Tues., January 21, 2025
The Chapel St. Chronicle
Welcome to the Chapel Street Chronicle, your weekly St. John’s digest.
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Sermon Series
"People of the Feast"
The Rev. Aaron Jenkyn
Jesus’ first miracle at the wedding in Cana reveals his ministry as one rooted in community, abundance, and transformation, showing us God’s grace overflowing in unexpected and ordinary moments. As followers of Christ, we are invited to live as People of the Feast, trusting that our simple offerings can become vessels of God’s transformative and abundant love.
Go and Do!
Join us for a magical stargazing night this Thursday, January 23, from 6:30–7:30 PM at the Urban Forestry Center, led by Megan and Matt Glenn. (Rain date: February).
We’ll start indoors with a quick game and create astronomer’s flashlights before heading outside to explore the night sky. Learn to use planispheres, identify constellations, and enjoy expert guidance under the stars.
Details:
Dress warmly for indoor and outdoor activities.
Binoculars are welcome, but leave flashlights at home—we’ll provide what you need.
Hot cocoa and treats will be served!
This family-friendly event is flexible—stay as long as you like. Questions? Contact The Rev. Aaron Jenkyn at associate@stjohnsnh.org.
The Portsmouth Brass Quintet: Saturday, January 25, 2025 at 3:00pm
The Portsmouth Brass Quintet returns to St. John’s for their Portsmouth Symphony Orchestra “Family Matinee” Series concert with “Familiar Classics for Brass.” The program will feature easily recognizable music from the baroque period to present day. The concert will close with two selections by John Williams: The Magic of Harry Potter, and a Star Wars Medley. Admission: $15 suggested donation at the door.
MUSIC
Olin Johannessen offers this reflection about Sunday’s Anthem “When the sun rose up this morning,” by Stephen Feigenbaum:
This Sunday, January 19, the choir performed one of my personal favorite pieces. I learned of this piece through a well-known choral director and long-time director of the Boston Children’s Chorus (BCC), Anthony Trecek-King. He programmed it for the New Hampshire All-State Mixed Chorus when he was guest conductor back in 2014; I had students from Portsmouth High School in the group at that time, when I was still teaching full-time.
The back story of the piece is tragic, and the BCC choruses sing this each year at their annual MLK Celebration Concert. It is called “When The Sun Rose Up This Morning,” excerpted from a larger work called “Independents: The Musical,” book by Marina Keegan, lyric by Mark Sonnenblick, and music by Stephen Feigenbaum. If you have a few minutes to watch and listen, I highly recommend. The text is copied below for you to read as well.
Above is a really beautiful performance of the piece, taken of the BCC senior choir while on tour; they are singing for sunrise while visiting Angkor Wat, an ancient Hindu-Buddhist temple in Cambodia.
There’s a lot going on in the world - and this piece will always bring me hope. May it do the same for you all!
— Olin
When The Sun Rose Up This Morning (punctuation added by me)
When the sun rose up this morning I was smooth as a pebble;
I was fresh as a river when the sun rose up this morning.
When the stars come out tonight I’ll be tough as a saddle;
I’ll be tired as the prairie when the stars come out tonight.
In the blink of an eye, I will live, I will die;
This is sure to be — they’ve given me fair warning…
But you can’t imagine darkness when you’re all awash in light —
And I can’t believe in night … since the sun rose up this morning.
vestry updates
With the annual meeting coming up this weekend, Sunday January 26, it’s time to make our show of appreciation for those members rolling off the vestry, as well as introduce our new candidates. Please join us in thanking Andy Bangs, Tom Gruen, and Anne McSally for their wonderful service. And, we are proud to announce Bobby McPherson, Sally Murphy, and Mary Proskow as Candidates for Election to the Vestry. To learn more about our Vestry, click here.
From the desk of The Rev. Anne Williamson
Continuing on last week’s theme of “Practice the Pause,” Anne offers these additional resources:
Contemplative Outreach - offers ease to us via their Centering Prayer App
Healthy Minds Innovations - New York Times Wirecutter’s recommendation for best free mindfulness app
What are you reading? Listening to? Thinking about? Do you have any great recommendations that you're eager to share? Let Aaron know!