About

ABOUT ST. JOHN'S

The stained glass inside St. John's sanctuary.

"For the Son of Man came not to be served but to serve, and give his life a ransom for many.” Mark 10:45 (NRSV)

St. John’s is a wonderful and welcoming church made up of a diverse group of people. We are dedicated to worship, mission, and discipleship. As a congregation we gather weekly in order to worship the triune God through exciting and passionate worship. We engage in missional activities throughout the community and seek to serve just as Jesus served. We nurture disciples of Jesus Christ through our worship, mission, and intentional faith formation. As St. John’s looks to the future, we hope to continually provide an energetic atmosphere for worship, engage in new and vibrant forms of service in the community and abroad, and share the Good News of God’s kingdom.

OUR FAITH

COMMON HERITAGE

We hold in common with all Christians a faith in the mystery of salvation in and through Jesus Christ.

We share the Christian belief that God's redemptive love is realized in human life by the activity of the Holy Spirit, both in personal experience and in the community of believers.

We understand ourselves to be part of Christ's universal church when by adoration, proclamation, and service we become conformed to Christ.

(UMC Book of Discipline, ¶ 102)

TRADITION OF DIVERSITY

The UMC is part of the holy catholic (universal) church, as we confess in the Apostles' Creed. In the church, Jesus Christ is proclaimed and professed as Lord and Savior. All People may attend our worship services, participate in our programs, receive the sacraments, and become disciples of Jesus Christ.

(UMC Book of Discipline, ¶ 214)

OUR HISTORY

Saint John’s United Methodist Church was founded in the early 1950′s as a result of residential growth in the north end of the city of Staunton. A group of persons from Central Methodist Church expressed a willingness to help form this new congregation. The Reverend Fletcher W. Swink served his first appointment as the pastor of this new church. The initial meeting was held in rented facilities on July 11, 1954 with 32 persons present. The number grew to 60 by October at which time the church was officially chartered. A permanent site was selected, and construction approval was granted on September 21, 1955. The first service was held in the new sanctuary on August 4, 1957 with construction and consecration of a new educational building in March of 1958. By June of 1958 membership stood at 253. Growth continued and a new educational wing was added in 1968. Saint John’s PreSchool was added to our ministry in 1987.

THE FUTURE

As St. John's looks into the future, it will continue to be a community or worship and love where the Word of God is preached and the sacraments properly administered. The church is always looking for new and exciting ways to serve God, the community, and one another.