Thursday, 28 March 2024

St. John

LAKEPORT – St. John’s Episcopal Church in Lakeport will have a Celebration of New Ministry to inaugurate the selection of Father Leo M. Joseph, O.S.F. (Order of St. Francis) as parish priest Sunday, Nov. 29, at 10 a.m. 

“St. John’s Church is a precious heritage bequeathed to 21st century Lake County,” said Fr. Joseph, “and with God’s help and your generous response, I will strive to make it a place of even greater spiritual nurture, tangible community and unconditional compassion; transforming lives here in Lake County.”

Born in Brooklyn, New York in 1947, Fr. Joseph received the Franciscan habit in New York in 1972 and was subsequently ordained a priest in Montreal, Canada, for the Order of Mariavite Franciscans.

He relocated to California in 1979 and spent the next 10 years in San Francisco ministering to the elderly and then, with the onset of the AIDS epidemic, to the dying.

Fr. Joseph moved to Kelseyville in 1989 to develop Little Portion Hermitage on property purchased by the Order a few years prior. In a short time he began a friendly relationship with the congregation of St. John’s Church in Lakeport, which eventually led to his being received into the Episcopal Church as a priest in 1997.

He served as associate priest at St. John’s and Holy Trinity Church in Ukiah until 2004 when he was appointed interim pastor of St. Michael and All Angels Church in Fort Bragg.

In 2006, Fr. Joseph began a two-and-a-half-year ministry as interim pastor of Christ Church in Eureka.

Upon returning to Lake County, he resumed living the Franciscan religious life at Little Portion Hermitage and filled in on Sundays at Lakeport and Ukiah.

Fr. Joseph is well-traveled in Europe, from England to Poland and many points between, and has used his overseas experience to enrich his perspective and cultural sensibilities in his ministry here.

St. John’s annual Christmas gift to all people in Lake County is the candlelight “Midnight Mass” celebrated in the festively decorated Victorian church. This year is will be celebrated by Fr. Joseph and at the “old” time, 10:30 p.m. on Christmas Eve.

The Holy Eucharist sometimes called Mass or Holy Communion, is the principle Sunday service in the Episcopal Church, will be celebrated four Sundays a month.  The service will include a thought- provoking sermon preached by Fr. Joseph or a guest preacher.

“St. John’s Vestry will plan and announce opportunities for spiritual development, social activities and community service, especially involving St. John’s well- respected thrift shop and food closet ministries,” said Barbara Knight, the congregation’s senior warden. “These will be open to all interested people, regardless of church affiliation.” 

The church is located at 1190 N. Forbes St.

For more information, contact the church at 707-263-4785.

Upcoming Calendar

28Mar
03.28.2024 1:00 pm - 3:00 pm
Vision resource group
30Mar
03.30.2024 9:00 am - 11:00 am
Second annual Bunny Brunch
30Mar
03.30.2024 9:00 am - 2:00 pm
Lakeport Community Cleanup Day
30Mar
03.30.2024 1:00 pm - 3:00 pm
Lake County poet laureate inauguration
31Mar
03.31.2024
Easter Sunday
31Mar
03.31.2024 1:15 pm - 1:45 pm
Lakeport Rotary Club Easter Egg Hunt
1Apr
04.01.2024
Easter Monday
1Apr
10Apr
15Apr
04.15.2024
Tax Day

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