St. John’s Episcopal Church Annual Report

of Mission and Ministry in 2017

February 4, 2018 Annual Parish Meeting

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St. John’s Annual Meeting, February 4, 2018

2016 Annual Meeting Agenda .......................................................................................... 2 Minutes from February 2015............................................................................................. 3 2018 Annual Meeting Agenda .......................................................................................... 3 Minutes from February 2017............................................................................................. 3 Rector's Report ................................................................................................................... 5 Senior Warden’s Report .................................................................................................. 10 Junior Warden’s Report .................................................................................................. 11 Priest Associates' Report ................................................................................................. 13 Treasurer’s Report ........................................................................................................... 13 Stewardship Report ......................................................................................................... 13

Capital Campaign Report………………………………………………………………….14 Report of the Organist and Choirmaster ....................................................................... 15

Altar Guild Report………………………………………………………………………....16 Flower Guild Report ........................................................................................................ 16 Ushering at St. John's ....................................................................................................... 17 Christian Education Report ............................................................................................ 17 Children's Choir Report .................................................................................................. 18

Sunday Coffee Hour…………………………………….………………………………….19 Fourth Friday Sung Evensong………………..………………………………...........……19 Building Report………………………………………………………………………..……19

Episcopal Church Women Report .................................................................................. 20 Garden Committee Report .............................................................................................. 22

B-Safe………………………………………………………………………………….……..22 Blessing of the Animals .. ................................................................................................ 23

Harvest Fair Report………………………………………………………………………...24 Charlestown Throw………………………………………………………………………..24

Nominating Committee Report…………………………………………….…...………..25

Attachments: 2017 Income and Expense Report vs. Budget; 2017 Balance Sheet

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2018 Annual Meeting Agenda

February 4, 2018

1. Reception of New Members 2. Election of the Clerk for the Annual Meeting 3. Approval of Minutes from the 2017 Annual Meeting 4. Reports from the Wardens, Treasurer, and Committee Chairs as Recognized by the Wardens 5. Reception of the of the 2018 Budget approved by the Vestry 6. Election of Members of the Vestry and Diocesan Positions

MINUTES OF THE ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING OF

ST. JOHN’S EPISCOPAL CHURCH, CHARLESTOWN, MASSACHUSETTS

ST. JOHN’S EPISCOPAL CHURCH 2017 ANNUAL MEETING MINUTES

FEBRUARY 2, 2017 I. Reception of new members Naomi Francis was welcomed and signed the register II. Nomination for Clerk for the Annual meeting Paul Newell was nominated and all were in favor III. Review of Minutes from last year’s meeting Minutes from last year’s meeting were presented for approval and all were in favor. IV. Reports from Warden and Rector The Warden and Rector’s reports were presented followed by a presentation of a slide show, “A Year in the Life of St John’s” V. Reception of the Budget Alice Krapf presented the 2017 Budget as approved by the Vestry. The Vestry’s decision was supported unanimously. VI. Doug Heim discussed sabbatical planning for the Rector that is proposed for the July-October timeframe and had been supported unanimously by the Vestry. VII. Capital Campaign Fay Donahue and Kathleen McCormick, Capital Campaign Co-chairs, gave an introduction to the upcoming Capital Campaign, with a goal of $175,000 for renovation and improvements to our historic building.

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VIII. Nomination Report The following were nominated for the Vestry:

Douglas Heim, Senior Warden Bridget Nyhan, Junior Warden Steve Locke, Treasurer Paul Newell, Clerk Catherine Womack, 3 year term Rosemary Kverek, 3 year term Sally Dungan, 3 year term Lorraine Gagnon, 1 year term and Lindsay Steinmetz Haldeman, Assistant Treasurer

All nominations were unanimously accepted. Matt Haldeman, Jane Struss and Fay Donahue continue in their terms. Also approved were: Catherine Womack, Delegate to the Boston Harbor Deanery Stephen Spinetto, Delegate to the Diocesan Convention. IX. Motion to adjourn passed unanimously. Respectfully submitted, Paul Newell

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The Rector’s Report

The Sabbath beckons, come and rest Find here no burden, nor a test But time by which all time is blessed, Come, learn to love the Sabbath rest.

As I look back at the past year, it seems logical to divide it into three seasons – pre-sabbatical, sabbatical, and post-sabbatical. A great gift from you to me was the three-and-a-half-month period I was given to be away for a time of refreshment and renewal. I know this did not mean a sabbatical for many of you! The good news I want to emphasize is that through your significant labors the ministries of the parish continued and flourished. Pre-sabbatical Season The year began with the vestry having decided to commit our parish to a capital campaign. Most parishes engage in capital campaigns at one time or another. It had been many years since St. John’s had undertaken such an endeavor. With the celebration in November of 2016 of the 175th anniversary of the consecration of our church, the vestry determined it was an appropriate time to commit time and resources to the renovation and improvement of our historic buildings. I still remember the vestry meeting at which we discussed a possible goal for our campaign. I thought we might have been able to raise $100,000, so I was more than a little surprised when our senior warden at the time, Maureen Lavely, suggested that given our anniversary, perhaps we should aim for $175,000. I gulped. Really? And then I remembered words from scripture that I have often shared with you: “Be not afraid!” The vestry adopted that goal, we engaged with Cornerstone Fundraising to conduct a campaign, and as you will see elsewhere in this report, we now have pledges totaling $246,240. Be not afraid! As a result of that campaign, and due to the extraordinary work of the Building Committee, we have seen our Parish House, so long in need of painting, restored to its Victorian glory. We have a drier Parish House basement, which among other things, benefits the health of everyone using the building. Our Altar Guild and Sunday morning ministers, lay and ordained, are delighting in using a renovated sacristy that is clean, efficient, and befitting the ministries they carry out. I am so grateful to campaign co-chairs, Fay Donohue and Kathleen McCormick, and to Building Committee members, Jonathan McCormick, Mike Mickelson, Ken Stone, Gray MacLetchie, Alice Krapf, and Maureen Lavely, for helping us to get to this place. None of this would have been possible, of course, without the generous pledges of so many of you. I hope you know that the sacrificial gifts you have given make a significant difference in our ability to carry out our ministries in this place. Thank you! Sabbatical Season As summer approached, all of us prepared for my sabbatical. Having served at St. John’s for six years, I was eligible for this sabbatical, and with the full support of the vestry, we planned for my time away. This included providing pastoral leadership, both for Sunday liturgies and the ongoing work of the parish. A combination of guest preachers and the presence of the Rev. Luther Zeigler in

