From the Rector

From the Rector: Finding the heart of St. John’s

Dear Friends,

I sat down at my desk this past Monday morning to begin writing my annual report for our upcoming annual meeting on January 26. It was a curious experience. For one thing, I haven’t been here for a year, and so I had to begin writing in such a way that acknowledged my somewhat limited experience. And yet, as soon as I started writing, I found myself recalling all the things Devon and I have already shared with you all in our mere six months with you. And while my first draft still very much feels like a long list of “thank yous”—which I’m sure isn’t a surprise—it was in the listing of events, the naming of individuals, and the seemingly endless thanksgivings that something special emerged. I became more aware of what holds this place together.

So, what holds this place together? Well, God, obviously. But how? One of the things that struck me, indeed as we were saying farewell to Buffy Gray on Sunday, was the deep interconnectivity of this parish. One of the hardest things to establish in any community, let alone a parish church, is a culture where people are genuinely embedded in each others’ lives in ways which are healthy, pastoral, and fruitful; where people truly care about each other, and where the connectivity is authentic and unforced. It may sound funny to say, but one of the most difficult jobs any parish has is nurturing such a Christian relationality; not because people, or indeed priests are that difficult, but because, especially in a wider culture of suspicion, skepticism, and irony, fostering such deep relationships is unusual, to say the least. And yet, it is possible. One of the great gifts of St. John’s, especially for someone entering the community afresh, is that this deeper level of engagement is already prevalent and heartfelt. It’s organic, and you sense it as soon as you walk through the door. And from there, having established that level of connection, one can then set about the “business” of worship, spirituality, and prayer in ever new ways.

Indeed, this is another unusual aspect of St. John’s. From the theological point of view of many in parish ministry, such community is often seen as the product of worship rather than something which we then bring to worship. Yet, as someone remarked to me recently, what often currently brings people through the door of St. John’s is the sense of community, and from there the worship begins. Those of you who first discovered this community through the Not-So-Spooky Haunted House, the Holiday Boutique, Summerfest, or one of our many social gatherings, for example, will perhaps testify to this. And so, we begin from a different angle, where community brings together the people for worship, and this is not unusual in the contemporary church. However, here lies our task as a parish: whatever may bring one through the door, how can we then nurture that sensation of being compelled? Once we are together in worship, how do we then grow that connection? Put in more spiritual terms, how do we pray? And how do we go on praying even when we leave? It is in questions such as those that we discover the heart of our shared journey in the heart of God.

Fr. Ed Thornley

The Rev. Edward Thornley

Rector of The Episcopal Parish of St. John the Evangelist

From the Rector: Feeling the joy of Christmastide

Dear friends,

Audrey Farrell carries the Christmas Star down the aisle.

A very Happy Christmastide and New Year to you all. I trust that this note finds you well and sharing a good Christmas season as we move into the new year. It has been a good Christmas at St. John’s. Our worship throughout the season so far has been immensely joyful and full of hope; from our Christmas Eve and Christmas Day Eucharists, from tots and toddlers to pageants, from midnight mass to baptisms, from joyful singing to the holy tarantula … Yes, I finally saw it, and I am very grateful. And for those who may be wondering what I am referring to, please see the photos and video of our pageant and the star which the shepherds and magi followed … It was very special, I must say.

One of the memories that I will take with me following our Christmas Eve worship was the final “scene” of our pageant. Again, if you watch the service again online, you’ll notice that during the hymn the whole “cast” gathers around the manger, featuring one of our parish family’s newborns! And as the characters gathered, the baby smiled, the tarantula-star hovered over, and the singing rang out, I had this wonderful realization of what makes this parish what it is, and what a gift it is to be here. There so much quirky (yet incredibly well controlled!) chaos, with so much laughter, smiles, and over four hundred people all zooming in on this one moment. It was not only one of the most worshipful moments I’ve witnessed in a pageant (that wasn’t a comment on the chaos, by the way), but one of the most delightful I’ve seen in such a service. It was pure joy. And, furthermore, there was hope.

Moments like this are significant for all of us. Indeed, as I’ve said elsewhere in this season, Christmas is not always the happiest or easiest time for everyone. In fact, for some it can be an unbearable season, and for important reasons. Without boring you with my life story (again … you’ve heard my sermons), Christmas isn’t the easiest season for me either. But what caught my attention the other day in church, as the pageant came to an end, was that this moment of jubilation didn’t distract from or water down the importance of the serious side of Christmas. If anything, it was a gentle, quirky sign of hope. Essentially, it helped me stop for a second and think, “Now I can see something new worth striving for.”

Brain Locke

Brian Locke

And so, here we are: 2025, a new year, and a lot of joy and change ahead. This Sunday, we will say farewell to Buffy Gray on the occasion of her retirement. On Monday, Brian Locke will begin as our interim organist and choirmaster. Over the next few weeks, we will also prepare for our annual meeting which will take place on Sunday, Jan. 26 after the 10 a.m. Eucharist. And from there, we will launch fully into the new year with a renewed vestry, and many plans and hopes for our future ministry. Wherever you are on your journey, I pray that you will find what you are looking for in this new year, and I hope that you will share your journey as part of this parish’s life.

Devon and I (and the cats!) send you all our greetings, prayers, and blessings for the new year.

With prayers for peace this Christmastide,

Ed.

The Rev. Edward Thornley

Rector of The Episcopal Parish of St. John the Evangelist