The Monastery of St. John is a community of Christians striving to follow the Gospel of Jesus Christ, working out our salvation in discipleship to Christ in the Orthodox Church. We embrace the evangelical ideals of poverty, chastity, obedience, and stability. We strive for unity of mind and heart with one another in a communion of love, having all things in common and living a shared life of prayer and work.

The core of our liturgical life is the celebration of the Divine Services: the daily cycle of Matins, Hours, Vespers, and the frequent celebration of the Divine Liturgy. Confession or examination of conscience is frequent or daily. Each member also has a personal prayer rule, as well as obediences (both regular housekeeping tasks and income generating activities). Community interaction is also very important in building unity of mind and heart, and there is time for sober and honest interaction.

There are many kinds of monasticism within the Orthodox world. The root of our monastic tradition is from Valaam Monastery and the contemporary life of the Russian monastic communities. We are also connected with Greek monasteries and monks. While we value these connections, we are firmly established in our identity as Orthodox Christians in Northern California, called to live in a way that communicates Christ to both ourselves and our contemporaries. While there is a place for enclosed silent contemplative monasteries, we believe our calling is to be open to the world and to bear witness to the Gospel.

Our monastery, following the example of St. Basil's monasteries, as well as the majority of Russian monasteries, is a place open to those in need of spiritual and material help and consolation. The monastery is a place of pilgrimage, and hospitality is offered to all visitors as far as possible.

The external focus of our community is outreach ministry - service to people - mainly to youth and the elderly. Fundamental to this work is the acceptance of retired or elderly clergy into the life of the community. We hope also to begin serious outreach work with youth in the near future through discipleship houses.

The work of the brotherhood should generate enough income to live in an appropriate way and to share with those in need. We must not live off donations, though they are welcome, and used for capital expenditures. We must not live in the manner of the world, as materialistic consumers, but in a way sensitive to and in harmony with the natural environment. The work of the brotherhood consists of a combination of products manufactured within the community by the hands of the brothers, and the sales of other products.

Currently this consists of hand-dipped beeswax candles, the publication of Divine Ascent and other books, a small bookstore, and imported vestments and other religious items from Russia. This, in turn, supports the real work of the community: outreach ministry to youth, the elderly and the poor. We believe the monastery facility itself should arise from the work and hands of the brothers, not simply be fully provided by rich benefactors.

In addition to the work of education, we believe it is important for the members of the community to pursue educational goals that would be of benefit to the whole Brotherhood. Thus we encourage studies on various levels, both within and outside the community. We also believe creative work is critical to personal fulfillment, and encourage it for each member of the community.

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