Imagine with me a perfected New York City. A Washington, DC without lying or slander. A Los Angeles full of humble residents and sacrificial lives. A Jerusalem crowded with peace and good-will.

One of my favorite Bible passages is the reading from Revelation to John that we will be reading also this Sunday. Goes without saying that I am especially excited to preach this passage for the first time. It is John’s vision of the New Jerusalem, the holy city coming down like a bride on her wedding day. A vision of the glorious city of God that is the glory of our God. Here, the love of God and the love of the Church (remember, the Bride of Christ) for our God finally meet and are finally brought together, fully reconciled.

The Gospel reading this weekend contains one of the most famous of Jesus’ sayings, “Love one another, just as I have loved you.” Many of us know well the Greek word for love being used here, which is agape, the transcendent love between God and humanity. The love that does not seek for itself return or self-interest but sacrifice and care for the other. This love reigns supreme above all others and we should know well that our Christian life should be modeled on this love, with God’s help.

In the world today, there is much talk of love. In fact, I’m not sure the message of the church is all that compelling sometimes when we talk about love and how we are supposed to love our neighbors. That is important but I’ve been convinced that the church and the world need to hear about hope. Paul in Ephesians 2 reminds that some of us “were at that time separated from Christ, alienated from the commonwealth of Israel, and strangers to the covenants of promise, having no hope and without God in the world” (v. 12).

We have a great witness to that hope knowing what is to come. The New Jerusalem, the coming of God to His people, to make His home among His people where there will be no more death, or tears, or pain. And yet, we have this now, as broken as the world all seems, to live into the glory, love, and hope we have in God.

I pray the hope of the promise of that heavenly city, the New Jerusalem, will instill in you a renewal of God’s love in your life so when you look around running those errands, doing those chores, and being among your neighbors, you will seek to serve the city and all who dwell therein. Amen.

In Christ,

Fr. Zach 

On this Mother’s Day weekend, we read a curious little story about a woman named Tabitha, in Greek, Dorcas. Whether she was a mother and/or widow, we’ll never know this side of heaven, but we do know the widows, presumably more likely to be mothers, admired and worked alongside her in the mission and work of the early church. Dorcas’ story is the first in Acts in which the apostles raise someone from the dead. (There is only one other, when Paul raises Eutychus after he falls thru a window in Acts 20.)

By this time, it’s almost that we’ve forgotten that the power of God can do this. This far into Acts we’ve seen mass conversions, other miraculous healing of people, martyrdoms, and the startling story of Ananias and Sapphira. But finally, we are reminded of God’s conquest over death, physical death. I think for many of us, living in this modern age, we can read these types of stories and be unsure of what to do with them. “Certainly, God doesn’t raise people from the dead anymore!”, we might be thinking. Or, “we don’t need these miracles anymore because that’s what God had to do for them, but not for us!”

Indeed, considering the fact that there are only two people in Acts who are raised from the dead, it does give the appearance that this was a unique way in which God showed his power. However, physical death isn’t the only thing God raised from the dead. The spiritual power of God includes the spiritual re-birth we need, not only when we go through a conversion experience, like Paul, but also through repentance and forgiveness. Here, do we come face to face with God’s grace, which is always available to us but should never be taken for granted. When we live into God’s grace, his unmerited favor towards us, do we begin to and rest in the goodness and holiness we are given by Him. I pray you to know intimately that the power of the Resurrection saves us from death and ushers in for us new and everlasting life through Jesus Christ. Amen.

In Christ,

Fr. Zach

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Happy Easter season. Thank you all for making this a beautiful season celebrating the

resurrection of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. Last Sunday we had a wonderful First

Communion Service that was well attended and had great music from our choir, cantor,

and guitar players. The Swing into Spring Concert was really well done and gave

Denise, John, and Eileen a chance to show some of their best dance moves. My thanks

to the Jazz Committee, Alex, and all those who helped out.

The Easter services were well attended, the music was fantastic, the altar was beautiful,

and the egg hunt was festive. I really appreciate all the time and effort that so many

contribute to make Easter at St. John’s so wonderful.

This Sunday we will give thanks to our hard working Thrift Shop volunteers with a

brunch after the service. The garden committee is almost ready to start planting organic

vegetables for food insecure individuals in our community. Please join us on May 10th

and May 17th to plant the plants that our children have grown.

It has brought me great pleasure to serve as your rector for the past 10+ years. After

significant discernment and prayer, I have decided to retire as rector of St John’s on

August 1st, 2025. This will give me more time to spend with my wife and grandchildren.

It has been a privilege to serve this parish, and I am thankful for the kindness, love and

support from all of you. I will continue to pray for the people and work of this church.

