How to Worship with the SSJE Monks

The Society of Saint John the Evangelist (SSJE) is an Anglican Episcopal monastic community of men in Cambridge, Massachusetts, and its website offers a direct "Worship With Us" entry point for visitors who want to pray alongside the brothers. You can join worship in the monastery chapel, watch or read sermons and daily meditations online, or combine a visit with a retreat—but you should check the community news before traveling, since access to the monastery and chapel can be affected by construction.

Start with the "Worship With Us" path

The SSJE homepage is organized around three invitations: Worship With Us, Book a Retreat, and Become a Brother. For a first visit, the worship path is the relevant one. The community describes its life as "shaped by worship, prayer, and our Rule of Life," and its services and sermons take place in the monastery chapel, so worship is the most direct way to encounter the brothers' common life.

What you can expect

• Common worship in the chapel — the brothers' daily life is rooted in "the ancient monastic traditions of prayer and community life."
• Sermons from the chapel — recent sermons are posted on the site (for example, "On Christian Proficiency" by Br. Keith Nelson), which lets you sample the preaching before you visit.
• A daily meditation — "Brother, Give Us A Word" is described as "a daily meditation to start your day," available by subscription.

Before you go: check access and schedules

The site's community news includes practical notices that matter for a visit. One current item is "Access to Monastery and Chapel during Memorial Drive Construction," which signals that the normal route to the monastery and chapel may change. Read that notice before planning your trip, and confirm current service times through the worship pages rather than assuming a fixed schedule.

The news feed also shows the community's rhythm across the year—items such as an Election Night Vigil, "Brothers on Mission, 2026-2027," "Feast with the Monks, 2026-27," and "Tuesday Worship and Fellowship for Students." These are useful signals of when special gatherings happen and which audiences they are designed for.

If you cannot visit in person

Distance is not a barrier to participating in the community's prayer life:

1. Subscribe to the daily meditation via the "Subscribe" link on the site, which delivers "Brother, Give Us A Word" to you each day.
2. Read or listen to recent sermons posted from the chapel.
3. Follow community news for livestreamed or recorded events, such as the Election Night Vigil.

The site lists "Subscribe" among its pricing signals but does not state a cost for the daily meditation, so treat the subscription as something to confirm on the sign-up page rather than assuming it is free.

Combining worship with a longer stay

If you want more than a single service, the Book a Retreat path is the second entry point the community offers. Retreats at the monastery and at Emery House let you share in the community's rhythm of worship and prayer over several days. The site also mentions "Feast with the Monks" events, which pair fellowship with the brothers' hospitality.

A practical sequence for a first visit

What SSJE is, in one paragraph

SSJE describes itself as "a community of men giving our whole selves over to living the Gospel of Jesus Christ," rooted in ancient monastic traditions yet "critically engaged with contemporary culture." The brothers seek "to know and share an authentic experience of God's love and mercy" through a common life of worship, prayer, and a Rule of Life. Worshiping with them, whether in the chapel or through their daily meditation and sermons, is the most accessible way to see that life firsthand.