Christmas Eve

Thanks to everyone who participated in our Christmas Eve Eucharist at St. John's. That includes the Rev. Jim Spears, visitors, parishioners who set up and decorated. We especially wish to thank organist Todd Gorski and the two women from the choir at Church of the Epiphany, Southbury, for leading the music.

We wish everyone a blessed Christmas season as we celebrate the birth of Jesus, God becoming a human out of love for all.

Play a game and feed some people

Found on the Shifted Librarian. Very addictive - you can get the rice to add up fast! Helps with Millennium Development Goals 1, 4, 5 and maybe 8.
Free Rice

Concert and Organic Fair

Both the Newtown Choral Society concert and the Organic Cafe and Fair were well attended despite the dreadful weather that weekend. All were treated to delicious food, beautiful and unique crafts, and wonderful music. Thanks to all who worked, participated, performed, and attended.

Christmas Eve Eucharist EARLIER

Our service of Holy Eucharist on Christmas Eve has been moved up an hour, to 8:00 pm. This is so that the logistics can work out for Father Jim Spear, who will officiate, and for the organist and choir of Church of the Epiphany, Southbury, who have generously offered to lead our music that night.

Organic Fair & Concert December 2

The Organic Fair, featuring artisans, many from the Sandy Hook Organic Farmers’ Market, will take place from 11 AM-3 PM at St. John’s.

The Newtown Choral Society will offer a concert in the church from 4-5:30 PM. Admission is $9 adults, $7 seniors and children ages 12 and under. The program will include Pinkham's Christmas Cantata,with the Newtown High Brass Quintet, Mozart's Gloria in Excelsis, and a selection of gospel songs. And they can SING! Here’s their rendition of Aretha Franklin’s Respect

These events are part of the Winter Festival that benefits Newtown Youth & Family Services, Inc. For more information on the festival, check out the Newtown Bee Calendar tab or the Danbury News-Times.

December Worship

We start a new church year by observing Advent, a season of waiting and preparation. This is not only a way of remembering the world's waiting for Jesus' historical birth, but also out waiting and preparation for his coming again.

This Advent we're blessed to have two services of Holy Eucharist, on December 2 and 9. The Rev. Judith Toffey will officiate on December 2, and the Rev. James Spear on December 9.

It's Still Pentecost

Pentecost is the longest season of the church year. A couple of months ago, JoAnn found this Pentecost message from our Presiding Bishop, Katharine Jefferts Schori. "This season at Pentecost, I would encourage you to discover one new place where good news is being proclaimed and one place where you have the ability to share good news in a new way."

Farmers' Market Fall Hours

The Sandy Hook Organic Farmers' Market has switched to its fall hours of 9am - 1pm. Come enjoy wonderful organic produce, delicious baked goods, and beautiful and functional crafts, all from area vendors. The market is located in the parking lot behind the church and is accessible from either Route 34 or Riverside Road.

Google Map for St. John's

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August Worship Schedule, Revised

The people of St. John's invite you to worship with us this summer:



August 5 -- 9:30 am Morning Prayer


August 12 -- 9:30 am Morning Prayer


August 19 -- 9:30 am Holy Eucharist


August 26 -- 9:30 am Holy Eucharist


Morning Prayer is a service consisting of prayers, Bible readings, and psalms. It may be led by a lay person, the usual practice at St. John's. The practice of morning worship traces its origins to Jewish sunrise worship that became part of the daily cycle of prayer in Christian monasteries. You can find out more from An Episcopal Dictionary of the Church; scroll down almost to the bottom of the page for three Morning Prayer links.

Holy Eucharist is our communion service, and must be led by a priest or bishop. The Rev. Judith Toffey will be officiating at our summer Holy Eucharist services. All baptized Christians are welcome to receive communion at St. John's. For the Biblical basis and more information on the Holy Eucharist service, please read this article in An Episcopal Dictionary of the Church.

Summer Worship Schedule

The people of St. John's invite you to worship with us this summer:


June 17 9:30 am Morning Prayer


June 24 9:30 am Morning Prayer


July 1 9:30 am Holy Eucharist


July 8 9:30 am Holy Eucharist


July 15 9:30 am Morning Prayer


July 22 9:30 am Morning Prayer


July 29 9:30 am Morning Prayer


August 5 9:30 am Morning Prayer


August 12 9:30 am Holy Eucharist


August 19 9:30 am Morning Prayer


August 26 9:30 am Holy Eucharist


Morning Prayer is a service consisting of prayers, Bible readings, and psalms. It may be led by a lay person, the usual practice at St. John's. The practice of morning worship traces its origins to Jewish sunrise worship that became part of the daily cycle of prayer in Christian monasteries. You can find out more from An Episcopal Dictionary of the Church; scroll down almost to the bottom of the page for three Morning Prayer links.

