St. John’s Episcopal Church
207 Albany Avenue, Kingston, NY 12401

What to expect when you worship with us

All are welcome at God’s Table. You will hear this invitation often when you worship at St. John’s. And when we say all, we mean ALL! We are affirming of LGBTQ people and we work to ensure barriers to worship and community are removed for all people.

God’s Table is where we are all invited to bring our whole selves, perfectly imperfect and deeply beloved by God. Regular worship is a significant part of formation in the Christian faith. At St. John’s you will find a warm, welcoming community who come together every week to learn more about who we are called to be as we celebrate God’s abundant love for all creation.

Sundays at 10:00 am

Every Sunday throughout the year we worship at 10:00 am as our principle weekly service. We celebrate a Rite II Eucharist together, listen to God’s Word, sing hymns, and pray for one another and for the world in which we live. All are welcome to worship and to receive communion. This service is followed immediately by a Social Hour in our Parish Hall where you can get to know members of the St. John’s community. We have a lot happening on Sundays so for a complete schedule of Sunday events/meetings, please visit our Event Calendar.

Kids at St. John’s

Young people are always welcome at our 10:00 am worship service. We know young children sometimes make spontaneous sound and we celebrate all their exclamations and noises. We have a special area set aside just for families with smaller children where we offer right-sized chairs and carpeting. All young people will be given an activity bag by our ushers to keep hands busy during worship.

Every second Sunday of the month we offer Godly Play for young people. A Montessori-based program, Godly Play introduces the stories of our scripture and tradition through interactive play. Look for an expansion of this program in the coming months. And every fourth Sunday of the month, we offer an activity for our younger members in the Godly Play space.

Additionally, Rev. Michelle leads All Ages Worship on the first Sunday of every month. This is an opportunity for young people to help lead us in worship and the sermon is constructed as a story to engage ears of all ages.

First Sunday: All Ages Worship
Second Sunday: Godly Play
Fourth Sunday: Children’s activity

Some Common Questions

What kind of worship can I expect?
The Episcopal Church is a liturgical church, which means our worship follows an established order that includes singing, scripture, and the celebration of Holy Eucharist (Communion). Everything you will need is contained in our worship bulletin.
Our worship pattern comes directly from the Book of Common Prayer and some prayers come from Enriching Our Worship. Our music can be found in several hymnals authorized for use in the Episcopal Church.

How long is worship?
Our Sunday worship begins at 10:00 am and typically lasts about 75 minutes. You’re welcome to come to “coffee hour” afterwards.

Can I receive communion?
Yes! All are welcome to receive communion. We use real wine and all of our bread is gluten-free and quite tasty! If you would like to discuss baptism, please speak directly with Rev. Michelle. There is more information about baptism on our Belonging and Baptism pages.

Where do I park?
St. John’s is at 207 Albany Ave. in Kingston, NY. There is street parking available directly in front. Most people choose to park in the parking lot behind the church. From the parking lot, you may go through the memorial garden to the front doors or use the side entrance accessible via ramp.

Is worship accessible for people with movement aids?
Yes! If you have mobility concerns, be sure to park in the lot behind the church building, where we have handicapped spaces, and use the entrance ramp. An usher can help you find a place where you’ll have space for your movement aids. If requested, we will bring communion to you at your seat.

What should I wear?
You are welcome to wear what you are most comfortable wearing. Most people dress in casual clothes.

Will I have to stand up and introduce myself?
No. We do not ask visitors to stand and make themselves known. Should you wish to learn more about St. John’s, you can sign up to be on our mailing list and we’ll be back in touch with you later in the week. And it’s likely that someone will take the time to introduce themselves to you because they haven’t met you before.

 

We’re looking forward to seeing you soon!