About St. John the Baptist Episcopal Church
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St. John the Baptist Episcopal Church is the oldest church continuously in use in the Panhandle of Texas. The first services were held in the McClelland ranch house in November of 1887. The current church building was erected in 1893, on a site given by Isaac W Carhart. The name was chosen by a benefactor, Mrs. Elizabeth Goff of Philadelphia, and the church was consecrated for use by Bishop Alexander Garrett, Bishop of the Missionary District of Northern Texas in April of 1893. St. John the Baptist actually extended a helping hand to a smaller mission in Amarillo, TX. In 1902, there were 49 members of the church.
Today, the congregation is still small in number, with 28 members and an average Sunday attendance of 10, but they are very proud of their heritage and their church. The congregation is lead by their priest, the Rev. Jim Aveni, who was ordained in 1999, and began serving them in 1999. Fr. Aveni also serves the congregations in Shamrock, TX, at St. Michael's and All Angels - and in Vernon, TX, at Grace Episcopal Church.
