St. John the Baptist Episcopal Church

Our 125+ Year History

Timeline of St. John’s  1891-The Present

St. John's circa 1904

(St. John's circa 1904)

1890 First meetings held for English mine workers and others at the Cajalco/Temescal Tin Mines.

1891 On Sept. 23 a meeting was held in the Forester’s Room of Lincoln School.  Lincoln School faced 10th Street and sat on the block of 9th and 10th Sts, Victoria and Howard.

1891-2  First priest: Rev. J.R. De Wolfe Cowie.

1892-5  Rev. Alfred Fletcher

1894 The first church building was completed at 8th and Washburn at a cost of $1,150.  Services began on Palm Sunday, March 18.  It was built by Elan Harter

1895-1901 Rev. W.B. Burrorws & other visiting priests

1901 Rev. Charles C. Paine

1901-5  Rev. William Post

1905-6  Rev. Erastus deWolf

1908-11 Rev. George Ely

1910 The Ascension window was presented as a gift of Mrs. A. O. Wood in memory of her daughter Maude Emily.

1910 The Chancel Window was presented by the Charles Scovilles in memory of Mrs. Kate Shepherd Scoville.  Originally over the altar, it now is at the north end of the parish hall.

1911-13  Rev. O. St. John Scott

1913-14  Rev. Milton S. Runkle

1914-15  Rev. J.M. Pritchard

1915 hymn board, now in office entry hall.

1915-18  Rev. Stanley Mooke

1918-22  Rev. C.E. Maiman

1922-25  Rev. Harlan Bailey

1925-30  Rev. Thoma R. Yates

1928 Baptismal font, gift of the John Key family in memory of Mrs. Eva De Wolf Key.

1930-36  Rev. Wallace A. Williams

1931 Sentence of Consecration dated May 10, 1931.

1936-38  Rev. Frederick D. Graves

1939-40  Rev. R.C. Gould

1940-1   Rev. John Poole

1941  Rev. Charles F. Washburn

1942-1944  Lay services held by Messers William Kilby and John P. Key

1945-46  Rev. Charles L. Monroe and Chaplain Kenneth D. Perkins, USN

1946-47  Rev. Weston H. Gillette

1947-48  Chaplain Perkins and visiting priests

1948-49  Rev. Roy B. Davis

1949-51  Rev. Thomas W. Jones

1951-54  Rev. Edward Miles Blum

1952 Parishioner Dick Bylin creates many items to aid in worship including the maple cross above the altar today, the hallway cross in the Education building and the name tag racks.

1952  A Boy Scout Troop No. 107 begins to meet at St. John’s and continue meeting on campus to this day.

1954-61  Rev. Nick Kouletsis

1955 Parish house/church hall constructed at the old Washburn location.

1955 Chalice, paten, altar rail, previous pulpit, processional cross created by Hudson Roysher.

1956 January 3rd, St. John’s becomes a parish.

1961-70  Rev. John Robert Bill

1964 Purchase of 5 acres at the corner of Ontario and Magnolia.  A parish house and church hall were moved to the site from 8th and Washburn.

1966 75th year directory

1970-75  Rev. Richard C. Hall

1971 “Look the Lamb of God “Directory created.

1970 1.5 acres are sold to the City of Corona which later built the fire station. In time this money helped to build the earlier classroom wings.

1972 Brocade laudian frontal made in memory of Arthur Weirick.

1976-83  Rev. Eugene Martin Lindusky

1983-85  Rev. Canon Kim Saville

1985-2017  Rev. John K. Saville

1987 Ground breaking for present parking lot.

1980s Women of St. John’s serve meals at God’s Kitchen.

1991 Centennial directory with cover showing a sketch of St. John’s

1994 Bob Rayfield and others write a comprehensive history of St. John’s first 104 years.

2001 Cell Tower Cross installed in August.

2014 On June 4, ribbon cutting ceremony celebrating the new Education building and improved parish grounds.

2016 Quasquicentennial Directory published with many details of the first 125 years.

2017  Rev. Karri Backer, interim rector

2018 The Rev. Dr. Patricia Stansfield, arrives as our permanent rector

2021 St. Anthony's Coptic Orthodox Church begins renting our parish hall and becomes a part of our story.