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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Tuesday in the Fourth Week of Lent

Taking Stock of Our Lives
“Then Jesus was led up by the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted by the devil. He fasted forty days and forty nights.”
Matthew 4:1-2
For forty days, Jesus was tempted. As we mark our forty days of Lent and take stock of our lives before Easter, we too are tempted. In our very commercial society, the whole purpose of advertising is to tempt us. Whether it’s fancy chocolates, flashy clothes or sleek cars, we find temptation all around us. To test our mastery over those temptations, we often give up something small but visible—sweets, or movies, or something we hold dear—even if only temporarily.
But temptations do not come only in the “good” things. Sometimes they come in the “just good enough” things. We are tempted to do less than we can, to be content with a partial rather than a full commitment to some worthy endeavor. We agree to join a volunteer group, but then don’t put our full weight behind it. We commit to a course of action and don’t follow through after minimal effort.
As we take stock of our lives this Lent, let us ask ourselves, have we settled for the “just good enough” in charting a new path or paths for ourselves, perhaps just paying lip service to a new beginning? Have we set our bar so low that it is easily crossed but inadequate for real achievement? We can sometimes be our own harshest judges, but at least we should with clear eyes assess whether we are ready to be God’s hands here on Earth.

Powell Hutton

Appointed readings for today: Ezekiel 47:1-9, 12, Psalm 46:1-8, John 5:1-18


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