It seems to have been a terribly long winter to me. Over and over again, I have sensed an end to cold and gray and damp...a gradual warming and lightening and drying. Yet, each time, I seem to have been fooled by the return of the former state. At times, I have had the very clear sense that this forced return to gray has carried my spirit with it into a land of dreariness...ennui...lethargy. Yet, equally, each time, it has not been a hint of better weather which has brought me forth from my dreariness...rather, it has been the actions of other human beings in my life which have done so. A letter from a friend who wrote for no other reason than simply to say, "Hello"...a phone call from an old college roommate who wished to know how I was doing and to chat a bit about old times...a small package of tea cookies left tied to my office door knob accompanied by an anonymous greeting saying nothing more than, "Enjoy!"...an acquaintance who took the time to chat on the Post Office steps for a few moments about nothing in particular, yet, in those few moments, sharing much of our common humanity.

I wonder if each of us realizes how very much the actions we take, which may seem so terribly unimportant to us, can often mean to another. I wonder if we truly comprehend the power which the sparing of a few moments for another may actually have in that person's life. I suspect that, very often, we don't, and we go on our way heedless of the good we might have done for just an instant's effort.

William Cowper wrote the lyrics to a wonderful hymn in 1779. The first verse is as follows:

Mr. Cowper was onto something, but it didn't have to do with the weather. What he was telling us is that it is we who bring the risen Lord to those who are sunk in dreariness. It is our simple acts of kindness which bring, to souls sunk in despair, seasons of clear shining and hope and life.

Easter Thank You

To all those who worked so terribly hard and with such great care to make the services of Holy Week and Easter so wonderful, our deep and abiding thanks. Yours was a gift of love and caring, and it meant a very great deal.

Mark Scholtz Farewell ~ Please remember to mark your calendars to be at Evensong on May 23^rd at 5.00 p.m. This is the final Service Mark will oversee as Choirmaster and Organist of Saint John’s. He leaves the next day for his new life in Illinois. A reception is planned after the Service for him and will allow each of us time to give thanks to this man who has given us so much for which to be thankful.

Our Annual Service with First Congregational Church ~ We will worship with First Congregational Church at Saint John’s on Sunday May 16^th at 10:00 AM. There will be an 8:00 AM Eucharist as usual. As has been the custom, it is the visiting parish’s task to bring some goodies for the Coffee Hour, but we need a volunteer to receive these goods and to see that Coffee Hour runs smoothly. Please plan on joining together to celebrate this witness to our shared unity as Christians and as neighbors.

Hooray for Bridge!

On May 19^th in the Parish House, Saint John’s Annual Bridge Luncheon will take place. Under the expert guidance of Marion Pennell and Carol Ward, a delicious lunch will be served beginning at Noon followed by three hours of bridge. You are urged to consider putting a table together for this event. Please let the Office know if you will be attending by calling (868-2527). Cost is $25 per person. Proceeds from the luncheon will benefit the work of Saint John’s and a considerable number of prizes will be awarded to the highest scores of the afternoon.

Important News about the Silent Auction for the Bazaar ~ There is an effort underway to encourage members of the parish to “put on there thinking caps” about how they might support the Silent Auction. We are ready to begin receiving items for the Silent Auction and ask that you contact Ann Burton (868-2003) or Chris Boshears (868-9340) to let them know what it is you have and when you might like to bring it by. What is very important this year is for us to begin now to think about various goods and services that might be very attractive parts of the Silent Auction. By this we refer to the possibility of members of the Parish offering a stay in homes they may have in other parts of the country or the world; tickets to various sporting events; the opportunity to attend the opera or a symphony (perhaps with an opportunity to stay overnight in an apartment in New York); etc, etc. Items such as these have tremendous appeal to all sorts of people, and, in addition to all of the usual wonderful parts of our Bazaar, will do much to enhance the undertaking.

Rummage Sale ~ The Rummage Sale will take place on June 26^th from 9:00AM until Noon. This is that one wondrous opportunity of the year for you finally to be able to move items that are ready to leave your possession to Saint John’s to be purchased by others. It has become clear over the past few years that, while people have been most generous in bringing items, there have been a considerable number who might have been Saint John’s as an intermediate step on the way to the junk pile. Please, as you consider items that you might bring, be objective about whether they really have any value at all, even in a Rummage Sale. Please do not bring items to Saint John’s yet. The calendar for receiving rummage sale items will be published later this month and there will be someone available to receive the items that you bring. It is simply overwhelming to have bag after bag of “stuff” dumped on the porch outside the front doors of the Parish House, and we beg you not to approach this year’s Rummage Sale in quite that manner. Thank you very much for beginning to look through your belongings for items that might find a good home in someone else’s house with Saint John’s providing the intermediate stopping point on their journey there and benefiting from your generosity.

