Parish Life

Parish Life

All Christians are called to ministry through their baptism, and each person within the Saint John's community is called to contribute to and partake of our parish life. The Saint John's Vestry and church infrastructure provide a broad-based opportunity for the effective integration of the multitude of talent and needs within the parish. We hope you find this literature informative. If you would like more information about an organization, ministry, or any aspect of Saint John's parish life, please contact the responsible person listed at the end of this Guide, or contact the Senior Warden at 658-4591 or e-mail pbousquet@cox.net.

A B C D E J L M N P R S T V W

Altar Flowers

The flowers that grace the altar each Sunday are donated weekly. The Altar flowers are an important contribution to the Sunday service and donors are encouraged. Altar flowers may be donated in memory of loved ones, or in celebration of or thanksgiving for a special event. The flowers are placed on the traditional altar. Altar flowers may be reserved through the Altar Guild Directress, who will order them from the florist and arrange for an invoice to be mailed to the donor. (See also Sanctuary flowers)

Annual Parish Meeting

A meeting of all members of Saint John's which is convened annually by the Rector (or the Priest-in-Charge) on the last Sunday of January immediately following the Sunday worship service. During this meeting, clergy and lay leaders present their reports on church operations and activities during the preceding year, an election is held to fill the vacancies created by expiring Vestry terms of office, the proposed Annual Budget is presented and voted upon, the annual Spirit of Saint John's Awards are presented, goals are discussed, and members have the opportunity to offer comments, feedback and ask questions of church leadership.

Annual Report

Because Saint John's Church is a corporation (incorporated March 13, 1940), we are required to prepare and submit an Annual Report of church operations, activities and finances to the Office of the Attorney General of the State of Rhode Island. The Senior Warden is responsible for ensuring that the report is compiled, published and distributed, and for the accuracy and completeness of its contents. Material for the Annual Report is submitted to the Senior Warden by assigned clergy, Vestry members, staff, and lay ministry leaders. The Annual Report is published each January and distributed to the membership at the Annual Parish Meeting on the last Sunday of each January. For a copy of the most recent Annual Report, please contact a Greeter in church or the Senior Warden.

Bulletin

The Sunday Bulletin is published every Sunday and made available to all persons attending worship services. The Bulletin serves as the primary means of written communications to keep members of the parish informed on a variety of topics of interest. Typically, the Bulletin will contain the liturgy for the worship service; Parish News; special announcements such as births, baptisms, marriages, deaths, birthdays and anniversaries; the Prayers of the People and the Diocesan Cycle of Prayer; upcoming events; and the names of the lay ministries volunteers serving that day. The Bulletin is compiled and published by the Bulletin Coordinator. Any parishioner may submit material for consideration for inclusion in a Sunday Bulletin. The deadline for submissions is Thursday of each week.

Constitution and Bylaws

The regulations of a corporation that, subject to statutory law and the articles of incorporation, provide the basic rules for the conduct of the corporation's business and affairs. As a religious corporation, the Saint John's Constitution and Bylaws is also subject to the Canons of the Episcopal Church USA and those of the Episcopal Diocese of Rhode Island.

Deacon

A deacon is an ordained assisting minister whose main functions at the Eucharist are to read the Gospel, prepare the gifts at the Offertory, assist with the administration of Communion, and dismiss the congregation at the conclusion of the service. In the absence of a bishop or priest, a deacon may administer Communion from the Reserved Sacrament. In the Episcopal Church, Deacon is a clerical order; in fact, it is the initial level of ordination in the Episcopal Church. Deacon Mary Hitt of Saint John's, who was assigned to us in December 2002, is the church's first deacon in our 134-year history.

Deanery

A geographical division of a diocese into which parishes are grouped. In the Diocese of Rhode Island, there are six deaneries. Saint John's is one of the 12 parishes which make up the Blackstone Valley Deanery.

Diocese

Saint John's is a parish within the Episcopal Diocese of Rhode Island. Our bishop is the Right Reverend Geralyn Wolf. The Diocese is based in Providence.

Elections

At each Annual Parish Meeting on the last Sunday in January, elections are held to fill vacancies on the Vestry created by expiring terms of office. The election is preceded by a nomination process which normally begins 60-90 days prior to the Annual Meeting and which is designed to identify qualified candidates for the election. Information on qualification criteria for candidates are contained in the Saint John's Bylaws.

Junior Warden

The Junior Warden, an elected member of the Vestry, is responsible for the upkeep and maintenance of all parish property and grounds, and the management of our leased properties. The Junior Warden also assists the Senior Warden, as needed, and, in the absence of the Senior Warden, assumes the duties and responsibilities of the Senior Warden.

Lay Ministries

Lay ministries are those ministries which are carried out by volunteers from among the members of the parish. Each ministry is unique, but all of them contribute in their own special way to doing God's work, spreading the Good News, and to achieving our mission "to teach, preach and heal in the name of Jesus Christ. Lay ministries are open to youth and adults, and include Greeters, Readers, Counters, Acolytes, Eucharistic Ministers, Eucharistic Visitors, Music and Choir, Fellowship, Outreach, Altar Guild, Sunday School, Parish Development, Youth Ministry, and Stewardship.

