A fun, loving community that shares the love of Jesus in the world!
The Episcopal Church of St. John the Baptist takes its lead from our patron saint, John the Baptist. John, one of Jesus’ relatives, was unapologetically himself. At the same time, he knew there was something bigger than himself. Something more important than himself. Something beyond his own ability to understand. John was a guy who pointed people toward God. At St. John’s, we try to do just that. We work to feed the hungry. We work to ensure the veterans of our country’s armed services are cared for. We work to clothe the naked. We work to clean the highway. We share fellowship and fun. We are unapologetically ourselves.
John wasn’t overly concerned about things that didn’t really matter. He didn’t worry about making sure that he was dressed to the nines and he didn’t worry about eating the finest foods. Instead, he worked diligently to share with the world that the Light of the World, Jesus Christ, was here to teach us how to love. While John wore camel hair and ate locusts, we dress a little more comfortably and eat tastier food. But we don’t let those things define ourselves. Following John’s lead, we strive to be the people God made us to be. When we gather to share the goodness of Holy Communion, we do so as a means of partaking in the Real Presence of our Lord. We invite you to visit us and to share in the joy that is so abundant in this place! You don’t need to be anyone other than the wonderful person God made you to be. Come serve with us, dine with us, worship with us, and celebrate the love of God with us. Wherever you are in your faith journey, come be yourself with us.
Our History
The Rev. Norman Burke proposed establishing a new Episcopal congregation in what was then a predominantly rural northwest Phoenix in 1976. Prospective parishioners were surveyed, and 2,700 door-to-door calls were made by members of several Episcopal congregations, along with volunteers from a nearby Lutheran church.
The goal for members of this new parish became “Preparing the way of the Lord.” The first service of the newly formed Episcopal Church of St. John the Baptist was held on June 25, 1978 in the Estes Homes Sales Pavilion at 29th Avenue and Bell Road. Fr. Burke would be St. John’s Vicar and first Rector. Our current congregation includes a core group who attended the first service and remain active parishioners at St. John’s.
St. John’s continued to meet and grow at the Estes Homes Pavilion, and later in a modular unit located on nearby land owned by the Diocese of Arizona. A capital campaign led to purchase of new, larger property and to the dedication and consecration of the new church building at our current location on April 29, 1984. Chilton Hall, our educational building, was completed in February 2000.
