On Durham Road in Wake Forest, North Carolina, St. John's Episcopal Church has grown into a parish that calls itself, plainly, a "big tent." Black, white, and bi-racial members sit alongside LGBTQI+ and gender-diverse neighbors, progressives and conservatives, the very young and the not-so-young. The parish commits to staying in loving relationship across the tensions that come with that diversity. "Love God. Love Your Neighbor. No Exceptions." is the congregation's stated motto, and the church frames its life around cultivating faith, practicing hospitality, and inspiring its members to be agents of Christ-like love, generosity, and justice. Visitors walking up to 834 Durham Road will find a campus that runs a weekday preschool, a full music program, a columbarium, and a Pollinator Garden planted by parishioners, all within reach of three very different Sunday morning services.
Three Sunday Mornings on Durham Road
St. John's gathers three times each Sunday, and each gathering has a distinct feel. The earliest service, at 7:45 am, is a spoken Holy Eucharist without music, a quiet, meditative way to begin the day. The 9:30 am Holy Eucharist is the principal Sunday service, held in the church sanctuary with congregational singing, choral and instrumental music, and a sermon. This service is also livestreamed on YouTube and offered via Zoom, and recordings remain available for later viewing. Nursery care for infants through age five is offered during the 9:30 service. At 11:15 am, the parish offers Tapestry, an intergenerational Eucharist held on the ground floor of the Education Building, designed to weave children, youth, and adults into a single worship experience that runs about 45 minutes. There is no livestream of the 11:15 gathering.
For early risers in other time zones and for those who prefer a contemplative start to the day, the parish also gathers for Morning Prayer via Zoom on Monday, Wednesday, and Friday mornings at 7:30 am. All three Sunday liturgies are celebrations of Holy Eucharist, and all are open to anyone who wishes to receive Communion. Children are welcome to share in Communion whenever they express interest, and the parish encourages families to introduce the practice gradually through Godly Play and a spring Children's Holy Communion Retreat.
Tapestry: An Intergenerational Service at 11:15
Tapestry is St. John's answer to the question of how a congregation keeps generations woven together in worship. The service is built for those who want to discuss what they have just heard in the sermon, who would like to move a little more freely while they worship, who appreciate artistic expression of all kinds, who prefer music that does not stretch to seven long verses of a 17th century hymn, who wear shorts, jeans, or flip-flops without thinking twice, and whose attention span runs closer to forty-five minutes than seventy-five. Tapestry lasts roughly three-quarters of an hour, includes more movement, sensory engagement, and interaction than a standard liturgy, yet remains recognizably an Episcopal/Anglican Eucharist. It is not livestreamed, so the experience is reserved for those who can come in person.
Tapestry grew out of a vision articulated by the parish's former rector, the Rev. Sarah Phelps, who encouraged the congregation to lean more fully into intergenerational life and ministry. To that end, the parish also introduced "Pew Buddies," adult volunteers paired with young families at the 9:30 service to help younger children engage the more adult-focused liturgy. The changes dovetail with programs that already brought generations together outside worship, including the parish's handbell choir, the Farm to Fork garden outreach, and the monthly Hot Dog Sunday.
Music from Cantate to Jazz Saxophone
Music at St. John's is not an adornment; it is a defining ministry of the parish. Director of Music Ministry Karole Badgley leads a program that the parish describes as "Imagination and innovation." On any given Sunday, the congregation might hear traditional hymns, hand-clapping gospel and spirituals, service music, choral anthems, handbell and chime music, instrumental solos and ensembles, and organ or keyboard voluntaries chosen to fit the appointed lectionary readings.
Three intergenerational ensembles anchor the program. The Cantate Choir is the principal vocal choir. The Bells of St. John's is the handbell and choir chime ensemble. The Jubilation Winds is a woodwind ensemble open to players of all ages and abilities. Throughout the year, the music ministry offers additional opportunities: an Annual Advent Lessons and Carols service, a Christmas Lessons and Carols, ukulele events, intergenerational drumming and percussion circles, Taize services, and the Awesome Arts Adventures Camp held each summer for children and youth. A new ministry, an intergenerational Christian theatre program called The Mustard Seed Collaborative, is planned to launch in the fall of 2026.