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September and October brought new voices to the pulpit. From every report I heard, the parish responded with hospitality and grace to different preachers and liturgical styles. None of this would have been possible, of course, without the continuing engagement of our Priest Associates, the Rev. Lyn Brakeman and the Rev. Dick Simeone, and our “Pastor Associate,” the Rev. Liz Senft. Their familiarity with the rhythms of the parish, and the ongoing offering of their time and talent, both on Sundays and in providing pastoral care, were invaluable. You were so well served by the staff and lay leadership of this parish as well. Our wardens, Doug Heim and Bridget Nyhan stepped forward with skill and grace to lead the parish, and I am still learning of ways in which they supported, encouraged, and inspired each of you. I am so grateful to God for the ways they handled every challenge they faced. Of course, I knew that our staff – Douglas Witte, Priscilla Burns, Brian O’Neill, along with Rachel Pfost and Lauren Mansfield, would ensure that “the bases were covered.” I do want to especially note the contributions of Priscilla Burns, our parish administrator during the sabbatical. She took on far more responsibility than her job description calls for, and she did it with her usual skill and grace. Every sabbatical provides time not only for a rector to have time for renewal, but also for a parish to assess where it is in its common life and how that life can be strengthened. From everything I observed upon my return, it is clear to me that you carried on! Yes, there are times when our resources, be they personal or financial, still seem too scarce. Yes, we are a parish where the rector plays a central role. But you also recognized that you are the Body of Christ, and that the gifts of the community are many. While I could hear people breathe a sigh of relief when I returned, at the same time I did not detect any loss of enthusiasm or energy that people have for enabling us to grow in our ministry and in our faith. Personally, the sabbatical was everything that I hoped it would be. There was time for watercolor painting, playing the piano, and an extended time with Thomas and our puppy Esther in the Thousand Islands. Embedded in my first call to ministry decades ago was the recognition that God desired that I use my creative gifts in music and art in the ministries in which I was engaged. Most of you know of the delight I take each year in producing an Advent devotional calendar. I hope that more of my ministry can be expressed in such ways. God nourished my soul as an artist and musician on this sabbatical, and for that I am grateful. A fall down a flight of stairs just when we arrived in the Thousand Islands was definitely not a part of my sabbatical plan. While the injuries were not serious, the resulting pain led me to see an acupuncturist, begin a practice of yoga, and accept the fact that my aging body is asking for a more regular routine of exercise. I now look back on that unexpected trip down the stairs as my “wake up fall.” Please don’t hesitate to ask me how I am doing with the exercise and yoga disciplines – I need your encouragement! Post-sabbatical season I returned to St. John’s for the celebration of All Saints’ Sunday, which included the Sacrament of Baptism for four of our newest brothers and sisters in Christ. Since that Sunday, we have celebrated four more baptisms, and also welcomed a number of new persons and families into our midst. As I look back over the past year, I recognize that we continue with traditions we love even as we are willing to try new and different ways of being the church. Lessons and Carols continues as a much

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beloved tradition, but our Christmas pageant this year took a different shape. With Christmas Eve falling on a Sunday, we returned to an earlier tradition of holding the pageant at the 4 pm Christmas Eve service. This year’s “pick up pageant” enabled every child attending to be a part of the pageant if he or she desired, and the result was a wonderful telling of the Christmas story. When we think of worship, we usually think of Sunday mornings, but we now include Friday mornings as well. I have resumed the Children’s Worship service that I started in the spring, and take great delight in seeing how the youngest among us are responding to the good news of Jesus Christ. Worship occurs on Friday evenings once a month as well, and I am grateful to Jane Struss and Jake Sterling for their ongoing leadership of this service. On Sunday mornings at the 10am service, sacramental prayers and anointing for healing are now offered. An outgrowth an earlier Lenten program, this ministry has quickly become an essential part of our worshiping life. Of course, these ministries are all ones which take place in our building. They bless and benefit those who find their way to us. As our senior warden notes in his report, we are still working, and yes, sometimes struggling, to discern how God is calling us to be engaged outside our walls in the midst of the larger community. We did find ways of reaching out this year. We supported refugee families in Syria through our giving of clothing, craft supplies, and fabrics. Through the work of the Episcopal Church Women (ECW) we continue to support the Thrift Shop Ministry of St. Luke/San Lucas Episcopal Church in Chelsea. Once again, church members provided meals and guidance to young children in the summer B-SAFE program. But we can do more. I know there are many of you who share the particular gifts that God has given you for ministry in your vocational lives, and in countless hours of volunteering and serving in your communities. I am hoping that in this new year, I can provide more opportunities, whether in worship, in our newsletter or on our website, for some of you to share your stories. How are you hearing the Spirit, seeing God’s beauty, and acting in love in your life and work? How might your individual story help us to see how all of us together can be Christ’s body for the world? We have accomplished much this year. As we look to the year ahead, we will encounter the inevitable challenge of wondering if we have the financial resources to carry out the ministries to which God is calling us. The vestry is committed to supporting what they consider to be essential ministries, even though it means entering the year with a deficit budget. And I hear those words again, “Be not afraid.“ Even as we seek to welcome new persons into our life together, we will face the challenge of seeing whether we possess all the gifts and skills for the worship, pastoral care, and mission life of the parish. And I hear the words, “Be not afraid.” Finally, we will face the challenge of bearing witness to the love of Christ in a culture where violence is condoned and hatred toward toward “the other” is encouraged. We are called to proclaim and embody the forgiving love and welcoming embrace of Jesus. And I hear the words, “Be not afraid.” Having seen the strength and resilience of this parish over the seasons of this past year, I am confident that we can commit ourselves to hearing the Spirit, seeing God’s beauty, and acting in love.

