Join us on Sunday, September 11 at 10 AM for a historical Worship Service (in the style of 1897). You’re even invited to wear period costumes! This will be followed by a festive picnic, viewing of historical artifacts, learning about our connections to the native peoples of the area and the Armenian community in Franklin, creation of a timeline, a scavenger hunt for the kids, and mystery photos to identify. If you’ve ever had a connection to St John’s, or if you think you might like to, please join us for this celebration.
Our community began during the ‘Third Awakening’ of Christianity which followed the civil war. A series of revival meetings held in Franklin by traveling missionaries from the U.S. Army Church during the summer of 1897 inspired a community of local Episcopalians to establish the “St. John's Mission.” The community held their services in the Baptist Meeting House until 1910 when they succeeded in raising funds to build their own church on School Street.
The church grew steadily in the early twentieth-century and, by the 1950s, outgrew the School Street sanctuary, which was sold to Dean College. The mission community formally joined the Episcopal Diocese as a parish in 1961, at which point the diocese recommended that they purchase a larger site out of the town center.
In 1966, the construction of the present church and parish hall down in the leafy dell at 237 Pleasant St. was completed and celebrated. Throughout our history, St. John’s has been active in the civic life of the town, particularly in the institution and support of a robust Franklin Food Bank and the success of the interfaith Council.
The Episcopal Church is part of the worldwide Anglican Communion, and a branch of the Jesus Movement. We walk the middle way between Catholic and Protestant, seeking God’s presence in Word and Sacrament, as well as in all of Humanity and Creation.
Our governance is democratic; our priesthood is not restricted to one gender; and many of our priests are married. At St John’s, we welcome all kinds of families: Gay, Straight, Transgender, Single Parents, Divorced, Widowed, Recovering, Seeking, Young, Old, and unsure.
St John’s Episcopal Church, 237 Pleasant Street, Franklin
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