A Company of Friends Abiding in Christ
For over a century, individuals have chosen to live in intentional association with the Brothers of SSJE as people committed to a Rule of Life in the midst of the world. They are teachers and doctors, parents and priests, students and retirees. What they hold in common is a commitment to pray faithfully, to live deliberately, and to remain in relationship with this community and its work. This community is called the Fellowship of Saint John, and there are nearly 1,000 members across the country and around the world.
The Fellowship is open to anyone who wishes to live their Christian life in closer relation to the Brothers of SSJE. Members seek to live an ordered life of prayer and service in association with the Society, and follow a Rule of Life which expresses a common commitment to faithful discipleship.
The Brothers of the Society welcome members of the Fellowship as partners in the Gospel life, and pray for them by name in our daily worship, following a regular cycle. Together with us they form an extended family, a company of friends abiding in Christ and seeking to bear a united witness to him as “the Way, the Truth and the Life,” following the example of the Beloved Disciple.
The Rule of Life
At the heart of the Fellowship is the FSJ Rule of Life — in harmony with the Brothers own Rule read together every day.The purpose of the Rule is to strengthen our abiding in Christ by bringing rhythm, order, and balance to our discipleship. The Rule helps us to offer the whole of ourselves to God each day and keeps us open to God’s love and will for us. Members are encouraged to adapt the Rule to their particular life circumstances, describing for themselves how they will endeavor to live out the Rule. We offer materials and guidance to help in this work.
Explore the Rule of Life →
Resources for Writing Your Own Rule →
Becoming a Member
Membership in the Fellowship is a commitment arrived at over time. After studying The Rule of the Fellowship of Saint John, if it is your desire to commit yourself to living this Rule for a period of six months as a Probationer developing and living out your own Rule of Life, you are eligible to apply for formal membership.
During the probationary period, you’ll come to know the community, engage with our materials, and discern whether this is the right step.
The Brothers’ Cross
Members of the Fellowship are invited to wear a bronze cross similar to that worn by the Brothers. The cross is rich with Johannine imagery: a mandorla of wings surrounds the figure of Christ, drawn from the Revelation to John; a vine and grape motif at the crossing recalls “I am the vine; you are the branches” (John 15:4–5); an eagle bearing a scroll represents Saint John the Evangelist; and the scroll itself, running the length of the cross, bears the inscription “abide in me and I in you,” recalling Jesus’ words to his friends.