In-reach Ministries
Our parish family supports one another through a myriad of different ministries. Lay leaders chair committees covering all aspects of our life together, including Fellowship, Coffee Hour, Flower Outreach, Foyer (Dinner) Groups, Newcomers, Helping Hands, Online Directory, the Prayer Team, and the Men’s Group.
Annual Events
Our special events draw the parish together, raise funds, and bring newcomers through our doors. In addition to raising vital funds, this event shows how welcoming St. John’s is, and we have become a church home to many through these welcoming, community-wide occasions.
Holiday Boutique & Parish Cocktail Party
Our biggest fund-raising events of the year, St. John’s Holiday Boutique and Parish Cocktail Party bring together more than 100 volunteers and transforms Upper and Lower Weld Halls into a juried holiday market, complete with visits from Santa. The parish is invited to a cocktail party, live and silent auctions, and private shopping on Friday evening. On Saturday, we welcome more than 1,000 guests through our doors to shop. Admission proceeds are donated to a charity chosen by the Outreach Committee, and a percentage of the vendors’ proceeds benefits the church’s general funds.
Not-So-Spooky Haunted House
The NSSHH has been an innovative part of St. John’s since it was initiated in 2017. Geared towards young children, the NSSHH transforms the undercroft and basement into a slightly spooky, high-tech multimedia experience. Guided by St. John’s youth, our guests exit into a Halloween reception of donuts, cider, and games. This event has grown every year. In 2023, we hosted 3,500 guests and raised approximately $22,000.
SummerFest
SummerFest was founded in 2018 as a celebratory end to the program year and is organized by the Men’s Group. Festivities for the parish include outdoor worship, live music, adult beverages, catered barbecue, food trucks, and carnival rides for the kids. After a two-year hiatus during the COVID pandemic, SummerFest returned with a bang in 2022. In 2023, more than 175 parishioners enjoyed the June afternoon and raised more than $2,000 in net proceeds for the ministries of the church.
Administrative Ministries
Our church is well-run due to the faithful service of our staff and parishioners involved in a variety of administrative ministries.
Buildings & Grounds Committee
Buildings and Grounds is responsible for the church structure and its grounds, as well as those of the rectory and the adjacent rental property on Water Street. The committee ensures that the essential systems we rely on each day at St. John’s are dependable and well-maintained, and that the property is cared for in a thoughtful manner. Buildings and Grounds provides facilities that accommodate all parishioners and visitors in a safe, comfortable, and welcoming environment; maintains St. John’s stature as a Main Street landmark; and ensures we are a good neighbor.
Finance Committee
The Finance Committee assists the Rector, Wardens, and Vestry of St. John’s to fulfill their responsibility to oversee the integrity of the financial reporting process, the investment policies and activities, insurance coverages, annual budgeting process, regulatory compliance, and capital requirements planning.
Stewardship
The Stewardship Committee runs an annual pledge campaign in the fall, and encourages every member of the St. John’s community to consider making a financial commitment to support the mission of the church, in addition to donating their time and talent throughout the year.
Other administrative ministries
Our website, stjohns-hingham.org, is maintained by a small team of experienced web developers. It serves as a showcase and repository of all our public-facing information. We also have a Facebook page for the general public, and active Facebook groups for both the congregation as a whole and the Sunday School.
Launched at the outset of the COVID pandemic, the Stream Team operates two broadcast-quality remote cameras in the Nave to produce a high quality live stream of the 10 a.m. Sunday service, shared on the website and Facebook, and later rebroadcast on Harbor Media, Hingham’s local cable access network. Digital Ushers host the Facebook stream, interacting with online viewers as necessary throughout the service.
A small, rotating group of parishioners give their time on Sunday mornings to count and record the plate offerings collected each week, and to deposit these in the bank.
The community drew me here. I knew so many people with good values and a strong work ethic that were members here that I thought to myself, ‘they are doing something right and I want to be a part of it.’
— parishioner comment
