Sundays at 8:00 and 10:15 a.m.

  550 Mendocino Ave, Santa Rosa, CA 95401  ·   (707) 579-2604  ·  

Church of the Incarnation
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Adult Faith Formation

Lifelong learning is an important part of Christian faith and practice. At Incarnation we have lots of opportunities for adults to grow in faith, from first explorations through advanced Christian education.

Sunday Forum

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Our adult forum meets during the 9:00 Christian Formation hour on Sunday mornings, between the 8:00 and 10:15 services. It's usually led by Pastor Stephen and sometimes by other guest leaders. Join us for this regular opportunity to grow in faith together.

Living Compass and Seasonal Classes

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Throughout the year, various small group classes meet on weekdays, usually once a week for a period of several weeks. Some of these classes focus on Advent, Lent, or other seasons, using the Living Compass curriculum. Others focus on aging, spiritual wellness, or other topics. We also offer Bible Study groups throughout the year.


Education for Ministry

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Education for Ministry, or EfM, is a comprehensive, four-year theological education program for lay people, developed by the University of the South (Sewanee). Through study, prayer, and reflection, EfM groups move toward a new understanding of the fullness of God's kingdom. Participants are given weekly assignments to study with the help of resource guides. By examining their own beliefs and their relationship to our culture and the tradition of our Christian faith, participants learn what it means to be effective ministers in the world. In coming to terms with the notion that everything we do has potential for manifesting the love of Christ, we discover that our ministry is at hand wherever we turn. The seminar is supported by a life of prayer and regular worship.

Incarnation Bookstore

The Bookstore’s ministry is to provide literature and readings suited to enhancing and stimulating the spiritual life of our community. The bookstore sells Fair Trade jewelry and other items that benefit the sellers of the country of origin.

Located in Farlander Hall, our parish bookstore offers books, calendars, cards and other items that are particularly centered on Episcopal faith. Books of a general spiritual interest are also available, as are materials needed for classes. We can special order books for you, if we don’t have them in stock.

To place an order, see one of our managers at the store on Sundays or email us at [email protected].

Open Sundays, 8:30 a.m. to 1:00 p.m.


Recent Posts

Parish Book Study: The Church Cracked Open

Parish Book Study: The Church Cracked Open

During Lent we'll dive into this important book by the Rev. Canon Stephanie Spellers, who serves on the staff of Presiding Bishop Michael Curry as the Episcopal Church's Canon for Evangelism and Reconciliation. Order your copy here . We'll o...
Read More
February 19: Shrove Sunday

February 19: Shrove Sunday

On the Last Sunday after Epiphany we get ready for the holy season of Lent with a last big party! Join us after the 10:15 service for: A pancake lunch with all the trimmings, $7 donation. The burial of the Alleluias . During the sea...
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Coming Up at Sunday Forum

Coming Up at Sunday Forum

We have some special conversations coming up at our 9:00 Sunday Forum: February 12: Talking About Faith (led by Stephen Shaver) . Our faith is a central part of our lives. But it can be hard to talk about! We might feel self-conscious tel...
Read More
2023 St. Dorothy's Rest Camp Dates Are Here

2023 St. Dorothy's Rest Camp Dates Are Here

We are pleased to announce that registration for the 2023 Camp Season at St. Dorothy's Rest is officially open! Don't wait - register today! We look forward to welcoming you back for the 2023 season. Click here for details and registration htt...
Read More

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Daphne Vernon
Director of Spiritual Formation
Stephen Shaver
Rector

Daphne Vernon

Director of Spiritual Formation

Stephen Shaver

Rector

Stephen came to Incarnation as Rector in 2018 after eleven years of ordained ministry in California, Washington State, and Texas. Just before joining us, he completed a Ph.D. in liturgy at the Graduate Theological Union in Berkeley. He has served several parishes and also spent time as a hospital and hospice chaplain. He has also served for several years as a trainer at the College for Congregational Development, a training course for lay and clergy leaders in the church.

