St. John the Evangelist Catholic Parish sits on North Martin Luther King Jr. Drive in Jackson, Michigan, and worshipes in the oldest church building still in use in the Diocese of Lansing. The first fourteen families gathered on these grounds in 1856, before the city of Jackson itself was established, and the parish has remained a continuous presence ever since. Today the parish includes that historic church, the nearby St. Joseph the Worker Oratory, a parish cemetery, a Catholic elementary school and preschool, and a packed calendar of formation, service, and prayer programs that draw more than two thousand registered families.
The parish's core purpose is to fulfill the Great Commission and form a community of missionary disciples in Jackson, Michigan. Everything from its homily videos to its youth retreats to its food-and-financial help for neighbors is organized around three core values: a Heart of Gratitude, a Mind for Excellence, and a Spirit of Unity. The parish's work is bringing people to Jesus and Jesus to people through the sacraments, faith formation, discipleship, fellowship, and service.
Mass and Confession Times
Weekend Mass at St. John is offered on Saturday at 4:15 p.m. and on Sunday at 8:00 a.m., 10:00 a.m., and Noon, all in the main church. A fifth Sunday Mass is celebrated at 5:00 p.m. at St. Joseph the Worker Oratory on North Waterloo Avenue, giving the parish two Sunday-evening options for those who prefer a quieter setting.
Weekday Masses round out the schedule: Tuesday at 5:30 p.m. at St. Joseph the Worker Oratory, and Wednesday, Thursday, and Friday at 9:00 a.m. at St. John Church. Thursday's 9:00 a.m. Mass is followed by a short devotion to Our Lady of Perpetual Help.
Confession is heard on Thursday mornings after the 9:00 a.m. Mass (about 9:30 a.m.) and on Saturdays from 3:00 to 3:45 p.m. before the vigil Mass. On the first Thursday of each month an evening confession time is added from 7:00 to 7:30 p.m. Priests will typically continue to hear confessions beyond the posted times if people are still present and waiting.
For those who cannot attend in person, every Mass is livestreamed on the parish YouTube channel and Facebook page, making the parish accessible to the homebound and to parishioners who travel.
A Parish Built by Fourteen Families in 1856
The first Catholic families in Jackson gathered in 1856, before the city was even platted, and laid the cornerstone for what would become the Mother Church of the diocese. The current church building is still the oldest Catholic house of worship in continuous use anywhere in the Diocese of Lansing.
In the early days, the parish depended on the sacrifices of a handful of families who were willing to build a church in unsettled country. Membership grew from those fourteen households to more than two thousand families. The parish's history is one of visionary leadership, volunteerism, and openness, a tradition that continues to flourish.
In 2010 Bishop Earl Boyea decreed that the nearby St. Joseph Parish be merged into St. John as an oratory. The two congregations have since worked to knit their respective heritage into a single parish family, with St. Joseph the Worker Oratory on North Waterloo Avenue now serving as a second worship site for Sunday evening Mass and Tuesday Mass, and housing an adoration chapel used for weekly prayers for vocations.
The Clergy and Parish Staff
Fr. Chas Canoy serves as pastor. Fr. Randy Koenigsknecht is parochial vicar. Two deacons complete the clerical team: Deacon Dave Etters and Deacon Mike McCormick.
The lay staff is organized into two broad teams. The parish mission direct team includes Shayne Slough (Director of Parish Life), Todd Gale (Discipleship Coordinator and Spiritual Director), Angel Koerkel (Coordinator of Sacramental Preparation), Amy Parrish (Coordinator of Catechesis of the Good Shepherd), Jake Gerber (Director of Youth Discipleship for the Jackson Grouping), Clay O'Rourke (Communications Associate), and Evan Connors (Discipleship Associate). The mission support team includes Michael Philpott (Director of Parish Operations), Kathryn Fisher and Jeana Okoniewski (Administrative Assistants), Margaret Myers (Finance Manager), Diane Manor (Accounting Specialist), Dominic Kryst (Resident Organist), Paul Putra (Plant Manager), Jenny Mietelka (Cemetery Coordinator), and Brian Mick (Cemetery Grounds and Maintenance Supervisor). Tara Brady is principal of St. John School.
Every member of the staff has shared a written faith story, and the parish is a missionary community in which staff are expected to be visible witnesses to the Gospel both inside the building and out in the community.
The Seven Sacraments
Sacraments sit at the center of parish life. Baptism is celebrated after a personal conversation with the Coordinator of Sacramental Preparation; infant baptisms require at least one practicing Catholic godparent who has been confirmed and is over the age of sixteen. Reconciliation is offered at the times listed above, and First Reconciliation is prepared through the parish's family-based religious education program. The Holy Eucharist is received at Sunday Mass and at weekday liturgies. Confirmation is prepared in a two-year process for teens, with a required parent-and-student meeting each August; the parish partners with Queen of the Miraculous Medal and St. Mary Star of the Sea in the wider Jackson grouping for this preparation.