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The Rector’s Report on Worship and Pastoral Offices

WORSHIP

Sundays:

Sunday services were held 50 times at 8 am (Rite I), and 53 times at 10 am (Rite II) All Sunday services this year were celebrations of the Holy Eucharist, except for one service of Moring Prayer at the 8 am service

Sunday Attendance for Both Services:

TOTAL WEEKLY AVERAGE

2017: 3,498 66 2016: 4,158 79 2015: 3,287 66 2014: 3,692 71 2013: 4,004 77

Liturgies in Addition to Sunday Mornings (with attendance in parentheses)

Epiphany Service: January 6 at 6 pm (25) Ash Wednesday: March 1 at 8 am, 4 pm and 7 pm: (50 total) Holy Monday: April 10 at 7 pm: (11) Holy Tuesday: April 11 at 7 pm: (8) Holy Wednesday: April 12 at 7 pm: (9) Maundy Thursday: Agape Feast and Eucharist: April 13 at 6 pm (43) Good Friday: April 14 at 4:30 pm and 7 pm (50 total) Easter Vigil: April 15 at 7 pm (37) Lessons and Carols: December 17 at 5 pm (127) Christmas Eve: December 24, at 4 pm (113), and 10 pm (47) Christmas Day: December 25, at 10 am (10) Evensong was celebrated 10 times, on the fourth Friday of the month at 6:30 pm A Children’s Worship Service was celebrated 18 times, on Friday mornings at 10:00 am

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PASTORAL OFFICES Holy Communion in Homes or Hospitals: 9 Visits Sacramental Healing: In the context of the 10 am Sunday Liturgy, the rite of Sacramental Healing was offered 38 times.

Holy Baptism April 15 Easter Vigil Sarah Carnwath Hopkins

June 4 Pentecost Eugene Christopher Brophy Tierney Elizabeth Connelly Daphne Prentiss Slocum

June 25 Calvin John Hay November 5, All Saints Lucas Alan Biel Arlo Beckman Currie Hayley Elizabeth Pacini Domenic Michael Simeone December 3 Grayson Robert Haldeman Benjamin Khalamayzer Russell Wilson Cole January 7 Claire Everly DeChristoforo

Marriage: March 18 Stratton McCrady and Robin Witham Acker Burial Office:

January 2 Nickolas Evan Acker September 8 Denise Hast (Committal) November 21 Doris Shaw

Respectfully submitted, Rev. Thomas Mousin Rector of St. John’s Episcopal Church

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Annual Report by the Senior Warden

A "warden" is most broadly defined as "a person having care or charge of something." In that regard, the 2017 Vestry to a person were all wardens. Indeed, it is by no means a stretch to say that every one of us who works for, volunteers, or participates in the life of our Parish has been a warden this past year. For that, I am grateful to God and to you, for tending to our collective garden so well, and bearing so much good fruit.

Stewards of the Capital Campaign

Some of the first seeds sown this year would grow into a successful Capital Campaign, which raised a commitment of $246,280 to restore, improve, and maintain our historic, beautiful, and sacred spaces. Capital Campaign Chairs Fay Donohue and Kathleen McCormick, along with many others, committed their talents to this badly needed enterprise. And so very many members of this Parish present and past, as well as the wider community responded; pledging resources to meet the many needs of our buildings for the present and future generations. Accordingly, the Vestry was equally committed to working with our Building Committee to judiciously marshal these newfound resources as best we could, including developing a policy for examining capital project proposals.

To that end, consistent with messages of the Campaign, we tasked the tireless Building Committee to first paint and restore the exterior of the Parish House. The hardest decision of this year's Vestry may have been choosing from the historically consistent paint schemes presented to us. What followed was 6 months of planning and dedication by the Building Committee: Jonathan McCormick, Alice Krapf, Ken Stone, Mike Mickelson, Gray MacLetchie, and Maureen Lavely, who personally gifted us with professional time and considerable talents.

Next we prioritized the renovation of the Sacristy, conceptually led by Rev. Simeone, performed with great skill by Stratton McCrady, and perhaps the only project more overdue than painting the Parish House. Our Crucifer Emeritus, Roger Chesebrough conveyed that its fire and water-damaged condition met him when he started serving at St. John's many years ago. Finally, a number of large gains have been realized by small projects to update thermostats, protect our heating system, and keep our basement dry. I'm certain other committees of this Parish will report further on the excellent outcomes of these projects, but I echo the invitation to all of you to witness the impact your giving has already had on St. John's facilities, both obvious and subtle.

Keeping the Feast

Here and there, a gardener must let their garden grow without him or her; let their hands rest and trust that when they resume, they might see the landscape in a new bloom. So it was during Tom's sabbatical; a time when we embraced an investment in Tom's cultivation of his own spirit and craft; and in turn, a time when we all trusted that St. John's would grow and thrive in a new fashion. I am humbled by and proud of what the Vestry and this community has done in enthusiastically supporting a sabbatical for our remarkable Rector, while making the most of our time without the tremendous gifts he brings to his daily work.

Whitney Hayden and I began preparing last winter at the Cathedral, and with the leadership and dedication of every member of the Vestry (along with Tom's considerable and conscientious efforts) we were able to assure our community heard diverse and talented clergy each Sunday throughout the summer and fall. We grew as Parish. Sometimes we grew uncertainly and difficultly, but the outcomes were illuminating, a little messy, and beautiful. We hosted the wisdom of Canon to the Ordinary Bill Parnell, Rev. Luther Ziegler as Interim Priest, our former Rector Rev. Gareth Evans,

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Rev. Megan Holding, Rev. Christen Frothingham, Rev. Billie Mae Gordon and of course, Rev. Lyn Brakeman, Rev. Dick Simeone, and Rev. Liz Senft.

