HISTORY

St. John's Episcopal Church had its first formal meeting on September 23, 1843. As Staten Island's population grew and demographics changed, there was a need for a church in Rosebank. The first church building was erected on St. John's Avenue, a few hundred metres from our current location.

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After the Civil War, the old church was not able to handle the growing number of parishioners attending St. John's. Our current church building on Bay Street was erected in 1871, back when it was New York Avenue.

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As the new waves of immigration started coming to New York in the 1900s, we have been welcoming all immigrants and Americans into our church. God calls for us to welcome all to the church - regardless of your background, language spoken, skin colour, heritage, wealth, disability, or sexual orientation/identity. And we have been doing our best to do just that since the church was first founded in 1843. 

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In remembering our history, we repent of our communal sins of racism and white supremacy and honour their legacy, lives, and those of their descendants in our church and all of Staten Island as we continue to seek justice for all people and affirm that black lives are and have always been worthy of respect, dignity, and honour as God’s own children. 

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Please visit our Library Page for more details on our church history.