​A Message of Welcome for Those from Other Christian Denominations
 

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 Saint John's has had a wonderful working and worshiping relationship with many of the other churches in our city. We are surrounded by religious communities from the Roman, Eastern and Reformed traditions. For many years we have shared in ecumenical services in observance of special days and events. We consider this to be a great blessing. We do not seek to proselytize among our neighboring congregations or people who are already active members of a church.

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If, however, you are searching for a church home, we encourage you to visit us.

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Christians whose spiritual lives are grounded in the Mass and in the sacraments will find a comfortable spiritual home at Saint John's. We welcome you to visit the church in person. Sunday Mass is celebrated at 8:00 and 10:30 a.m. Weekday and holy day masses are celebrated as announced the previous Sunday.

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At Saint John's you will find:

• Traditional catholic worship, offered with care and reverence;

• Worthy liturgical music, including Gregorian Chant and other choral music;

• A respectful approach to Scripture and Tradition, without fundamentalism or authoritarianism;

• A diverse congregation that embraces ALL persons

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The Episcopal Church considers itself  "catholic and reformed." As John Macquarrie, sometime Lady Margaret Professor of Divinity at Oxford, wrote, "Anglicanism has never considered itself to be a sect or denomination originating in the sixteenth century.  It continues without a break the Ecclesia Anglicana founded by St. Augustine [of Canterbury] thirteen centuries and more ago…." The Episcopal Church is Catholic in polity. It has maintained the threefold ministry of bishops, priests, and deacons. It faithfully ministers all the sacraments of the Catholic Church. Its liturgy affirms the sacrificial character of the Eucharist and the real, objective presence of Christ in the Blessed Sacrament. Nevertheless, its members differ widely in their theological positions. Since the sixteenth century many Anglicans—at times the majority—have embraced Protestant ideas; but other have always remained faithful to Anglicanism’s Catholic heritage, and the Anglican Communion has never departed from it in any essential. Saint John's Church, stands squarely with those who emphasize and treasure the Catholic heritage of Anglicanism. 

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For those Christians who come from non-liturgical churches, we also encourage you to visit and participate in as much as you feel comfortable. You will find that on Sundays and major holy days a program is available at the door. It provides an outline of that day's service, including hymns, other music and the texts of the scriptural readings. You can stand, sit, sing and join in as much as you would like. Just look around and make yourself at home.  Above all, you can be sure that no one will point you out or make you feel out of place.

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If the service that you are attending is a Mass, know that all baptized Christians are welcome to receive the Blessed Sacrament. You may go forward to the altar rail to receive the Body and Blood of Christ. If you have mobility problems please inform one of the ushers or any other person in the congregation and they will let the priest know so that Holy Communion can be brought to you at your seat. You can, of course, also opt not to receive Communion.  That is completely acceptable and not unusual by any means.

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You may also choose to go up to the altar rail for a blessing.  You can indicate this by kneeling and crossing your arms across your chest. The priest then will not administer Communion but rather reach out and pronounce words of blessing.

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Learn more about us here.