August 4, 2023

Worship Schedule

Sundays at 10 a.m.

(with Morning Prayer once a month)

In person and live-streamed on YouTube

Godly Play Sunday School 10 a.m.

Teen Text Sunday School twice a month

(Both returning in the fall)

Rest in Peace Jim McLaughlin

James William McLaughlin, age 91, of New Milford.

Jim served in the Korean War 1951-1954 - U.S. Army 45th Infantry Division, graduated from New England Tech Institute, Hartford, CT. He worked at Data Control Systems and retired from Eaton Corp., Bethel, CT, in1994.

He enjoyed bowling and golfing with his friends. He was a member of St. John's Church, New Milford, ushered and served on the vestry and other church affairs.

Be present, O merciful God, and protect us through the hours of this night, so that we who are wearied by the changes and chances of this life may rest in your eternal changelessness, through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen (Service of Compline prayer, BCP p. 133)

Yes, we are sad to report yet another loss within our parish family. Jim has been homebound for many years – and yet out of sight did not mean out of mind.

Death is a part of life, as much as we hate to admit that. Even though we do not like facing the reality that life as we “know” it in the here and now is temporary, we would do well to honor those lives that have mattered to us by remembering them, and by reflecting on how we want to be remembered.

Such intentional pondering changes our priorities, and our very real use of time, talents, and treasure, and our many and varied reasons for being part of this parish family.

I leave you with one of my favorite poems and invite your own reflections.

What Is Success

                                       --- by Ralph Waldo Emerson

To laugh often and much;

To win the respect of intelligent people and

the affection of children;

To earn the approbation of honest critics and endure

the betrayal of false friends;

To appreciate beauty;

To find the best in others;

To give of one's self;

To leave the world a bit better, whether by a healthy child,

a garden patch, or a redeemed social condition;

To have played and laughed with enthusiasm and

sung with exultation;

To know even one life has breathed easier because you

have lived -

This is to have succeeded.

Jim is survived by a daughter Linda McLaughlin, son Michael, three grandchildren Christopher, Samantha, and Joshua. He was predeceased by loving wife Marilyn Eddy McLaughlin, married March 5, 1955, and by a son Randall.

Memorial contributions, in lieu of flowers, may be made to St. John's Church, New Milford. A private graveside service is planned.

Blessings,

Rev. Lisa

A quick reminder, the memorial for Joe Tigner will be tomorrow, Aug. 5, at 11 a.m. at the New Milford United Methodist Church on Route 7.

We would like to thank those of you who helped with the memorial services for Joan Mills (July 22) and Brita Polito (July 29), beautifully led by Rev. Lisa.

If you helped organize the events, helped set up, take down afterward, brought a side dish or baked goods, or helped serve the food, thank you for helping make the day a bit brighter for Joan's and Brita's families, friends and fellow parishioners.

On Sunday, July 23 we welcomed Levi Russell Zuris into the priesthood of all believers at his baptism.

The nearly-two-year-old Levi is the son of Nikki and Sean Zuris of New Milford.

Levi's grandma, Sandy Guido, is a long-ago member of St. John's and Nikki and her siblings were baptized here. Sandy, Nikki and the rest of the family have been worshipping with us again for several months now and we welcome them. Congrats to Levi and his family!!

Photo credit: Flora Quammie

'Quassy' Date Set

An annual tradition continues later this month.

The kids in our youth group and Sunday School classes will be heading to Quassy Amusement and Water Park in Middlebury on Aug. 27.

For those who are going, the St. John's families will be meeting on the beach around noon for lunch.

Then it will be on to an afternoon of fun on the water rides and the not-so-wet rides as well.

Have fun folks!

(Tomorrow!! Tomorrow!!)

Larsen Family Summer Concert

August 5

Our Music Director Laurel Larson and her talented family will host a Summer concert on Saturday, Aug. 5, at 3:00 p.m. at St. John's.

Laurel, Jens, Gabe and Margot Larsen will present a variety of duets, trios and quartets, including music by Gershwin, Kennan, Bernstein, Turrin and Anderson.

All donations will go to the New Milford Youth Agency, to help in their work with mental health initiatives for the children of New Milford.

Next Bible Discussion - Aug. 6

Our next Bible Discussion Group will be this Sunday, Aug. 6, after the 10 a.m. service in the Parish Hall.

We will be continuing our discussion of Genesis. Hope you will join us!!

Next Food Collection - August 16

Our next St. John's Food Drop-off will be Wednesday, Aug. 16, from 10 a.m. to noon.

The food collected will be delivered to Our Daily Bread Food Bank.

Please keep in the mind the extra need during the summer when school meals - a big item for many - are not available.

We're in front of the church to collect your donations of non-perishable foods and personal-care items on the first and third Wednesdays of each month.

