Community Service | Friends of Saint John's
Opportunities for Ministry | Links to Outreach Programmes

Saint John's Church serves the local community in following ways:

• Supporting financially, working closely with, providing members for the Board, and providing meeting space for The Better Waverly Community Organisation.
• Assisting the Waverly Family Center (see bottom of the page) with contributions of volunteers, money, supplies, advertising, parking, and a member for the board of Directors.
• Providing, parking, referrals, assistance and advertising for The People's Community Health Center, Baltimore's oldest free clinic.
• Supporting the Franciscan Sisters (Roman Catholic) with on-going contributions of food, money, clothing, and a regular volunteer for the Franciscan Center.
• Spending over $25,000 annually to preserve a haven of green, garden, beauty and peace as a witness to Waverly and Baltimore of the power of a disciplined spiritual life (And that doesn't include maintenance to the three buildings on the National Historic Register!).
• Providing for Waverly and the general public a free concert series of regional, national, and international musical artists on the third Sunday of every month from October through May.
• Cleaning the trash from our entire block of Greenmount Avenue every day.
• Opening our doors free of charge to community organisations.
• Partnering with The Barclay School to provide new books and reading tutors for their library.
• Providing a place for spiritual, visual, and musical respite in the midst of a reviving urban community.

Saint John's Church serves the larger Church and world by:

• Providing in Maryland on a regular basis the full order of Sunday and daily worship as ordered in The Book of Common Prayer.
• Offering complete choral celebrations of the Holy Eucharist on every principal feast of the Church Year.
• Carefully modelling in its services and devotions a spiritual Rule of Life for personal use based on The Book of Common Prayer.
• Working closely with the Greater Homewood Interfaith Alliance to address the spiritual and temporal concerns of most of central Baltimore.
• Providing center of excellence for professional experience and training for church musicians and organists in the classic Anglican liturgy and choral repertoire.
• Offering to everyone the deep and rich spiritual treasury of classic Anglican choral music in the context of worship as it was intended.
• Offering liturgical space for Zen meditation and interfaith co-operation.
• Offering a model for a slower paced, thoughtful, prayerful, questioning, disciplined, and joyful engagement with the Divine.
• Training a dozen licensed Lay Readers able to officiate at services of the Church.
• Regularly supporting financially the Sisters of Saint Margaret (Anglican) in their school and AIDS hospice work in Port-au-Prince, Haiti.

As you can see, although peaceful and serene in its disposition the church is very busy working improve the physical as well as spiritual well-being of the community. All of the above is currently being accomplished with only 113 individual members and a deficit budget (the Church needs over $750 a day just to survive).

These are testing times for us and so we trust that God will provide. We also work very hard and hope that after reading these web-pages you will be motivated to play a part in supporting our great effort. Simple donations certainly help but we hope that you will find time to visit the Church and become, at least in some small way, more personally involved.

If that means that you do no more than pick up a piece of litter that someone else has dropped it will help promote the work of the church you may find that your soul feels just a little warmer as a result.

Of course, if your motivation extends beyond this then you will want to read the next section...

Our Friends support us with contributions, volunteerism, and in-kind gifts of period pieces. We can always use your financial support, and that is always a most pressing need, but we can also use your gardening skills, your office skills, or your social skills as a docent.

Support of excellence in Church Music for worship is also essential and gifts to this end are welcome. We depend on our Friends to help us preserve to the Church's use its own brilliant treasury of music for the elevation of the soul. Underwriting the Music at Saint John's Church - be that in the form of sheet music, instrumental performance (i.e. Easter Brass), instrument improvement, choral scholars, and program endowment - can also make a fitting thanksgiving or memorial for a loved one.

Please, let us know how you would like to be a Friend - a link to our contact details section is provided here for your convenience: Contact Information

Although the initial contact e-mail address given for each of the lay ministries is in many cases that of the church administrator, the links provided should automatically generate the subject line of your e-mail which will make it easier for us to process your inquiry.

Alternatively, you can phone the Church Office on (410) 467-4793 and leave a message; or write; or visit. A link to our contact details section is provided here for your convenience: Contact Information

Quick links to Lay Ministries sub-sections on this page:

• The Altar Society of Saint John's Church
• The Christophers
• The Lector's Guild
• Saint Benedict's Guild
• Saint John's Garden Society
• Saint John's Missionary Guild
• Saint Luke's Guild
• Saint Monnica's Society
• The Schola
• Saint Martha's Guild
• The Usher's Guild

The Altar Society is divided into four Guilds, all under the supervision of the Sacristan. These guilds have highest responsibility in the Church, under the Rector's guidance, for the handling and care of the sacred vessels and the preparation and service of the Church in worship. Members of the Society are appointed by the Rector. Inquiries should be directed to Fr Jesse Parker c/o administrator.stjohns@verizon.net.

The Altar Guild prepares the Altars for all Sunday services and principal feasts. The care of the linens, silver and brass is a responsibility of this Guild. Members serve in monthly rotation. The Guild is responsible for general cleaning in the Sanctuary, and with the Rector's Verger, for oversight of cleaning throughout the Church. Contact: Ms Mazie Heil, Sacristan of Saint John's Church and President of the Altar Guild, c/o administrator.stjohns@verizon.net.

