St. John's Episcopal Church

Summer Service Schedule
2025-06-22 - 2025-08-31
On Sundays from June 22 through August 31, there will be a 9 a.m. outdoor service in the Cloister Garden (Hubbard Hall if it rains) and a 10:30 a.m. service in the church (which will also be livestreamed).

Church by the Pond in Bushnell Park
2025-07-26 14:00 - 15:00 (America/New_York)
Every Saturday at 2 p.m., clergy and congregations from Episcopal and Lutheran parishes around the state host an outdoor worship service at Bushnell Park and distribute brown-bag meals to anyone in attendance who is hungry. St. John’s will host Church by the Pond on Saturday, July 26, with the Reverend Margie Baker presiding. Meet at noon at St. John’s to prepare bagged meals, or meet at Bushnell Park by 1:45 p.m. Provide sandwich supplies by signing up at sjparish.net/churchbythepond. Church by the Pond is a ministry of Christ Church Cathedral.

Blessing of the Backpacks
2025-08-24
All students and educators are invited to bring a backpack, tote bag, laptop case, lunch box, etc. to be blessed and tagged with a reminder of God’s love to carry with them through the coming school year. The Blessing of the Backpacks will take place at both services (9 a.m. and 10:30 a.m.).

Acolyte Lunch & Training
2025-08-31 12:00 - 14:00
Calling all current and future acolytes! All children and youth in 3rd grade and above (including those who sing with the Choir School) are invited to attend this annual training to learn more about how acolytes assist the clergy with worship. The training will begin after the 10:30 service, and lunch will be provided.

Program Year Begins
2025-09-07 08:00 - 12:00
On Sunday, September 7, we will return to the program year schedule: 8 a.m. spoken Holy Eucharist, Christian education for all ages at 9:30 a.m., 10:30 a.m. choral Holy Eucharist, and professionally staffed nursery care from 9 a.m. to noon. During the education hour at 9:30 a.m., we will host the final of our Education Wing open houses for anyone who wishes to learn more about our growing programs for children and youth, and the proposed space upgrades for this space that are included in the fall 2025 capital campaign.

Wednesday Evening Eucharist resumes
2025-09-10 17:30
On Wednesdays during the program year, we offer a brief service of spoken Holy Eucharist in the chancel (front of the church) at 5:30 p.m. All are welcome.

Jazz at the Red Door
2025-09-26 19:30 - 21:00
A favorite sell-out annual event, the Jazz at the Red Door concert features the Nat Reeves Trio. Bassist Nat Reeves will be joined by the legendary composer and pianist George Cables, and Emmy-winning composer Jerome Jennings on drums. No tickets required, but come early to get a seat! Donations are gratefully accepted.

Choral Evensong
2025-09-28 17:00
Evensong is a service of prayer, scripture, and music offered around sunset. Learn more about this ancient and beautiful form of worship here. The September 28 Evensong will feature music from the St. John’s Adult Choir and Choir School.

Pipes Alive! with Nick Capozzoli
2025-10-05 12:30 - 13:00
Our monthly Pipes Alive! series of short organ recitals returns with our own Nick Capozzoli, director of music at St. John’s. Free admission with donations accepted.

Capital Campaign Kick-Off Event
2025-10-19 12:00
After the 10:30 service on Sunday, October 19, we’ll host a special coffee hour to officially kick off the congregational phase of our Fall 2025 Capital Campaign, which is raising money to ensure a healthy and vibrant future for St. John’s. Projects to be funded by the capital campaign include paying off the cost our new, more efficient HVAC system, upgrading security, renovating the Education Wing to better accommodate our growing children’s programs, and adding to the endowment. Come learn more about the progress made on the campaign so far and how you can support it!

Trivia Night
2025-10-19 17:00
Join us for one of our semiannual Trivia Nights! Hosted by the youth group (but open to EVERYONE), Trivia Night is all about gathering for food, fun, and friendly competition. You might even learn an interesting fact or two. Bring your own team or get matched up with a team at the event. Pizza dinner provided, with cash donations accepted to defray costs. Please RSVP to the parish office by Thursday, October 17 so we know how much pizza to order!

Chili Cook-off
2025-10-24 18:30
A favorite annual event, the Chili Cook-off is an all-ages gathering featuring a chili competition plus lots of other good food and drink. Please come and bring a friend!

Choral Evensong
2025-10-26 17:00
Evensong is a service of prayer, scripture, and music offered around sunset. Learn more about this ancient and beautiful form of worship here. The October 26, 2025, Evensong will feature music from the St. John’s Adult Choir and the Choir of the Church of Christ Congregational, Newington.

Pipes Alive! with Gail Archer
2025-11-02 12:30 - 13:00
The next recital in our Pipes Alive! series will be presented by international concert organist Gail Archer. Free admission with donations accepted.

