Clergy Transition
Clergy Transition: An Overview
Welcome! We are currently seeking our next clergy leader, who will be a part-time Priest in Charge. We’re excited about what God might have in mind for us, and we hope you will be too! Please check out the various links on this website for more information.
If you believe God might be calling you to discern with us, please send a Letter of Interest, a current resume or CV, and a current OTM profile to ECCT’s Diocesan Transition Minister, Ms. Amber Page Gehr, at apagegehr@episcopalct.org.
ECCT follows a transition model called Transition is the New Normal (TINN). The information on this model can be found on the ECCT website at www.episcopalct.org. If you would like to know more about TINN or the Priest in Charge process in Connecticut, please reach out to Amber Page Gehr, at apagegehr@episcopalct.org.
Vision Statement
St. John’s Episcopal Church
Is an open, inclusive, God-centered parish:
Recognizing Christ in every person,
Supporting each individual’s Spiritual Journey
Nurturing all God’s children in the Peace of the Lord
Creating a community of sacramental worship,
hospitality, and compassion.
Empowering people to serve and minister,
Reaching out to heal and make new the broken world.
Proclaiming God’s promise in truth and courage.
About St. John’s Parish
Located prominently at one end of the city green, St. John’s has been a physical landmark and beacon of hope for greater Waterbury since the 18th century. We have given birth to Waterbury institutions such as the Visiting Nurses Association, St. Margaret’s School for Girls (which became part of St. Margaret’s-McTernan School, later known as Chase Collegiate School, which closed in 2020).
We feel enlivened by the Holy Spirit, working through our parish to serve all of God’s children living in Waterbury and its surrounding towns. By being the focal point of Episcopal worship and social outreach programs, St. John’s is an essential part of the fabric of Waterbury. The scope of our community involvement prompted our former Rector, the Rev. Dr. Jim Bradley, to remark, “If St. John’s didn’t exist, Waterbury would have to invent it.”
St. John’s attracts members from nearly 40 communities. The majority of active members live in Waterbury and its neighboring towns of Middlebury, Prospect, Watertown, and Wolcott. We have a growing presence online by live-streaming our services since March 2020.
Our diverse and eclectic mix of parishioners has become like one big “family” where deep and lasting relationships are formed. As is the case with Waterbury’s own population, the number of Hispanic and African-American members at St. John’s continues to grow.
We are a living community who shares a desire to do the work of God and to proclaim the Gospel of Jesus Christ in the everyday world. We do this through community outreach, and by the rich Episcopal liturgy of our worship services rooted in the Book of Common Prayer.
A Brief History of St. John’s
Sketch of St. John’s First Church, circa 1797
St. John’s traces its roots to the year 1732, when a group of Anglican churchmen under the auspices of the Venerable Society for the Propagation of the Gospel in Foreign Parts established St. James Parish in Waterbury. The first church building was erected in 1743 at the corner of West Main and Willow Streets. The parish outgrew this small building by the turn of the century.The second church was built and consecrated as St. John’s Church on November 1, 1797. It was located on the Green where the Soldiers’ Monument now stands.St. John’s third church was erected on the current site in 1848 and was totally destroyed by fire on Christmas Eve, 1868. Services were held in a temporary building for over four years.
The fourth and present church was consecrated on June 24, 1873. Designed by architect Henry Dudley of New York, this neo-gothic structure was built on the foundations of the burned building.
A thorough history of St. John’s from its beginnings until the early 20th century may be found in the book, A Narrative and Documentary History of St. John’s Protestant Episcopal Church, by Frederick John Kingsbury, L.L.D., published in the year 1907.
A summary of the church’s history is available at A History of St. John’s Parish, 1677-1990
Major renovations in 1956 included installation of a gallery organ, expansion of the balcony, and modifications to the chancel.
A tornado swept through the Waterbury area on July 10, 1989. This caused one and one half of the towers that surround the spire to fall through the roof, which destroyed two-thirds of the gallery organ. Slates were blown from the roof and several of the stained glass windows were broken. Repairs to the organ and building were completed in 1991.
In 1998, to celebrate the 125th anniversary of the church building, a major restoration of the tower exterior was done to replace mortar joints and sandstone.
In 2010, the eight chandeliers in the chancel were completely rewired and restored to their original beauty.
