Baptisms, Weddings, & Funerals

ceremonies marking the milestones of life

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Baptisms

In the waters of baptism, we are lovingly adopted and welcomed by God into God’s family, which we call the Church, and given God’s own life to share and reminded that nothing can separate us from God’s love. Baptism is also a time when the community of faith gathers together to renew its own commitment to Christ and to support those who are being baptized. It as an occasion for celebration. All people of any age are welcome to baptized; we believe in one baptism for the forgiveness of sins, as the “bond which God establishes in Baptism is indissoluble”.

We'd take so much joy in baptizing your baby. We'd be honored. Because a) babies are amazing and b) what could be more beautiful than simultaneously welcoming a new life, supporting one another, and celebrating God's absolute and unconditional love? Nothing! While less common, adult baptisms are equally—if not more—beautiful, because they include an element of personal evolution and spiritual growth that is truly admirable and always worth celebration.

Scheduling a baptism is a bit unusual because our Book of Common Prayer designates certain days in the liturgical year as being especially appropriate for the celebration of Holy Baptism. Essentially, we have to check our religious calendar. If you would like to be baptized or to have your children baptized, please contact Fr. Patrick at (401) 245-4065 x16 or patrick@stjohnsbarrington.org.

Funerals

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Funeral services find all meaning in the resurrection; because Jesus was raised from the dead, we, too, shall be raised. The liturgy, therefore, is characterized by joy, in the certainty that “neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor things present, nor things to come, nor powers, nor height, nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord” (Romans 8:38-39).

This joy, however, does not make human grief un-Christian. So, while we rejoice that the one we love has entered into the nearer presence of our Lord, we join in sorrow and sympathy with those who mourn. Though eulogies, or remembrances, are not a traditional part of our funeral liturgy, we know that they can play an important role in comforting those who are grieving and, as such, loved ones are welcome to deliver remembrances of the deceased.

Services are typically performed before burials, so the deceased may be blessed in the house of God before returning to the Earth. However, services may be held before or after cremation. As the Episcopal funeral service is a service of worship, it is properly held in a church, unless considerations of space prohibit. Regardless of whether the deceased was a member of the Church or not, or whether the survivors are members, the Church and its services are available to all.

If you are looking to arrange a funeral service or if you would like to plan your funeral liturgy prior to your joining our Lord in heaven, our Parish Administrator Dale West— who can be reached at (401) 245-4065 or dale@stjohnsbarrington.org—can help you make arrangements. A priest will assist family members through the entire planning process and our community is always here to offer comfort and support in times of grief.

Weddings

We love weddings! And we like to think we're seasoned experts in the wedding-officiating field. If you are adults who love one another, are enthusiastic about entering into the sacrament of marriage, and are wanting to marry in the Episcopal faith, we would be honored to officiate your service and celebrate your new beginning as a couple.

If we do turn out to be the right sanctuary for your ceremony, know that our parish family will do everything in its power to ensure your wedding day is as spectacular as the love you have for each other. Our community will always be here to support and celebrate you, as individuals and as a couple.

If you're interested in marrying here at St. John's , please call our church office to set up a meeting with our Rector, Fr. Patrick. Fr. Patrick will provide you with our wedding booklet that details the process of having your wedding here at St. John's, lists the expenses, and answers commonly asked questions. You can also request a booklet at any time by contacting our Parish Administrator, Dale West, at 401-245-4065 ex.11 or at dale@stjohnsbarrington.org

Memorial Garden
Internment

Created in 1988, our Memorial Garden is the final resting place for people—parishioners and neighbors alike—who choose to be interred in a familiar and peaceful setting close to our beautiful church.

The Garden offers a meditative interpretation of a traditional church graveyard; set atop a quiet knoll east of the building, it's an oasis of plantings and serene, undulating paths that is perpetually cared for by the Church.

Plots (approximately nine square feet) for the interment of cremated remains are available to be reserved. If two people choose to be buried together, their ashes may be buried in a shared plot with their ashes in separate vessels. The purchase price of a plot, including an unpolished Berry Granite stone measuring 12” x 24” x 4”, engraved with the names and appropriate dates of the persons interred, is currently $2,500.00.

Memorial plaques are also available, and can be mounted on the stone walls of the garden in memory of family members interred elsewhere. The cast bronze plaques feature raised lettering measuring 6” X 10” and are priced at $625.00. If you wish to remember a loved one in a different manner, members of the Memorial Garden Committee would love to work with you to find a way to memorialize your loved one in the garden (perhaps with a bench, tree, or additional planting).

A package containing detailed purchasing information is available in the church office. Please contact: Dale West, Parish Administrator at 401-245-4065 or Dale@stjohnsbarrington.org for more information.

Baptisms, Weddings, & Funerals

Baptisms

Memorial Garden Internment

Memorial Garden
Internment