For more information about our ministries, please contact the church office at sjdoffice@gmail.com.
Lenten Suppers, Formation, and Compline: Simple community meals during Lent followed by a formation program and prayer. Previous programs include Figuring out Faith with St. Peter and Robert J. Karris’ “Eating Your Way through Luke’s Gospel”.
Advent Morning Prayer and Book Study: Previous books include Mark Bozzuti-Jones’ “The Womb of Advent” and Fleming Routledge’s “Advent: the Once and Future Coming of Jesus Christ”.
Advent Noonday Prayer and Lunch Series: Previous topics include “Radical Belonging: Tracing Jesus’ family tree in the Gospel of Matthew”.
Living with Loss: Loss can come in a multitude of ways, such as losing a loved one, a relationship, or an important role. Through guided reflection and discussion, this group provides a space to connect with others on matters of loss and faith. Previous session titles include “Blessed are Those Who Mourn” and “From Naomi to Mara: Making Meaning”.
Coffee Hour Forum: Occasionally, we invite speakers to give lectures or lead discussions about living out Christian faith in daily life. This takes place during coffee hour on Sundays from 10:15-11:15 am. A recent forum was titled “Artificial Intelligence, the Church, and the World: Your Questions Considered” presented by Bishop Nicholas Knisely.
Outreach
North Kingstown Food Pantry: We are committed to addressing food insecurity through hosting food drives, making donations, volunteering to organize food distribution, and grant writing for our local food pantry, NKFP. Donations are accepted in the bin at the inside entrance to the Chapel, and the contents are delivered weekly.
St. Elizabeth’s Home: Once a month, we provide a service of Holy Eucharist and fellowship time with the residents at St. Elizabeth’s Home in East Greenwich.
ECC Children’s Camp: In the summer, our priest serves as Chaplain to 50-70 children campers at the Episcopal Camp & Conference Center in Pascoag, RI.
Priest’s Discretionary Fund: Funds are set aside in the budget for the priest to make donations as needed. It is often used to address immediate needs of individuals or organizations in the community. This includes purchasing gift cards to local grocery stores and assistance with medical expenses.
Employing persons with disabilities: In a partnership with Avatar, we participate in a supportive employment program that empowers persons with disabilities to secure meaningful work. At this time, our sexton role is staffed through this job coaching program.
RI Pride: We assist with the diocesan tent at the annual LGBTQIA+ PrideFest in Providence, providing a ministry of presence.
Worship Service Roles
We provide training for each role. Schedules are made two months at a time.
Ushers: Ushers have several responsibilities that help to welcome people, orient newcomers, assist with communion flow of movement, and tend to emergencies.
Presenters: Presenters bring the bread, wine, and offering to the altar before communion.
Lay Eucharistic Ministers: LEMs assist the priest in the liturgy and serve as an acolyte, crucifer, and chalice bearer.
Altar Guild: The Altar Guild is a behind the scenes role setting up and cleaning up for services. They typically prepare on Saturdays. They also coordinate flowers for behind the altar.
Lectors: Lay persons are able to read the holy scriptures for the day and to read the Prayers of the People.
Choir: Our choir is rather informal and all who love to sing are welcome to participate. Contact our organist, Judy Stickney, for more information.
Stream Team: The stream team makes it possible for those who are away, homebound, or sick to be able to pray along with us from home. We livestream our services to our YouTube page.
Coffee Hour Hosts: Hosts prepare food, set up, and clean up our lively coffee hour each week.
Lay Eucharistic Visitors: LEVs bring communion to those who are homebound or in the hospital and cannot attend worship in person.
Pastoral Care Team
This group offers pastoral care in practical ways to meet the needs of our members. This includes hosting meal trains and delivering flowers to bereaved families as well as celebrating important milestones and birthdays.
Community Events
We consider it sacred to offer hospitality to the larger community through social events. Below are some of the events we’ve hosted.
Summer: Strawberry Shortcake Sunday, Lafayette Band Concert, Ice Cream Social & Croquet on the Lawn, Lobster Lunch, Floral Arranging Series
Fall: Art Exhibit, Chamber Music Concert, Blessing of the Bricks for Memorial Brick Walkway, Pie Auction
Winter: Holiday Bazaar
Spring: May Breakfast
New Initiative
The Rhein Inspiration Initiative
The Chapel of St. John in Saunderstown is developing plans to build Christian formation in the parish and community. The Chapel’s new Rhein Inspiration Initiative will seed programs and resources that expand our outreach, bolster education and welcome all who seek connection with the Gospel in their lives. In this early phase, we are looking for people interested in outreach and education activities, and we are accepting donations of any size.