Get to Know: St. John's Episcopal Church, St. Louis
St. John's Episcopal Church in the Tower Grove neighborhood of St. Louis is the fourth oldest parish in the Diocese of Missouri. It was founded in 1841 to serve residents living in the southern end of downtown St. Louis. The original church building, which was in the Lafayette Park neighborhood, was nearly destroyed by a tornado in 1896. The congregation decided to rebuild slightly farther west and south, on property directly across the street from Tower Grove Park, where the church still stands.
Today, this historic church is a reflection of the diverse population it serves. That sense of community drives the parish in all its ministries, especially the Peace Meal Project.
Every Saturday from 4 until 5:30 p.m., the parish serves a free fellowship meal to its neighbors in need. St. John's member Phyllis Jacobson is one of the Peace Meal Project's leaders. She says the ministry began in 2007 in collaboration with several community organizations, including AMAAM, Kingdom House, the St. Louis International Institute, and the St. Louis Save Darfur Coalition. After two more years of planning and grant funding, Peace Meal became a weekly ministry and has continued every Saturday since 2009.
Peace Meal serves anywhere from 40 to 65 guests each week, with a total of 2,585 guests served in 2021. Prior to the pandemic, meals were served cafeteria-style, inside St. John's parish hall. Now, volunteers hand out dinners in bags at the parish hall door. One guest said about the meal, "I love, love, love Peace Meal! I made great friends while having great meals. These people at St. John's are my best friends."
The meals are organized by volunteers at St. John's, but the ministry is a community project. Along with St. John's, 10 other congregations serve as cooks and hosts on a rotating basis. Most of the cooperating congregations are Episcopal, but the list also includes Roman Catholic, Mennonite, and Presbyterian groups. There is also an individual family and a Scout troop which each host one week a year, and many high school and confirmation students also help serve.
Food for the Peace Meal Project is purchased through grants and donated funds. St. John's also gets fresh vegetables during the summer from The Good Shepherd Farm at the Episcopal Church of the Good Shepherd in Town & Country. And Panera Bread Company donates leftover bread from one of their stores each week.
That sense of community serving community keeps the Peace Meal Project the most active ministry at St. John's, The Rev. Nancy Emmel Gunn, the parish's Priest-in-Charge, hopes to extend that community collaboration in other ways as the parish re-emerges from the pandemic. "We have a real mix here -- a lot of young people in the 20s and 30s," Rev. Nancy said. "We're feeling very optimistic about our future."
Vital Stats:
Church name: St. John’s Episcopal Church
Address: 3664 Arsenal Street
City: St. Louis
Phone: (314) 772-3970
Email: [email protected]
Website: https://www.towergrovechurch.org/
Worship Services: Sundays at 10:30 a.m.
Clergy: The Rev. Nancy Emmel Gunn, Priest-in-Charge
Mission statement:
St. John’s Episcopal Church has existed since 1841 as a witness to God’s grace. We worship in an open, welcoming environment and serve the community with hospitality, gratitude, and generosity as we continue to grow in our faith and commitment to Jesus Christ.
WE BELIEVE our worship and prayers connect us to God and each other, that we are called and blessed to be attentive to the needs and strengths of our neighbors, that each person brings beauty and gifts that reveal God’s goodness, and all that are welcome at God’s table.
WE WORSHIP in a traditional form that provides a safe, inclusive culture for all who seek Christ, welcoming everyone at our Communion table for a shared meal.
WE SERVE God by serving each other, our neighbors, the hungry, the seekers, and those who yearn for justice.
Members: 91
ASA: 65
(numbers from 2020 parochial report)
St. John's Episcopal Church, Tower Grove / St. Louis