Most importantly, we kept coming together to worship, celebrate and share in God's name every Sunday regardless of who was standing at the pulpit.

My gratitude and appreciation for Priscilla Burns, our Parish Administrator, Douglas Witte, our Director of Music, Brian O'Neil, our Sexton, all of our Vestry, and Liz, Lyn, and Dick, our associate clergy cannot be understated. Each would tell you that they were "just doing their job," but truly each in turn did more than their job with passion and cheer, and without soliciting recognition. While thanking every deserving person cannot be accommodated in this format, I must reserve my most personal thanks for two people during an unusually intense time here. Bridget Nyhan, our "Junior" Warden, is a source of creativity, calm, resolve and authenticity for so many of our Parish with all its circles and layers. We are all lucky to have the benefit of her faith. Finally my wife Stacy is my rock, and in being so, enabled me to listen, speak, and act with greater clarity and purpose in the interests of this Parish. Thank you both.

Raising Human Capital

There is still much tending to be done, there always will be. Not every aspect of 2017 met the Vestry's aspirations. We had set goals of providing more opportunities for mission work at St. John's and more programming of various kinds. Particularly, the Vestry wants to tap into the tremendous "human capital" of this congregation. Some ideas, like a theological book club and fitness/yoga classes for parishioners are starting to bud. Others never took to root. Especially as we basked in the joy of a boom of baptisms this fall, I could not help but look forward to meeting our promise to those newly received children, each other, and a broader scope of persons, which is to engage. To be part of it. To Hear the Spirit; See God's Beauty; and Act in Love. I know that this Parish already does a great deal with the talents of its people, but I look forward to witnessing the unfolding ways we will grow closer together and employ our collective love to benefit a wider world.

Respectfully submitted, Doug Heim, Senior Warden

Junior Warden’s Report

Wow time really does fly by… I am just completing my second year as Junior Warden and look forward, with your blessing, to a third. If you ask my husband, he will tell you that I am not one to recap events. He, on the other hand, likes to recap every run he went on or trip we’ve ever taken. I much prefer to have those memories stored away and maybe pull out a gem or two in the much later future. But this report is calling me to reflect and remember and give thanks for the past year of St. John’s memories. YES! We finally repaired and painted the Parish house (I’m sure I am not the only annual report to include this piece of information). Ever since I walked into St. John’s I have been hearing about how the Parish House needs painting and I am so glad we overcame our fears and asked for money and you all generously gave money and we painted the house (that simple ;). I am just as happy to walk

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by the sacristy and notice its light, airy, clean glow. I hope and believe those who regularly use it are happy as clams. Thank you to the Building Committee (and Stratton) for your hard work and dedication to these projects and many more! YES! We survived and dare I say thrived without Tom! Tom knows how much I love him and missed him during his absence but looking back today, I feel like we all came together during this time and not only kept the doors opened and lights turned on but managed to complete tasks, make decisions, deal with different personalities and thrive. When I think back upon this time, I recall meeting a young couple, new to St. John’s, who told me, after checking out other local churches, they think St. John’s is a good fit for their family - the best part of this story is that they discovered this all when Tom was away - so the gems that St. John has, shined brightly even in his absence. My reply to this couple was “well, wait until you meet Tom, St. John’s is even better with him!.” I also have reflected on this time and saw some personal growth in myself. I needed to and did step up when asked (sometimes even when not asked). Doug and I needed to make decisions from smaller -- “should we ask Tom to write the forward in the cookbook?” -- to much bigger – “how do we handle the possible lead paint dust issue?” Some things challenged me but also made me more confident and stronger as a leader. When I reflect upon this year, the things I gained the most are relationships. Our Parish Administrator, Priscilla and I had weekly face-to-face check-ins and our friendship grew. I feel like I connected with more of the Vestry during our monthly meetings and weekly church days and thus our relationships grew. It was wonderful getting to work with Liz Senft, Dick Simeone and Lyn Brakeman, and I felt like a part of a small team in Tom’s absence. Also it was just as nice to meet and greet the visiting priests. Lastly, I appreciate having had a fine relationship with Doug -- it truly turned into a friendship. Even though sometimes you became exhausted and frustrated (rightly so) I felt like I could always count on you to think things over, make level headed fair decisions, be a peacemaker, respond to daily texts and phone calls all while cracking good and bad jokes. You are THE best ! Moving ahead to 2018, I look forward to growing more (relationships, gardens, our numbers) and gaining more (friendships, leadership skills, more exposure in C-Town) with all of you. All the Best - Bridget Bridget Nyhan , Junior Warden

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Priest Associates’ Report

An important new venture in 2017 was the institution of the Sacrament of Healing as a regular feature of the 10:00 a.m. eucharist Sunday mornings. Beginning in Lent, initially as a trial, it quickly became evident that it was providing an important sacramental opportunity for many people. This became even clearer when, on Easter Day at the principal eucharist, a number of visitors availed themselves of the offering. It has now become an established parish practice. Another significant undertaking in 2017 was the creation of the new sacristy replacing what had long been a very dismal and inadequate space. The rector asked Dick to oversee this project. The new sacristy was designed by Mark Nelson, music director of St. John’s, Gloucester, and a long time designer of organs for C. B. Fisk Organ Studios. The bulk of the work both of demolition and reconstruction was done by Stratton McCrady. Also assisting in the oversight of the project was Jonathan McCormick, chair of the property committee. Gray MacLetchie, a member of the committee, provided support in securing certain sub-contracting for the project. There are a few finishing matters to be completed which Dick and Luette Bourne, the head of the altar guild, are carrying out. For the first time in the memory of most, the parish now has a fully functional sacristy for the clergy and altar guild. It was gratifying to witness the way the lay leadership carried on the oversight work of the parish’s programs and activities while the rector was on sabbatical. We began our time with the parish in September 2012, and the annual meeting of 2018 marks the sixth anniversary of our appointment by the rector as non-stipendiary priest associates. We are grateful for his generosity to us which provides us the opportunity in retirement to carry on our vocation as priests. Respectfully submitted,

The Rev’ds Lyn G. Brakeman and Richard J. Simeone

Treasurer’s Report

See financial information at the end of this document

Stewardship Report Our stewardship theme this year was “Journey to Generosity.” We heard throughout October and into November from parishioners sharing experiences from their own stewardship journeys.