A "third culture kid," Stephen grew up in Korea, Pakistan, and Russia before coming back to the U.S. for college. He loves traveling, hiking, running, and cooking, and is an avid choral singer. In his life as a liturgical scholar, he is the author of Metaphors of Eucharistic Presence: Language, Cognition, and the Body and Blood of Christ and Eucharistic Sacrifice as a Contested Category: A Cognitive Linguistics Approach, as well as a number of journal articles.

Upcoming Events

Soup Supper and Book Study: The Church Cracked Open
Wednesday, Mar 29, 2023, 6:00 PM
Details »

Living Compass Small Group Session
Thursday, Mar 30, 2023, 2:00 PM
Details »

Sunday Forum
Sunday, Apr 09, 2023, 9:00 AM
Details »

Sunday Forum
Sunday, Apr 16, 2023, 9:00 AM
Details »

Sunday Forum
Sunday, Apr 23, 2023, 9:00 AM
Details »

© 2023 Church of the Incarnation
550 Mendocino Ave · Santa Rosa, CA 95401
(707) 579-2604
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Service Times

Our Sunday services are at 8:00 and 10:15 a.m.

Join us in person or online!

Location

Church of the Incarnation
550 Mendocino Ave
Santa Rosa, CA 95401

Contact Us
(707) 579-2604

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Welcome Getting Here Children The Service What's Next?

People decide to visit a church for lots of different reasons, often because they're at some sort of transition point in their lives. Maybe you're a longtime Episcopalian; maybe you have experience in another faith tradition; or maybe you've never been to a faith community at all.

Whoever you are, and wherever you are on your spiritual journey, you enrich us with your presence, and there's a place for you here.

Learn more about visiting Incarnation.

Incarnation is located at 550 Mendocino Avenue in downtown Santa Rosa, just south of the corner with Cherry Street.

Our church parking lot is located around the corner at 636 Cherry Street. The lot often fills up for our Sunday morning services. Additional free church parking is available in the small gravel lot at the corner of Mendocino and Cherry, or in the city garage at 521 7th Street (free on Sundays), which is a two-minute walk from the church. Finally, street parking is also free on Sundays.

We're also located close to several bus lines, and we have a bike rack in the central courtyard.

Children aren't just the church's future—they're an essential part of our faith community right now. At Incarnation we strive to serve our kids' growing faith, and we know they have much to teach adults, too. Children are always welcome in worship: any age, any time.

Learn more about our children's ministries.

Episcopal worship follows an ancient pattern that dates to the earliest days of the Christian church. The first half of the Eucharist is the Liturgy of the Word the second half is the Liturgy of the Table, also called Holy Communion. If you've spent time in Episcopal, Roman Catholic, Lutheran, or Eastern Orthodox churches, much of our liturgy will seem familiar. If you're unfamiliar with liturgical Christian worship, don't worry. You're welcome to participate as fully as is right for you, or to just relax into the liturgy and let the rest of the congregation carry you in worship.

Click here for online worship, or to learn more about Episcopal worship.

To stay connected with everything that's going on, please subscribe to our e-newsletter, News and Notes.

Often someone who's been visiting for a while will ask us how to become a member of Incarnation. Learn more about becoming a member.

To support our work sharing God's love here in Sonoma County, you can make a donation online.

Giving is one of the most powerful spiritual practices in existence. It's a statement of gratitude and trust in God.

At Incarnation we encourage all our members and friends to prayerfully choose a percentage of their income to give toward causes that serve God's mission. We ask that part of that intentional giving be a pledge of financial support to the parish, both so our leadership can plan ahead in making a budget, and as a tangible commitment to what God is doing here at Incarnation. For more on the practice of proportional giving, see this FAQ.

You can make a donation to Incarnation online, toward your pledge or as a special offering, by clicking below.

Give Online