St. John's Episcopal Church (Elizabeth, New Jersey) facts for kids

St. John's Episcopal Church is a very old and important church in Elizabeth, New Jersey. It's located right in the middle of the city's historic area. This church is part of the Episcopal Diocese of New Jersey.

It was started way back in 1706 by missionaries from London, England. The church building you see today was finished in 1860. It's built in a style called neo-Gothic, which looks like old European cathedrals. It has a tall tower that is 126 feet high, completed in 1864.

A Look Back: Church History

For nearly 40 years in the 1700s, a leader named Rev. Thomas Bradbury Chandler guided this church. He helped create what would become the Episcopal Church in the United States.

Rev. Chandler's Journey

Thomas Chandler was born in Massachusetts and went to Yale College. He started working at St. John's in 1747. Later, he traveled to England to finish his studies and became a priest in 1751.

Rev. Chandler worked hard to set up the Church of England in the American colonies. He even wrote books saying that there should be a bishop (a high-ranking church leader) in North America.

During the American Revolution

When the American Revolutionary War began, Rev. Chandler had to leave for England in 1775. He stayed there during the war. After the war, the church invited him back to Elizabeth, and he returned for the last five years of his life.

He passed away about a year after the Episcopal Church became its own church in 1789. This new church was separate from the Church of England.

Working Together

Even though Rev. Chandler was a strong leader, St. John's Church became known for being welcoming to different faiths. For almost 150 years, both Anglicans (Episcopalians) and Roman Catholics worshipped together at St. John's.

This continued until the first Roman Catholic Church was built in Elizabeth in 1855. Even so, the main Sunday service was always led by an Anglican or Episcopal priest.

The Church Building from 1860

The church building we see today was finished in 1860. Its design was inspired by famous churches in Oxford, England. The inside looks like St. Mary's University Anglican Church, and the outside looks like Merton College.

This church can seat about 700 people. It is the largest Episcopal worship place in New Jersey. It once had five very large stained glass windows made by Louis Comfort Tiffany, a famous artist.

Underneath the church, there is an unmarked burial site. This is where Jonathan Dayton is buried. He was the youngest person to sign the United States Constitution.

St. John's Today

St. John's has always been a church that welcomes everyone, and it still is today. The church's leaders are confirmed Episcopalians. The main Sunday service is called the Holy Eucharist or Mass.

Community Involvement

In 1993, the church helped start the Habitat for Humanity group for eastern Union County. This group helped build homes for people in need until 2020.

St. John's is known for helping its community. Every Sunday, after the 11:00 AM Spanish worship service, the church provides a free meal for up to 150 people. The Spanish service includes modern Spanish music, and a community party (fiesta) follows at 12:15 PM. Everyone is always welcome to visit!

The Rev. Joseph R. Parrish Jr. was the Rector Emeritus, serving from 1989 until he retired in 2013. The Rev. Jorge Martinez is currently the Priest-in-Charge. For 14 years, from 2000 to 2014, the church's services were shown on Elizabeth Cablevision Channel 18. Now, the church's Sunday service is broadcast live on its Facebook page.

Churchyard and Burials

The St. John's Episcopal Churchyard is a cemetery located on the church grounds. Many important people are buried here or inside the church itself.

• US Senator Jonathan Dayton (1760–1824): He was the youngest person to sign the United States Constitution.
• John De Hart (1727–1795): He was a judge on the New Jersey Supreme Court from 1776 to 1777.
• Isaac W. Scudder (1816–1881): He represented New Jersey's 7th congressional district in the U.S. Congress from 1873 to 1875.