Service & Outreach

Opportunities to serve others within the parish:

Biblical Garden Guild - Jill Karcher

Coffee Ministry - Church Office

Church Beautification and Upkeep - Dan Selchow

Daughters of the King - Barbara Laufersweiler

ECW (Episcopal Church Women) - Jan Carpenter

St. John's Bookstore - Nancy Larsen

St. John's Library - Joanne Callard

Vestry - Buddy Behrens

Opportunities to serve others outside the parish:

Can-A-Sunday - Carolyn Folmsbee/p>

Food For Friends - Dick Marks

Nursing Home Visitation - Dick Marks

Outreach Commission - Lisa Schneider

Prison Ministry - Claudine Hoover

VOOM (Volunteer Overseas Oklahoma Mission) - Dorothy Klippell

Biblical Garden Guild

The Biblical Garden Guild was created to plan, establish and maintain a collection of plants abundant at the time of the Old Testament. This ministry's work can be toured on the south side of the church. This garden has generated many requests for information from organizations wanting to establish their own biblical gardens. Jill Karcher invites church members to volunteer for a variety of tasks such as planting, weeding, bookkeeping and ordering. Leave a message for her at the church office (321-3020) for more information or to be added to the task list of this local treasure.

The Biblical Garden at St. John's

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Coffee Ministry

Fresh coffee between the services is a much-appreciated gift to the parish! Volunteers make the coffee, keep the pots filled, and clean up. To help out, talk to one of the coffee volunteers on Sunday or call the church office at (405)321-3020.

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Church Beautification and Upkeep

The Junior Warden of St. John's has the responsibility to keep the physical plant in good operating condition. This is accomplished through a combination of volunteer efforts and funds from the operating budget. And, as you might guess, there is always something that needs to be done or fixed. But you don't have to be particularly "handy" to help in this area. There are a wide range of "To Do's" to meet everyone's skills. For more information, contact Dan Selchow by way of the church office, 321-3020.

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Daughters of the King

The Order of the Daughters of the King was founded in 1885 as a religious order for lay women in the Episcopal Church. The purpose of the Order is to live into our baptismal vows with an emphasis on prayer, service, and evangelism. The members of the order are called Daughters; these women take lifetime vows, follow a personal rule of life that includes prayer and service, and wear the cross of the Order.

As part of our commitment to prayer and support for our parish, each Daughter upholds in daily prayer the monthly parish prayer list of the concerns of St. John's parishioners and friends. The chapter also supports our parish with an urgent-request prayer network.

As our chapter service, each week one or two Daughters deliver the previous Sunday's altar flowers to the sick, whether at home, in the hospital, or in nursing homes; and, when there is a death in the parish, Daughters organize hospitality after funeral or memorial services if desired.

The Martha Chapter's monthly meetings include coffee & fellowship time, a short business meeting, and a book study or other program about our spiritual life, concluding with lifting up in prayer the daily prayer list. The chapter has two meeting times each month, September through May: the first Saturday of each month at 10:00 am, and the second Wednesday at 9:30 am.

For more information, contact Barbara Laufersweiler or the church office, 321-3020.

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ECW (Episcopal Church Women)

ECW is a service organization for all women parishioners that supports ministries of the church. St. John's ECW participates in enhancing the physical facilities of the church, raises money through the annual bazaar and luncheon, and participates in community service and outreach. The meetings take place on the third Tuesday of the month. For more information about this group please contact the church office, 321-3020.

Annual Christmas Bazaar Luncheon

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St. John's Book and Gift Shop

The book and gift shop at St. John's contains a variety of Christian reading material, prints and icons, jewelry and other gift items. In addition to the books and other items in stock, the bookstore can accept special orders. The bookstore is open Sunday mornings until 10:15 am, and Wednesday middays. It is run by Nancy Larsen, who can answer your questions about items or volunteer opportunities. More volunteers would enable the bookstore to be open more hours.

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St. John's Library

St. John's library is located across the hall from the church office, and is open for browsing whenever the church office is open (usually 9 am - 4 pm, Monday - Friday). A wide selection of books are available for reading in the library and also for church members to borrow. Among the subjects represented are: the Episcopal faith, other denominations, reference books on other religions, Bible reference, Church history, parenting, self-help, biographies, Christian fiction, children's books, and young adult books.

The Library Committee meets once a month to discuss ordering new books and other library needs, and to plan for the annual book sale of donated items. Income from this annual fundraiser funds the purchase of new books and supplies for the library. If books are your bag, call Joanne Callard by way of the church office (321-3020) for information about helping in the library.

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Vestry

The vestry is the business board of the church. The 12 members consist of senior and junior wardens, the rector, and nine members elected from among the parishioners. The members are elected at the January annual parish meeting for three-year terms which begin in the spring. The vestry establishes the operating budget for the church, sets church policy, and assists with the various ministries of the church by serving as vestry contacts.

If you would like more information on the workings of the vestry, please contact the senior warden, Buddy Behrens (321-3020).
Current vestry roster.

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Can-A-Sunday

Can-A-Sunday is a ministry that parishioners may serve by bringing all kinds of canned goods or nonperishable food to fill the basket in the small entry room as you enter the church. The basket's contents are delivered on a regular basis to a community agency in need, such as the Women's Resource Center. Donations are always needed. For more information, please contact Carolyn Folmsbee through the church office, 321-3020.