The results of our stewardship campaign this year were somewhat mixed: we had a remarkable number of new pledgers this year (for whom we are exceptionally grateful!), but we saw a decrease in overall number of pledgers and total amount pledged.

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As of this report, we have the following pledges for 2018:

• 52 total pledgers (down from 54 last year)

• 10 new pledgers

• $125,820 in total pledges (compared to $136,321 last year; a decrease of 8%)

• Average pledge of $2,420/year (compared to $2,524 last year)

The drop-off was somewhat expected, particularly because our stewardship campaign came on the heels of an extraordinarily successful capital campaign, and during our Rector’s sabbatical. In addition, as in prior years, the most significant drop-off was the number of prior pledgers who have not yet made any pledge this year. Many of those missing pledges are from loyal pledgers who we hope will make a pledge in the coming weeks.

With warm gratitude and thanks,

Louis Tompros, Stewardship Chair

January 4, 2018

See God's Beauty: The Capital Campaign for St John's Church Last year at the annual meeting we announced a Capital Campaign. The vestry knew that our beautiful buildings needed work. We knew that part of our mission is to see God's beauty and one of the ways we see beauty is in the beautiful space where we worship, play, celebrate, comfort and teach. Those who came before us built a church in 1840 that is an integral part of the history and community of Charlestown. We commissioned a study to determine the ability of the parish to raise money for capital projects. After determining the viability of the campaign, the building committee identified specific projects including painting the parish house, renovating the sacristy and repairing windows. We knew the need but we were not sure we could raise the money needed. We set a goal of raising $175,000 to match our 175th anniversary celebration. We need not have worried. The parish family raised $246,280, of which we have received $153,005. as of December 31st. We are putting the money to good use. The parish house is painted; the sacristy renovated and work is beginning in the spring on other projects. Thank you Thank You Thank You Fay Donohue and Kathleen McCormick, Campaign Chairs

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Report of the Organist and Choirmaster In 2017 your choir continued its work of offering anthems at the 10:00 am Sunday services and other liturgies, and supporting congregational hymn and Psalm singing. The choir membership in 2017 consisted of Shops Howard, Louise Ambler Osborn, Maureen Lavely, Alice Krapf, Jonathan McCormick, Pell Osborn, Dan Simpson and Jake Sterling. And, although we were sad to lose Sally Dungan to other pressing commitments, we were delighted to welcome Stanley Chang, that rare thing, a tenor! You can see from this list that St. John's choir is a small ensemble, and over the past year or so we have been increasingly challenged by attendance issues. Your choir members deserve applause for doing this work for many years, but the fact is that the commitments involved in maintaining the level of quality this parish has been accustomed to are becoming increasingly difficult to balance with the many other commitments in their busy lives. This is a serious invitation to anyone---especially newcomers!--- who sings, who has ever thought of singing, think they might like singing, would be interested in learning about music, to consider trying out participating in this essential ministry. You can be assured that you will be among friends, and that the music we sing is tailored to the abilities of the people taking part. In July, with support from the parish, your Music Director attended the annual Sacred Music Conference at the University of the South in Sewanee, Tennessee. This was an opportunity to mingle with colleagues from all over the country (southerners were heavily represented), spend a week making music together in Sewanee's spectacular chapel, and attend workshops and clinics on topics of interest to church musicians, including hymn playing, improvisation, organ repertoire for small organs and change-ringing. Our annual service of Lessons and Carols for Advent was a beautiful celebratory event as always. Your Choir begins preparing for this in September, and many thanks are due to those who helped us make it a success. Thank you also to Jane Struss, who has continued to bring her many years of voice teaching experience to our weekly choir practice warmup sessions. Respectfully Submitted, Douglas Witte, Organist and Choirmaster

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Altar Guild Report

The Altar Guild is a vibrant ministry that has had a very successful year. It carries out the meaningful ministry of preparing our place of worship, in particular the celebration of the Holy Eucharist. It is responsible also for setting the altar each Sunday, preparing for baptisms and funerals, and making sure the linens, silver, and brass are in tip-top shape. We, therefore, also meet at St. John’s the Saturday before Easter and the Saturday of Christmas Lessons and Carols to polish the church’s silver and brass.

Our wonderful news is the remodeling of the sacristy. There is now a sink adjoining a piscina, a special sink with a drain that goes into the ground rather than into the sewer system for the disposal only of the remaining consecrated wine after a service. We no longer need to use the kitchen.

Currently we have five active members: Naomi Francis, Jane Struss, Jean Wilson, Catherine Womack and Luette Bourne. The Altar Guild also has another member, Stephen Locke ( Sarge ), who is in charge of the fair linens, many given by him in memory of his mother. George Born and Matthew Hast, former members of the guild, kindly join us for holiday polishing.

We would gladly welcome more members to our ministry. The Altar Guild fulfills an important role in the service of our church and our Sunday worship. If music enhances your spirituality this could be the ministry for you as an added benefit of the guild is hearing the choir rehearse while setting the altar. It is a quiet, reflective, sacred time.

Very special thanks to my fellow Altar Guild ministers who have been extremely helpful and supportive. They make my job most enjoyable and easy.

