St. John’s has a long, rich history in the Shenango valley. The first service was conducted on December 10, 1865 and the congregation was formed the following year. Originally meeting in a smaller structure at the corner of State and Main Streets, the present church building was completed in 1895.
The congregation always connected with the community. At the end of the 19th Century, our church women sold baked goods and other foods every Saturday in a vacant store on State Street. In 1929, the church built a pool where generations learned to swim. We also built a gymnasium upstairs, where Patrick Swayze shot hoops in the movie Tiger Warsaw. During WWII, countless soldiers attended Red Cross sponsored dances and numerous area social services organizations have been begun and sustained by the efforts of our clergy and lay leaders. Episcopal Community Services has provided food for those in need for over 30 years, and our Saturday Community lunches have served thousands of meals to guests. For over 150 years, our music program has offered adults and young people the opportunity to worship God, develop their gifts, and occasionally hear concerts on our carillon or by local and national artists. Generations of children have learned the Christian faith and developed a relationship with Jesus Christ in Sunday School, the Girls Friendly Society, our youth group, and other youth ministries.
As part of our 150th Anniversary, the Diocese of Northwestern Pennsylvania put together a five-minute video about St. Johns’ history. Click here to view it.
We hope you will join us as we Worship God, Care for People, and Grow as Christians over the next 150 years!