Chapel of
Saint John the Divine

Stewardship Talk by Janice S. Post, November 16, 2008

Good Morning. I was asked by Jaye Cunningham to say a few words to you today about my history in the Episcopal Church, my reasons for attending Church and St. John's in particular and my feelings about Stewardship and support for the Church.

I am one of those Cradle Episcopalians you hear about. I was baptized at St. Ansgarius Swedish Episcopal Church in Providence. Located at Hayward Park near the top of Point Street, the Church was deconsecrated and torn down when Interstate 195 was built many years ago. I actually grew up at the Church of the Redeemer on Hope Street in Providence, a short walk from my home. My family attended Church regularly, and there was an active Sunday School and an equally active Young Peoples Fellowship. The YPF visited youth groups at other Episcopal Churches in the Diocese, and we got to know our age mates and the Clergy of the Diocese. It was a supportive and friendly environment.

We were encouraged to contribute to the Church with weekly envelopes and with Mite Boxes which we filled with coins during Lent and presented on Easter Sunday at a special children's service. We placed these boxes in an empty Cross that soon was filled with our small, but thoughtful gifts .The Rector, The Rev. Donald J. Campbell, said that the children had given the sermon at that service. The principles of giving and contributing to the glory of God started at a young age.

My Church involvement continued in college, and I joined the Canterbury Club at Brown University. An upper classmate, who became and remains a good friend is someone known to many of you -- Dick Laremore. Dick served as interim Rector at St John's after the Rev. Dorsch left, and his picture is on the wall in the Parish Hall. The Canterbury Club actively participated in outreach projects in the Providence area as well as having special services in the chapel at St. Stephen's church. Again, giving of ourselves was an important part of our religious commitment.

Art and I were married at the Church of the Redeemer in 1954, with my brother Ed officiating. Art returned to school to earn a second degree, this time in Mechanical Engineering. In 1957 we moved to Massachusetts and, after a brief period in California, settled in Belmont, Massachusetts, just west of Boston. In the 32 years we lived there, we were communicants of All Saints' Episcopal Church. Over the years we heard many sermons and talks about Stewardship and participated in many Every Member Canvas campaigns. One talk stood out and made a profound difference in the way we looked at giving. The Senior Warden, a fine gentleman, spoke about responsibility, stressing the importance of giving as an obligation to do as much as you can to meet the needs of the Church community and to provide for the future of those very things that are so important to you. As a young family (our three daughters grew up in Belmont) we were involved in many ways, from Vestry, Treasurer, Sunday School Teacher to Search Committee, ECW, Altar Guild, Choir Mother. There were many years when we had more time than money, and we did our best to fulfill the challenge that Mr. Nichols had put before us.

My parents were still living in RI and I had many college friends in the state, so in 1966 we purchased a summer house at Plum Beach. The girls and I were fortunate to be able to spend summers here, and we soon found St. John's. The various Rectors welcomed us, as did so many of the parishioners. Jack Lewis and Peter Larsen became special friends. We had found a spiritual home in RI. Although we lived in Belmont until 1992, Martha and Heather chose to be married at St. John's, and Peter Larsen graciously permitted my brother Ed to come into the parish to participate in their weddings in May and October, 1988. Our years at St. John's have been filled with many of the same types of activities that we had been involved in at All Saints'. Mr. Nichol's words still ring in our ears, especially with the challenges that we face here this year.

My reason for attending the Chapel of St. John the Divine is to worship God, and I have found many opportunities to do this in this caring community. I would like to continue to try to fulfill the statement from the 1928 Book of Common Prayer made at my baptism by the Rector of St. Ansgarius: "We receive this child into the congregation of Christ's flock; and do sign her with the sign of the Cross, in token that hereafter she shall not be ashamed to confess the faith of Christ crucified and to continue Christ's faithful soldier and servant unto her life's end."