Chimes August 2024

In this issue

Coming Home

Having spent most of my life in Texas, I was used to a pattern of returning to school around the third week of August, which was still very much summer. Just as you got used to your new teacher and resumed extracurricular activities, we would break for Labor Day, and then begin again.

Fall did not always occur in South Texas until just before Halloween, often with the first cold front of the year happening on Halloween.

Come September 15th, Kirk and I will have been in Larchmont for five years. I have come to very much appreciate that school in this community does not resume until after Labor Day, just as the season of summer transitions into the beginning of fall. This time truly feels like a coming home.

Whatever, wherever, and however you have spent your summer, coming home to the beginning of fall and a more routine schedule feels appropriate as the weather shifts, with Labor Day as an end of summer celebration. I pray your summer was relaxing, refreshing and fun!

On September 8th, we will kick off this fall with the start of all Children and Youth Formation. After the 10:00 service, we will have a “beefed up” (very Texas expression) Coffee Hour, and a low-key Ministries "Meet n' Greet".

I look forward to the return of Christian Formation for all ages, as well as a new year for St. John’s Nursery School. The Sundays of summer have been full of some new folks joining the community of St John’s as well as Lemonade Hour on the front lawn, at which people often lingered and enjoyed longer fellowship. Other than September 8, we will continue the tradition of gathering outside after church, for as long as the weather lets us do so comfortably.

The Undercroft is very close to completion; we hope to have an Undercroft event soon! The rectory is moving swiftly and smoothly (see pics below) along with completion hopefully by the end of the year. Kirk and I can’t wait to have the first of many parish events in the new rectory!

I very much look forward to all that lies ahead in the life of St. John’s! Our campus is a beautiful, welcoming, and holy place where people can come to worship, spend time in prayer, receive formation at any age, hold church meetings and host meetings for outside groups, relax on our grounds, and do outreach for the community. I very much appreciate our history, God at work in the present, and look forward to all that lies ahead in the life of St. John’s.

Peace and gratitude, Lisa+

Music at St. John's

The Parish Choir rehearses Thursday evenings, 7:00-9:00 PM, beginning September 12. Choir is a great way to keep music active in our lives and to participate in worship for the Sunday 10:00 AM service. Would you like to consider trying it? Contact Matthew Lewis with any questions you might have!

The Children's Choir is open to singers in kindergarten and older. We sing for the first Sunday of each month (10:00 AM service), and rehearse Sundays 11:15AM-noon. In addition to learning music skills, we play games and have a lot of fun!

This year we are launching a concert series: Music on the Manor. We have some excellent events planned - watch for details coming soon!

Compassion Camp - Vacation Bible School (VBS)

Our Second Week of VBS - A Total Success!

Our July Elementary Age VBS Week, Compassion Camp, was a great success! The theme focused on essentials for living things: shelter, food, water, air, and community. Activities included building shelters, exploring for crabs, packing snack bags for the Larchmont/Mamaroneck Hunger Task Force, and hand-sewing books for parishioners.

Students enjoyed Godly Play lessons about creation, feeding the 5,000, and the Sower. The week ended with a snow cone celebration in the church.

A big thank you to Luke and Max Palmer, Peter and Lucy Foglia, Ellie Carr, Jmel Wilson, Robin and Dave Ingram, and Christina Battalia for your invaluable support!

We’re already excited for next year’s VBS!

Youth Formation Registration is now open!

Exciting news! We’re gearing up for a fantastic new year of Youth Formation at St. John’s. Please register your children in advance to help us gather important details about each student. No attendance requirements or fees are involved!

For any questions, reach out to Lori Wilson at lwilson@stjohnslarchmont.org.

Our Programs

Sunday School
  • Sparklers: For PreK through 2nd Graders
  • Explorers: For 3rd through 5th Graders. Join us Sundays during the 10 AM Service.
Youth Group
  • Voyagers: Middle School, Sundays 5:00 - 6:15 PM.
  • Navigators: High School, Sundays 6:00 - 7:30 PM.
Confirmation Prep

About ten Sundays throughout the year, 4:00 - 5:00 PM.

