Ministries & Ministry Groups

The people of St. John's are involved in many ministries within our congregation, in our wider city, and in the wider world. The main Ministry Groups and Ministries are listed below in alphabetical order. If you are interested in learning more about a particular ministry or working group, please contact the appropriate person listed below. Thanks!

Administrative Ministry Group: stewards the good use of our financial and human resources through overseeing personnel, financial, managerial, stewardship, capital planning, and other related matters. Contact Julian Long, Senior Warden, at julianlong@earthlink.net. Meets as needed and conducts business online.

Adult Education Ministry Group: plans and coordinates Sunday and mid-week opportunities for adult Christian Education, Bible Study, discussion and fellowship throughout the year, especially September - May. Meets bi-monthly and conducts business online. Contact Brent Brower-Toland at brent.bt@gmail.com.

Altar Guild: prepares and maintains the sacred vessels, candles, bread, and other materials used in our liturgy and coordinates church cleaning days several times a year. Each altar guild member serves before & after the 10:00 a.m. service approximately once a month. Contact Christine Cannon at ccannon@kingdomhouse.org.

Buildings & Grounds Ministry Group: maintains and improves our most visible tools for ministry, our buildings and grounds. Contact G.W. Kelly, Junior Warden, at hhdc01@sbcglobal.net. Meets as needed for planning and projects and conducts other business online.

Children's Christian Formation Ministry Group: teaches and shepherds our younger members through service projects, worship and other nurturing opportunities. Meets informally and conducts business online. Contact Muffin Rowlyk at krowlyk@yahoo.com

Choir: under the expert direction of Director of Music Michael Shirk, the volunteer choir leads worship through music at the 10:00 a.m. service and other special events. Rehearses once a week September - May. Contact Michael Shirk at michael@towergrovechurch.org. See also Choir.

Coffee Hosts: provide hospitality and refreshments for worshippers after the 10:00 a.m. Sunday service and other special events. Coffee Hosts serve approximately once every two months. Contact Bryan Cather at catt967@yahoo.com.

Episcopal Campus Ministry at St. Louis University: meets for worship and fellowship every Sunday at 7:00 p.m. in the Fusz Hall Chapel on the Frost Campus at SLU. See ECM at SLU. Contact Pastor Teresa at teresa@towergrovechurch.org or Kathi Wilson at kathi@towergrovechurch.org.

Gardening Club: As weather permits, meets in the summer & autumn on a weekly basis for fellowship, prayer, and sprucing up our gardens. Contact Pastor Teresa at teresa@towergrovechurch.org.

Healing & Visitation Ministries: offers anointing and prayers for healing of body, mind, and spirit at the 10:00 a.m. service and throughout the week; visits the homebound and hospitalized. Contact Pastor Teresa at teresa@towergrovechurch.org

Hospitality at Special Events: coordinates BBQs, the Hanging of the Greens party in December, the Homecoming Picnic and other special events. Contact Christine Cannon at ccannon@kingdomhouse.org. Meets as needed.

Lay Ministers at 10:00 a.m.: lay ministers lead worship at the 10:00 a.m. service by serving as ushers, worship leaders, eucharistic ministers, prayer leaders, and readers. Trainings conducted several times a year. Contact Dale Cannon at dale_max_cannon@yahoo.com

Liturgy Advisory Group: advises the rector, the Rev. Teresa K. Mithen, about the components of our worship services. Meets seasonally and conducts business online. Contact Pastor Teresa at teresa@towergrovechurch.org.

The Messenger: a newsletter by, for, and about the lay people of St. John's. Contact Dale Cannon at dale_max_cannon@yahoo.com Produced bi-monthly.

Service & Advocacy Ministry Group: striving for justice and peace through concrete missional projects that address the hurts and hopes of people in our community. Contact Allyce Bullock at allycebull@sbcglobal.net to join the Ministry Group, which meets bi-monthly and conducts other business online. Current projects include:

• Episcopal City Mission - twice a year, members of St. John's throw birthday parties for children in the City Detention Center. Through ECM, we also collect Christmas presents and raise money for this important ministry. Contact St. John's ECM Ambassador Christine Cannon at ccannon@kingdomhouse.org and/or visit www.ecitymission.org for more information.

• The Peace Meal Project - a feeding ministry of St. John's, in which we invite clients from our tenant organizations and other local agencies to share a free fellowship meal with us. Currently, once a month. Will be significantly expanded by Fall 2008, thanks to almost $30,000 in gifts and grants to upgrade our kitchen! Contact - Allyce Bullock, Convener of the Service & Advocacy Ministry Group, at allycebull@sbcglobal.net.

• Jobs with Justice - as a member group of the St. Louis Area Jobs with Justice coalition, the Service & Advocacy group supports worker justice through letter writing, "Being There" for struggling workers at meetings, rallies, and other events. Contact Pastor Teresa at teresa@towergrovechurch.org.

• Companion Diocese of Lui, Sudan - The Diocese of Missouri, of which St. John's is a part, is in a covenant relationship with the Diocese of Lui in southern Sudan. Members of St. John's pray for, learn about, and contribute financially to supporting this relationship. For more information, contact Allyce Bullock at allycebull@sbcglobal.net or Phyllis Jacobson Mithen at pjmithen144@msn.com or visit http://www.diocesemo.org/whoweare/dioceseoflui.

• United Thank Offering - is a ministry of the national and diocesan Episcopal Church Women. UTO provides grants for mission projects, including an $11,000 2007 grant to St. John's for the Peace Meal Project! We collect donations for UTO twice a year. For additional information about ECW in the Diocese of Missouri contact Karen Birr ksbirr@charter.net.

Welcoming Ministry Group: provides hospitality, information, and a warm welcome to guests, visitors, and newcomers to St. John's. Contact Gina Malone at buglacroix@yahoo.com.

Worship Leaders at 5:00 p.m.: In partnership with Pastor Teresa, leads the informal, shorter worship service at 5:00 p.m. in the main church. Contact teresa@towergrovechurch.org.

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Thank You!