Couples preparing for Holy Matrimony meet with the parish staff to plan a Nuptial Mass or ceremony. Holy Orders is supported through prayers for vocations held every Thursday evening in the St. Joseph Oratory adoration chapel. Anointing of the Sick is offered to the seriously ill and elderly, often in conjunction with visits from the priests. Catholic funerals follow the Order of Christian Funerals, with the parish cemetery on East South Street available to registered parishioners and their families.
Faith Formation for Every Age
Faith formation is a lifelong journey that helps individuals and families grow closer to Christ through prayer, study, and community. The Religious Education program is structured around Family Discipleship, deeply rooted in the Mass, empowering parents, and nurturing a lifelong love for Christ and His Church.
For adults, OCIA and Catholicism 101 meets on Sundays at 8:30 a.m. and on Wednesdays at 6:00 p.m. for anyone thinking about becoming Catholic or wanting to learn more about the Catholic faith. Discipleship Groups are small communities of adults who meet for prayer, Scripture, and mentoring, using an evangelization model developed in partnership with Evangelical Catholic. The parish also hosts the Catholic Biblical School of Michigan, a four-year instructor-led journey through Sacred Scripture that meets on Monday evenings from September through May; tuition and registration are handled through the CBS Michigan program.
Bible Study gathers on Tuesday afternoons at 1:00 p.m. in the Community Room for a verse-by-verse study of Scripture (recently working through First Corinthians). On Thursdays from 12:15 to 1:15 p.m., the Brown Bag Bible Bunch invites adults to bring lunch and explore the Gospel of Mark in the Family Room of the Parish Center.
For children, Catechesis of the Good Shepherd offers a prayerful, hands-on Montessori-style atrium where children encounter Scripture, the liturgy, and materials designed for their stage of development. Totus Tuus, the popular Archdiocese summer catechetical program, is hosted by the parish each year for grade-school children. Children's Liturgy of the Word is offered during the 10:00 a.m. Sunday Mass.
Youth Ministry and Young Adults
The Jackson Grouping Youth Ministry, directed by Jake Gerber, gathers middle-school students (grades 6 to 8) from 4:15 to 5:45 p.m. and high-school students (grades 9 to 12) from 6:00 to 7:30 p.m. on Sunday evenings in the Youth Room next to St. Joseph Oratory. The ministry emphasizes faith, fun, and fellowship, with weekly gatherings, retreats, service projects, and an annual summer lineup that includes Catholic Youth Camp, the Alive in You mission week, an outdoor movie night, an ice-cream evening at Cascades, a pilgrimage to the Solanus Casey Center, and a service day at the Interfaith Shelter.
Confirmation preparation is a two-year journey of retreats, small groups, Mass attendance, and service hours. A spring Confirmation mini-retreat and a fall parent-and-student kickoff mark the major milestones.
A Young Adults group called Tim 4:12 meets on Thursday evenings in the Parish Community Room. The group is geared toward Catholics in their twenties and thirties who want to grow in faith alongside peers.
Parish School and Preschool
St. John School has been part of the parish since 1873. Today the school serves preschool through elementary-age students at 405 East North Street, sharing the wider Jackson Catholic Schools system. The Preschool offers a full-day or half-day option for three-year-olds and flexible scheduling for four-year-olds, all designed around purposeful play and early childhood faith formation. Applications are handled through Jackson Catholic Schools at jacksoncatholicschools.org.
School Mass is celebrated in the church on Wednesdays at 9:00 a.m. when school is in session, giving students regular access to the sanctuary and to the priests.
Eucharistic Adoration and Prayer Life
Adoration of the Blessed Sacrament is woven throughout the weekly rhythm of the parish. The St. Joseph Oratory adoration chapel is open for weekly visits, and the parish hosts two monthly gatherings at St. John Church. Behold and Be Held, held on the second Thursday of each month from 7:00 to 8:15 p.m., is an evening of Scripture, reflection, Eucharistic Adoration, prayer teams, and praise music. The First Friday Holy Hour, held from 5:30 to 6:30 p.m., is open to all Catholics from across the Jackson area and includes prayer for families, parishes, and the wider community.
Prayers for Vocations are held in the St. Joseph adoration chapel every Thursday evening at 7:00 p.m. A parish-wide prayer team is also available to receive one-on-one prayer requests. The parish maintains a deep archive of prayers organized around the sacraments, the liturgical seasons, and everyday life.
Christian Service and Outreach
The Christian Service Committee coordinates the parish's outreach to those in need, organizing Christmas and summer giving trees for families in need, a Christmas wrapping day, food assistance, and direct financial help. The committee acts as a conduit to the pastor on issues of social justice and encourages parishioners to be the hands, feet, and voice of Christ throughout the year.