St. John's Youth Empowerment Council (SJYEC)

The SJYEC empowers high school and college students to lead in philanthropy through a two-year term (renewable once) where they:

  • Develop a Grant Process
  • Engage the Community
  • Conduct Research
  • Award Grants
  • Host a Grant Distribution Ceremony

This innovative program offers invaluable experience in leadership and community service.

To apply, consider:

  • Availability for bi-monthly Zoom meetings (evenings or Sundays)
  • Desire to make a difference
  • Interest in enhancing leadership skills
  • Eagerness to explore personal purpose

Applications are open until Sunday, September 29, 2024. Apply Here! Please share with your high school and college students.

Fundraiser Event

On Saturday, September 28th, Rev. Lisa Mason and Lori Wilson will skydive to raise funds for the SJYEC! If you would like to donate to get them to make the leap, you may click here to use tithe.ly and select “St. John’s Youth Empowerment Council” from the dropdown menu. Alternatively, you may send checks made out to St. John’s Church, with SJYEC in the memo line. All donations support the SJYEC.

Let's help the SJYEC SOAR!

We are thrilled to offer EfM at St. John's this fall!

Education for Ministry (EfM) is an Episcopal program that offers a unique opportunity to explore your faith in a structured, yet flexible environment. While the program spans four years, participants register for one year at a time, allowing flexibility in their commitment. Each year covers a specific area of study: the Old Testament, the New Testament, Church History, and Theology, Ethics, and Interfaith Encounter.

The heart of the program is a method of Theological Reflection (TR), through which you are invited to consider where God is present in your life, and to wrestle with meaningful questions in a supportive community. Certified mentors guide the group, fostering discussion rather than instruction, making it accessible to those with or without Bible study experience.

Why join EfM? Beyond gaining a deeper understanding of your faith, EfM helps you see your role within the community of saints more clearly. You’ll explore your spiritual journey, address doubts, and engage in discussions that reveal shared questions and uncertainties. It’s not traditional Bible study or group therapy; it’s an exploration of faith that encourages personal reflection and spiritual growth.

With weekly readings and seminars, EfM requires commitment but promises rich rewards. If you’re ready to deepen your spiritual life and connect with others on a similar path, EfM offers a transformative journey facilitated by experienced mentors, Chris Palmer and Lori Wilson.

Click here for more information about EfM at St. John's. In addition to Chris or Lori, feel free to speak with Cindy Taleb, Kirk Mason, Laura Rawlings, or Rev. Lisa, who have all been participants.

Come and see us at the Ministry Meet n' Greet on September 8th!

Mark Your Calendars

Sunday, September 8 - A New Program Year Begins!
  • Blessing of Backpacks, Students & Teachers
  • All Formation Programs begin! Be sure to register for the 2024-2025 year by clicking here.
  • Festive "beefed up" coffee hour after the 10am service - bring something yummy to share!
  • Casual Ministry Meet & Greet at coffee hour. If you participate in any of St. John's ministries and will be available to represent your group at the meet and greet, please contact Laura Rawlings in the parish office. We promise there will be no planning meetings, booths, balloons, tables, etc. - just sharing the joy of our ministries with all our wonderful new and returning parishioners!
Sunday, October 6 - Blessing of the Animals
Saturday, November 2 - Speaker: Delia Chiaramonte, MD

Delia Chiaramonte, MD, author of Coping Courageously: A Heart-Centered Guide for Navigating a Loved One's Illness Without Losing Yourself, will be our guest on Saturday, November 2. Stay tuned for details and registration, but please save the date for this powerful workshop.

good news!

Dr. Matthew Lewis

St. John's Director of Music Matthew Lewis played an organ recital at the Cologne Cathedral on July 9th as part of their summer organ recital series. The program included works by Franck, Tournemire and Duruflé. The series is very well attended so around 1,500 people came to hear him. Some representatives from the Klais Organ Company were there as well. It was a rewarding experience!