Please remember that you can always bring in food on Sunday mornings and place your offerings in the donation basket next to the last pew.

Tag/Bake Sale Set for Aug.19

Our annual Tag/Bake Sale is set for Aug. 19 from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Set up is at 8 a.m.

Please bring your own lunch, drinks and chair.

We provide the table for a $20 donation. Sellers can keep all, or part, of what they make, or donate all proceeds to this year's

beneficiary. Totally up to the seller.

We will also have a drop-off table if you can't make it that day but would like to donate items for the sale. Please, no electronics or heavy furniture. Drop-off items can be brought to the church between 8 a.m. and 9 a.m. on Aug 19.

This year's proceeds will go to Camilla’s Cupboard. Focusing on families with young children, you can read about this food bank HERE.

The Bake Sale was a big hit last year. In addition to parishioners' baked goodies, Chef Jason Streck-Weller of Chez J (from the former Culinary School and now the sole chef for the Senior Center meals) will also be selling baked goods this year. 

So, if you'd like to participate in any way please contact Jen Kamp here.

Next Outdoor Worship - Aug. 20

Our next outdoor service will be Sunday, Aug. 20, 10 a.m. in the Memorial Garden.

And, we will have our worship service before our annual picnic at Harrybrooke Park on Sept. 10.

Men's Night Out - August 29

The next St. John's Men's Night Out is Tuesday, July 25, at 6:00 p.m.

The venue is still be worked out. We'll let you know in the next Connects and during the announcements at church.

If you'd like to join us please email Bill Kamp here.

Women's Night Out - Sept. 5

The next Women’s Night Out is Tuesday, Sept. 5, at 6 p.m. We'll be going to Vegas, the new Mexican restaurant on Railroad Street. Check out their menu here.

Please let Mary Vallo or Sue Denino know if you can make it. You can email Mary here, Sue here, or let them know when you see them in church.

Church Picnic - Sept. 10



Our annual worship service/church picnic is scheduled for Sunday, Sept. 10, at Harrybooke Park's Conn Pavilion. 

Sign-up sheets will be posted online and in the church. 



We hope you'll join us!

Ever thought about traveling to our Holy Land? Walking in the steps of Jesus? Putting visuals to scripture stories? Here is your chance!

Join your bishops, Rev. Lisa, and other members and friends across the diocese for a pilgrimage to some of our most sacred (and transformative) sites. Check out a brief video as well as the trip itinerary and registration forms HERE.

For more information and registration materials (due Nov. 1), please speak with Rev. Lisa. This will be her fifth time there and she LOVES to tell the Story!

The difference between a tourist and a pilgrim - a tourist passes through the land. A pilgrim allows the land to pass through them.

Parish Diocesan Delegates register for the convention here.

Reserve a hotel room here.

Other convention-related links here.

Thanks to a tip from parishioner Kim Polhemus, we recently came upon a warm summer memory of times gone by at St. John's.

On his Facebook page, unofficial but very knowledgeable town historian, Ted Hine put up a piece about a staple in New Milford in times past - the St. John's Fair, which was held on the Green every summer.

The posting elicited a robust response from New Milfordites on Facebook. We thought we'd repost some of the photos for those of you who were around town in the 60s, 70s and into the 80s - the heyday for the fair.

And for those of you who weren't around, we thought you might get caught up in the nostalgia anyway.

Parishioner Donna Sullivan was kind enough to jot down some of her memories of the fair. We share them with you below.

The St. John's Fair was a two-day affair, the last weekend in July, from late Friday afternoon into Saturday. Many prayers for good weather were offered ahead of time!

The front lawn and Whittlesey side lawn were covered with people of all ages from the congregation and community.

The youth group had a scary haunted tour of the basement …shrieks and whoops of fright and laughter coming up from that side door. (How dangerous was that..in hindsight? It’s really SCARY down there today…a stream runs through, I’ve been told.)

A huge roast beef was cooked, sliced with a giant knife, and served on the grass in sandwich form. All kinds of delicious bakery was wrapped and sold. 

Tables of books were for sale, and pieces of used furniture were offered along Whittlesey lawns. Homemade goods - knitted, crocheted, sewn - all for sale.

The Boy Scout troop sponsored by St.John’s had a booth to show and sell their crafts. Clown and animal face makeup was offered. And, there were colorful balloons, bouncing on strings in the air and flying high, way out of reach.

Parishioners were chosen to camp out overnight on the side and front lawns to “protect” what was for sale. Parishioners not selling items, or directly involved, joined those who were - sitting on lawn chairs, just gabbing, watching, commenting, telling tales, laughing, holding cranky kids.

Whether you were in it for the history, or just checking out the place, tours of the church were offered to the public and led by those who knew their stuff.

