Tuesday, July 28, 2026
The Chapel St. Chronicle
Welcome to the Chapel Street Chronicle, your weekly St. John’s digest.
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Sermon Series
"The Promise of the Kingdom of Heaven"
The Rev. Anne Williamson
Jesus’ "parable era" continues with the declaration that the Kingdom of Heaven is like a mustard seed, yeast, treasure in a field, a pearl, and a catch of fish.
But what exactly is the Kingdom of Heaven? A place where angels hang out and play harps? I invite you to wonder about the Kingdom of Heaven as a promise, not a place; a promise that God’s peace and justice will prevail. When we pray "Your kingdom come, Your will be done" in the Lord’s Prayer and then live the Kingdom values of justice and peace, the Kingdom of Heaven draws ever closer.
God asks for our participation in making the promise a reality - what is getting in the way of you living into the Promise of the Kingdom of Heaven?
MUSIC
"A Satisfied Mind," by Joe "Red" Hayes and Jack Rhodes. Featuring Olin Johannessen on guitar and vocals. Recorded live at St. John's on Monday, July 27, 2026, as part of the 2026 Summer Music Sessions.
Vestry Spotlight
Tom Gruen, currently serving as Clerk of the Vestry
Tom Gruen
A typical day for me starts with reading the sports news and a few word games, followed by breakfast with my wife, Carol, and followed by some sort of exercise - typically a Peloton ride or yoga. If the weather is nice, a morning bike ride or a paddleboard outing is preferred! I am on the faculty at UNH, so I go to campus two or three times a week, and work from home quite a bit. Carol and I enjoy dinners together, meeting friends at Liars Bench or Street, and attending Prescott Park Arts Festival events in the summer. I’ve been attending St. John’s for 15 years, soon after moving to Portsmouth.
Since I read journal articles all the time for my work, I enjoy reading fiction - recent books include, Land, Theo of Golden, and The Women, by Kristen Hannah. Carol and I like to work our way slowly through a TV series, one or two episodes at a time - current watch is “Anne with an E” on Netflix (since we just visited PEI).
I’ve been involved with St. John’s in multiple ways over the years, participating in book groups, serving on the vestry, and just showing up - it’s a great community! I’ve very much enjoyed teaching Sunday School with the 4th and 5th graders for the past 12 years.
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