Throughout its long history, St. John’s has had a strong tradition of serving the needs of the community. The Waterbury Visiting Nurses Association was founded in the early 1900’s under the direction of Rev. Dr. John Lewis. To this date, St. John’s is home to many 12-step groups, self-help organizations, and programs that help the community in numerous ways. The undercroft (basement) is used to store food for the Food Bank. The Greater Waterbury Interfaith Ministries’ Soup Kitchen was housed in the Parish House for many years, feeding thousands of men, women and children yearly. Outreach Programs continue to flourish.
St. John’s became a center for the training of clergy for the Episcopal Church under Dr. Lewis, whose tenure as Rector lasted 40 years (1901-1940). Nine bishops began their ministries at St. John’s as a curate, assistant, or rector. The Rt. Rev. Andrew Smith, retired Bishop of the Diocese of Connecticut, served as Assistant at St. John’s from 1971 to 1976.
In 2003, we added an Hispanic ministry to serve the needs of this growing community, by creating a noontime Spanish-language service and new outreach opportunities.
A two-year discernment process led to the creation of a Five-Year Plan for the years 2004-09. Known as “Sharing the Vision,” this plan called for growth in the congregation through a long-term commitment to the Hispanic Ministry, and by deeper engagement with youth in the community. The latter resulted in the creation of a Chorister Academy (now known as the Waterbury Youth Chorus) and Saturday Festival of Learning.
In 2007, past clergy, families, old friends, and new friends, came together to celebrate 275 years of St. John’s ministry to the greater Waterbury area with a harvest picnic in the Close. Some of the guests were fourth and fifth generation St. John’s Episcopalians.
St. John’s has been blessed by the generosity of generations past. The parish has attempted to use its resources in a responsible, Christian way. We hope St. John’s will continue as a vital parish in the center of Waterbury and all the surrounding communities, ministering to all people in the name of Jesus Christ.
St. John’s Second Church, 1839
St. John’s Third Church, 1857
St. John’s Third Church was destroyed by fire on Christmas Eve 1868
St. John’s Fourth Church, circa 1896
St. John’s interior, circa 1930
Balcony renovations prior to installation of the McManis Organ, mid-1950s
St. John’s exterior, 2001
Bylaws
Click here to read the Bylaws of St. John’s Parish
Annual Reports
2024 Annual Report
2023 Annual Report
2022 Annual Report
2021 Annual Report
2020 Annual Report
2016 Annual Report
2015 Annual Report
2003 Annual Report
2001 Annual Report
Buildings & Grounds
The present property of St. John’s consists of a corner lot at the intersection of Church Street and West Main Street at the west end of the Green in downtown Waterbury. The Church was erected in 1873 after a fire destroyed the previous building. The Parish House wing was added in 1920. The entire structure is listed on the National Register of Historic Places. A small, wood-framed garage, at the rear of a 60-space parking lot, is used for storage. The Church Street property is the sole real estate owned by St. John’s.
The Church and attached Parish House are of granite exterior and slate roofs. The buildings are arranged in an “L” shape surrounding the Close, a tree-shaded, grassed area. The Close contains a 30 by 15 foot Memorial Garden for the interment of ashes, and a brick labyrinth that was installed in its center in 2003.
The general condition of the Church is good. For a building more than 150 years old, it is structurally sound and well maintained, despite its aging infrastructure.
The Gallery Organ is a marvelous instrument designed and installed by Charles McManis in 1956. The organ was heavily damaged in 1989 when a tornado dislodged heavy masonry from the steeple, sending it through the roof. It was rebuilt by Mr. McManis and was improved with the addition of several new ranks. The blower and motor were recently replaced. A smaller chancel organ was installed in 1964. Both organs may be played at either of two consoles.
The Church contains a full complement of wonderful stained glass windows – five by Tiffany. One window, found on the northeast corner of the church, was designed by former parishioner Judith McManis, who also designed and crafted many liturgical hangings, and vestments. The theme of the window celebrates St. John’s position in the community and was commissioned as an art glass window in 2004. All windows are protected by exterior plastic covers.
There is a Columbarium in the northeast corner of the sanctuary, which was installed in the 1990s.
