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Deadline: April 30

From now through April 30, the Norwood Parish Fund (NPF) Board will accept grant applications for Spring 2023.

Grants are available to organizations or parishioners for:

• St. John’s capital needs,
• Outreach ministries,
• Seed money for new ministries and special one-time projects, and
• Other highly meritorious purposes that are similar to, but do not precisely fit, the three categories above and that fulfill St. John’s mission to develop its ministries or to be a catalyst for projects that are beyond what it is possible to fund through annual operating funds.

[Read more…] about Apply for a Norwood Parish Grant, Spring 2023

The Leadership Development Team (formerly known as the Nominating Committee) is delighted to present this year’s candidates for the Vestry:

Senior Warden – one-year term: Kevin Kehus

Junior Warden – one-year term: Janet Hall

Vestry member:

• Katherine Krile
• Clara Lovett
• Debra Parker
• Dan Ryan
• Geoff Sharpe
• Ann Ramsey-Moor
• Carolyn Schugar

[Read more…] about 2023 Candidates for Vestry and Diocesan Delegation

This Easter, enjoy the return of a beloved St. John’s tradition that we had to put away during the pandemic: the Easter Brunch Reception!! What a wonderful and tasty way to reconnect with your St. John’s friends and to extend hospitality to the many visitors whom we receive on that most special of Sundays.

Taking place between the 9:00 am and 11:15 am services, you’ll have the opportunity to indulge in items lovingly prepared (or purchased) by our parishioners. It promises to be beautiful, too, with Sallie Chatfield’s special decorating talents on display.

The saying “many hands make light work” is certainly true in regard to the Easter Brunch Reception. Sign up to contribute food items or to volunteer your time to set up or clean up on Easter Sunday, April 9.

If you have any questions, please contact Lee Walsh.

St. John’s Olive Oil ministry will sell olive oil and soap on Sunday, March 26 and Sunday, April 2 at 10:00 and after the 10:30 service in the West Avenue lobby.

We will be selling 2 types of olive oil, a mix and the bold-flavored Rumi for $25/bottle, as well as bars of olive oil soap for $6/bar.

While the Olive Oil ministry has historically raised money to benefit the Tent of Nations, beginning in 2019, we have also provided support for other worthwhile projects, especially those in Gaza. In 2021 we donated a total of $12,421 to several of those entities, including $5,316 to Anera (American Near East Refugee Aid), $5,000 to two hospitals in Gaza and Nablus (each $2,500), $500 to the Museum of the Palestinian People in Washington, DC, and indirectly $1,605 to Playgrounds for Palestine, an organization which builds playgrounds for children in Palestine, as well as $9,500 to Tent of Nations.

If you have any questions, please contact Helen Habiby or Liz Everhart.

During its January and February 2023 meetings, the Vestry of St. John’s approved:

• The creation of a new Governance Coordinating Committee (GCC), a standing committee of the Vestry charged with ensuring continuity and consistency across other committees and St. John’s operations. The GCC will inventory all standing and ad hoc committees and working groups; review structure and membership; identify gaps; develop roles and responsibilities; review and streamline governance across funds; update or draft charters and policies, as necessary; and, make recommendations to the Vestry for updating St. John’s bylaws.
• A resolution to the Joyful Noise Music Fund to honor the original intent of the donor and ensure that the Fund will not be used to defray annual operating expenses associated with our music program.
• The purchase and installation of a new system to provide air-conditioning and heating in the Lounge, using $7,000 from Property Reserves.
• A new Charter for the Capital Needs Discernment Committee (CNDC). The CNDC has been reconvened to review and revise as necessary a pre-pandemic plan and recommend next steps to the Vestry for investments that will ensure our property is capable of meeting our mission.
• A revised Statement on Racial Justice and Equity: Beliefs, Acknowledgement, and Action, now retitled as A Faith-Driven Response to the Legacy of Slavery and Racism. A revised Preamble clarifies that this document is intended as a living statement of St. John’s commitment to respond to the particular history and legacy of chattel slavery in the United States and its impact on our Black siblings, while acknowledging that many others in our society have also suffered great injustice which we also pledge to faithfully address. It is intended to be a source of optimism, aspiration and change.
• A new Charter for a Racial Justice & Equity Committee. The Committee replaces the Racial Justice & Equity Task Force and reports to the Justice and Outreach Committee (JOCC). The new Committee is open to all parishioners.