The Evangelist May 5, 2019 We are ready for you at St. John's! Sunday: Low Mass at 8 a.m. & High Mass at 10 a.m. Monday through Friday: Morning Prayer at 8:30 a.m. & Evening Prayer at 5:30 p.m. Feast Days & Special Services as announced. Confessions by appointment. A Letter from Father Humphrey Dear People, Neighbors and Friends of St. John's, Last week I wrote about how St. John's was like Switzerland. In response, one parishioner sent along the embedded link below to a Radiolab episode about a Dutch-born woman in Switzerland who was so annoying to the townsfolk that they voted-twice-to deny her application for citizenship! In Switzerland, direct democracy is so important that before the national government can grant anyone citizenship, the town in which the applicant lives has a public meeting to vote on it. This particular quest for belonging highlighted many fascinating issues concerning inclusion versus assimilation and common values versus tolerance of differences. It was
Transcript
The EvangelistMay 5, 2019
We are ready for you at St. John's! Sunday: Low Mass at 8 a.m. & High Mass at 10 a.m. Monday through Friday: Morning Prayer at 8:30 a.m. & Evening Prayer at 5:30 p.m. Feast Days & Special Services as announced. Confessions by appointment.
A Letter from Father Humphrey
Dear People, Neighbors and Friends of St. John's,
Last week I wrote about how St. John's was like Switzerland. In response,one parishioner sent along the embedded link below to a Radiolab episodeabout a Dutch-born woman in Switzerland who was so annoying to thetownsfolk that they voted-twice-to deny her application for citizenship! InSwitzerland, direct democracy is so important that before the nationalgovernment can grant anyone citizenship, the town in which the applicantlives has a public meeting to vote on it. This particular quest for belonginghighlighted many fascinating issues concerning inclusion versusassimilation and common values versus tolerance of differences. It was
clear that xenophobia played a role, but if you listen to the episode, I thinkyou will end up sympathizing with the more reasonable townsfolk whonevertheless were unwilling to assent to citizenship in this particular case.For one thing, she was on a campaign against cow bells and church bells(she lived next door to the church)! As the proprietor of a church withbells, I would have blackballed her without hesitation. Hard cases make for bad law, and they also lead to challenging theologicalreflections. Perhaps we will have the opportunity to discuss this episode asa group in one of our future adult formation programs and relate it both toScripture and to our own community expectations and norms. For now, Icommend it to you for your listening pleasure. Related to this, I often spend a lot of time thinking of the various wayschurch communities can be measured and described. This past week I wasreminded of the visit back in the late 1990s of Bishop Hugh Montefiore toYale Divinity School when I was a student there. Memorably, he began histalk by saying that he was an English bishop from a Jewish family withan Italian last name. (He pronounced that last descriptor "Eye-tahl-yun" ina posh accent, I recall.) Among the many entertaining things Bishop Montefiore went on to say wassomething along the lines of, "All this nonsense about Low Church versusHigh Church is exactly that: rubbish. When it comes right down to it, thereare only two types of churchmanship that matter: Long Church versusShort Church. And I, ladies and gentleman, am a Short Churchman." By this he did not mean his stature, of course, but his preference forchurch services that were relatively brief. While some might consider St.John's squarely in the Long Church camp, we actually fall right in themiddle of the pack. Churches whose main act is the sermon, for instance,often go on for much longer than ours (we average an hour and fifteenminutes at High Mass). You can be Low Church but very much LongChurch or you can be High Church and tend toward the Short Churchside; I know Anglo-Catholic clergy who pride themselves on their ability toexecute a High Mass in under an hour. But in thinking it over, I believe there's a third axis Bishop Montefioremissed. In addition to time (long/short) and space (high/low), there's alsothe dimension of the senses. Blindfold me and I can tell precisely whatkind of church I'm in simply by the smell of it. The sine qua non of a trulyHigh Church is the smell of incense. And of a truly Low Church? Theyalmost invariably smell distinctly of Murphy's Oil Soap.
So next time you attend a church service, note all three dimensions. Is it aHigh Church? A Smoky Church? A Short Church? Follow your nose.
Yours in Christ's service,N.J.A. Humphrey+XIV Rector
P.S. To be in touch with me at any time, email me at [email protected], or, to make an appointment, please visitrector.youcanbook.me.
