What to Expect

St. John's at a Glance

St. John's is a community of just over 1000 households from in and around Ellicott City, and surrounding areas in Howard and Baltimore counties and beyond.
We have over 50 ministries at work in our parish serving God, one another, and the community at large.
Our children and youth programs have close to 150 enrolled participants.
St. John's celebrated its 200th anniversary in 2023.
We have a thriving Parish Day School with an enrollment of 328 in the 2024-2025 school year.

Where Do I Go?

St. John's holds weekend services in our Historic Church, All Saints Hall, and Resurrection Chapel. Plenty of parking is available adjacent to each building. Note our Campus Map. You will be greeted at the door, and ushers are available to help and guide you. Visit our Worship Times page for more service details.

What Do I Wear?

Whatever makes you comfortable. Some members get more dressed up, some less.

What About My Kids?

Children are a vital part of our community. Children are welcome in our services at all times – our worship is enhanced by the joyful sounds of our smaller members. In the Historic Church, we have a soft space available downstairs in the Undercroft if you need a place to tend to your child or take a break. In All Saints Hall, we have a rug and rocker area that kids and parents are welcome to utilize. We also offer noise-canceling headphones. Your children and youth are also invited to participate in our Children's Connect and Youth Connect formation program on Sundays from 10:10 a.m. to 10:50 a.m. For questions about our Children’s and Youth programs, email Georgi Funderburk, Minister of Faith & Practice for Children & Youth, at gfunderburk@stjohnsec.org.

Will I Be Welcome at Communion?

Everyone regardless of age or background is welcome to join in Communion. If you trust that Jesus Christ lived, died, and rose from the dead for your salvation and the life of the world, you are invited to come forward to receive the Body of Christ and the cup of Salvation. If you require a gluten-free wafer, please ask the clergy. If you prefer to receive a blessing instead of Communion, cross your hands across your chest and the clergy will offer God’s blessing to you. If you would like to receive Communion but are unable to come forward, please let an usher know.

When you come to church at St. John’s, you can expect to find...

Space to Encounter God. Our services include hymns, prayers, and time for silence, as well as Communion and sermons that connect our Scriptures to our lives.

Space to Become Who God Wants You to Be. Worshipers at St. John’s come from many different places, backgrounds, and perspectives and we see this diversity as a reflection of God’s Kingdom.

Space to make deep relationships. Whether it's your first time or your hundredth, there's always an opportunity to get better connected with God and one another at St. John’s. Join us at coffee hour or stop by the Welcome station on your way out. We look forward to meeting you and getting to know you better.

Who are we?

We are a caring and engaged community of all ages, some long-time members and some wonderfully new, who value inclusiveness not only in who makes up the Body of Christ but also in the multiple ways in which we worship — traditional, contemporary, and contemplative. We believe that people of various religious backgrounds, and of no religious background at all, are welcome with us. We hope at St. John’s they will feel met by God who already knows and loves them.

We value

Care for each other
Fellowship and formation for people at all stages of life who are looking for community and spiritual growth
Intellectual and spiritual curiosity
Wide-ranging outreach ministries
Vibrant music programs

Our congregation and campus have deep roots, historic buildings, and beloved traditions, along with modern facilities for contemporary worship and a thriving Episcopal school for children from preschool through 5th grade. We are the privileged stewards of large and beautiful grounds, which we endeavor to care for as integral to God’s Creation.

Our next rector will be someone who will love us into our next chapter, and guide us into the work of reconciliation in the world.

What do we seek?

→A well-organized leader who thrives in a people-centered, many-faceted, vibrant, collaborative environment and who can develop effective, joyful lay leadership.

The new rector should be self-aware and demonstrate warmth and responsive listening in order to build relationships and make all feel worthy, welcomed, and cared for. This person should work toward both deepening and expanding the sense of fellowship within our community.

This person should have strong writing and speaking skills and be able to preach sermons that engage, inspire, and make the gospel relevant to our modern lives. We hope our new rector will lead us to sustain and expand our programs in Christian formation for all ages.

This person also needs to be interested in learning about and supporting our Episcopal Day school, and in understanding the financial needs and concerns of St. John’s.

We also need someone who is flexible and in tune with effective practices for sustaining an Episcopal congregation in the face of new challenges, and who is committed to bringing in and nurturing youth, young families, and the next generation in our community.

We seek to become a visible and welcoming spiritual and emotional resource in Howard County.

Questions should be directed to The Rev. Kristin Krantz, Canon for Transitions at KKrantz@episcopalmaryland.org.