by Annabel Clapp, St. John’s member — I take inspiration from the English poet Elizabeth Barrett Browning (1806–1861) when I answer the question, “St. John’s, how do I love thee? Let me count the ways.”

I love the building itself, from the solidity and strength St. John’s represents as it stands on the busy corner of Farmington and Prospect, with the brilliant “pop” of the red doors inviting everyone in, to the tranquility of the Cloister Garden as a place of peace and reflection in a hectic world.

I love the colors of the church, especially when on a bright day the sun streams through the stained glass windows of the nave and bathes the place (and people) in a glorious palette of colors.

I love the baptismal font and the stained glass window behind it. My son was baptized there and in his very young years, like many church families, we spent time hunting and seeking all the animals and wildlife portrayed in the window. These are precious moments to me.

I love the “acoustic workout” my auditory pathways get every time I attend church. The music and singing is cleansing, uplifting, and joyous and takes me away from whatever may be concerning me, to a place of hope and gladness.

I love the opportunities St. John’s offers its young members to grow and develop spiritually, socially, and emotionally, and to show them how to take care of others with compassion, as well as themselves with humility. I love watching how my son’s involvement in St. John’s community life is shaping him into a fine young man, ready to contribute to society.

I love the people of St. John’s, for they represent the church as a whole, and at its best. This is a place where I have put down roots and been welcomed as part of a community.

My ways of loving St. John’s Church may not be poetic, but they are personal and precious to me.