ABOUT THE EPISCOPAL CHURCH
WHAT WE BELIEVE
We Episcopalians believe in a loving, liberating, and life-giving God: Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. As constituent members of the Anglican Communion in the United States, we are descendants of and partners with the Church of England and the Scottish Episcopal Church, and are part of the third largest group of Christians in the world.
We believe in following the teachings of Jesus Christ, whose life, death, and resurrection saved the world.
We have a legacy of inclusion, aspiring to tell and exemplify God’s love for every human being; women and men serve as bishops, priests, and deacons in our church. Laypeople and clergy cooperate as leaders at all levels of our church. Leadership is a gift from God, and can be expressed by all people in our church, regardless of sexual identity or orientation.
We believe that God loves you – no exceptions.
ABOUT ST. JOHN'S
Whether you are new to the area, a long time resident or perhaps simply looking for a place to worship during a visit, know that you are welcome at St. John's.
We are babies, young children, tweens, teens and adults at all stages of life. We are singles and families. Some of us are lifelong Episcopalians, while others come from different traditions. Some of us are new to Christianity.
We are committed to sharing the Gospel of Christ with those we encounter, welcoming the stranger and being a visible sign of God's love in the community.
We invite you to explore the site to learn more about who we are and then come join us! All are welcome!
OUR HISTORY
On June 1, 1954, a group of Episcopalians desiring to establish an Episcopal mission in Silsbee sent a petition to the Bishop of the Diocese of Texas, the Rt. Rev. Clinton S. Quin.
Bishop Quin accepted the petition on June 7, 1954. After having services first in a home, then a school cafeteria and other locations, St. John's completed and dedicated its first building at our current location on December 16, 1955.
By the mid-1980's, the congregation had outgrown its worship space and added a larger contemporary space, which was completed in 1986. Our altar was designed and built by a local artisan from a large cedar tree, which stood in nearly the exact spot now occupied by the altar.
St. John's has been served over the years by faithful clergy, including the Rev. Frank S. Doremus, the Rev. Grant A. Herbst, the Rev. Joseph Harrison, the Rev. Garrett Wingfield, the Rev. Donald Sheffield, the Rev. James Abernathy, the Rev. Jon Sonnen, the Rev. John Williams, the Rev. Shanna Suarez, the Rev. Mary Wilson, the Rev. John Bedingfield, the Rev. (Deacon) Tracie Middleton and the Rev. John Johnson.
OUR CLERGY
Rev. John Johnson
Father John joined us in February 2012 after serving the church in Anahuac, Texas for five years. He was ordained a priest in January 2008 after formation at the Iona School for Ministry. He was a police officer in his earlier career and later an attorney and government affairs consultant. He believes those experiences not only prepared him for his ministry but drove him toward it. "I have been with people in the darkest moments of their life," he recalls, "and I've come to realize that being immersed in the life of a faith community is perhaps the only way to navigate those experiences and come out with a sense of hope. We can quibble about the things only church folk quibble about, but seeing Christ in the other and being Christ for the other, which is to say, being there when someone--friend or stranger--is in need, that's what it means to be the church. That's who we strive to be at St. John's, and we warmly invite you to join us in that work and ministry."
