Worship Services at St. John’s

Holy Eucharist · Holy Baptism · Confirmation · Weddings · Special Services

Holy Eucharist

Holy Eucharist is an ancient name for what is also known as Holy Communion, The Lord's Supper, and The Mass. Eucharist means "thanksgiving," and that's exactly what we do when we remember together the ultimate sacrifice that Jesus Christ made on the Cross: God himself died for the world he loved; and then rose again, conquering even the power of death. The elements of bread and wine are to us Christ's body and blood made present in our worship and in our lives. This Sacrament helps us to proclaim with grateful hearts, "Christ has died. Christ is risen. Christ will come again." All baptized
Christians are invited to receive the Holy Communion in the Episcopal Church.

Holy Baptism

Holy Baptism is the sacrament by which God adopts us as His children and makes us members of Christ’s Body, the Church, and inheritors of the Kingdom of God.  All baptisms - for infants, children and adults - are scheduled through our rector, the Rev. Fletcher Montgomery.  For more information on Holy Baptism, click here.

Confirmation

Confirmation is expected of adult members in good standing. While no longer the doorway to receiving Holy Communion, this rite allows one to enjoy the fullest degree of membership in the Episcopal Church and the Anglican Communion. Confirmation also is required for one to be elected to the Vestry or to the Diocesan or General Conventions. As well, one must be confirmed before beginning the process towards ordination.  To become a candidate for confirmation, a Confirmation Information Sheet needs to be completed and faxed, mailed or emailed to the office. 

Weddings

Christian marriage is a solemn and public covenant between a man and a woman in the presence of God. In the Episcopal Church, it is required that one of the parties must be a baptized Christian, that the ceremony be attested by at least two witnesses, and that the marriage conform to the laws of the state and the canons of this church. For more information on weddings at St. John’s, click here.

Special Services

Throughout the year, St. John's offers services for special occasions:  the Festival of Lessons and Carols during Advent; the Feast of Lights and Twelfth Night Party to mark the end of the season of Christmas and the beginning of Epiphany; Ash Wednesday marking the start of Lent; during Holy Week, Palm Sunday, Maundy Thursday, Good Friday and Easter Day; Seniors Day in May when we honor our high school graduates; Whitsunday, otherwise known as the First Sunday of Pentecost; Sunday nearest Independence Day; the Blessing of the Animals on the Sunday nearest the Feast of Day of St. Francis; All Saints Day, naturally the day after Halloween; and the Sunday after Thanksgiving, a community service offered by all the churches in our neighborhood of Shandon.