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Food for Friends

Food and Shelter for Friends is a non-profit, city-wide program in which one hot meal a day is furnished to the homeless of Norman and a one room living suite is available for short stays. Many Norman organizations, churches, businesses, and restaurants, volunteer to prepare and serve this meal several times a year. St. John's day to participate is the third Monday of even numbered months. We serve about 100 meals and our menu has not changed in all these years - spaghetti, tossed salad, peas, French bread, dessert, and coffee, tea, and milk. Anyone who would like to help prepare and serve meals for Food for Friends should contact Dick Marks through the church office, 21-3020.

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Nursing Home Visitation

Through its Nursing Home Visitation, St. John's provides visits, worship services and programs to two Norman nursing homes

For 20 years people from St. John's have visited Manor Care Nursing Center once a month and taken Holy Communion and a fun program along with refreshments. For about 10 years, the party has moved later in the afternoon to what is currently the Grace Living Center.

Anyone who would like to help should contact the church office (321-3020).

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Outreach Commission

Outreach is St. John's way of reaching a helping hand into the community of Norman and into the world. We support:

• Health For Friends
• Food and Shelter for Friends
• Norman Mission Ministries
• Food for Friends
• Hispanic Mission in Oklahoma City
• Outreach Emergency Fund of the Norman Community
• VOOM (Volunteer Oklahoma Outreach Mission)

• The Christmas Store
• The Citizen's Advisory Board's Secret Santa Projects
• The Oklahoma Youth Center's Holiday Helper Program
• Cleveland County Aging Services
• The American Red Cross of Norman
• Episcopal Relief and Development, to help flood victims in Central America
• Norman Habitat for Humanity
• Battered women's shelter
• East Main Place.

We help children attend special camps and donate gifts from the "Mary's Shower" to agencies including the Juvenile Services and The Women's Resource Center. For more information or to find out how you can help those not as fortunate, contact Lisa Schneider or leave your name at the church office (321-3020).

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Prison Ministry

...Volunteers who help meet spiritual support needs of men and women in prison.

What we do is visit those men and women who are in prison and share our knowledge and love of God with them. We recognize and acknowledge them as children of God. We carry the message of forgiveness and salvation through Jesus Christ. We acknowledge the Church as one Body with many members which includes those in prison.

Through the Commission on Prison Ministry, Bishop Moody has authorized a church inside the walls and razor wire. We attempt to offer a traditional Episcopal worship service, including Holy Eucharist, as often as we can make it around to all of the prisons where our membership is housed. Services are celebrated by volunteer priests, deacons, and volunteer Eucharistic Lay Ministers. Bible Studies are offered by qualified leaders and interested lay persons. Many St. John's and community volunteers have participated in this ministry.

Our Education for Ministry (EFM) classes have produced several well-educated and capable instructors for various Bible studies. With an outside sponsor they are able to instruct many interested persons in the scriptures, as well as provide training for those interested in baptism and/or confirmation. Also, Layreader training is provided for interested inmates and they perform these tasks in worship.

History:  Prison Ministry in Oklahoma began in 1987 when, through the efforts of our ECW president Evelyn Bibens, a proposal was presented to the National ECW for a grant of $25,000 to begin a drug and alcohol program for prisoners who were incarcerated as a result of, or related to, drug/alcohol abuse or addiction. With this seed money the Lifeline Drug and Alcohol Rehabilitation program was born. At the request of then Warden, Jack Cowley, the program designed by the late Dr. Robert Bibens, the Rev. Dick Virtue, and staff of NAIC, et al., was implemented by the administrative staff of the Joseph Harp Correctional Center east of Lexington.

Opportunities to help: Serving those in prison is a large task. There are many things that we would like to do and just need your help.

• We need people who can visit those in prison who are sick, the dying, and those facing death.
• We need clergy and lay persons to worship with inmates on a regular basis so they will know that the church where they worship in prison does extend beyond the walls and that they are welcome there upon release from prison.
• We need volunteer men and women to participate in Kairos, the Cursillo for inside prison walls.
• We need men and women, both young and old, to provide counseling for Camp New Hope (This is the camping experience for the children of inmates, help annually at St. Crispin's as the last week of the regular camp season)
• We need items donated - Bibles, prayer books and other printed materials; a dish for agape meals, cookies and other refreshments for celebrating baptisms and confirmations and special feast days.
• We need financial support for things like EFM and Camp New Hope scholarships.
• We need your encouragement, prayers, and ideas.
• We need and want what you are willing and able to share, in response to Christ's commandment to "go into the world and spread the gospel to all peoples of the earth."

For further information, please contact Claudine Hoover via the church office, 321-3020.

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VOOM (Volunteer Oklahoma Outreach Mission)

VOOM has been directly involved in meaningful Christian activities in Uganda for over 15 years. The companion relationship begun in 1982 between the West Ankole Diocese of the Church of Uganda and the Episcopal Diocese of Oklahoma has been the vehicle that has provided the opportunity for Christians in Oklahoma and Uganda to work together as partners in mission. As a result of this unique partnership, thousands and thousands of people in East Africa and the USA have received numerous tangible benefits. We have a PDF-format information pamphlet on VOOM.

For more information on VOOM and the activities of St. John's, contact Dorothy Klippell via the church office, 321-3020.

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