Christmas Festival
2025-11-21 - 2025-11-23
The annual Christmas Festival fundraiser will take place earlier this year, in late November, to give you a chance to get ahead of your Christmas decorating and gift-giving! The festival will offer many items for sale, including uniquely decorated evergreen wreaths, upcycled Christmas decor, baked goods and other treats, hand knit items, and more. Stop by the Festival Café for a cup of soup and a sandwich, or try your luck at winning one of several fabulous raffle baskets.
This year we also have an expanded schedule:
Friday, November 21: Preview Gala at 6:30 pm
Saturday, November 22: Festival hours 10 am to 1 pm
Sunday, November 23: Festival hours 12 to 1:30 pm

Choral Evensong
2025-11-23 17:00
Evensong is a service of prayer, scripture, and music offered around sunset. Learn more about this ancient and beautiful form of worship here. The September 28 Evensong will feature music from the St. John’s Adult Choir.

Thanksgiving Day Worship
2025-11-27 10:00 - 11:00
Join us for a service of Holy Eucharist to thank God for our many blessings, at 10 a.m. on Thanksgiving Day. The service will include hymns and a sermon.

Pipes Alive! with Frank Zilinyi
2025-12-07 12:30 - 13:00
Our next Pipes Alive! organ recital will feature Frank Zilinyi, director of music at South Church in New Britain. Free admission with donations accepted.

Festival of Nine Lessons & Carols
2025-12-14 15:00
Come enjoy a time of peace and musical refreshment, as we offer carols and anthems from a long tradition of Advent and Christmas season music. The program will include a new composition commissioned for the St. John’s Choir School by local organist and musician Michelle Horsley.

Christmas Pageant
2025-12-21 10:30 - 12:00
The children and youth of St. John’s will re-tell the Christmas story at the annual pageant during the 10:30 service on December 21.

Christmas Eve & Christmas Day at St. John's
2025-12-24 - 2025-12-25
Join us to celebrate the birth of Christ at our Christmas services.
Christmas Eve
4 p.m. Holy Eucharist with the St. John’s Choir School (musical prelude at 3:45)
10 p.m. Holy Eucharist with the St. John’s Adult Choir (musical prelude at 9:30)
Christmas Day
10 a.m. Holy Eucharist with hymns and sermon

Pipes Alive! with Philip Tummescheit
2026-01-04 12:30 - 13:00
Our next Pipes Alive! organ recital will feature local organ student Philip Tummescheit. Free admission with donations accepted.

Twelfth Night Celebration
2026-01-04 17:00
Join us for St. John’s unique celebration of the end of the Christmas season, where we (safely!) burn Christmas trees and wreaths outdoors. Refreshments are provided by the youth group to raise funds for their annual collection in support of Dignity Grows, a nonprofit that provides period and hygiene products to those in need. Bundle up and come check it out!

Annual Meeting
2026-01-25 09:00 - 10:30
The St. John’s Annual Meeting will be held in Hubbard Hall at 9 a.m. on Sunday, January 25. All parish members (adults and youth 16+) are encouraged to attend as we review the year just ended, look ahead to what’s next, and elect new vestry members and officers. Bring something for a potluck continental breakfast if you’re able.

Perpetual Happiness Tour event
2026-01-30 17:30 - 18:30
The Parish Life Committee and Jeff Verney (a.k.a. the “Troubadour of Happiness”) will present the Perpetual Happiness Tour event on Friday, January 23 at 5:30 p.m. This event includes original songs, stories, and discussion on how to enhance happiness in our lives. The event will last approximately one hour. Light refreshments and beverages will be provided.

Pipes Alive! with Anna Pan
2026-02-01 12:30 - 13:00
The February Pipes Alive! organ recital features Anna Pan, who most recently served as organist at Westminster Presbyterian Church in West Hartford. Free admission with donations accepted.

Becoming the Church of Tomorrow with the Rev. Canon Stephanie Spellers
2026-02-02 18:00 - 20:30
The Episcopal Church in Connecticut welcomes author, priest, and prophetic leader the Rev. Canon Stephanie Spellers to spur conversation and transformation among us in February 2026. Based on Canon Spellers’ new book, Church Tomorrow?: What the ‘Nones’ and ‘Dones’ Teach Us About the Future of Faith, the Rev. Canon Spellers will help us to wrestle with the decline of traditional religion, the firsthand wisdom of nonreligious Millennials and Gen Zs, as well as our call to be courageous, bold representatives of Jesus Christ in the world.
The Rev. Canon Spellers will offer this presentation at several churches in the Episcopal Church in Connecticut, including at St. John’s on Monday, February 2 at 6 p.m. Click here to register to attend (free of charge).
Sessions will also be held at St. Luke’s, Darien on February 1; Yale Divinity School on February 3; and Trinity, New Haven on February 22. Click here to register for one of these sessions.

Choral Evensong
2026-02-15 17:00
Evensong is a service of prayer, scripture, and music offered around sunset. Learn more about this ancient and beautiful form of worship here. The February 15 Evensong will feature music from the St. John’s Adult Choir and the Choir of St. James’s Episcopal Church, West Hartford.

Ash Wednesday
2026-02-18
St. John’s will hold three services on Ash Wednesday, at 7 a.m., 12 noon, and 7 p.m. All three services will include imposition of ashes and Holy Eucharist. The noon service will include congregational hymns and organ music, and the 7 p.m. service will feature choral music from our Adult Choir and Choir School.

Pipes Alive! with Jennifer Hsiao
2026-03-01 12:30 - 13:00
The March Pipes Alive! organ recital features Jennifer Hsiao, organist at Old West Church in Boston. Free admission with donations accepted.
