November 1, 2015

St. John's Episcopal Church 2015

St. John's Episcopal Church

Ketchican, Alaska

"St. John's Episcopal Church and St. Agnes Mission 
were newly built above the tides in 1902."
(REF.)

"St. John's was built in 1904 on the waters edge. Many of the congregation who attended would tie up their boats to the pier at the church's front door, climb up a ladder and make their way into the church to worship. St. John's was constructed by local shipwrights and craftsmen using red cedar milled about three miles south of town in Saxman. Due to the growth of Ketchikan the pier which St. John's sat on has been replaced with a hard surfaced road known as Mission Street. " (Link 1.)

"In 1898, St. Agnes Mission was built in what is now St. John's parking lot. That native school was operated for almost 25 years before being turned over to the Office of Indian Affairs.

"The clergy house on the other side of the mission was enlarged between 1908 and 1912, and converted to a 12-bed hospital. In the 1970's and 1980's, it served as the Seamen's Center.

"In the 1960's, St. John's welcomed back the native congregation of St. Elizabeth's Episcopal Church, a mission church which had been formed out of the congregation of St. John's. Maintaining its presence in Ketchikan's downtown has remained a priority for St. John's, hosting weekly meals for the homeless and providing meeting space to various community groups.

Side View 2015

"To this purpose, parishioners keep the church open all week during the summer so visitors can share in the beauty and serenity of our sanctuary which is adorned with handsome stained glass windows, the oldest of which dates back to the 1930's. St. John's remains firm in both its mission--serving to the glory of God in Ketchikan---and its location--its steeple rising from the center of town as a visible symbol of God and his work.

Rear of Church 2015

"The old rectory which once stood behind the church was taken down to provide for the widening of Dock Street." (Link 2.)

                                                                        Sanctuary

(Link 1.)

"Upon entering the church you are immediately drawn to the stained glass windows which adorn the sanctuary, some of which date back to the 1930's. The alter and pipe organ are without a doubt some of the most beautiful I have ever seen.  (Link 1.)

                                         Statue carved from whale bone and

                                    adorned with gold from the 1800's gold rush.

(Link 1.)

                         Stained Glass Window (Link 1.)

                                           Stained Glass Window (Link 1.)

                                                Stained Glass Window (Link 1.)

Note: For map see Blog Post October 18, 2015.                                        

Exterior Photos: Taken in September 2015 by SW.
Reference:  Our Town, Discover Ketchikan Alaska.

Link 1: http://www.rwal54.newsvine.com/_news/2009/06/07/2905625-st-johns-episcopal-church-ketchikan-ak
Link 2: http://www.stjohnsketchikan.com/aboutus.htm