SERVE

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Our United Voices choir welcomes new members any time of the year. Choir practice takes place every Wednesday from 6:15 to 7:15 pm and sings at Sunday worship from September to June. All that is required is a love of singing!    For more information about the choir or to contact the music director, email music@sjucfr.ca  

Smiles, handshakes, and hugs. Give folks a warm welcome to worship and help them feel at home. Please contact the church office if you’d like to be part of this important ministry (902-860-4000). 

Help us to encounter God in worship through sharing God’s word. Please contact the church office if you’d like to be part of this important ministry (902-860-4000).

Members of our Pastoral Care Team offer caring conversation to people in our church who are experiencing life challenges, either in person or by phone. Please contact the church office to learn about training opportunities for this important ministry (902-860-4000).

St. John’s has a lovely nursery located just upstairs, first door on the left.  All children ages 0-5 are welcome to bring their parent/guardian with them to play. The room is equipped with toys, puzzles, colouring, diapering station and a special window to peek into the sanctuary too! Adults and children can also enjoy the sound speaker that plays the audio into the room to hear the service, music and all. If you want a little more room to move, dance and play, you’re welcome to use this space. 

*children are more than welcome in the sanctuary, full stop. This is just an option if you would like it. 

Have a wonderful time sharing Jesus with our children Primary to Grade 6 through stories, games, crafts and more! Curriculum and staff support are provided. 

 From September to June St. John’s has a Sunday school program for those in Primary to Grade 6. After being dismissed from the sanctuary, children are invited to a brightly coloured open space upstairs that can be transformed to meet the needs of our program. Sunday school is lead by a dedicated team of volunteer parents with the support of our Children and Youth Program Leader. 

Our Sunday school primarily uses The Go Project, a curriculum through the United Church of Canada that focuses on the Christian faith story and relevant timely issues like creation care, social justice and inclusivity. From time to time we will use other resources like that from Illustrated Ministry or Godly Play. 

Our Sunday school begins by lighting the Christ candle, hearing and engaging in the Biblical story and responding through games, crafts and hands on projects. There are times when our story will bring us into the church kitchen or outside around a campfire! 

One of the ways our church serves the community is through supporting the work of Beacon House and Beacon House Shelter in Lower Sackville.  Beacon House provides food, clothing, and programs for those in need in our community in a caring and compassionate manner. Beacon House Shelter offers overnight shelter and housing supports to those in need. Church members volunteer in the food bank, in the retail store, baking and cooking healthy meals for shelter guests, and more. Interested in learning more? Please contact the church office (902-860-4000) to get connected with one of our Beacon House volunteers. 

Volunteer for the UCW’s fundraisers or receptions and help others in practical ways and have fun while doing it. Prefer to help behind the scenes? People of any gender volunteer to provide sandwiches or sweets for receptions, baking for fundraisers, or to set up and take down tables and chairs. It is much appreciated!   Please contact the Church Office (902-860-4000) to get connected with one of our UCW members 

The Funeral Ministry Team hosts funerals, memorial services, Celebration of Life services for people in the Interlake region. Joining the team is a wonderful way to offer comfort and compassion in a tangible way to those who have experienced a significant loss.   Please contact the Church Office (902-860-4000) to learn more about this important ministry 

Walk through Bethlehem is an interactive experience of the Nativity story presented for the community in December. It includes a large cast of characters and live animals! 50 plus volunteers organize and put on this event, both on and off-stage and there is always room for more! Want to help out? Please contact the church office (902-860-4000).

The Ubuntu Grannies are a group of community women who support the work of the Grandmothers to Grandmothers Campaign of the Stephen Lewis Foundation. Their mission is to raise awareness, build solidarity, and raise funds to support grandmothers in Africa who are raising their grandchildren orphaned by AIDS. If you are interested in learning about future planning meetings and events being held by Ubuntu Grannies,  events being held by other grandmothers groups in the HRM region, and the work of the Stephen Lewis Foundation, please contact Nancy Fullerton at nancyfullerton42@gmail.com or at 902-497-8212.

Have a passion you don’t see listed here? Let us know! Our Affirming Team will be starting up their work soon. And we will be adding new teams each fall for people to join. Possibilities include a Green Team, a Men’s Breakfast, a Seniors Outreach, etc. Please contact the church office if you have an idea about how you might like to serve (902-860-4000).