"For Whom the Cowbell Tolls"
Listen to the podcast "For Whom the Cowbell Tolls"from Radiolab. You can visit the episode webpagehere and click on the link to listen, or search forRadiolab in your favorite podcast player app.
I hope you will join us for the special Choral Matins in honor ofMother's Day at 11:45 a.m. on Sunday, May 12, followed immediately bya community brunch in the Guild Hall. My late paternal grandmother had a pillow on which she had embroidered,"If it's not one thing, it's your mother." She and her mother, my great-grandmother, both lived into their nineties. My own mother died in hermid-sixties. Mother's Day can be a fraught one for many people, eventhose whose relationships with their children were or are on the wholehappy ones. I am mindful of mothers who are estranged from theirchildren, and children from their mothers, of women who have longed forthe gift of motherhood but whose dreams remained unfulfilled for whateverreason. I think of the women I know who have suffered from infertility,pregnancy loss, and the death of a child. But I also rejoice with those whohave become mothers through childbirth, adoption, fostering, and servingas a godmother. We all, I hope, have at least one special woman in ourlives who has been like a mother to us, even if not biologically or legallyone.
Being a mother is not easy. There's little room for sentimentality aboutmotherhood except in greeting cards or in rose-tinted nostalgia. As such, Iam available to anyone for whom Mother's Day brings not gratitude, butpainful memories of abuse or neglect, brokenness, grief, or heartache. Atthe same time, I hope we can all be thankful for those mothers who, likethe Blessed Mother herself, have been exemplars of love and goodness inevery generation, remembering especially Sarah Jane Zabriskie, whose loveinspired her daughter to give this building in her memory. May you find here at St. John's the true love and nurture of Mother Church
for all her children. Pray that we all may be faithful to the legacy ofmotherly love that has been entrusted to us at the Sarah Jane ZabriskieMemorial Church.
Low-Gluten Communion Bread
This parish adheres to the traditional teaching that the proper matter for theEucharist is bread and wine and that one cannot allow any substitutes forthe elements instituted by Christ. Alcoholics and non-drinkers areencouraged to receive the Eucharist in one kind only, that is, the wafer, andto remain at the rail if desired to receive a blessing when the cup passes.
Nowadays, many people are gluten intolerant or have a very seriousdisease called celiac disease, which is not a simple matter of diet or evenof an allergy. Their bodies cannot process gluten. But what if you neitherdrink alcohol nor eat wheat? What's a body to do? Thankfully, an order ofRoman Catholic sisters has come up with a solution. Nuns to the rescue!The Benedictine Sisters of Perpetual Adoration in Missouri confected alow-gluten host.
Sister Marie Jona Yoo / Benedictine Sisters of Perpetual Adoration
As reported online at BostonCatholic.org,
In an article written in Gluten-Free Living (Vol. 9 no. 2, 2004)Ann Whelen quotes Carlo Catassi, MD, who is an expert inceliac disease, concerning the amount of gluten contained inthese hosts. The article states: "Of the hosts Dr. Catassi said,'This dose would have no clinical or histological effect even iftaken on a regular basis.'" In this limited space it is not possibleto present the science to support this statement but it iscontained in two articles in Gluten-Free Living (Vol. 9 no. 1,2004), the first by Sister Jeanne Crowe, "Catholic Celiacs CanNow Receive Communion," and the second by Ann Whelen,"Make your own decision." A follow-up article is also by AnnWhelen, "Low-Gluten, no gluten" (Vol. 9 no. 2, 2004). It is ofcourse important to remember that when dealing with anymedical issues, particularly ones that may have seriousconsequences, it is appropriate to encourage the person to seekproper medical advice from an individual's own physician. Inpresenting this information there is no intention to render amedical opinion for what someone with Celiac disease shoulddo.
Note that while these hosts are not gluten-free, they have a microscopic
amount of gluten that may be tolerable. These hosts are much whiter thanour normal ones, and the Celebrant will have them available upon requestduring communion, often in the paten the acolyte bears. If you are gluten-free for any reason, check with your physician and then feel free to availyourself of these hosts. We want everyone to be able to participate as fullyin the communion service as possible.
