Our Congregation
Who We Are
We at St. John's proclaim Christ to Petaluma and greater Sonoma County through His Word and divinely instituted Sacraments. Join us for Christ-centered, cross-focused Divine Service every Sunday, with Bible study, coffee, and fellowship in the fellowship hall afterward.
Staff
Pastor: We are pleased to announce that Rev. Ellery J. Steffensen has accepted the Divine Call to serve as our pastor, here at St. John's Petaluma. Untill he is installed, we gather at 2:00 p.m. on the Lord's Day to celebrate the fullness of the Divine Service with Holy Communion, with the help of several visiting pastors. Please keep Rev. Steffensen and his family in your prayers as they prepare to move to Petaluma.
What to Expect
At St. John's, we are a Christ-centered and Sacramental congregation in our teaching, preaching, and worship. This means that we hold to the historic Christian faith in our practice and teachings as defined in the Nicene, Athanasian, and Apostles' Creeds. We are members of the Lutheran Church–Missouri Synod.
At St. John's you will hear of Christ crucified for you, and of our renewed relationship with God which comes by grace alone, through faith alone, as described in Holy Scripture alone. You will hear the full counsel of God as delivered to us in His Holy Word. The focus is not on ourselves and what we bring, but on God and how He brings us His forgiveness through His gifts of Word and Sacrament.
Having received these gifts of forgiveness, life, and salvation, we are sent out into the world to live according to His Word, serve one another through our vocations, and share the good news with everyone who asks the reason for the hope we have. (1 Peter 3:15)
How We Worship
Today's Christian Church is heir to a rich tradition of worship, passed down by the saints who faithfully went before. They have left us a storied and beautiful celebration of the Christian faith, which begins and ends with the crucified Christ, who comes to us in Word and Sacrament. At St. John's, we gladly participate in this ancient and yet relevant worship practice.
Our service is both contemporary and traditional. It is traditional in that it is part of the timeless ethos of the Church, and contemporary in that it takes place in the “now” and offers the Gospel to you presently, with a reverence that distinguishes itself from everyday life and worldly culture. Much of its structure dates back to the early Church and Old Testament synagogue worship before it. We call this worship the “Divine Service” because in it, God serves us — serving us His gifts of grace and mercy found in the preaching of His Word and Absolution, the waters of Holy Baptism, and the Lord's Supper.
During the service, we repeat back to God what He has said to us in His written Word. In doing so, we restate what is most true and sure, and we know we are speaking and singing what He wants to hear. The service is designed to involve all who gather in the name of the Lord; we encourage you to follow along, sing, and participate in any parts with which you feel comfortable. We primarily use the orders of worship found in the Lutheran Service Book (LSB) for our Divine Services.
A brief explanation of the parts of the service can be found at lcms.org/worship/liturgy-parts. If you have any questions about the service, the order of worship, or what to expect, please feel free to ask an usher, elder, or the pastor.