About St. John's
Our Pastor
The Rev. Erin Kinahan is a multifaceted professional with a diverse background that spans several fields. A former Petrochemical firefighter for the Exxon Corporation, Erin transitioned from battling blazes to pursuing a passion for music as a blues/rock/jazz musician. With a degree in funeral service, she has served as a certified celebrant, a funeral attendant, and a grief counselor. Rev. Kinahan’s education includes an AA in Mortuary Science, a BA in History, and a Masters in Divinity from the Lutheran Theological Seminary in Philadelphia.
With 22 years of experience as an ordained Lutheran Pastor, Erin has dedicated her life to serving others. Her adventurous spirit led her to log over 3 million miles as an over-the-road tractor trailer driver. Studying Tae Kwon Do allowed Erin to embrace physical challenges and personal growth. By God’s grace, a cancer survivor, she recently celebrated the gift of 30 years of recovery in Narcotics Anonymous. She is the proud parent of two grown sons, Luke and Paul. A native of Jersey City, she balances family life with her varied passions and skills, including a passion for drumming, journaling, mentoring, and grief counseling.
A strong preacher, Pastor Erin is very passionate about creating inclusive communities of faith that center on personal engagement and learning as central to our spiritual development. She is an openly transgender woman, who has used her gifts to enrich our communities and churches by advocating for LGBTQ+ people in our society.
If you’d like to meet her for a cup of coffee some time, please email her at pastorerin3@gmail.com
Who we are
We are delighted that people from all over the Hudson county area are a part of our congregation. St. John's is a growing congregation located in Jersey City. We are an open, progressive, energetic and inclusive congregation with a historical emphasis on social justice. SJLC is a member of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America and being fully inclusive, we are a proud Reconciling in Christ congregation. SJLC is an informal congregation by some standards. You'll find most of us in jeans or casual dress, but please come as you're most comfortable.
SJLC has many opportunities for spiritual growth, including Bible Study, Sunday school, Confirmation class, Women's group, & AA meetings. Starting in September we are proud to offer a weekly community supper where all are welcome. We also have a feeding ministry with a food pantry that currently serves over 200 families. Call Pastor Erin for information about these ministries at 917 723 0667
Our Lutheran faith, and how we worship
When Lutherans talk about faith,we are talking about the relationship God’s Holy Spirit creates with us. It’s a relationship where God’s promise of steadfast love and mercy in Jesus opens us to a life of bold trust in God and joyful, generous service to everyone we know and meet in daily life.
Martin Luther was exuberant when he described the freedom of “a living, daring confidence in God’s grace, so sure and certain that believers would stake their lives on it a thousand times.” He once wrote, “Oh, it is a living, busy, active, mighty thing, this faith. It is impossible for it not to be doing good things unceasingly.” Faith opens a place for engaging others in conversation, for seeking the truth, for asking questions and speaking love in word and deed.
At SJLC our worship is centered on the liberating story of Jesus: his life, his bold challenges to the powers of the empire, his suffering and death at the hands of his oppressors, and his overcoming all the powers that still stirive to hold back and hold down people on the margins. We gather at the table each Sunday to meet Jesus and are sent out to be Christ's presence in the world . Our services use the historic order of the liturgy (Gathering, Word, Song, Communion, Sending).
Children are welccome--wiggles and all. We believe that faith is passed on in song, prayer, and by being present in the worshipping community. We gather around the table for Holy Communion every Sunday morning at 10:30 am. All who wish to take part are welcome--without exception. Pleae join us!