Quarterly Stewardship Update
First, a note on the stewardship of time and talent: On Easter Day, afterhaving enjoyed a marvelous liturgy, coffee hour, and family dinner, Iproudly announced to my wife, "I've just sent off an email thankingeveryone whom I could think of for a wonderful Holy Week and joyfulEaster." Anne immediately picked up her phone and said, "I don't seeanything in my inbox." Boy, did I have Easter Egg on my face! (Speakingof Easter Egg, I'd completely forgotten about the efforts of Jenn Berton inorganizing the Easter Egg Hunt for the third year running, and when Peteralerted me to this little faux pas, I immediately sent her a note apologizingand thanking her.) I now have a more complete list of people and groupsto thank next year, which includes (but is not necessarily limited to) thoseinvolved in the following aspects of this most sacred and busiest of weeks:those serving at the altar, everyone involved with music, including theirfamilies and supporters, the stunning décor and flowers, ushers, altar guild,office & administrative support, hospitality, Sunday School & Easter EggHunt coordinators, everyone who attended the services, and last butcertainly not least, to my family, especially my longsuffering and oftenunheralded wife, who never expects a parade but always deserves one.One and all, you have my enduring gratitude and love. As to the stewardship of our treasure, 2019 has been a record-breakingyear in so many respects, and I am grateful to everyone who has pre-paidtheir annual pledges to fund our operations, those who have the (excellent)habit of tacking on a little extra every time they make a regular pledgecontribution, and to all of our cheerful (and grumpy) givers. Every giftmakes a difference, and every contribution has a tangible impact on thiscommunity. If you aren't a numbers kind of person and don't want toread below about how I've further embarrassed myself in my ownpractice of stewardship, skip to the next bold text section at the end.
Last week, our hardworking treasurer, Chris Moe, went over the firstquarter finances at Vestry using data compiled by our equally hardworkingBusiness Manager, Beverly Brownell, and this past week I reviewed hisreport with Martha Yules and Robin Cabral , our exceptionally lazydevelopment professionals. (They've only helped us raise over two milliondollars in grants, pledges, and gifts since we brought them on board lastyear, and really need to step up their game.) Amid all the bright spots wasthe fact that though we are projecting $250,000 in pledge support over thecourse of 2019, in the first quarter our actual receipts have been behindbudget by about $45,000, mostly due to shortfalls in pledge and plate. We talked about what might be causing this curious phenomenon. Was itdonor fatigue? Our treasurer reported that it may simply be due to the factthat we used to take pledges and divide them by twelve, expecting an equalslice of that pie each month, when in reality people give generously atEaster and Christmas, and the giving slumps typically in the winter months,when people tend either to hibernate or to migrate. But $45,000 had usscratching our heads. Should we be alarmed? I suggested that perhaps more people than usual had simply forgotten topay their pledges. And then I logged on to my own Realm account todouble-check how much Anne and I had paid toward our total pledge toSt. John's. Guess how much? A big fat zero! "Physician, heal thyself," Ithought! I immediately went to Facebook and paid our first quarter pledge,rounding it up a bit in overpayment, not out of guilt, I assure you, but outof gratitude that I could help fix a problem to which I had inadvertentlycontributed (or, rather, not contributed). Anne used to pay by weeklycheck, but I've taken over paying via Facebook for two reasons: Creditcard payments via FB aren't charged any fees, either to the user or to thereceiving institution, and, greedy person that I am, I charge my pledge to arewards credit card so I get a little something back for my self-interestedgenerosity! In reflecting on this sin of omission, I wondered why it wasn't on myradar. (I've now put reminders in my calendar for the remaining months ofthis year!) Then I realized: It had been on my radar, but every time Ithought of it, I put it off, saying, "I'm going to wait until I know for surewhether I owe anything on my taxes this year -- and how much." I wasworried that I wouldn't have enough in my bank account for both theChurch and the State.
