From the earliest times, Church members have come together to celebrate one another’s joys, to lament our sufferings, and to share in each other’s grief. Gathering as a community before God to mark the milestones of life and death not only underlines the significance of these moments but can also enrich and transfigure them.
You can read more about how we mark baptism, marriage, and funerals below. While these are our most common “pastoral services,” people sometimes wish to mark other occasions as well, like a birthday or graduation, an anniversary or new professional calling, a recovery from illness, or perhaps the end of a relationship. Please do not hesitate to contact a member of the clergy if you would like to explore ways of marking a milestone in your own life.
Episcopalians understand Holy Baptism to be the full rite of initiation into the Christian Church. As such, the norm is for baptisms to occur during Sunday worship so the newly baptized can be welcomed by the community. St. John’s offers the sacrament of baptism to persons of all ages. If you desire baptism for yourself or your child, please contact a member of the clergy, who will be delighted to meet with you.
Those familiar with St. John’s know it to be a place of great beauty and holiness. This makes it a perfect location to celebrate a marriage.
Marriage services are offered to St. John’s to members of the congregation and their families, and to residents of the local area. Our clergy are happy to officiate at marriages of both opposite- and same-sex couples. At St. John’s, marriage services are conducted following the Book of Common Prayer. It is a requirement of the Episcopal Church for at least one partner to have been baptized. We also require that the couple engage in pre-marital counseling with the priest. If you would like to be married at St. John’s, a member of the clergy would be delighted to speak with you.
Whoever you are, our clergy are here to support you when you are facing the death of a relative or loved one. Please do not hesitate to contact them. That support includes working with you to plan an appropriate funeral.
Members of St. John’s are encouraged to consider making funeral plans for themselves while they are still alive. It can be a great comfort to a family in grief to know that they are following your wishes. Our historic cemetery continues to function as a burial ground for members of St. John’s. If you would like to purchase a burial plot, please contact the office.