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Welcome to St. John's! Wecome back to church.
This is a place that is both ancient and new; the faith we hold goes back to Jesus, back to his Old Testament spiritual ancestors, back to those who walked the earth before us and found holy ground. What we do is often based on ancient patterns -- worship and music; loving service to the poor, the hurting and the lonely; working for justice and peace in our community and the world; lively and fearless exploration of ideas and theology. But our faith is also wholly contemporary -- engaging in the culture and needs of today. The theology of the Episcopal Church allows room for mystery, reason and growth.
WHAT WE ARE FOR The dignity and value of every person and an open-minded, passionate commitment to truth. Inclusivity. The importance of each person's unique spiritual journey. Seeing Christ in every person we meet. The sacredness of life's stages and rites of passage. The value of community. The hard work it takes to ensure that ALL are ALWAYS welcomed. Telling the truth about life's challenges. And striving for a church experience that speaks to all ages and stages of life! WHAT WE ARE AGAINST Claiming we have all the answers. Elitism and exclusivism -- most especially within the church. Bigotry for any reason. Authoritarianism. Indifference to injustice and suffering. Superficial answers to hard questions. Boring sermons, bad music and general carelessness. (So, God help us, because -- try as we might -- we're human after all and we don't ALWAYS avoid these!) WHAT WE VALUE Community. Open hearts. Open minds and open arms. Deep faith. Staying current in hearts and minds, but with our roots firmly planted in tradition. Reason. Honesty -- with ourselves and each other. Civic responsibility as citizens of our communities, our country and the world. Debate that allows for mutual respect. Music and beauty to glorify God -- and for their own sake. Joy in God's creation and our responsibility as caretakers. Anyone who make the effort to get to know and follow Jesus. Everybody needs a place to belong... ...make St. John's yours! You will fit right in here; adults, children, families, widows and widowers, retired folks, partners, those in transition, empty-nesters, divorced, single parents, reluctant teens, blue jeans, flip flops, shorts, sport coats and wiggly children are all welcome here. |