Turns out I needn't have worried, as I was surprised by modest refundsthis year from both the IRS and the state. But with a wife who is afreelancer, it's difficult to estimate taxes from year to year, as it's oftenfeast or famine. All this is to say that if you haven't checked in on your own annualgiving of late, I'd be grateful if you did -- see the instructions for howto do so online below. (I won't say that God will smite you if you don't,but I'm happy to write it, even if it's probably untrue.) Further, if you,too, happen to have received a tax refund or other windfall, pleaseconsider tithing 10% or some other portion of it (or all of it!) to St.John's or another non-profit of your choosing (such as The ChoirSchool). You'll be glad you did, and that's no lie. As you already know, St. John's and The Choir School continue to existonly because of your support. The renaissance of faith, hope, and lovethat radiates from this place, not only throughout Newport but acrosscontinents and oceans, has been due to the sovereign grace of God inChrist Jesus and the way that grace has manifested itself in your life andthe lives of those around you. The Lord has used St. John's to accomplishhis purposes in Newport and beyond through your time, talent, andtreasure. That's the way grace happens. And I am encouraged and gratefulevery day that you are among those who have made the resurrection of St.John's a reality, with God's help. Thank you for your investment in ourpresent and in our future, but above all, thank you for simplyshowing up and being who you are, for supporting us in prayer whenyou are unable to be with us, and for the love that you give in somany ways, of which St. John's is merely one recipient and conduitamong many.
* To give a one-time gift online without an account, click here. * To set up recurring online payments through our secure parishdatabase, Realm, you can register for a new account here.
* To log in to an account you have already set up in Realm,click here.
* Automated Payments: Check with your local financial institution'sbillpay services to set up automated payments to St. John's. * PayPal online gift: To make a donation through PayPal, click here.
Church Preservation Update
More progress was made on our impending construction project this past
week, when the architects and prospective contractors met with Fr.Humphrey, Terry Chase, Chuck Berlinghof, and Adrienne Haylor to tourthe site. A letter of intent has been issued and contracts will be signed assoon as they have been reviewed by our lawyers and approved by theCapital Projects Committee (CPC). We thank the CPC for their ongoingwork on our behalf.
For now, we thought you'd like to see a visual representation of the scopeof work. Everything in blue is Phase 1A, which comprises the roofrestoration and some masonry work on the tower. Baring unforeseen costoverruns, this phase is fully funded thanks to a $916,000 grant from theAletta Morris McBean Charitable Trust and generous individual donors.
Phase 1B is in yellow and comprises the repointing of the masonry torender the building completely watertight. Once Phase 1 is completed, thebuilding should be fully secured from water damage and work cancommence on the interior, which will be Phase 2.
We are on our way to funding Phase 1B, and obviously we would like tobe able to save on costs such as scaffolding by having the work donesequentially, and in some cases where possible, simultaneously. If youwould like more information on how you can help make this vision areality, either by volunteering your time and talents, or contributing to thecapital campaign for St. John's, please be in touch with either TomHockaday, Capital Campaign Committee chair, [email protected] or Terry Chase, Capital Projects Committeechair, at [email protected]. This project is a major undertaking incelebration of the 125th anniversary of the Zabriskie Memorial Churchbuilding, and is truly a labor of love. Thank you for your prayers andsupport!
Saturday, May 4, at 11 a.m.Requiem Mass for Teddi Shaw
On Saturday, May 4, at 11 a.m., St. John's will hold aRequiem Mass for beloved longtime parishioner TeddiShaw, who died March 26. Teddi's dependable goodcheer, can-do attitude, and hospitality were a mainstayat St. John's for many years. A collation will follow inthe St. John's Guild Hall. Teddi's final resting place willbe the St. John's Columbarium.
In lieu of flowers, the family requests that contributions be made directly toSt. John's with the memo line "Shaw memorial." The family has establishedthe Bruce and Teddi Shaw Memorial Fund for Choral Music at St. John'sin honor of the decade of English choir festivals they organized and ofTeddi's steadfast support of The Choir School of Newport County.
Please click here or below for Teddi's Requiem Program Book.
Welcome to St. John's new Hospitality Ministry Coordinator, CynthiaLafferty. Many of you already know Cynthia, or may have seen her at St.John's services or events. Cynthia has cheerfully - and energetically! -offered to step forward and fulfill in an "official" capacity what TeddiShaw did tirelessly, but "unofficially," for St. John's at countlessgatherings.
Cynthia, a mom of three who grew up in Ohio and lived in Weekapaug,R.I., before moving to the Point neighborhood five years ago, coordinatedour lovely Easter Coffee Hour, and in her "spare" time helps Mary JaneRodman in the Sacristy.
Please give a big welcome and "thank you" to Cynthia if you see her.While you're at it, why not offer a helping hand as well? If you have time ortalent to offer, you can be in touch with Cynthia in person or by email [email protected].