~*~

Pat Rasile

Pat Rasile (husband of Matthew Lewis) is a composer, having written chamber/orchestral/vocal music along with music for ballet. His song cycle from 2002, Delle Cose Belle for soprano and piano (based on poems of Michelangelo), was recently performed by the Oakland Ballet Company, CA, led by artistic director Graham Lustig. The work included dancers onstage, including Stephanie Powell (Alvin Ailey alum) along with the soprano soloist, Shawnette Sulker.

~*~

Leon Schwendener

Several St. John’s parishioners had the opportunity to travel to Kingston, NY recently to see Leon Schwendener as Algernon in The Importance of Being Earnest, A Trivial Comedy for Serious People, at Bellamy Hall in the Old Dutch Church. Although the Oscar Wilde classic was first performed in 1895, the Voice Theatre production, directed by Shauna Kanter, was fresh and engaging, and Leon’s physical comedy was a highlight for his St. John’s fans. Leon has also been cast in the next Voice Theatre production, The Thanksgiving Play, also in Kingston, November 7-17. For more information, see https://voicetheatre.org/2024-season/.

Photos courtesy of Voice Theatre

Staff on Vacation

This month's recipe is offered by Ms. Laura Rawlings, our wonderful parish administrator. She writes:

This recipe is from the New York Times. It is a great make-ahead dish and can be served hot, cold, or room temperature.

Citrusy Couscous Salad with Broccoli and Feta

Yield: 4 servings

Ingredients

  • 1 small navel orange, half juiced (about 3 tablespoons), half peeled and cut into bite-size pieces (see Tip)
  • 1 lime, juiced (about 1 tablespoon)
  • 2 teaspoons honey
  • ½ teaspoon ground cumin
  • Kosher salt
  • 2 tablespoons olive oil
  • 2 scallions, thinly sliced
  • 1 red Fresno chile or jalapeño, sliced into thin rounds (deseeded, if desired, for less heat)
  • 1½ cups pearl couscous
  • 1 medium head broccoli (about 12 ounces), florets and tender stems cut into bite-size pieces, or 10 to 12 ounces frozen florets (4 to 5 cups total)
  • ½ cup crumbled feta
  • ¼ cup unsalted, dry roasted pistachios, roughly chopped
  • ¼ packed cup fresh mint, basil or parsley, finely chopped
  • Freshly cracked black pepper

Preparation

Step 1: To the bottom of a large serving bowl, add the orange juice, lime juice, honey, cumin and ½ teaspoon salt. Whisk in the olive oil until the honey is dissolved. Mix in the scallions and half the chile; set aside.

Step 2: In a large lidded pot over medium-high heat, toast the couscous, stirring occasionally, until lightly browned and fragrant, 3 to 4 minutes. Add 3 cups of water, season with 1 tablespoon salt, cover and bring to a boil. Adjust the heat to maintain an active simmer and cook according to the lower end of the time frame on package’s instructions, usually about 8 minutes. During the last 3 or 4 minutes of cooking (depending on the size of your florets), stir in the broccoli and cook until bright and tender, and the thickest parts are easily pierced with a fork. Drain, shake off excess water, then transfer to the serving bowl.

Step 3: Mix until the couscous has absorbed most of the dressing. Mix in the feta, pistachios, herbs, orange pieces and the remaining chile, then season to taste with salt and pepper. Eat immediately or let cool and serve at room temperature.

Important: If you are making this in advance, add the toasted pistachios close to serving time.

Tip: I have made this substituting a can of chopped mandarin oranges for the naval orange. I added the liquid from the mandarin oranges to the dressing. Also, I have substituted goat cheese for the feta.

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Have a recipe to share? Join the fun and send it to communications@stjohnslarchmont.org. Yours just might be the next Recipe of the Month!

Likewise, your photos and news from your ministries are always welcome. Please forward your submissions to communications@stjohnslarchmont.org. Let your ministry's light shine through Chimes!