Winter
Advent Night – Greening of the Church, Advent Wreath Making, and More
On the first Saturday night of Advent, St. John’s hosts an inter-generational event that begins with decorating and transforming the sanctuary with wreaths, greenery, and Advent candles in preparation for the Christmas season. Then dinner is served in the reception room, followed by a variety of activities including making advent wreaths with greens and candles to take home, making Epiphany stars to hang above the altar, baking cookies for the Montclair Village Holiday Stroll, and crafting holiday cards for the homeless as well as for family and friends. Invite your grandparents, your friends and their families and get into the Christmas spirit.
Holiday Stroll
St. John’s sets up a booth at the Montclair Village Holiday Stroll, an evening festival on the first Thursday of December. Merchants stay open late, local youth groups perform holiday music, donation stations are set up for toys and canned food, and children can visit with Santa. St. John’s serves warm cider and homemade cookies and offers an ornament-making craft activity. We invite the neighborhood to visit St. John’s and distribute Advent and Christmas service information.
The Oakland Mayor’s Toy Drive
St. John’s youth have contributed to the Oakland Mayor’s Toy Drive for more than 30 years. They collect new, unwrapped toys, hold a holiday bake sale, and collect loose change. As is the tradition, the youth go shopping with the money they raise, and buy books, games, trucks, stuffed animals, sports equipment, infant toys, building sets, arts and crafts supplies, and more. They experience the joy of giving and help make Christmas morning special for other children.
Spring
Pancake Breakfast
St. John’s Youth Group hosts a pancake breakfast after each service on the Sunday before Lent, which is sometime in February or March depending on the date of Easter. This is the traditional feast of Mardi Gras and Shrove Tuesday. Come hungry!
Men's Group and Women's Group Weekends
Typically held in February and March at Bishop’s Ranch, these weekends create another opportunity for fellowship and reflection, not to mention delicious meals. Long-time members and newcomers are welcome!
Mother’s Day Parish Retreat
Usually held on Mother's Day this weekend getaway is the perfect gift for all moms, and St. John’s makes it easy and fun with the parish retreat at Bishop’s Ranch in Healdsburg. Comfortable accommodations, great meals, fun activities, a beautiful setting and St. John’s camaraderie are all part of the package.
Easter
Following the 9:00 a.m. Family Easter service, children up to the age of 11 are invited to an Easter Egg Hunt. The Easter bunny hides eggs filled with nickels in the garden surrounding the church. After scouring the patio, meditation garden, and playground, the children return to the “voting” table where they may use the money inside their eggs to donate to local charitable organizations and St. John’s outreach projects. The children enjoy deciding and favorite choices include Alameda County Food Bank and Sacred Space. Once they have distributed their nickels in the voting canisters, they receive an Easter treat bag filled with candy and toys.
Earth Day
St. John’s was the first church in the diocese to form an Ecology group and every year, St. John’s celebrates Earth Day with an environmentally-themed worship service and an opportunity to participate in a volunteer activity focused on the environment.
Graduating High School Seniors Honored
St. John’s honors high school seniors and celebrates their graduation at a 10:00 a.m. service in the spring. Youth Director, Kellor Smith, presents each senior with a photo collage board, showing the senior’s transition through St. John’s programs and activities.
Summer
Dinner & Auction
Our biennial community-building fundraiser is a wonderful way to spend a Saturday evening at the end of summer. The event includes a silent auction (available online), a live auction, and a wine raffle, along with a catered dinner, wine, and music. Sign up for fun parties and bid on unique services, getaways, and treasures. Tickets (typically priced at $50) are available during church coffee hour, online, or at the door.
Labor Day BBQ Lunch
Celebrate the last of three Parish Work Days and the results of our labor with a BBQ lunch. The grill is fired up at 1:00 p.m. and hot dogs and buns are provided. Bring a salad, dessert, fruit, chips, water, or soda if you can.
Fall
Quesadilla Sunday - Welcome Back with our Ministry Fair
St. John’s kicks off the fall season in mid-September with the ever-popular Quesadilla Sunday. After the 10:00 a.m. service, the clergy cooks lunch for the parish. Griddles are set up outside, and there are plenty of quesadillas and side dishes. Highlights of the event include ministry information for adults and great food and fellowship for all. This is a great day to learn more about who we are and what we do at St. John’s.
Halloween
On the Sunday before Halloween, St. John’s celebrates with a short Pirate-themed Eucharist followed by Trick-or-Treating. Come in pirate costume – or any costume – and enjoy a fun service translated into pirate lingo. Then, children are invited to “Trunk r Treat” upstairs in the Education Building where youth from the confirmation class and youth group are waiting behind decorated doors to hand out treats. This is a safe, family-friendly Halloween event.
A pirate-style version of the Lord’s Prayer, a typical translation: Arr Father in heaven, hallow’d be yar Name. Yar kingdom come, yar will be done, on 'arth as ‘tis in heaven. Give us today arr daily ration. Forgive us arr sins as we forgive those scurvy dogs who sneak up behind us. And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil. For thine be the kingdom, and the pow’r, and glory forever and ever. Aye, aye.