Respectfully submitted,

Luette C. Bourne, Directress

Flower Guild Report Each week flowers are picked up at the Bunker Hill Florist. Then I arranged them in urns for the altar. We ask for extra monetary help for our Christmas poinsettias and Easter lilies. The weeks following Pentecost through the end of August, our altar is undecorated. Of course, memorial and celebratory flowers are honored no matter what time of year. I am in search for volunteers to form a true flower guild. Respectfully submitted, Nancy Armstrong

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Ushering at St. John’s In 2017, ushers continued to greet and assist with Sunday and holiday services. The following dedicated parishioners continued their ushering duties throughout the year: George Born, Fay Donohue, Matt Haldeman, Douglas Heim, Jenn Herlihy, Rosemary Kverek, Mike Maday, Robin & James Moody, Bridget Nyhan, Steve Spinetto and Jane Struss. Both Joey Lacey and Kathleen Steen-Walsh rotated off the usher rotation this past summer and we are thankful for their service. The dedication of our ushers creates a warm and welcoming environment as our parishioners and guests enter the Sanctuary and navigate our services. We are always looking to add new members to our team and if you have any interest in serving, please contact me for more information. Thankfully, Matthew Hast

Christian Education Report

Children’s Formation: Godly Play What a year in Godly Play! We ended the 2016-17 school year and began the 2017-18 school year in similar fashion: celebrating the ministries of St. John’s – Children’s Formation included – in our beautiful garden. We anchor ourselves in tradition and togetherness as we begin to look ahead with fresh eyes. This school year set ahead of us many unknowns, and all were met with the most steadfast commitment and support from the parish. I am so grateful. We faced the closure of the program for three Sundays in October while the lead levels in the building were being assessed, but on the Sunday we returned, we had twelve children in Godly Play! When I began my maternity leave, leaders stepped up to guide our children in Advent activities, adding their own experiences and expertise to our program in an incredible way. We have had the most consistent numbers of children in Godly Play in the three and a half years I have been here at St. John’s. I attribute this to a renewed sense of welcome of the littlest members of the congregation by everyone in the parish. This spirit of warmth and welcome is so tangible, and I am excited to see it continue to flourish here. I hope I can contribute to it as well. One of the ways in which I hope to do so for the remainder of our 2018 school year is by refreshing some of the Godly Play materials. We have funds in the budget for this purpose that I hope to finally spend in consultation with the Vestry. As always, all are welcome in the Godly Play classroom whenever you would like to join us! Many thanks to Rev. Tom, Bridget Nyhan, and Doug Heim for your leadership and support. Respectfully submitted, Rachel Pfost

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Children’s Formation: Living the Good News Nearly every Sunday a group of curious and energetic older children meet upstairs where we dig into the Gospels, the meaning of life, and enjoy a box of munchkins together. Ranging from 3rd grade to 8th grade our older class brings thoughtful questions, healthy skepticism, and great creativity to St John's upper room. I believe this is a blessed time for both teacher and students. Recently we have been learning about John the Baptist and how different Gospels have different starting points and different points of view when illustrating Jesus's life. Who knew that some of the Gospels skip the Christmas story completely. Our children produced front-page news stories proclaiming the work John was doing down by the river. Each with his or her own style the children came up with eye-catching headlines, pictures, advertising, and even price points for their version of a local paper which proclaimed recent events going on by the Jordan. There is more we can do in terms of coming up with a service project and inviting clergy to meet with us but we are off to a good start and welcome newcomers always. Respectfully submitted, Simon Ringrose

Children’s Choir Report This Fall, the choir roster changed; 8 became 5. Our competition was ballet, sports and chess! However, the fabulous five sang a beautiful offering in November - 'Tis a Gift to be Simple'. It was after three baptisms; not a sound was uttered. Our Epiphany anthem, Nova, Nova, included not only piano, but flute. That was a real treat to have Jake Sterling join us. Many people remarked how the voices have changed. They are more resonant and more musical. Their breaths are getting longer, and their high voices are more secure. I couldn't be more proud. We are hopefully going to have our 8 back for a piece during Lent. As always, I treasure our time rehearsing. Respectfully submitted, Nancy Armstrong, Director

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Sunday Coffee Hours Still the easiest job at St John’s is organizing the Sunday Coffee Hours. Everyone who participates is so generous and responsive…..a good example is when one of our hosts was sick, sent an email to everyone and many, many people showed up on that Sunday with Coffee Hour goodies! Teams of two people put together a Coffee Hour every Sunday, and one person hosts the Coffee Hours in the summer. We have special Barbeque Coffee Hours, usually put together by Steve Spinetto and Jake Sterling, and the annual Hot Chocolate Sunday hosted by Jake. I, and the whole church are so grateful for the many people participating and the generosity and imagination which goes into their ministry. One of the results of this ministry is the publication of St Johns Cooks, a wonderful cookbook with recipes from parishioners and friends which has sold many copies to date, and continues to be on sale for $15. Respectfully submitted, Jane Struss

Fourth Friday Sung Evensong We are in the fifth year of Fourth Friday Sung Evensong. The lay-led service from the Prayer Book is chanted and sung by celebrants Jane Struss and Jake Sterling, with simple plainsong settings of the Canticles and the Psalm which everyone is invited to sing. We end by lighting candles with petitions and thanksgivings and singing a hymn. There is a booklet with everything included including an Evensong Hymnal (no need to shuffle papers around). It’s a quiet and beautiful service in the warm church in the winter or the cool garden in the summer. We would love to have you to join us…Fourth Friday of every month at 6:30. Respectfully submitted, Jane Struss

Building Report Due to the generosity of so many of you, the Building Committee has this year been able to undertake several urgent projects, as follows: Controlling the water and humidity in the basement of the Parish House. This took forever but the results were worth the wait. It looks better, doesn't flood even in heavy rain, and the humidity is much lower. The last point is important for the well-being of the new boilers. Internet-connected thermostats. These allow us to monitor the thermostats remotely. For instance, at 11:00 pm on a night during which there was an event, an AA meeting, for instance, we can check to