The electrical system in the Church is a mix of old and new, while being fully functional and safe. Improvements have been made based on a recent engineering study. In 2009-10, thanks to generous gifts from individual donors, all eight chandeliers in the nave were restored to their original beauty and were completely rewired. All lights throughout the building and parking areas were replaced with energy saving LED bulbs as a “green” measure, cutting our electric use for lighting by nearly 90 percent.
Heat is provided by two boilers, each capable of carrying the load in the winter with one as standby. The distribution of steam is rather complicated and inefficient, but it works, and the cost of replacement would be prohibitive. The boilers are equipped to run on oil or natural gas, whichever is more economical. The oil tank, located adjacent to the Church in the driveway entrance, is a double walled tank installed in 1989, and probably will have to be removed or legally sealed in the future. It has been pumped down to a minimum level in the event removal is ordered.
There are four items on the long range capital list: completing electrical upgrades, installing an elevator to the third floor “Guild Hall” for handicapped accessibility, improving draining in the Close, and upgrading the organ’s electrical system.
Several areas involving leaks within the Parish House are not serious, but will be addressed in the near future as maintenance items. No special capital fund drive is contemplated at this time.
Christian Formation
Christian Formation – Children’s Sunday school and craft meets at 10:30 to 11:30 in the library. It is run by a small group of parish volunteers with the proper Safe Church training. No classes are held on holiday weekends. It is open to children 4 to 14 years old. We learn about our Savior and His teachings through discussion and fun activities! We see how His messages of love, acceptance, understanding, patience, and forgiveness fit into our lives today.
Objective – to help our young parishioners understand our Lords teachings, and learn how they might use what God is teaching them in their lives and in their community. For the older kids, we will also help them get ready for Confirmation.
Sunday School is sponsored by St. John’s Wings, a group of parishioners who conduct fundraisers and community awareness events.
Meet our Clergy
2024 – present
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2003 – 2010 and 2016 – present
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Past Clergy (1737-2022)
2016 – 2022
Michael Carroll, Priest-in-Charge
2012 – 2016
Amy D. Welin, Interim Rector
2011 – 2012
Rev. Canon Robert Miner, Interim Rector
2010 – 2011
Norman MacLeod, Interim Rector
1989 – 2010
Dr. James G. Bradley, Rector
1988 – 1989
Jeffrey Dugan, Interim Rector
1979 – 1987
James G. Wilson, Rector
1978 – 1979
Peter Holroyd, Priest-in-Charge
1970 – 1978
Michael S. Kendall, Rector
1960 – 1970
DeWolf Perry, Rector
1958 – 1960
David O. Cowles, Priest-in-Charge
1951 – 1958
John R. Yungblut, Rector
1951
Joseph Koci, Jr., Priest-in-Charge
1948 – 1951
Robert M. Hatch, Rector
1941 – 1948
Francis O. Ayres, Rector
1940
Samuel A. Budde, Priest-in-Charge
1901 – 1940
Dr. John N. Lewis, Jr., Rector
Biography from the Waterbury Hall of Fame
1884 – 1901
Edmund Rowland, D.D., Rector
1880 – 1883
Rob Roy M. (McNulty) Converse, D.D., Rector
1877 – 1880
Joel Foote Bingham, D.D., Rector
1837 – 1877
Jacob L. Clark, D.D., Rector
1833 – 1836
Allen C. Morgan, Rector
1830 – 1832
William Barlow, Rector
1814 – 1830
Alpheus Greer, Rector
1807 – 1814
Virgil Horace Barber, Rector
1797 – 1806
Tillotson Bronson, D.D., Rector
1796 – 1797
William Green, Interim Rector
1795
Alexander V. Griswold, D.D., Interim Rector
1791 – 1793
Seth Hart, Rector
1790 – 1791
David Foote, Rector
1790
Chauncey Prindle, Interim Rector
1789 – 1790
Solomon Blakeslee, Rector
1759 – 1788
James Scovil, Rector (First Resident Rector)
1749 – 1759
Richard Mansfield, D.D., Missionary
1744 – 1746
James Lyons, Missionary
1739 – 1743
Theophilus Morris, Missionary
1737 – 1739
Jonathan Arnold, Missionary
Ministries Inside Our Walls
St. John’s Ministers to those who need a safe place to host AA meetings, NA meetings and other groups hosted by outside entities.
