Our History
St. John’s has a long and rich history in the town of Franklin. Throughout the years, our mission has remained the same: to be a faithful community of Christians who gather to worship God as revealed and known to us through Jesus Christ; to form children and adults alike in faith and discipleship; and to live lives of service enlivened by the power of God’s Holy Spirit.
We do that, first and foremost, through our liturgy. We are Anglican and understand that how we pray shapes what we believe. We are grounded in the Holy Scriptures and in the Sacraments of Baptism and Eucharist. We encourage questions about what it means to be Christian in the Episcopal tradition. And, we welcome thoughtful and prayerful reflection about being an expression of God at work in the world, which in 2015 became our official vision and mission statement.
Our Timeline
1890s
1897 – Revival meetings in Franklin; 1898 – Rev. Guy Miner’s first service at St. John’s Mission
1900s
1908 – Ground-breaking ceremony for new church on School Street in center of Franklin
1910s
1910 – Church building completed; St. John’s had a permanent home in Franklin; 1914-1918 World War I
1920s
St. John’s continued to share a priest with Christ Church, Medway as part of the Norfolk Mission
1930s
The community pulled together during economic depression to keep St. John’s choirs and community programs vibrant
1940s
1941 – Dedication of new altar; 1941-45 World War II; 1948 – Celebration of St. John’s 50th Anniversary
1950s
St. John’s expanded and outgrew the School Street Church; property eventually sold to Dean College
1960s
1961 – St. John’s joined Diocese of Mass. as a full parish; 1966 – Pleasant Street Church is completed!
1970s
Under Rev. Robert Barnes, St. John’s involved in creation of first food bank serving the town of Franklin.
1980s
Wednesday Women’s Sewing Group, Altar Guild, choirs and community potluck dinners continue to bring folks together!
1990s
1998 – Bishop Barbara Harris, the first female bishop in the Episcopal Church, visited for St. John’s Centennial anniversary!
2000s
2008 – The community split over issues of orthodoxy.
2010-11
The parish rebuilt with the help of Father Robert Edson.
2012-13
Vestry leadership and lay activism kept the focus on worship, Sunday school & community outreach.
2014-15
Wonderful interim priests and deacons inspired the community.
2016-17
The Vestry resolved to call a permanent part-time priest.
2018-19
2018 – Rev. Kathy McAdams called to St. John’s!
2020-22
2020 – St. John’s went digital during the COVID-19 pandemic; 2020-21 Services outside under the trees in summer
2023-25
Community grows!