About Us
Who We Are
Our mission statement at St. John’s is: “To live in the Spirit of Christ.” What this means for us right now is that we are trying to follow God’s call for us. We are trying to live into that call every day.
St. John’s Church is the oldest English-speaking parish in America, founded in 1610. That means that we have been meeting as a worshipping congregation for over 400 years. We are looking toward the future as we change with every new person. We would love for you to be part of this vibrant community of people who continue to aspire, perspire and inspire.

Founded in 1610
Our Core Values
- Worship. We value worship through the beauty, richness and tradition of liturgy that magnifies the Lord and feeds our spirit.
- Outreach. We value outreach to the wider community through commitment to generous and caring service, recognizing that we are God’s hands and feet in the world.
- Christian Formation. We value opportunities for all to explore and grow as disciples of Christ in a nurturing and accepting spiritual atmosphere.
- Heritage. We value our religious and cultural heritage, and we honor St. John’s as a witness to God’s abiding presence through the ages.
- Spirituality. We seek the inspiration of the Holy Spirit to strengthen our faith, to forgive our sins, and to help us remember our many blessings as we aspire to live into the fullness of God’s grace.
- Community. As a parish community, we nurture Christian fellowship in a spirit of hospitality.
- Stewardship. We embrace the opportunity to grow in our commitment to Christ by sharing our gifts of time, talent and treasure.
- Evangelism. We seek ways to share our life in Christ that the world may know God’s love.
Our History
From our beginnings with English settlers in 1610 to our current journey over 400 years later, St. John’s has an exciting story. Find out more and come join the adventure. Read More
The Episcopal Church
“We Episcopalians believe in a loving, liberating, and life-giving God: Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. As constituent members of the Anglican Communion in the United States, we are descendants of and partners with the Church of England and the Scottish Episcopal Church, and are part of the third largest group of Christians in the world.” Read More
If You’re New Here
We know you may have questions if you’re new to St. John’s or new to the Episcopal tradition. We’ve created a space to help answer some of your questions. Read More

Mark Riley
Associate Rector
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In 2004 I moved to Hampton Roads to be closer to Laura, and in 2006 my lovely wife Laura and I were married. After a period of personal discernment and the strong support of my wife, I left a twenty year sales career to pursue formal discernment to ordained ministry. I returned to school in 2012 and completed my Masters of Divinity at Virginia Theological Seminary in May of 2015. I was ordained to the diaconate in June of 2015 and ordained to the priesthood in April, 2016. In my spare time, I enjoy time at the beach with Laura and our dog, woodworking, tennis and learning the Irish sport of Hurling.

Deborah Carr
Director, Organist, Choir Master
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Jane Price
Lay Pastoral Associate
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Michael Todd
Sexton
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Patrick Crandol
Parish Administrator