AA Meetings: Currently AA meetings are held on Fridays at 7:30pm
NA Meetings: Currently NA meetings are held on Tuesdays at 10:30 am
StayWell Meetings: Currently Staywell Meetings are held at 1 pm on the first and third Tuesdays of the month.
The Naugatuck Valley Project also rents the third floor.
The Labyrinth is open for use during daylight hours.
Ministries Outside Our Walls
Outreach Committee Major Projects
- Greater Waterbury Interfaith Ministries – We are proud supporters of the GWIM soup kitchen and food pantry. In addition to food collections during the year, we also make monetary donations to help feed the members of our Waterbury community who need help. The Director, Barbara Dublin, does not hesitate to reach out to us when there are special needs as she knows there will be a positive response.
- CT Department of Children and Family – We have worked with social workers from this agency for many years. We participate as a parish in three main projects. At Easter we have provided age specific Easter baskets for children who otherwise might not receive one. We have participated in Back-to-School projects to provide back packs filled with supplies or sometimes gift certificates for individuals to shop. The parish especially enthusiastically responds to provide gifts for children for Christmas. A Christmas tree is placed in the foyer decorated with gift tags that include the age and gender of the child. The tags just about fly off the tree as parishioners pick their Christmas child. It is wonderful to see all the gifts that are given.
- Swords to Plowshares – Swords to Plowshares is an organization, affiliated with the Episcopal Church, which melts down guns which have been collected by local police departments and makes them into tools. The tools are then donated to agricultural programs. They also sell items on their website. Our Outreach Committee has supported generous donations to this project. One of the founders of this organization is Retired Suffragan Bishop James Curry. On May 22,2022, Bishop Curry preached at our 9:30 service and following the service did a blacksmithing demonstration in the Close. We invited our neighbors, First Congregational Church to join us. It was a great experience, especially for those who were chosen to participate. We hope to make this an annual event to promote the reduction of gun violence. Please visit the Swords to Plowshares website s2pnortheast.org.
- IRIS – Integrated Refugee and Immigrant Services is the ECCT affiliate of the National Church Episcopal Migration Ministries. The CT affiliate has processed 310 Afghan refugees in our state. They provide a wide range of services including housing, employment, health, legal, education, and case management. They have sixty-four paid employees and over three hundred volunteers. Their 17 Board Members serve without compensation. Our Outreach Committee has supported generous donations to this project. One of the principal participants in the effort is Retired Bishop Andrew D. Smith, who served as an assistant at St. John’s before becoming the Rector of St. Michael’s in Naugatuck. Please visit the IRISCT website irisct.org.
Lay Eucharistic Visitors
This is an important part of our ministry, especially as our congregation ages. LEVs are lay persons who, after the Celebration of the Eucharist, visit members of the parish who are unable to attend church. We presently are very much in need of more volunteers to serve in this ministry.
Prayer Shawl Ministry
This ministry was originated by two graduates of the Women’s Leadership Institute of the Hartford Seminary in 1996. At St. John’s. members of the parish prayerfully knit or crochet shawls to be blessed at a service and distributed to those in need of comfort. They also can be distributed for a celebration of joy, as in the birth of a child.
Music
Music is an integral and important part worship at St. John’s. The 9:30am English-language service is with organ and piano, using the 1982 Hymnal and Lift Every Voice and Sing. The Psalms and responsorial are chanted, Sanctus is sung, there are usually three or four congregational hymns, and instrumental pieces played as a Prelude, Offertory Anthem, and Postlude. Guest musicians often enhance the service music with the sounds of winds, piano, strings, handbells, tympani, and brass.
Music for the 11:30am Spanish-language service is provided by a guitarist, with congregational hymns selected from El Himnario and Flor y Canto.
Instruments
We are blessed with a magnificent pipe organ, designed and built in 1957 (and rebuilt in 1989) by Charles W. McManis. St. John’s also owns a Mason & Hamlin concert grand piano (in our worship space), a Yamaha grand (in the Library), a small endowment fund to support guest musicians and music purchases, and an extensive library of choral and instrumental music.
- Listen to organ builder Charles W. McManis playing the McManis Organ at St. John’s in October 2000.
- Read more about the McManis Organ in a brochure published in 1991.
