3427 Olney Laytonsville Road, PO Box 187, Olney, MD 20832
ABOUT
Welcome to St. John’s Episcopal Church, we have been a vital part of Montgomery County since 1842. Here you will find a diverse faith community whose journey may have started across the street or across the world; we welcome all persons who feel called to express their faith or who are on their own journey to find God in their life. We are committed to sharing the Good News of God in Christ Jesus, respecting the dignity of every human being, and loving our neighbor. We reach out with our Lord’s compassion and love to any and all who are hurting or are marginalized in Montgomery County, in our society, and the world beyond.
Come and join us as we offer up the sacred worship of the Church, and begin to experience the rich layers of the Christian tradition that are shaped by our Anglican heritage. Come and join us as we form the hearts and minds of our children and adults so that they can always see the face of God in everyone that they meet. Come and share your unique gifts as we strive for justice and peace among all people, and proclaim by word and example the Good News of God in Christ.
We welcome you and invite you to explore our website to gain a small glimpse of our mission and ministry. We welcome you and we welcome your questions; Mother Shivaun and I look forward to hearing your story.
Peace
Fr. Henry+
WHO IS WELCOME HERE
If you are Asian, Hispanic, Black or White…
If you are male or female or transgender….
If you are three days old, 30 years old, or 103 years old…
If you’ve never stepped foot in a church; or if you have a strong faith,
questioning faith, or no faith; or simply need a place to rest…
If you are single, married, divorced, separated, or partnered…
If you are straight, gay, lesbian, bisexual, transgender, or queer…
If you are a Republican, Democrat, Independent, Socialist, or not registered to vote…
If you have, or had, addictions, phobias, or regrets…
If you own your home, rent, live with your parents, or are homeless…
If you are fully-abled, disabled or a person of differing abilities…
You are welcome here at Saint John’s!
HISTORY
St. John's Episcopal Church was organized June 22, 1842 as a separate congregation of
St. Bartholomew's Parish, and was built on land donated for that purpose by Ignatius Waters and his wife, Eliza. The "indenture", or agreement was made between eleven men and women. The eleven founding members subscribed certain sums of money to construct a church building and elected a committee to carry into effect the object and purpose of the agreement. Dedicated in 1845, the church building is the oldest Episcopal Church building in continuous use in Montgomery County.
The original church completed in 1842 had four windows on each side and was situated on what is now the lower side of the cemetery. In 1910 when more land was acquired on the Olney-Laytonsville Road, the original church building was moved on rollers by a mule team to its present site.
- 1910 the church building was moved to its current location
- 1961 St. John's Episcopal School was founded by the Rev. James Valliant
- 1976 St. John's Church became the headquarters of African Palms USA
- 1980 a second renovation was completed
- 1999 the columbarium was added
St. John's is an Episcopal Church and a member parish of the Episcopal Diocese of Washington, D.C. The Rt. Rev. Mariann Budde is our bishop. The Episcopal Church in the United States is also a member of the Anglican Communion, comprised of all the Anglican churches throughout the world.