Our Beautiful Church Property . . .

St. John’s Church sanctuary, dedicated in 1838, is built in the style of an English country church in a blend of Norman and Gothic revival styles. The building is constructed with “Port Deposit” granite. The church consists of a nave and square tower that originally supported a wooden spire and four Gothic pinnacles. The church is blessed with magnificent stained glass windows, including a signed and unsigned Tiffany. Handicapped accessibility is available via a ramp connecting both Church and Chapel.

During the Revolutionary War, the original church structure was damaged by quartered English troops and horses. The building suffered further decay from periods of inactivity for many years until 1835, when due to a growing congregation, the present church was erected.

A two-manual Kimball Pipe Organ was installed at St. John’s in 1938. It was expanded in 1967 at which time a positive division was added, bringing it to 27 ranks. The two-manual was replaced with a new three-manual console at the same time. The organ as originally installed included a set of 1914 Class A Deagan chimes which received a new action in 1997. Major restorative work to the organ has been done over the past 10 years, culminating in conversion to solid state operation in 1999. Organbuilders Jacob Gerger and Son, Inc. of Croydon, Pennsylvania, now operated by the third generation of this family, installed the organ in 1938 and have performed all maintenance and restoration.

The 1962 Parish House contains Sunday School rooms, broadband networked parish offices, accessible restrooms with changing station, library, and a large parish hall with 1998 remodeled professional kitchen. The parking lot is conveniently adjacent. The Christus Rex is mounted on the Grant Street side. According to the Episcopal Church website, "The earliest depictions of the crucifixion show Christ upon the cross, with body erect and with arms stretched straight out. He is clothed either in a long robe or with a loincloth. There is no attempt to be realistic or to emphasize suffering or agony. The modern "Christus Rex" crucifix is in the same tradition. Christ stands erect in front of a cross, with arms straight out. The body may be clothed in modern, western eucharistic vestments, and there may be a crown on the head. The image portrays several concepts at the same time: the historic event of the crucifixion, Christ as the King in his kingdom, and Christ as the victorious sacrifice in the eucharistic feast."

According to church records, our Christus Rex was installed on April 5, 1963 and a dedication service was held on Palm Sunday 1963. Our history books (Rev. Fred Schultz, 1960-1965 Vol. 3) show a photo of the men who installed the Christus Rex. They were James White, Rev. Fred Schultz, John Fletcher, and Percy Lavelle (Sexton). A bronze plaque mounted in the Parish Hall honors Mrs. & Mrs. Daniel Harris, who donated the statue in 1963. Christus Rex remained mounted on the Parish House for 50 years, but was removed due to its poor condition.

During the Christmas season 2010, David Miller found Christus Rex in the basement of the church. With the blessing of Father Steve Carroll and the Vestry, he decided to restore it. David Willis did the woodworking on the legs and feet; David and Jeannie Miller stripped the old paint, sanded, filled the cracks, and repainted it in the original six colors (four coats each color), then finished with clearcoat to protect the paint. The repairs took a total of 79.5 manhours. A crew from TE Warren reinstalled it, with much appreciation from the congregation. Christus Rex was rededicated by Father Scott Trull on St. John’s Day, June 2012.

The adjacent Cemetery contains many Pre-Revolutionary graves up to the present documented in a computer database. Fully accessible winding paths with benches provide a reflective space for contemplation.

The 1883 Chapel, designed by George Hewitt of the Frank Furness school of architecture. It is connected to the church through a 1903 covered cloister. Of note, the Chapel was painstakingly restored in the 1960's by then Jr. Warden Daniel Boice during the Rectorship of Rev. Fred Schultz. The Chapel was dedicated in 2003 to the late Rector Rev. Dr. E. Jesse Gaither as the "Chapel of the Holy Innocents". The chapel is used currently for the early Sunday Rite/service.