In Christ’s love,

Fr. Duncan

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Then Jesus told this parable: “A man had a fig tree planted in his vineyard; and he came looking for fruit on it and found none. So he said to the gardener, ‘See here! For three years I have come looking for fruit on this fig tree, and still I find none. Cut it down! Why should it be wasting the soil?’ He replied, ‘Sir, let it alone for one more year, until I dig around it and put manure on it, If it bears fruit next year, well and good; but if not, you can cut it down.’” (Luke 13:6-9)

“This parable means that God offers patience and opportunities for repentance, but ultimately expects the bearing of spiritual fruit as evidence of growth. The act of cutting down the fig tree signifies judgment for those who remain unproductive despite the opportunities and care provided by the Lord. A key lesson of this parable is that it illustrates God’s patience and willingness to give us time to repent and bear fruit in our lives. However, this patience has a limit, and we should not take it for granted. The vine dresser’s request for more time to tend to the fig tree represents the opportunities God gives us to turn from our unproductive ways and start producing spiritual fruit. The owner’s initial desire to cut down the barren tree serves as a warning of the eventual judgment that will come upon those who fail to live a fruitful Christian life. The expectation for the fig tree to bear fruit is akin to the expectation that Christians will show evidence of their faith through their actions and character. As a Christian, you should reflect on your spiritual condition, make the most of your time and grace given by God, and strive to live a life that bears good fruit. You can do this by praying to the Lord and asking for the Holy Spirit to guide you in bearing good spiritual fruit. The gardener’s intervention to fertilize and care for the tree suggests that, with divine help and personal effort, it is possible to change and become fruitful in our spiritual lives.” (Biblevise)

I find it fascinating that folks can call themselves Christians and yet do not follow Jesus in the way they live their lives. At St. John’s, we put politics aside and help you to build a relationship with Jesus Christ. We teach children in our Sunday school and in our nursery school that they are loved by God. We are all asked to love God and to love one another. Today, we will feed the homeless. Tomorrow, we will cloth the naked at our Thrift Shop and visit the sick and homebound folks. Sunday, we will bring food to feed the hungry. Monday, I will go to the day shelter and pray for some men in very difficult situations. Tuesday, we invite everyone to learn to read the bible in Alpha at 6:00 pm. We encourage non-believers to join us so that we might bring them living water. After that we will grow organic vegetables from seed with our children and do all that God calls us to do and be.

You are the fig tree in the parable. Please join us and bear fruit.

In Christ, 
Fr. Duncan

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O God, whose glory it is always to have mercy: Be gracious to all who have gone astray from your ways, and bring them again with penitent hearts and steadfast faith to embrace and hold fast the unchangeable truth of your Word, Jesus Christ your Son; who with you and the Holy Spirit lives and reigns, one God, for ever and ever. Amen.

I invite every member of St. John’s to a holy Lent through prayer, study, and worship. Our Alpha program will be on Tuesdays at 5:30 PM with Stations of the Cross. Dinner is at 6:00 PM followed by our program and a discussion. Monday to Friday at 9:00 AM, we have Morning Prayer on zoom. On Wednesdays, we have Noonday Prayer in the church. Our children and youth are preparing for Confirmation and First Communion. First Communion will be held on April 27th at 10:00 AM. Confirmation and Reception will be held on June 14th at 11:00 AM at Trinity, Northport. 

Lent is a time of preparation, when we teach our confirmands, newcomers, children, and youth to draw closer to the one we love. It is by our example of worship, study, prayer, and outreach that they will see that Jesus Christ came that we might have life and live it abundantly. Jesus Christ came that we might be transformed from sin to the beautiful children of God that we were created to be. “For God so loved the world that he gave his only Son, so that everyone who believes in him may not perish but may have eternal life” (John 3:16).

Eternal life begins today and never ends. Please use these next few weeks of Lent to draw closer to the one who loves you deeply. The most significant preacher in a congregation is not the person in the fancy vestments in the pulpit, but the people in the congregation going out into the world. Apostles have been transformed by the bread of our Lord, to do the will of God, through the power of the Holy Spirit. The fact of the matter is that priests come and go, but the power of the Holy Spirit to transform the lives at St. John’s goes on from generation to generation. God loves us so deeply that Christ, God’s Son, suffered on a cross that we might be forgiven of our sins. 

We have the power to transform the nightmare that the world can be into the blessing of the Kingdom of God. We are transformed through the bread of life and we become the transforming power in the world. The world seems more chaotic than usual this spring and you might feel anxious or even fearful of what is ahead. Have faith that you can come to the altar at St. John’s and receive the bread of life that has the power to transform us all to righteousness. Please join us at St. John’s this Lent. Join us on Sundays at 8:00 AM or 10:00 AM and stay for coffee and breakfast after the service.