We're so grateful to Cynthia for her efforts. Thank you, Cynthia!
Please see below for an opportunity to share your thoughts and help ustake stock of our hospitality needs.
We have designed a survey on hospitality that recognizes the complexityof meeting the needs of our people, neighbors, friends, visitors, guests,and newcomers on a regular basis and for special events in a growingchurch.
We are blessed with many community members with gifts for hospitality,but if there's one thing that's true of every church, there can often bedifferent approaches to this ministry that lead to conflict. Rather thanignoring this reality, the survey asks for your confidential, honest feedbackon all aspects of this important ministry, including being up front aboutpersonality conflicts so that we can put together teams who work smoothlywith each other to the glory of God and the edification of all.
It's unrealistic to think that in a community of this size everybody can getalong just fine with everyone else. We're a family, after all, and as Fr. Humphrey preached on Easter Day, the church may be a dysfunctionalfamily, but we're the best dysfunctional family in the world! In this spirit, won't you please take just a few moments to fill out this briefsurvey about hospitality at St. John's? Many thanks!
Sunday, May 12, at 11:45 a.m.Choral Matins & Mother's Day Community Brunch St. Johns invites all to a brief, festive and incense-free service of ChoralMatins (Sung Morning Prayer) followed by a Mother's Day CommunityBrunch on Sunday, May 12, at 11:45 a.m. The brief Choral Matins at thechurch, performed by Professional Choristers from The Choir School ofNewport County, and the St. John's Adult Choir, will be followed by theMother's Day Community Brunch in the Guild Hall. The anthem will be thecomforting soprano solo movement from the Brahms Requiem, written in
memory of his mother. The Te Deum and Jubilate will be the stirring setwritten by Herbert Howells for the famous chapel of King's College,Cambridge, and the 1894 Hook & Hastings organ will be featured in anewly transcribed improvisation by Gerre Hancock.
The Choral Matins and brunch are just one of several events plannedthroughout the year in celebration of the 125th anniversary of theconsecration of the Zabriskie Memorial Church Building in 1894. It's particularly appropriate to celebrate Mother's Day at St. John's becausethe Zabriskie Memorial Church building wouldn't exist were it not for adaughter's love for her mother. The building was given in memory of SarahJane Zabriskie by her daughter Sarah Titus Zabriskie, as one can see abovethe interior West Doors of the church.
Tickets are free, but space is limited. Donations gratefully accepted.Reservations: moms.brownpapertickets.com. $20 suggested donation atthe door helps offset costs.
Saturday, May 18, at 2 p.mThe Choir School of Newport County's Spring Concert at Emmanuel Church, Newport Saturday, May 18, at 2 p.m., The Choir School of Newport County SpringConcert at Emmanuel Church, 42 Dearborn Street (at Spring Street),Newport. The ensembles of The Choir School, separately and together,joined by instrumentalists and special guests, will perform at the fifthannual Spring Concert. Spring Concert 2019 special guests include ChoirSchool alumnus Thomas Burdick, Jr., and soloists Johanna Geremia andformer faculty member Rachel Hanauer, with a focus on favorite piecesfrom the past five years along with a medley of music from both the oldand new Mary Poppins movies. No admission charge; donations gratefullyaccepted.
Saturday, May 25, 8 a.m.-12 p.m.The Point Association Annual Plant Sale @ St. John's Be sure to stop by the St. John's parking lot off Willow Street onSaturday, May 25, from 8 a.m. to noon for the Point Association's AnnualPlant Sale. Support the Point Association and beautify your garden andyard!
Portrait of Mrs. Sidney Webster (Sarah Morris Fish) painted by Carl A. Weidner (1865-1906)
Wednesday, May 29, 5:45 p.m., Sidney Webster Memorial Requiem On Wednesday, May 29, at 5:45 p.m., the Sidney Webster MemorialRequiem will be celebrated in the Chapel of the Blessed Sacrament. Thechapel, designed by Ralph Adams Cram, was given in Sidney Webster'smemory. Sarah Morris Fish Webster gave the Chapel of the BlessedSacrament in memory of her beloved husband, Sidney Webster. He wasan expert on constitutional law and the sometime private secretary toPresident Franklin Pierce.
