About
St. John’s Anglican Church is a vibrant parish with a long history of Christian ministry, in the Smiths Falls and surrounding community. Our core mission as a parish remains to continue to try to be an instrument of and a sign pointing to the loving God revealed to us in Jesus. This mission of the church–entrusted to the church by Jesus himself– hasn’t changed in the past 2000 years. This mission will continue until Jesus returns in majesty and God’s Kingdom occurs on earth as it does in heaven.
This means our goals include:
- to be a welcoming parish where people can experience God’s love,
- to be a worshipping parish which reaches out to those in need in the wider community
- to be a caring parish in which faith is nurtured.
This mission is carried out through the ministries of the members of the church.
Our Pastoral Care Team visits shuts-ins, people in hospital, residents in nursing and retirement homes and other people that may just like to have a visit from someone from St. John’s. Once a month from September through June, an Anglican worship service occurs in each of the four nursing homes/retirement home in Smiths Falls. On the last Wednesday of the month the team has a potluck supper in the home of one of the members. This is a time of fellowship and reflection to lend spiritual and emotional support to each other. In addition many members engage in pastoral care as individuals.
Outreach continues to be an important ministry exercised in many different ways. On the third Sunday of the month from September through June (except December) we offer a Community Dinner for people in Smiths Falls. Our Outreach Committee meets several times a year to consider how to meet needs in the community faithfully and effectively. Our Women’s Groups support several outreach projects both through the Diocesan ACW and on their own. Once a month non-perishable items for the Food Bank are collected. In addition many members engage in outreach through membership in service clubs, volunteering etc.
A women’s book club meets monthly in the home of one of the members beginning with a pot luck dinner followed by discussion of the book read in the previous month and choosing a book for the next month. This is an active group that welcomes new members interested in this type of study.
A Bible study currently meets weekly in the Parish hall. This dynamic study group is open to anyone interested in learning more about God’s word for us in Scripture.
From mid-September to June, Sunday school meets weekly during the 10.00 am service. Classes begin during the first part of the church service so that children and teachers may attend the Eucharistic part of the service. We have several special events during the year including a Christmas Pageant and a picnic in June.
The St. John’s Youth Group meets on Sunday evenings at 6.30 p.m. for a time of friendship, food, fun and conversation.
The choirs (Junior and Senior) at St. John are active in assisting in the worship of the parish and takes every opportunity to contribute to worship in the community by taking part in such events as “The Sounds of Christmas” an annual event held by the Smiths Falls Ministerial Association. They have also sung at “Heritage House” during the pre-Christmas season. Some of the members attend an annual sight reading session in Ottawa to improve their singing and reading skills. They perform anthems and special music to enhance worship.
As Anglicans we believe in the importance of visual symbols to remind us of God’s presence in our worship space. Our Altar Guild sets the worship space up for worship each week, changes the colours according to the season, decorates for Sundays, Christmas, Holy Week, Easter, Thanksgiving etc.
Our servers, eucharistic administrators, readers, intercessors, greeters all contribute to our experience of coming together to worship.
Coffee, tea and juice are offered Sunday following the 10.00 am service. This is a great time of fellowship providing the opportunity to meet visitors, new members and just generally visiting with other parishioners.
ST. JOHN’S is a church with an ancient faith that looks to the future. We believe that in the words, actions and person of Jesus, we have glimpsed God’s intended future for God’s creation. We believe that ” In Jesus, God changes everything.”
So our purpose is to Help God Change Everything, by participating in God’s intended future within today’s culture in a community centred on Jesus Christ.
God’s future is not something we manufacture, and community is not something we can coerce people into, but both are works of the Spirit to which God calls us.
So as God calls you, we welcome you to join us in Helping God Change Everything and exploring God’s future among friends.
ST. JOHN’S is a church with an ancient faith that looks to the future through as wisely, faithfully and effectively as possible, continuing our tradition to try to be an instrument and a sign of the loving God revealed to us in Jesus until such time as God’s Kingdom occurs on earth as it does in heaven. The mission of the church–entrusted to the church by Jesus himself– hasn’t changed in the past 2000 years.
Based upon that ancient faith, St. John’s is to be a church that looks to the future by continuing the ministry and mission of Jesus within today’s culture and our local postal codes.
The future is not something we can manufacture. It is the work of God’s Holy Spirit and God trusts us to continue to try to help the Holy Spirit create the future intended by God. The church is not something we can coerce people into joining–that too is the work of God’s Holy Spirit– and God trusts us to continue to try to help the Holy Spirit build up the church intended by God.
This means that we are to try to be a congregation that goes out of its way to welcome visitors and newcomers. By far–the number one factor cited by people in deciding if they will or will not go back to a church they have visited is how they were welcomed (or in some cases, were not welcomed) by the members of the church. They tell their friends about their experience…who then tell their friends…who then tell…and the “reputation” of the congregation is developed.
This means we are to try to be a worshipping parish in which faith is nurtured and care for one another occurs. This means we are to try to have St. John’s be a “place” where people can experience God’s forgiving reconciling love. This means we are to try to be a worshipping parish which reaches out a helping hand to people less fortunate than ourselves.