Following a discernment process that determined there is a need to help individuals in Powell who desire to learn or improve their English, St. John’s is now offering free “English as a Second Language” classes. This is St. John’s contribution to the Episcopal Diocese of Wyoming’s Mustard Seed Mission. The Diocese challenged each of its parishes to find ways to serve the larger community in which they reside and provided funding. Classes will be held at St. John’s on

• Tuesdays at 10:00 a.m.
• Tuesdays at 7:00 p.m.

Textbooks will be available free of charge. Classes will be taught in small groups or one-on-one. Childcare will be provided.

Students meet with Katy Lytle, a member of St. John

Celebration of Ministry at St. John’s from Justine Larsen on Vimeo.

As the season progresses, here is a look back to Easter Sunday:

Easter Sunday at St. John’s Episcopal Church from Justine Larsen on Vimeo.

Maundy Thursday Service at St. John’s Episcopal Church from Justine Larsen on Vimeo.

John Rapson Lenten Concert at St. John’s Episcopal Church from Justine Larsen on Vimeo.

Jeff Troxel and Trevor Krieger at the St. John’s Lenten Concert Series from Justine Larsen on Vimeo.

John Rapson, director of Jazz Studies at the University of Iowa, will be at St. John’s Episcopal Church in Powell at 10:30 a.m. Sunday, March 15, to share his jazz settings for the Eucharistic service.

He will be joined in both performances by Ronnie Bedford, percussion; Jeff Troxel, guitar; Craig Olson, saxophone; Robert Rumbolz, trumpet; and Parker Brown, bass; as well as cantors from St. John’s.

Rapson’s liturgical compositions don’t “swing” in a stereotypical jazz sense as they are based on ancient chants. He sets the chants in an improvisational style utilizing the harmonic language of jazz. Rapson doesn’t consider it a performance as much as a prayer service that includes congregational responses and participation.

Jazz historian Mark Gridley has characterized Rapson’s music as “extending several trends that were first demonstrated by Charles Mingus and George Russell.”

Rapson is a composer, trombonist and recording artist for MoMu Records, Music and Arts, Sound Aspects and Nine Winds, whose work mixes ethnic and experimental elements with more conventional jazz forms.

The public is welcome to attend the services.

This performance was made possible by a grant from the Episcopal Diocese of Wyoming.

St. John’s would like to thank Robert Rumbolz for his efforts to bring this event to St. John’s.

John Rapson To Perform At St. John’s on March 15th from Justine Larsen on Vimeo.

Healing Service Homily by Christy Davis from Justine Larsen on Vimeo.

Sister Claire Joy of the Community of the Holy Spirit will be at St. John’s on the afternoon of Sunday, March 1. This is a rare and wonderful opportunity to talk with a gifted spiritual director for comfort, guidance or counsel. More information about her visit will be forthcoming as final arrangements for her tour of the Diocese of Wyoming are made final.

Many people are unaware that there are monastic orders, monks and nuns, in the Episcopal Church. Many people, Episcopalian and non-Episcopalians alike, think that women’s ordination in the Episcopal church makes women’s monastic orders obsolete. But The Community of the Holy Spirit in New York is a thriving, eco-spiritual center where women are invited to follow Christ by intentionally living out of the vows of poverty, chastity, and obedience within the structure of a modified Augustinian Rule.

Women who are entering convents are older than their counterparts of 40 or more years ago. They have more life experience including careers, marriages, children and grandchildren. They are also computer literate and are creating blogs to share their experience of spiritual life. To read more about Sister Claire Joy’s life, visit her blog.

The Annual Meeting of St. John’s will take place on Sunday, January 25, following the 10:30 am service. A hearty luncheon will be provided, so come and enjoy fellowship as elections and discussion of the year-that-was is discussed with plans for the future.