Organist Search Process ~ The Organist Search Committee began meeting the Monday after Easter and is well into the process of reviewing applications (of which there have been considerable) and preparing for the important work of meeting the most promising individuals, hearing them play, and having them visit Saint John’s. The members of the Organ Search Committee are Zemma White, Ann Martindale. Laura Daly, Steve Morris, Chris Boshears, John Hall, Tom O’Connor, Winston Fowlkes, and Bob Ficks. The process is going smoothly and the dedication of the individuals involved with this work is exemplary. You ought to go out of your way to thank them for their gift to this Parish of such a tremendous amount of time and energy. We will keep you posted as these matters move forward.

A Time of Dialogue ~ A number of the members of the Parish have been gathering to discuss current events within the Episcopal Church and the Anglican Communion. The meeting is scheduled on May 2^nd at 11.20 AM in the Parish House Library.

Saint John’s Website ~ Please take a few moments to visit Saint John’s website at www.stjohnswashington.org. It is a wonderful website that was begun by Mark Scholtz and is being further developed by Peter Brimelow and Crystal Seavey. It provides quite a remarkable source of information about Saint John’s, and we are keeping it updated on a fairly regular basis in order that you might find it a valuable tool in keeping track of the goings on here at Saint John’s. Just now it contains some marvelous pictures of Holy Week and Eastertide which were taken by Mark Scholtz. It is well worth a visit.

Loaves & Fishes ~ Our day for Loaves & Fishes is May 21^st. Please sign up for cooking food or delivering it and serving it at Loaves & Fishes. The sign-up sheet is in the Parish House. Please have the pans of food delivered by Noon on the 21^st. Please note: we are extremely needful of volunteers to help with serving on that day. It will not take a great deal of your time, but it will be a tremendous help at the Soup Kitchen.

Adult Forum ~ The Reverend Rowan Greer will be present to lead Saint John’s Adult Forum on Sunday mornings from 9 AM to 9.50 AM in the Library through May 16^th. During that time the topic for discussion will be The Resurrection: Once and Future – Even Now. He describes these gatherings as follows “We shall examine the roots of belief in the resurrection in the Old Testament and Judaism. Turning to the New Testament, we shall then exam the puzzles created for the early Church by Christ’s resurrection. Finally, we shall ponder its meaning for us.” Given the pivotal nature of the resurrection in the life of the Church and, presumably, in our own lives, this promises to be a highly informative and provocative opportunity to explore this important aspect of the Faith. We offer our deep and abiding gratitude to Rowan for the graciousness that allows this gift to be given on our behalf at Saint John’s. All are invited to attend. Coffee will be available.

2004 Stewardship ~ The Stewardship Campaign is moving ahead apace. If you are considering supporting Saint John’s in this current fiscal year and have not done so yet, please contact the Parish Administrator, Janet Davis..

Vestry News~ At its regularly scheduled meeting of April 18, 2004 the following received attention:

· The Treasurer reported on the continued shortfall in pledges this year, and the Vestry is most strongly urging all members of the Parish who have not yet pledged to do so at their earliest convenience. Pledges are the only manner in which the Vestry can count on a steady income flow and make its plans on a prudent and sound basis.

· It was agreed that a Newcomer’s Luncheon would be held on June 20, 2004. Invitations will go out shortly.

· The Vestry agreed to oversee the Reception after Mark Scholtz’s final Service on May 23^rd and hopes that others will call the Office to volunteer to bring in refreshments for this event.

MUSIC NOTES ~ Friday evening, 30 April at 8 o’clock and Sunday afternoon, 2 May at 4 o’clock, the Saint John’s Chorale will present their annual Spring Concerts. The Chorale, accompanied by Greenwich organist David J. Erwin, will sing Zoltán Kodály’s Laudes organi and Luigi Cherubini’s Requiem in C minor. Tickets are $15 per person and will be available from any member of the Chorale or at the door of each performance.

The Saint John’s Concert Series’ 2003-2004 season will draw to a close Sunday afternoon, 16 May at 4 o’clock with a performance by the Manhattan String Quartet and pianist Robert DeGaetano. Featured will be Quartet in F Major by Maurice Ravel and Quintet in F minor for Piano and Strings (Opus 34) by Johannes Brahms. Tickets are $15 per person and may be secured at the door.

The final Evensong for this choral season will be sung by the Choir of Saint John’s Sunday afternoon, 23 May at 5 o’clock, for the Seventh Sunday of Easter: the Sunday after Ascension Day. The canticles will be Herbert Howells’ settings in G. Josef Rheinberger’s Abendlied will be the anthem.

With this final contribution to The Eagle as Organist and Choirmaster, I extend my heart-felt thanks to the Parish of Saint John’s for fourteen wonderful years. Serving here has been a privilege and delight that is unique in the realm of church music. It is not possible for me to communicate to the fullest the joy I’ve experienced in Washington or my sadness upon leaving. As a dear friend commented very recently, “It’s been quite a run, Scholtz.” Yes, that it has. And one that I shall cherish forever.