell you that the benefits they reap are far greater than the ‘cost’ of the time they give.  I would tell you that I work very hard to accommodate their schedules. I understand family, school, and work conflicts. I also believe that busy people make the best choir members—they are organized, efficient, and interesting, and they bring those gifts to our group. I miss them when they’re away, but I welcome them without reservation when they return. We also work weeks ahead, making it easy for people to miss some rehearsals and still feel comfortable participating on a Sunday.

      Now, with only 6 more rehearsals until Christmas, would be a great time to join us. Everyone has just begun work on their selections for Advent and Christmas Eve. Making music is an excellent way to reduce stress, too, which is a good thing as we enter these hectic pre-holiday weeks.  I’m excited about the music we’re learning, too— it seems especially beautiful this year.  The bells are working on a rousing spiritual and a beautiful version of Handel’s He shall feed His flock. The children are learning to ring handbells as part of the accompaniment to their Advent and Christmas carols. The youth choir is working on a traditional Advent carol and a special selection for Christmas Eve. The adult choir is learning Camille Saint-Saëns’ Christmas Oratorio. Written in 1858, this work is a stunning collection of pieces for solo, small group, and choral singers. I know you’ll enjoy hearing it on Christmas Eve. You might enjoy singing it even more.

Stewardship Campaign Update

Dear Fellow St. John’s Parishioners,

Thank you to those of you who have responded to our request for pledges to support St. John’s Church in 2012. Your generosity is very much appreciated and will enable the Church to continue to faithfully meet the needs of all those it serves throughout our community.

      To those who have yet to respond, I write to ask that you consider making your pledge as soon as possible. To date, we have received about one-third less funding in pledges than we had at this point last year.  St. John’s provides so many blessings to the Ithaca community – both those who are members of the parish and many who are not.  Through our support, we share in those blessings, too.
If you need another pledge card, you can find them in the narthex.  Thank you for all that you do for St. John’s Church.

Best wishes,
Amy Cronin, Stewardship Chair

The Ithaca Area Multi-faith Thanksgiving Service sponsored by Area Congregations Together is scheduled for Sunday Afternoon, November 20, 3p.m. at First Presbyterian Church.

Update from the Transition Committee

All Saint’s Day Message
By Rev. L.E. Coffin

Some years ago I had a dream. Ordinarily, my dreams don’t mean much, but this one was special. It touched me deeply, and I wrote it down because I thought you might enjoy it.

      In my dream the sun had gone down. I was getting dark, it was cold, with just a little wet snow lying on the ground. And I found myself trudging along a highway. No cars came or went; I was completely alone. No habitation, except here on my left was an entryway through a brick wall. I was tired~I had just enough energy to reach the gate. When I got there, I found that the gate was made of open work so I could see something of what was on the other side. IN contrast to the dark, cold , desolate country I had been trudging through, the other side of that gate was light and warm.

       A voice spoke to me, “Press the Cross”. There at the center of the gate, woven into its pattern, I saw a small cross. When I touched it, the gate opened, and now I was not only inside, but I found myself in a large living room with beautiful, warm colors, comfortable furniture, and a bright fire on the hearth. But the most vivid sensation was ~ I was no longer alone. A number of people were there; they seemed to be old friends, though I couldn’t identify them. But all of them seemed so glad to see me. They sat right down with me in those easy chairs around the fire and they asked me to tell them my story. What had my journey been like? What obstacles had I met and overcome? All of them were so attentive! Their eyes sparkled with interest. I realized that these dear people really cared—so very much! And the love in that welcoming fellowship broke me up. I woke up from my dream weeping with relief and joy. It felt so good to be in that safe haven with all the weariness gone, and among friends. And I thought of Jesus’ words, “In my Father’s house are many mansions. I go to prepare a place for you ~ Where I am, you will be there also.”