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see that the thermostat upstairs in the Parish House was returned to its proper setting. We expect substantial fuel-cost savings from these. Internet-connected boiler monitoring. Both boilers are now monitored remotely by Atlantic Heating, assuring us that any trouble that occurs will be detected quickly. Painting the Parish House. This desperately needed to be done for both cosmetic and structural reasons. Alice Krapf's knowledge and professional contacts assured that the colors were historically accurate. Gray MacLetchie found a painter who would undertake this work at a price we could afford. As a final touch, Mike Mickelson, working with the North Bennet Street School, was able to re-create the splendid decorative finials. Remodeling the Sacristy. The shabbiness and clutter of the Sacristy belied its importance as a functional and sacred space. Dick Simeone was able to procure the services of Mark Nelson who gave us exact and helpful guidance in the layout and furnishings. Working with Stratton McCrady, a long time former (and perhaps future) parishioner, this room was transformed. Again, none of this would have been possible without your generosity. What's next? The only immediate project is to repair the two doors to the Parish House to make them suitable as fire exits. I was disturbed to note that this project was listed in last year's Annual Report. Beyond that, there are several things to be done. The order and urgency of these is to be decided by Vestry, at whose pleasure - and direction - we serve. Respectfully submitted, Jonathan McCormick

Episcopal Church Women (ECW) Report

ECW goals are for the Women of St. John’s to share our Time, Talent and Treasure:

1/3 Inreach – benefits parish, Martha activities, including fund-raising

1/3 Outreach – anything that benefits programs and people outside the parish, including the larger church, community and the world

1/3 Spiritual growth – worship, religious education, quiet days, retreats, field trips.

Our meetings take place after the 10am Sunday service and immediately after coffee hour.

This year we once again joined forces with the Garden Group and held a Sidewalk Sale on September 30th. Unfortunately, the weather was terrible and we were forced to hold it indoors. We had a good amount of “stuff” to sell but not the number of customers we typically attract. Our spirits didn’t lag

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however and we enjoyed the day and split a smaller take than usual. This year we were particularly amazed by the amount of items donated by non-members so are confirmed that our efforts are a recycling opportunity for many. We also note the percentage of non-member customers. We do have a following for this event!! What was left over we brought to San Lucas in Chelsea, a mission church. They love our leftovers. We cannot do this sale without the support and generosity of donors, shoppers and all the wonderful workers.

St. John’s ECW members support San Lucas on an ongoing basis: Rosemary Kverek and Marion Wood regularly sort and deliver clothing items deposited in the “ramp” room. If you would like to help in this effort, contact either one of them.

We are delighted to report that during this year we supported our church with the following purchases: two veils for the chalice, two super frontals for the altar and one coronation stole was repaired.

Member Rosemary Kverek reports that she has sold all the throws she ordered and will be placing another order to cover requests she already has. All proceeds are designated to fund the painting of the Parish House.

We also are grateful to Jean Wilson who did a terrific job of leading two trips our group took this year. The first was to Gloucester where we gathered at Jane Struss’ home and then she led the way and treated us to a tour of the Beauport Mansion, followed by lunch at the Beauport Hotel. We enjoyed good food and a marvelous setting.

The second excursion was the perfect start to our Christmas season with a tour of the Crane Estate in Essex. Our visit was on December 2nd, which is the day they have musicians all around the mansion. We then continued on to a lovely private room at the Periwinkles restaurant for a festive lunch. Jean has proved to be a gem at leading us to fun and educational visits and to discover lovely venues for delicious lunch. Thanks Jean from all of us who enjoyed the adventures. I urge members and non-members to come along next year!!

Evensong continued with Jane Struss’ expert help and guidance. It is held on the fourth Friday of most months. It is held either in the Sanctuary of the church or in the garden when the weather is more temperate. We also appreciate the assistance and leadership of Jake Sterling in this endeavor.

We look forward to sponsoring a Lenten mite box effort this year as well as reviving our Baptismal anniversary reminder greetings. Every female member of St. John’s is automatically a member of ECW and we hope our circle enlarges next year.

Respectfully,

Maureen Lavely Kathleen McCormick

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Garden Committee Report St. John’s Garden Committee regrouped in March of 2017 for its annual goal setting session and kept going throughout October. We had an early start in April with the weather cooperating. We were fortunate to have fellow parishioner Mike Mickelson join us this past year. He jumped right in and assisted us with focusing on our objectives. Our main goal is to replace our shed. It is literally falling apart and was never really suitable for long term use. It does not have enough height or room to adequately store and secure our tools. Assuming the shed will be larger, our dilemma is where to locate a new shed that would be functional for our use and also assist our sexton with storage of his outdoor equipment. There are a couple of options of where we could locate it, but it is apparent that to do that we would need to remove one or more trees depending on its location. Mike did extensive research on all the trees located on the property and this assisted us with getting bids from three arborists. Since we have not had tree maintenance since 2012, we are due for a major trimming of the trees in the garden and surrounding church. After comparing the three bids, the Garden Group voted for to select the bid from Barrett’s resulting in a final estimate of $6470. This was presented to the vestry and we are awaiting approval to proceed with the contract by the close of this winter. Fundraising efforts were limited to our first alfresco dinner in August 30th, a great success considering its short notice, and joining in with ECW for the Sidewalk Sale in the fall. This year the group did not host a table at the Harvest Fair with a garden theme. For 2018, we will resume our goal on securing the funds for the tree maintenance, and if we can, raise additional funds for a shed. We also wish to revisit the landscaping around the altar. Please join us in the spring if you enjoy gardening. On behalf of St. Johns Garden Committee, Joanne Graziano

St. John’s Week with B-SAFE, July 2017 In July, St. Johns had the honor of providing the lunches for the campers and counselors of the B-Safe program based at St. Luke’s in Chelsea. There were 50 kids ranging from first graders to eighth graders. We were responsible for the meals on Wednesday, Thursday and Friday, and we provided the connection for the donated pizzas for Tuesday from Regina’s in the North End, through my son Daniel who is one of the managers there. We also coordinated the Friday field trip day, to the MIT Museum and the MIT Media Lab. While the Media Lab is a collection of high tech research labs, the Lab we visited focuses on innovative city planning and transportation initiatives. I think the kids loved the food: Tuesday - one of the best pizzas anywhere, Wednesday - hot dogs, burgers, salad and Hoodsies, Thursday - Baked Pasta with three cheeses, salad and Hoodsies for desert. On Thursday night, a whole crew of St John’s folks showed up at the Parish House to make the lunch bags for the field trip on Friday to MIT, a variety of sandwiches including vegetarian, chips,