The Sewing Guild makes and repairs vestments, Altar linens, needlepoint, and has responsibility for the care of the Altar hangings and other fabric appointments in the Church. Members serve as needed. Contact: Ms Thavinh Keomanivong, Chair, c/o administrator.stjohns@verizon.net.

The Flower Guild provides floral decoration or greenery at the appropriate times for services during the Church Year. Many flowers come from home gardens and members are welcome to raid the Church gardens at anytime. The Flower Guild is responsible for all floral arrangements for weddings, funerals, or baptisms. Florists may work in Saint John's Church only under the Guild's strict supervision and direction. Contact: Mrs Diane Beckman, President, c/o administrator.stjohns@verizon.net.

The Acolyte Guild provides traditional assistance to the ministering priest or officiant during regular services of the Church. Members are trained by the Master of the Acolytes or Rector's Verger for service at the Altar and to assist the Altar Guild as needed. Contact: Mr Henry Lingenfelder, Master of the Acolytes, c/o administrator.stjohns@verizon.net.

Volunteers from the Congregation assist others by providing a ride to Church on a monthly basis or as arranged. This very important ministry maintains community and keeps our people involved in the church-centred activities of our congregational life. Contact: Henry Lingenfelder, c/o administrator.stjohns@verizon.net.

Members of the Congregation assist in the proclamation of Holy Scripture at services throughout the year. This Guild meets annually in October for instruction by the Rector and for "refresher" rehearsal. Contact: Mr Bruce Wertheimer, Convener, c/o administrator.stjohns@verizon.net.

The daily round of prayer and praise at Saint John's is kept heaven bound by this prayer group. The daily Offices of the Church are prayed at 7.45 AM and 5.45 PM, Monday through Friday, from Michaelmas (29 September) through Trinity Sunday (early June). Members are trained to lead the services of morning and evening prayer, Mattins and Evensong, and are then licensed by the Bishop to officiate. Individuals take as many or as few services in a month as their time permits. Contact: Mr Bruce Wertheimer, President, c/o administrator.stjohns@verizon.net.

The four and three-quarters acres of land which is Saint John's Church is an anchor property in Waverly, and its care is a crucial part of our ministry to the neighbourhood. Volunteers to assist in tending the several gardens at Saint John's are needed 'perennially'. Members work under the supervision of the Senior Sexton, Mr Michael Simon. Contact: Mr Michael Simon, c/o administrator.stjohns@verizon.net.

The external ministry of Saint John's Church is co-ordinated through this Guild. There are three commissions for this Guild. They are: neighbourhood, diocesan, and international service. Our neighbourhood ministry is in association with The Waverly Family Center. Our regional work is with the Franciscan Center and the Better Waverly Improvement Association. Food is collected regularly at the church for the pantry at the Franciscan Center. Our international work is done through the mission of the Sisters of Saint Margaret to the Haitian people, Saint Margaret's Convent, Pour-au-Prince, Haiti. Volunteers and donations in kind or cash are always welcome and urgently needed. Contact: Fr Matthew D'Amario, Vestry Missioner, at administrator.stjohns@verizon.net.

This Guild is dedicated to serving our housebound members. Each member of the Guild visits one or two members who are at home or in domiciliary care at least one day a month. They report monthly to the Rector and arrange a mutually convenient time for the administration of the Sacrament of Holy Communion. Members serve for two years to provide continuity of visitation. Contact: The Rector, c/o administrator.stjohns@verizon.net.

Urgent and/or prolonged intercessory prayer is the mission of this Society. Members pray for the truly desperate and difficult as requested, in addition to the regular prayers made at the Church's Daily Offices. Contact: Ms Joyce Corey, c/o administrator.stjohns@verizon.net.

The Schola is Saint John's popular volunteer choir, which performs occasionally throughout the year, but especially during Holy Week and during the summer season, when The Choir of Saint John's is in recess. Further information on the Schola, as well as information on requirements and auditioning for the group may be obtained on the Music page, or by contacting Mr Thomas Hetrick, Master of the Choirs and Organist, at administrator.stjohns@verizon.net.

Our Congregation's well-known hospitality is possible through this group of volunteers who help extend the welcome to visitors and parishoners after services. Help is always needed and the number of volunteers never enough. There are ways for all to help. Contact the Church Office if you want to help, Chair, c/o administrator.stjohns@verizon.net.

Men and women of the Congregation welcome those attending service, distribute service leaflets, supervise parking (out of and in Church!), assist in the collection of alms, and prevent disruption of Divine Service. An important ministry of hospitality. Training annually in September, and by appointment. Contact: Mr Charles Spinks, Chair, c/o administrator.stjohns@verizon.net.

All of the contacts for the Lay Ministries at Saint John's may be reached by phoning the Church Office, (410) 467-4793, and leaving a message either with the Administrator, or on the voice mail. Or, if you prefer, you may e-mail the Administrator directly, at administrator.stjohns@verizon.net.

Sisters of Saint Margaret (Anglican) - school and AIDS hospice work in Port-au-Prince, Haiti.

The People's Community Health Centre - Baltimore's oldest free clinic.

GOODWILL (The Waverly Family Center information near the bottom of the page)

Franciscan Center (Sisters of St. Francis of Assisi)