St. John's at Laurel Hill

Now a parochial mission of Grace Church of West Feliciana, St. John’s at Laurel Hill once served independently with full parochial status for the northern part of the civil parish of West Feliciana.

St. John’s the parish was formed in September of 1873 with its own Rector and a seven man vestry. The congregation had been and continued to meet in area homes and a “Methodist Chapel” until such time as the church building was completed. As its congregation diminished during the turn of the century to the 1920’s, St. John’s, at some point became a diocesan mission and then, even with some financial support for priest services from Grace Church, it was closed. In the 1940’s it ceased to be listed by the diocese.

St. John’s Church building was contracted for and substantially completed in 1873 and was consecrated on Whitsun Day, May 14, 1874. The site for the church was donated (for $1.00 lawful money) as one acre less existing cemetery from part of a parishoner’s property which was originally acquired as a Spanish land grant. The building, structurally sound, and handsomely, but simply decorated, remains in use today due to the loving care of generations of parishioners from St. John’s and Grace Church.

St. John’s the current mission has been an active as part of Grace Church since the 1950’s. It has served through several different periods as “the Sunday School” for area children. For the past 35 years or better, St. John’s has met every third Sunday for a 7:30am Eucharist. This service is attended by the descendants of the original parishioners, other Grace Church members, Episcopal friends from Woodville, Mississippi and weekend visitors at a nearby recreational area.

Each year a Patronal Festival is held on December 27 with Evensong at St. John’s and refreshments at a parishoner’s residence. St. John’s continues to be used by Grace Church communicants and sometimes those of other denominations for baptisms and weddings.

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