About Us

Who We Have Been

In 1774, the Rev. Dr. William Smith, founder of Huntingdon and a priest in the Church of England (Anglican), baptized 80 persons in Huntingdon.  As far as is known, this was the first service of its kind in Huntingdon County.

By 1818, Huntingdon Episcopalians (as Anglicans in this country became known after the Revolution) shared a building with Lutherans and Presbyterians.  In 1820, members of St. John's Vestry met to formally organize the parish.  The building that St. John's had shared with the Lutherans and Presbyterians was later torn down.  In 1845 the congregation built the existing Gothic church on Penn Street.  Except for the addition of the belltower in 1860, this building has remained virtually unchanged, and is recognized for its architectural and historical integrity.

Today it  houses the church and sacristy upstairs, and a nursery, kitchen and fellowship hall on the lower level, also known as the Undercroft.

Adjoining the church property is a structure known as Episcopal House, which is where the church offices are located.  This structure dates from 1872.

Down through the years, St. John's, like many smaller congregations in small communities, has experienced challenging times and times of blessing, times when it was difficult to obtain and retain clergy and times when finances were challenging and the needs were great.  Through it all, in good times and bad, God has been faithful, and we, today, are blessed to live in times of relative abundance in the parish because of the faithfulness of God's people in this place for the past 200 years.