5/19/22 from StJB!s Vestry Warden, Dave Giunta & Maureen Gillum, StJB Search Committee

St John!s loved Father Dave out well in his May 8th farewell. He spoiled us the last three years — we hired and paid for a ‘half-time' priest, yet, we couldn!t stop him from giving us his full-time plus dedication. While wonderful, it also made us somewhat complacent, reliant and less invested. In short, we will not have or do this again. We are forever indebted to Dave and Mary and wish them the best in their retirement and journeys forward. While we were thrilled to hear from Mary last week in her letter of thanks and farewell to StJB, we again remind all to please refrain from communicating with the DeSalvos for the next year to allow separation and abide by Diocesan rules.

We now enter our next transition —a time of grieving, letting go, and reflection. We need to honestly assess who and where St John!s is (spiritually, financially, in mission), in order to plan our path forward, as well as gear up for our busy summer season. StJB Vestry/Search are exploring ideas, options and lay leadership to best enable StJB to thrive without a full-time pastor. We need to embrace things like Morning Prayer, led by our lay leaders, as well as outside supply priests, at least once a month.

In G. Jeffrey MacDonald!s book, Part-Time is Plenty - Thriving without Full-Time Clergy, it is clear we need to work together and optimize resources to remain sustainable. He outlines the need and swift shift of many churches moving to part-time clergy, which works very well...provided others step up too. Contrary to expectations, congregations often increase vitality as they leverage 'talents in the pews', renew lay leadership and creatively partner within the community.

While the uncertainties of change and transitions are scary, it is also an exciting time of hope and renewal. It is also a reminder that clergy is not the church — WE ARE OUR CHURCH. As such, we ask all StJB parishioners to think of ways to support or reinvest in St John's — bake an extra pie (5/28), write/share a StJB reflection, help someone in need, lead a Morning Prayer service or Bible study session, attend or sign-up to help coffee hour or a StJB dinner, write a check, help on outreach (EpiscoGolf, StJB Cares, Ukraine), pray, bring a friend to StJB, be kind, or even preach a sermon.

To help us in this transition, StJB Vestry and search team, are also delighted to announce we are extremely fortunate to welcome the guidance of an experienced and dynamic minister, The Rev. Johanna (Jo) Barrett, as StJB!s new transitional half-time minister. Pastor Jo has had three major careers in her life: 1) working with students in the Middle East and North Africa as well as Peace Corps; 2) a free-lance trainer and consultant in Organizational Development; and 3) and what she calls 'her true vocation' — a Parish Priest for more than 25 years (in VA, NY and most recently Topsfield MA). Jo has also been involved in Hospice, Esperanza Academy (Lawrence, MA), and is trained in Conflict Resolution (Chicago) and certified as an Interim Minister. She currently lives in Dover, NH.

Here at St John!s, Pastor Jo will be a half-time minister (preach 9 am service 2-3 Sundays a month; hold Weds office hours, support Vestry and StJB events) to help us in this transitional period — anywhere from several months to up to 18 months. Pastor Jo will help StJB become a 'thriving church with part-time clergy!"(eg., support lay leaders to offer Morning Prayer and Homilies), offer pastoral care & services (baptisms, burials, funerals, weddings) and help guide us in this interim period until we find a more permanent part-time clergy person. Please welcome Jo warmly in StJB fashion this Sunday (5/22/22 @ 9 am) in her first service with us (in person or on Zoom) — and stick around to chat with her at coffee hour — or what she calls ‘2nd communion’.

We are so unbelievably blessed to find an interim minister so abundantly qualified and so quickly! Once again, thankfully, God and the NH Diocese are looking out for our little church. As always, StJB Vestry and search team encourages and welcomes your thoughts, input, comments or inquiries on St John!s path forward — especially on how you might become more involved in our parishioner-empowered church community. Please e-mail or call Dave Giunta (msbc1972@gmail.com, 508-641-1458), Maureen Gillum (mgillum.m@gmail.com or 603-494-8466) or any StJB Vestry member.

In Peace,
Dave and Maureen