Tues., January 28, 2025
The Chapel St. Chronicle
Welcome to the Chapel Street Chronicle, your weekly St. John’s digest.
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Sermon Series
"None Among Us Is Alone"
The Rev. Rob Stevens
We hear in today's Gospel how no one part may function exclusive of its counterparts. We are not alone, and we have to build that trust to know that each part, each person even, is essential - and that we are not tasked to walk this life alone; we must work to remind each other and more importantly perhaps, ourselves, that we need each other.
Go and Do!
OUTSIDE THE BOX: Highlighting the work of Karuna USA.
Please join us at 11:30 in Roberts Hall for a simple lunch and to learn about the work of Karuna USA. Karuna believes in the right of every individual to achieve their potential, regardless of their caste, race and ethnicity in Nepal, India and Bangladesh and is founded on Buddhist principles.
Contact: Susan "Sooky" Lassen
RECAPPING OUR ANNUAL MEETING
We are providing access to the draft minutes from Sunday's annual meeting, courtesy of St. John's Vestry Clerk Christine Hudson. Click here to view the draft minutes from the annual meeting.
If you missed our live-stream of the annual meeting, you may click on the image above to view the meeting in its entirety.
MUSIC
"I Believe This Is Jesus," Undine Smith Moore; featuring the St. John's Parish Choir, under the direction of Olin Johannessen, Associate Director of Music.
Featured Offertory Anthem at the 10:00am Rite II Service of Holy Eucharist on Sunday, January 19, 2025.
"The Dean of Women Composers," she is sometimes called. Why is that? Undine Smith Moore is someone whose music you will see choirs perform more and more, and for good reason. Why not take a few minutes to learn more about this 20th Century composer and prolific contributor to the field of music education?! Click here to read on!
From the desk of The Rev. AARON JENKYN
Last Monday, January 20 at the National Interfaith Prayer Breakfast, a tradition taking place each inauguration day, the Right Reverend Mariann Edgar Budde, Bishop of the Episcopal Diocese of Washington, D.C., offered a powerful homily on the tenets of unity. Click the image below to view the sermon in its entirety.
St. John's Associate Rector, The Rev. Aaron Jenkyn offers this context as a lens through which to consider Bishop Budde's powerful sermon:
In this Sunday's Gospel reading ( Luke 4:14-21) We encounter Jesus at the start of his ministry. As he steps into a synagogue in his hometown, he unrolls the scroll of Isaiah and proclaims a mission of good news for the poor, release for captives, and freedom for the oppressed.
This past week many of us also heard the above sermon by The Right Reverend Mariann Budde, Bishop of the Episcopal Diocese of Washington, preached at the National Prayer breakfast. Her call to protect the vulnerable reminded us that Jesus’ work isn’t confined to ancient stories but continues in our hands, hearts, and actions today as we strive to bring God’s justice and compassion to life.
Much attention has been given to the closing portion of her sermon, in which she addresses President Trump and asks him, as a self proclaimed Christian and as President, to have mercy "on those who are scared," specifically those in the LGBTQ+ and refugee and immigrant communities. She goes on to remind the congregation of the biblical mandate to be merciful to strangers, poignantly stating “we were all once strangers in this land."
None of us can control how President Trump, members of Congress, the media, and other talking heads react or respond to hearing this sermon any more than the disciples could control how those in the synagogue responded when they heard Jesus preach his first sermon (spoiler alert: they tried to throw him off a cliff!), but what we can control is how we respond to this call for mercy because, friends, Bishop Budde was talking to us too.
And so I ask you, how are we in this little corner of the world going to bring good news to the poor, protect the vulnerable, and free the oppressed? How are we going to show mercy to strangers in our midst? How are we going to stand with our brothers and sisters and siblings in Christ who are scared and hurting right now?
For some amongst us, we are called to accompany, to support, to walk with. For others we are called to use our voices, our power, our privilege. Whether in prayer or service, action or contemplation, all of us are called to act justly, to love mercy, and to walk humbly with our God.
Here on the Seacoast, we are fortunate to have several organizations that are already doing this good work. Two that come to mind for me are New Hampshire Outright, and NH Voices of Faith. If you know of other organizations, or if you would like to get involved, please reach out, talk to each other, and share the ways you are feeling called to live out the Gospel and practice loving kindness and mercy towards strangers in the ordinary and extraordinary moments of your life.
To read more about The Episcopal Church and immigration advocacy and migration ministries Click Here.
To read more about The Episcopal Church and LGBTQ+ advocacy and inclusion Click Here.
What are you reading? Listening to? Thinking about? Do you have any great recommendations that you're eager to share? Let Aaron know!