What to Expect at the 10:30 Sunday Service
This is our main service that welcomes all ages to worship.
The 10:30 service is currently meeting outdoors in our front courtyard, which is actually the location of the sanctuary in our as-yet-unfinished building. Masks are optional for outdoor worship, but required when singing.
You are invited to bring your own chair, or you can get one from the church building to bring outside if you prefer.
Sung Service
We experiment, through the year with a variety of musical styles and settings–organ, piano, drums, guitar, brass and strings to sing praise to God.
Our choir sings twice a month during the program (academic) year. In the summer, our Director of Music Ministries occasionally offers "pick-up choirs," a low-commitment musical option where people are invited to come early and learn a piece that they will then perform during the worship service that same day. During the pandemic, when we were unable to sing together, we had occasional music from a hand chime choir. A printed bulletin will guide visitors through the liturgy. You can find copies of the most recent 10:30 bulletins on our In Person Worship page.
All Are Welcome
You don't have to be an Episcopalian to participate fully in worship at St. John's. All baptized Christians of any denomination are welcome to receive the bread and wine around the altar at the Eucharist. (Non-Christians are invited to join the circle with us and receive a blessing.) We recognize birthdays, anniversaries and offer blessings for life’s transitions and accomplishments.
The 10:30 service is currently meeting outdoors in our front courtyard, which is actually the location of the sanctuary in our as-yet-unfinished building. Masks are optional for outdoor worship, but required when singing.
You are invited to bring your own chair, or you can get one from the church building to bring outside if you prefer.
Sung Service
We experiment, through the year with a variety of musical styles and settings–organ, piano, drums, guitar, brass and strings to sing praise to God.
Our choir sings twice a month during the program (academic) year. In the summer, our Director of Music Ministries occasionally offers "pick-up choirs," a low-commitment musical option where people are invited to come early and learn a piece that they will then perform during the worship service that same day. During the pandemic, when we were unable to sing together, we had occasional music from a hand chime choir. A printed bulletin will guide visitors through the liturgy. You can find copies of the most recent 10:30 bulletins on our In Person Worship page.
All Are Welcome
You don't have to be an Episcopalian to participate fully in worship at St. John's. All baptized Christians of any denomination are welcome to receive the bread and wine around the altar at the Eucharist. (Non-Christians are invited to join the circle with us and receive a blessing.) We recognize birthdays, anniversaries and offer blessings for life’s transitions and accomplishments.
Children
Children ages 4 and up begin worship with the rest of the congregation and leave during the Song of Praise for Children's Church. They rejoin the rest of the congregation for Holy Communion.
Parents with children under age 4 are invited to use the coloring materials provided, as well as the well-staffed nursery.
Contact Matt McCabe, Director of Children & Family Ministries, for more information: matt@st-john-aptos.org, 831-419-4998.
Children ages 4 and up begin worship with the rest of the congregation and leave during the Song of Praise for Children's Church. They rejoin the rest of the congregation for Holy Communion.
Parents with children under age 4 are invited to use the coloring materials provided, as well as the well-staffed nursery.
Contact Matt McCabe, Director of Children & Family Ministries, for more information: matt@st-john-aptos.org, 831-419-4998.
Intergenerational Services at 10:30
Approximately once a month, our 10:30 service is an intergenerational service, designed to be more interactive and participatory than the regular liturgy. Children remain in church for the entire service on these Sundays, and children are invited to come up to the altar with Mother Tracy for the celebration of the Eucharist.
A sample of the types of things we do at alternative services:
Approximately once a month, our 10:30 service is an intergenerational service, designed to be more interactive and participatory than the regular liturgy. Children remain in church for the entire service on these Sundays, and children are invited to come up to the altar with Mother Tracy for the celebration of the Eucharist.
A sample of the types of things we do at alternative services:
- November - All Saints Sunday - everyone was invited to come dressed as their favorite saint and then were invited to tell the congregation about that saint during the service.
- December - First Sunday in Advent - theme of "preparing for Jesus." Since preparing the altar is one way we prepare to meet Jesus (in the Eucharist), we instructed the children the week before about the work of the altar guild and then the children did the work the altar guild normally does before the service DURING this service -- putting the fair linen and the candles on the altar and so forth, while the rest of the congregation were asked to reflect on how they were preparing their hearts for Jesus.
- January - Feast of the Epiphany - everyone was invited to bring a symbol of their spiritual gifts and place them in the manger, symbolizing bringing their gifts to Jesus as the magi did. Then Mother Tracy drew a few items out of the pile and asked people to tell us what they represent and speak about them.
- February - Fishers of People - the Gospel passage was about Jesus telling the fisherman they would be "catching people" from now on. We brought out a huge net and invited people to come grab on to the net as we processed around the church like a congo line, and then the "caught" people gathered in the middle by the altar and sang, "I Have Decided to Follow Jesus."