The entire Green across the street was populated by various vendors, some local, and some from away. It was hard to find a parking space (that hasn’t changed, at all!!!)

Smiley, happy people of all ages strolling…

Someone, reliable and dedicated, in the congregation (maybe the Treasurer? ) had charge of The Cash Box, which contained various denominations of green and silver cash to “seed” and collect at intervals from church vendors. Much planning and time was spent before hand getting to the local bank for the cash supply. People were zipping back and forth, delivering and asking for specific “change” needed during the two days.

As Saturday wound down, boxes of leftover items were carried down Bank Street to the New Milford Hospital Thrift Shop, or placed in the backs of pickup trucks that would carry away the heavier furniture pieces to donate or keep safe in someone’s barn or garage for later use or sale.

Sizable profits were counted up late Saturday. In church on Sunday morning, those who could manage to get back there, were given a rough estimate of how much “we” made. Cheering and clapping and 'thank-yous' were celebrated.

And, as I am listing these memories for you, I’m having bright flashes of faces and smiles and feelings of warmth and joy flitting and lighting up my mind and memory. So many faces I will not see again in this lifetime, yet some dear ones are still here.

I am so blessed and grateful to have known and grown in love and spirit and faith with them all.

-- Donna Sullivan

The folks on Facebook speculated on the identities of the people in the photos below.

We've decided to go with the names where there was certainty, or at least consensus, among those speculating. Please take these ID's with a grain of salt.

Where there was less certainty, we left out the names altogether and we suggest you look at the Facebook discussion and make up your own mind.

The priest in the top-left photo is Rev. Doug Cooke. In the top-right photo, the woman on the left is Alice Cooper. The fellow in the lower-left photo is Dick Geissinger and the woman pictured on the lower right is Alice Roberts.

The woman with her hand to her chin in the lower-left photo is, again, Alice Roberts. The young woman in photo on the lower right is Suzie Waldren.

In this last batch of photos, the priest with the cup in his hand in the top-left photo is Rev. Bert Hamlin, the woman in the foreground is Suzie Waldren and standing behind her is Ted Hine. No consensus on who the other priest is. Pictured in the lower-right photo are Bert and Barbara Hamlin.

In Memory of Kathy Manizza Leier

All who knew Kathy will attest to the fact that she was truly a remarkable and giving person. Putting the interests and needs of others before her own was second nature for Kathy.

Despite an unbelievably hectic and demanding work schedule, and her own health concerns, Kathy always had time and an open ear for family, friends and colleagues.

A fierce and dedicated advocate for her patients, she made sure that they were treated with dignity and received the attention and support they deserved. Kathy guided so, so many of us through difficult times. Sadly, Kathy passed away suddenly on Feb. 21 2023. 

In recognition of all that Kathy has done for our community, and for St. John’s Episcopal Church, it is our intention to purchase and dedicate a statue in her name to be placed in the Memorial Garden.

If you would like to donate to help to make this a reality, please use this link. 

With much thanks,

Sherry Corridan and Paul Manfredi

Friends of Kathy Leier

For more info or to donate click here.

Tutor Training Time

Literacy Volunteers on the Green celebrates 18 years as an adult literacy organization, supporting English language learners and adults in need of basic skills remediation.

We’ve had a presence at St John’s for more than a decade and continue to feel welcome and appreciated by the St John’s congregation and staff! 

We welcome new tutors to join an engaged and dedicated literacy community this fall. Please consider making a difference in the life of an English language learner in your community! A weekly commitment of two hours is expected.

New tutor training will be offered the week of Sept. 11.

For more information, contact lynn@lvg-ct.org or call 860-355-0830.

Prayers for The Ill, Homebound or In Need

Parishioners: Arthur P., Anna, Jean, Joy, Joan J., Josie, Olga, Helen and Sonok 

For family and friends: Billy, Charles, Rich, Holly, Matt, John, Mark, Melissa, Kyle, Artie and Dorothy

For those who have died: Jim McLaughlin

For the people of Ukraine. For the lives lost and the lives upended in a war that was thrust upon them.

The next issue of St. John's Connects will be published on Friday, Aug. 18.

If you have something to share in the next newsletter, please send the info to Ron Vallo by Wednesday, Aug. 16.

Upcoming Birthdays

Jim Altemus (8/5); Jiri Krten (8/7); Nick Payne (8/8); Charlie Weed (8/11); Levi Zuris (8/13); Dorothy Shackelford (8/14); Bob Lawrence (8/16); Katie Maxwell (8/16); Evie Lee (8/19); Louis Alhage (8/22); Elise Cabell (8/22); Sandra Violette (8/31)

Anniversaries

Phillip and Anna Jones (8/8); Joseph and Bonnie Puglisi (8/26)

Congrats to all who are celebrating! Enjoy your big day!