St. John’s Episcopal Church
Tallahassee, FL
Luke 14:25-33
My friends, we are back!
Like a team that just matched its
largest margin of victory since the 1940’s,
we are so, so back!
After a long summer of worshiping in Alfriend Hall,
we are back in this sacred space,
and it is “so good!”
The wood,
the smell,
the sound of the organ,
the light streaming through these windows.
It feels like home.
And that is no accident.
The beauty and holiness of this place
has been shaped by generations . . .
men and women who made it their mission
to build something beautiful
not just for themselves,
but for those who would come after them.
Around here, we call that
“Deep Roots.”
We say that is part of our vision here at St. John’s:
Deep Roots. True Belonging. Abundant Grace.
When you step into this space,
we hope you feel those roots.
We hope you feel that belonging.
And we hope to God
you feel that grace.
But let me be clear:
as wonderful as this sanctuary is
and as happy as we are to be back in here
this is not the Church.
You are.
We are.
You remember the old nursery rhyme, right?
“Here is the church,
Here is the steeple,
open the doors…”
“… and see all the people.”
The Church is not the well-worn wood or high vaulted ceiling.
It’s not the lights or the organ or the stained glass.
The Church is the people.
You are the Church,
and by virtue of your baptism,
you are its ministers.
That’s not me saying that.
Pull out the prayer book and turn to p. 855.
Under the part where it says “The Ministry,”
the first question asks,
“Who are the ministers of the Church?”
And the answer?
“The ministers of the Church
are lay persons,
bishops,
priests,
and deacons.”
Lay persons come first.
YOU get top billing
because ministry does not start
with me
or Mtr. Leslie
or Deacon Joe.
It starts with you.
And there are so many ways that ministry happens.
That is why we have published our
2025–2026 Ministry Guide,
which you can pick up today.
It is full of opportunities
from the visible and familiar,
to the quiet and often unseen.
Ministries of teaching, music, worship,
hospitality, pastoral care, outreach, youth,
formation, education, administration,
mentoring, baking, greeting,
service, prison ministry, prayer,
Market planning, flower arranging, bell ringing,
café hosting, cemetery cleaning, animal blessing,
and so much more.
All of it is ministry,
and today we celebrate
you and your many ministries
as we kick off a new program year.
So just for giggles,
let’s try something.
I am going to name some ministry areas.
If you are involved in any of them . . .
or have been . . .
or even want to be . . .
stand as you are able or raise your hand.
If you sing in the choir,
ring bells,
or play an instrument, please stand.
If you are a lector,
acolyte,
usher,
greeter,
altar guild member,
flower guild
or any other worship ministry, please stand.
If you serve with Sunday School (for any age),
youth group,
Vacation Bible School,
EfM, confirmation classes,
Bible study of any kind,
or any other learning ministry, please stand.
If you serve on a commission,
serve on Vestry,
serve with stewardship,
serve the Diocese as a delegate or committee member,
or help with planning and logistics, please stand.
If you deliver flowers,
cook for the Angel Food ministry,
are a Stephen Minister,
lay pastoral care giver,
a member of the Daughters of the King
Community of Hope International,
or offer prayer or pastoral care in any way, please stand.
If you help with
Grace Mission,
Riley Elementary,
the Kearney Center,
Second Harvest,
Ruge Hall,
prison ministry,
Meals on Wheels,
a Full Summer,
Cuba or Ecuador,
or any other mission or outreach ministry, please stand.
If you support the Lively Café,
Market,
Invite-Welcome-Connect,
SPUDS,
SALT,
MASH,
Parish Life,
or any other ministries
of welcome and fellowship, please stand.
If you stitch things,
crochet things,
knit things,
woodwork things,
build things,
make things,
for the glory of God
and the use of the Church, please stand.
If you offer a quiet ministry
through prayer,
caregiving,
card making,
companionship,
or encouragement, please stand.
And finally,
if you’re caring for someone—
an elderly parent,
a neighbor,
a baby, a toddler, a spouse—
or are just generally trying to help others in this life
and made it here today, please stand.
Friends,
look around.
This is the Church.
These are our ministers.
Jesus said today,
“Whoever does not carry the cross
and follow me cannot be my disciple.”
That sounds daunting.
But the truth is,
you all have already been carrying your cross . . .
not in grand ways,
but in daily, faithful, loving acts
that build up the body of Christ.
So thank you,
and God bless you.
This is what it means
to be a living, breathing Church.
* * *
So as we begin this year,
and as we soak in the joy of being back in this holy space,
remember:
This building may be beautiful—
and it is—
but the most beautiful part of St. John’s
is not the walls or the windows.
It’s you.
It was always you.
You are our ministers.
You are the Church.
With deep roots,
true belonging,
and abundant grace,
let’s be a blessing to all we can.
Amen.