Jesus said to his followers, "Truly I tell you, unless you change and become like children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven.  Whoever becomes humble like this child is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven.  Whoever welcomes one such child in my name welcomes me."  (Matthew 18:3-5) 

I met Sofia Cavalletti only once.  She welcomed me into her Rome villa, across the Tiber River from Vatican City, as I returned home from my first pilgrimage to the Holy Land.   A Hebrew and scripture scholar, Sofia unintentionally began to work with children in 1954, basing her approach on the principles of education developed by Maria Montessori , MD through her collaboration with Montessori educator, Gianna Gobbi.  Together they were called and inspired by the children they served to listen, observe, and deepen an understanding of children's spirituality in relationship with God.  

Cavalletti and Gobbi collaborated for more than 50 years, listening to and observing children in the context of a prepared religious environment they called an atrium in a process they named the Catechesis of the Good Shepherd.  In addition to her work with, books about, and adult training courses on the spiritual life of children, Dr. Cavalletti also contributed to several editions of the Bible (translating Isaiah, Leviticus, Ruth, Esther, Judith, and Proverbs), and to international publications on biblical studies.  She was also a specialist in interfaith studies, especially pertaining to the Jewish-Christian relationship, and served on the papal staff furthering this interfaith dialogue.

Yet on that December day, she did not present herself as the renowned international figure that she had become.  She was simply Jesus...and I was the child she welcomed.  As we talked of our mutual experiences visiting Jerusalem, feasted on tea and cookies, and walked through the atrium in her home-where children had been gathering weekly for decades to experience Jesus-I found myself on a bit of holy ground in the kingdom of heaven.

I would later learn that my experience on that day was not unique.  Sofia Cavalletti was well-known for her generosity of spirit, opening her home often and allowing others to experiment with her ideas to bring children closer to the Good Shepherd.  Another Episcopal priest, Jerome Berryman, first met Cavalletti in 1972 while studying Montessori's educational philosophy in Italy.   A master of marketing to American audiences, he would adapt and condense some of the principles he learned from his Catechesis of the Good Shepherd catechist training courses, packaging and selling them for the last twenty years in the United States as Godly Play.   At the same time, Sofia's Catechesis would spread like wildfire to thirty-seven countries on six continents around the world.  

The Holy Spirit has been preparing to bring the holy ground of the Catechesis of the Good Shepherd to this parish for many years.  Beth Meighan brought Godly Play to the children of our parish some years ago, transitioning us further away from the notion of a Sunday "school."  During the last rector search period, Margaret Perkins learned about the Catechesis and began to express a desire for members of this parish to be trained.  Two years later, Clifford King Harbin-a nationally certified Catechesis formation leader-would arrive to St. John's along with the dozens of boxes full of hand crafted materials necessary to open atria for ages 3-12.   Barrie Harper would lead a team to create the beautiful, first floor Creation Atrium for toddlers in 2012.  Another team of volunteers would renovate the old second floor conference room, parishioners would hand-make materials, Clifford would be hired by the vestry as Associate to the Rector, and a dozen parishioners would take the 90 hour training course from Clifford to prepare us to open the Good Shepherd Atrium for ages 3-6 in 2013.

Nineteen years have passed since my meeting with Sofia.  In these decades I have seen the Holy Spirit use her holy ground to transform hundreds of children, the adults who serve them, parents, members of the wider parish, and me.  If you have children who will enter this new atrium, begin to get them excited about this new opportunity.  If you worship at St. John's, begin to spread the word to your friends and neighbors.  Come stand on holy ground!        

J. Derek Harbin, rector 

Blessing of the Backpacks

Blessing of the Backpacks will be Sunday, 9/7.  We will be collecting school supplies the entire month of August.  

In addition to collecting the usual supplies for local school children (notebooks, notebook paper, pencils, backpacks, etc.), we also have the opportunity to collect unique items for the Ida Barbour Early Learning Center (toddler board books, construction paper, tissue paper, large & small crayons, glue sticks). 

Please bring your items and place them on the pews in the back of our worship space.  Thanks in advance for your generosity!

For the Church

Justin, Archbishop of Canterbury; Katherine, the Presiding Bishop; Holly, our bishop who is away on sabbatical; David, our visiting bishop; Derek, our priest; Heidi & Russ, our missionaries in Chile; our parish staff, wardens and vestry

For Justice and Peace  

For those in any Need or Trouble  

In our Parish: Bobby Barclay; Sophie Belouet; Donald Bowles;  Kevin Carrigan; Jake Devers; Bill Edwards; Darryl Foytik; Ron Fritz;  Vivian Hillman; Mavia Hudgins; Dody Johnson; Dody Mason; Bob McBride; Arlene Peterson; Carol Phipps; Alice Robbins; Betty Jo Ross; Sue Taylor; Jennie Todd; Sonny Wilkinson; Mark Woodland

Related to our Parish: Wally (boyfriend of Heather Gonzalez); David (nephew of Heather Gonzalez); Linda (aunt of Al Gregg); Patients of the Naval Hospital & EDMARC hospice for children

Thanksgivings