St. John’s Episcopal Church Memorial Fund
The St. John’s Memorial Fund was founded in 2026 to accepts gifts from those who wish to make a special donation beyond pledging. Gifts are accepted in loving memory of, or in grateful thanksgiving for, a cherished loved one or event. All proceeds go to the endowment of St. John’s Memorial Episcopal Church and are thus seen as an act of hope in the assurance of the future of St. John’s. You may contribute to the St. John’s Memorial Fund in any of the following ways:
Mass Intentions
At St. John’s, the Holy Eucharist is offered to the glory of God and for God’s people. The Church has taught us from ancient times that the faithful may request that a Mass be celebrated for a particular Mass intention, such as:
- The repose of the soul of someone who has died
- The healing or wellbeing of someone who is ill
- An occasion of thanksgiving (a birthday, anniversary, or answered prayer)
- A special need or request (such as guidance, peace, or reconciliation).
A Mass intention allows a specific person, cause, or prayer to be named and spiritually united with the offering of Christ on the altar. It’s a powerful way of joining personal prayers with the Church’s most sacred act of worship. In short, a Mass intention is a way of saying: “Lord, may the grace of this sacrifice be especially offered for this person or intention.”[1]
Our Mass Intentions Availability Calendar will be made available on September 1 of each year. Please consult our program year calendar for the dates when Holy Eucharist will be celebrated. You can reserve a specific day in advance by e-mailing the Priest-in-Charge. Please submit your request one week in advance of the date requested. We ask for a mass donation of $100 per intention. For example, if you reserved two Sundays – one as an occasion of thanksgiving for a birthday, and one on the anniversary of a loved one’s passing – we would ask for a donation of $200. Your mass intention will be acknowledged at the beginning of the mass, and during the Eucharist. We would like to not have more than two intentions per Mass.
Please know that costs are not meant to be prohibitive. Please reach out to the Priest if you have any questions.
Sponsoring a Pew
Do you ever find yourself sitting in the same pew every Sunday? Is there one spot in church that you feel especially comfortable, and with God? Perhaps a place where your mother, father, or beloved friend used to sit at church? If so, then perhaps you may consider sponsoring a pew in memory of a loved one. If you would like to dedicate a pew in honor of a loved one, we will purchase and install a small gold plaque, which (typically) reads: In Loving Memory of [Loved One’s Name]/ [Dates]/ Given by [ Your Name]. We will collaborate on the custom gold plaque. While the mass intentions change every year, the sponsoring of a pew is given in perpetuity. We ask for a minimum donation of $1000 to sponsor a pew.
Sponsoring a Stained-Glass Window
Stained Glass windows first adorned Christian churches in the 11th and 12th century. The windows were intended to provide beauty and light, and to provide instruction for worshippers. Few people then could read, and the Bible and Mass were not yet translated – so windows were designed to tell stories from Scripture. Since then, stained glass windows have played a powerful role in creating our sacred spaces and are seen as a conduit through which we may come closer to the Divine in our midst.
If you are interested in memorializing one of the stained-glass windows in our church in memory of a loved one, we ask for $5,000 to honor one individual, $7,000 to honor a couple, and $10,000 to honor a family. We will purchase and we will purchase and install a small gold plaque, which (typically) reads: In Loving Memory of [Loved One’s Name]/ [Dates]/ Given by [Your Name]. We will collaborate on the custom gold plaque. While the mass intentions change every year, memorializing a stained-glass window is given in perpetuity.
Memorial Garden
Beginning in 2027, we will have a plaque installed outside by the Memorial Garden that lists the name of those we hold close to our heart while we rest and pray in our sacred garden. We ask for a contribution of $200 to have the name added to the plaque.
[1] https://www.atonementchicago.org/mass-intentions