Children, Preschool, and Godly Play
St. John's welcomes people of all ages into worship and parish life, and offers several programs tailored to the developmental needs of young people. The Children's Ministry's stated purpose is to give them opportunities to experience God, build loving relationships across generations, and give generously of their time, talent, and treasure. Programs are designed to be intergenerational, sustainable, collaborative, mutual, empowering, and contextual.
For the youngest members of the parish, Nursery care is available for infants through age four during the 9:30 service. Godly Play, a Montessori-style program of Christian formation for ages four through fifth grade, has been a long-standing offering, though the parish has occasionally paused it to experiment with new approaches to family formation. Children in kindergarten through fifth grade are also invited each spring to a half-day Children's Holy Communion Retreat held during Lent, which introduces them to the meaning and joy of the sacrament. Each Christmas Eve, the 4:00 pm Christmas Eucharist includes the parish's annual Christmas Pageant, in which children, youth, and adults tell the story of the Nativity together.
The parish's weekday Preschool Church Buddies program pairs adult church members with four-year-olds from the preschool for social events and holiday card exchanges throughout the year, giving young children built-in extended family across the congregation.
Pre-Teens, Teens, and the Episcopal Youth Community
Middle and high school students at St. John's are organized as the Episcopal Youth Community, or EYC. The group meets weekly in person in the Youth Lounge on the ground floor of the Education Building at 5:00 pm for Christian formation discussions, service projects, and structured fellowship. In addition to weekly meetings, EYC members take part in the parish's morning worship, online faith formation discussions, and service projects in the wider Wake Forest community.
When the parish is gathered, the youth enjoy entertaining younger children at parish picnics, hearing the faith stories of older members, and bringing homemade muffins to parishioners who are ill. They are also active in the Episcopal Diocese of North Carolina's youth programs, including Bishop's Ball, a retreat and dance event, middle and high school retreats, and HUGS Camp for differently-abled summer campers.
Dwell in the Word and the Wednesday Evening Bible Study
Spiritual formation for adults at St. John's centers on a practice called Dwell in the Word. The Bible study meets on Wednesday evenings at 6:30 pm in the Parish Hall, moving to Zoom during the summer months, and is led by parishioners Marita Rutko and Heather Rishel. The format is intentionally gentle and drop-in: a passage is read slowly, listeners notice the words or phrases that catch their attention, share with one another, and reflect together on what God might be saying to the community. There is no homework, no required book, and no prior Bible knowledge required. Each week's study is self-contained, so newcomers can join whenever they are able.
Other formation offerings include Centering Prayer, a receptive method of silent prayer offered weekly at the church, and a Meditation Series introduced during the season of transition. The parish also offers Mental Health First Aid training from time to time, a day-long course that teaches adults to recognize signs of mental health or substance use challenges in people eighteen and older, and how to guide a person toward appropriate care.
Fellowship Groups for Adults
St. John's organizes a broad calendar of small groups built around interests, life stages, and identity. The Book Club meets on the first Monday of each month at 6:30 pm in the Parish Hall. The Fiber Arts Group welcomes knitters, crocheters, quilters, and embroiderers for monthly gatherings, often paired with outreach service projects. The Hiking Group takes a local walk, often several miles in length, one Saturday each month, weather permitting. The Men's Group gathers for breakfast on the first Saturday of each month at 9:00 am in the Parish Hall.
For seniors, SAGEs (Senior Adults Growing and Exploring) meets on the fourth Tuesday of each month at 11:45 am in the Parish Hall for a potluck lunch and an educational or entertaining presentation, with occasional outings. The Soloists is a monthly discussion and fellowship group for women who are divorced, widowed, or single, meeting on the third Saturday of each month at 3:00 pm in the Youth Lounge. Sophia Sisters is the women's ministry, and the Wednesday Women Group gathers at lunch on Wednesdays for shared fellowship. A Supper Club and a Pickleball Group round out the fellowship lineup.