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an apple, and cookies that Alice made. In all we provided close to 300 high quality meals at $3.05 per meal, including donations like the Pizza from Reginas. The trip to MIT was the highlight of the week. The kids had a great time there. They were introduced to some cutting edge technology. One of the things they really liked was the ride in the amusement park-like cube of glass elevator that whisked them up to the lab: they squealed with delight as it zoomed them up - it is a very fast elevator. They got to learn about the small autonomous vehicles the Lab is developing: people will be able to order one up and have it take them on their errands by just telling the vehicle where they wish to go. They really got a kick out of sitting in it. (See photo.) They also got to interact with several models of cities, made from Legos, that show traffic as well as development options and uses. It was amazing to see how quickly the kids learned how to manipulate the options, and understand the effects of their choices. Having kids there is very unusual, and the staff was delighted at the B-Safe kids’ ability to grasp some complicated technology. They also commented on how nice the kids were, that they were polite and very well behaved. The kids paid attention to the staff’s descriptions of the programs they were working on and asked really great questions. One little girl wanted to make sure that the computer voice could be changed from a male to a female voice. The week of lunches for the B-Safe kids can be a lot of work, but our St Johns team of over 15 volunteers had a great time doing it. Thanks to all of you who made financial contributions and contributions of your time and energy! I am very proud of our small parish, and the many people that helped out. Steve Spinetto

Blessing of the Animals

The annual Blessing of the Animals was held on Sunday, October 1st in the Thompson Triangle at 9:30 a.m. Many dogs, cats, stuffed animals and photos of pets were included in this event again this year. The event provides an opportunity to reflect upon the positive impact that our animals have on our emotional, physical and spiritual well-being and local residents look forward to participating each year. Father James Ronan and Deacon Dan Burns from St. Mary-St. Catherine’s conducted the ceremony along with Reverend Liz Senft from our parish. Reverend Senft graciously agreed to participate in the absence of Reverend Tom Mousin, and she did a fine job. Each owner received a certificate stating that his or her animal received the blessing for a long and happy life. The Patriot Bridge covered the ceremony and quoted Reverend Senft as stating, “We come together to thank God for all the beautiful creatures that enrich and enhance our lives. We come together to bless all animals everywhere and our special animal friends.” Thank you Reverend Senft for representing St.John’s at this special event. Rosemary Kverek

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Harvest Fair The Harvest Fair was such a fun project to work on this year, especially with the incredible leadership of Jake Sterling and Jane Struss on the St. John’s Cookbook, Rosemary Kverek on publicity, and Bridget Nyhan on the silent auction. The Harvest Fair again saw a decrease in the number of visitors, which is a challenge we will have to grapple with as a congregation moving forward. This is a global trend with New England church fairs, so perhaps the 2018 Fair will see a renewed vision for a community event that highlights the welcoming spirit of St. John’s as a place that is accessible to all. Respectfully submitted, Rachel Pfost

Charlestown Throw All the historic throws featuring buildings and monuments in Charlestown have been sold! We thank the Co-operative Bank and Ace Hardware who sold them for the painting of the parish house attached to St. John’s Church. Thank you also to all the people who purchased them for themselves, their relatives, friends and clients. The parish house has been painted in Victorian colors thanks to the research done by Alice Krapf and work by the building committee and the vestry. Thanks also to David Donovan, Ken Stone, and Joe Trepiconne for their help with the design and photographs for the throws. Reverend Tom Mousin and Priscilla Burns have also continued to be of great help during this venture. There will be another order of throws that will be sold starting in April. They will be available for Mother’s Day, Father’s Day, graduations, and weddings or just to give to someone. Thank you to the Patriot Bridge for their publicity including ads, articles and photographs. Everyone working together proved successful! The throw sale created a total of $14,627 profit for St. John’s, earmarked to help repair and paint the rectory. Thanks to the building committee and the vestry and others who have helped in the sale and the painting. Thank you also to our Episcopal Church Women’s group for supporting the project from the beginning. By working together we were successful! Respectfully submitted, Rosemary Kverek

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Nominating Committee Report

The Nominating Committee met over the last several months to prepare a slate of candidates for church officers, Vestry members, and delegates to diocesan organizations, as required by our Constitution. The Vestry is made up of the rector, and officers elected annually: the two Wardens, the Clerk, the Treasurer, and the Assistant Treasurer. The rest of the Vestry consists of up to seven members, who serve for three-year terms which can be renewed for a second consecutive term. The Nominating Committee is pleased to report that the following Vestry Members have agreed to continue to serve their terms on the Vestry:

1 year of term remaining: Fay Donohue 2 years of term remaining: Catherine Womack Rosemary Kverek

The Nominating Committee presents the following candidates for officers and positions on the Vestry: For one year terms: Senior Warden: Douglas Heim

Junior Warden: Bridget Nyhan Treasurer: Assistant Treasurer: Lindsay Steinmetz Haldeman Clerk: Barbara Bush

For a three year term: Vestry Member: Lorraine Gagnon Christopher Brophy Jane Struss For a one year term: Vestry Member: Laura Carroll The Nominating Committee presents the following candidates for positions as delegates: Delegates to the Diocesan Convention: Stephen Spinetto Maureen Lavely Delegates to the Boston Harbor Deanery Assembly: (St. John’s can have up to five persons serve as delegates) Respectfully submitted, Fay Donohue, Doug Heim, Thomas Mousin, Bridget Nyhan Nominating Committee of St. John’s Episcopal Church