Mission Statement
We the members of St. John's Episcopal Church are committed to being a prayerful Christian Community. We come together for worship in an atmosphere of unity, recognizing and appreciating the diversity of our members. We encourage all our members to be good stewards of their time, talents, spiritual gifts and money. We celebrate God's goodness and love for all people through our tradition of Holy Eucharist, Holy Scripture, prayer and fellowship. We endeavor to be a warm and welcoming presence to all in this community.
We live out these core beliefs through:
- worship and parish programs
- reaching out to the community
- sharing our story with others
- seeking God's love together in study and prayer
- giving of our means and talents to the greater purpose of God's work
Our worship
In worship, we are united, acknowledging the holiness of God, to hear God's Word, to offer prayer and to celebrate God's presence among us. All are welcome to participate in our worship because it is in worship that we live out our life as a Christian family together. Scripture is the foundation of our worship. The service follows an order found in our worship book called the Book of Common Prayer, two-thirds of which is scriptural. Every worship service includes the reading of Holy Scripture from the Old and New Testaments. Many of our prayers and hymns are filled with Scripture. The Book of Common Prayer includes a variety of ancient and modern prayers and worship occasions for times when the whole community gathers, and for individual use. The Book of Common Prayer allows everyone to participate, reminding us that each person is an important part of the worship experience, whether the service is a celebration or a solemn occasion. It is a guide book for daily Christian living. Music, both traditional and contemporary, is an integral part of uniting our prayers and scripture.
Celebrating God's Presence
In our worship service, we celebrate God with us through water, bread and wine. Our Lord Jesus Christ tells us through baptism we are united with God. The Episcopal Church believes through baptism--in any Christian denomination--we become brothers and sisters in God's family. (If you are not baptized and wish to be, you may contact the church office for more information.) Jesus shared bread and wine with his first followers and is with us today in this family meal we call Holy Communion. Through it we receive the forgiveness of our sins and a strengthening of our union with God and one another as we remember Christ's life, death and resurrection. Any baptized person is welcome and encouraged to share in this meal.
Our Beliefs
We believe there is One God who creates all things, redeems us from sin and death, and renews us as the Children of God. As Episcopalians we promise to follow Jesus Christ as our Savior and Lord. We believe the mission of our church is restoration of all people to unity with God and each other in Christ. We are enriched by your presence with us.