Tuesday, October 7, 2025
The Chapel St. Chronicle
Welcome to the Chapel Street Chronicle, your weekly St. John’s digest.
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Sermon Series
"Creation Care in a Time of Crisis"
Sam DeFlitch, guest preacher
In a world straining under the weight of violence, climate change, and systemic injustice, how do we tend to what we love without giving into despair? On this Creation Care Sunday, we explore the radical, resilient power of small acts of love as sacred resistance, trusting that God is with us as we plant seeds for a better world.
ALL PARISH RETREAT RECAP
What a joyful day it was to be together as a community! Our parish retreat, Rooted in Jesus, Grounded in Love, was filled with laughter, music, climbing, conversation, and connection ( Click on the image above to see a slide show from our day). With the gifted leadership of Conie and Nancy from Music That Makes Community, we sang together and created space to name our worries, concerns, joys, and connection points as a congregation, imagining who we are becoming and where God is calling us next.
St. John’s youth enjoyed a “retreat within the retreat” at Seacoast Climbs in Rye, NH, climbing high, supporting one another, and growing together.
Many of us were stretched beyond our comfort zones, whether in climbing, in singing, in sharing, or in being vulnerable, we leaned into that growing edge, and discovered again what makes St. John’s such a special, loving, and caring community. Together we were reminded that when we take those brave steps, no matter how small, we grow closer to God and to one another.
All of the good work from the listening sessions and conversations has been captured and will be shared at our next Mission, Vision, and Values working group meeting, with many more opportunities for parish input on St. John’s Mission Statement to come. Watch this space for regular updates and opportunities to participate.
A special thanks to our wonderful volunteers and staff who made the day possible, especially Jack and Fran Meffen for coordinating our brown-bag lunches, and the Vestry for coordinating dinner and cleaning up! If you weren’t able to attend, or want to learn more about this work, please reach out to the MVV Co-Chairs, Robin Burdick and Aaron Jenkyn.
BUILDING HOPE CAMPAIGN
We are delighted to share that the Building Hope campaign has officially come to a close. Through the generosity of 55 donors, we raised $20,650 in support of projects that will make our campus more sustainable, welcoming, and accessible.
The first project to move forward will be the installation of new solar panels, with the hope of identifying additional resources to carry out further upgrades in the future.
We are truly grateful for every contribution, large and small, and for the spirit of hope, generosity, and care for the future that this campaign represents. Thank you to everyone who helped bring Building Hope to life.
NEWS FROM AROUND THE CHURCH
A MILESTONE FOR THE ANGLICAN COMMUNION: THE FIRST WOMAN ARCHBISHOP OF CANTERBURY
We give thanks for the appointment of the Most Reverend Dame Sarah Mullally as the new Archbishop of Canterbury, the first woman to serve in this role. We join in praying for the Church of England, for all the primates and churches of the Anglican Communion, and for Bishop Sarah at this momentous time.
Presiding Bishop Sean Rowe congratulates new Archbishop of Canterbury
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