A Parish That Cares for Its Own
Parish Care at St. John's is a coordinated set of ministries aimed at people in the congregation who need extra support. The Parish Care Team coordinates home-cooked meals, home visits, Holy Communion brought to those unable to attend worship, notes and phone calls, and prayer. The Visiting and Calling Team cultivates friendship with parishioners experiencing isolation through illness or limited mobility. The Fix It Brigade sends willing helpers to assist seniors and others with small to medium household repairs, from checking smoke alarms to building a wheelchair ramp. The Meal Train provides short-term home-cooked meals for those recovering from surgery, illness, or a period of significant need. The Cards and Notes Team sends notes for illnesses, bereavement, loneliness, births, anniversaries, and other significant life events.
A monthly Alzheimer's and Dementia Support Group provides facilitated mutual support for family members and caretakers. Lay Eucharistic Ministers bring Communion to the homebound. The Prayer Team prays daily and confidentially for any who request the prayers of the parish. And for those planning a memorial, the parish maintains a Columbarium on the north side of the campus with niches for cremains and a memorial wall for plaques, surrounded by gardens and a sacred space for prayer. Funeral planning is offered upon request.
Greeters, Hot Dogs, and a Big-Tent Welcome
The parish's Invite Welcome Connect ministry oversees efforts to share the love of Christ, welcome visitors and newcomers, and help them find their place in the life of the church. Greeters and ushers welcome those arriving for worship, hand out bulletins, assist with seating, and help with Communion. The Welcome Desk, staffed by attendants in the narthex, greets newcomers, answers general questions, and invites them to upcoming Newcomer Meet Ups, which are hosted quarterly after worship or in the evening.
St. John's welcomes everyone "regardless of gender identity, sexual orientation, race or ethnicity, or social class." The parish makes large-print bulletins, hymns, and prayer books available for those with impaired sight and listening assistance devices for the hearing impaired. Ushers will help visitors using wheelchairs or walkers find comfortable seating, and Communion can be brought to a person's seat in place of going to the altar rail. Coffee Hour follows Sunday worship in the Parish Hall, and on the first Sunday of each month, volunteer grill-masters serve up hot dogs at Hot Dog Sunday, a family-friendly time of fellowship for the whole parish.
St. John's in the Wider Community
The parish's community ministry is organized around Jesus's command to love the neighbor and to build the Beloved Community. A wide range of partnerships connects St. John's to Wake Forest and the surrounding area. Church Net is a Wake Forest coalition of churches that provides financial resources for prescriptions and utility bills for people in the community; St. John's collects donations and volunteers from local congregations staff the office. The Joy of Christmas ministry provides gifts and gift cards to local families and seniors at Christmas. The Summer Nutrition Program extends the parish's food ministry into the summer months.
Tri-Area Ministries, or TAM, collects donations of food and necessities for distribution to local families. St. John's has supported TAM since its inception and continues to provide food donations for the organization's nearly nine thousand clients each year; parishioners deposit non-perishables in a red wagon in the narthex. Hope House, a ministry of Friendship Chapel Baptist Church, serves weeknight meals and builds relationships in northeast Wake Forest. The parish partners with Habitat for Humanity through a coalition of local churches to help build and fund affordable housing for soon-to-be-homeowner families. Each September, many St. John's parishioners take part in CROP Walk, a one-mile or three-mile walk to raise money to fight hunger locally and around the world.
On the environmental front, HOME (Helping Our Mother Earth) leads faith reflection and action on climate change and stewardship of creation, and has planted and maintains a Pollinator Garden between the main church and the Education Building. The parish also participates in Farm to Fork, working one Tuesday each month from April through October at the Presbyterian Giving Garden on Capital Boulevard, where the harvest is shared with Wake Forest Community Table and other area organizations. The parish supports Wake Forest Community Table, which distributes meals, produce, and groceries each week, through volunteer drivers, dessert makers, and distribution helpers at Hope House on Mondays and at Olive Branch Baptist Church on Wednesday evenings. The NorthEast Community Garden offers volunteer opportunities for groups and youth on first and third Saturdays during the summer months.
