 |
|||
|
Saturday Service at 5 p.m.
Sunday School for Adults and Children 9:30 a.m. Holy Eucharist at 11 a.m. Sundays
290 Old Haw Creek Asheville, NC 828-298-3553
|
Our Vision The vision of St John’s is to grow in Christ and to reach out in Love.
Our Mission The mission of St John’s is to celebrate Christ’s love and the Grace of God. Through our diverse gifts we grow and reach out to one another and the world.
Our Ministry St John’s is a community of ministers, where individual gifts are awakened and nurtured by the power of the Holy Spirit. These gifts are offered to God through ministry and service to one another, the community and the world.
Nestled in the
majestic mountains of Western North Carolina, St John’s Episcopal
Church is a family of believers who share a deep commitment to the
work of Christ’s church in the home and in the community. Members of
this church family present diversity in their backgrounds and
interests and give freely to each other through love and support,
and to the community through service. While the congregation cherishes the liturgical traditions and fellowship of other parishioners, its desire is to use these elements as a foundation for presenting Christ’s love and teachings. Through worship, ministry and song, this vision continues. We, as a parish and Episcopal community overall, are blessed to be at peace with the current times in our denomination, standing by the position of the national church. Each believer holds close the love and support of their church and other believers in order to meet the challenges of life and worship in the 21st century. St. John’s worship services are primarily traditional, although we have enjoyed folk masses and Taizé services in the past. Many members of our congregation appreciate the opportunity to worship during sung services and on the occasions when a higher form of service is used. The choir at St John’s is extremely dedicated to their ministry. We are fortunate in having a superb choirmaster/organist, as well as various instrumentalists within our congregation. Adults and youth alike take part in the worship services by serving as Chalice bearers, lectors, acolytes, etc. During Holy week and Easter of 2006, we enjoyed good participation at the Maundy Thursday/foot washing, Altar of Repose until midnight on Thursday, Good Friday Liturgy, Holy Saturday in the Memorial Garden, Easter Vigil and an Easter Day service. Our regular schedule includes a 5 p.m. Holy Eucharist on Saturdays, Sunday School at 9:30 a.m., 10 a.m. Children’s Sunday School Sept. - May), and 11 a.m. Holy Eucharist with choir.
Our Membership The congregation of St. John’s is a supportive, fun-loving group consisting of approximately 125 communicants. Based on our survey results (of which we had an 80-85% return), one-third of us are retired, more than half are female, fifty-seven percent are college graduates, and almost seventy-five percent are married. Fourteen percent have children of age to participate in our Christian Education Program.
Parish Life Worship, fellowship, fun and food are all important aspects of our life at St John’s. We are blessed with dedicated members who bring together all of these areas to create our parish life. There are annual dinners and luncheons for Thanksgiving, Easter and Shrove Tuesday, along with numerous other meals shared. During Lent, we come together with several other Episcopal churches for weekly Sunday evening meals and worship. The women of our parish have the opportunity to participate in one of two ECW chapters known as the AM and PM editions. The PM Edition is geared toward working women.
Two of our annual
fundraisers include a Fall Festival consisting of a huge Saturday
attic sale, breakfast for the many workers and lunch for all. A chef
in our midst has been known to cook up a
We always look forward to our summer parish picnic held at a lake or park in the area. Following a spirited worship service, food is provided along with games for children of all ages. The Diocesan picnic held each year at Lake Logan provides us with the opportunity to come together with our larger family. Many members volunteer their time and talent at St John’s. Of special interest is the inclusion in our membership of Cursillistas, and those who serve at the diocesan level.
Our History
St. John’s
Episcopal Church of Haw Creek was originally chartered in 1872 as a
mission of Trinity Church in Asheville. A church and a one-room
school on property that was a part of Bell Plantation located not
far away. It was served by its first priest, the Rev. George H.
Bell, who was the son of the plantation owner. It was quite
successful and the congregation grew. In 1912, parishioners from Trinity Church purchased an unused church building from the Methodist church. Located in the Haw Creek area of Asheville, the building was renovated and consecrated. Now Trinity Chapel, it was accepted into the Diocese of Western North Carolina as an “organized mission” in 1930. In 1954, the congregation became identified as St John’s Episcopal Church. St John’s achieved parish status in the early 70s during the tenure of The Rt. Rev. William G. Weinhauer as the Bishop of the Diocese of Western North Carolina. In 1996, St. John’s completed construction on a new parish hall. St John’s Episcopal Church enjoys deep spirited roots and maintains an active role in the community as a celebration of its mission heritage.
|
||
|
|
For comments or changes, contact the webmaster. |
||
Friday night themed dinner
– always memorable. Asheville’s three-day Bele Chere festival, one
of the largest street fairs in the South, provides another
opportunity for fellowship as well as fundraising. For several years
now we’ve operated a non-alcoholic beverage booth. 