We are an Anglican Church that loves Jesus Christ and God's creation.
Fr. Michael Mobley
Rector, Saint John's Church
what we do
Our Mission
Our weekday and weekend gatherings take a lot of people to make them work, from ushers to greeters, youth and adult group leaders, our care ministry and everywhere in-between.
We seek and are committed to building relationships and have intentional and strategic partnerships where we can work alongside the work God is already doing in our city.
We believe God has called us to be a church that that follows Him by turning our hearts and our focus to global communities by serving our neighbor where they are.
our core
What We Believe
As an Anglican Church, we believe in one God, but there are three elements to this one God: God the Father, God the Son, God the Holy Spirit; that human beings’ decision to reject this eternal God and live according to their own standards (sin) causes a relational breakdown between them; that God the Son, Jesus Christ, lived and died to give people a model and a way to be reconciled with God.
We consider the Bible to be fundamental to life as a Christian and believe that “the Scriptures contain all things necessary for salvation”.
We believe that the Christian life involves regular praise and prayer, both private and public, and that Christians must practice what they preach and pray – both on Sundays (the day when we normally gather for worship) and every day, as they seek to live out their worship.
We believe that people become members of God’s Church through Baptism, and all Christians celebrate Holy Communion (also known as Eucharist) as a shared ‘meal’ (of bread/wafer and wine) which they eat together in Jesus’ name.
We accept the major Creeds as expressing their Christian faith: The Apostle’s Creed is the statement of faith used in Baptism and Morning and Evening Prayer, while the Nicene Creed is prayed in the service of Holy Communion. (These can be found in any Anglican prayer book.) We summarize our basic beliefs in The Catechism (an old word, meaning “what is to be taught”).
a glimpse
What to Expect
Whether you’re a first-time visitor or a long-time member, Saint John’s welcomes all who are weary and heavy-laden. Our leadership team can help direct you to the resources you need, as well as provide guidance in ways you can help serve others.
Our service structure and organization are based upon the Liturgical Calendar, which follows the life of Jesus Christ. We celebrate various seasons of His life, including His death, resurrection and ascension into heaven.
We’d like to say we’re a superhuman congregation, but in all truth, we’re a loving group of individuals who seek daily to be more like Christ. We understand the struggle to follow Christ in such a sin-filled world, and we firmly believe He can forgive all sins through a repentant heart.
Our music style is one of tradition, and is accompanied by a beautiful organ and choir. We sing age-old hymns from the 1982 Hymnal, and the sanctuary is well-equipped for excellent sound reverberation. Come sing with our choir!
the church
Our History
In July of 1876, Bishop Alexander C. Garrett visited Brownwood for the first time as part of his horse and buggy circuit as the Missionary Bishop in charge of North Texas. The population was 120 people of which three were Episcopalians. He confirmed one person. Ten years after his first visit, Bishop Garrett approved the petition to organize St. John’s Mission. Twelve men signed the petition. The Reverend Peter Wagner became vicar of the new Mission (in addition to serving the Missions in Ballinger and Coleman). In 1888, St. John’s became a self-supporting parish.
The present building was constructed within four years of the parish’s beginning. The stained galass windows were constructed in Belgium, and a shipping error caused St. John’s to receive at least some of the windows for a St. Peter’s Church in Japan. The “Tokyo” window is behind the Altar, the corresponding “Brownwood” window in Tokyo was evidently destroyed by an earthquake in the 1930’s.
The Rectory was completed in 1903. The Parish Hall was constructed in 1928. Both buildings have been significantly remodeled since.