Nurture and Challenge Your Spirit
a member of the Episcopal Diocese of Massachusetts
NURTURING OUR COMMUNITY
by using our gifts in ministry
in and beyond our faith community
Providing opportunities for the multitudes on Cape Ann whether you're giving back or asking for help.
St. John’s shines with grace and excellence in many ways, but none more brightly than in our service to people in the wider community. Humility is seeing ourselves the way God see us and we humbly offer our gifts to our neighbors. Our discipleship takes the form of serving others with the gifts we have been given while sharing our faith. We share our campus with community partners including the Coalition for Domestic Violence Awareness, Sorellanza Sisters in Song, 12 step programs, Cape Ann Climate Coalition and neighborhood card groups. We feed the food insecure weekly and offer special worship and education involving relevant and timely justice issues.
Below are ways you can get involved in sharing your gifts with us
If you are interested in participating in any of these ministries, please email Marge
WORSHIP
Lector
This ministry involves reading scripture selections during Sunday services. As a lector, you will receive the readings a few days in advance to familiarize yourself. Lectors may also be called upon for special services beyond Sundays. No formal training is required, and scheduling is flexible, based on your availability. This is a wonderful opportunity to actively participate in our Sunday services and deepen your engagement with the community.
Altar Guild
The Altar Guild offers an opportunity to actively participate in our services. Members are responsible for preparing the church for Sunday services, special holidays, and other occasions. Duties include:
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Filling candlesticks with oil
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Preparing the service vessels
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Setting up elements for communion
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Cleaning the vessels after the service
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Preparing a home communion kit if needed
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Tidying the sanctuary
Members meet on Saturday at a convenient time, with flexible scheduling to accommodate your availability. This is a meaningful way to contribute to our worship community.
Ushers
Ushers often serve as the first point of contact for those entering the church on Sunday. They greet everyone warmly, distribute the weekly worship bulletin, and collect contributions. Additional responsibilities include:
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Bringing the bread and wine during the offertory
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Identifying parishioners needing additional assistance during the service
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Securing the church at the end of the service
By joining our usher ministry, you'll play a crucial role in creating a welcoming and organized worship experience.
If you enjoy singing or playing an instrument, we welcome all ages, voices, and instruments to join Saint John’s music ministry. Our choir is not an exclusive club, but rather an open and loving community for all who wish to share their gifts and talents.
Choir members usually meet weekly to rehearse, but you can also choose to join us for one Sunday a month, or for special occasions like Easter or Christmas. Whether you play the trumpet, drums, or any other instrument, you are warmly invited to participate.
Become a part of a ministry that truly “tugs on people’s hearts” and share the joy of music with our congregation.
Choir/Music Ministry
Flower Guild
The Flower Guild keeps the church beautifully decorated throughout the year. This includes providing flowers for the altar every Sunday and decorating the church for Christmas and Easter seasons. Flowers are sourced from various florists, and during the summer months, parishioners with gardens generously contribute. This ministry offers a wonderful opportunity to express your creativity while preparing the worship space. Scheduling is flexible to accommodate your availability.
Lay Eucharistic Ministry
The Lay Eucharistic Ministry offers a unique opportunity to actively participate in Sunday services. Responsibilities include:
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Assisting the priest by offering the bread and wine during the service
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Distributing the wine during communion
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Participating in other rituals conducted during the service
A brief tutorial is provided to familiarize you with the logistics. Scheduling is flexible to accommodate individual availability, making it easy to get involved.
Acolyte
An acolyte assists the priest during Sunday services by carrying the cross during the processional and recessional hymns. Additionally, acolytes help prepare the altar by receiving the bread and wine during the offertory, setting up the altar, and aiding in the distribution of the bread and wine during communion.
A brief, hands-on training is provided.
Scheduling is flexible based on the individual’s schedule.
Worship Team
Gather quarterly to offer suggestions to guide the Priest in Collaboration and the Director of Music for special liturgies, and thematic worship one Sunday each month focusing on a theme or the lectionary using visual, audio or kinesthetic enhancements during worship.
OUTREACH
Regal Rummage
This is a volunteer ministry that offers gently used clothing and foot ware for men, women, and children at a lower cost than retail stores. Some home goods, such as sheets and towels, are also available. It provides an opportunity for Saint John’s to assist families in the Cape Ann community that are in need of affordable clothing. Other than sales, volunteers assist in organizing, folding, and hanging stock.