Musicians
Henry Church (guitar)
Robert Havery (organ, piano)
Bob was the Organist and Choirmaster at St. John’s from 1969 to 1986, and again from 1996 until his retirement in 2015. Since then he has come back to play regularly at our services, usually the first and second Sundays of each month. He holds Bachelor and Master degrees from Juilliard, and has played numerous recitals in Connecticut, New York, Canada and England. In 2020, Bob retired after a 52-year career of teaching music and celebrating the arts at Westover School in Middlebury. He hoped his legacy will be “that the arts are intrinsic to the life of a complete human being.”
- Watch the video “Bob Havery: A Lifetime of Music at Westover School.”
- Open the YouTube playlist “New Perspectives on Beloved Hymns” featuring Bob Havery at the McManis Organ at St. John’s Church.
Brian Ladden (ukelele, djembe)
Rosemary Minkler (piano)
Rosemary is an accomplished pianist, composer, and audio engineer. She has played at both the English and Spanish-lanuage services at St. John’s since 2011 when she was still in high school. She grew up surrounded by music and began studying piano at an early age, discovering her passion for jazz at the Litchfield Jazz Camp. Rosemary continued her studies on a full scholarship to Western Connecticut State University, where she received a degree in Audio and Music Production with a concentration in Jazz Piano. While at WCSU, she worked closely with renowned jazz saxophonist Jimmy Greene and was an intern for Stamford-based audio engineer Greg Tobler, whom she still works with on various audio post-production projects.
- Learn more about Rosemary and hear samples of her original music.
- Watch the video “A Music Ministry: Rosemary Minkler at St. John’s, Waterbury” produced in 2017 by the Episcopal Church in Connecticut.
Steven Minkler (piano, organ, bass)
Steve has been part of the Music Ministry at St. John’s since the mid-1990s, playing occasionally for both the English and Spanish services, and now once per month at the English service. Steve served as Music Coordinator from September 2015 until March 2020, when the COVID pandemic forced worship services into an online format. During his tenure as Music Coordinator, he introduced the concept of a rotating schedule of musicians with different styles and instrumentations. Beside himself, these included organists Bob Havery, Daniel Scifo, and Scott Miller; guitarist Henry Church; percussionist Brian Ladden; a rebooted Adult Choir, and a four- to six-piece Jazz Ensemble which he launched with his daughter Rosemary.
Concerts
St. John’s is a magnificent acoustical space which is used as a public concert venue throughout the year. Click or tap here for a list of some of the concerts held at St. John’s since the year 2015.
Choir
October 2023 — Choir Sundays are back at St. John’s!! The adult choir is returning under the direction of organist Robert Havery and soprano soloist Larissa Davidowitz once per month at the 9:30am Sunday service. For more information, or to join the Choir, please call the church office at 203-754-3116.
St. John’s YouTube Music Channel
Click or tap here to enter the YouTube channel.
Our Hometown: Waterbury, Connecticut
Waterbury is known as the “Brass City” because of its long history as the center of the nation’s brass industry. It is the fifth-largest city in Connecticut, located in the west-central portion of the state, at the junction of Interstate 84 and Route 8. Waterbury is the metropolitan center of the 13-town Central Naugatuck Valley Region, an area with nearly 300,000 residents.
Although the brass mills that gave Waterbury its nickname are gone, the region features educational, recreational, and cultural destinations such as shopping malls, museums, nature trails, and amusement parks. Waterbury’s proximity to the ski resorts of northern New England and the beaches and boating of Long Island Sound to the south means that residents have easy access to a wide range of year-round, world-class recreational activities.
Connecticut’s three largest cities – Bridgeport, Hartford, and New Haven – are each within a 30-minute drive of Waterbury. In addition, New York, Boston, and Providence are less than two hours away.
History
Waterbury was settled in 1674 as a farming community, as an extension of the town of Farmington. Waterbury was formally established as a town in 1686, and incorporated as a city in 1853.
The city is situated on the banks of the Naugatuck River, which together with several tributaries provided abundant water to power industrial applications in the 19th and 20th centuries. The first brass in America was rolled by Abel Porter & Co. in Waterbury. They were the first to make brass by direct fusion of copper and zinc in 1802 and to commercially make gilt buttons. Hiram Washington Hayden invented the first brass spinning machine in 1851. The brass mills produced military supplies from the Civil War through World War II.