Memorial Fund

The Saint John's Memorial Fund, administered by the Altar Guild Directress, provides a convenient way for friends and relatives to make donations to the church in memory of one who has died. Such gifts are used to purchase church appointments of lasting quality, such as sacramental vessels and other furnishings. To make a donation to the Memorial Fund, please contact the Altar Guild Directress.

Parish Directory

A directory containing information on all members of Saint John's. The Directory is published each January and distributed at the Annual Parish Meeting. For a copy of the current Directory, please contact a Greeter or the Senior Warden.

Pledging

Pledging is that element of the Stewardship ministry by which the members of Saint John's make an intentional monetary gift toward the operating expenses of the parish. Saint John's does not use any endowment or trust fund income for operating expenses. The current members of the church pay for current expenses (e.g. the salary and benefits of the Rector or Priest-in-Charge, Diocesan apportionment, insurance policies, utility bills, ministry support), and other financial obligations directly related to and in support of church operations and the successful achievement of our mission to teach, preach and heal in the name of Jesus Christ. At Saint John's, the Annual Stewardship Campaign typically begins in the fall and runs thru the end of the year. Pledge cards are provided to all members who fill them out and return them to the Stewardship Committee. Pledges made during any given Stewardship Campaign take effect on January 1 of the following year. Member pledges may be paid by cash or check using the yearly supply of pledge envelopes with which each member is provided, and done so via the alms basin at Sunday services or through the mail to the Parish Office. Pledging members will receive quarterly statements regarding the status of their pledging, which serve as the source documents to support this deduction at tax time. Information obtained from returned pledge cards plays a critical role in the formulation of the church's proposed budget for the following year, particularly since pledges account for about half of the operating budget. Your gift, through pledging, is most appreciated as the parish works diligently to meet its expenses and maintain its self-supporting status, and will be used wisely. All members are encouraged to understand and regard their gift as an expression of their thanksgiving to God by returning a portion of what you have to God for all that God has given you, and as an investment in the vision, the growth and the future of Saint John's.

Rector

The cleric who is in charge of a fully self-supporting parish; the spiritual leader of the parish. At Saint John's, our Rector is the Reverend Jeffrey A. Jencks.

Sanctuary Candle

The sanctuary candle burns throughout the week every week of the year and serves to remind us that the bread and wine of the Eucharist are reserved in the ombrey (wall safe) in the sanctuary. A sanctuary candle donation ($5) may be given in memory of loved ones, or in celebration of or thanksgiving for a special event. The sanctuary candle so donated burns for seven days (the burn time of the candle) in memory or in honor of the specified person or event; this information appears in the Bulletin for the selected Sunday. Sanctuary candles may be reserved through the Altar Guild Directress.

Senior Warden

The Senior Warden is the senior lay leader of the parish, and is in charge of and oversees the work of the Vestry, and is an elected member of the Vestry. In this capacity, the Senior Warden is responsible for all areas of parish life and operations not specifically delegated by Canon Law and Diocesan policy to the Rector (or the Priest-in-Charge). The Senior Warden also serves as a consultant and advisor to the Rector (or the Priest-in-Charge). In the absence of the Rector (or the Priest-in-Charge), the Senior Warden assumes, with the assistance of supply clergy, the duties and responsibilities of the Rector (or the Priest-in-Charge). In the performance of his/her duties, the Senior Warden is directly responsible to the Rector (or the Priest-in-Charge).

Treasurer

The Treasurer, an elected member of the Vestry, is responsible for all of the financial affairs of the parish, to include maintaining financial records for all pledges, receipts, disbursements, payables and all assets and liabilities; preparing monthly financial reports; assisting and advising the Vestry with financial planning and preparation of the annual budget; conducting annual audits; and all financial aspects of clergy compensation.

Vestry

The Vestry is the legal governing, leadership, and planning body of the parish. They have responsibility for the fiscal oversight and operation of the parish and the maintenance of all its physical property. They are also responsible for the oversight of the pastoral relationship. Its purpose is to speak for and represent all members of the congregation as it oversees and makes decisions concerning the temporal and, in concert with the Rector (or the Priest-in-Charge), the spiritual well being of the church. The Saint John's Bylaws provide for a 10-person Vestry consisting of four officer (a Senior Warden, Junior Warden, Treasurer, and Secretary), and six Vestrypersons. All Vestry members are elected by the voting members of the parish at the Annual Parish Meeting; elected members serve three-year terms. To carry out its work, the Vestry is comprised of and supported by standing and ad hoc committees, and staff personnel. The vestry meets on the second Monday of each month at 7:00 p.m. in the Parish Center, and meetings are open to all parishioners.

Website

Saint John's has had a presence on the Internet since 2001 through our website at www.stjohnsofcumberland.org. The website is an important communications tool for spreading the Good News and information about us to and beyond our parish community, especially to people who may be looking for a church to call home, or former parishioners who have moved away and want to "check in on their former parish". The website was designed and is maintained by a member of Saint John's who serves as our Webmaster.

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