What We Believe
At St. John’s Church we believe that…
God is the Father, Maker of heaven and earth. God reveals Himself in three distinct persons: Father, Son and Holy Spirit. (1Corinthians 8:6)
We’re Always Excited to Welcome New Visitors
We're always excited to welcome new visitors. We hope you'll join us for a service, and we want to make your visit as comfortable as possible. Here's what you can expect when you come to either our 9:30 am Contemporary or 11:00 am Traditional Sunday services.
Our church is located at 6611 Proctor Rd Sarasota FL 34241, and parking is located behind the church.
If you have mobility restrictions or young children to carry, feel free to use one of the spots closest to the door or drop off under the overhang in front of the main church doors.
Please don't worry about what you'll wear to church,
for we truly believe people should come to God as they are. You don't need to dress up to get his approval--that comes through Jesus' sacrifice. Once you walk in the doors, you'll see that the congregation has all types of people in all kinds of dress. While a few people in the church wear ties, some come in more casual attire. Shorts are as welcome as suits, and you'll see both.
When you walk in,
find one of our greeters and introduce yourself. They're usually stationed at the doors and Welcome Station, and they'll show you where everything is. They'll help you find the nursery and Sunday school rooms if you have children ages 0-11. Our greeters can also point you to the restrooms, sanctuary and fellowship areas. If you have any questions about the service itself, the greeters are able to provide helpful answers.
Be sure to hang around after the service and join us for cookies & coffee.
You'll have a chance to meet our pastor and many other people in the church. We'd also love to get to know you so you're a familiar face the next time you come.
What To Expect
When you come to join us for the first time,
one of our greeters will be glad to help you become comfortable. If you'd like, they'll help you find the nursery (which is fully staffed and safely run), restrooms, sanctuary and, of course, coffee after the service.
During the service,
you'll hear our faith expressed in the songs we sing, prayers we offer up and our pastor's preaching. All parts of our service are grounded in the Bible, which we are committed to upholding. Here at St. John’s, we agree with the Apostle's Creed, which we may read during the service.
Contemporary Worship 9:30 am Sundays
During our Contemporary worship you will find a blended style of worship that incorporates some traditional practices, such as reciting the Apostle’s Creed and Lord’s Prayer together, alongside well known Contemporary praise and worship songs led by a LIVE worship team of musicians and volunteers. You’re encouraged to sit or stand as you wish and will find all the words on the large sanctuary screens.
Traditional Worship 11:00 am Sundays
During our Traditional worship services you will find many common practices including a congregational Call to Worship, Apostle’s Creed, and Lord’s Prayer alongside well known hymns and choir songs provided by our volunteer Chancel Choir, Handbell Ministry and/or professional guest musicians. Hymnals are provided along with the words on our large sanctuary screens.
After the service,
join us for a cup of coffee and a cookie (or three) and give us a chance to get to know each other. Say hello to our pastor and anyone else you see. We'd all love to hear your story and share ours with you.
No matter what your Christian background is (or isn't), we hope you'll join us on Sunday. Here at St John's, you'll find people of many different backgrounds, and we welcome everyone--including you. Our services start at 9:30 and 11:00 a.m. every Sunday.
“Let us think of ways to motivate one another to acts of love and good works”
(Hebrews 10:24) NLT
At St. John's, we have a simple hope: to see people come to know Jesus Christ and grow in their Christian faith. Our ministries come in all shapes and sizes. Please come and join us for worship.
Children's Ministry
Our Children's ministry allows children to hear and rejoice while learning about good news of Jesus Christ. We seek to create a fun and loving environment for all Children. Children's ministry is available for ages 0-11 years during our 9:30 service. Nursery is also provided during our 9:30 service.
Student Ministry
Student ministry is available for grades 6-12 Wednesday nights from 6:00pm – 7:30pm.
Men's Ministry
Men's ministry provides opportunities for men to get together for worship and community outreach. Whether we are overseeing our annual Christmas tree lot or supporting one of our local non profits our mission is to grow in our faith and to build strong relationships with our friends and community. Men's ministry meets monthly over breakfast.
Ladies Ministry
LIFT (Ladies in Faith Together) provides opportunities for women to get together for worship and community outreach. Whether we are getting together for a bible study or retreat our mission is to grow in our faith and to build strong relationships with our friends and community. Women's ministry meets every Wednesday from 6pm - 7:30pm
Music Ministries
Here at St. John’s we believe music is a gift from God and a meaningful way to worship and praise Him.
During the Traditional Services, our Chancel Choir leads in singing hymns as well as carefully selected choir anthems. Our Handbell Ministry rings once a month and on occasion we invite guest musicians to enhance our worship experience.
The Contemporary Praise Band offers popular Christian music with live vocals and instrumentalists.
Outreach
At St John’s we believe outreach is central in our practice of discipleship. Some of our local opportunities for outreach include: Caring Card Ministries, Prayer Shawl Ministry, Feeding the Homeless, Community Outreach, and Children First http://www.childrenfirst.net
We’re also in partnership with ministries internationally including:
- ICDM (International Chrisitan Development Mission) http://www.ICDM.us
- Our Sister Methodist Church in Alajuela Costa Rica.
Jesus is God’s only Son, conceived by the Holy Spirit, and born of a virgin. Jesus was sent by God to die in order to reconcile the world to Himself. (Luke 1:35)
The Holy Spirit is the third person of the God head. The Spirit resides within every follower of Christ and provides guidance and power to lead a life that is pleasing an honoring to God. (Acts 1:8)
The Bible is God’s Holy Word, breathed by the Holy Spirit. The Bible contains more than sufficient information so as to lead the person to belief in Christ for salvation. (2 Timothy 3:16-17)
Every person is created by God in His image and deserving of respect and dignity. (Ephesians 2:10)
The Church is God’s redeemed body, scattered throughout the world, in many expressions, sizes and shapes. The Church is uniquely empowered by the Holy Spirit to co-labor with Jesus in the transformation of the world. (Acts 1:8, 2:42)
The grace of God is available to all persons from the very the moment of conception. This grace is manifested in three distinct expressions: prevenient, justifying and sanctifying! (2 Corinthians 12:9)
Life eternal commences the moment a person surrenders to the Lordship of Christ. These persons will spend eternity with Christ. Unfortunately, those who reject the Lordship of Christ will spend eternity away from God. It is the desire of Christ that not one shall spend eternity away from Him. (John 3:16, 10:10)