Advent Night – Greening of the Church, Advent Wreath Making, and More
On the first Saturday night of Advent, St. John’s hosts an inter-generational event that begins with decorating and transforming the sanctuary with wreaths, greenery, and Advent candles in preparation for the Christmas season. Then dinner is served in the reception room, followed by a variety of activities including making advent wreaths with greens and candles to take home, making Epiphany stars to hang above the altar, baking cookies for the Montclair Village Holiday Stroll, and crafting holiday cards for the homeless as well as for family and friends. Invite your grandparents, your friends and their families and get into the Christmas spirit.
Holiday Stroll
St. John’s sets up a booth at the Montclair Village Holiday Stroll, an evening festival on the first Thursday of December. Merchants stay open late, local youth groups perform holiday music, donation stations are set up for toys and canned food, and children can visit with Santa. St. John’s serves warm cider and homemade cookies and offers an ornament-making craft activity. We invite the neighborhood to visit St. John’s and distribute Advent and Christmas service information.
The Oakland Mayor’s Toy Drive
St. John’s youth have contributed to the Oakland Mayor’s Toy Drive for more than 30 years. They collect new, unwrapped toys, hold a holiday bake sale, and collect loose change. As is the tradition, the youth go shopping with the money they raise, and buy books, games, trucks, stuffed animals, sports equipment, infant toys, building sets, arts and crafts supplies, and more. They experience the joy of giving and help make Christmas morning special for other children.
Spring
Pancake Breakfast
St. John’s Youth Group hosts a pancake breakfast after each service on the Sunday before Lent, which is sometime in February or March depending on the date of Easter. This is the traditional feast of Mardi Gras and Shrove Tuesday. Come hungry!
Men's Group and Women's Group Weekends
Typically held in February and March at Bishop’s Ranch, these weekends create another opportunity for fellowship and reflection, not to mention delicious meals. Long-time members and newcomers are welcome!
Mother’s Day Parish Retreat
Usually held on Mother's Day this weekend getaway is the perfect gift for all moms, and St. John’s makes it easy and fun with the parish retreat at Bishop’s Ranch in Healdsburg. Comfortable accommodations, great meals, fun activities, a beautiful setting and St. John’s camaraderie are all part of the package.
Easter
Following the 9:00 a.m. Family Easter service, children up to the age of 11 are invited to an Easter Egg Hunt. The Easter bunny hides eggs filled with nickels in the garden surrounding the church. After scouring the patio, meditation garden, and playground, the children return to the “voting” table where they may use the money inside their eggs to donate to local charitable organizations and St. John’s outreach projects. The children enjoy deciding and favorite choices include Alameda County Food Bank and Sacred Space. Once they have distributed their nickels in the voting canisters, they receive an Easter treat bag filled with candy and toys.
Earth Day
St. John’s was the first church in the diocese to form an Ecology group and every year, St. John’s celebrates Earth Day with an environmentally-themed worship service and an opportunity to participate in a volunteer activity focused on the environment.
Graduating High School Seniors Honored
St. John’s honors high school seniors and celebrates their graduation at a 10:00 a.m. service in the spring. Youth Director, Kellor Smith, presents each senior with a photo collage board, showing the senior’s transition through St. John’s programs and activities.
Summer
Dinner & Auction
Our biennial community-building fundraiser is a wonderful way to spend a Saturday evening at the end of summer. The event includes a silent auction (available online), a live auction, and a wine raffle, along with a catered dinner, wine, and music. Sign up for fun parties and bid on unique services, getaways, and treasures. Tickets (typically priced at $50) are available during church coffee hour, online, or at the door.
Labor Day BBQ Lunch
Celebrate the last of three Parish Work Days and the results of our labor with a BBQ lunch. The grill is fired up at 1:00 p.m. and hot dogs and buns are provided. Bring a salad, dessert, fruit, chips, water, or soda if you can.
Fall
Quesadilla Sunday - Welcome Back with our Ministry Fair
St. John’s kicks off the fall season in mid-September with the ever-popular Quesadilla Sunday. After the 10:00 a.m. service, the clergy cooks lunch for the parish. Griddles are set up outside, and there are plenty of quesadillas and side dishes. Highlights of the event include ministry information for adults and great food and fellowship for all. This is a great day to learn more about who we are and what we do at St. John’s.
Halloween
On the Sunday before Halloween, St. John’s celebrates with a short Pirate-themed Eucharist followed by Trick-or-Treating. Come in pirate costume – or any costume – and enjoy a fun service translated into pirate lingo. Then, children are invited to “Trunk r Treat” upstairs in the Education Building where youth from the confirmation class and youth group are waiting behind decorated doors to hand out treats. This is a safe, family-friendly Halloween event.
A pirate-style version of the Lord’s Prayer, a typical translation: Arr Father in heaven, hallow’d be yar Name. Yar kingdom come, yar will be done, on 'arth as ‘tis in heaven. Give us today arr daily ration. Forgive us arr sins as we forgive those scurvy dogs who sneak up behind us. And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil. For thine be the kingdom, and the pow’r, and glory forever and ever. Aye, aye.
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