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About UsA Place of Grace ... St. John's is an inclusive church that welcomes ALL GOD'S CHILDREN to worship, receive Holy Communion and participate in ministry and mission with us. Everyone is welcome! We are an ELCA (Evangelical Lutheran Church in America) congregation and we confess our faith through the words of the Apostle's Creed.
More than 30 active ministries at St. John's serve the needs of our congregation as well as those of our neighbors and surrounding communities and beyond. Men's and Women's groups, an active and vibrant Senior Ministry, retreat ministries, outreach ministries, community engagement activities and even cooking and bread-baking teams offer opportunities for fellowship and service throughout the year. |
Our Mission & Vision |
MISSION STATEMENT
Believing that we are called and claimed in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit through baptism, we are the Body of Christ in our world today, loving God through our worship and loving our neighbor through our ministry. Belonging to God through Jesus Christ, we are an inclusive, welcoming community of faith seeking through fellowship and evangelism to create Christ connections with our neighborhood, the city of Knoxville, and the world with a mission to "go and make disciples." Becoming a new creation in Christ, we are formed for the future as God's family through a growing, grace-filled process of discipleship, learning and maturing through our shared faith and life in Christ. VISION STATEMENT We will "love God with all of our heart" through our ever expanding emphasis on inspiring worship that is an inclusive and diverse experience of God's active presence in this community. We will "love our neighbor as ourselves" sharing our God given gifts through Christ-like acts of service and generous programs of ministry. We will "go and make disciples" as we model God's message of grace, mercy and peace through an active mission of evangelism. We will "baptize and teach" as the Holy Spirit "equips the saints for the work of ministry" by building up this community of faith and empowering this body of believers. |
Our History |
St John's Lutheran Church is part of the oldest Protestant Christian tradition, dating back to Martin Luther and the Protestant Reformation in 1517, more than 500 years ago.
Our congregation, too, has a long and enduring history. Organized in 1888 as the first English speaking Lutheran congregation in Knoxville with 29 members. In 1911, members broke ground for our current church building thanks to a generous gift of land and $90,000 given by charter member Martha Henson. Dedicated on May 25th, 1913, the Gothic revival style building has been a cornerstone of the Emory Place neighborhood for more than 100 years. Despite a word of caution from Martha Henson's husband that a church could not survive in this location, St. John's has not only survived the decades and century, but has THRIVED in this urban setting surrounded by immediate opportunities for ministry. |