Several affiliated groups carry their own outreach work. The St. Vincent de Paul Society assists neighbors in need through home visits, food, and financial aid. Walking with Moms in Need accompanies pregnant women and mothers in difficulty. The Knights of Columbus council supports parish life through charitable works, fundraisers, and a monthly living rosary that draws Catholics from across the diocese to the State Capitol each fall. The Secular Franciscan Order lives the Gospel in the spirit of St. Francis through prayer, fraternity, and service in everyday life.
The Christian Service Marketplace, held each September in the Parish Hall before and after all Masses, raises funds for outreach projects through a silent auction and basket raffle.
Liturgical Ministries and Music
St. John relies on a large lay workforce for its Sunday and weekday liturgies. Lectors proclaim the Sacred Scriptures at Mass and are trained by the parish. Extraordinary Ministers of Holy Communion assist with the distribution of the Eucharist. Sacristans set up the liturgical vessels and offertory gifts before each Mass. Ushers and greeters welcome the assembly, seat latecomers, take up the collection, and assist with emergencies during liturgies. Servers, cantors, and the parish choir support the sung liturgy; the music ministry is led by Resident Organist Dominic Kryst.
Parish Representatives serve as ambassadors who welcome new members, share parish information, and keep communication strong within neighborhoods.
Parish Governance and Stewardship
The Pastoral Council is a body of confirmed parishioners who represent the parish and work with the pastor and staff to set goals, develop programs, and evaluate their effectiveness. The council is led by President John Dullock and includes Therri Oberdick, Pedro Tovar, Cassie Mydosh, Mary Ann Robinson, Janette Mefford, Alek Hendrickson, Sheela Federici, Shawn VanHeyningen, Julie Pienkos, and John Peiffer. The Finance Council oversees the temporal affairs of the parish.
The parish practices a 5-4-1 model of stewardship: 5 percent of household income to the Sunday offertory, 4 percent to capital expenditures and beautification projects, and 1 percent to the Diocesan Services Appeal. Online giving is available through PushPay, and parishioners can also text the word give to a short code to give through their phone. A yearly Generosity Challenge walks families through setting up a recurring pledge.
Homilies, Media, and the Parish App
Each weekend homily is recorded and posted in two formats: the full homily and a Homily Short, a brief, shareable video reflection on the Sunday Gospel. Recent homilies have explored the workers in the vineyard, the mind of Christ, the Bread of Life discourse, and the mercy of the Father who runs to meet his children. Homily Shorts are also released on YouTube Shorts.
The parish produces several recurring video series. Ask Father Chas answers submitted questions about Catholic teaching in short, accessible episodes. Testimonies and Sacred Moments features written and video testimonies from parishioners describing their own journeys of conversion. The Youth Ministry Summer Series walks teens through a structured overview of Catholic theology: Divine Revelation, God's existence, Christology, Ecclesiology, the sacraments, Mariology, eschatology, and moral theology.
The myParish app puts the parish bulletin, Mass and confession times, event calendar, and online giving on a smartphone or tablet, and is available for both iOS and Android.
What to Know Before Visiting
Anyone is welcome at any of the parish Masses. The priests regularly invite non-Catholics to come forward for a blessing rather than Communion, and parents of young children are encouraged not to worry about wiggles or quiet moments. Jesus said, "Let the children come to me," and parents are asked to come back into the sanctuary after stepping out.
The main office is open Monday through Wednesday from 9:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m., Thursday from 12:15 to 4:00 p.m., and Friday from 9:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. The parish phone line is (517) 784-0553.
The Apse Painting Project
A recent capital project, the Apse Painting Project, has now been completed in St. John Church. The project enhanced the beauty of the sanctuary behind the altar and was a parish-wide effort supported by the 5-4-1 stewardship model. Documentation of the design and restoration journey is preserved for visitors and future parishioners to see how the sacred space evolved.
One Parish Family Across Three Campuses
St. John the Evangelist Catholic Parish operates as a single community across three locations. The main church and parish office at 711 North Martin Luther King Jr. Drive is the heart of Sunday worship, with the historic sanctuary, the school, the parish center, and the cemetery all within a short walk. St. Joseph the Worker Oratory at 705 North Waterloo Avenue hosts the Sunday evening Mass, Tuesday Mass, weekly adoration, and the youth rooms. The St. John Catholic Cemetery at 403 East South Street serves as the resting place for parishioners and is maintained year-round by a dedicated cemetery team.
Together the three campuses allow the parish to keep its founding vision as the Mother Church of Jackson while growing into the needs of a modern Catholic community: a Catholic school, a vibrant youth program, an active Christian service network, a Sunday Mass schedule that accommodates working families, and a prayer life anchored in daily Mass and Eucharistic Adoration.