The shop is open Wednesdays, Fridays, and Saturdays, from 10 am to 2 pm, and is staffed by one to two volunteers. Scheduling is flexible. (Note: A Spanish speaking volunteer would be greatly appreciated.)
Thrift Shop
Open three days a week, (10-2 pm Wednesday, Friday, Saturday), the Thrift Shop serves as a means of outreach to the Gloucester community by providing an array of household and other items at a reasonable cost. Duties include cashiering, bagging, sorting donations, and arranging merchandise front room supervision, and inventory. Scheduling is flexible. Contact: Gwen Kopka gwenkopka@comcast.net
Visit our Thrift Shop page >
Sunday Food Collection
A basket included in each Sunday Service Offertory is donated to the Open Door each week to be added to the shelves in their food pantry. Donations help to fill the gap in the assortment of food available and provide much needed nutritional support to our community.
All food items NOT IN GLASS CONTAINERS are welcome but, please check the expiration date. We also accept diapers, baby wipes, as well as women's sanitary products. Please bring 1-2 items to church with you and drop them in the basket.
Open Door
The mission of The Open Door is to alleviate the impact of hunger in our community. To accomplish our mission we use a variety of practical strategies to connect people to good food, advocate on behalf of those in need, and engage others in the work of building food security
Visit the Open Door >
Action Lunch Program
The Action Lunch Program provides a bag lunch for guests of the Action Shelter in Gloucester. St. John's has been involved in this ministry for nearly 20 years! Without this lunch many would not get a mid-day meal on Sunday.
Volunteering includes preparing 20 bag lunches that include a simple sandwich, small drink, chips and fruit. The lunches are delivered to the shelter after 5:00pm and are distributed on Sunday morning. All participants can be reimbursed for expenses and we'd be happy to help anyone through their first time participating!
The Grace Center is a grant-funded, faith-based program serving the at-risk community of Cape Ann. Breakfast and lunch are provided, as well as engaging activities such as Bingo, discussion groups, arts and crafts, music, and movies.
A social worker and staff work closely with other agencies in town to ensure the guests needs are being met. To learn more about Grace Center visit their website.
FORMATION
Men's Bible Study Group
This group of gentlemen meets every Wednesday from 7:00 am–8:30 am in the Thompson Room, St. John's Church, 48 Middle St, Gloucester, MA 01930 to review the readings for the upcoming Sunday service and reflect on their meaning. This results in a lively discussion that provides additional insight as they prepare to participate more fully in the weekly services (often this group go out for breakfast at Two Sisters following the meeting).
No preparation is necessary and materials are provided. All men are welcome.
Cursillo Reunion Group
This group meets the First and Third Tuesdays 4:30pm to 5:30pm in the Thompson Room of St. John's Church, 48 Middle St, Gloucester, MA 01930 and provides an opportunity for members of St. John's community to grow in faith and spirituality. It encourages participants to live out their Baptismal vows. Following an initial Cursillo weekend retreat, members of the group meet twice a month to share how each person has encountered and exercised their faith.
No preparation is necessary and materials are provided.
All are welcome.
HOSPITALITY/FELLOWSHIP
Welcome Team
Offers hospitality to newcomers to help them feel part of the community of faith. Based on the all-important message in the Gospel of offering hospitality to all and creating an enriching experience, the team meets once a month or as needed, in person or via Zoom, to discuss ways to welcome new members to Saint John’s community.
Ms. Fixits
Started in 1990 as the Housekeeping Committee, this group of volunteers works together on Mondays from 9:00am–12:00pm as needed to clean, paint, and repair anything that needs minor work in the church and on its grounds.
When projects are assigned, the Ms. Fixits will be called upon and after work they get together for lunch in the parish hall.
Coffee Hour
Working in teams, coffee hour occurs following the Sunday service. Participation in this ministry provides parishioners with an opportunity for social contact and fellowship. Teams are scheduled on a rotating basis (usually once a month), and determine what food they will serve (e.g. fruit, cheese, baked goods).
PASTORAL CARE
Lay Pastoral Care Team
Our vision is to provide a ministry of hope and caring so that no member of our congregation need be alone. We hope to visit the ill at home or in the hospital, support those going through a life crisis, maintain contact with those unable to attend church due to illness or disability, support friends and family involved in care giving, and comfort the bereaved. We do this in person by listening, praying, or offering home communion.