Weekly Update | October 5, 2025
About Compline at St. John's
St. John’s Cathedral began offering regular services of Compline about 15 years ago as an outreach to the USC student community. Although different expressions of the Compline liturgy have been offered at St. John’s, across these many services has been a consistent focus on contemplative candlelit worship, grounded in the prayers of the sung daily office, and warm fellowship following with food and drink. Compline has sought to be more than just another service; rather, an intentional community of people leaning into our Anglican tradition, and as a contemplative alternative to much of what is offered in terms of Christian ministry on college campuses.
Canterbury Student Ministries is celebrating 90 years of Episcopal presence at USC this year. Since Compline at St. John’s was originally envisioned as an outreach to the student community, we thought this might be a good time to reimagine what form Compline might take in its next chapter. At the same time, we have spent the year examining how best to steward the financial resources afforded to us for the overall music ministry. This Summer we enjoyed musical leadership by quartets at the 10:00am services – a change that many people found uplifting. That represented a shift in how we expended resources over the fiscal year. And as a result, we are pleased to share that Compline will be prayed and sung by the Canterbury USC members as part of their monthly gatherings on. We don’t just think this is a sound financial decision – we also believe it’s the right decision to strengthen Canterbury Student Ministries at St. John’s. As with all the services of St. John’s Cathedral, everyone is welcome.
These changes will be reviewed at the year’s end, with the opportunity to shift or even expand in 2026. Trusting in the abundance of our shared resources, and with guidance from the Holy Spirit, all things are possible.
Christopher G. Gravis, D.M.A.
Canon for Music & Cathedral Arts
St. John’s Cathedral, Los Angeles
The Reverend Melvin Soriano
Priest Associate for Faith, Finance, & Formation
Chaplain to Canterbury Ministries, USC
