Our usual worship service is traditional in style. They often begin with music played on our organ or other special music. The service includes prayers, congregational singing, scripture reading, songs by our choir, and a weekly message delivered by a member of our pastoral staff or a guest speaker. Our worship services typically last about an hour. We often follow the lectionary (sometimes called the liturgical or church calendar), which helps inform which portions of scripture we read each week and the topics of our sermons. You are free to participate in the worship service however you wish.

We honestly and genuinely welcome you to come dressed as you are most comfortable. Though you will see many people in more formal “Sunday dress,” you will also see people dressed in jeans and a polo, blouse, or T-shirt. In the summer months, you’ll also see folks in shorts! The most important thing to us is that you are here! Your presence with us is far more valuable than how you are dressed.

Absolutely! St. John’s is an intergenerational church that values and welcomes participation of all ages. Children often participate in helping lead worship. A short, participatory child-friendly lesson is often given during worship, after which the youngest members of our church are welcome to depart to the nursery, which is available every Sunday for both our Sunday school and worship hours.

Our Sunday morning worship service begins at 10:30am. We recommend arriving in time to be parked by 10:15am. This will give you time to enter the building and find your way to the sanctuary. A friendly member of our deacons, greeter team, or ushers will help you find your way to the sanctuary.

Parking is available in a lot immediately accessible from Fifth St., as well as an additional lot accessible from Hawthorne Lane. Our “main entrance” is located at the rear of the building and is clearly marked. On Sundays, you can also enter from the front of the building facing Hawthorne Lane, one of three side entrances facing Fifth Street, and our Broach Hall entrance. Click here for a campus map.

The ground floor of our building is fully accessible via our main entrance, Broach Hall entrance, and the accessible entrance on Fifth St, marked by a handicap-accessible sign. The elevator closest to our sanctuary is located at the Fifth St. entrance. The sanctuary is located on the second floor.

Our Sunday school hour starts at 9:15am on Sundays. We have a variety of Sunday morning Growth Groups, including Bible studies and discussion groups, with gatherings for every age and season of life.

St. John’s Baptist Church values historic principles like community, freedom, service, and worship. These values have have led us to offer an open table for communion, embrace the gifts of women as deacons and pastors, seek racial reconciliation, We are affiliated with the Cooperative Baptist Fellowship, the Alliance of Baptists, the Association of Welcoming and Affirming Baptists, and the Baptist Peace Fellowship of North America. Locally, we fellowship with the Elizabeth Neighborhood Communities of Faith, Mecklenburg Ministries, and the United Baptist Association, a local fellowship of churches that supports Hope Chapel, an outreach and ministry program serving our homeless neighbors.