In Christ,
Fr. Duncan

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“Lead us not into temptation” is the most common way people pray that line in the Lord’s Prayer. Perhaps you’ve noticed that it sounds like we are asking God not to lead us into temptation which makes us wonder why God would lead us into temptation. For doesn’t the Epistle to James say, “For God cannot be tempted by evil and does not himself tempt anyone” (1:13). So we know that God wants what is best for us and our temptations are sure bets down a path of self-destruction. So this line, rather, is a plea for the saving work of God in our lives.

Temptation is all around us. Most of us, thankfully, have some level of self-control. But perhaps we know the pains of addiction in which the temptation to indulge in whatever that addiction is rears its ugly head. But non-addicts too experience temptation. Road rage, gossip, anger, the list can go on and on in which our everyday lives are confronted with experiences that tempt us to be less than who God is calling us to be. And sometimes, we fall.

But listen to the words of the Psalmist this weekend,

“Because you have made the Lord your refuge,

and the Most High your habitation,

There shall no evil happen to you,

neither shall any plague come near your dwelling.”

Fleeing temptation going to our refuge, our God, is the sure-fire way in which to combat temptation and sin. When we focus our eyes and our minds on Christ Jesus, then can we find the deliverance from evil that we pray next in the Lord’s Prayer.

I pray that this Lent, us here at St. John’s can learn how to renew our minds, seek the shelter of the Most High, and gaze our eyes upon the one who was tempted in every way like we are (Hebrews 4:15), Jesus Christ, and through these things rest in the hope and joy of the One who loves and saves us.

Yours in Christ,
Fr. Zach

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O God, who before the passion of your only ­begotten Son revealed his glory upon the holy mountain: Grant to us that we, beholding by faith the light of his countenance, may be strengthened to bear our cross, and be changed into his likeness from glory to glory; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen. (Sunday’s Collect)

God sustains us with an intimate relationship with Jesus Christ. Jesus wants us to walk none other than the way of the cross. The way of the cross often begins in Lent. Lent is the time when we ponder the work that God has called us to do. We realize that the distractions of the world have kept us from God’s purpose in our lives. If we want to be an authentic expression of Christ’s light, we need to pray, study, listen, and make God the center of our world again. For this season of Lent, please consider listening to God. We come together to give thanks and pray that we might recognize God in our midst and follow this path of healing and wholeness. God is working in the life of our congregation in ways that we cannot ask for or imagine.

Join us for Shrove Tuesday on Tuesday March 4^th at 5:30 pm. Dave Lasek will cooking all your favorite pancakes! Ash Wednesday services will be held at 8 am, 12 pm, and 7 pm on March 5th. Please join us on Tuesdays at 5:30 pm for Stations of the Cross starting on March 11th. We begin our Alpha program on Tuesdays in Lent at 6:00 pm with dinner, a video at 6:30 pm, and an interesting discussion at 7 pm. You are asked to bring guests. Join us for an Alpha retreat on March 14^th and 15^th. There will be a Celtic Mass at 5:00 pm on March 16^th with Leslie Valentine as our soloist, Alex on the piano, and Deborah on the flute.

Our children and their parents will be planting seeds for the Garden of Grace on Sunday March 16th during Sunday School. We will watch these seeds sprout up, and we will transplant them to our three organic gardens. The vegetables will be given to local food pantries all summer.

Our Thrift Shop is doing great things in the community, but we need more help. Please volunteer to sort the donations or work on the sales floor. The Thrift Shop is open Tuesdays, Thursdays, and Saturdays from 12-3 pm. Please look through your closets and bring down some clothing or jewelry that you do not need. You can help our community and our church.

HIHI will be feeding the homeless on March 7^th and 21^st. Join us at 3:00 pm in the kitchen. Children and Youth are always welcome.

The point of this week'spassage is that although we cannot see God, God is always nearby. When we love God with all our heart, mind and soul, we begin to see the edge of God’s robe. When we truly listen to the Word of God, we are slowly transformed into the likeness of Jesus Christ. Although many churches are decreasing or even closing, St. John’s remains strong because you see Jesus Christ as someone that can lead us to a better place. We can love our neighbor despite all the crazy things going on in the world.

Our prayerbook invites you to the observance of a Holy Lent by participating in the activities and services at St. John’s. We will be preparing children for First Communion and Young Adults for confirmation during this Lenten Season. I ask you to rededicate yourself to the mission of the God’s church and to make a special effort to attend services and give of yourself for the sake of those in need.

