St. John the Evangelist Episcopal Church
203-269-9526
About St. John the Evangelist Episcopal Church
St. John the Evangelist in Yalesville has offered Episcopal worship and service in this community since 1868 and with other Episcopal congregations in Connecticut, we show forth the love of Christ in our worship, our teaching, our friendships and our outreach.
The first worship service was held on October 7, 1866 in the District School house in Yalesville. The Rev. E.M. Gushee, Rector of St. Paul’s Church in Wallingford, read Evening Prayer with a small group interested in forming a parish. Morning services began the following year, conducted by a lay reader. In 1868, members petitioned Bishop Williams to form the parish. He laid the cornerstone of a small wooden frame building on July 31st. This first church structure was opened for worship on Pentecost of 1869.
The original building was demolished in 1960, as it was found to be dangerously rotten. The present “A” frame replaced it, using the old foundation and the sanctuary was renovated in 1986.
For many years, the parish was administered from outside but in 1980 this external connection ended and since then St. John’s has been independent of neighboring congregations.
In 2021, the members decided to merge with Grace & St Peter's Episcopal Church in Hamden. The wonderful, welcoming members of Grace & St Peter's have become our new church family. We will formally become a merged parish at the 238th annual convention of the Episcopal Diocese of Connectict on November 4 & 5, 2022.