Thursday, May 30, 6 p.m., Choral Eucharist for Ascension DayEmmanuel Church, Newport On Thursday, May 30, at 6 p.m. at Emmanuel Church, 42 Dearborn St.,Newport, celebrate Choral Eucharist for Ascension Day with the St. John'sAdult Choir, Emmanuel Church Choir, and Professional Choristers of TheChoir School of Newport County. A supper catered by Becky's BBQ willfollow this annual collaborative service. Fr. Humphrey will preside at theEucharist and Mother Anita Schell, rector of Emmanuel Church, will be thepreacher. Free parking is available in the church parking lot across fromthe church on Dearborn Street.
Candle Dedications
The Paschal Candle has been given in memory of
Alma Mae Dempsey and Margot Morgan
Candle dedications also include the Sanctuary Lamp candle at the HighAltar and the Sanctuary Lamp candle above the altar in the Chapel of theBlessed Sacrament, for a suggested donation of $25 each.
To arrange to dedicate a candle on a particular date, please be in touchwith the Parish Office to make sure the date is free. If you would simplylike to dedicate any of the above candles on the next available date, writewhich candle and its dedication in the memo line of your check and put itin the offering plate. Questions? Contact [email protected].
Supporting St. John's
Would you like to support St. John's?
It's never to late to pledge your support, or to make a donation, in anyamount.
If you would like to pledge your support for St. John's, please visit ouronline pledge card here. For other ways to support St. John's, please visitour website here, or our Facebook pageat facebook.com/SaintJohnsNewport.
To give a one-time gift online with or without an account, please click here.
Greetings from the quiet Sunday school! We have been very active inSunday school, despite my lack of article writing in the past severalmonths! Be assured, I am way better at educating children than I am onsubmitting articles every week! I will try to do better though, because thereis much to tell you all!
Next week I will have a photo medley of scenes from Sunday schoolduring the season of Lent and Easter. We have been focusing on theinteresting life of Jesus, the everyday miracles and the principles he livedby.
Last week, for example, we discussed kindness, specifically that Jesuswasn't only kind when it was easy, but particularly when it was hard. We
must do the same. It isn't enough to be kind when it is easy to do so, butto act with a kind heart when it is really hard to drum up kindness.Although we had several examples, they decided kindness towards siblingswas the biggest challenge! More to come in the weeks ahead.All the best,Jenn
Christian Education is open to children of all ages at the 10 o'clock Mass.We look forward to seeing you!
Bible Study
The Rector's Bible Study continues this Sundaywith The Path. Participants gather in the Rector'sStudy on Sundays at noon. To enroll, please emailFr. Humphrey at [email protected] call the parish office at 848-2561.
The Rector's Book Study is on hiatus this weekas the Rector is on vacation. Study will continuenext Tuesday, May 14, at 9 a.m. in the Rector'sStudy in the Guild Hall, when we will discussOur Father by Alexander Schmemann. PleaseRSVP to [email protected] to joinin the conversation.
Canon Haselock & Holy Week Online
Canon Haselock repeated his Wednesday talks at our sister parish, SaintStephen's, Providence, on Sunday evenings. Fr. Alexander recorded themand they are available on their website.
And you can catch Father Humphrey's Holy Week sermons here:
The Zabriskie Memorial Church of Saint John the Evangelist
Calendar at a Glance
Saturday, May 4 - 11 a.m., Requiem Mass for Teddi Shaw
Sunday, May 5 - Noon, Rector's Bible Study
Monday, May 6 - 9 a.m., Centering Prayer
Tuesday, May 7 - 9 a.m., (No) Rector's Book Study
Thursday, May 9 - 5:45 p.m., Low Mass for St. John before the LatinGate
Sunday, May 12 - 11:45 a.m., Choral Matins & Mother's Day Brunch
Sunday, May 12 - Noon, Rector's Bible Study
Monday, May 13 - 9 a.m., Centering Prayer
Tuesday, May 14 - 9 a.m., Rector's Book Study
Saturday, May 18 - 2 p.m., The Choir School of Newport CountySpring Concert at Emmanuel Church, Newport
Now Hear This
St. John's is equipped with a loop system forhearing aids. A loop system provides amagnetic, wireless signal that is picked up byyour hearing aid and which greatly reducesbackground noise, competing sounds,reverberation and other acoustic distortions. Toactivate, simply set your hearing aid to "T" forT-coil (telecoil).
