EDUCATION AND FELLOWSHIP

St. John’s is nothing if not a community. As we celebrate God’s presence in our lives, we become aware of our shared community of faith and our responsibilities to each other. We believe that one way that God works among us is in freeing us from isolation and loneliness, so that we can love and care for one another. We grow together not only through our common weekly worship, but also by learning, praying, and having fun together. We often have forums on particular topics following Sunday morning worship or weekday evenings, ranging from living simply and “green” to estate planning to gay parenting. We also like to gather in our garden (above) or nave for more festive fellowship, including Labor Day BBQs, fundraisers for our El Salvador mission trips, and Fat Tuesday pancake dinners. Other activities are listed below.


Upcoming

Exploring Latino Ministries
Saturday, September 12
Church Divinity School of the Pacific, Berkeley
Sponsored by the Latino Commission of the Diocese of California and featuring the Rev. Dr. Juan Oliver (a former interim rector at St. John's) as the workshop leader, this day-long event is great opportunity to deepen understanding and shared ministry between St. John's and El Buen Samaritano. Please speak with the Rev. Gloria Del Castillo for more information. Fr. Juan will be our guest preacher on Sunday, September 13 as well. 
 
St. John's Newcomers' Group
Sept. 20 - Oct. 11
Sundays, 11:45 am -1 pm
Are you new to St. John's? Interested in learning more about the Episcopal Church?  Would you like to explore becoming a member of this congregation? Then this program is for you. Each session following worship, a current member of the parish will share his or her experience of St. John's and the rector will provide an overview of our history, beliefs, governance and membership. Please contact Fr. John Kirkley to register for the series. 
 
Buddhism & Christianity
Sundays, 11:30 am
October and November (dates TBD)
St. John's Library
This series will explore the points of contact and divergence between these two great spiritual traditions, with a focus on the practice of meditation. 

Apocalypse Now
Wednesdays, 7 pm
November 25 – December 16
St. John's Library
Popular culture is filled with images and stories about the “end times.” This Advent series will explore the uses and misuses of the biblical genre of apocalyptic literature, and invite us to consider what it means to speak of the “end of time.”


ongoing

  

Photos from our parish retreat: The Chapel at the Bishop’s Ranch, view of the Healdsburg valley, hiking at the Bishop’s Ranch, coffee clatch at the ranch.

Annual Parish Retreat: Many members of the parish elect to spend a weekend on retreat together at the Bishop's Ranch outside Healdsburg in Sonoma County. Typically, the weekend is organized around a common theme, with time for reflection, discussion, prayer, and fellowship around common meals, hikes, and other recreational activities. Recent themes have included prayer, commpassion, praying with the body, and "what in the world is God calling me to do?" For more information, contact Fr. John Kirkley.

Arts and Spirituality Group
T his group of artists and craftspeople meets periodically to work collaboratively on projects of artistic and spiritual value for the benefit of the participants and the wider parish community. For more information, please contact the Rev. John Kirkley.

St. John's Book Group
Third Mondays, 7:30 pm
The "inquiring minds" of St. John's gather once a month at a member's home for fellowship and discussion of a book chosen by the group. We will be taking a break for the summer. The next meeting will be in September, and we'll will discuss "Out of Egypt" by Anne Rice.
 
Contemplative Prayer Group
Tuesdays at 5:30 pm
The Contemplative Prayer Group meets in the Mary Chapel. The purpose is to support the spiritual journey of its members and to introduce people to the practice of contemplative prayer. The "heart" of the practice is a 20-minute period of silence resting in God's presence together. Each session begins with a brief check-in and a short inspirational reading. Contact Fr. John for more information.

Education for Ministry, affectionately known as EfM, is a program of theological education-at-a-distance of the School of Theology of the University of the South. Students sign up one year at a time for this four-year program. It covers the basics of a theological education in the Old and New Testaments, church history, liturgy, and theology. Students meet regularly, usually once a week, in seminars under the guidance of trained mentors. The program grants a certificate at the completion of the four years and 18 Continuing Education Units for each year's work. St. John's is currently participating in EfM through our SOMA Area Ministry, with groups meeting at partner churches Holy Innocents and St. Aidan's. For more information, contact Jan Adams.

Greeters are the first to extend the welcome of this parish to visitors. They arrive early to greet all who come to worship on Sundays and other major Holy Days. After the service they help newcomers feel at home by introducing them to other parishioners. In addition, the Greeters maintain the Visitors' Table. Service as a Greeter is open to all members of the parish. Training is provided. Contact Fred Marett.

Hospitality Volunteers: Under the direction of the Hospitality Coordinator and weekly Team Captains, Hospitality Volunteers provide food and drink for the social hours following services and, occasionally, meetings. They also coordinate picnics and maintain the kitchen, its supplies, and equipment. Volunteers are always welcome and are requested to make their interest known to the Hospitality Coordinator, Rebecca Gordon.

House Church: Several small groups meet on an ongoing or time-limited basis in parishioners’ homes for fellowship, prayer, and Christian education. Please speak with Father John Kirkley for information about times and locations. Newcomers are welcome.

Spirituality at Work Group
Designed to offer a time and space for spiritual renewal in the workplace, this brown-bag lunch meeting includes small group study and prayer for people who work on or near the Stanford University campus in Palo Alto. The group meets every six weeks at noon.  For more information please contact the Rev. John Kirkley.

Women’s Group
Designed to be a safe space for women to gather for spiritual support, exploration, and renewal, this group is currently in formation.  For more information please contact Claire Dietrich. 

St. John’s in the Outdoors invites participants to enjoy the majesty of God's creation by hiking in many of the Bay Area's wild spaces -- from Point Reyes National Seashore in the north to Butano State Park in the south. And sometimes we go on weekend outings to the High Sierra. Our outings give us opportunities to relax, share each other's company, and sometimes simply walk in silence to listen to the sounds of the natural world-- and reflect on the beauty that surrounds us. We hike about once a month, meeting at church, and sharing rides to the trailhead. Hikes are announced in the Divine Dispatch. For more information, contact Steve Griffiths.

Photos: K. Leibenath; P. Lane; B. Pethoud; P. Lane; M. Cousins