      How beautifully God works it so that you and I are not alone! Even now we have each other; also we have those who have gone on before us. That’s what we call the communion of saints…some of them we see; others we no longer see, but they still know, they understand and they still care. As the writer of Hebrews says, “Being surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every encumbrance, and sin that clings so closely, and let us run with perseverance the race that is set before us, looking to Jesus, the pioneer and perfecter of our faith.” (Hebrews 12:1-2)

      The picture in Hebrews chapter twelve is of a great relay race. In a relay race you don’t win until the last member of your team crosses the finish line. No matter how well we do our part, others must carry the baton or the torch after us. As soon as one member of the team has done his bit, he enters the grandstand. Now he’s up there among the spectators, but he is still eagerly involved; he’s cheering on those of us who carry forward what he began, because without us, he can’t win. That’s what makes a relay race exciting, and that’s something of what it means to be a Christian, one of God’s people through Christ. We are not alone. Many have bravely run the course ahead of us, and although we don’t see them, we sense that they are still very much involved, they care deeply. You and I now carry the same torch that they once carried. From their vantage point in the heavenly grandstands the saints are more than just observers; they are involved with their whole being. They are constantly rooting for you and me ~ praying for us ~ because it matters to them how well we run our part of the race. That’s what All Saints’ Day tells us. We are surrounded by this cloud of witnesses who love us, and who cheer us on.

      We say the Apostle’s Creed, “I believe in the Communion of Saints.” That means we trust this strong relationship with other people of faith ~ men and women, boys and girls. Many of the saints are around us in our everyday lives; other have gone on ahead of us, but we all are on the same team.

      At times we may feel as though we are all alone. “Help, Lord! for there is not one godly man left!” That’s what one of the Psalmists cried out. And indeed that may have been the way things looked to him at that moment. He felt as though there was no one he could count on, loving and faithful and dependable. And sometimes in the long history of God’s people, that has almost been true. Isaiah kept his sanity while many around him seemed to be bent on ruin; but he said, “I know that a saving remnant is with me.” God has not left Himself without those few! Not necessarily a large number of faithful people, but some ~ SOME ~ who love God and who love His ways; and also they love us, and they are trusting you and me to stand shoulder to shoulder with them.

      The Book of Judges describes repeated crises in the life of God’s people and the lessons that they learned through difficult times. Back when the judges ruled, life was often chaotic. People did whatever they pleased; every one for himself, taking advantage of their neighbors; robbing their neighbors, and making up their own rules. Even setting up their own religion. Someone would say, I can’t be bothered going to the Lord’s place of worship ~ in other words, I don’t want to go to church. I’ll just stay home, and get my own private Priest who will tell me what I want to hear.” Sounds almost too familiar today!

      In such an undisciplined situation, of course they got into trouble ~ until things became desperate, and someone would stand up and cry to God for help. Someone like Gideon or Deborah, with faith and courage. And these brave souls would say in God’s Name “Stop! Turn around! Come back to God and let’s go with Him" And encouraged by a few such saints, God’s people would begin to pull together. How many were needed to turn the tide? According to the Book of Judges it never was very many, usually just a few; because when heroes of faith are limited in number, we can see plainly that our deliverance is a miracle; it’s God’s doing.

      With faith in God, a mere slip of a woman, Deborah, turned the tide against the enemy. Another woman, Jael, all by herself dealt with a tyrant everyone feared. With faith in God Gideon took with him only a handful of me, but those few were inspired with faith and they cleaned up the country. So it went, over and over again. God’s people forgot Him, they found themselves in trouble, and things became worse until they abandoned their pride; they repented and came back to God and then through the leadership of only a few saints, God could rescue them.

      The saints are not necessarily numerous, but where would we be without each other? Jesus had only a few with Him. In the beginning those few were not much! Before their conversation, the twelve disciples were quarrelsome and selfish. Sometimes it seemed as though all they could think was, “What’s in it for me?” Jesus pointed to His own example: “last of all and servant of all”. But they didn’t get it. He also told them, “You are the salt of the earth, you are the light of the world.” Fantastic things for Him to say; but Jesus did not lose patience with them. He knew what would happen when the grace of God finally took hold of them. He called Peter a rock; and after the resurrection, when the Holy Spirit came, Peter indeed became a rock. He calls you and me His friends; and as we stay the course with Him, you and I do become His friends! Nobody needs to be left out, if only we look to Him day by day and wan His life to fill us.

      In a nearby county they used to have a day called, “Make a difference day” ~ only once a year, you know. But I have friends in that same county, real saints who are making a difference every day!

      Someone has said, “The only tragedy in all the world is not being a saint.” Think of it! The only tragedy in all the world is not being a saint. Being a saint is God’s gift for all of us, if we will embrace it. There is something wistful in what Jesus said, “Many are called, but few are chosen.” Too few find the pearl of great price—or value it when they stumble over it. There is a cost. But the saints can tell us Christ’s yoke is easy and his burden is light ~ it’s worth it!