Earlier this October, I sat in the Parish Hall for what felt like a graduation. My younger daughter was participating in the presentation to the congregation about the 2025 Journey to Adulthood pilgrimage to Ireland. As she and her fellow travelers talked about their experience to a packed room, I was struck by how much the Children, Youth, and Family Ministries of the parish have enriched the life of our family.
When we first arrived at St. John’s, our girls were 4 and 6 years old. My husband and I grew up attending Catholic school, and we wanted our family to have an active faith life. While researching local Episcopal churches, only the St. John’s website described a Children’s Chapel program. It seemed like a good place to start. Now ages 16 and 18, our daughters have been actively engaged in St. John’s activities from those early days through the pilgrimages of 2023 and 2025.
Acting in the annual Christmas Pageant was an absolute thrill for them when they were younger, and the tradition of watching other children tell the Nativity story has been at the heart of our Christmas Eves for years.
Church school gave our girls the opportunity to help their community through service projects and to take part in wonderful annual events like the Valentine's Day-themed Heart-to-Heart parties. Rite 13 and Confirmation marked their growing maturity within the church. The Advent Wreath Workshop is the official start of the holiday season in our house, and a favorite sight of Easter is seeing the colorful plastic eggs hidden around the grounds waiting to be found by excited children.
The Children, Youth, and Family Ministries have infused a sense of meaning and purpose into each stage of our children's lives. Over the years, our daughters have learned countless lessons about service, community, and joy.
My family is proud to support the work of St. John’s as a small return for what our remarkable parish has given us. Please join us in pledging to St. John's!
- Jan McNamara