Episcopal Identity, Beliefs, and the Diocese
St. John's is part of The Episcopal Church and a member of the worldwide Anglican Communion, sharing common origins in the Church of England and ongoing spiritual fellowship with churches around the globe. The parish is part of the Episcopal Diocese of North Carolina, whose bishop diocesan is the Rt. Rev. Samuel Rodman, with the Rt. Rev. Jennifer Brooke-Davidson serving as assistant bishop. The Presiding Bishop of The Episcopal Church is the Rt. Rev. Sean Rowe.
The parish summarizes its beliefs plainly: "Love God. Love Your Neighbor. No Exceptions." Members of the parish believe in a loving, liberating, and life-giving God, Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, and follow the teachings of Jesus Christ, whose life, death, and resurrection saved the world. They look to scripture as the inspired Word of God, to the wisdom of generations of Christians before them, and to human reason to guide them in the life-giving and liberating Way of Love, and they take the Great Commandment - love of God and love of neighbor - as their first priority. Worship at St. John's centers on the Book of Common Prayer, the Holy Bible, and the Episcopal Hymnal.
Weddings, Funerals, and the Columbarium
The parish is honored to extend care to parishioners and others in the Wake Forest community at significant life passages. Couples exploring Christian marriage are assisted without regard to gender identity; pre-marital counseling is required, with the recommendation that couples begin the process at least nine months ahead of their preferred wedding date. A counseling fee of $500 and a wedding fee of $1,000 are charged to non-members; members who have belonged to St. John's for more than a year pay no counseling or wedding fee.
Confirmation is celebrated as the public, adult profession of Episcopal baptismal vows, with both Youth Confirmation and Adult Confirmation courses offered at least once each year. Baptism is celebrated for children or adults of any age after suitable preparation with a priest; baptisms take place on the First Sunday after the Epiphany, the Easter Vigil, the Day of Pentecost, All Saints Day, and other Sundays by consultation with the rector. The parish does not celebrate private baptisms but will accommodate special needs and offer small, quiet services by request.
For those who have died, the parish offers funeral and memorial services, with receptions prepared and served by volunteers for bereaved families and friends. The Columbarium on the north side of the campus offers niches for cremains, a memorial wall for brass plaques, a sacred space for prayer, and surrounding gardens.
The Preschool at St. John's
St. John's Preschool is a ministry of the parish that welcomes children of all races and faiths from the wider Wake Forest area. The school runs weekday mornings from September through mid-May, serving toddlers through four-year-olds in classes that combine teacher-directed and child-initiated activities and integrate music, art, drama, and storytelling into a play-based curriculum. Toddler classes meet from 9:30 am to 12:30 pm, while two-, three-, and four-year-old classes meet from 9:15 am to 1:00 pm. Tuition is due one month in advance, with a nonrefundable fee of one month's tuition required upon registration; scholarships may be available for those with need. Children enrolled in the four-year-old program must be fully potty trained, and registration priority is given to returning families, siblings, and parish members before opening to new families. Preschool Director Madison Fetzner can be reached at 919-562-8619 or MadisonF@stjohnswf.org.
Clergy, Staff, and Lay Leadership
The Rev. Mac Brown serves as Rector of St. John's. Karole Badgley is the Director of Music Ministry. Madison Fetzner is the Preschool Director. The parish is supported in worship by additional clergy, including the Rev. Mawethu Ncaca. The Vestry, the parish's elected leadership body, is made up of twelve members in three classes of four each, with a Senior Warden, Junior Warden, Treasurer, and Secretary or Clerk. Standing committees include Communications, Finance, Nominations, Stewardship, and Land-Use. The parish office is open Monday through Thursday from 8:30 am to 3:00 pm and can be reached at 919-556-3656 or info@stjohnswf.com. The preschool office can be reached at 919-562-8619. Services are livestreamed on YouTube, giving is accepted online, and visitors are invited to come as they are and find what the parish describes as the spiritual community they may have been searching for.
Office Hours and Location
St. John's Episcopal Church is located at 834 Durham Road, Wake Forest, NC 27587. The church office is open Monday through Thursday from 8:30 am to 3:00 pm and can be reached at 919-556-3656. The preschool office is open Monday through Friday from 8:30 am to 1:30 pm and can be reached at 919-562-8619.