Waterbury is known for the beautiful architecture of its public buildings and stately residences, befitting its former grandeur as a center of manufacturing. City Hall is one of several Waterbury buildings designed by renowned architect Cass Gilbert. Originally completed in 1918, City Hall was once slated for demolition, but reopened in 2011 after a $36 million restoration.
Downtown development projects in the early 2000s included a regional campus of the University of Connecticut, a performing arts inter-district magnet high school, and a fully restored, 2,800-seat Palace Theater.
Waterbury’s neighborhoods each have long histories, distinct characters, strong ethnic identities, and active civic associations. The Downtown, Hillside, and Overlook neighborhoods – along with many landmarks and buildings, including St. John’s Church – are listed on the National Register of Historic Places.
Waterbury remains a “livable” city with excellent public services and a low crime rate compared to Connecticut’s other cities. The city maintains a network of parks facilities, ranging from neighborhood playgrounds to a small, multipurpose stadium.
Government
Waterbury has a “strong mayor” form of government with a 15-member Board of Alderman who are elected to two-year terms.
Waterbury has a well-earned reputation for rough and tumble politics. Since the 1930s, three mayors have served time in prison for corruption and other misdeeds resulting from the strong mayor system. Despite this, Waterburians are proud of their city and view their resiliency as a sign of character.
Employment & Income
Waterbury’s largest employers are the city itself, Waterbury Hospital, and Saint Mary’s Hospital. A variety of private enterprises such as banks, light manufacturing facilities, and retail centers contribute to the local economy.
Education & Youth
Waterbury is home to three colleges: CT State Community College-Naugatuck Valley Campus, Post University, and a branch campus of the University of Connecticut. Together, they enroll nearly 10,000 students in credit-bearing programs and many others in non-credit workforce training and lifelong learning courses.
The city has a variety of options for families with school-age children. Nearly 19,000 children (90% of whom are students of color) attend the Waterbury Public Schools: 18 elementary schools, three inter-district magnet schools, three middle schools, three high schools, one alternative education school, and one learning center. Waterbury is also served by a parochial school network of K-8 schools and one high schools. Unique among the states, Connecticut operates a system of regional technical high schools: Kaynor Technical High School is located in Waterbury.
Waterbury established the first Girls Club in the United States, has a vibrant YMCA facility, and is home to a nationally-recognized Police Athletic League.
Media
The independently-owned Waterbury Republican-American is the daily newspaper with both print and online circulation. The Observer is an alternative, free monthly newspaper. Two local radio stations provide a voice for community politics, in addition to statewide radio and TV.
Vestry, Officers, and Staff
Diocese of Connecticut
The Rt. Rev. Jeff W. Mello, Bishop
The Rt. Rev. Laura Ahrens, Suffragan Bishop
Clergy
The Rev. Jill Morrison, Priest-in-Charge
The Rev. Armando Gonzalez, Priest
Staff
Cindy Runge, Parish Administrative Assistant
Joe Seaman, Sexton
Officers and Vestry
Kenneth Baranoski Senior Warden |
Donald Pomeroy Junior Warden |
(vacant) Treasurer |
Linda Pomeroy Parish Clerk |
Jorge Astacio Class of 2025 |
Sherrie Richards Class of 2025 |
Andrew Skipp Class of 2025 |
George Stevens Class of 2025 |
Gerard McDonald Class of 2026 |
Neva Vigezzi Class of 2026 |
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Evanson Dover Class of 2027 |
Cynthia Irizarry Class of 2027 |
Bobbie Santa Maria Class of 2027 |
Worship
The liturgical style at St. John’s is broad and inclusive.
Weekly
On Sundays, Holy Eucharist or Morning Prayer is celebrated at 9:30am using the Book of Common Prayer Rite II, and at 11:30am (Spanish Book of Common Prayer). Several times during the year, the two services are combined into a bilingual English/Spanish service held at 10:00am.
Lent through Easter
Lent begins with two services of Holy Eucharist and imposition of Ashes at noon and 7pm on Ash Wednesday. There are added services of meditation, prayer, Evensong, and Stations of the Cross during the Lenten season. Holy Week offers services on Maundy Thursday, Good Friday, an Easter Vigil on Holy Saturday, and two Easter Sunday celebrations.
Christmas
Christmas Eve services include a 7:00pm Misa en Español, and a 10:00pm service with Holy Eucharist, lessons, carols, and special music. There is a 10:00am service on Christmas Day.