Holy Eucharist is our communion service, and must be led by a priest or bishop. The Rev. Judith Toffey will be officiating at our summer Holy Eucharist services. All baptized Christians are welcome to receive communion at St. John's. For the Biblical basis and more information on the Holy Eucharist service, please read this article in An Episcopal Dictionary of the Church.

Trinity Sunday

It was wonderful to have the Rev. Judith Toffey lead our worship last Sunday, Trinity Sunday. She shared how difficult it can be to preach on the Trinity without oversimplifying or getting to theological technicalities that the listeners may not follow. She pointed out how the Nicene Creed is one of the four things that the Episcopal Church considers too basic to our faith to ever give up, as stated in the Chicago-Lambeth Quadrilateral. The Rev. Toffey also pointed out the structure of the Nicene Creed where the largest section of text deals with Jesus, since as God and Human he is the most describable. The Father and the Holy Spirit are much harder for us humans to describe or attempt to explain.

The Rev. Toffey brought an icon that she got in Jerusalem. The image is of the three angels who visited Abraham, but the three figures are meant to represent the three Persons of God. She explained how icon writers fast and pray for 30 days on the subject of the icon before creating it. And then when you pray with an icon, the intent is to carry you beyond the picture that you see into the spiritual truth that it represents.

Icons and Prayer: Notes from an online exhibition of icons on The Episcopal Church and Visual Arts site

Writing (creating) icons: From a PBS interview with a modern iconographer

Holy Eucharist June 3

Please worship with us during a service of Holy Eucharist on June 3 at our usual 9:30 start time. The Rev. Judith Toffey will lead the service that day. This is the service of prayers, scripture readings, a homily, and communion.

On Sundays when there is no specific worship service mentioned in this blog, the parishioners of St. John's offer Morning Prayer. It is a peaceful service of prayers, praise, and Scripture in contemporary language.

All are welcome at all services, Sundays at 9:30.

Farmer's Market Coming Soon

Come enjoy excellent organic produce and crafts at the Sandy Hook Organic Farmers Market, Tuesdays starting on June 26 from 2:00 p.m. - 6:00 p.m. The market is WIC certified so that all can have access to locally grown organic food. This is the 5th year that St. John's has hosted this wonderful market. The market is accessible to disabled people.
Photo from The Newtown Bee, 7/24/2003

Happy Mother's Day

"To all who have held a little hand, comforted a fear, inspired courage and nurtured a young soul - to all who have loved a child."

Thank you, JoAnn, for writing this in our Order of Service and reminding us that we all have a role in nurturing and loving children.

Interview with God

Two weeks ago, JoAnn shared one of her her best finds among the many results on Googling "God" - The Interview with God. http://www.theinterviewwithgod.com/presentation.html gets you to a link for the "Presentation" and the text of the interview. While the idea of interviewing God and then posting "the answers" on the Web may sound presumptuous, JoAnn found that the interview idea was a good way to prayerfully ask a question, then listen for what God might say to your heart.

Good Friday

St. John's will be open for quiet prayer between noon and 3:00 pm on Good Friday, April 6. No formal service is planned. Please stop by for as long as you can during that time to honor Christ's crucifixion.

Congratulations!

We'd like to congratulate the Rev. Dr. Laura Ahrens on her election as Suffragan Bishop. Our prayers and best wishes for you as you transition into your new ministry!

Palm Sunday and Easter EUCHARIST

St. John's will be observing both Palm Sunday (April 1) and Easter Morning (April 8) with services of Holy Eucharist at our usual time of 9:30 am. The Rev. Robert Ross will lead our worship. Please join us on these Sundays as we commemorate Christ's wonderful acts of love and salvation.

Thanks for Supporting the 50th Annual Pancake Supper!

Our thanks to everyone who supported the St. John's Pancake Supper this year. Our 50th was wonderfully attended. The parishioners of St. John's appreciate everyone who attended, ordered a take-out meal, placed an ad on the commemorative placemat, and worked so hard in the kitchen and dining areas.

Shrove Tuesday Pancake Supper

Our 50th annual Shrove Tuesday Pancake Supper will take place on Tuesday, February 20. Please save the date - more details to follow.

Parish Meeting Feb. 4

The St. John's annual Parish Meeting will take place on Sunday, February 4 after church. This is a date change - one week later that originally planned.