In Christ’s love,
Fr. Duncan 

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Instead, love your enemies, do good, and lend, expecting nothing in return. Your reward will be great, and you will be children of the Most High, for he himself is kind to the ungrateful and the wicked. Be merciful, just as your Father is merciful. (Luke 6:35-36)

Jesus asks us to love our enemies. When we disagree with “the other,” the situation can deteriorate to a tipping point. Once words are said or actions are taken in anger that cannot be taken back, hatred grips the very core of both parties. Hamas did things to Isreal in October 2023 that caused swift retribution. Eventually both sides see their only option as the total annihilation of the other. The situation in the Middle East doesn’t look like it will end well. Yet South Africa showed us the method of truth and reconciliation that ended the hostilities through forgiveness. Martin Luther King Jr. taught nonviolent resistance. Injustice needs to be dealt with, but violence and hatred are never the path of the Kingdom of God. Jesus teaches forgiveness through his own sacrifice and standing up to oppression through truth and love. We know there are people in the world that want to do harm to us. Jesus was a pacifist who said that we should never strike back in revenge. Jesus asks us to repay evil with generosity and kindness. He does not say that there isn’t a price to pay but leaves it to God to administer justice. This is a hard lesson for us to comprehend. Mother Teresa had a saying on her wall to try and keep these ideas in focus: 

          People are often unreasonable, irrational, and self-centered. 

Forgive them anyway.

           If you are kind, people may accuse you of selfish, ulterior motives. 

Be kind anyway.

           If you are successful, you will win some unfaithful friends and some genuine enemies. 

         Succeed anyway.

          If you are honest and sincere people may deceive you. 

Be honest and sincere anyway.

           What you spend years creating, others could destroy overnight. 

Create anyway.

           If you find serenity and happiness, some may be jealous. 

Be happy anyway.

           The good you do today, will often be forgotten. 

Do good anyway.

        Give the best you have, and it will never be enough. 

Give your best anyway.

In the final analysis, it is between you and God.

It was never between you and them anyway.

If you find yourself at odds with another group of people and it is creating anger and anxiety, may I suggest using your energy to help those in need instead of fighting with those you hate. Social media is a breeding ground for division and really solves very little. Loving your family and friends and helping those in need helps you get through difficult times. Fighting for injustice can be done in nonviolent protest, and when you travel the high road, you find your team back in power before you know it. We need to ask others to behave with kindness and love. We can ask for others to love their neighbors. We are allowed to ask that others show mercy. But can we do that if we are not willing to be kind and merciful? If you are hurting from what is going on in the world, my suggestion is to breath, speak the truth, and act in loving ways. I join many of you in worrying where we are going in this world. I have been a pacifist since I was in the seventh grade. Our class may not have accomplished much by refusing to participate in music class until the United States got out of Vietnam, but we eventually ended that war. I believe that peace is possible between any two groups of people. Maybe I am totally ignorant, but I follow in the path of folks like Martin Luther King Jr., Archbishop Tutu, and Jesus. They all achieved results with truth, forgiveness and love. Maybe we can too.

In Christ’s love,

Fr. Duncan

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“Holy, holy, holy!” cry the angels!

What does it take to be holy? Does it take perfection? Does it take our good works? Does it take only our faith and we can move on thinking, “Well, at least I believe!” Holiness can sound like a daunting word. Only God is holy, yes, and yet He tells us that we are “to be holy, as I am holy” (Leviticus 21:8; 1 Peter 1:16). “To be holy” is to be set apart by God for a special purpose. The people of Israel were set apart from rest of the nations in order that through them the power of God might be revealed. The light shown to us in Epiphany is a holy light because it is the light of the One set apart to reveal God’s power in human flesh.

One of my favorites pieces of Scripture is Psalm 119:105. “Your word is a lamp before my feet, and a light to my path.” This light guides us into holiness. It guides our life so that it may be set apart to reveal to others Jesus Christ in the world today. Through our faith, through our actions, through our very lives, the holiness of God can be revealed.

But perhaps you don’t feel very holy. That’s ok, I, too, don’t feel very holy much of the time. Leading you through service, or Bible study, or prayer, doesn’t make me holy, per se, though they are holy things. God doesn’t expect perfection. That’s why we have Jesus Christ. That is the well we will always go to in order that we can perceive what holiness is and learn from Him and grow in sanctification. Jesus Christ bestows His holiness upon us so that we may live with purpose and in the abundance of His blessings.

Let us pray that God’s light may shine in you and lead you grow in holiness. Amen.

Fr. Zach