Rev. Linda Lennon, Pastor    --    Mr. Larry Benner, Organist/Choir Director

Worship at St. John's is many things - not simply one style or another. We intentionally refuse to limit ourselves in terms of music, preferring to use a variety of music styles. And while we do use a pipe organ for a large portion of our music, all other instruments are welcome and routinely appear from time to time.

On a typical Sunday we will normally have a couple of older hymns as well as a Gospel-era hymn. We also will always have a contemporary praise song or chorus. There is an anthem by the choir each week, and these selections come from every field and era of Christian music. There is also, once or twice a month, special music performed by our junior choir. These songs tend to be very uplifting but are not always vocals - members of the junior choir also perform instrumentals on occasion.

From week to week, we tend to follow an order of worship that creates a sense of familiarity on one hand, but that is flexible on the other. On communion Sundays, we practice open communion meaning that participation in the communion service is not restricted but open to all who profess Christ as their Lord and Savior.

Sermons are a mix, sometimes following church seasons but also preaching topical sermons at times. Sermons are typically 20 minutes in length and while we enjoy moments of humor, we understand that sermons can be very reassuring and know that they also need to challenge us to be better Christians. There is also a children's sermon each week that is usually tied in with that day's Scripture reading.

In all, our worship service strives to provide an inviting and meaningful place for people of all ages and backgrounds to come and celebrate our faith and to be spiritually fed, comforted and challenged that we might go forth in service to the Lord.

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LECTIONARY SELECTIONS FOR SEPTEMBER

The following is this month's selection of scripture passages taken from The Common Lectionary. This three-year rotation of texts takes us through the Old and New Testaments of the Bible. The underlined selection is the one that will be highlighted on the back of that Sunday's bulletin.

September 5, Twenty-third Sunday in Ordinary Time,

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September 12, Twenty-fourth Sunday in Ordinary Time,

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September 19, Twenty-fifth Sunday in Ordinary Time,

1 Timothy 2:1-7

Eighteenth Sunday after Pentecost,

Green - Surprising Investment

Psalms 91:1-6, 14-16 OR

Amos 6:1a, 4-7, Psalms 146, 1 Timothy 6:6-19, Luke 16:19-31

Jeremiah 32:1-3a, 6-15