WELCOME TO SAINT JOHN’S CHURCH

Welcome to St. John's Church, Lafayette Square—a vibrant historic Episcopal church located across from the White House. We invite you to join with us for worship, Christian fellowship and outreach.

History

From our organization as a parish in 1815 to today, St. John's Church has provided a powerful symbol of faith in the heart of our nation's capital.

Mission

At St. John's, we believe Christ is calling us to be a renewed church in a changing world. In worship, education, parish life, and social action, we seek to expand our horizons by serving God by loving one another.

Clergy, Staff, & Vestry

Meet St. John’s diverse and engaging clergy, vestry and staff.

Directions & Parking

Located at the corner of 16th and H Streets in Northwest Washington, St. John's is near the McPherson Square and Farragut North Metro stations. Limited street parking is available; free valet parking is offered for certain hours.
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2019 Graduating Seniors

Clark Agnew

Clark Agnew will graduate from Flint Hill School in Oakton, VA in June. Being the recipient of several Husky Spirit Awards for sportsmanship, most recently, Clark was a proud member of the Varsity baseball team. He looks forward to attending Trinity College in Hartford, CT in the fall. As well as being baptized and confirmed at St. John’s, Clark has served as an acolyte, clergy cross bearer, an usher and participated in several Rebuilding Together outings. Clark participated in many Christmas Eve pageants in almost every role, including Baby Jesus in 2000. He looks forward to coming back to St. John’s during his college years and for years to come.

Alexander Anikeeff

Alexander Anikeeff is a lifelong resident of McLean, Virginia. He is heading to the College of Wooster to study environmental science. Growing up, he has been an avid travel soccer player and cellist in the Langley High School and Longfellow Middle school orchestras and one of the chamber groups of Crescendo, an affiliate of the Arlington Philharmonic. For the past several summers he has traveled to western China to teach English to rural high school students. At St. John’s, he has served as an acolyte and reader.

Bibian Arriaga

Bibian Arriaga will graduate from High Point High School. She has played soccer and softball all four years of high school and was captain of both teams. Bibian was baptized and confirmed at St. John’s and has participated in Christmas pageants when she was younger. She also helps out in the nursery. She will be joining the United States Marine Corps and will continue her education while she serves.

Jimmy Duke

Jimmy Duke will be graduating from Saint Anselm’s Abbey School later this month and will attend the University of Notre Dame this coming fall, studying mechanical engineering. At St. John’s, he has served as a Choral Fellow in the Parish Choir during 9:00 a.m. masses. He is so grateful to have received the opportunity to serve while singing alongside professionals (and improve his sight reading drastically)!

Caroline Juliet Faris

Juliet Faris is a senior at Episcopal High School in Alexandria, VA. She will graduate on June 1st. While on the Holy Hill, Juliet has been a leader on the girl’s varsity crew team, rowing in the Varsity Four boat. She has loved living in the boarding school community and making friendships that will last a lifetime. Juliet will attend the University of Michigan School of Nursing in the fall. Having interned and shadowed nurses for the past two summers at Georgetown University Hospital, Juliet is very happy to have found her calling! Juliet joined the St. John’s congregation in the fall of 7th grade. Her favorite St. John’s memories include playing Mary in the Christmas Pageant, going through confirmation class in 8th grade, and singing in such a beautiful and historic church under the direction of Brent Erstad as a member of the Episcopal High School choir.

Lynne Faris

Lynne Faris will graduate from Wakefield High School, where, for four years, she maintained Principal’s Honor Roll, played defense for Varsity field hockey and was coxswain for Varsity crew.  In addition, she played viola for Wakefield Orchestra for three years and was a member of United Minority Girls Club and Interact, a community outreach group. Lynne spent last summer in Jamaica working with young children. Lynne will attend James Madison University in Harrisonburg, Virginia this fall and plans to study nursing, play field hockey and be a member of the rowing club. She hopes to eventually secure work assisting disaster relief victims overseas. Lynne was baptized at St. John’s and attends church occasionally to worship and hear the choirs.

John “Jett” Lyerly

John “Jett” Lyerly was born in September 2000 and baptized six months later at St. John’s. Since that time, Jett’s  parents Chip and RJ Lyerly, along with his older siblings Carly, Haley, Quinn, and Evan have been members of  the St. John’s community.   

Jett is currently a senior at Episcopal High School (EHS) and will graduate on June 1, 2019. At EHS, he was recently inducted into the Cum Laude Society and serves in leadership positions as both a Member of the Honor Committee, Monitor and Junior Warden of its Vestry. Jett has committed to attend the University of Virginia this Fall in its Liberal Arts Program. 

Jett transitioned through most phases of young life at St. John’s; everything from its nursery to Church School, Acolyte, preparing Sunday lunches with his family and participating in its annual Christmas Pageant. Given Episcopal High School’s full time boarding requirement, he is not at St. John’s as often as he had been in the past. According to Jett, though, St. John’s gave him a solid foundation and structure which has fostered his faith and respect for the Episcopal Church.  

Obi Onwuamaegbu

Obi Onwuamaegbu will graduate from Walt Whitman High School in Bethesda, MD, where he was captain of the cross-country team for the past two years, member of various acapella groups, and founder of the charity, Strides Towards Change, created to benefit inner-city children in Washington, D.C. Baptized at St. Johns at two months old, Obi has been an active member ever since – participating in many Christmas pageants as a shepherd, Joseph, and narrator, and serving as an acolyte, clergy cross and chalice bearer. Obi is very excited to attend University of Southern California (USC) this fall where he plans to major in business and marketing, and to continue to run and sing!

Nadia Sadqi

John Siddall

Katherine Schwartz

William “Wiley” Haskell Simonds, III

Wiley Simonds will graduate from St. Paul’s School in Concord, New Hampshire in June, and will be attending the University of Virginia in the fall.  A resident of Great Falls, VA, Wiley is a third-generation parishioner at St. John’s (when he is home!). Wiley has a range of interests from philosophy and physics to economics and Chinese, and when not on a squash court or soccer pitch, he can be found with his siblings or beloved labs somewhere outside.

Cal Wilson

Cal Wilson will graduate from The Groton School in June. He plans to attend the University of St. Andrews, but will first take a gap year and work for Sen. Pat Roberts of Kansas. He looks forward to competing at the World Pipe Band Championship later this summer.

Cal was baptized and confirmed at St. John’s. He attended church school, participated in Christmas pageants, and was a reader. With his family, he visited the Kwasa Centre, St. John’s partner in South Africa.

Tyler Young

Tyler Young will be graduating from St. Anselm’s Abbey School and will attend the University of Maryland, College Park majoring in Computer Science. After a knee operation sidelined him from fall sports in junior year, Tyler joined the St. Anselm’s production of Peter and the Starcatchers and has acted and sung in subsequent presentations of The Importance of Being Earnest, A Gentleman’s Guide to Love and Murder, and Henry V. He has enjoyed singing in the St. John’s Parish Choir for the past year. Tyler still runs at St. Anselm’s and plans to do some more singing on the college level.


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