St Johns Ross | Connect
Worship Services
Sunday  
8am: Holy Eucharist with organ music in the Church  
9am: Family Service held in the Parish Hall  
10am: Holy Eucharist with choral and organ music in the Church (includes nursery care, and Sunday School)
 
Tuesday
6pm: Dinner Church in the Parish Hall 
 
2nd Thursdays
Noon:
Eucharist w/Healing Prayers in the Chapel 
-- 
This Sunday
October 1: The Twentieth
Sunday after Pentecost
St. John's Church
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Contact 
St. John's Episcopal Church 
PO Box 217 
14 Lagunitas Road  
Ross, CA 94957

phone: 415.456.1102
Vestry
A list of current vestry members is available here.
God_hed
Our baptismal covenant calls us to "strive for justice and peace among all people and to respect the dignity of every human being." One of the ways we do this is through engaging, as we see best, in the civic and political life of our community and nation for the sake of those who are disenfranchised and to counteract injustice. The Presiding Bishop of the Episcopal Church, the bishop of our diocese, and the Episcopal Public Policy Network (a non-partisan advocacy network promoting policies approved by the Episcopal Church) are calling on all Episcopalians to urge congress to request a thorough environmental assessment of the Dakota Access Pipeline that threatens sacred burial ground and water rights of the Standing Rock Sioux Tribe. The Army Corps of Engineers halted work over concerns expressed by the tribe. Our Presiding Bishop says this issue combines racial justice with climate justice. More information is available here and you can take action if you wish here. Our bishop, Marc Andrus, has written about the issue on his blog here.

Speaking of our bishop, St. John's is part of the Episcopal Diocese of California. If you would like to know more about what is going on in our diocese you can subscribe to the weekly email from the diocese called DioBytes here.

God's Peace,
The Rev, Chris Rankin-Williams, Rector
  email Rev. Chris 

Community
Join us at the St. John's Harvest Auction! On Friday, 10/7 starting at 6.30pm in the Parish Hall we'll have wonderful auction items, heavy appetizers provided by
M.H. Bread & Butter, a hosted bar and live jazz. Proceeds benefit our Children's and Youth Ministries. Tickets are $50/person and can be purchased online here.

Bike Church Sunrise Service at Lake Lagunitas Come Hydrate your Soul at Bike Church. Meet at St. John's this aturday, 10/1 at 7am for 7:15am roll-out. We will ride to Lake Lagunitas via fire roads on Mt. Tam for a sunrise Eucharist. Mountain and Cross bikes recommended. Alternate route available for road bikes. Coffee and pastries provided by St. John's Men's Group at the lake. Helmets required. Wear your St. John's cycling kit if you have one. Extended ride option on Mt. Tam following the service.Non-cyclists are welcome to meet us at the Lake around 8am.

YoothGroop Movie Night All youth grade 6-12 are invited to Movie Night at St. John's this Sunday, 10/2 from 5:30-8pm in the Parish Hall. We will watch either "Remember The Titans" or "The Truman Show" with a discussion to follow. Dinner is provided.

Newcomer Welcome Team Forming We are an amazingly special community of compassionate, kind-hearted Christians - let's share our unique gifts and welcoming spirit with those who are shopping for a new church, new to our congregation or revisiting us after a period of other church exploration. Your role will be one of greeting new members at a service of your choice, serving as a host during 10a coffee hour, serving as a newcomer resource during non service times - effectively mentoring newcomers as they make their way through their early days and months at St John's. We will be holding a newcomer team orientation and training on Tuesday, 10/4 at 5pm in the Youth Room. Please contact Lori Akers via email or phone, 415.233.2626.

St. John's Women's Group: October Meeting Our next gathering will be in the Parish Hall Fireside Room on Wednesday, 10/26 from 7pm-9pm. It's a potluck supper FILLED WITH THE SPIRIT to celebrate each other and the faith we share. No tricks, all treats at this pre-Halloween gathering. Come in costume if you like or just as you are - but come! RSVP here to Jane Heath on if you are planning to attend.
 
Sunday School has begun!
 All are welcome - nursery care is available for children ages 0-4, and ages 5-18 are invited to Sunday School during the 10am service. Just walk in to the Administration Building behind the church and our greeter will direct you to your class. Please feel free to contact our new Director of Children's Ministry Sandra Pathik, email or 415.456.1102, x115 
 
Sunday School Team Get Together! Current and prospective teachers, please join us for a get together at 11:45am on Sunday, 10/9 (after the Blessing of the Animals) in the Fireside Room to share ideas and suggestions, welcome new teachers, and get on the same page for the year. Snacks and child care will be available. Questions? Please email our Director of Children's Ministries, Sandra Pathik.  

Parish Community Service Three more dates (all Saturdays) have been scheduled: 10/8, 11/12, and 12/10 for the SVdP Dining Room. Contact Becky Hlesbasko via email or phone, 415-846-1589 for details.

R.E.S.T. Online Signups Through the Rotating Emergency Shelter Team, congregations in Marin County work together to offer meals, shelter, and companionship for the homeless from November through April. St. John's provides evening meals, hosts, and volunteers for eighteen Mondays. For more information or to signup click here.
Tradition1
On Sunday, 10/9, St. John's celebrates the feast of St. Francis of Assisi, with a special outdoor service on the lawn at 10am. In remembrance of St. Francis' commitment to treating animals as respected brothers and sisters, pets are welcome at the 9am in the parish hall and at the 10am service on the lawn. At 11:15am, there will be a Blessing of the Animals outside the church with a reception and treats for animals and humans. This year, we would like to make a special effort to invite animals lovers, even those who are not regular churchgoers, to come to the 11:15am blessing. This is a great chance to invite friends and neighbors to a fun, low-key event at church. Our friends from the New Skellig community will also be joining us.   

St. Francis was born into a merchant family in Assisi in the 12th century. He lived the life of a wealthy playboy until he had a series of visions. In these visions, Francis experienced God calling him to a life of poverty, to ministry with beggars, lepers, and outcasts. And so Francis gave up everything he owned and set out. He lived a life of poverty, owning nothing, begging for his food, and caring for others. At a time when animals were seen as dumb beasts created to serve human beings, Francis was a radical who viewed them as brothers and sisters worthy of respect and care. And at a time when women were viewed as property, Francis treated them as valued colleagues.
 
And on top of it all, Francis was happy. Joyful and loving, in a way that was infectious and spread to everyone he met. It's right that we remember him by welcoming our neighbors and blessing the animals that bring us such joy.