A new version of this episode is now available! Scroll up and check out Season 4, Episode 6!

This episode, Fr. Chris, Sarah, and Fr. Ben share experiences from their own churches growing up, and what they did when they moved away from home for the first time. They explore what one might look for in a church, and why one might be drawn to one church compared to another church. We also talked about the history of St. John’s!

Episode page: https://www.stjohnslynchburg.org/why-st-johns-i

Show Notes

1.  Chris read a quote by William Temple, former Archbishop of Canterbury.

2.  This episode, we shared our stories from the churches we grew up at—no notes for this section, but we hope that it helps you think about what stands out for you at your church!

3.  St. John’s has several published histories of the Parish available in the Parish Library (or from Fr. Ben or Fr. Chris) if you want to learn more about our history!

4.  We also discussed our experiences leaving home—what happened to our faiths and our church memberships in college.

5.  We talked about Bishop Jack Spong; he was the rector of St. John’s during the civil rights movement, and he highlights some of the values we cherish today at St. John’s – inclusion and diversity.

6.  Ben’s anecdote and metaphor for the spiritual life comes from In Constant Prayer by Robert Benson. It’s not easy to be a member of a church, and takes work to show up faithfully; in that, we can grow into a community and find its beauty.

7.  Our reflection question is “what are some memories from your childhood church?” Or, if you didn’t grow up in the church, what do you recall from one of the first times you went to a church?

Join us next time for some more about St. John’s, and who we are and where we are now!