This Summer we are presenting organ concerts at noon Wednesdays.  You have seen our notices via weekly email, Facebook and Instagram. They are meant to be a welcoming event into our space.  

I am often in the church by myself and able to contemplate its kaleidoscope of color, texture and symbols.  I do that during different times of the day as the room reacts to the sunlight – as it ascends, slowly disappears, or is gone altogether. 

St John’s founders and its following generations have silently given us a great gift. There are myriad messages that the room tells through windows, statues, memorial plaques, paintings, ceiling stencils, brass plates, and furniture.

The organ also tells a message. Its message is not static, though. It must be created each time it is played. Its messages of joy are given on Easter, Christmas, and during weddings and baptisms.  Its messages of contemplation and sorrow are given during Lent, funerals, and memorial services. 

The summer recitals are our attempt to send a message of joyful welcome through the organ–welcome to our own members and welcome to those who don’t worship with us on Sundays.  A welcome to those who can come into this beautiful room to see and feed upon its riches.  

Our gift of ministry in downtown Montgomery requires us to behave somewhat differently than a lot of ‘neighborhood’ churches in suburbia. There are extensive studies on the differences between downtown congregations and suburban or neighborhood congregations. I won’t go into those here.  

But one of the ways we can minister–even though it may not be exclusively ministering to our own congregation – is to provide a place of peace, respite, and joy to our downtown community–a community which is really quite large during the workday weeks (and growing quickly).    

The summer concerts are meant to be a delight and rest in a spiritual and beautiful space downtown for a very few minutes each week for those who wish to share in them. The lunches which follow are meant to allow friendships to sustain and grow as we come into contact with friends we might not otherwise see and get to talk to often.   

As your time allows, I invite you to try one (or some) of these noon concerts and lunches.  Summer schedules are scattered with various arrangements of work and leisure. We would love to connect with you over music, light lunch, and conversation. 

Information about these events can be found by clicking here.

Peace, 

Joel