Welcome to St. John's
...
At St. John's Episcopal Church we welcome visitors to every worship service. We look forward to greeting you personally, and hope that the answers to these frequently asked questions will help you feel at home.
WHAT KIND OF CHURCH IS THIS?
St. John's is an Episcopal Church, one of
98 such congregations in the
Diocese of Michigan, which is located in the
southeastern portion of Lower Michigan. The Episcopal Church is one of 38
autonomous churches in the
Anglican Communion, which includes nearly 80
million members in 164 countries. Supporting the life, work, and witness
of church partners around the world is our global mission. As
members of the
Episcopal Church (TEC), we find the fullest expression of our Christianity in the
scriptures, the Word of God at work among us; the creeds, as ancient
summaries of our beliefs; the sacraments, as outward and visible signs of
inward and spiritual grace; and ministry and its orders. Our beliefs are
found in our
liturgical form of worship, where, with congregational
participation, we seek to give praise and thanks to God in the name of
Jesus Christ. We welcome worshipers from every tradition.
MAY I SIT ANYWHERE?
The seating at St. John's is not reserved. We always have seats for our visitors. We have,
however, noticed that children are most likely to follow the actions of the service if they are close enough to see it. We are glad you are here to worship with us!
HOW CAN I PARTICIPATE IN THE SERVICE?
On Sundays, our ushers will give you a printed order of service
or bulletin. We follow the service in the
Book of Common Prayer,
noted in the bulletin as BCP, and participate audibly in the people's
responses, including the "Amen" at the end of each prayer.
Music is either printed, or the hymn number is listed in the bulletin.
The BCP (red book) and 1982 Hymnal (blue book) are in the pew racks.
Members of the congregation will be glad to help you follow along, and
you may stand, sit, and kneel with the congregation, as you feel
comfortable. We stand for the Gospel, sit to hear the other
lessons, sermon, and announcements, and stand or kneel to pray.
MAY I TAKE COMMUNION?
Any Christian who has been baptized with water in the name of the Father, Son and Holy Spirit is welcome to take Communion regardless of age. Both the consecrated bread and wine are offered to all. Others are invited to the railing to receive a blessing. We receive the bread in our hands and respond with "Amen". After consuming the bread, we receive the cup, guiding it to our lips for a small taste of consecrated wine. Some prefer to receive the wine by Intinction (dipping). To do this, hold the bread in the palm of your hand and the chalice bearer will intinct the bread and place it on your tongue.
HOW CAN I LEARN ABOUT CHRISTIANITY?
You can begin to learn about your Christian faith by
becoming involved
in our church. As you make friends here, you will experience Christianity
in action. You will also have opportunities to ask questions. Small group
meetings, Bible Study,
Adult Forum,
and
the Discovery Series are particularly good ways to understand
our faith. As you spend time with us, you will realize that Christianity is more than a religious system of moral rules. It is a spiritual way of living as we are called to represent Christ and his church to the world. Together as a community, we practice our faith by praying and worshipping, proclaiming the Gospel, and promoting justice, peace, and love through our combined ministries. In this way we grow individually and corporately in our spiritual life and our understanding of what it means to be a Christian.
HOW CAN I LEARN MORE ABOUT ST. JOHN'S?
When you worship with us, you are encouraged to fill out the visitors' card in your pew and place it in the offering plate or sign the visitors' book in the Gathering. After each Sunday Service, there is fellowship in the Gathering and we hope you will join us. We want you to have a chance to meet our priests and members. If you have any questions please feel free to ask. We are glad you are here!
You can also learn more about St. John's
by exploring our web space. These two links,
About St.
John's and
Contact Us,
will help you begin get to know us and our spirit.
HOW CAN I JOIN ST. JOHN'S?
Complete the Membership Form available in the Tract Rack and return it to the Parish Office. Join us for worship on a regular basis, participate in parish life and ministries as God calls you, and support St. John's through your time, talent, and treasure. If you have questions about your faith or transferring your membership,
our priests will be glad to talk with you.
WHAT TYPE OF ACTIVITIES ARE AVAILABLE AT ST. JOHN'S?
Refer to
Learn & Grow
for details of our activities and how they may benefit you. Here is a
brief overview:
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Nursery care on Sundays from
8:45 a.m. - 12:15 p.m.
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Church
School for children and Youth
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The
Forum and Discovery Series for Adults
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Youth Groups for Middle School and
High School
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Prayer Discernment Training
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Handbell Choir
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Contemporary music group
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Prayer Ministry
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Moms' Group
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Adult Education
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Newcomer's classes
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Spiritual growth opportunities
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Adult Choir
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Children's Choir
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Outreach work
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Weekday Bible study
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Worship participants (Acolytes,
etc.)
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Special events as announced
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